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The Perfect Tarot Read!

The Tarot of Perfection: A Book of Tarot Tales
by Rachel Pollack

This is a must read for anyone who reads tarot, or has had their tarot read.
These traveling stories of journey, discovery and spiritual connections are well written (I find myself unable to stop mid-story).
A mystical tome of short stories will give you a new insight and better understanding of the tarot.
Rachel Pollack is a tarot master, and these stories only go to further prove her amazing abilities!

A Roomful of Questions

I am delighted to write about a new book by Ann Arbor author, illustrator and dollmaker, Tracy Gallup. A Roomful of Questions is a beautiful picture book, but is more than just a book to read to kids at bedtime. It is full of questions that we all ask ourselves at different times in our lives, whether or not on a conscious level. Each question is accompanied by a whimsical illustration that deepens the meaning of each question asked, and you will no doubt find yourself lingering on each page as you contemplate both the question and the accompanying image. This book makes a perfect gift to anyone who seeks the greater meanings in life, adult and child alike! (Mackinac Island Press, $12.95).

October Author Events

I am pleased to announce two great author appearances in the month of October! Our first is sent to us from Red Wheel/Weiser, a leading publisher in body/mind/spirit titles. On Thursday, October 16th at 7pm, Author Priscilla Costello will be in our Tea Room, discussing her book published earlier this year, The Weiser Concise Guide to Practical Astrology. Priscilla Costello will discuss the dramatic changes that are destined to take place over the next decade. With all the economic, political and environmental changes headlining the news, this event is not to be missed!

And on Tuesday, October 21st at 7:30, the co-authors of Survivor Moms: Women's Stories of Birthing, Mothering and Healing After Sexual Abuse, Mickey Sperlich and Julia Seng, will be in the Tea Room discussing this important work. A compilation of 81 stories from women survivors of childhood sexual abuse, this book is intended to break through the isolation that survivor mothers often feel during pregnancy, and offers ways to connect and get assistance during this sometimes difficult time.

Both events are open to the public and free. Please arrive early so that you can ensure a good seat!

Urban Sustainability

A while ago, I mentioned our ever popular "Green Living" section, a relatively new, but important addition to Crazy Wisdom's subject base. From basic books on the various ways to conserve energy, to instruction manuals on building straw bale houses, the section offers a diverse array of titles reflecting on the most serious issue facing our planet. Most of these titles, while appealing to a wider audience, contain ideas and suggestions that are not always feasible to implement in a city. Which is why I'm excited to highlight a couple of great titles that deal specifically with sustainability for city dwellers.

The first, The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City, is a title in the Process Self-Reliance Series ($16.95), a series dedicated to educating urbanites on making the right choices to live sustainably and self-sufficiently. Written by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen, a couple who live in the heart of Los Angeles, The Urban Homestead is full of city-friendly/earth-friendly projects. Key focuses include gardening, home economics, and water and power conservation. Also included in this handy, attractive book are plenty of bright green illustrations and tips to make projects both easy and fun.

Toolbox for Sustainable City Living, by Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew, is another great resource (South End Press, $16). The authors are two of the founders of the Rhizome Collective, a group in Austin, Texas, who transformed an abandoned warehouse into a sustainability training center. Full of intricately drawn illustrations and photographs, this book may not offer as many projects as The Urban Homestead, but the projects included are much more elaborate and detailed. Chapters are broken down as follows: Food, Water, Waste, Energy, Bioremediation.

Be sure to come in and check out these two invaluable guides to helping the planet, right here in the city!

Upcoming Author Events

I'm very happy to announce 2 exciting author events that are happening this month! The first event, which is Sunday, September 21st at 1pm, is with Robert Schwartz, author of Courageous Souls: Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth? (Whispering Winds Press, $16.95).
The book contains ten true stories of people who planned physical illness, having handicapped children, deafness, blindness, drug addiction, alcoholism, losing a loved one, and severe accidents. The information about their pre-birth plans was obtained by four gifted mediums and channels, including one who has the ability both to see and to hear the dialogue we have with one another before we’re born. The book presents the actual conversations people had with their future parents, children, spouses, friends, and other loved ones when they planned their lives together.

The other event will be on Sunday, September 29th at 2pm. Shaman and author Kenn Day will discuss his book, Dance of Stones: A Shamanic Road Trip. (Dhyanna, $17.95). Kenn will offer an introduction to his Post-Tribal Shamanism training along with descriptions and readings from his book, followed by a question and answer session and book signing.

Both events will take place in our beautiful tea room located on the second floor, overlooking Main Street. Both events are open to the public and require no pre-registration. But you may want to arrive early to ensure a good seat!

2012: The End or a New Beginning?

With all the dramatic changes currently effecting all aspects of our lives -- from the environment to food supply -- the question of what our future holds has understandably become an important topic of conversation. Many people are looking to the Mayans and the year 2012, which marks the end of the 5,000 year "Fourth Age," for answers. Are the increasing global catastrophes foreshadowing the apocalyptic end to our planet, or are we simply entering an "Age of Enlightenment"?

At Crazy Wisdom, we have an entire section, Future Visions, devoted to the possibilities of what is yet to unfold before us. Like the best selling book, 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl by Daniel Pinchbeck (Tarcher Penguin, $14.95), Hwee-Yong Jang's The Gaia Project: 2012 The Earth's Coming Great Changes (Llewellyn, $14.95), and Barbara hand Clow's The Mayan Code: Time Acceleration and Awakening the World Mind (Bear & Co., $18.00) we carry titles that offer explanations for the changes we are experiencing and what they mean for mankind and our planet. Whether you are looking for something to calm your fears, or looking for something that resonates with your own personal theory about our future, you are sure to find something that will confirm that we are surely on the verge of something great.

Come in and check out our Future Visions section, located at the back of the store on our first floor. Our friendly staff would be happy to lead the way!