Bøger af Christopher Cole

Embark upon a seemingly random journey with Christopher Cole as he replicates on paper the combined thoughts he has had on life and spirituality; he calls them Mindfullessons. See life from his perspective and use what he shares as a tool to better the world. Christopher has written a book which can be used by a person from any religious background or not one at all to deepen empathy with all humans, and better ones relationship with life. You can visit about.me/christopher.cole to connect with Christopher.

There are few better ways to discover the identity of a nation or people than by reading their poetry. From historical events to moral values to the political landscape (and often visions of the actual landscape), poetry, at its best, reveals the soul of a people. And Russia has offered us some of the very best. Although literary giants such as Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy sometimes seem to have taken the lion's share of acclaim among Russian authors, there are others we cannot afford to overlook - and you'll have the privilege of encountering some of them in this collection.Each of these poets tells a piece of Russia's story. From Alexander Pushkin, arguably the greatest poet Russia has ever produced, who began to push back against autocracy in his poetry (despite being born into aristocratic privilege), to Mikhail Lermontov, who is often credited with writing the first Russian psychological novel (think, the precedent to novels like Anna Karenina), each poet in this book has played a significant role in shaping Russian thought and culture, even as they sought to mirror and articulate it in their art.And yet, while these authors sought to capture thoughts and sentiments from a particular location, nationality, and moment in history, they have simultaneously captured what it means to be human. Maikov's "The Mother" reveals universal truths about motherhood, even as the lullaby she sings may be unfamiliar to us. Pushkin's "(To My Wife)" resonates with everyone who has enjoyed the sweetness of a familiar lover, even though we've never met the characters in his poem.My hope is that you'll approach this book both as a piece of the Russian story, and as a piece of the human story. Whether you're seeking to learn something about Russian culture or something about yourself, you'll find this collection offers a glance into every arena of life: love, politics, loneliness, suffering, and faith - and that the messages within these poems transcend the time and space in which they were written.One additional note must be made - indeed, it is crucial to address the fact that these works have been translated from the original Russian into English. With any translation, no matter how skilled, something is lost - a rhythmic element, a subtle play on words. However, some translations are far superior to others. I truly believe this translator has skillfully woven together the original meaning and heart of the text. Subtleties such as emotional connotation, rhythm, and sound have been reproduced whenever possible, allowing us to experience the tone and mood most likely intended by the author. This is not an easy feat, and I hope you'll take time to appreciate the translator's skill and the creative investment that went into making these works accessible to us.Thank you for taking the time to explore some of the most influential poets in Russian literature. May you linger over particularly beautiful passages as you encounter a nation through its poetry.My sincerest thanks, Christopher Col

With over 200 pages of content, I wrote this book in a way that you can flip to any page and find spiritual inspiration!

Shocking Statistics: The Average American Reads 1 Book or Less a Year and 50% of those are Romance Novels and Picture Books of Cats..."Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here." - Sue Monk Kidd, authorIn this collection, you'll find stories conveyed through poetry and song. Some of them will no doubt be familiar to you - like Francis Scott Key's "Star Spangled Banner" and Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (although many people are only familiar with the first verse). Other poems will be entirely new to you. My hope is that you'll embrace both the familiar and the unfamiliar as pieces of the American story that deserve to be remembered.In a digital age largely driven by images and sound bytes, we've become accustomed to skimming or speed-reading, focusing long enough on the bullet points and bolded text to get the gist of what's being said. Many people are finding less time to read slowly and carefully, less motivation to digest every word of a text. And yet, this is precisely how poetry is meant to be read.My hope is that you'll approach this book with the intention to read slowly and carefully. I believe these works are among those Francis Bacon was referring to when he said, "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested . . . to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention."I hope you'll read these works with diligence and attention. Read not merely for elegant prose and sublime poetry (although you'll certainly find the sublime here). Rather, read each of these poems as fragments that, when pieced together, reveal a part of the American story.Be aware that not every piece of a story is elegantly written. Some of these songs and poems were written by people who were largely uneducated but who found themselves on the frontlines of history and felt compelled to document it. They felt what they were witnessing was significant enough to pass on to us.As Sue Monk Kidd states in the epitaph above, "Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here." I encourage you to view this collection of poetry as a way to remember who we are and why we're here.As you read Walt Whitman's "O Captain, My Captain," I hope you remember the grief and shock that followed the death of Abraham Lincoln.As you read "Battle Hymn of the Republic," I hope you remember the mark left by Julia Ward Howe on the storytelling surrounding the Civil War, and how she transformed the tune to "John Brown's Body" into the version of the song we know today.As you read Philip Freneau's "To the Memory of the Americans who Fell at Eutaw," I hope you remember the ordinary men and women who defended ordinary towns and shaped the course of American history with their stalwart heroism.Most of all, I hope you walk away from this volume with gratitude for those who have come before us and the values and sacrifices that have shaped America's story.My sincerest thanks, Christopher

In this collection, you'll find stories conveyed through poetry and song. Some of them will no doubt be familiar to you - other poems will be entirely new to you. My hope is that you'll embrace both the familiar and the unfamiliar as pieces of the American story that deserve to be remembered.