sow the thought seeds

Books on self-improvement comprise the rather broad theme for this month. The books on sale range from the spiritual to the overtly materialistic, from alternative health to effective business. As such, the message emphasises the successful path of the individual through the social -- a rite of passage that is appropriate to the time of year.

Some of the work is more individualistic than others. David Icke, for example, surely is a one-off. Whereas many other books highlight group or team consciousness-raising, whether that is on the spiritual plane (such as Stanley Rosenthal's Tao: A Way of Being) or the rather more banal and mediated reality of journalism (Alexandra Kitty's Don't Believe It).

Whether you're waiting to start a resolution, or revolution, you won't want to be kept waiting. So these books are available exclusively at Buy it Now or Best Offer prices. No need to wait ten days for an auction to end, Buy it Now and your book will be in the post immediately and on its way to you.

Start when it suits you ... in your time!  The theme will run throughout January, right up to the Chinese New Year -- being the year 4706 -- beginning on February 7th. 

And if you want to send an incentive to someone special, there is even an option for gift wrap and shipping to the recipient of your choice, together with a personal greeting (see below for details).

I wish you every success, and a very happy new year,

dene october

Resolutions: a new year, a new you.   

books on life goals, health and spirituality ~ reading to revitalise  

 Gift wrap option available 

William Shakespeare was a rat!

In ancient time, Buddha called all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Only twelve showed up, including the rat, and Buddha named a year after each loyal animal. 2008 is the Year of the Rat and, as you have probably already gathered, the great playwright, William Shakespeare, was born in such a year. Happy Chinese New Year!

The following is the system I use for grading books ~

Mint ~ New or as new, clearly unread, no tanning to pages, no creasing to spine or cover, no marks or inscriptions. This is the condition you would expect to find in a high street bookstore or on mail-order.

Excellent ~ The book appears to be in fine condition. A closer look reveals some signs of previous ownership, such as shelf-rubbing and in some cases an inscription. Yet on the whole, the book is perfect.

Very Good + ~ Less than excellent condition with no more than mild tanning or foxing to pages, minor creasing to spine or cover, possible shop sticker/pencilled price or previous owner name, but no other marks or inscriptions. This is still a tight and bright copy.

Very Good ~ The book shows clear signs of previous ownership / shelf wear. There may be some tanning / foxing to pages, slight creases to spine or cover, inscriptions from previous owner (typically their name or words of presentation).

Good + ~ The book cover and contents may have faded in colour and there may be creases, wear and inscriptions. However the book is still intact and readable and there is no loosening to spine or pages.

Good ~ This is an acceptable reading copy and there may be several of the reported problems above as associated with age and/or mishandling.

Poor ~ A book such as this is sent to auction for reasons such as the edition's rarity. This will probably not make an acceptable reading copy, and is more likely to have value in relation to its collectable status.

N.B. where a double grading is given, the latter refers to the dust-jacket, wrapper or cover

This grading guide is updated monthly to save you scrolling through archives. 

Your book can be gift-wrapped (paper and ribbon), together with your message in a card.

Simply request the service when paying, indicating the recipient, recipient address and 'your message'.

Your book will then be gift-wrapped, placed in bubble-wrap and secured in a thick, corrugated card sleeve before being sent to the recipient address.

The cost is £1.25. Please add this to the p&p box on your invoice.

Cassandra Eason is a fitting choice for feature author in a Resolutions theme. A family accident was both the spark and the motivation to change her life and become an author.

When she and her son Jack were waiting for her husband to return home from working overnight, Jack announced suddenly, Daddy’s gone roly-poly off his motorbike. 

At that precise moment, her husband had indeed spilled from his bike. He was fine, even though the bike was not. 'We synchronised the times because the clock on the motor bike stopped on impact,' says Eason, and the experience led her to write her first book, The Psychic Power of Children.

That was in 1991. And Cassandra Eason has written 50 books on similar subject material since.

Look out for the following Cassandra Eason books on sale: Cassandra Eason's Complete Guide to Psychic Development; Cassandra Eason's Complete Guide to Divination; Cassandra's Psychic Party Games.

This rare book has many applications: for home or garden, for beauty or hygiene, for kitchen and bathroom, for relaxation or relief from sickness ... it seems more people than ever are turning to the world of plants. Barbara Griggs' The Green Witchwork captures this green revival, and offers practical advice for utilising plant power. Included are ecipes for aromatic mixtures and natural remedies, as well as sections on wild food and spices. How to get your home smelling sweet, enjoy fragrant herbal baths, learn the natural secrets of beautiful hair and skin and master herbal remedies for adults and children.

Barbara Griggs: The Green Witch. Published byVermilion, 1993