This is a great book. It dives pretty deep for a pop psychology book and is pretty gritty in some of the examples he gives. His exercises are related This is a great book. It dives pretty deep for a pop psychology book and is pretty gritty in some of the examples he gives. His exercises are related to the work of Albert Ellis. In fact, he mentions AE once....more
It has probably been around 45 years since I have been in the habit of reading The Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew, so I'm tapping old memories from my earlyIt has probably been around 45 years since I have been in the habit of reading The Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew, so I'm tapping old memories from my early reading days. The tone, style, and story content of this title has made me think about those books. I can see their influence on the author's work throughout the Vic Challenger series of young adult novels.
I make this observation in this particular review because I noticed that influence a lot in this particular title in the series.
Years ago, when the author approached me on Goodreads about reviewing Double -Trouble because of some reviews I had done on some works by Edgar Rice Burroughs, another of the author's self-identified influences, because he thought I might like Vic Challenger. Well, he was right, I have greatly enjoyed the Vic Challenger books over the years and they do have elements that remind me of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs (ERB). In fact, the more I read VC the more I revisit the works of ERB. To this I am grateful to the author.
I think more in terms of ERB than The Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew, but the elements from all of these series can be seen and enjoyed in the Vic Challenger books.
This book may have more of a soft side to it than the other books because Christmas and magic are central to the story. In this volume VC and her friend Lin Li go to Washington state to help their friend Evlyn, the niece of 1920s detective Charlie Chan, to solve a mystery about a haunting, and to understand some Sasquatch activities.
The author puts these together in a way that reminds me more of the books written for the young reading audience targeted by The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew than the works of ERBs, that targeted the more mature pulp fiction audience of his time.
All I am relaying is that the overall tone for this volume is a little different than what is found in the other eight volumes of the series. Once again, I highly recommend this book, especially to the fans of The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and the works of ERBs. If you like the mentioned series you might like the Vic Challenger books by Jerry Gill....more
I love these Vic Challenger books. They are an homage to both the pulp fiction of the ear!y 20th Century and of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. YetI love these Vic Challenger books. They are an homage to both the pulp fiction of the ear!y 20th Century and of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Yet, they aren't slavish reproductions of those things.
Instead, think of Burroughs 's work, especially "The Eternal Savage", as the jumping off point that the author Jerry Gill uses to launch his reboot of pulp fiction and the world of ERB for the modern reader.
It is 1922 and Vic and her best friend Lin Li are sent to Siberia by a government operative to investigate the Tungduska event of 1908. They find cryptids there who are a threat to all of humanity and so they must deal with the creatures immediately. Vic Challenger becomes a WWI era, American version of the character secret agent Carter from the Marvel television show named after its heroine.
What better description of her adventures than Gill's own words for describing the heroine's reflections on what she learned from the adventure:
"O (the government operative) entrusted her with a para-military mission! The Challenger-Li Expedition! No one would ever know. That did not dampen the tremendous pride she felt to have served her country and in this case, mankind! She even wondered, a bit sheepishly, if O might entrust her with future missions. Vic lost her homo sapiens innocence that man lives alone in the universe. She now knew there was other life, some unfriendly and dangerous. Vic wondered if that awareness would affect how she lived her daily life. For certain, it would give her a different perspective when she read stories of space aliens."
Yes, space aliens, and nicely done, in the style of Lovecraft, another pulp giant of the ERB era. This is book six of nine so far (I'm looking forward to using this phrase again when reading the next volume in the series.) And, I will be reading the next volume and plan to re-read them all. The series has nice continuing story archs that unfold in a way that keeps this fan interested.
Things I wonder about: Will the VC books be made into audiobooks? If they were I would snap those puppies up and listen to them all. Is the author thinking about doing something with Victoria Custer's (VC's birthname) brother Barney Custer, who also appears in "Eternal Savage" and in his own adventures in ERB's "The Mad King"? Or, are we likely to see stories staring VC's alter ego Nat-ul and to perhaps see her tapping into VC's 20th Century experiences and knowledge? There are a lot of directions the author can go with VC. Or, I'm perfectly happy to read further instalments of the series as he is writing them. I recommend all of the books in this series that I have read so far. Frankly, I never expected, six or seven years ago to be this interested in the continuing adventures of this character when the author approached me, through GoodReads, about sending me a review copy of "Double Trouble". I say thank you, again to the author. I am enjoying the books and am grateful that they fan the flames of my old love of ERB. I have been re-reading ERB.
I finish with my own, Go, Vic Challenger! And, "Never Give Up, Never Surrender." to the author from the movie Gallaxy-Quest....more
It's David Sedaris, what more do you want? Well, more...It is only a 17 page thing. I like it. It is a satisfying little break.It's David Sedaris, what more do you want? Well, more...It is only a 17 page thing. I like it. It is a satisfying little break....more
Jerry Gill, the author, de!ivers again with this novel of the adventures of Vic Challenger and her friend Lin Li while in Australia. It is great tale Jerry Gill, the author, de!ivers again with this novel of the adventures of Vic Challenger and her friend Lin Li while in Australia. It is great tale describing how they survive in the wild while tracking a gang of thieves and killers. Vic and Lin must defend themselves against monsters. But that isn't all. The author educated the reader in life and good in other countries.
I wish the Vic Challenger books had been available when I was growing up. I would have eaten them up with a spoon. That is how good they are....more
This little book covers some very focused memory skills for magicians on how to quickly memorize the order of a deck of playing cards. That brevity isThis little book covers some very focused memory skills for magicians on how to quickly memorize the order of a deck of playing cards. That brevity is a virtue.
The book also contains some bonus materials that will wet the listener’s appetite for learning more uses of the memory palace techniques....more
A thing that stands out for me, given the title, is the choice of voice talent. His presentation makes me think of an elderly man giving his wisdom onA thing that stands out for me, given the title, is the choice of voice talent. His presentation makes me think of an elderly man giving his wisdom on how to stay sharp to someone of any age including possibly one of his friends who is a contemporary of him. This easygoing familiarity with the listener creates a very pleasant effect. And, like good advise from the elderly he doesn’t always say what you expect him to say. But the listener is given something to think about.
I really enjoyed this book. It is my third Metivier book to listen to during the last nine days. I thing this book makes a nice contribution to his overall teaching.
The part on how to stay sharp is the first 41 minutes of the recording. The second section is a great presentation on how to use memory palaces to permanently remember anything. The tone and presentation of the material is a little different than how it appears in his other books. Repetition is good when learning things and so is hearing information presented in slightly different ways.
For me, it helps to use Whispersync to listen to the book. My motivation for listening to multiple Metivier books is that a week ago I listened to “The Victorious Mind”, to be released as an ebook April 30th, that turned out to be a startling good presentation of Metivier’s biography and of the magnetic memory techniques he teaches in his books. I think his work is promising and expect it will deliver on everything he claims for it. When I learn something new it is common for me to read three or more books on the subject when I start.
I highly recommend this entertaining and informative audiobook book....more
This is my second Metivier book to listen to during the last eight days. Last week’s book was his remarkable “The Victorious Mind” to be released ApriThis is my second Metivier book to listen to during the last eight days. Last week’s book was his remarkable “The Victorious Mind” to be released April 30.
The book for this review on memorizing Spanish vocabulary covers his basic information on memorizing vocabulary words. But, it is geared for and uses Spanish examples. I will say that listening to the audio version has helped me to get through the book in one sitting. I got The ebook with Whispersync.
The book ends with four special chapters introducing a variety of methods for memorizing other things such as poetry and the order of a deck of cards. He returns to topic at the end with an explanation of how learning to memorize other things, using the methods in the extra chapters, ultimately contributes to one's study of Spanish. I like the author’s narrative voice and method of presenting his material. And the voice talent of the audiobook does a professional job.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a strategy for learning Spanish. The book is a great value...more
This is for the audiobook. The ebook will not be available until April 30, 2020.
This is more than a nicely written, entertaining and informative book.This is for the audiobook. The ebook will not be available until April 30, 2020.
This is more than a nicely written, entertaining and informative book. It is those things. But, I walked away from this first listening of the book convinced that it is a significant work.
The Victorious Mind is part memoir, part presentation of a detailed and far reaching introduction to the Memory Palace method of memorizing information, and a thoughtful exploration of how to live our lives and use our minds in ways that contribute to the happiness and well-being of all of us. Dr. Metivier’s work is designed to draw in readers and listeners and invites us into engagement with information, and positive service to others with his techniques that include frequent use of memory palaces, meditation, and the things we all know we should do such as eating a healthy diet, exercise, and abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse.
I believe that now, during the international pandemic of the Coronavirus, is a good time to consider the practical wisdom of The Victorious Mind as we search for new ways to do things, including how we assist students, at all levels, to succeed despite in-person classes being closed everywhere. Admittedly, this book doesn’t provide THE answer to resolve our problems, but it does contain tools that I believe can help as we move forward.
I really enjoyed this compelling and thought provoking book. The author has succeeded in so many ways in the presentation of his ideas and providing concrete exercises and resources in different media for the reader/listener. He also does a great job as the voice talent in his performance as the narrator for the audiobook. In short, I recommend this book to just about everyone. This book has reach. As stated in the beginning of this review, I think this is a significant work. ...more
This is an exceptional presentation of the memory palace technique of learning vocabulary. The author provides a clear description of the theory, giveThis is an exceptional presentation of the memory palace technique of learning vocabulary. The author provides a clear description of the theory, gives concrete examples, and provides tips on how to succeed in language studies.
I like his narrator's voive. It is plessant, knowledgeable, and fun. This book is particularly useful in helping me with a professional goal.
I'm giving this book such a high star count because I really like it. This book can be read by itself or as a volume of the series. Do yourself a favoI'm giving this book such a high star count because I really like it. This book can be read by itself or as a volume of the series. Do yourself a favor. It is a great read.
Vic: A Savage Place certainly gives the reader the description of a savage land with outlandish predatory animals and a flesh eating plant with a long viney reach. Also, two sets of bad men arrive from the rest of the world in search of a treasure in sapphires. The land Mkodo described has the feel of Edgar Rice Burroughs's Caspak books or Pellucidar books such as At the Earth's Core or Tarzan At the Earth's Core. The author has intentionally written a multi-volume homage to the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Jerry Gill's books feature the reoccurring heroine Vic Challenger, an adventure travel reporter from the 1920s. Vic Challenger is a strong, self-actualizing character intended by the author to entertain and be an imaginative inspiration to all young readers. The author carries it off well. This is the fourth our of nine Vic Challenger books that I have read and I highly recommend all of them.
The target audience of these chapter books is probably mid-to-late elementary school through middle-school. The author shows the heroine traveling the world and having adventures that she writes about as a journalist and in which she defends herself with a variety of modern and handmade weapons and martial arts. The author describes her strategies and motions in detail as she fights in a way that is convincing and exciting. Vic Challenger has skills comparable to any of the heroes in the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Like with ERB characters, she has a back story. 100,000 years ago, in an earlier reincarnation she was a beautiful and self-actualized cave woman who was killed on the day she was about to accept the proposal of her beloved. In the 1920s Vic Challenger searches the world in the hope of finding her beloved as a reincarnated man of her time. The back story contributes to the explanation of why the heroine is so good at fighting. She remembers a lot from her fighting and survival skills from life 100,000 years earlier. I like it and find the explanation to be convincing within these stories.
I recommend this book for young people who want an exciting story about an honorable and capable character. I also recommend this book to people who love Edgar Rice Burroughs. It isn't ERB. Don't expect that. It is the work of Jerry Gill and is a fine reboot of the pulp literature he is honoring with this multi-volume homage of ERB.
To be clear, I don't know Jerry Gill -- I wouldn't be able to recognize him if we were in the same room -- and I don't profit in any way by writing these reviews about his work. In 2014 he sent me the first two novels in Vic: Double Trouble and asked me if I would write a review. He approached me because of some of my reviews of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. I was surprised and pleased to find out how good the books are. The things I mention about the author's intentions are all on his Goodreads and website pages. I think his goals in writing the homage volumes are laudable, and I want to encourage and support what he is doing so that the literature he is producing will be there and available to the public. I read the first three or four books and then didn't keep up with them until the author recently sent me a copy of this latest volume. And, I really enjoyed it. I will be going back and reading the volumes I missed.
As I wrote above, do yourself a favor or do your children or students or random young people a favor by reading this book and recommending it to the young people it was written for.
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