Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Friday, August 15, 2008

Enlightenment for Idiots - book giveaway!

Let me be the first to admit that I'm not exactly prone to reading chick-lit. And, for the most part, I'm fairly intolerant of most current fiction writers - I'm still working my way through 19th Century fiction. So, when the opportunity came across to read Enlightenment for Idiots, I figured, what the hell, why not?

This is, not exactly a green book, but it is a book. And it pokes fun at the whole yoga, meditation and search for enlightenment craze that seems to have inflicted itself upon Westerners. For that alone, it's worth a read because it is quite amusing. It's a real quick read - something I polished off in roughly 24 hours.

Anyway, in spite of a few plot holes and a couple of deus ex machina style interventions, I really enjoyed this book and wished it could go on forever. Okay, maybe not forever, but for longer at least. This is the writer's first work of fiction (she normally writes for Yoga Journal, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and her essays have been in the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, O: The Oprah Magazine, Salon.com and the like).

So, if you are looking for a light read, then I highly recommend this book. It has been equated to Eat, Pray, Love, but with more of the pray part. As such, I'm giving this book away so that one lucky reader has the chance to read it for themselves! As usual, if you want to enter the random drawing, put your name in the comments. The drawing ends this Sunday at 6:00 pm PST. Good luck!

By the way, I guarantee if you read this book you'll be craving chai tea like crazy. Here's a recipe to satisfy the urge (and save you money):

Masala Chai

1.5 inch chunk of cinnamon stick
6 cardamom pods
8 whole cloves
1 star anise
10 whole black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon any unperfumed loose black tea (such as Darjeeling or Assam)
Sugar to taste

In a mortar, crush cinnamon, star anise, cardamom and cloves (or use a coffee grinder). Put water and spices in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a simmer again. Add the tea leaves and simmer for 3 minutes. Strain the tea, add sugar to taste and serve immediately.

84 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love yoga but I love making fun so put me in the running.

Jamie said...

sign me up! :)

:o) said...

Me too!

Amy Watson said...

i loved eat pray love... i'd like to check it out!

a/k/a Nadine said...

Looks like fun!

Ellen said...

That sounds like a blast! I'd love to look at it. And then pass it on!

Gina said...

I love to read, so count me in.

Nancy said...

That sounds fun--count me in. Thanks!

Green Bean said...

Throw me in the pot! I'm all about light reads lately.

mudnessa said...

i love chai. i could use a quick read while waiting for me new laptop to ship.

Well Nessy said...

I could use a light read...Thanks!

Green in the desert said...

Sign me up! My library does not carry this book!

roxanne said...

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'd love to gain this book!

knittinandnoodlin said...

This book looks right up my alley! Count me in! =)

MissAnna said...

I'm in!

Rachel Lynn said...

I've been looking for something light to read this summer. Put my name in the hat!

Anonymous said...

me! pick me!

beverley said...

Pick me! (this doesn't count for buying anything..right!??)

Robj98168 said...

Please add me to the Sign in list! I looked at the post title and thought you were gonna write about me!

Pink Sky said...

Sounds like great fluffy type summer reading - just what I need right now. :)

Kimberly Gische said...

Even though I've got baby-brain right now and not able to focus on reading, I'm still looking for new authors to satisfy my need to read. Sign me up! (I'll check this book out from the library if I don't win.)

pink dogwood said...

count me in - thanks

Cave-Woman said...

Looks fun. Sign me up as well.

Segwyne said...

Ooh, a book and a recipe. Count me in, please. Thanks.

ruchi said...

I'm in!!

EnviRambo said...

Me, too.

JenHarper said...

Sounds like a hoot. I'd love to read it!

Anonymous said...

I'd love to read this.

Anonymous said...

Sign me up! I have to admit I'm a Chick-Lit reader, but also enjoy yoga, so it will be cool to see what this is all about.

CuriousNomad said...

Sounds fun, add me to the list.

scifichick said...

I would love to read it.

hmd said...

Please add my name to the hat. I'll be sure to pass it along when I'm done and keep the love flowing...

Gretchen said...

OOH I'm all about a light read. I take myself quite lightly, actually. And that tea, sounds gross. I am not very "green" but, as I've said before, I like learning about new stuff and new perspectives. Anyway, I'll stick to my plain old Lipton. And I SOOO hope I win the book. Thanks for offering the giveaway!

Michelle said...

Thanks for the recommendation! Sounds like just what I need after finishing Our Stolen Future. If I don't win it, I'll check my library.

Linz said...

Mmm...that tea sounds just like the one my cousin made for us after returning from Eygpt. I've never had a better chai.

LizKnits said...

I'd love to be signed up too.
Thanks!

Theresa said...

Please do count me in! Mmm..that recipe does sound good.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a book I'd really enjoy.
Lee in Ky

Sweetly Single said...

sign me up please!!!!

Anonymous said...

I'd like to read this book

luckydolls123[at]verizon[dot]net

Beaweezil said...

HA... making fun of the enightenment craze is practically a sport around here. Dear friends own a book store so they get inundated every time a new 'life changing' book comes out. I'd like to see what this one has to say.

Lisa Zahn said...

sounds interesting!

Cynthia S. said...

free book; fun! sign me up, too!

Chile said...

Sounds fun. Choose me!

Mistress Herbalist said...

count me in please

Anonymous said...

I'm all for making fun of things, too. And I promise to give the book away after I read it!! :)

Anonymous said...

This idiot could use some enlightenment. Send it my way, please.

Anonymous said...

I'd love to check it out :) Thanks for the contest :)

anastasia{at]mediamafia.org

Anonymous said...

thanks for the chai recipe, yum. looks much better than the other recipe i have. i really want to read eat, pray,love but haven't yet.

gigi said...

Oh, pick mw, pick me! I own my on yoga mat! The kids sit on it and eat their snacks!

Anonymous said...

Namaste! :-)

Priscilla (also credited as Prissi or Cilla) said...

I'm in!

Anonymous said...

Throwing my name in the ring... again.

Karin said...

Sounds like a fun read--

Anonymous said...

Sign me up ;)

Anonymous said...

I liked Eat, Pray, Love.

gpc said...

I am an idiot (too) and I certainly need enlightenment. Count me in!

Anonymous said...

Me, me, me, waving my hand in the air wildly!! Please and thank you!

Sharlene said...

I wanna win!

Anonymous said...

mmmm - not a fan of chai but I can always use a good book! Maybe I'll learn to like chai.

Cactus Jack Splash said...

Thanks for the recipe for chai tea, I always wanted to know how to make it from scratch

T.Allen said...

I'm an avid yogi and a chronic cynic; my fate is sealed, so why not laugh about it! :D

Anna said...

I am in Korea and need. more. books, stat!

Cami's Kitchen said...

me please :]

Tara said...

Looks fun. Count me in.

Anonymous said...

Me too! Thanks!

Ash said...

sign me up, too!

Anonymous said...

I totally need some enlightenment these days, sign me up!!

Katie said...

I market myself as the "wiseass massage therapist" to differentiate myself from the spiritual crowd. This book sounds right up my alley!

Sonja said...

Sign me up too please!

Unknown said...

Sounds interesting. Sign me up!

Anonymous said...

I feel LUCKY.

Unknown said...

I'm feeling lucky - sign me up!

Jessica McIntyre said...

sign me up. sounds like a fun read.

Rebekah (monkeygirlsmama) said...

What a fun sounding read. I'd love to toss my name in the proverbial hat. Thanks!

Rebekah
littleminx at cox dot net

Anonymous said...

I just finished reading Eat, Pray, and Love so this will be an interesting comparison.

Just Grace said...

Maybe my luck will change!! I hope I break my non winning streak with something great like a fun book.

Anonymous said...

Sounds great!

Anonymous said...

I love free!

steffington said...

Thanks for the recipe!

Count me in for the book giveaway, please.

Rhonda said...

Had to come out of lurking status to say "count me in!

Anonymous said...

I love Chai Tea. This books sounds great too. Thanks

lauralynda said...

Pick me! I just spent 5 minutes signing up because it kept refusing my entry. Augh!
Am I too late? Is it over? Did I miss my chance?
Did I win?
lauralynda

Anonymous said...

Oh, I hope I am not too late!
Jo