Welcome to Gaia! ::

Yes, Sorry. Those are just beginning guidelines. I meant to put a 'Etc.: At the bottom. Anyone can put as much or as little info as they would like. smile

Nothing to be sorry about. It was a good suggestion . I truely meant to include such as well, so thank you for reminding me by pointing it out. 3nodding
People can put as much or as little as they like. Wheter it be about an author, book, manga, etc. They can include pictures if they like or not.

Novel

Title: Nobody Nowhere : The Remarkable Autobiogrphy of an Autistic Girl
Author(s) and/or artist(s): Donna Williams
Genre: psychology, fiction that based on the writer is true story

Synopsis:

"The author is an autistic herself, and her autobiography gives you a very good idea of what it would be like to be in her skin. She gives plausible explanations for common autistic behaviors, and offers some fasincating hypotheses for causes and contributing factors for this syndrome. And she offers advice on how to communicate with an autistic person with respect and without overwhelming them." from Hired Pen

"Donna Williams was a child with more labels than a jam-jar: deaf, wild disturbed, stupid insane... She lived within herself, her own world her foreground, ours a background she only visited. Isolated from her self and from the outside world, Donna was, in her words, a Nobody Nowhere. She swung violently between these two worlds, battling to join our world and, simultaneously, to keep it out. Abandoned from all connection to the self within her, she lived as a ghost with a body, a patchwork of the images which bombarded her. Intact but detached from the seemingly incomprehensible world around her, she lived in what she called 'a world under glass`.

After twenty-five years of being misunderstood, and unable to understand herself, Donna stumbled upon the word 'autism': a label, but one which held up a mirror and made sense of her life and struggles, and gave her a chance to finally forgive both herself and those around her.

Nobody Nowhere is disturbing, eloquent and ticklishly funny: it is an account of the soul of someone who lived the word 'autism' and survived in an unsympathetic environment despite intense inner chaos and incomprehension. It describes how, against the odds, Donna came to live independently, achieve a place at university, and write this remarkable autobiography. It is now an international bestseller, sold in over 14 languages throughout the world. This is a book that will stay with you as one of the most exceptional works you will ever read." from Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Rating: 4.6/5

Title: One Child
Author(s) and/or artist(s): Torey Hayden
Genre: psychology, non-fiction

Synopsis:
This is the first book of Sheila.


"Torey L. Hayden's One Child is a very sensitive report of the relationship that grew and developed between Ms. Hayden, a special education teacher, and one of her pupils, a six-year old girl named Sheila L. Sheila was a tragic example of a child who has been abused and neglected. The daughter of a 14-year-old mother, Sheila was born in poverty and raised in abuse, including being abandoned by her mother on a busy freeway when she was just six years old.

This abuse led Sheila to violent behavior, and she was arrested for the act of setting a playmate, a young boy, on fire. She was then sentenced to be committed to a state hospital for evaluation and therapy and was considered to be totally unmanageable. Ms. Hayden was asked to take Sheila into her Special Ed class until a space in the hospital opens up. When Sheila came to class the first time, she was dirty, unwashed, and totally withdrawn. She refused to speak or participate in any way. The book details the incredible way that Ms. Hayden was able to work with Sheila and teach her not only to socialize but to gain respect for herself. There are many emotional and impressive scenes and several important educational ideas in the book." from lotsofessays.com

Rating: 4.3/5

Title: Hellsing
Author: Kouta Hirano
Genre: Action supernatural fiction (manga)



Hellsing chronicles the efforts of the mysterious and secret Hellsing Organization, as it combats vampires, ghouls, and other supernatural foes who threaten England. Hellsing is named after and centered around the Holy Order of Protestant Knights, originally led by Abraham Van Helsing. The mission of Hellsing is to protect Queen and Country from the undead and other supernatural forces of evil. This organization is currently led by Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, who inherited the leadership of Hellsing as a child after the death of her father. She is protected by the faithful Hellsing family butler and former Hellsing "trashman," Walter C. Dornez, and Alucard, the original and most powerful vampire that swore loyalty to the Hellsing family after being defeated by Van Helsing one hundred years before the story takes place. These formidable guardians are joined early on in the storyline by former police officer Seras Victoria, whom Alucard turned into a vampire.

As the scale and frequency of incidents involving the undead escalate in England and all around the world, Sir Integra discovers that the remnants of a Nazi group called Millennium still exist and are intent on reviving the Third Reich by creating a battalion of vampires. Millennium, Hellsing, and the Vatican section XIII Iscariot clash in an apocalyptic three-sided war in London, and Millennium reveals its true objective: to destroy the vampire Alucard, ending a feud begun during World War II.

All 10 volumes have been released and there are two anime series released/being released about the series.

Rating: Highly Recommended! For those that enjoy the supernatural, horror and monsters acting like real monsters. It has a unique story and look with an excellent cast of characters.

Title: The Book of Five Rings (五輪書 Go Rin No Sho)
Author: Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵?, c. 1584 – June 13, 1645)
Genre: Martial arts, Philosophy

The Book of Five Rings is a text on kenjutsu and the martial arts in general, written by the samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi circa 1645. There have been various translations made over the years, and it enjoys an audience considerably broader than only that of martial artists: for instance, some business leaders find it to be relevant to their work.
Musashi establishes a "no-nonsense" theme throughout the text. For instance, he repeatedly remarks that technical flourishes are excessive, and contrasts worrying about such things with the principle that all technique is simply a method of cutting down one's opponent. He also continually makes the point that the understandings expressed in the book are important for combat on any scale, whether a one-on-one duel or a massive battle. Descriptions of principles are often followed by admonitions to "investigate this thoroughly" through practice rather than trying to learn them by merely reading.
These books are actually the teachings which Musashi preached to his students in his own dōjō. Despite taking some ideas from others, the books are not based on any other school of teaching. They were written down by Musashi near the end of his life and finnshed upon his death bed.

The five "books" refer to the idea that there are different elements of battle, just as there are different physical elements in life, as described by Buddhism, Shinto, and other Eastern religions. The five books below are Musashi's descriptions of the exact methods or techniques which are described by such elements.

The Book of Earth chapter serves as an introduction, and metaphorically discusses martial arts, leadership, and training as building a house.
The Book of Water chapter describes Musashi's style, Ni-ten ichi-ryu, or "Two Heavens, One Style". It describes some basic technique and fundamental principles.
The Book of Fire chapter refers to the heat of battle, and discusses matters such as different types of timing.
The Book of Wind chapter is something of a pun, since the Japanese character can mean both "wind" and "style" (e.g., of martial arts). It discusses what Musashi considers to be the failings of various contemporary schools of swordfighting.
The Book of the Void chapter is a short epilogue, describing, in more esoteric terms, Musashi's probably Zen-influenced thoughts on consciousness and the correct mindset.

Rating: Highly Recommended! This is an invaluable book for anyone interested in martial arts but also philosophy as it talks about a way to guide ones life. It also gives great insight into the mind and life of perhaps the most famous duelist from Japanese history.