Are we all mad? In his book Back to Sanity, psychologist Steve Taylor claims we are

In Back to Sanity Steve Taylor (Leeds Metropolitan University) suggests that the human race is suffering from a psychological disorder, which he has coined ‘humania’. The book provides a fascinating exploration of the madness of human beings – both as individuals and collectively - and explains how we can begin to heal this madness, and create a saner world.

Taylor argues that this madness is so intrinsic to us, we aren’t even aware of it, but that when you start to examine our behaviour it isn’t hard to see evidence of insanity. Why for example are so many of us driven to accumulate more and more wealth, status and success without any evidence that they provide us with contentment and fulfillment? Why are we restless or uneasy when not occupied, and constantly looking for distraction, as if we are incapable of just ‘being’? And on a collective level, why is human history an endless, depressing saga of warfare, conflict and oppression? We now live in an age where the world’s three richest people are wealthier than the 48 poorest countries combined, and where almost 800 million people are malnourished while millions of others are obese – as Taylor says, ‘what could be more insane than this?’

Taylor argues that humania is the root cause of all our dysfunctional behaviour, both as individuals and as a species. The first part of the book explores the madness of human beings, looking at the symptoms of humania:

- Living outside of ourselves: our inability to just ‘be’ and our need to immerse our attention in something external – TV, radio, the internet or anything else that will distract us from that sense of ‘lack’ we feel when unoccupied.
- ‘Thought Chatter’: the constant stream of thoughts that whizz around our head, taking us away from the moment and often leaving us feeling unsettled and uneasy – that feeling that ‘something’ is amiss.
- Elsewhereness: our inability to give our full attention to the present and really live each experience (is the bride who spends hours getting ready and several more hours being photographed actually at her wedding, or is she already in the future, looking at the photographs in years to come?)
- Looking forward: we spend our lives ‘looking forward’ to things, not to enjoy them more but as a strategy for escaping from the present.
- The madness of constant wanting: our pursuit of increased status and wealth and the idea that we can buy our way into happiness.
- The collective madness of warfare, colonialism, inequality and social oppression (including the oppression of the female half of the human race): this collective pathological behavior can be seen as the result of the desire for wealth and status together with a lack of ability to empathize with other groups.
- The collective madness of environmental destruction: would a sane species see the natural world as nothing more than a supply of resources to exploit, and be destroying the life-support systems of our planet with such abandon?
- Group identity: because of a deep-rooted sense of insecurity, human beings have a strong need for identity and belonging, which manifests itself in ethnicism, nationalism, religious fundamentalism and other types of group identity, which lead to rivalry and conflict with other groups.

In the second part of the book Taylor explains how to overcome this psychosocial discord. Taylor suggests practices and ways of living – including practical exercises – to help create a more harmonious inner state, so that we can begin to live inside ourselves, in the present and attain a real state of sanity.

‘Taylor is right: humans are mad as cheese. Back to Sanity shows us how to make a sandwich out of our madness and enjoy the meal.’ Oliver James, author of Affluenza

Steve Taylor is a lecturer in psychology at Leeds Metropolitan University and the bestselling author of several books on spirituality and psychology, including The Fall, Waking from Sleep and Out of the Darkness, which was recently featured on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour. He lives in Manchester with his wife and three young children.

Back to Sanity: Healing the Madness of Our Minds by Steve Taylor is published on 25th June 2012, £10.99 paperback, also available as an e-Book.

New Short Story Collection Paints Historic and Personal Portraits

Authors Clark Hawkins and Geraldine “Gerri” Bianchi Wolfe co-write unique book of short stories

Clark Hawkins and Geraldine “Gerri” Bianchi Wolfe offer “Through the Window: A Diverse Collection of the Past and Present” (published by Trafford Publishing) a new book of short stories drawing from the history and their own life experiences.

In “Through the Window” Hawkins and Bianchi Wolfe share stories touching on a broad range of subjects, settings, characters and themes. They introduce readers to a young lieutenant in the 1950s, a sister who recounts her brother’s experiences in Vietnam, and a soldier who returns home after going to war.
Hawkins and Bianchi Wolfe use the short stories to explore human nature, writing with humor and irony about humanity’s faults, foibles and innocence. The book also takes a somewhat unexpected turn, casting its explorative eye on books and literature.

“We are all products of our past whether it be a positive or negative influence,” says Bianchi Wolfe. She and Hawkins hope readers find inspiration in the characters’ ability to meet their obligations and struggles with honor and dignity.

FACTFILE:
Clark Hawkins grew up in the small Penn. towns of Dagus Mines, Toby and Kersey. In later years, he divided his time between Toby Valley and Gilbert, Ariz. Hawkins received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Penn State University and his Ph.D. in economics from Purdue University.

He taught at the University of Arizona, New Mexico State University, University of Arkansas and Florida State University. While at Florida State, Hawkins, along with Charles L. Hubberd, coauthored the book “Theory of Valuation” in 1969. Hawkins was invited to present his extensive financial and investment background expertise to universities and institutions of higher learning throughout the country and the world. Throughout his career, Hawkins conducted continuous, extensive research in the area of utility regulations, specifically gas price regulation.

Geraldine “Gerri” Bianchi Wolfe grew up in Dagus Mines, Penn., and she presently resides in the nearby town of St. Marys. Bianchi Wolfe received her bachelor’s degree in the field of secondary English from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and completed her graduate work at Clarion and Penn State Universities. Bianchi Wolfe, a retired educator from the St. Marys Area School District, is an active member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association-Retirees, Seneca Highlands, serves on the governing board of the Office of Human Services, is president of the Fox Township Senior Center, and is actively involved in various other community and church organisations.

Trafford Publishing, an Author Solutions, Inc. author services imprint, was the first publisher in the world to offer an “on-demand publishing service,” and has led the independent publishing revolution since its establishment in 1995. Trafford was also one of the earliest publishers to utilise the Internet for selling books. Over 10,000 authors from over 120 countries have utilised Trafford’s experience for self publishing their books. For more information about Trafford Publishing, or to publish your book today, call 1-888-232-4444 or visit www.trafford.com.

New Memoir Explores Author’s Life of Struggles

Author Jean Alexander shares his dark memories and triumphant victories.

MAPLEWOOD, N.J. – In Jean Alexander’s new memoir “Fear My Surrounding” (published by iUniverse), he shares his journey as a Haitian-born boy who overcame difficult circumstances, immigrated to the United States and started his life anew.

Alexander shares memories of horrendous acts from his time growing up in Haiti. As he explains, he witnessed the mass murder of women and children whose lives were cut short because of political beliefs or opinions. These horrendous experiences were never able to stifle his determination to overcome his circumstances and strive to find his true purpose in life.

An excerpt from “Fear My Surrounding”:
“I’m in disarray, angry at society’s treatment of humankind. I believe society is the main culprit to the destructive path the world is on. Things will only get worse unless each and every one of us, individually, takes responsibility for our actions and capitalizes on past mistakes. Looking forward, we need to be optimistic toward the future and make our environment a better place. Otherwise, we will drive our world to the brink of extinction.”

According to Alexander, some of his darkest moments were manifestations of the fear and anxiety his environment caused him to feel – emotions amplified by his struggles with social anxiety disorder. In Haiti and later in his life in the United States after reuniting with his mother, Alexander learned to rely on his inner strength to survive.

“Fear My Surrounding” shares the inspirational story of how one man faced countless ordeals, yet somehow managed to reach his full potential by believing in himself, dreaming big, and never underestimating the power of the human will.

About the Author
Jean Alexander was born in Haiti in the midst of political turmoil. He settled in the United States in 1997. He lives in New Jersey with his family. “Fear My Surrounding” is his first book.

iUniverse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is the leading book marketing, editorial services, and supported self-publishing provider. iUniverse has a strategic alliance with Indigo Books & Music, Inc. in Canada, and titles accepted into the iUniverse Rising Star program are featured in a special collection on BarnesandNoble.com. iUniverse recognizes excellence in book publishing through the Star, Reader’s Choice, Rising Star and Editor’s Choice designations—self-publishing’s only such awards program. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, iUniverse also operates offices in Indianapolis. For more information or to publish a book, please visit iuniverse.com or call 1-800-AUTHORS. For the latest, follow @iuniversebooks on Twitter.

New Children’s Book Finds Value in the Little Things

Author Delores Allan pens “Magical Moments with Roy and Toni”

In her new children’s storybook “Magical Moments with Roy and Toni: Come on Let’s Go” (published by AuthorHouse), Delores Allan shares a delightful story teaching young readers to be grateful for the little things in life around them.

Set on a Midwestern farm in the late ′40s to early ′50s, “Magical Moments with Roy and Toni” tells the story of an older couple – Roy and Toni – who love spending time with children. They always remain playful, fun and have a great sense of humor, helping children to appreciate the simple pleasures in life and to take in the beauty of nature and the wonderful things in day-to-day life.

“People today are looking for ways to bring some of the values back into our society and children’s lives,” says Allan. “These books have subtle lessons in them that encourage those values that have somehow gotten lost in our hustle and bustle world.”

Allan hopes the book shows young readers that the best things in life are free and that magical moments are everywhere. The simple story and colorful illustrations will grab young readers’ attention, and the lessons will stay with them each time they take a moment to appreciate their surroundings.

FACTFILEL
Author Delores Allan has a country home in the Midwest. She is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Allan enjoys reading, writing, gardening and spending time with family and friends. She loves telling stories to the small children in her life – a love which inspired her to pick up a pen and put her stories down on paper.

Allan is a Golden Quill award winner, having won the honour for a short story she wrote in college. She plans on continuing to follow her passion to write children’s book and touch the hearts of children everywhere. “Magical Moments with Roy and Toni: Come on Let’s Go” is a five part series of books from Allan.

AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industry’s only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services.

Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrated 15 years of service to authors in Sept. 2011.

For more information or to publish a book visit www.authorhouse.com or call 1-888-519-5121. For the latest, follow @authorhouse on Twitter.

New book reveals shocking health truths!

In The Health Delusion (Hay House, 4th June 2012, £12.99 pb), Glen Matten and Aidan Goggins bring together the wealth of compelling and exciting academic research into our health and make it accessible to all, in an unadulterated form. The authors have one simple aim: to bring you and your family better health. They not only reveal what has gone so horribly wrong with our collective health, but also show us how we can put it right. Combining their backgrounds in nutritional medicine and pharmacy, they set out a guide to achieving optimal health at every stage of life and for future generations to come, offering a detailed plan of the foods, supplements and lifestyle changes needed for total wellness.

In the 21st Century we are more health conscious than ever before, and have a wealth of information on healthy living at our disposal, as well as access to the incredible advancements of modern medicine. Yet despite all this, a stark fact remains: if you are a healthy adult in today’s society, you are in the minority. More than one in three people have cardiovascular disease, one in six has high cholesterol and an incredible six in every ten has raised blood pressure. One in ten has diabetes and nearly another four out of those ten are on the verge of getting it. If all that wasn’t bad enough, two out of every five people will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their lives.

Surprisingly, many of the answers to these modern-day epidemics of chronic disease are already within our grasp. The problem is that much of the research carried out into our health remains stuck in the world of academia or gets distorted by the media, self-proclaimed health gurus or the food industry. This book cuts through the misinformation to expose the shocking truths behind our diet, health and pharmaceutical industries, looking at how they consistently put our health in jeopardy in favour of boosting profits. The authors demonstrate how the media compounds these problems by overloading us with information, often misleading us in the process, and reveal how outdated the official advice we receive on health and diet really is. Packed with the latest scientific research, The Health Delusion provides the blueprint for achieving exceptional health in the 21st Century.

‘At last,learn the truth about how badly "the system" is lying about your diet. A must read!’ Dr Georges Mouton

The Health Delusion: How to Achieve Exceptional Health in the 21st Century by Glen Matten & Aidan Goggins is published by Hay House on 4th June 2012, £12.99 paperback, also available as an e-Book.

That's Business: Rich Dad Poor Dad Co-Author to Speak in London on ...

That's Business: Rich Dad Poor Dad Co-Author to Speak in London on ...: “Failings of our education system and financial services industry the root cause of financial illiteracy”, so says Rich Dad Poor Dad best-se...

Book launch - The Army & Navy Club Double Anniversary

The Army & Navy Club, has commissioned Prior & Partners, the global communications agency founded by entrepreneur and television personality, James Caan and Annie Prior, one of the UK's leading editors, creatives and publishers, to create an integrated multimedia campaign to celebrate its 175th Anniversary coinciding with its patron HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

For the past 175 years, the Army & Navy Club (or ‘The Rag’ as it is affectionately known) has provided a base for its members – men and women who hold or have held a commission in the British or Commonwealth Armed Forces, as well as non-military corporations and blue chip companies mostly based around Mayfair and St. James – in which they can socialise and relax.

At the heart of this campaign is a hardback commemorative publication, which includes beautifully written profiles of the exclusive international brands selected to sponsor the Army & Navy Club celebrations. These brands cover a range of sectors including Food & Wine, Restaurants, Fashion, Jewellery, Arts & Culture, Luxury Travel, Aviation, Yachting, Interiors, Architecture and Education. The publication will also chronicle the history and development of the Club, and its relationship with the Royal Family and the military. As patron of the Army & Navy Club, HM The Queen will receive a copy of the album, as will each of the 137 affiliated clubs, worldwide. Alongside the publication, a dedicated website, e-book and phone application have all been produced to complement these prestigious celebrations.

The campaign will come to fruition at an official launch event at the Army & Navy Club Headquarters in Pall Mall, London on May 31st 2012. Guests will include Army & Navy Club members, affiliate club members, participating luxury brands and select affluent individuals, who will have the opportunity to enjoy a cocktail reception, live entertainment, speeches from high-profile individuals and a live charity auction from which proceeds will be donated to Veterans Aid, the Army & Navy Club’s affiliate charity.