"A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone." -Tyrion Lannister.

Books enrich our lives, if you pick the right ones. Their characters can become like friends. The places and adventures they can take you on can seem as real (and sometimes even more real) than the world in front of our eyes. But with legions of books published every year, it would take many lifetimes to read them all. So which do we pick?

Here is a list of five great books that deserve to be at the top of your reading list:

# 1 The Road (Cormac McCarthy)

Rarely does a writer as unique and talented as Cormac McCarthy come along. His books are dark and violent, yet stuffed with gorgeous prose, unique action and a style that is impossible to emulate. His 2006 Pulitzer Prize winner, The Road , is arguably his best. Haunting, challenging, and unforgettable, this incredible novel will change how you view post-apocalyptic literature, not to mention life and family, forever.

# 2 Life of Pi (Yann Martel)

A boy stuck on a life raft with a tiger! This spectacular novel is part treatise on religious philosophy, part Robinson Cruesoe-esque survival story, and part coming-of-age bildungsroman. The incredible action leaves you guessing until the end and will keep you talking about it long after you've moved on.

# 3 The Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)

This novel may fall into the category of fantasy, but it is an incredible tour de force that exercises the incredible power of storytelling. Don't expect a Lord of the Rings copycat, this story is unique and engaging and is destined to be the new avant-garde in the realm of epic fantasy. Fans of Game of Thrones will love it, as will people who have never picked up a fantasy novel in their lives.

# 4 Beloved (Toni Morrison)

This Pulitzer Prize winning novel is regarded as one of the must-read classics of the second half of the 20th century. It is challenging, emotional, intense, beautiful and classic. There is no question that Beloved was a big part of the reason Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993.

# 5 Rabbit, Run (John Updike)

Only three authors have won multiple Pulitzer Prize awards and one was John Updike. Rabbit, Run is the first is a four-book series that spans the length of Updike's career. In terms of sheer skill, Updike is the definitive master of late 20th century. His sentences are staggeringly brilliant, and his command of the language is next to none.

How do I get my daughter to read more?’ The mother sitting across from me is not the first parent to ask me this question. In fact I would go so far as to say that as a tutor, it is one of the most common questions asked by parents looking to boost their child into the next grade level or help them achieve that extra 10% or get them into the best grammar school.

The reason for this is that the ability to read and comprehend text and critically appraise it, is fundamental to all subjects at any level. It is most critical at an early age where not only does it encompass every aspect of English, including the ability to write comprehensive creative text but it aids in problem solving in maths and in answering high mark questions in science, geography and history. The list goes on.

Because of this the difference between a child in the top end of the class and the middle of the class at an early age can often come down to a maturer reading level. Don’t get me wrong. There are the exceptionally gifted at individual subjects but at a general level, reading is key.

Back to the concerned mother. She sits across from me on a Thursday afternoon after enquiring about tutoring for her child and in my usual probing of her concerns and expectations we get to the crux of it. Her 9 year old daughter does not read, dislikes anything to do with reading in fact and as a result her grades across the board are suffering.

I reassure her that focusing on reading is something that we will work on and that the tutor we provide will focus specifically on improvement to this area. We make arrangements and she leaves but her question stays firmly rooted in my mind.

A few hours later I contact her and do my best to try and alleviate some of her concerns by giving her some tips and tricks to help improve her child’s reading. The main problem is that forcing a child to read is one of the most counterproductive ways to help them move forward. So many parents sit their child down, stuff a book into their hands and say ‘read a chapter before bed’. This is after a whole day of school and a bunch of homework. Done repetitively to a child who dislikes reading will likely get them to a point that they fear it altogether.

So the question isn’t really ‘How do I get my child to read more?’ but rather ‘How do I get my child to love reading?’. This in itself is an infinitely more complex problem. Getting your child to read more just involves force feeding them book after book which they more often then not will not comprehend. Getting them to love reading however, takes time and patience and a few little tips and tricks.

When any of us read we have to visualise the text as if it is a film playing in our heads to understand it. If a child is reading a sentence as individual words and not as a whole they will not build up a picture of the sentence they are reading. Each word therefore becomes and individual chore, akin to if you or I were to read a book in a language we don’t understand. The child is reading each word separately usually due to a poor reading flow and not forming the necessary picture in their head to enjoy the book.

Whilst extra help or tutoring to improve the way they read will have benefit, other things can help too. Instead of telling your child to read whilst you sit down and switch the telly on or go on your phone or iPad, have the whole family read their own books at the same time. This will reduce their distractions and the silence as well as the good example you set will help them to focus more.

Let them read at the correct level for their ability. This is crucial. Whilst it helps your ego to take a picture of your child with their head buried in the complete works of Shakespeare, practically it will do nothing to help them progress. They must read at a level that they can understand even if it means reading books that you may think are too childish for them.

Try and find a book in the beginning of a series. Find a book that has a good number of sequels because if your child bites and gets into it, there’s plenty more to keep them entertained. By the end of the series they just may have become a reader. Good examples for children aged 6-12 are; The Harry Potter series, Anne of Green Gables and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.

Start with a film. This follows on from above. If there’s a book which has been made into a film or tv series let them watch the first one. This can allow them to get familiar with all the characters and storyline. When they want to know what happens next, let them read the second book in the series. Their familiarity with the names and places will help spark their visual memory and hopefully get them hooked.

As I finished up relaying all this to her I sensed an edge of excitement in her voice at the idea of experimenting with the concepts discussed. By changing her perspective from getting her child to read more to getting them to love reading she may just have crossed the mental barrier needed to ensure her child becomes a regular bookworm.

You do not have to be a genius to learn to read faster. The ability to learn to read faster and take in more information is not so hard to achieve. The enormous benefit to increasing your speed will enable you to take in the vast amount of information that can be of value in your daily life. Reading faster will give you an advantage with any learning in school, college or workplace.

To be able to read a book, for instance, in one sitting is certainly not beyond the realms of possibility. For those that have to point out every word or read text out load this may seem almost impossible to them.

There is a way of increasing your reading speed that is not so hard to learn.

Periphery of vision is the key and exercising the eye muscles comes into play.

Your eyes are constantly roaming from one position to another on each page. This process is called a saccade. Saccade means rapid movement of both of the eyes and involves the frontal eye fields.

One word each saccade is only possible for some people and it means that they will have to go through the process of performing many saccades each line of text they are reading.

When speed-reading the text per individual line will be absorbed by the reader much faster and less saccades per line will be needed. The ability to take in one whole paragraph at a time is not beyond some individuals, such is the level of speed they have reached.

It is the speed of leaps between saccades, which will enable anyone to attain this kind of achievement.

Training the eye muscles to scan quicker will make your mind follow and take in what you have read much faster.

Specific eye exercises, which include lateral eye movement, can help the eye muscles move and react faster to allow you to speed read.

Resting your eyes is important and this cannot be forgotten. Always take a break when reading, as you do not want to strain and over-stress the eyes.

Speed reading has the potential to increase reading speed by three or four times with practice and proper training. You can not only improve your speed with a speed reading course, but you can learn to implement strategies to improve your concentration. Think of how much more information and knowledge can be absorbed and put to good use in your daily life.

BOO! by Simon Plaster, featuring a cast of some of the most idiosyncratic and humorously twisted characters this side of Oklahoma City, along with his memorable female protagonist, small town reporter turned big, Henrietta, just might be one of the author's most entertaining and LOL novels yet. In BOO !, Plaster's latest novel, the author takes satirical jabs at a variety of subjects, including sexual mores and the "Me Too" movement. It's a book that will delight fans of Plaster's and anybody who enjoys reading satirical novels that point out the lighter side of controversial topics. No matter if you're a supporter of the "Me Too" movement or a critic of it, you'll find something to laugh and think about in the pages of BOO!

As BOO! opens, Henrietta is working in OKC writing for the OKC SCENE, and she has a new boss, Mr. Nigel Fleetwood, a man who wants to take the publication in a new direction. Affecting an English accent, Fleetwood wants the OKC SCENE to incorporate touches that have long been staples of certain UK newspapers, like including more scandalous stories about celebrities and political figures, along with photographs of naked or semi-clothed ladies.

Henrietta's boss requests that she writes a story for the OKC SCENE about haunted houses in Oklahoma. During her research online, she reads about a haunted castle known as LeRoy's Castle that is open to the public and features "'almost live' entertainment." The Haunted Castle is beset with all sorts of rumors associated with it. When Henrietta learns that the famous Hollywood producer / director Deano DeBoffo, a character who Plaster has incorporated in past novels in the series, plans to be there soon, she senses the makings of a good news story.

DeBoffo's impending visit spurs many of the recurrent female characters in Plaster's Henrietta series of satirical novels to think about their past encounters with him, in a new light. With the spate of recent news stories about males in politics, or associated with TV and Hollywood, like CBS's Les Moonves and Fox's Bob O'Reilly, accused of sexual harassment, as a backdrop to the ongoing hijinx and subplots in BOO !, female characters like Henrietta's mother, Wynona Sue, and the hostess / housekeeper, Maddie McGill, at The Haunted Castle recall that they were "sexually harassed" by DeBoffo.

BOO! is especially pertinent to news events of today, with the controversy that surrounded Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation as a Supreme Court Justice as one of the latest news stories about the claims that women have come forward with regarding their having been sexually harassed. There is no doubt that the topic of sexual harassment is a very serious one, and it is a tragedy that many women have experiences with having been sexually harassed. It can be a tricky thing to pull off satirizing serious matters like sexual harassment, but Simon Plaster is more than up to the task in the pages of BOO! If you're a fan of reading entertaining satirical novels including touches of spooky Halloween fun, just in time for the upcoming holiday, then you will want to check out BOO! and add it to your reading lists today!

Are you a Rafael Nadal or Andy Roddick fan? If you are, it is quite probable you know that both these players use Babolat racquets. And if you are into the game yourself and have always dreamed of slinging the ball over the net with a powerful shot like your favorite star you might consider buying a Babolat racquet. However, the range of racquets brought into the market by the French sports’ goods manufacturer can bewilder even a pro. So what do you do if you are stumped by the variety offered on the shelf? The best would be to consult a player but that’s not within the reach of most of us. Thus, the easiest and best way to select your bat would be to read Babolat tennis racquet reviews, which are easily available over the Internet.

Babolat offers a range of racquets for players of all skill levels. The company has a junior range for beginners, a recreational range, an intermediate line followed by racquets for advanced and professional players. However, Babolat tennis racquet reviews are generally available for the advanced and expert segments as these racquets are more expensive and people buying them would like to get the maximum value for money, which in this case means an improved game.

In this review we will take a look at three racquets. Let’s take a sneak peak at Babolat AeroPro Drive first. This racquet made famous by its user Rafa, can help add the X factor to your game if you’ve been playing for quite sometime and hope to turn pro. Weighing nearly 11 ounce, this lightweight racquet will give you all the control and manoeuvrability that you’ve always desired. The unmatched head velocity and spin that this bat will add to your game will certainly make heads turn to your side as your opponent fails to equal your powerful forehand and backhand strokes. All this at an unbeatable price of $175-185 makes this racquet the ultimate bargain for you.

Next is the 27in Babolat Pure Drive. A must have for any real performer, at 11 ounce this racquet generates good speed and gives great stability and control. A 100 sq. in head makes sure that you collect the ball and send it spinning across to your opponent. Effective for slice shots, the racquet has been strung at 50-57 pounds and the tension can be increased to 65 pounds for better control. Great manoeuvrability and great performance coming at a great price of $189 make this bat a coveted item for next game.

And finally the Babolat Pure Drive Plus, the model used by Andy Roddick. This piece gives you more power, making your game easier. The 1/2 inch extra length added to Pure Drive forces players using Pure Drive Plus to adjust to swinging the bat earlier. However, the control, the spin and extra power on serves gives Pure Drive Plus at least four stars on five. Available for $175 (Internet stores’ price) this racquet can certainly give you the Roddick power.

Thus, I would advice all tennis aficionados to go through some Babolat tennis racquet reviews before you hit the sports’ goods store near you to pick the right tennis racquet for yourself.

Unlike last year, I was almost certain I would not be taking up any reading challenge this year. It’s really something to wrap your head around so many characters and situations and not be affected. You cannot really purge the emotions easily. But, then we all like challenges; to push ourselves and surpass our own limits. And so this is what I read-

1. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

A classic read and my favourite book this year also has so many career lessons to teach. An architect’s indestructible will to build is challenged on every step he takes. On his way to success he gives up love, honour, fame and money, only to regain it almost towards the end of his career. But is that what he always wanted?

2. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

An extraordinary story of a brave 16 year old girl, who fought for the cause of education in the beautiful Swat Valley of West Pakistan. Malala, is a Noble Prize winner with an iron heart who did not give up even when she was shot by Taliban and landed separated from her family in the United Kingdom.

3. Devlok by Devdutt Pattanaik

After watching an episode on Epic Channel, Devdutt had me in rapt attention. An important Q&A book with important chapters on Gods, Goddesses, Demi – Gods, Traditions, Holy Texts, Avatars, Myths and more. A must read for teenagers and those who want to know about Hinduism.

4. Devlok 2 by Devdutt Pattanaik

A continuation of Devlok 1, Devdutt Pattnaik covers interesting questions based on forests & fields, animals and more. Pattanaik’s lucid writing makes for an excellent gift especially for teens, students and NRI readers.

5. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Late to the party, yes, but I picked it up a couple of years ago and got bored. With no books available for Feb, I had to hunt for this one and finish it. The Alchemist teaches you about apprenticeship, belief and risks. More than anything it teaches you to keep walking.

6. The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad by Twinkle Khanna

This book is divided into 4 stories. Each character is shamed by society but is fearless. The characters choose an unconventional path and change lives. Twinkle Khanna is an intelligent author who impresses without effort.

7. The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi

Lord Krishna’s rebirth in his Kalki Avatar, to destroy the World is part fiction part real. The story takes you through lost cities of Gokul, Vrindavan and more. It enlightens the reader on the history of Somnath Temple and the Taj Mahal. Ashwin Sanghi, the Dan Brown of India is also known to weave similar plots just like the former. However, Chanakya’s Chant makes for a much entertaining read.

8. Ignited Minds by Shri Abdul Kalam Azad

A guide for everyone who aims to achieve greatness in life. This book is a blessing and a hand that guides the reader with it’s luminescent speeches, examples and snippets.

9. An Unsuitable Boy by Karan Johar

Only brought it because I loved this season of Koffee with Karan. An Unsuitable Boy will interest you if you like reading about the Hindi Film Industry. It gives a peek into Karan’s childhood, films, friends and love life.

10. Faction by Khalid Mohammed

I assumed it would be an interesting read because it’s a book based on stories by 22 film personalities. Very few were impressive. It’s an (anthology) compilation of short stories. Some of the better stories written, are by Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal, Bobby Deol, Deepika Padukone, Karan Johar, Shekhar Kapur & Sonam Kapoor.

11. Bossypants by Tina Fey

Cannot relate, identify or understand the pages or purpose of this book. It contains too many American inside jokes which only fans of SNL – Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock will understand.

12. Stories from Modern India edited by Suresh Kohli

An anthology may seem like a good bargain, but in return I have noticed how they lack quality content. Ofcourse, Chicken Soup books are an exception. The stories in this book are based on emotions like love, betrayal, sacrifice, superstition and ambition. These are works of famous authors translated from Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi and English.

Although in today's world there are many different comic books and series to choose from, I find that it is best to read from a few series religiously and then pick up single issues that look interesting on the side. For those series you choose to read all the time, I suggest a subscription to ease the continuous blows to your wallet each week or month. For once in a while reads, keep picking them up at the stands but once you feel yourself looking forward to reading that specific comic a few times in a row, you may want to think subscription.

Okay then, that was the easy part, now here comes the hard part. Which comics should I subscribe to and which are best left on the stands? I'm so glad that you asked. In my opinion the best comics to read are the ones that revolve around your favorite comic heroes. Now that may seem pretty self explanatory but look at the key word favorite. Favorite doesn't mean top twelve, instead I would try and subscribe to your top four heroes. I'm not trying to dissuade you from reading more than four comic series. Quite the opposite, read as many as you'd like, but for your wallets sake, subscribing to the top four isn't a bad idea.

"But I like so many comics! I can't possibly just choose four!" you may say. Well, if it is too hard for you to decide on your own who to read let me show you my top four comic heroes and explain why you should also be reading them.

1. Deadpool

Deadpool is hands down my favorite comic book character ever. He has the most unique stories in comics right now chock full of action, women, and ridiculous humor. Deadpool is such a fun read because of the zaniness and open insanity of the title character. He breaks the fourth wall in every issue and is actually aware of his thought balloons (that's right he has two) and the interactions between them all lead to comedy gold. If you aren't reading one of his comics, start.

2. Batman

There's a new Batman in town folks and he certainly has his hands full. All of the Batman series are great and in my opinion are written by the best people in comics at the moment. Paul Dini, Grant Morrison, and even Kevin Smith have been involved in Batman. Although Bruce Wayne he is not, the series keeps its dark tone but with a lighter Batman … for now. Batman is definitely DC's power player and for good reason, check him out in any of five on going series.

3. Green Lantern

The Green Lantern is a book well worth reading, and not only because the current comic event: Blackest Night revolves around him. The Green Lantern is actually a recent reboot. Although Green Lanterns have been around since the Golden Age of comics, the titular hero has changed several times. But most everybody agrees that Hal Jordan is considered the Green Lantern. That's probably why Geoff John's creative team pulled him back from the dead and placed him as the lead in the current Green Lantern series. This Green Lantern complete with a haunted past and an ever changing love life is definitely one to read.

4. Spider-Man

Read Spider-man comics. Or comic, I should say. I especially harp on reading Spider-Man comics because it is so easy to do now. He only appears as the main hero in one comic book The Amazing Spider-Man. It ships three times a month so it is a little more expensive but the convenience of not having to read issues in other series just to stay on track with him is definitely a plus. Spidey's been around for ages, and he is still the same do-gooder with an infinite run of bad luck in all areas of his life. Trust me, Spider-man is arguable the biggest name in comics, and there is a reason why.

Well, there's the top four comic heroes. If you aren't reading these four heroes do your self a favor and start. The writing is superb, the illustrations are gorgeous, and the differing characters provide view points from across the spectrum. So whether your just getting into comics, or are a seasoned vet, make sure you check out these four comic heroes, you'll be sorry if you don't.

Reading from a screen is more tiring and much slower than a book, and many people miss the relaxing touch of the page. There is a massive difference in the experience of reading a blog versus reading a novel. High-concentration reading from a computer screen is not very comfortable. There are hundreds of books that are worthwhile reading and never see the light of day or at least not at any time receive their just due.

They say people are not reading now as much as they used to. What if people just don't want to read novels online? Same goes with the Internet, if all you do is chat and participate in social websites, then you cannot really expect to put your vocabulary to good use, neither can you expect to learn much more; but, it is possible to read novels online (Literature. Not many people give up paperbacks to read novels online. Secondary to this question is this is it making reading more accessible.

Read novels online, get the latest news, and contact the author. The conventional wisdom that no one wants to read novels online exists in the realm of fiction. Parents worried about kids reading too much online should ask and answer questions about what they are reading. When they are reading with the keyboard within reach, they ask questions and make comments. Considering how much reading consists of articles, online and off, the fact that electronic reader discussions are so exclusively focused on books illustrates the backwards thinking, book people have when it comes to contemporary reading and technology.

Your business greatly depends on how many customers you can find that end up purchasing from you. How do you find these customers and where should you begin? The best way to go about it is to understand how lead generation works. Below you will find many helpful suggestions on how to go about locating leads, so continue on.

Use social media as a lead generation tool. In social media, you need to not only build a presence, you also need to build a community. It's an opportunity to build trust which will lead to more and more leads coming your way. Don't just look at the obvious social media channels. Consider them all.

Try a fax campaign to increase your lead generation. Fax may seem very 1980s in terms of business communication, but most companies still rely on these machines. So many people have ignored the fax machine in the 21st century. But that only means that you have less clutter to battle. Your message will be more likely to hit!

Go to networking events in your community. Lead generation isn't just about emails, ads, and social media. It's also about getting personal and direct communication. Hit as many networking events that you can, especially those related to your target audience. This is one of the most effective ways of generating leads.

Ask your current customers to pass on word about your company to those they know. Your current loyal customers are the best lead generation asset you have. Their word of mouth can really mean a lot to generating new customers. Just them sharing your company information in social media can be surprisingly powerful.

Know what lead values ​​are. Certain leads may not fit your current campaign. Be sure you figure out what leads you're targeting and don't waste time sending promotions to people that don't even care about them. Picking out the leads that are correct will make you sure of having success.

Make sure that opt-out and privacy policies are clearly visible and laid out on your website. Be certain you stay mindful of leads that chose against receiving your offers and incentives. It's wasting your time and money to market to them, plus it's going to make them mad.

Check out events in your area and see if there's a way you can use them to generate leads. For example, if there is a cycling race, buy a sponsorship package. Then you can get yourself on TV talking about it, or in the paper, or just talk to people who are there to watch.

Make time for lead generation every single day. Even half an hour daily can be very effective. Like most things, it's building the habits that's the most important aspect of successful lead generation. If you do it daily, you'll find you become more effective at creating potential qualified customers.

As you are now aware after reading the above article, it is vital to be able to generate quality leads in order for your business to be successful. There are good leads and bad ones, but now that you understand how to find the leads that will help you succeed, you should be in good shape. Remember what you learned here to help get your business shine.

Do you know that unlike other marketing methods, bulk SMS is guaranteed to be read by your prospects? That’s a BIG plus. Read on to discover how to take advantage of this element.

• An email can be deleted without opening it first, let alone read it.
• A phone call can be rejected while it is ringing.
• Adverts in the newspaper can be ignored by flipping the page.
• Adverts on TV can be ignored simply by pressing a button on the remote control.
• A radio jingle can be ignored simply by changing stations.
• Adverts on the Internet can be ignored by browsing to another site.

But… SMS is guaranteed to be read… because by its design… it CANNOT be ignored. Or do you know of a way to delete a text message without opening it first?

Perhaps if there was a way to delete a text message without reading it first, many people will delete them when they see the sender ID without checking out the SMS content. But for now, I’m yet to see a phone with such capability.

And that is to your great advantage.

But Hey, Don’t Do This To Your Recipients…

Don’t spam people with bulk SMS. Only send SMS to people whom you have their permission to send text messages. In addition, send only relevant text messages. Only relevant SMS remains and don’t get deleted immediately.

I’m giving you this advice because just because I noted that, by design, SMS can’t be deleted without reading it first does not mean you should send “anyhow” SMS simply because people will always read it. Rather, spend quality time to do the right things and do them excellently and success will happen, naturally.

Okay, back to the point. To add fire to what we’re talking about in this chapter, let me introduce to you a very powerful concept I learned from legendary Internet marketing coach, Mark Joyner. The concept is known as Deadly Ground Battle.

Are You Fighting a Deadly Ground Battle?

In military warfare, there are many grounds on which combat can occur. One of them that serve our purpose here is Deadly Ground. Mark Joyner paraphrases Sun Tzu on Deadly Ground battle thus: “A Deadly Ground battle occurs when two forces meet and there is no escape route for either. It becomes a pure fight-or-die battle… and there can only be one winner.”

According to him, in a Deadly Ground battle, the stronger combatant is always the winner.

Applying it to marketing or any communication process that has to do with persuasion, the stronger force is always your prospect because all she does to win is to simply ignore your advert. And she’ll have nothing to lose as a result.

Wisdom demands that you MUST NOT engage in this kind of battle at all.

But I see many businesses and communicators fight this kind of battle with their customers and prospects every day – battles they are always certain to lose.

But with bulk SMS, it’s practically impossible to ignore text messages without reading them first. According to CTIA.org, 97% of text messages are read within minutes.

That’s another compelling reason to adopt bulk SMS in your communications and marketing campaigns.

Now, let me note this (very important): If your prospect or customer reads your SMS, deletes it, and takes no positive action, it’s still a Deadly Ground battle. Therefore, you must craft your message in such a way that it is useful to the prospect at that time.

How to go about that is beyond the scope of this article, but it still needs to be said. There you have it, one of the phenomenal powers of bulk SMS. What’s preventing you for leveraging bulk SMS?