A Review of ‘The Moveable Feast’ by Ernest Hemingway

The Bookshop Guru

A master storyteller is how I would describe Hemingway. Those of you that have read his most popular and well known novels need no introduction into how the clarity and originality of his stories grip you from the beginning. I was intrigued when I found this book, because although it’s described as fiction, it is really an account of him as a poor and struggling unknown writer living in Paris in the 1920’s. His memories have a bouquet that lingers and captivates you into understanding much more about the man, almost as if you can smell and taste the wine as he recalls the café life. Hemingway describes Paris as a great treasure given to you, and regardless of how poor you are, you could still live and work well there. You could take Paris with you wherever you went and so ‘The Moveable Feast.’

Hemingway recalls his encounters with other writers such as Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound, James Joyce and many more. Interestingly, his early confidence is best described as ‘unsure’ without the authority of a novel to his name. His friend Fitzgerald talks about his latest book ‘The Great Gatsby’ and how good reviews hadn’t translated into meaningful sales. Hemingway then recalls how he spent a whole morning of work just to write a paragraph and he wasn’t sure how he could ever write anything as long as a novel. But he also recalls his disapproval of Fitzgerald’s practice of changing short stories to suit the twists required for magazine submission. Hemingway describes this practice as ‘whoring,’ but Fitzgerald says he has no choice as he needs the money to fund the writing of future books.

Throughout the meandering of life as a young writer Hemingway leads you into his world and shares with you all the beauty of living and loving life. There is a vibrancy of colour in the way the words make it onto the page of the story, which is how Hemingway recalls his early struggle to tell a story.

A great read!

Anthony fox

Are you listening,  what are you dreaming?

As Jesus said, “belief is everything.”

In my latest book “It’s Never Too Late” read how dreams do come true, but be careful what you wish for. Understand the secret of greed and you will attain one of the secrets of prosperity. The book will also take you on a journey and explores love, money, luck, and much more.

Click Here

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P.S. Tomorrow Never Comes

Hey, Chuck. Did you bring any spending money? Viva la vida loca.

Conducting Survey into Precognitive Choices

Which would you prefer half-price digital or paperback?

Never late, but sorry.

 Read my latest book "It's Never Too Late" by Anthony Fox,  published by Chipmunka Publishing

The Million Dollar Question ( NFL Sunday Football Comic Diary) Week 5

The Bookshop Guru

The New Orleans Saints face the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday’s live game. I fancy the Saints to win the game. The consensus is around 54% in favour with the Saints, and the bookies make the Eagles the favourite in this matchup. For me it’s all about the quarterbacks, Drew Brees vs Sam Bradford and I prefer Brees. As they say, go with the inform team and that is the Saints with the better offence. Who invented the spread, the bookies, and the way they see it, as a + or – 6 point game? I take the Saints with the +6 points. Whatever happens, I will enjoy the game!

Artificial Intelligence

Insider Trading = Shit Team © Anthony Fox 

Comic Cartoons

P.S. Sponsored by Madbrokes a comedian on antidepressants.

P.S. Never judge a book by its cover, unless you have read the book.

Are you listening,  what are you dreaming?

As Jesus said, “belief is everything.”

In my latest book “It’s Never Too Late” read how dreams do come true, but be careful what you wish for. Understand the secret of greed and you will attain one of the secrets of prosperity. The book will also take you on a journey and explores love, money, luck, and much more.

Click Here

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P.S. Tomorrow Never Comes

Hey, Chuck. Did you bring any spending money? Viva la vida loca.

Conducting Survey into Precognitive Choices

Which would you prefer half-price digital or paperback?

Never late, but sorry.

 Read my latest book "It's Never Too Late" by Anthony Fox,  published by Chipmunka Publishing

Bird Flu - The Next Plague

The Bookshop Guru

Book Review: Everything You Need To Know About Bird Flu & What You Can Do To Prepare For It by Jo Revill

I thought this book I recently discovered at my local thrift shop would make an interesting book review, partly because it is a serious book about the potential threat from bird flu and the affects it will have should a pandemic human influenza occur in the near future and also because I like to review obscure interesting books rather than the common novels that everyone and their granny's review.

This book by Jo Revill is easy to read and appreciate the implications that would come from a pandemic caused by the jump of the virus which is endemic in wild birds and as yet to mutate into a form that would create panic among the world because of how lethal the strain of bird flu can be to humans. 

Bird flu or avian flu is a virus that is common among wild birds that migrate from country to country around the world. The problem from what I have read is that many of these species of wild birds are asymptomatic and they can carry the virus without showing any signs of symptoms associated with bird flu, which tends to make the problem more obtuse and difficult to track. Clearly if many birds are suddenly dying it is easy to first spot these birds and they can be tested for bird flu, but there is the problem as some do not as previously mentioned.

The strain H5N1 which was first recognised as a lethal form of bird flu in the years leading up to 2005 when the world woke up to the potential threat because of how the virus could potentially mutate to a human form of influenza. The problem with any preventative measures such as a vaccine are complicated by the fact that any vaccine could take up to 4 – 6 month to produce, because the exact genetic makeup of the subtype of the strain of virus will not be prior known before a pandemic is identified. The preceding months any available vaccines may offer little or no resistance against the new mutated strain (subtype) of the virus.  The current consensus is that vaccines based on the previous virus subtype H5N1 may offer some protection but this all depends on how the proteins used by the virus to attach itself to the cells of the organism it has infected namely us.

The current response by various governments around the world has been to stock up with either Tamiflu or Relenza or both in case of a pandemic affecting their populations. The problem with this is both one of not enough vaccines for everyone and if the vaccines will actually work against a new strain, as these viruses naturally mutate very fast and so it would be lucky if the old vaccines worked as a preventative or a treatment measure. It may be like sticking a plaster on a bullet wound.

The major problem with a virus which is airborne is how easily it can spread and attach itself to soft and hard surfaces such as clothes, keyboards, door handles, uncooked food etc. The virus is then easily absorbed into our bodies through wiping our eyes or mouth with our infected hands because the virus can live on surfaces for many hours. Once into our respiratory tract it attacks our white blood cells and causes our immune system to react, but because of our immune system does not have the antigens from a previous infection the immune system goes into overdrive and destroys itself eventually. This usually takes about 2-3 days and long enough for the host to spread the virus, which why a virus is so successful as a biological weapon or an invisible terrorist, it eventually kills the host , but only after a few days and time enough to replicate and spread itself.

The book explains what bird flu is and how it works, and also why the strain H5N1 could be so lethal to humans if the virus mutates enough to cause a human to human pandemic influenza.  The book offers practical advice, and endeavours to explain the semantics of why H5N1 is so potentially dangerous to mankind.

The book quotes from leading authorities both on the medical and economic implications a human influenza pandemic would cause.  There is a suggestion that 2% of the world economy would be lost and countless millions of deaths dependent on how lethal the virus was. I often think many people and including experts, often underestimate and are over optimistic when it comes to making predictions. There is a saying we are only 3 days away from chaos at any one time and it does not take many unrelated events for there to be a complete breakdown of civilisation.

Are you listening,  what are you dreaming?

As Jesus said, “belief is everything.”

In my latest book “It’s Never Too Late” read how dreams do come true, but be careful what you wish for. Understand the secret of greed and you will attain one of the secrets of prosperity. The book will also take you on a journey and explores love, money, luck, and much more.

Click Here

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P.S. Tomorrow Never Comes

Hey, Chuck. Did you bring any spending money? Viva la vida loca.

Conducting Survey into Precognitive Choices

Which would you prefer half-price digital or paperback?

Never late, but sorry.

 Read my latest book "It's Never Too Late" by Anthony Fox,  published by Chipmunka Publishing

To Be Or Not To Be - A Singles Dating Story

The Bookshop Guru

It all started at one of those singles parties that lonely people seem to end up at especially when those teenage years are long gone, and it becomes increasingly more difficult to meet a suitable partner. Don’t get me wrong these single parties have their uses, after all, everyone there is looking for someone or that’s what you think. I definitely needed someone I could love again. Loneliness is not something I would wish on anyone, it can tear your heart out.

 Surveying the talent and the competition was the evening’s entertainment and I was optimistic it would be a good night. I wasn’t in a panic just yet that would come later maybe, if I didn’t strike lucky. It’s a bit like a race where everyone is a runner, and you don’t want to end up going home, after finishing last without the slightest hint of a future date. Each time it appears harder and takes longer to find new love. I have loved and lost. Will I ever find that one love that lasts I ask myself? Alfred Lord Tennyson said, “Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.” Without having loved we are empty souls cast adrift without passion or emotion, a bare vessel as drifting flotsam. All these thoughts raced through my mind as my eyes surveyed the crowd. Would I find another love, someone that I could love again without all the emotional baggage that I had brought to the table?

Introducing myself to a group of people I didn’t know I sat down, and got stuck into the mountain of food available as we all munched away on the potato chips, pastry rolls, quiche, sandwiches, and other tasty goodies, when one of the organisers of the singles party asked me who I was. He was a short and skinny man. Politely, I told him, and explained that a member of the singles group had invited me so I could take a look and see if I wanted to join the group. There’s always someone that wants to spoil the party, I was thinking.

The guy saw me as a threat, as more competition, I don’t know but I suspect it was the case. He was quite rude saying I should have been a paid up member of the singles group before coming to the party. I’d a feeling if I had been a woman he would have not mentioned a word, and been glad I’d turned up because from what I could see he needed all the help he could get. Feeling threatened and alone with this attack I was thinking: All I wanted was a good night out.

Nice Boat

Fun Lovin' Criminals - Loco

Anyway, I said to him, ‘usually when I buy a pair of shoes, I like to try them on first,’ whereupon he didn’t say another word. Hey! I been invited by one of the members of the singles group to a party, I wasn’t expecting the guy to get down my throat. I just wanted to have some fun and maybe find a suitable date if I got lucky. Passive is my name. I don’t look for trouble just the opposite.

Why is it short guys with a little power suddenly become little Hitler’s strutting around like headless chickens. It’s a bit like those individuals who strut around talking on their cell phones acting like some sort of mini-celebrity as they start to have a conversation at decibels above everyone else. As if they needed to announce on their phones to the world that they’re somehow important, don’t you find that annoying behaviour, I just hope I don’t act like that.

Anyway, I think everyone at the table could see the fun in what I’d said, because they were all eager to find out more about me, a girl called Jane in particular.

It ended up being a good night.

Are you listening,  what are you dreaming?

As Jesus said, “belief is everything.”

In my latest book “It’s Never Too Late” read how dreams do come true, but be careful what you wish for. Understand the secret of greed and you will attain one of the secrets of prosperity. The book will also take you on a journey and explores love, money, luck, and much more.

Click Here

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P.S. Tomorrow Never Comes

Hey, Chuck. Did you bring any spending money? Viva la vida loca.

Conducting Survey into Precognitive Choices

Which would you prefer half-price digital or paperback?

Never late, but sorry.

 Read my latest book "It's Never Too Late" by Anthony Fox,  published by Chipmunka Publishing

A Love Story with a Difference

The Bookshop Guru

A book review of "Travels on My Elephant" by Mark Shand

A few years ago, I traveled to India with a friend, a photographer, to photograph the Bengal tiger in its natural habitat. We spent several weeks, in the jungle, tracking the elusive Bengal tiger, and every day aloft in a howdah (a wooden cradle) abreast of an elephant. I always had a love of animals, but, after spending several weeks with elephants, I became more aware of this love. Part of my role was to record and write an account of our travels. I decided to seek out more information about rural India, I wanted a different perspective, and by chance, I found a book by Mark Shand called ‘Travels on My Elephant.’

At night avoiding the mosquitoes I started to read Mark’s book and found myself falling in love. The book is about Mark’s trek across 1600 km of India with a female elephant called Tara. Mark’s book is a documentary of the real India and how he ended up falling in love with Tara. As I turned each page I got to know Tara and could not stop myself from feeling the same as Mark. Each day I spent with the elephants in the jungle tracking tigers my understanding of their plight became more pronounced.

I won’t tell you what happened to Tara because I think it’s up to you to find out. All I can say is that love is a many-flavored spring, it can appear and sprout from anywhere, just as it did for me each day with beautiful glimpses into the lives of these amazing animals.

Are you listening,  what are you dreaming?

As Jesus said, “Belief is everything.”

In my latest book “It’s Never Too Late” read how dreams do come true, but be careful what you wish for. Understand the secret of greed and you will attain one of the secrets of prosperity. The book will also take you on a journey and explores love, money, luck, and much more.

Click Here

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

P.S. Tomorrow Never Comes

Hey, Chuck. Did you bring any spending money? Viva la vida loca.

Conducting a Survey into Precognitive Choices

Which would you prefer half-price digital or paperback?

Never late, but sorry.

 Read my book "It's Never Too Late" by Anthony Fox,  published by Chipmunka Publishing

Are you a Hedgehog or a Fox?

The Bookshop Guru

A book review of ‘Future Babble’ by Dan Gardner

This book has no plot, characters or narrative, but, it is a serious attempt to understand why experts fail so miserably to provide accurate predictions. Why should we care? Well, it seems we crave to know the future. Therefore, somewhere in our psyche we want to understand the complexity of the universe, it’s been hot-wired into our brains since the day some hairy arse ape decided to stand up. Yet, evolution for all its mystery and diversity has thrown a curveball through time, we expect to reason when there is none. As humans we like patterns, for instance, the sun rises and sets every day which is a pattern, and throughout the evolution of man the brain has become accustomed to pattern recognition. In fact, our brains are so tuned to order that we find randomness difficult to accept.

I chose to buy this book after reading a couple of chapters, partly because I was interested in the psychology of why we believe experts, and, also to learn what conclusions can be deduced from Dan Gardner’s findings. I found the conclusions illuminating, but the proposition wasn’t tested scientifically in my opinion. Most of the experts were from western civilisations so the sampling was flawed, but it is still a valid conjecture based on how experts make assumptions about the future of such things as, the oil price, stock markets, population demographics, the collapse of political regimes, climate change and much more, yet, they make the wrong assumptions.

Are you a hedgehog or a fox? Dan Gardner uses the metaphor most experts are hedgehogs because they are usually over confident and ‘they are more likely to declare outcomes ‘certain or impossible’ could they be wrong? Never!’ The analogy is lost on me, other than, hedgehogs are prickly and foxes cuddly. Whereas the foxes, are individuals that are willing to admit when they are wrong and less likely to commit to predictions too far into the future.

Interestingly, a study of a group of scientific reviewers found that papers submitted before publication for peer review in academic journals were bias, even though the reviewers did not know they were being tested at the time of the study. So, before you get on your soapbox, remember you’re more likely to be bias than you have brain cells.

A good read.

Are you listening,  what are you dreaming?

As Jesus said, “belief is everything.”

In my latest book “It’s Never Too Late” read how dreams do come true, but be careful what you wish for. Understand the secret of greed and you will attain one of the secrets of prosperity. The book will also take you on a journey and explores love, money, luck, and much more.

Click Here

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

P.S. Tomorrow Never Comes

Hey, Chuck. Did you bring any spending money? Viva la vida loca.

Conducting Survey into Precognitive Choices

Which would you prefer half-price digital or paperback?

Never late, but sorry.

 Read my latest book "It's Never Too Late" by Anthony Fox,  published by Chipmunka Publishing