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Review of The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Relationships. No Comments on Review of The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

The Correspondent is the quietly powerful first (published) novel of Virginia Evans. With a low-key book title and a letter-writing septuagenarian as the central character, you’d be forgiven for not expecting a gripping page-turner of a novel. The entire book is a series of correspondence between fiercely independent Sybil Van Antwerp and others – family, friends, a neighbour, a troubled teen, a refugee, various authors and institutions, to mention a few. I was surprised at how quickly I was drawn into Sybil’s life, past and present, through the letters she writes and receives.

Handwritten letters are now largely a relic of the past, but for Sybil, they always provided scaffolding in her life, from childhood into adulthood, and still support her in her senior years. She eschews phones and uses email reluctantly, dreading the fast-approaching time when her failing eyesight will put an end to her penmanship.

Letter by letter, Sybil’s life unfolds, and we learn about her origins and upbringing, her career, marriage and motherhood, her fears, and the family tragedy that left an indelible mark on her and those closest to her. Her deepest and most vulnerable thoughts are laid out in an ongoing, unmailed letter. As the book progresses, we see Sybil starting to break out of her writing cocoon to connect personally with some of the people she initially interacted with from a distance and eventually trying to rebuild damaged relationships.

Beautifully written, with gentle touches of humour, The Correspondent flows easily from beginning to end. It is well worth a read and, if you have a lazy Sunday coming up, you may find yourself doing so cover to cover in a day.

Review of the Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Money. 1 Comment on Review of the Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel

Why do we spend money in ways we later regret? Morgan Housel argues it has less to do with maths and more to do with human behaviour.

The Art of Spending Money is Morgan Housel’s third book. Following The Psychology of Money and Same as Ever, it explores the behavioural traps we fall into when making spending decisions. Spending is not simply about rustling up a spreadsheet and plugging in a budget; it is hugely influenced by our individuality, human foibles and societal pressures. In keeping with his signature style, Housel illustrates his concepts with short and entertaining real-life examples.

Key Takeaways from The Art of Spending Money

Spending is emotional, not entirely rational

Our financial choices are shaped more by feelings, habits and personal history than by logic or numbers.

Awareness is the first step to better spending

Examining where and why you spend can lead to more intentional and rewarding financial choices.

Comparison is the thief of financial contentment

Comparing your spending to others’ often leads to dissatisfaction and poor decisions.

Lifestyle creep is subtle but significant

As income grows, so do expectations, and often without a corresponding increase in happiness.

Flexibility matters more than precision

Rigid budgets can fail; adaptable spending habits are more sustainable over time.

Small decisions compound over time

Pay attention to your everyday spending choices, as they cumulatively impact your financial well-being.

True value is personal

What feels “worth it” varies from person to person. Intentional spending aligned with your values brings the most satisfaction.

Freedom is the fundamental goal of money

The best spending decisions are those that increase your independence, options and peace of mind.

Spending should align with your long-term goals

Thoughtful spending means prioritising what truly matters to you in the bigger picture, rather than indulging short-term impulses.

Experiences often outweigh things

Money spent on meaningful experiences tends to bring more lasting satisfaction than accumulating possessions.

Some of Morgan Housel’s advice and cautions in this book reinforce the content of his first publication, but if repetition helps us become accomplished artists of good spending, then why not?

Review of How to Sleep Like a Caveman by Dr Merijn Van De Laar

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Health, Resources. No Comments on Review of How to Sleep Like a Caveman by Dr Merijn Van De Laar

Review of How to Sleep Like a Caveman by Dr Merijn Van De Laar

Why We are Losing The Battle for Sleep

There is a modern-day epidemic of people who toss and turn at night, so it’s likely that either you—or someone you know—bemoans a lack of quality sleep. Dutch sleep therapist Dr Merijn Van De Laar sets out to unravel why rest has become so elusive and offers practical guidance for reclaiming a natural process that no longer comes easily to many of us.

Lessons from Our Ancestors

His starting point is our distant past. While direct evidence of early human sleep is limited, Van De Laar draws on research into contemporary hunter-gatherer societies to explore how people slept when life was simpler and more closely aligned with nature. The comparison provides a valuable lens for examining modern habits that may be working against us.

Deconstructing Sleep Science

If insomnia is your night time nemesis, you may be familiar with some of the advice, but its value lies in clear explanation and repetition. Van De Laar covers the influence of diet, light exposure, temperature, exercise, stimulants, regular bedtimes and individual circadian rhythms. He also demystifies concepts such as sleep pressure, sleep efficiency, sleep inertia and parasomnia, making the science accessible.

When Waking Up isn’t a Problem

He also challenges the magic number of eight hours of sleep. Van De Laar explains that this benchmark lacks firm scientific grounding, suggesting instead that most people function well on a range of just under six to almost seven-and-a-half hours of subjective sleep. He also debunks the idea that waking during the night is inherently problematic. According to him, it becomes an issue only when we respond with anxiety and clock-watching, rather than accepting it as “restful wake” in the way our ancestors likely did. That said, he is clear that overdoing the double espressos or soaring stress levels point to deeper issues that need to be addressed.

A 12-Point Plan for Practical Insomnia Relief

Van De Laar is careful to note that conditions such as sleep apnoea and narcolepsy need specialised treatment. However, for those of us grappling with common insomnia, the book concludes with a sensible 12-point plan designed to optimise sleep. Grounded in research and delivered with calm authority, How to Sleep Like a Caveman is a practical guide for anyone hoping to make peace with the night.

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Review of Blood’s Inner Rhyme by Antjie Krog

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Resources. No Comments on Review of Blood’s Inner Rhyme by Antjie Krog

South African poet Antjie Krog explores her complex relationship with her writer mother, Dot Serfontein, and anchors the book in the final few years her mother spent in a small flat with a caregiver.

Using correspondence between mother and daughter when Antjie was travelling overseas, and her visits to her mother in Kroonstad, she reflects on their connection. While they shared an abiding love for the Free State and a bond as the two creatives in their family, they had clear differences in ideology and outlook, and admiration was at times tempered with frustration. Afrikaner culture and heritage remained a sensitive area between them. Little anecdotes throughout the book illustrate Dot’s sharp intellect and feistiness, and the sense of humour of both women.

The author also reaches back to the Anglo-Boer War and draws material from Dot Serfontein’s old documents and unfinished writings. Then she blends in her own series of interviews conducted with people in inter-racial marriages in South Africa.

The timeline moves back and forth quite a lot and is punctuated with matter-of-fact extracts from the care staff’s daily log of how “the patient”, Antjie’s ailing mother, is faring. It is an unemotional but nonetheless sad background commentary on her age-related decline.

Antjie Krog’s “autobiographical novel” is her way of clarifying and finding closure on a relationship that was clearly precious to her, albeit one that was far from effortless.

A copy of Blood’s Inner Rhyme is available on short-term loan from the Chartered client library. The book is also published in Afrikaans under the title Binnerym van Bloed.

Review of “Beyond Anxiety” by Martha Beck

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Martha Beck holds a PhD in Sociology from Harvard, among other degrees, and has established herself as a leader in the field of life coaching. Having grappled with severe anxiety herself, she made it her mission to research the subject and identify effective ways of curbing anxiety’s grip on Western society.

First off, she observes that many of us have grown up in a culture that reveres left-brain thinking– logical, controlling, competitive and productivity-obsessed – with too little focus on the right brain. The result is a pandemic of ‘anxiety spirals’ triggered by fear and trauma that aren’t grounded in present reality but keep looping back; she is convinced that the antidote is learning to harness the creative right brain to quieten anxiety and ignite innovative problem-solving and a joyful sense of purpose and connection.

The author herself went through IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapy, which she found helpful in understanding how different parts of the psyche react when under stress, and she explains this further in quite a bit of detail. She also shares other personal experiences, as well as those of clients and colleagues, including the fascinating case of Dr Jill Bolte Taylor, whose left hemisphere stopped functioning at the time she had a stroke at the age of 37 (if you’re interested, she wrote a book about this called My Stroke of Insight, and has a TED Talk).

Martha Beck uses humorous and whimsical metaphors to convey concepts – from ‘stitching a sanity quilt’ to ‘magical chickens’. The book contains numerous exercises that can be applied to calm your ‘anxiety creature’ – yes, you should give it a name as it’s not going anywhere! – and progresses through suggestions and practices to connect you with your curiosity and creativity, and use these as tools to find peace and purpose.

The book is organised into three main sections. The latter part of Beyond Anxiety does move into spiritual and metaphysical territory and a broader discussion on humanity. As she unapologetically states, it may seem a bit too “woo woo” for some people – but it certainly makes for thought-provoking reading.

Review of “Book People” by Paige Nick

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Some of you may recall that Paige Nick had a column in the Sunday Times about a decade ago. Aside from being a freelance advertising copywriter, she has also written several books, her latest being Book People. It is a witty take on book lovers and the minefield of social media.

In real life, Paige Nick established an online book club called the “Good Book Appreciation Society”, which encourages its members to share honest reviews and opinions about their reads. She has given it a fictional twist in her book, with the founder being Norma, a forty-something ex-South African living in London, who is at a career and relationship crossroads. Norma’s little Facebook sideline ticks over in a reasonably civil manner until Harry Shields, a self-promoting and not particularly talented author-member, takes offence at a harsh review of his second novel. Instead of letting it blow over, the blow to his ego sees him taking to his keyboard with a vengeance to tackle his detractor. It is not long before other members enter the fray, and opinions and emotions are flying like missiles. If you’re one of the “I’m here for the comments” people on social media, you will appreciate the online sparring.

In Harry’s life, his obsession with the bad review and tracking down the person behind it starts to unravel his marriage, friendships, and his physical and mental health. Through his largely self-inflicted experiences, Book People takes a satirical look at social media concepts like ‘going viral’ on TikTok (making a public spectacle of yourself in the same room as a teen armed with a smartphone is not recommended) and ‘cancel culture’. Even usually mild-mannered bookworms can turn on you!

Overall, it is a fun read on a topical subject. So, if you’ll excuse me now, I’m going to see what goes on in the Gen Z land of BookTok.

Book People is available for short-term loan from our Client Library.

Review of “The 5 Types of Wealth” by Sahil Bloom

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Resources, Retiremeant. No Comments on Review of “The 5 Types of Wealth” by Sahil Bloom

At Chartered, we use the Wheel of Balance as a guide to a fulfilling life, focusing on eight key areas: work, play, purpose, health, money, relationships, give-back, and learning. There are certainly parallels in Sahil Bloom’s The 5 Types of Wealth. In his book, he proposes that real wealth has five dimensions, and you need to find balance across all of them – time, social, mental, physical, as well as financial wealth. True wealth is not just about what you have in the bank. While the author asserts that all five elements should co-exist, he adds that their relevance fluctuates through life’s seasons.

The book is nearly 400 pages long, so here’s a glimpse at each section:

  • Time Wealth: Are you prioritising the people and things that really count, or are you stuck on the treadmill of ‘busyness’? The author is fond of little charts and graphs to illustrate points or research, so expect to encounter a few under Time Wealth.
  • Social Wealth: Ask yourself who would be in the front row at your funeral – and nurture those relationships. Strong relationships are the stand-out factor in healthy ageing.
  • Mental Wealth: Maintain curiosity, a sense of purpose and lifelong learning. He shares a memorable story of a 90-year-old man who asked to attend an astronomy class at Harvard University in lieu of a birthday gift (wish granted).
  • Physical Wealth: He poses the question, “Will you be dancing at your Eightieth Birthday?” I’m sure we all hope to be doing the Salsa and not sitting on the sidelines!
  • Financial Wealth: Decide what qualifies as “enough”. He offers an overview of ways to grow your money (chat to your Financial Planner) and the wise words “never think twice about investing in yourself” in terms of education, fitness, food, sleep and mental health.

Bloom references books that we’ve reviewed and have in our client library, including James Clear’s Atomic Habits, Morgan Housel’s The Psychology of Money, Outlive by Dr Peter Attia, and The Good Life study.

Each section concludes with a summary and systems (some inspired by well-known figures) to improve areas needing attention. He reiterates that you should select the tools that are likely to work for you and not try to implement them all. So, here’s to a wealthier you!

Review of “The Next Day” by Melinda French Gates

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Learn, Resources. No Comments on Review of “The Next Day” by Melinda French Gates

Many people will know of Melinda Gates as the philanthropic wife (now ex) of Microsoft billionaire Bill. Approaching her 60th birthday and recently divorced, she has compiled a personal reflection on the key junctures in her life and what these have taught her. The book is subtitled Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward, and this is the essence of what she writes about.

Melinda came from a close-knit family, excelled at school and university, and landed her first job at Microsoft after earning her degree in computer science and an MBA. Over the years, she combined motherhood with her global work at the Gates Foundation. Despite the privilege and profile of her adult life, her life experiences are universal and relatable. She talks about leaving home to go to university and initially struggling to fit in and thrive, the challenges of parenthood and later an empty nest, career dilemmas, dealing with terminal illness and death close to her, ageing, and ending her marriage. With the passage of time, she believes she has become more adept at learning and growing with each new transition, and what she calls distilling the sound of one’s own inner voice.

Through it all, she has kept a special circle of friends who are always there for one another. She has also delved into poetry and spirituality to gain more perspective and understanding of change, and some of her favourite inspirational quotes are incorporated into the chapters.

She sums it up eloquently toward the end of her book: “After all, transitions are disruptive and disorienting. They lay waste to all our careful planning and force us to question our assumptions, our ambitions, even our very identities. But that, I’ve come to understand, is part of their magic.”

The book is only 160 pages long, so it is a quick read and feels like a leisurely catch-up about life with a friend.

The Chartered client library has a copy of The Next Day by Melinda French Gates for short-term loan.

Book of the Month: “The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Health, Resources. No Comments on Book of the Month: “The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins

What if the secret to more happiness, freedom, and peace was just two little words? In The Let Them Theory, bestselling author and mindset powerhouse Mel Robbins delivers her most liberating message yet: Let Them.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, frustrated, or stuck trying to manage other people’s expectations, emotions, or opinions—this book is your permission slip to stop. With her signature no-nonsense style, real-life stories, and deep insight, she encourages us to release the exhausting habit of trying to control what we can’t and instead refocus on what we can—ourselves.

Whether it’s managing complicated family dynamics, handling stress at work, letting go of comparisons, or silencing your inner critic, The Let Them Theory offers science-backed tools to reclaim your energy and peace of mind. It’s a simple yet powerful idea: let them judge, let them leave, let them have their opinions… and turn your attention back to what truly matters to you.

What I especially love about this book is how universal and empowering the message is. Mel’s writing feels like a conversation with a wise (and witty) friend who has your best interests at heart. You may already know her from The Mel Robbins Podcast, where she shares bite-sized strategies for motivation and mindset. This book captures that same magic—but goes even deeper.

Through relatable examples, Mel shows how freeing it can be to let others be who they are—while staying grounded in your own values and goals. I’ve found myself recommending The Let Them Theory to just about everyone lately—and for good reason. It’s a reminder that you don’t need to fix everything or everyone. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is… let them.

A copy of the book is available for short-term loan from the Chartered library.

Review of “How to Age Disgracefully” by Clare Pooley

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Client Story, Resources. 1 Comment on Review of “How to Age Disgracefully” by Clare Pooley

This is the third novel that British author Clare Pooley has published in the past five years, following the success of her debut novel, The Authenticity Project, and 2022’s offering, The People on Platform 5.

How to Age Disgracefully is a light-hearted read with a message about ageing and intergenerational connection, sometimes humorous and sometimes poignant; it’s a heart-warming tale to add some joy to this Valentine’s month.

Clare Pooley has gathered a colourful and quirky cast of characters, some with lives that haven’t turned out quite as they’d hoped. There’s midlife Lydia, who is dealing with an empty nest and a pompous straying spouse, trying to find herself again after years of being the perfect wife and stay-at-home mom. Teenage dad Ziggy is grappling with early onset responsibilities and an environment threatening to derail his attempts to make a better life. At their local community centre, their lives intersect with a group of senior citizens – Daphne, whose years of self-imposed isolation hide a secret, a failed actor with a bad habit estranged from his family and, of course, a prolific knitter. A scruffy canine is thrown into the mix when its elderly owner meets with a freak accident.

They band together for a cause dear to them all – saving their community centre from demolition after the council deems it structurally unsound and a commercial developer looks set to buy the site. Their combined efforts to raise funds for repairs engage everyone from the preschoolers to the seniors who have come to rely on the centre’s facilities. From a nativity play to a pet talent contest, they try every avenue to bring in money to get the building back to standard. Clare Pooley writes with wit and sensitivity, and she clearly believes that age shouldn’t limit your capacity for fun, creativity, challenge and adventure.

A copy of How to Age Disgracefully is available for short-term loan from the Chartered Client Library.

Review of “Place” by Justin Fox

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While the rest of us plan a beach or bush break or perhaps a culinary tour, Justin Fox decided to combine his passions for travel and local literature. In Place, the former editor of “Getaway” magazine, embarks on a solo quest to visit the settings of several well-known South African stories. These environments were very close to the hearts of the authors of the books and, in some cases, also evoked personal memories for Justin Fox.

He undertakes nine mini expeditions to track down the locales, farms and homesteads where the authors or their characters were said to have resided or to retrace and explore the routes they took. The works that inspire his travels are anchored in various parts of South Africa’s diverse landscape, and he wants to immerse himself in the “spirit of place” that the writers conveyed so powerfully in their stories or poems. This deep-rooted relationship that people can have with an environment is a thread throughout Fox’s book. He notes that one of the challenges of emigration is the loss of a familiar landscape with its distinctive smells, sounds, colours and connections that are locked into memory, often from childhood. Sometimes, it can be harsh terrain, but it is still an integral part of who you are.

His journeys span the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape and extend up to Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West province. His ‘travel guides’ include classics like Olive Schreiner’s Story of an African Farm (Eastern Karoo) and Jock of the Bushveld – both of which are now faint memories from my school days! Herman Charles Bosman’s Groot Marico tales and Dalene Matthee’s Knysna Forest novels also feature in his itinerary. Those who are familiar with the Wild Coast will appreciate his pilgrimage fuelled by Zakes Mda’s Heart of Redness.

The years have wrought inevitable change, and at times, Fox is dismayed by signs of disrepair or the impact of development and greedy agendas. But at each destination, his chosen book gives him a channel into the sense of place that its author experienced.

A copy of Place by Justin Fox can be borrowed from our Chartered Client Library.

Review of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI: A Handbook for All” by Arthur Goldstuck

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Learn, Resources. No Comments on Review of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI: A Handbook for All” by Arthur Goldstuck

Thanks to ChatGPT, which put artificial intelligence centre stage in late 2022, it has become apparent that AI is and will continue to be a part of our lives. In fact, as Arthur Goldstuck points out, AI has been around for a while in various forms but didn’t grab the global spotlight the way ChatGPT has done – with Bing Chat and Google Bard losing out on the starring role.

If you are old enough, you may remember that Arthur Goldstuck published a South African guide to the Internet back in the mid-nineties. The local tech guru’s 2023 book covers the good, the bad, and the ugly of artificial intelligence. On the upside, it is being used to save time spent on grunt work – like sifting through medical records, searching for legal precedents, and picking up fraud or sales patterns. Industries as diverse as healthcare, travel, financial services, agriculture, law, manufacturing and creatives are tapping into the benefits of AI. One impressive example he gives (which has South African roots) is a company called “Aerobotics”: they use AI to analyse drone video footage to advise farmers across the continent on improving output and sustainability.

Things can get a little grey in areas like creativity and education. AI in creative writing should be a tool for ideas the human author will flesh out and fact-check (while injecting emotion, tone or personal insights). However, as in education, Arthur Goldstuck acknowledges that misuse of AI by the lazy undermines learning and creativity. He believes that while banning it isn’t the answer, schools and teachers must have clear policies on AI as an educational aid.

From grey to grimy … inevitably, AI is also being exploited by the less honourable among us. The author takes us through the more troubling possibilities, from copyright infringements and spreading misinformation to ‘deep fakes’ and ethical questions around releasing new music from deceased artists.

The book chapters are flagged with small icons to denote whether they cover general learning material or are of more targeted interest. So, if you don’t know adaptive from generative AI, and are keen to understand how AI is making itself felt in our lives, then this book could be helpful.

P.S. While I didn’t resort to ChatGPT to compile this short review, I did consult Grammarly, a form of AI, for any feedback on my grammar and phrasing … occasionally the human knows best!

Review of “Same as Ever” by Morgan Housel

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Money, Resources. No Comments on Review of “Same as Ever” by Morgan Housel

You may recognise the name of this month’s author: Morgan Housel wrote the hugely popular The Psychology of Money, which we reviewed in the March 2023 edition of Inflight. In this subsequent offering, he sets out to identify what never changes in a changing world.

Morgan Housel delves into history to discover what has remained consistent over time. This includes the sobering fact that the future will always serve up surprises and, as he states in his initial chapter, “much of the world hangs by a thread”.

The book is divided into 23 short chapters, each with a punchy title, such as “Calm Plants the Seeds of Crazy”, “Risk Is What You Don’t See”, “Casualties of Perfection”, and “Wounds Heal, Scars Last”. They all revolve around human nature and motivations, as well as repeating cycles or trends – economic and otherwise.

As he does in The Psychology of Money, Housel weaves real-life stories and examples into each chapter to flesh out his concepts and includes numerous famous names – with mavericks like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk featured in the chapter entitled “Wild Minds”. Quotations from Benjamin Franklin to best-selling author James Clear (“People follow incentives, not advice.”) add credence to the topic “Incentives: The Most Powerful Force in the World”.

Compounding is a favoured theme in The Psychology of Money. In Same as Ever, it pops up in his premise that most catastrophes and major achievements result from a series of tiny events that combine to make a big impact. In another echo of his earlier book, Same as Ever also makes the point that nothing worth pursuing ever comes without a price in some form or the other. “Too Much, Too Soon, Too Fast” discusses both nature and business – and the failures produced when combined with this trio of excess.

Although the individual chapters in this book don’t seem to flow quite as well as those in The Psychology of Money, Same as Ever certainly gives you food for thought about recurring patterns and behaviours over time.

Both Same as Ever and The Psychology of Money are available on a short-term loan from our Chartered client library.

OUTLIVE by Dr Peter Attia

Written by Pat Blamire on . Posted in Chartered Library, Health, Resources. No Comments on OUTLIVE by Dr Peter Attia

“Outlive – the Science and Art of Longevity” is a compelling exploration of longevity, health, and the science behind ageing gracefully. Dr Attia draws upon his extensive experience in medicine and research to provide readers with practical insights and strategies for extending lifespan while maintaining optimal health.

He talks about the Four Horsemen, being the four main chronic diseases that afflict us as we get older: heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. In trying to live longer, and live better for longer, he maintains that we need to step in sooner rather than later to try and stop the Horsemen in their tracks.

The objective is not to live to 120 or 150, but rather to start thinking about our later years now and taking action to improve the quality of these years.

Dr Attia delves into the underlying mechanisms of ageing and covers topics such as genetics, diet, exercise, sleep, and mental well-being. He has tried to simplify complicated subjects to enable the layman to understand them. He does not offer quick-fix solutions or gimmicky trends and does not believe there is a one-size-fits-all; longevity requires a personalised approach. He discusses the importance of nutrition and exercise, encouraging readers to take a proactive role in optimising their well-being.

There is no “magic pill” that he comes up with. He maintains that the most potent longevity drug is exercise. No other intervention does nearly as much to prolong our lifespan and preserve our cognitive and physical function. However, he believes that most people do not do nearly enough of this.

Overall, “Outlive” is a thought-provoking and informative book for anyone interested in maximising their lifespan and improving their quality of life. It empowers readers to make informed choices that align with their unique needs and goals and offers a roadmap for achieving longevity and vitality well into old age.

A copy of Dr Peter Attia’s “Outlive” is available for short-term loan from the Chartered client library.

Review of To Walk It Is To See It by Kathy Elkind

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Purpose, Resources. No Comments on Review of To Walk It Is To See It by Kathy Elkind

(1 Couple, 98 Days, 1400 Miles on Europe’s GR5)
Reviewed by Karen Wilson

After American Kathy Elkind and her husband Jim moved to Vermont and became empty nesters, they decided to plan a grand walking adventure. In her late fifties and moderately fit, Kathy selected the Grande Randonnée Cinq (GR5) route, starting in Hoek van Holland in The Netherlands and finishing in Nice, France, a distance of 2300 kilometres. Her rationale was that this route would be more refined than rugged, offering a better chance of her making it through to the end!

The official trail winds through Europe’s Vosges, Jura and the Alps mountain ranges, so it is not just a leisurely stroll. On longer days, they walked up to 37 km, overnighting in gîtes (simple country lodgings for travellers) or occasionally a hotel as a treat and a chance to rest up in comfort. At times, kind strangers stepped in to find them somewhere to sleep. Along the way, they befriended different local walkers for the brief time that they had a path and destination in common.

Kathy’s richly descriptive writing invites you along for the walk. She brings the scenery, villages, and walking conditions to life and shares her highs and lows as the three-month trek unfolds.

For Kathy, walking the GR5 was also a journey of introspection and discovering who she was as she approached her sixth decade. She looks back on her struggles with dyslexia (that she became a teacher and wrote this book is a huge achievement) and comfort eating, and reflects on her 28-year marriage – did she marry Jim for the right reasons, and how compatible are they, particularly as they enter a new phase of their lives? Seemingly, both she and Jim came away with more clarity and connection, thanks to that Alpine air!

It is an enjoyable read that may inspire sedentary individuals to rush out and buy their first pair of sturdy walking shoes.

A copy of To Walk It Is To See It by Kathy Elkind is available in the Chartered client library for short-term loan.

REVIEW of “The Lost Art of Dying – Reviving Forgotten Wisdom” by L.S. Dugdale, MD

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Purpose, Resources. No Comments on REVIEW of “The Lost Art of Dying – Reviving Forgotten Wisdom” by L.S. Dugdale, MD

Dying is a subject that many of us skirt around, finding it morbid and unsettling, especially when it concerns ourselves or close family and friends. Lydia Dugdale, Associate Professor of Medicine and director of the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at Colombia University, is an internal medicine primary care doctor who believes that our approach and attitude to dying have changed to our detriment in the modern world.

Dugdale was inspired to write her book after coming across literature originating in the 15th century. The genre was known as ars moriendi (the art of dying) – a handbook for dying well, to be learned while still in good health, in an era when average human lifespans were relatively short. She concluded that we no longer anticipate and prepare well for our mortality for various reasons. She attributes this partly to advances in medical technology and facilities since the early 20th century, which enable us to distance ourselves from death. We are now also inclined to view medical interventions and hospitalisation as a tool to stave off death, even under the direst circumstances. She deems that sometimes such interventions aren’t beneficial and can add to the suffering of the dying.

Some of the topics she covers are finitude (accepting that there are limits to human life), community (staying connected to and supported by others throughout life and at the end of life), hospital vs home (understanding when hospitalisation and/or resuscitation may not be the best choice) and confronting fear of death and degeneration. Whilst the book is not intended to be religious, she also examines the role of spirituality and ritual in preparing for and navigating death.

The author draws on her own experiences, both negative and positive, with frail and terminally ill patients and shares other stories and trends that lend credence to her views. She encourages people to practice patience, hope, humility, faith, and less attachment to material things during their lives as a way of preparing themselves for the eventual end of life – and she asserts early in the book that “The art of dying well starts with the art of living well”!

A copy of “The Lost Art of Dying – Reviving Forgotten Wisdom” by L.S. Dugdale, MD is available in our Chartered client library for short-term loan.

Review of FINDING ME by Viola Davis

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Purpose, Resources. No Comments on Review of FINDING ME by Viola Davis

Viola Davis would probably not be the first name that comes to mind for most people if asked to specify an award-winning actress. My only acquaintance with her work was a random discovery of the TV series How to Get Away with Murder when it was screened on eTV a few years ago. Something about the gritty legal thriller and its imposing female lead had me engrossed.

Since reading her 2022 autobiography, I now know that Viola Davis has won all the prestigious performance awards – the Tony, an Emmy, an Oscar, as well as a recent Grammy for the audio narration of her memoir; to date, only 18 actors have achieved all four and earned the distinction of becoming an “EGOT”. She is also a graduate of the Juilliard School’s 4-year drama programme, although she felt that she didn’t really fit into the euro-centric training. That’s a truly impressive list of accomplishments, but reading her story leaves you in awe of what she had to overcome and how hard she worked to reach the pinnacle of her craft and a place of self-love.

Viola was born into poverty in the US and grew up as one of six children in a home where alcohol abuse and domestic violence were her backdrop. She describes rat-infested living conditions in buildings that were fire hazards, no heating or hot water in bitterly cold winters, and regular hunger. As a child, her dark skin and chronic bed-wetting added to her torment. Fortunately, there have been a few guiding lights in her life: her oldest sister loved school and encouraged Viola to learn and work towards something better, a teacher and a counsellor urged her to enter an arts talent competition as a teenager, there were friends and mentors as she pursued her acting career, and (after a friend told her to get down on her knees and pray for the kind of man she wanted) her husband of the past 20 years.

In her book, Viola shares her long, gruelling journey to success and self-acceptance, including therapy in later years as she struggled to embrace the traumatised child she had been and to see herself as worthy.

A copy of FINDING ME by Viola Davis is available in the Chartered Client Library for short-term loan.

Review of The Good Life and How to Live It

Lessons from the World’s Longest Study on Happiness by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Relationships, Resources. No Comments on Review of The Good Life and How to Live It

Lessons from the World’s Longest Study on Happiness by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz

The authors of this book (published in 2023) are the current programme directors of a Harvard research project that has been ongoing for an impressive 84 years. It has followed the lives of diverse participants, from their early teens through their senior years, incorporating a second generation along the way – all in a quest to deliver what the title of the book promises.

They aren’t, however, promising a shortcut to euphoria, and the authors do clarify that they are referring to eudaimonic happiness, which is “a state of deep well-being in which a person feels that their life has meaning and purpose” despite the inevitable disappointments, trauma and loss that we all experience over a lifetime.

It all comes down to relationships; other studies over the years also back up the data from the Harvard Study, i.e., quality relationships play a pivotal role in supporting our health and happiness. The Harvard Study participants who fared best in terms of happiness had strong relationships and were in better mental and physical shape into their 80s. Quality of and satisfaction with your relationships count and provide ‘armour’ when life delivers hard knocks.

The message is that all relationships – spanning spouses, family, colleagues, and friends – need effort towards embracing openness, offering and asking for support, facing into challenges, taking time to pause and understand emotions and situations better, paying attention (especially to long-term relationships that have shifted into autopilot) and showing genuine curiosity. Even interacting with a stranger can boost mood and open up opportunities. Loss of friends following retirement is quite common, and the authors encourage being purposeful about maintaining and creating social connections as life progresses.

The book provides some mini-Harvard-Study tools to gauge your ‘Social Fitness’ and plot your ‘Social Universe’, as well as a ‘W.I.S.E.R.’ model for dealing with challenging relationship events. Several life stories and comparisons among individuals who have participated in the Harvard project are included and add the human element to the research data.

A copy of The Good Life and How to Live It – Lessons from the World’s Longest Study on Happiness is available for short-term loan from our Chartered Client Library.

Review of I am Ella by Joanne Jowell

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Purpose, Resources. No Comments on Review of I am Ella by Joanne Jowell

Reviewed by Karen Wilson

Ella of the book title is now 102 years old, just a few years after a series of interviews with author Joanne Jowell, in which she shared her remarkable life. Remarkable that, despite tragic loss and suffering as a young woman, she found the strength to rebuild her life from zero and to thrive.

Ella was born into a close-knit and prosperous Jewish family in Poland. The advent of the Second World War and the Nazi occupation of her home country snatched away anything resembling normality for Ella, who was then in her late teens. She recounts their living conditions after they were forced into the Warsaw Ghetto, the extermination of twenty-three of her beloved family members, and her miracle survival of the Majdanek, Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps, along with her niece.

When Ella emerged from this horror in 1945, she was 24. It is a testament to her faith, optimism, and resilience that she started a new life in Paris soon after, then moved to Palestine/Israel, where she met her husband and followed him to South Africa mere weeks later – knowing nothing about her new country and speaking very little English. She and her husband ran a retail business in Brakpan for many years and raised four children who became successful professionals.

For decades, she rarely spoke about what she had endured but gradually began giving small talks to niche audiences. Joanne Jowell had the privilege of spending time with Ella in Cape Town (where she now lives close to her daughter) and documenting her life story. Joanne’s commentary on her interactions with Ella intersperses the narrative and provides more insight into Ella and her experiences. There are also some helpful footnotes explaining the Yiddish words and Jewish traditions that Ella references as she unpacks her memories.

Ella’s fighting spirit and determination to get the most out of life shine through in this book, along with her sense of humour – and the lessons she no doubt hopes humanity has learned from the tragedy of the last World War.

A copy of I am Ella is available for short-term loan from the Chartered Client Library. We also have a copy to give away. To stand a chance to win, email Lyndsay, and you will be entered into our lucky draw.

A review of 1000 Ultimate Travel Experiences: Make the Most of Your Time on Earth

Written by RS Editor on . Posted in Chartered Library, Play, Resources. No Comments on A review of 1000 Ultimate Travel Experiences: Make the Most of Your Time on Earth

Reviewed by Karen Wilson

Most of us will chalk up just a few of the 1000 travel experiences in this book, but it will undoubtedly inspire those wanting to create new travel memories. If you prefer armchair travel, you’ll find the mini write-ups fascinating.

The book is divided into geographical sections and numbered experiences that are first-hand accounts from various travel writers. Some options are not for the unfit or faint-hearted, but if zip-lining across the Spain-Portugal border, hiking up Peru’s multi-coloured Rainbow Mountain, or facing off with Komodo dragons in Indonesia is not for you, there are plenty of alternatives!

History enthusiasts can consider a stay at Hever Castle in Kent, the childhood home of the ill-fated Anne Boleyn, and a therapeutic visit to the Thermae Bath Spa in the World Heritage town of Bath, England. In Italy, outdoor concerts, from opera to contemporary music, are held in the Roman-era Verona arena.

If history and hiking are your preferred pairing, the path of the old Berlin Wall is now a 160-kilometre (divided into 14 sections that can be tackled individually) hiking and cycling trail. Several much longer hikes are featured if Machu Picchu or a Camino are on your bucket list.

Plane, train or automobile? Train choices include the Beijing – Shanghai Express, Eastern & Oriental Express between Singapore and Bangkok, and the Australian Ghan, which travels across the vast Outback from Adelaide – Darwin.

For some, the highlight of any trip is sampling a region’s food and beverage. The book notes Belgium’s claim to beer and chocolate fame and will tell you where in the world to find the best coffee, bourbon, and local speciality dishes.

Those who don’t mind the cold and the dark may enjoy a December visit to Kiruna in Sweden to see the Northern Lights and sleep in an Ice Hotel.

The list of natural wonders and cultural experiences is long, and South Africa also gets several mentions – from Bo-Kaap architecture and Cape Malay cuisine to Table Mountain. Whilst whale-watching in Hermanus didn’t make the pages, did you know that the Dominican Republic and Mexico are whale-watching hubs?

Rough Guides publishes 1000 Ultimate Travel Experiences. The font size is reasonably small, so good reading light is essential! The 2007 copy in our Chartered Client Library has been replaced with 2022’s fifth edition.

A review of Breathe (Strategising Energy in the Age of Burnout) by Dr Ela Manga

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Health, Resources. No Comments on A review of Breathe (Strategising Energy in the Age of Burnout) by Dr Ela Manga

Review by Karen Wilson

Dr Ela Manga is a Johannesburg-based doctor who found her calling in integrative medicine. Burnout from the stress and challenges of modern-day life and technology was the crux of many patient ailments, and she has focused her work on ways to address this energy crisis.

As Dr Manga explains, many people now live in a persistent state of adrenalised energy. Whilst this serves the purpose of dealing with short-term stressful or demanding situations, it is crucial to balance out this high-energy state with a rest and recovery mode – what she refers to as authentic or natural energy, when the body’s parasympathetic nervous system is activated. If energy balance is out of kilter for years, symptoms such as insomnia, panic attacks, extreme fatigue, depression, recurrent infections, and heart disease will start to show up.

The book is divided into three sections – Body Intelligence, Mind Intelligence and Heart Intelligence. A selection of her patient stories depicts how their lifestyles, habits and beliefs eventually landed them either in the Danger Zone (more wired than tired) or the Burnout Zone (more tired than wired), signs of which Dr Manga describes in her Energy Zone Map. The third zone is the Optimum Zone, where we should ideally be – at least most of the time!

In the context of the stories, the book covers areas such as diet, rest, exercise, mindfulness, connecting with nature, and conscious breathing as antidotes to energy imbalance and burnout. Dr Manga has a particular interest in the breath and how it can be harnessed for authentic energy, and she shares some simple breathing techniques to incorporate into daily life. She talks about the importance of regular ‘recovery loops’ – these can be as brief as a good sigh and a stretch or as long as a weekend getaway – to help restore a sense of calm and well-being.

A copy of Breathe is available in our Chartered Client Library for short-term loans. You can find more information on Dr Ela Manga and her ‘Breathwork’ on her website, www.drelamanga.com.

A review of The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

Written by RS Editor on . Posted in Chartered Library, Money, Resources. No Comments on A review of The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

Reviewed by Karen Wilson

Morgan Housel provides some sage commentary on how our behaviour affects our financial outcomes. Our individual worldviews, the times we’ve lived through, and our experiences invariably colour the investment and spending decisions we make.

He cautions against trying to duplicate another individual’s path to success and advises that people rather focus on broad patterns of success. For Housel, this translates simply to living below his means, not succumbing to greed or rampant materialism to impress others, maintaining risk at a level that lets him sleep at night and trusting compounding to do its work over the longest time possible. He illustrates his points with true stories, including one about the (mis)fortunes of Richard and Ronald. One man was Harvard educated, had an MBA and retired early from an executive position with a prestigious firm. He borrowed heavily to expand one of his showpiece homes – with eye-watering monthly maintenance costs. The other man held two lowly jobs his entire working life, lived in the same 2-bedroom house, and invested the little he could save into blue chip shares over several decades. One man slid into bankruptcy after the 2008 financial crisis; the other died in 2014, leaving $8 Million. These are extreme examples, but they make his point.

The author asserts that money is governed by odds and not certainties, therefore everyone should “Plan on your plan not going according to plan”; things do go wrong because of unforeseeable events or risks (there is a quirky little anecdote about field mice vs German tanks in the book), so have a margin of safety. He advocates a life-long savings habit, even if you are not saving for anything specific, because enough money will give you options and flexibility when you need it.

Some other takeaways from the book: Luck and risk are both real and hard to identify; Less ego, more wealth; Define the cost of success and be ready to pay it – because nothing worthwhile is free. The book is an easy read, with mention of many well-known figures – including a few financial felons. And on the topic of luck, would Bill Gates be where he is today if he had gone to a different high school? Read the book, and you decide.

A copy of The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel is available in our Chartered Client Library.

Cleaning up your Mental Mess by Dr Caroline Leaf

Written by RS Editor on . Posted in Chartered Library, Health, Resources. No Comments on Cleaning up your Mental Mess by Dr Caroline Leaf

Reviewed by Karen Wilson

The workings of the human mind and the brain (Dr Leaf explains the distinction) make fascinating and complex subject matter. The author of Cleaning up your Mental Mess tells us that people are not totally at the mercy of their thoughts, and that anxiety, stress, trauma, and toxic thinking can be addressed with some mind management techniques. In her words, “events and circumstances can’t be controlled”; however, “we can control our reactions”.

Throughout the book Dr Leaf highlights the neuroplasticity of the brain – how it changes in response to positive or negative thought patterns that also impact our physical health. Her solution for “mental mess” is a five-step learning process she has dubbed ‘the Neurocycle’, which is designed to make you more aware of your thinking/feeling/choosing around an issue, reflect on it, write it down, reconceptualize, and take action steps to implement your new thinking.

According to Dr Leaf’s extensive research, her Neurocycle needs to be practised consistently for at least 63 days (the widely held belief that it takes 21 days to form a habit doesn’t apply here!) to produce real change. She claims that toxic stress and anxiety can be reduced by up to 81% using her five-step Neurocycle and, since your mental landscape is not static, suggests that the ideal approach would be to make this an ongoing lifestyle. She also refers to an app (not free), which she developed to complement the book.

The book is divided into two parts, with the first half focusing on clinical research data that may prove heavy-going for readers who don’t want to learn about the finer points of alpha and beta brain waves or the effects of unmanaged stress on blood measures and chromosomes. This forms the foundation for the Neurocycle that she elaborates on in Part 2. Her writing is inclined to be a little repetitive.

Dr Caroline Leaf is a US-based communication pathologist and neuroscientist who has done research in her field for over 30 years. Her book is available in our Chartered client library for short-term loan.

Review of Atomic Habits by James Clear

Written by Karen Wilson on . Posted in Chartered Library, Health, Resources. No Comments on Review of Atomic Habits by James Clear

Reviewed by Karen Wilson

If your 2023 resolutions to exercise more, smoke less and eat better are already looking somewhat shaky, then James Clear’s Atomic Habits may well be the book that gets you back on track.

Clear shares a simple four-step model (Cue, Craving, Response, Reward) to describe how habits, both good and bad, are formed – and our brains follow this pattern every time. He also explains in uncomplicated terms how human nature, as well as culture, values, personality, and environment all come into play. The book is interspersed with fascinating stories of individuals, sports teams, and companies that have harnessed the power of great habits.

Based on his four laws of behaviour change (Make it Obvious, Make It Attractive, Make It Easy, Make It Satisfying), the author then guides you through setting up effective systems to build good habits and break bad ones. These include tools like habit stacking, motivation rituals, the two-minute rule and reinforcement for creating good habits, along with some inverse strategies for banishing the bad ones.

Clear firmly believes that setting up sustainable good habits is not about giant shifts, getting mired in too much detail or aiming for perfection. It all comes down to small actions that compound over time. If you’re just not getting to those one-hour three-times-a-week French lessons that you’ve been planning since you went to Paris five years ago, start by spending just two minutes daily on a language app. Ditto for an exercise programme – even if all you do for a while is roll out a yoga mat and take a deep breath every day. Frequency makes the difference and will fuel the habit.

The book is practical and an easy read, with a summary at the end of each chapter and a handy ‘cheat sheet’ grid of his four laws of behaviour, which he updates as the book progresses.

A copy of James Clear’s bestseller Atomic Habits is available in our Chartered client library for short-term loan.