This summer, I delved into the following books looking for answers and escape, and always and forever guided by my insatiable thirst to learn:

Andre Dubus’ collection of short stories entitled “In the bedroom”

I can’t get enough of this writer’s words. He touches my heart like no other writer. I can’t recommend him enough.

Noelle Hancock “My year with Eleanor”.

One woman dedicated a year of her life to face her demons and fears. This book is funny, inspiring, well written. Don’t be fooled by its light-hearted cover.

Dr Woodson Merrell “The Source: Unlock your natural energy, revitalize your health and change your life”

My chronic insomnia and therefore lack of energy, led me to pick up this book. It decomposes why we lack energy and of course it offers a 21-day plan to climb up the energy ladder based on creating the right mindset, eating the right food, removing as much as possible toxins from your organism, exercising, resting and connecting with others. All makes a lot of sense. 

“EEZ: Exclusive Economic Zone”, edited by Vassilis Kikilias

I attended the book presentation a few months ago and I have been very interested in the subject.

EEZ is a sea zone rich in oil and natural gas reserves. Only if a country declares its EEZ, is it able to explore, extract, and exploit its marine resources. The book shows the benefits that Cyprus has yielded by declaring an EEZ area and shows the benefits to be reaped by Greece if it follows the same route. Is anyone listening?

A SCATTERING - by CHRISTOPHER REID

I have been reading and re-reading the poems by Christopher Reid collected in his anthology “A scattering”, which I wholeheartedly recommend.  They are love letters to his deceased wife, who died of brain cancer. The anthology is divided in 4 sequences, charting their life together before her illness (the poet describes their happy holiday in Crete), during her illness and her deterioration, and after her death where he describes his anguish and loneliness (His poem entitled “Soul” is heartbreaking).  The last section is entitled "Lucinda’s way". These poems are true love letters to his wife pinpointing all the many qualities she possessed and traits he loved about her.

The poems are so poignant, filled with love for his wife, but also filled with grief due to his loss. His pain is so real, you feel it yourself as if by osmosis.

The anthology rightfully won the Costa 2009 Book of the year.

I pondered greatly whether I should create a blog, whether I have something to add to the blogsphere and whether anyone bar my closest friends would be interested in my entries.

My closest friend has been urging me to create my blog for months now and I kept putting off the decision. Though my decision swayed in the nay side more often that not, I decided to just go for it, pushed greatly by the fact that I need to express my creative side more openly, trait of my personality which I have suppressed for far too long.

I thus created a forum to write, something I love to do and something I need to do as this is the way I express myself.

I'll be chatting to you (or just me) about all that is of interest to me. Books I've read, movies I've seen, recipes I've tried, places I've discovered, cultural events to see, etc.

So, let's begin..............