Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates, the classic of the month, is a beloved childhood classic with a charming setting, perfect for the holiday season. This heartwarming story tells the tale of a valiant young boy’s quest to help his injured father and the welfare of his family all the while hoping to win the local skating contest and a pair of silver skates. Though it was first published in 1865, the story is well known and has been shared for generations. With a great story, a good moral, and endearing characters it’s no wonder this book is still so loved. Though it is a children’s book it makes a great gift for readers of all ages because the story resonates with everyone, regardless of age.

Dare to Care: A Love-Based Foundation for Money and Finance is another good holiday gift for any reader. In this book, Bohtlingk has developed a collection of ideas and initiatives to change business. According to Bohtlingk, changing from a money-first to a care-first attitude, as the book suggests, will stimulate thoughts about our current monetary system and economy making them more functional overall. By offering a different way to run businesses and the financial world with his book Dare to Care: A Love-Based Foundation for Money and Finance, Bohtlingk hopes to change the world of finance as we know it. With the New Year fast approaching, everyone is looking to change their outlook for 2012. Changing the financial hardships many have suffered, may be the focus for countless resolution makers and Bohtlingk’s book offers a different way to handle money and finance, that is sure to intrigue many.

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The last minute scramble to get holiday gifts is one many of us are all too familiar with. But just because you’re scrounging up gifts at the last minute doesn’t mean you can’t find a great gift at a good price. Judy Griffin, author of Flowers that Heal: Aromas, Herbs, Essences and Other Secrets of the Fairies (now available as an e-Book, Nook Book, and Google book), is having a holiday sale on her website.

Judy Griffin is internationally renowned as an herbalist, author, lecturer, and aroma therapist. She has appeared on local and national radio and television shows, lectured at universities, and developed courses on herbal health, aromatic, and organic gardening. On her website she features products that she has organically grown and produced. The product specials range from an individual consult with Judy Griffin, Cold and Flu remedies, shampoos, stress reducers, shoulder relaxers, and wrinkle and cream softeners.

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In a recent opinion piece on the NY Times website, authors and other prominent figures in the literary world get a chance to respond to Amazon’s recent app. For those who don’t know, the new app allows people to go into book stores and scan a product’s bar code, giving amazon a chance to prove that the item is priced lower on their website and shouldn’t be bought from the retailer. Simultaneously, it gives Amazon some pretty incredible competitive research. Anyone who did this last Saturday received $5 off up to three items, other than books, that are sold in bookstores.

While publishers, authors, literary agents, and other bookstores can’t deny Amazon’s presence in the literary world, they can and do feel a bit stunned by Amazon’s actions. More and more it’s become clear that Amazon’s agenda is to oust all other book sellers in the process of becoming the biggest and baddest. But what Amazon appears to be doing most, is cutting any human element out of bookselling.

It used to be that you went to a bookstore and a sales associate helped you locate a book or could make a recommendation based on other books you’ve read. Now Amazon does all that for you and you don’t even need to have a conversation. Just type in a few words and search. The shopping experience may be faster, easier, and cheaper, but it’s certainly not the same.

Authors remember when they first started and the audiences at their book tour readings were solely those who worked at the bookstore. Amazon, though able to sell books like hotcakes, could never provide the kind of support and community that many bookstores have over the years. After all, a computer can do a lot of things, but it can never fully replace an actual human being.

Amazon’s presence may change the landscape of book publishing and selling forever, but many could and would argue that it hasn’t changed for good. For more interesting insight on this hot button issue read the NY Times opinion piece.

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Amazon is no longer just a bookseller. Amazon is a seller of everything under the sun. And now they’ve become creators. They create tablets and e-readers. They publish books. And they create apps so people can do competitive research for Amazon and get more discounts on the things they love to shop for. I think it’s pretty clear that Amazon is looking to take over the world.

Amazon’s eBook pricing structure is such that it devalues print books, which is good for consumers but bad for authors, publishers, and book sellers. So how do people react? What do publishers and other booksellers do to prevent this kind of mass takeover? They make moves that’ll force Amazon to raise their prices. When Apple arrived on the eBook scene, much later than Amazon, they wanted to find a way to compete with Amazon’s pricing structure. According to the European Commission, 5 publishers have formed an alliance with Apple that forced a restructuring of the eBook pricing model. The European Commission is investigating this alliance on the grounds that it’s an alleged conspiracy engaging in anti-competitive practices.

Regardless of the truth in the alliance, no one can deny that there may have been just cause. Amazon is growing and fast. There seems to be no limit to how far they will go and no limit to what measures they will take. As a consumer it seems ideal. Who wouldn’t buy a book that’s been marked down 40%? But as a publisher, an author, a competitor, Amazon’s tactics seems to be destructive. It’s hard to know where it will end, but one things for sure, as far as Amazon’s concerned the end it nowhere in sight.

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Co-author of Power of Yin, Celebrating Female Consciousness, Barbara Marx Hubbard, is now hosting a weekly radio talk show on Hay House radio called Conscious Evolution. Barbara is one of the most prestigious evolutionary leaders and her new radio show aims to help listeners unleash the power of their awareness. Conscious Evolution is an enlightening hour long show in which Barbara shares her insight on the power of consciousness in addition to that of our collective world consciousness. The talks are meant to help listeners through this overwhelmingly transitional period in the world and the next stage of human evolution. Her various discussions on this topic will be held with many of the top experts in the field of consciousness.

Barbara’s debut show “Paving the Way to a Positive Future” was a discussion on the philosophy of conscious evolution and how to be open to a positive future for humanity and the planet. Her special guest, Neale Donald Walsch discussed his book, The Storm before the Calm. Her second show featured the authors of The Golden Motorcycle Gang: A Tale of Transformation Jack Canfield and Bill Gladstone. The novel is an autobiography and adventure story that acts as a resource guide for anyone who has felt the pull of great change. The third and latest show was an exploration of “vocational arousal” with Barnet Bain. A list of upcoming shows, as well as an archive with the option to listen to past shows, can be found here.

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The Holiday Season is in full swing and the season of giving is upon us. Lists are being made, presents are being bought, and families are gathering to count their blessing. With all that in mind, Cosimo has chosen Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge for its book of the month.

Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates is a beloved childhood classic with a charming setting, perfect for the holiday season. This heartwarming story tells the tale of a valiant young boy’s quest to help his injured father and the welfare of his family all the while hoping to win the local skating contest and a pair of silver skates. Though it was first published in 1865, the story is well known and has been shared for generations. With a great story, a good moral, and endearing characters it’s no wonder this book is still so loved.

Cosimo’s edition of this story has just been redone with a brand new cover and features the exquisite illustrations by Alice Carsey, whose sensitive eye and delicate pen-and-ink lines enliven the tale of the poor but virtuous Dutch boy in a way that few other artists have achieved.

Author and editor Mary Mapes Dodge (1831-1905) was born in New York City. She served as editor of the children’s magazine St. Nicholas, to which she attracted such writers as Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Rudyard Kipling. She also authored the short-fiction collection Irvington Stories (1864).

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Mike Clelland author of the blog Hidden Experience, sat down and talked with Peter Robbins co-author of Left at East Gate about the famous UFO pioneer Budd Hopkins. Widely known as the father of the Alien Abduction movement, Budd Hopkins passed away in August, is an interesting person to discuss. The discussion, which is over two hours long, touches on Budd Hopkins’ life as an artist and researcher, Peter Robbins’ experience with UFOs, and the influence Hopkins’ had on the UFO community. Listen to the interview here.

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