We were sent a copy of Happy Tales by Diane de Mere in order that we might review it.
I was excited to receive this book when I was first contacted about it. What could be better than going back to nature to live as stress-free a life as possible?
The book wasn’t exactly what I expected. For approximately the first 40 pages, it was entry after entry describing sunrises and sunsets and a brief discussion of their move from Los Angeles to Washington State. The text is very descriptive and detailed, telling colors and measurements and all sorts of things. But, this part got very tedious and I had to make myself read it.
Aside from going on about the sunrises and sunsets, there is a very negative, maybe even resentful, tone when she talks about attending to the needs of her aging parents. This part was very frustrating to me. Who wants to feel like they are a burden to their loved ones?
While this tone is there any time aging parents is brought up, the rest of the pages did get better in regards to the descriptions of her surroundings. We get to read about a pair of eagle parents and their babies and about other animals that live in her area. She also talks about how blessed she is to be able to walk her dog safely in the area in which she lives.
This author is great at painting word pictures. I could visualize the scenes that she was describing. It made me wish that I could paint so that I could have such beautiful scenery around me, too. She made me want to move to Puget Sound!
At the end of the book, she makes suggestions for how to lead a more stress-free life and stresses that giving to others is one way to feel good about ourselves. I think that giving is only truly giving when your heart is onboard with it, too. Giving for the sake of going through the motions or praise here on earth is not really true giving at all. True giving is done with a happy heart, not one that resents the doing of the good deed.
A list of animal and people-related charities is included. Some are specific for her area, but they can give you ideas of what to look for in your area if you want to share your financial blessings and/or time with others.
There is also a list of books that the author feels would help us to reach our goals and lead a better life. Some of those look very interesting.
I would recommend this book to others, if for nothing other than the beautiful visualization opportunities that it gives.
Sounds interesting, but I am turned off by her attitude toward her parents. I am blessed to still have my Mom and would take care of her no matter what just as she did for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ellen. Our belief is that if you do a good deed, don't talk about it. And, your heart needs to be in it or it isn't really all that good a deed.
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