MSI Press Blog

The US Review of Books is offering a series of articles on how to improve writing skills. The columns are very practical and pragmatic, highly recommended for first-time authors. Take a look at one of the columns  HERE . For more posts about US Review of Books and USR reviews of MSI Press books, click HERE .

  Envisioning and Working for Our Future The point of this brief concluding chapter is not to attempt to provide answers. Rather, things are so intense and so difficult right now that it can be hard even to think of the future. Yet with everything so upside down, I believe we have an important opportunity to consider what we want to see in the future. A “new normal” is going to come out of this. How do we want that to look? It’s, of course, very human for us to shrug and say, “This just isn’t the time for that.” But as Hillel would remind us, “If not now, when?” There will be a new normal. There’s no disputing that. Do we simply want to stumble into it? Or do our children and their children deserve better? I have no children. But I care about yours. And I deeply believe they deserve a healthy “new normal”.             So, what I’d ask of us now is for us to begin pondering some questions. Below are just a few that occur to ...

  (Fred Craigie and his wife/Catching Health podcast/website) " Living a Meaningful, Joyful and Peaceful Life " is the name of an interview by Dr. Fred Craigie, conducted by Diane Atwood on her podcast, Catching Health . Dr. Craigie is the author of Weekly Soul . For more posts about Dr. Craigie and his book, click HERE .

(photo by Frank Perez) It is Tuesday. Time to tall turkey. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side. Today's topic is about book shepherds. Do you need one?  What can you expect from one? What should you not expect from one? How should you go about finding one?  So, let's take each question separately. Do you need a book shepherd? Have you self-published successfully before (good sales, awards, recognition)?  Yes. You probably do not need a book shepherd.. No. Consider hiring a book shepherd.. Is this your first book? Yes. If you have a mentor or a strong editor to guide you, you may not need a book shepherd, at least for the writing part. No. Consider hiring a book shepherd who can provide...

  "Your child is much more likely to finish homework and produce quality work if s/he has a special place in which to do it, equipped with all the tools s/he needs." 10 Quick Homework Tips by Alder & Trombly) Is there a lot of whining at your house about homework? Do you find that it sometimes also comes from your kids? If you are tired of the back-and-forth of homework battles, then this book is your solution.  10 Quick Homework Tips  provides a quick reference for parents who are looking for ways to help their kids with their homework. Written by two teachers with over 40 years combined experience, this book will show you  - the easiest way to set up an efficient workspace so kids can do their best, quality work;  - how to reduce your child's stress (and yours!) by being proactive; -  why creating a simple "Homework Agreement" between you and your child will take pressure off of the whole family;  - how to make large projects more manageable; - w...

  There is not a name in Socionics better known than Filatova. She nearly singlehandedly brought the field of Socionics (Jungian typology, manifest in the West as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) to the public in the East.-- and with her book, Understanding the People around You , to the public in the West. Shown here with some of her colleagues and the managing editor of the MSI Press, she was beloved by her students at St. Petersburg State University.  Speaking of St. Petersburg, Russia, if you have not visited this city that has much in common with Europe, especially Venice, please enjoy these pictures . And if you do not know the story of this historically significant and heroic city, check out this article . If you want to search out more articles on your own, remember that St. Petersburg, named for its founder, Peter the Great, has also been called Leningrad and before that Petrograd and is affectionally referred to by Russians today as Piter (pronounced Peeter).  F...

  In honor of Caturday, we are posting another except from How My Cat Made Me a Better Man , a Book of the Year finalist. Fear of Failure You're not perfect. You'll fail at many things, sometimes in mind-blowingly spectacular fashion. Don't let that stop you from going after your goals because if you don't make an effort, you've already failed. On one of Shelly's exciting trips down the hallway of my apartment building, she got confused. She'd gone up a flight of stairs, then walked to the apartment directly above mine, which looked exactly the same. She sat patiently in front of the door and waited for me to let her in. Of course, I didn't since it wasn't my apartment. Thankfully, my upstairs neighbor didn't open his door since it would've been awkward explaining why my cat and I were hanging out on his welcome mat. Shelly's sense of direction had failed her, but even though she couldn't successfully find her way home, she still enjo...

  STEP #3. ACCEPT THE LIMITS OF SCIENCE STUDENT: Dr. Brink? BRINK: Yes, oh come on in for our weekly conversation. STUDENT: I don't think I'll come in. I just stopped by to say thank you for all the time you have given me, but I don't think I'll be coming bac k. BRINK: I have enjoyed our conversations. But I thought that we would have a few more before I was done giving you my complete answer. STUDENT: I am sure that you have more to say, but I think that I got enough. I don't really disagree with anything you have said so far. I really thought about what we said last time about the limits of reason, and I do agree with that, and that it all comes down to making a decision, a commitment, and I have made my decision. I am going to stay with science, not just for my major and career, but my view of the world, evolution and all. BRINK: Well do come in and grant me a conversation about science. STUDENT: OK, I guess that I do have the time. BRINK: Tell me w...