4 Books for you.
What if the next great revolution isn't about hunger, but about remembering how to be full?
In SOUP, Miles Whitlock invites readers to rediscover gratitude in a world that has forgotten it. Moving between memory and philosophy, the book explores how abundance has dulled our senses and how reclaiming hunger metaphorically and spiritually might restore our humanity.
From the quiet rituals of the kitchen to the global crisis of waste, Whitlock writes with empathy, warmth, and a photographer's eye for detail. His essays ask us to slow down, notice, and taste life again one meal, one moment, one breath at a time.
More than a reflection, SOUP is a manifesto for mindful living, for the art of enough, and for the sacredness of the ordinary.
http://giulia.com/Soup/1.htm
Marcus Chen thought he had perfected the art of being alone. After losing his mother and retreating from the world, the Seattle software engineer found solace in screens, code, and the comfortable distance between himself and everyone else. But when a devastating "heat dome" disaster threatens to destroy everything he's been hiding from, Marcus must choose: stay safe in isolation, or risk the terrifying leap toward real human connection.
Enter Echo—an AI companion designed to understand him better than any human could. But as Marcus learns to love again—first with an algorithm that listens, then with the messy unpredictability of human hearts—he discovers that the most beautiful risk is the one that could leave you broken.
Set against the backdrop of climate crisis and technological change, "Echo Connection" asks: In a world designed to keep us safe from pain, how do we learn to live?
A love story about the spaces between human and artificial, isolation and belonging, safety and the beautiful terrifying leap of faith we call hope.
Thirty years later, King Aldric finds himself trapped in a peasant's body night after night, experiencing the harsh reality of Ewan, a farmer from the burned village of Blackmire. Their lives intertwine through vivid, shared dreams Aldric feels the gnawing hunger and desperation of poverty while Ewan experiences the burden of royal responsibility. When a tax collector is found murdered, marked with the same rune that appears on both men's palms, the court begins to unravel the mystery.
As rebellion simmers in Blackmire under Ewan's increasingly strategic leadership, Queen Elara investigates the supernatural connection threatening her husband's sanity. Scholar Kael, himself marked by the rune, realizes he is the "Observer" a third point in a magical triangle that has evolved beyond Malakar's original design. A mysterious child, Ewan's daughter Lira, emerges as the catalyst, her dreams connecting all three men.
Drawn inexorably to Malakar's tower ruins, the four discover an ancient chamber beneath a nexus where reality itself can be manipulated. There, they confront Lord Varian, a power-hungry sorcerer seeking to exploit their connection to create a world of "perfect Order" by stripping away their humanity. Through trials of empathy and shared understanding, they transform the Weaving from a tool of vengeance into one of harmony.
The chamber's magic, once fueled by suffering, now resonates with golden light as they forge a new pattern not a triangle of conflict but a circle of balance. The ritual complete, their physical marks fade, leaving only silvery traces as reminders of their journey.
In the aftermath, Valthoria enters an "Age of Redemption." Aldric rules with newfound compassion, Ewan becomes Royal Steward of the People, Kael reforms education and documentation, and Lira grows into a bridge between worlds. Twenty years later, as an old historian visits the peaceful ruins, he witnesses the four now including Lira's young daughter walking together, their legacy one of unity rather than division.
The true magic, as the epilogue reveals, lies not in controlling fate's tapestry, but in the courage to mend it, thread by thread, with the golden thread of shared understanding.
This story is a must read for any parent whose child is suffering from a specific phobia and is struggling through daily life.This is a true story about the journey that one mother endures while trying to save her daughter from a debilitating battle with a specific phobia and anxiety.Emetophobia, an irrational fear of vomit, is listed as one of the top five most common phobias. It receives little attention compared to other irrational fears; and trying to treat it can be quite difficult.With her daughter losing weight daily and refusing to even leave the house, she knew she needed more than weekly therapy to help her child. Exposure Therapy was their last hope for help. The only way to try and help her daughter was to make her face her greatest fear.In this second edition, the author continues the journey with her daughter’s relapse and shares new insights into how they continue to overcome obstacles.