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This is a book review of sorts. The book:

344 Questions: The Creative Person’s Do-It-Yourself Guide

to Insight, Survival, and Artistic Fulfillment.

[It] was the most popular book amongst Brain Pickings readers this year — a delightful pocket-sized compendium of flowcharts and lists to help you figure out life’s big answers by ever-inventive designer Stefan G. Bucher, he of You Deserve a Medal and Daily Monster fame.

Besides Bucher’s own questions, the tiny but potent handbook features contributions from 36 beloved creators across various disciplines, including Brain Pickings favorites Christoph Niemann, Stefan Sagmeister, Marian Bantjes, Doyald Young, and Jakob Trollbäck.

Check out what lies within.

Let’s be clear: I want this book to be useful to you. There are many great how-to books and biographies out there, and even more gorgeous collections of current and classic work to awe and inspire. But looking at catalogs of artistic success won’t make you a better artist any more than looking at photos of healthy people will cure your cold. You’ve got to take action!”

—Stefan G. Bucher

“If you keep this book in mint condition, I’ve failed,” says Bucher.

We are all different people, but we face a lot of the same questions. The point of this book is to give you lots of questions you can use to look at your life — in a new way, with a different perspective, or maybe just in more detail than you have before — so you can find out how you work, what you want to do, and how you can get it done in a way that works for you. Specifically.”

—Stefan G. Bucher

[source: Maria Popova]

Page images copyright © 2012. Pearson Education, Inc. and New Riders
Note: you can click on the images for a larger view.

children's book

An Ark City woman can now call herself a children’s author. Shelia Riedl said it all began with a dream one night, and encouragement from her kids.

After waking up from her dream that night, she woke up the next morning and could not stop thinking about that dream, so she started writing down as much as she could remember.

While working on “Elijiah and the Elephant”, Riedl’s children had questioned what she was doing, “they had me read what I wrote so far, they loved it and said you’ve got to finish the story. So, they’ve encouraged me all along, and I finished it.”

Riedl had finished the book several years ago, but spent those years researching publishers, and found one that allowed the author to have total control of the book. The publisher, Xlibris, which is a print by demand company, gave her complete rights to the book.

The message of the book, “A little girl and her friend, and what they can accomplish together, and to help other people.”

“Elijiah and the Elephant” can be ordered from Xlibris online at xlibris.com/bookstore. Books are $15, plus shipping and handling. You can also pick it up at Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.com.

Riedl says this is just the start, as she plans on writing more children’s books in the near future.

{source: Shawn Wheat}

Book Description:

‘Elijah and the Elephant’ is a dream I had one night. It was a fun movie my mind played as I was sleeping. When I woke up the next morning, I could not stop thinking about the dream. I had prayed the night before for God to give me a new project to work on. I decided writing this book must be the project. I began to write down as much of the dream as I could remember. When my kids asked me what I was doing, I told them. They asked me to tell them the story. They liked it and wanted me to finish the story. My husband and kids encouraged me to turn the story into a book to share with others. I hope others will enjoy this fun story. It is a story about a adventurous young girl, friendship, and helping others.