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Umbra, Penumbra & Me
Umbra, Penumbra and Me is a collection of the first four observational books written by Renée Paule. They chronicle her self-reflective philosophical journey in a style that’s amiable and engaging. Throughout this book, Renée questions the many facets of life that we take for granted by lifting the lid on convention, and challenging the status-quo - unlearning all that society has taught her in the process, and freeing her mind of conditioning. There is much to think about in these pages and it can make for uncomfortable reading, as questions we tend to avoid are raised and discussed - this is not, as Renée calls it, ‘cotton wool’ philosophy. This collection is ‘self-help’ in the truest sense; there are no answers provided and it is left to the reader to cogitate and draw their own conclusions - conclusions that Renée maintains we already know but shy away from. If there is one thing that stands out in this work it’s that ‘we’ are responsible for what happens in our world - there is no-one else to blame. You may not always like what you read herein, but will be hard-pressed to refute it.
- GenresPhilosophy
517 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2019
11 people want to read
About the author
Renée Paule
9 books265 followers'Self-reflection', 'Know Thyself' and 'Semi-autobiography'
'Top of the morning' from Ireland.
Many years ago I wrote my autobiography - probably more as therapy than anything else - but life continued happening to me and I got to thinking, what good will this story do, isn’t there enough misery in the world without me adding to it? I subsequently burnt the manuscript. It was around that time that I began searching for meaning in my life and had a profound experience - a realisation that we’re all connected; we’re One. In my books, I take an honest look at our quirky and often bizarre behaviour in society and challenge the status-quo we accept as unchangeable - questioning and pushing the boundaries we set ourselves, and those that have been set for us. I’m convinced that if we want to change our lives and change our world then we must first change ourselves. I invite you to join me on my journey, questioning the society we call ours and the role we play within it.
My Reviews
I rate/review books that have given me pause for thought. 5 stars = something resonated with me.
Author Interviews, Articles and Questionnaires are at:
Pebble in the Still Waters
Smashwords
Two Girls and a Blog
Read, Rant and Rock and Roll - Just Around the Bend
Books, Teacup and Reviews
BookWorks
Read, Rant and Rock and Roll - The Frightened Little Flower Bud
Show good will to each other - every day.
'Top of the morning' from Ireland.
Many years ago I wrote my autobiography - probably more as therapy than anything else - but life continued happening to me and I got to thinking, what good will this story do, isn’t there enough misery in the world without me adding to it? I subsequently burnt the manuscript. It was around that time that I began searching for meaning in my life and had a profound experience - a realisation that we’re all connected; we’re One. In my books, I take an honest look at our quirky and often bizarre behaviour in society and challenge the status-quo we accept as unchangeable - questioning and pushing the boundaries we set ourselves, and those that have been set for us. I’m convinced that if we want to change our lives and change our world then we must first change ourselves. I invite you to join me on my journey, questioning the society we call ours and the role we play within it.
My Reviews
I rate/review books that have given me pause for thought. 5 stars = something resonated with me.
Author Interviews, Articles and Questionnaires are at:
Pebble in the Still Waters
Smashwords
Two Girls and a Blog
Read, Rant and Rock and Roll - Just Around the Bend
Books, Teacup and Reviews
BookWorks
Read, Rant and Rock and Roll - The Frightened Little Flower Bud
Show good will to each other - every day.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 21, 2019
We live in a fast paced world where we seem to have less and less time to stop, look and listen. No wonder that the challenges that naturally arise in life can seem endless and overwhelming, when we’re already mentally and physically exhausted by just trying to ‘keep up’ with everyone and everything. There are many books suggesting ways to cope with stress and enhance our well-being, sometimes offering almost instant solutions couched in mystical prose by some ‘guru’ or other. Personally I firmly believe that each of us has to take a long hard look at ourselves first and foremost, consequently I prefer books that cut through the mumbo-jumbo, use plain language and place us firmly and clearly in reality. Renee Paule’s inspirational books fit the bill – they bring us back to ourselves by gently guiding us to ask ourselves questions and to re-evaluate our lives in a new light of self-understanding. There are no lectures telling us to do this or that, no magical instant solutions, instead we find observations and questions that help us to find a more grounded and ‘real’ life. Her four previous works are here combined into one useful volume that s best read a bit at a time to allow full contemplation and digestion of the contents.
June 26, 2019
You can read all my review on Blog - Books Teacup and Reviews
Umbra, Penumbra & Me is a compilation of Renée Paule’s first four se;f-help books, On the Other Hand: The Little Anthology of Big Questions, Just Around The Bend: Más o Menos, Louder Than a Whisper, and Stepping Out of Time.
Author explained it very clearly, that this is not an instant recipe of removing our problem or problems in the world or society, it’s a path / a direction that lead readers to self-discovery, inner peace, and putting energy into right direction and author entirely leave it up to reader whether to follow it not and again questions us whether we want to change ourselves or just want to carry on with blaming the world and others.
On the other Hand tells about questioning conditional belief and seeking questions rather than answers, a first step of the journey of self-discovery.
Throughout the books few things author has said repeatedly and very clearly- First, you need to question everything. Questions are more important than answers. If you keep questioning, you understand the depth and value of questions. I found this very reasonable thing to do. Second, you need to change if you want to change everything around you. I liked author’s style of making us realize why we need to do it. The question and thought provoking topic she covered this point throughout the book like, interaction, open-mindedness, cluttered mind, Comfort & security, fear, and many more. Author encourages to view the world from another perspective, don’t be hypocrite and stereotype, and question everything. This first book doesn’t claim to have all answers and also as author said it’s impossible to have all answers in this life time but this can change your view point towards the world and more toward yourself.
Just Around the Bend, is second step in that journey. In this, author tells about knowing and observing ourselves better and changing ourselves. What we are doing wrong and how we can make it right and ultimately seek ourselves.
Author has discussed many topics that are essential to discover ourselves. Through discussion of the very amazing topics like, completeness, mind drama, independence, what ifs, emotions and energy, observation, attachment, faith, intention, and Humanity, author lead us on the self-discovery path. We get the insight of all these topics with detailed narration of what we are doing wrong, we understand some topics very wrongly to begin with, reasons of unhappiness, how to be more observant, and how we can make things right.
This book showed the mirror, the naked truth, the reality of ourselves, of human nature and of society. The problem we are all experiencing with ourselves, how we can start the change with ourselves in order to change society and can work as one in order to be truly independent.
I loved all the questions in the book and the philosophical poems in last two chapters.
In the third book ‘Louder Than a Whisper’, author tells us louder than a whisper in more clearer sound with a firm message to start embarking the journey of self-discovery in order to bring change in ourselves and spread the message in the world we live in. She clears out the point, our weaknesses and fears that are holding us back from the change, making them stronger through observations and self-examination and more importantly explaining why we should be initial and start it with ourselves first.
There were so many deep meaningful lines in the book that I bookmarked. The narration and writing was very explicit, it felt like I was reading the discussion on particular topic with examples and illustrations. I loved this book even more than the previous two books as it involved topics like, Consolidation, Betrayal, Loneliness, desire, Am I good Enough, and Pride and other small essayed topics that were not deeply explored in previous books.
In fourth book, Stepping Out of Time, author is telling the same thing - step by step journey to self-discovery by unlearning older beliefs, keep looking forward, keep walking on the path of self-discovery and more importantly, which was the last step, was discovering the meaning of our existence, what we are doing wrong and who we really are, bring change in our-self to change the world for better of humanity- through her experiences and observations in life. The theme is the same but author has uncovered more layers with new topics and example by simple approach and sole purpose of encouraging readers to embark the journey of self-discovery, change the thinking, broaden the perspective, and make peace with past that is holding us back for better world and more importantly for our own good.
It was very clearly and repeatedly said that ONE can make a change the world, may be not immediately or entirely but eventually. If we think over the problems we have that is invoking all the negative emotions (anger, frustration, jealousy, sadness, depression), it can be turned to positive emotions (love, happiness, kindness, gratitude) by self-reflection. If we look at ourselves in the mirror, observe our mind, face our real face by unmasking the deceiving self,by being real and turning to our innocent self that we were born with, get rid of ‘I’, ‘Me’ and ‘Myself’ and then look at everything at ourselves, the change seems possible. Everything has a choice and so we, whether we want to change or not. I guess I almost summarized the book.
Overall, it was so motivational and inspirational that it will make every single person to think over their life and help to change the way of thinking. It was more of philosophy than self-help that encourages to help yourself by changing perspective and observing yourself. There is something for everyone here. It is a kind of book I will reopen again and will read again. The more you re-read the more you understand. Definitely effective, more than true, more direct and so much wise.
***Note : I received the complementary copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review. ***
Umbra, Penumbra & Me is a compilation of Renée Paule’s first four se;f-help books, On the Other Hand: The Little Anthology of Big Questions, Just Around The Bend: Más o Menos, Louder Than a Whisper, and Stepping Out of Time.
Author explained it very clearly, that this is not an instant recipe of removing our problem or problems in the world or society, it’s a path / a direction that lead readers to self-discovery, inner peace, and putting energy into right direction and author entirely leave it up to reader whether to follow it not and again questions us whether we want to change ourselves or just want to carry on with blaming the world and others.
On the other Hand tells about questioning conditional belief and seeking questions rather than answers, a first step of the journey of self-discovery.
Throughout the books few things author has said repeatedly and very clearly- First, you need to question everything. Questions are more important than answers. If you keep questioning, you understand the depth and value of questions. I found this very reasonable thing to do. Second, you need to change if you want to change everything around you. I liked author’s style of making us realize why we need to do it. The question and thought provoking topic she covered this point throughout the book like, interaction, open-mindedness, cluttered mind, Comfort & security, fear, and many more. Author encourages to view the world from another perspective, don’t be hypocrite and stereotype, and question everything. This first book doesn’t claim to have all answers and also as author said it’s impossible to have all answers in this life time but this can change your view point towards the world and more toward yourself.
Just Around the Bend, is second step in that journey. In this, author tells about knowing and observing ourselves better and changing ourselves. What we are doing wrong and how we can make it right and ultimately seek ourselves.
Author has discussed many topics that are essential to discover ourselves. Through discussion of the very amazing topics like, completeness, mind drama, independence, what ifs, emotions and energy, observation, attachment, faith, intention, and Humanity, author lead us on the self-discovery path. We get the insight of all these topics with detailed narration of what we are doing wrong, we understand some topics very wrongly to begin with, reasons of unhappiness, how to be more observant, and how we can make things right.
This book showed the mirror, the naked truth, the reality of ourselves, of human nature and of society. The problem we are all experiencing with ourselves, how we can start the change with ourselves in order to change society and can work as one in order to be truly independent.
I loved all the questions in the book and the philosophical poems in last two chapters.
In the third book ‘Louder Than a Whisper’, author tells us louder than a whisper in more clearer sound with a firm message to start embarking the journey of self-discovery in order to bring change in ourselves and spread the message in the world we live in. She clears out the point, our weaknesses and fears that are holding us back from the change, making them stronger through observations and self-examination and more importantly explaining why we should be initial and start it with ourselves first.
There were so many deep meaningful lines in the book that I bookmarked. The narration and writing was very explicit, it felt like I was reading the discussion on particular topic with examples and illustrations. I loved this book even more than the previous two books as it involved topics like, Consolidation, Betrayal, Loneliness, desire, Am I good Enough, and Pride and other small essayed topics that were not deeply explored in previous books.
In fourth book, Stepping Out of Time, author is telling the same thing - step by step journey to self-discovery by unlearning older beliefs, keep looking forward, keep walking on the path of self-discovery and more importantly, which was the last step, was discovering the meaning of our existence, what we are doing wrong and who we really are, bring change in our-self to change the world for better of humanity- through her experiences and observations in life. The theme is the same but author has uncovered more layers with new topics and example by simple approach and sole purpose of encouraging readers to embark the journey of self-discovery, change the thinking, broaden the perspective, and make peace with past that is holding us back for better world and more importantly for our own good.
It was very clearly and repeatedly said that ONE can make a change the world, may be not immediately or entirely but eventually. If we think over the problems we have that is invoking all the negative emotions (anger, frustration, jealousy, sadness, depression), it can be turned to positive emotions (love, happiness, kindness, gratitude) by self-reflection. If we look at ourselves in the mirror, observe our mind, face our real face by unmasking the deceiving self,by being real and turning to our innocent self that we were born with, get rid of ‘I’, ‘Me’ and ‘Myself’ and then look at everything at ourselves, the change seems possible. Everything has a choice and so we, whether we want to change or not. I guess I almost summarized the book.
Overall, it was so motivational and inspirational that it will make every single person to think over their life and help to change the way of thinking. It was more of philosophy than self-help that encourages to help yourself by changing perspective and observing yourself. There is something for everyone here. It is a kind of book I will reopen again and will read again. The more you re-read the more you understand. Definitely effective, more than true, more direct and so much wise.
***Note : I received the complementary copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review. ***
June 20, 2019
If you like a challenging read then this collection of Renée Paules works, brought together as a single volume, won't disappoint. Chronicling her self-reflective, philosophical journey Renée Paule’s unique perspective on life gives much food for thought. Her engaging and conversational style often belies her direct and incisive questioning about the ‘accepted’ norms of society - making for uncomfortable reading, particularly when discussing those things we would prefer to claim ignorance of and/or avoid altogether. If you are not afraid to ‘look the person in the mirror’ in the eyes, then this might just be the challenge you are looking for.
June 21, 2019
Thanks for another lovely book - great to have them all in one and with such a lovely sunshiny cover.
September 24, 2019
If you are lost and want to find yourself then this book is for you! Great author
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews