Tag: books

Leo Buscaglia, Great Expectations, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Dodo, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Leo Buscaglia, Great Expectations, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Dodo, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on December 24, 2023

Sunday Supplement #137 (December 24th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

– Leo Buscaglia

Book of the Week:

Great Expectations – Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens is one of the most famous authors of history. Many of his novels and works have influenced literature and film well beyond their original publishing dates of the mid-1800s.

Great Expectations was Dickens’ penultimate completed book and originated as a serial in his weekly periodical from December 1860 to August 1861.

The story follows Phillip “Pip” Pirrip from his childhood in the coastal marshes of Kent through his arduous experiences to adulthood, moving to the grimy city of London.

Pip’s journey has him crossing paths with escaped convicts, apprenticing as a blacksmith, becoming a gentleman, and courting potential love.

Great Expectations is a classic of literature and one I recommend to be on everyone’s to-read list at some point in their lives.

Movie of the Week:

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Roald Dahl’s bestselling book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was adapted into the classic 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

The movie tells the story of a poor boy, Charlie, who hopes to get one of the five coveted golden tickets that will give him exclusive passage to the reclusive genius Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

Dahl penned the script for Mel Stuart to direct, but David Seltzer was brought on for uncredited rewrites, which, combined with Stuart’s directing choices, led Dahl to disown the film.

That being said, the movie is still well worth the watch. The Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2014.

Gene Wilder shines at Willy Wonka, and while Roald Dahl was a fantastic writer, the movie stands the test of time as well as Dahl’s stories.

Brainfood of the Week:

Hurt Sea Lion Asks Boaters For Help | The Dodo

The Dodo is a YouTube Channel that hosts uplifting videos about animals, the people in their lives, and their stories.

In this video, a hurt sea lion seeks assistance from some humans on a boat. The sea lion was injured and needed rehab before being released back into the ocean.

It’s a short and simple video, but I love coming across stories where people help others. And The Dodo is an excellent source of videos of this kind of content.

I’ve only featured The Dodo in one other post, Sunday Supplement #32, but I love their videos and highly recommend their channel.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Charity given to a worthy person simply because it is right to give, without consideration of anything in return, at the proper time and in the proper place, is stated to be in the mode of goodness.”

– Bhagavad Gita 17:20

You can pull a lot from this Bhagavad Gita passage, but I am drawn to the part that states, “without consideration of anything in return.”

I think of holding a door open or letting someone go in front of you while driving, not receiving any recognition, and then getting annoyed.

On a smaller level, this seems trivial, but it raises the question of why we performed the act of kindness. Was it so we could receive recognition or praise?

Anyway, I think the Bhagavad Gita passage points to the beauty of giving at the right time in place to someone who needs it and not worrying about recognition.

Give without expecting anything in return, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Helen Keller, The Bartimaeus Sequence, The King’s Speech, Motivation2Study, and an African Proverb

Helen Keller, The Bartimaeus Sequence, The King’s Speech, Motivation2Study, and an African Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on December 17, 2023

Sunday Supplement #136 (December 17th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make the turn.”

– Helen Keller

Book of the Week:

The Bartimaeus Sequence – Jonathan Stroud

The Bartimaeus Sequence is a fantasy series set in London in the late 1900s/early 2000s and set in an alternate history where the effects of magic, magicians, and demons have altered changes through the past of cities, countries, events, and technology.

Magicians are trained to summon demons to do their bidding. Throughout history, various individuals and empires have used demons to obtain power. The most recent nation to dominate is the British Empire, where a ruling elite of magicians holds all the power.

Jonathan Stroud’s first book in the original trilogy follows a young magician’s apprentice as he tries to take revenge on a magician who humiliated him by summoning a powerful demon to steal the magician’s magical amulet.

The apprentice and the demon then uncover a plot of espionage, murder, blackmail, and revolt to seize power and overturn the government.

I highly recommend this series. I’ve only read the original trilogy (the fourth book being a prequel), but it’s one of my favorite works of fiction and has a story that stays with me. The growth of the main characters throughout the trilogy is one of the best I’ve ever read.

Movie of the Week:

The King’s Speech

Tom Hooper’s The King Speech tells the story of Britain’s King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne, and the speech therapist who helped him overcome his stutter.

I don’t know how historically accurate the movie is, but it is a masterfully executed piece of storytelling in the medium of film.

David Seidler’s script, Danny Cohen’s cinematography, Tariq Anwar’s editing, Jenny Beavan’s costume design… everything in this film is from the top drawer.

Colin Firth as King George, Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth, and Geoffrey Rush as speech therapist Lionel Logue steal the show in their respective roles.

The story is quite simple at its core, but it won Best Picture at the Oscars for a reason. That was one of four wins, and it had eight additional nominations. Check it out if you haven’t yet.

Brainfood of the Week:

Elon Musk Motivation Speech 2022 | Motivation2Study

In this video, Motivation2Study compiles a number of different Elon Musk interviews and speeches around perseverance and asking the right questions.

Whether you like Musk or not, there are many things in this compilation video he says that are worth listening to.

Motivation2Study is a YouTube channel with over four million subscribers and over three hundred million video views.

Their mission is to inspire, educate, and help students of all ages with both lack of motivation and mental health awareness. Check out their YouTube page if you enjoyed this video.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“There are no shortcuts to the top of the palm tree.”

– African Proverb

I like the simplicity of this proverb, but it also fills my imagination with different scenarios of how one could climb to the top of a palm tree.

Having been a tree climber for most of my youth, I still smile and try to give it a go when I find myself with the urge and the time to climb.

But now I find that I have to think about the best way to climb the tree. Sometimes, it’s not straightforward, and I imagine that some kind of tool, shoe, assistance, or great strength would be needed to climb a palm tree.

At the core, the proverb shows that to climb to the top of the palm tree, you have to keep climbing. You can always give up and climb another tree, but if you persist smartly, you should be able to find a way.

Keep pursuing the goals you want to achieve, be smart about it, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Leonardo da Vinci, The Richest Man in Babylon, 25th Hour, The School of Life, and a Dhammapada Verse

Leonardo da Vinci, The Richest Man in Babylon, 25th Hour, The School of Life, and a Dhammapada Verse

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on December 10, 2023

Sunday Supplement #135 (December 10th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.’Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death.”

– Leonardo da Vinci

Book of the Week:

The Richest Man in Babylon – George S. Clason

George S. Clason started a map-making company in the early 1900s and was the first to publish a road atlas of the United States and Canada.

Clason also authored a series of pamphlets distributed by insurance companies and U.S. banks in the early 1920s.

These pamphlets, centered around financial advice in the form of parables set in ancient Babylon, were compiled and became the book edition of The Richest Man in Babylon.

The Richest Man in Babylon has sold over 2 million copies and has been in print for over 90 years. It is considered a classic for wealth management.

While the key lessons in The Richest Man in Babylon are pretty simple, the stories are excellent and might provide a deeper impression for those principles to sink in.

Movie of the Week:

25th Hour

Spike Lee’s 25th Hour follows a convicted New York drug dealer, Montgomery Brogan, as he reevaluates his life in the 24 hours before facing a seven-year jail term.

The film has an all-star cast of Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, and Barry Pepper.

Spike Lee brilliantly directs this film, and it is on the top tier of my list of Spike Lee Joints.

Game of Thrones show writer David Benioff wrote the novel and the script the film is based on. But don’t let that put you off; the novels of his I’ve read are excellent, and this movie is, too.

Brainfood of the Week:

Why Introspection Matters | The School of Life

The School of Life makes content from psychologists, philosophers, and writers devoted to helping people lead calmer and more resilient lives.

This video starts with explaining the parable of Androcles and the Lion. You might have heard of it in some form or another, but the main point is the lion with the thorn in its paw.

In this telling of the story, the video shows how a thorn can cause a significant amount of pain, and we don’t always know how to get it out or need help to get it out.

Without reflection or asking for help, it can be easy to slip into avoidance of the pain or snap out at others.

I’ve featured a number of The School of Life videos. They tend to be short but impactful clips on various topics worth exploring. Check out these other posts if you’ve liked this one.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Speak the truth; yield not to anger; when asked, give even if you only have a little. By these three means can one reach the presence of the gods.”

– Dhammapada 224

This Dhammapada verse reminds me to reflect on the principles I hold. The values this verse implores are ones I find I always take a pause when I’m tested.

I think this is the power of taking a pause and reflecting on your actions. You have a moment to decide what you truly want to do rather than just going along with whatever mood you’re in.

Sometimes, you can find yourself in survival mode, and these moments of reflection can be challenging. But I find that through reflection, you are able to get a better handle on things.

The principles that the verse speaks to are great guides for having bliss in your life, and I think ones that any God would approve of.

Reflect on how you want to show up each day and have a blessed week ahead!

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Carl Jung, Timeline, Fiddler on the Roof, The Rich Roll Podcast, and a Quran Passage

Carl Jung, Timeline, Fiddler on the Roof, The Rich Roll Podcast, and a Quran Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on December 3, 2023

Sunday Supplement #134 (December 3rd, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate; it oppresses.”

– Carl Jung

Book of the Week:

Timeline – Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton was a legendary author and writer. He wrote 28 novels, and his books have sold over 200 million copies. He also wrote and directed a few films and was the creator of ER.

Crichton’s most famous work is probably Jurassic Park; however, my favorite novel of his is probably Timeline.

Timeline tells the story of a group of history students who travel to 14th-century France to rescue their professor.

The students get wrapped in the workings of a secretive multinational corporation after they find an astounding discovery at a medieval site. What started as a rescue mission turned into a fight for survival over 600 years ago.

Timeline was made into a campy 2003 film starring Paul Walker, Frances O’Connor, and Gerard Butler. While it’s a fun watch, the book is lightyears better, and I recommend it for a fun read.

Movie of the Week:

Fiddler on the Roof

I only recently saw Fiddler on the Roof, and it’s always an amazing experience to see a classic in Cinema and find that it stands the test of time.

The story follows a Jewish peasant with traditional values in pre-revolutionary Russia who contends with marrying off three of his daughters with modern romantic ideals while growing anti-Semitic sentiment threatens the village.

I’m not a huge musical fan, but the songs and numbers in Fiddler on the Roof were excellently crafted to further the story in a dramatic fashion.

The film won three Oscars (Best Music, Best Sound, and Best Cinematography) and was nominated for another five, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director.

If you haven’t seen Fiddler on the Roof, you’ve probably inadvertently come across many references to the film. It’s a classic in Cinema history for a reason.

Brainfood of the Week:

Change Your Brain: Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman | Rich Roll Podcast

I’ve featured Rich Roll in a few previous Sunday Supplements, both as an interviewer and an interviewee.

Roll is a vegan ultra-endurance athlete who changed his life at 40 after struggling with drugs, alcohol, and unhealthy living. His podcast has been consistently among the most downloaded/listened to podcasts in recent years.

In this episode, Roll interviews neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman. I just recently featured Huberman’s podcast in Sunday Supplement #131, but this episode was worth another highlight.

Huberman discusses the process of decision-making, addiction, and much more in this episode. The link starts halfway through the episode at a point I think makes a good hook.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”

– Quran 13:11

I haven’t repeated a spiritual passage in a Sunday Supplement until this one. I first highlighted this Quran passage in Sunday Supplement #22 in another post about change.

For me, this passage speaks to the necessity to change ourselves first before we can expect things around us to change.

I often think of the metaphor of butting your head into a brick wall when you could find another way around.

Sometimes, you need to break down walls, but reflecting on how you can change yourself first can be the best answer to getting unstuck from a negative perspective.

Look for ways to change yourself that will improve your life, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Vivek Murthy, The Inheritance Cycle, Grave of the Fireflies, Stephanie Briggs, and a Bible Passage

Vivek Murthy, The Inheritance Cycle, Grave of the Fireflies, Stephanie Briggs, and a Bible Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on November 26, 2023

Sunday Supplement #133 (November 26th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Empathy is choosing to see ourselves in another despite our differences. It’s recognizing that the same humanity – the same desire for meaning, fulfillment, and security – exists in each of us, even if it’s expressed uniquely.

– Vivek Murthy

Book of the Week:

The Inheritance Cycle Series – Christopher Paolini

I’ve kept a list of books I’ve read since 7th grade, and despite some laptop crashes and missing periods, the book that started the list was Christopher Paolini’s Eragon.

I read a lot as a kid but fell in love and truly experienced the wonders of what a book could do when I read Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle.

Paolini’s series tells the tale of the fictional world of Alagaësia and a teenage farm boy, Eragon’s journey to overthrow the evil king Galbatorix.

The series has elves, dwarves, Urgals, magic, and dragons, all intricately woven into a tale that soars to the heights of what fantasy and storytelling should be.

I highly recommend the series, especially if you are into fantasy and adventure. The conclusion in the original series is one of the best and most satisfying I’ve read in epic fantasy.

*I’m currently reading the latest addition in Paolini’s world of Alagaësia, Murtagh, and it’s been an excellent read so far!

Movie of the Week:

Grave of the Fireflies

The Studio Ghibli film Grave of the Fireflies is based on the 1967 short story by Akiyuki Nosaka about a young boy and his little sister struggling to survive in Japan during World War II.

I have featured several Studio Ghibli films in the past, and I try not to flood the blog with repetitive recommendations, but Grave of the Fireflies is another gem from their collection well worth highlighting.

In legendary critic Roger Ebert’s review of the film, he states, “Grave of the Fireflies is an emotional experience so powerful that it forces a rethinking of animation… I know what the critic Ernest Sister means when he compares it to “Schindler’s List” and says, “It is the most profoundly human animated film I’ve ever seen.”

Isao Takahata’s masterpiece is a heart-wrenching and harrowing adaptation. If you look up the film, you’ll find many more glowing testimonials from celebrated filmmakers and critics.

Brainfood of the Week:

Developing Empathy as a Practice | Stephanie Briggs | TEDx Talks

Stephanie Briggs is a professor at the Community College of Baltimore County and recipient of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society Building Communities grant for “Practical Empowerment: Building Contemplative Communities with Students of Color.”

Briggs highlights Jon Kabat-Zinn’s definition of mindfulness, “Paying attention in a certain way on purpose without judgment,” at the beginning of the TEDx Talks.

She then discusses the different practices around empathy in her classroom and how the students have engaged with them in the past.

One of the exercises Briggs discusses is the assignment of taking four photos in their community, answering the questions, “What is beautiful in my community? What is difficult in my community? What needs to change? And what has shaped me in my community?”

This TEDx Talk has much to take away from it, including some valuable practices and heartfelt stories from Briggs’s students.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”

– Luke 6:31

This Bible passage has been called “The Golden Rule” for living, and I think it is a worthwhile verse to remember.

On the surface, I think it’s pretty clear the passage speaks to treating others as you would want to be treated.

Reflecting on the passage, I also see that it’s easy to perpetuate how you’ve been treated or feel you’ve been treated.

The Matthew 5:39 verse about “turning the other cheek” is challenging when treated poorly. But I think the best we can do is to put good out into the world as much as possible.

Try to empathize with others, put good out into the world, and have a blessed week ahead!

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