The Year We Seized The Day

The utterly compelling and inspirational account of two very different writers journeying side-by-side along the great Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the legendary medieval pilgrimage across Spain. After meeting briefly at a writers festival, 27 year old Elizabeth Best, pairs up with legendary historical fiction writer, Colin Bowles (aka Colin Falconer), in a last minute undertaking to complete a shared goal. The two, barely acquainted, seize the day and drop everything to retrace one of the oldest pilgrimage routes in the Western world, through the heart of Spain. It was meant to be an exciting adventure, but under-prepared and carrying too much baggage, in every sense, the two soon discover the hidden magic of the Camino. Bound by a promise and fuelled by local vino, what starts out as a physical challenge quickly becomes an epic tale of tragedy, triumph, and fierce loyalty as the 500 mile trek through mystic lands gives rise to their far greater personal journeys. Set amidst the olive groves, rolling hills, castles, and cathedrals of northern Spain and featuring a supporting cast of eccentrics-from mad monks to angry nuns, Lycra-clad cyclists, international soul seekers, and boisterous boy scouts-this is an inspiring, moving, and blackly funny account of two hapless pilgrims on an extraordinary journey to the end of the earth... and beyond.

The utterly compelling and inspirational account of how two very different Australian writers tackle their demons walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the legendary medieval pilgrimage across Spain.

About the Book Millions of Americans have epilepsy. At age 34, Holly Eckert joined them. From the day she discovered that, through many years, her life became a journey of personal growth and self discovery. Why was this happening? What should she do? Who was she now that she seized? These were only a few of the questions she asked herself in the face of her new reality. Holly’s walk with chronic illness became one of awakening and healing. In it, she learned many lessons in life while confronting the flaws, failures, ignorance, and corruption permeating the American medical industry and sensing, first hand, the resiliency of the human mind and body. Daily tending to the chores of chronic illness, she scoffed at the paradox between the medical industry's responses and her own life's experiences. Over time, Holly realized that illness can play important, positive roles in a human life. Traveling her path where health and illness intertwine, it became clear to her that illness can give as much as it takes away. This convinced her that when allowed the time and space to be ill, a person can find true health again, a real life phenomenon rarely discussed by doctors and patients. In Seized – Searching for Health In the United States, Holly tells the story of her journey with illness. That well-told, personal tale provides a lens through which a reader can explore the common experience of searching for health in the United States. Who would have imagined that it would be a dance artist who does so well exploring the many dimensions of illness and the failures of the United States’ healthcare system, but that’s precisely what happens here in Seized. About the Author Holly Eckert grew up in a small town in the mountains of Idaho where she learned to dance from a former ballerina with the New York Ballet who also lived there. After high school, she took her scholarships and went to The Evergreen State College. There she combined dance and social sciences to create her own integrated studies program. Her education prepared her to go to Seattle and pursue her artistic mission of exploring substantive topics inside the art of dance. Winning awards and praise for her artwork, Holly pursued her passion with passion and made choreography about things like the experience of fear and the injustices of the US prison system. She was healthy and strong into her mid-thirties, when one day, she suddenly began seizing uncontrollably. Epilepsy quickly overwhelmed her life. It sent Holly on a diverse, personal journey. On her travels, she discovered many new things about herself, and as she did, she learned more and more about the potentials for healing that exist inside the human body. She also learned a great deal about the tragic failures of the United States' medical system that often inhibits these possibilities from being realized. Knowing that she liked to write as well as dance, Holly decided to tell this story through words not movements. Her readers continually give her praise for her efforts.

"Brilliant. One of those rare books that forces you to ask what the hell you're doing with your life." --George Monbiot, The Guardian **One of Forbes' 13 Best Books for Summer 2017** We've all heard the saying "seize the day." But what does it really mean--and how can we use it to jumpstart our lives? In the age of distraction, carpe diem is more essential than ever, and yet many of us simply don't employ it in our lives. In this thought-provoking and empowering book, cultural writer Roman Krznaric unpacks the history, philosophy, and modern-day applications of "seizing the day" and delivers a rousing call to action for anyone who wants to improve their lives--or our world. Carpe Diem is a far-ranging read, drawing on everything from the neuropsychology of regret to the anthropology of play, from medieval carnival rites to religious conceptions of the afterlife and early Japanese cinema. Offering food for thought as well as inspiring takeaways, the book examines not just the contributions of great thinkers throughout history, but also reveals insights from the lives of great seize-the-day practitioners including nightclub dancers, war photographers, bored housewives, and committed revolutionaries--offering a wide range of solutions to the daunting challenge of leading a meaningful life.

A fascinating romp through the life of a broadcasting legend, Mike Read's autobiography offers an exciting insight into his three decades in showbiz. From ventures in radio, television and music, to tales of sport, romance and the royals, Mike writes with candour and humour in equal measure, including tangential stories of famous friends, near-death experiences and extraordinary happenings along the way. Recounting his stints as a Radio One DJ on the Breakfast Show, a prime-time television presenter on Pop Quiz, a co-founder of The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles and a jungle star on I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!, this high-energy journey encapsulates all aspects of the celebrity's vast and varied career. Mike has seized every opportunity, whether in pop, poetry or politics, and continues to entertain audiences as a presenter on several major national radio networks. A story packed with scintillating anecdotes, witty observations, and nostalgic recollections, this is an autobiography that hits all the right notes.

Toronto is home to multiple and thriving queer communities that reflect the intense diversity of the city itself, and Any Other Way is an eclectic history of how these groups have transformed Toronto since the 1960s. From pioneering activists to show-stopping parades, Any Other Way looks at how queer communities have gone from existing in the shadows to shaping our streets.