Petrichor is the soothing smell of rain as it seeps deep down the soil leading to an evocative effect on our body, mind and soul. It penetrates our senses and rejuvenates our emotions and memories. The nature which has regenerative effect carcades us to eternal bliss. However, the same cries of depletion and deterioration scorches us from within. This book is an attempt to accommodate all the colours of the Earth through immensely beautiful works of talented writers. Let's revitalize your soul through the essence of "Petrichor", a compilation by Latika Garg under the guidance of Ms. Srashti Behure.
""The Art of Joy"" challenges conventional ideas about happiness, offering a fresh perspective on cultivating genuine joy in our lives. This groundbreaking book explores the nature of joy, the social dynamics of fun, and the practice of authentic enjoyment, drawing from positive psychology, neuroscience, and social studies. It argues that true fulfillment arises from balancing personal growth with social connections, introducing the concept of ""joy literacy"" as a skill that can be developed. The book progresses through three parts, examining foundational concepts, social dimensions of enjoyment, and practical strategies for cultivating authentic fun. It combines academic rigor with relatable anecdotes, making complex ideas accessible to a general audience interested in personal growth and self-help. By integrating perspectives from various disciplines, including sociology and behavioral economics, it offers a multifaceted understanding of how cultural and social factors influence our experience of joy. What sets ""The Art of Joy"" apart is its innovative approach to reframing joy as a skill rather than a fleeting emotion. It provides readers with practical tools and exercises to identify personal sources of joy, enhance social connections, and infuse everyday activities with more genuine fun. This comprehensive guide empowers readers to transform their approach to well-being, fostering a deeper sense of fulfillment and connection in an often-challenging world.
Whispers from the Woods: Embracing the Ancient Art of Shinrin-Yoku In the heart of Japan’s verdant forests, a secret beckons—the gentle invitation of nature herself, a call to ‘forest bathe’ in her embrace. This is shinrin-yoku, a serenade to the soul, the dance of dappled sunlight and the rustling of ancient leaves. Have you ever felt the world’s weight on your shoulders? Have you ever felt crushed and constrained by urban chaos and the technological chains that bind our modern souls? Discover the age-old Japanese art of forest bathing, a practice that mingles the Zen stillness of meditation with the organic symphony of the woods. From early Shogun warriors seeking solace to today’s frenzied souls, shinrin-yoku rejuvenates, calms, and reconnects us to the world. Why surrender to the woods? Beyond the poetic whispers of the wind and the gentle songs of the streams, forest bathing is a bridge to inner peace, a bolster to health, and a balm to the weary heart. The trees have stories, and in their shade, we rediscover stories of our own. Whispers from the Woods is your guide to the ‘how’, the ‘where’, and the ‘why’ of this sacred practice. Wander through its pages to find ideal locales for your shinrin-yoku retreat, tips on truly immersing yourself, and insights into the Zen meditation aspects that amplify the experience of forest bathing. Whether you’re nestled in the dense foliage of the Kyoto mountains or seeking sanctuary in a suburban park, the essence of forest bathing remains. So take off your shoes and let the earth massage your feet, the air cleanse your thoughts, and the forest spirits playfully soothe your heartstrings. Dive deep, breathe in, and let the whispers of the woods guide you home.
"Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change" is a 12 x 12'' beautifully illustrated and designed 264 page coffee table book created by conservation photographers Rob Badger and Nita Winter.Illustrations: 190 stunning images of California's diverse wildflowers and their habitats, from high mountain passes in the Sierra Nevada mountains to below sea level in Death Valley National Park.Essays: Sixteen talented and diverse authors and scientists, most of whom are women, wrote 18 storytelling style essays (1,200 to 1,800 words) about nature, conservation, climate change or taking action. The two younger authors write about hope and action, and what people can do to help create positive change. The book has three sections: The Gift of Beauty, The Human Connection and Ensuring the Future.Because people are constantly hearing about all the negative things going on in the world, Nita and Rob believed there was a need for a different, softer approach to grab people's attention and center it on the climate-change story, and conservation and population issues. They engage their audiences by first inviting them to experience the splendor of the natural world through a universal symbol of beauty, the wildflower, and then educate and inspire them to take some of the simple actions they provide to create positive change and a healthier planet. Their goal is to spread conservation and climate change ideas far beyond native plant and nature lovers, and to plant the seeds to foster action."Beauty and the Beast" is a 27 year photographic journey into the public lands of California. Lands we all own, lands under constant threat of development or resource extraction, impacts of global warming, sea level rise and wildfires. This book is as much a treasure as the flowers and creatures which are featured within its pages. Nita and Rob extend a hand to you to come in and take a long, slow look around and see what they have seen, experienced and have learned. Book includes two comprehensive indexes and a glossary.Co-published by WinterBadger Press and the California Native Plant Society
Ostensibly about landscape photography, this book is, at its core, a passionate and personal book about creativity and expression. In this series of essays that is organized into four sections - art, craft, experiences, and meditations - photographer Guy Tal shares his thoughts and experiences as an artist who seeks to express more in his images than the mere appearance of the subject portrayed.
An anthropology professor, Duncan Clarke, stumbles upon the travel journal of a Victorian curiosity dealer that describes a victim of a Haitian witch doctor. Clarke's holiday pastime becomes an all-consuming obsession as he seeks to understand the chilling implications of the journal and the horrifying way in which his own life is tied to the past
Note: This eBook file contains many richly detailed full-color images and makes use of unconventional page layouts. Because of this, readers will be required to zoom in on each page to read the text and see the finer detail of the artwork. [It has not been optimized for devices that display only in black and white.] From the National Book Award finalist Lauren Redniss, author of Radioactive, comes a dazzling fusion of storytelling, visual art, and reportage that grapples with weather in all its dimensions: its danger and its beauty, why it happens and what it means. WINNER OF THE PEN/E. O. WILSON LITERARY SCIENCE WRITING AWARD • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, KIRKUS REVIEWS, AND SHELF AWARENESS Weather is the very air we breathe—it shapes our daily lives and alters the course of history. In Thunder & Lightning, Lauren Redniss tells the story of weather and humankind through the ages. This wide-ranging work roams from the driest desert on earth to a frigid island in the Arctic, from the Biblical flood to the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Redniss visits the headquarters of the National Weather Service, recounts top-secret rainmaking operations during the Vietnam War, and examines the economic impact of disasters like Hurricane Katrina. Drawing on extensive research and countless interviews, she examines our own day and age, from our most personal decisions—Do I need an umbrella today?—to the awesome challenges we face with global climate change. Redniss produced each element of Thunder & Lightning: the text, the artwork, the covers, and every page in between. She created many of the images using the antiquated printmaking technique copper plate photogravure etching. She even designed the book’s typeface. The result is a book unlike any other: a spellbinding combination of storytelling, art, and science. Praise for Thunder & Lightning “[An] aesthetically charged and deeply researched account . . . a wild rainstorm of a book, pelting the reader with ideas and inspiration.”—Nature “A gorgeous and illuminating illustrated study of weather in all its tempestuous variety . . . Redniss’s combo of fact, folklore, and vibrant etched copperplate prints enthralls.”—O: The Oprah Magazine “Eerily beautiful . . . Contains plenty of scientific explanation (including more than a few nods toward global warming), but also far-flung personal stories that illuminate the beauty, wonder and chaos inherent in the elements.”—The New York Times “Magical . . . Redniss has . . . shown us how human beings live with nature—fighting, coexisting, taming, predicting via leech barometer and radar and intuition.”—The New York Times Book Review “[A] twenty-first-century genius . . . The reader willing to put herself fully in Redniss’s hands will be rewarded with a delicious feeling of being enveloped by a phenomenon that eclipses the chiming trivialities of daily life.”—Elle “Redniss is one of the most creative science writers of our time—her combination of beautiful artwork, reporting, and poetic prose brings science to life in ways that words alone simply cannot.”—Rebecca Skloot “Redniss combines her own dual punch of expressive art and impressive erudition to give an entirely new take on all that happens above our heads.”—Adam Gopnik “A strange and wonderful thing, the work of a first-class mind that refuses to submit to any categories or precedent.”—Dave Eggers
'This book is a not-so-small joy in itself.' NIGELLA LAWSON 'Parkinson has the gift of making you look with new eyes at everyday things. The perfect daily diversion.' JOJO MOYES 'Always funny and frank and full of insight, I absolutely love Parkinson's writing.' DAVID NICHOLLS 'I loved this book . . . Parkinson's writing transports you to unexpected places of joy and comfort . . . these pages contain happiness.' MARINA HYDE 'The twenty-first century feels a lot more bearable in Parkinson's company.' CHARLOTTE MENDELSON Drawn from the successful Guardian column, these everyday exultations and inspirations will get you through dismal days. Hannah Jane Parkinson is a specialist in savouring the small pleasures of life. She revels in her fluffy dressing gown ('like bathing in marshmallow'), finds calm in solo cinema trips, is charmed by the personalities of fonts ('you'll never see Comic Sans on a funeral notice'), celebrates pockets and gleefully abandons a book she isn't enjoying. Parkinson's everyday exaltations - selected from her immensely successful Guardian column - will utterly delight. FEATURES BRAND NEW MATERIAL 'A compendium of delights.' OBSERVER 'Delightful . . . a love letter to those little moments of bliss that get us through the daily grind.' RED
Theoretical Perspective on Smell is the first collection of scholarly articles to be devoted exclusively to philosophical research on olfaction. The essays, published here for the first time, bring together leading theorists working on smell in a format that allows for deep engagement with the emerging field, while also providing those new to the philosophy of smell with a resource to begin their journey. The volume’s 14 chapters are organized into four parts: I. The Importance and Beauty of Smell II. Smell in Time and Space III. What We Perceive through Smell IV. Smell and Other Senses The collection solidifies the area as an important emerging branch of perceptual philosophy by presenting the cutting edge research being done by innovative early career researchers, as well as by those more senior and established within the field.