Category Book reviews

True Nature: New Book From a Favorite Author

Reg Spittle 4 Comments

Greetings, readers and trail blazers.

I highly recommend a new book by a young author whose first effort was my favorite book of 2020.

David Smart’s True Nature: The Wise Woman in Nepal and Searching the Himalayas for Enlightenment is a captivating story about his adventurous quest that was filled with twists.

His first book is The Trail Provides: A Boy’s Tale of Walking the Pacific Crest Trail. I have read a library full of trekking books and The Trail Provides is the one I couldn’t put down.

Here is the Amazon description of True Nature:

“After receiving a mysterious invitation to train with a spiritual guide in Nepal, David and his monastic friend Bradley leave behind their old lives and embark on a journey to find spiritual enlightenment.

“The two soul searchers find themselves on a madcap trip through the chaotic streets of Kathmandu and the breathtaking peaks of the Himalayas. Along the way, they meet a few friendly nomads, a clever businessman with an enticing offer, and a wise woman who teaches them unexpected lessons about friendship, soulmates, and ultimate liberation.

“Filled with more than 50 photos from David and Bradley’s real-life travels, True Nature is a captivating blend of adventure, spiritual insight, and personal reflection. Whether you’re looking for a companion novel for your own spiritual journey or simply want to escape into a dream-like adventure, start reading True Nature today.”

I would love to hear your thoughts about David’s work.

A Tragic Tale of a Gifted President, a Gunman, and Bad Medicine

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James Garfield came out of nowhere to win the Republican nomination and become the 20th president of the United States in 1881.

If not for a bullet and questionable medical care, he could have been one of the greatest leaders in American history.

Candice Millard, in Destiny Republic, has created a riveting presidential biography about a brilliant man and one of the most gifted White House residents.

Millard, author of River of Doubt, my favorite book about Teddy Roosevelt, tells Garfield’s tragic story as if she lived during his time. A passionate civil rights advocate and Civil War hero, Garfield was struck down by deranged gunman Charles Guiteau. The president’s life lingered for more than two months and he died when European medical advances likely would have saved him.

He served just six months and died despite desperate attempts by inventor Alexander Graham Bell to prevent his death. Garfield’s doctor, Willard Bliss, rejected European medical advances that most likely would have allowed him to live, leading some to say “ignorance is Bliss.”

Less than two decades after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, Garfield walked the streets of Washington D.C. without guards, thinking lightning wouldn’t strike down another president. Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln, secretary of war, was present when Garfield was shot.

There are enough twists in Destiny Republic that Millard’s book may lead you to say, “Indeed, life is stranger than fiction.”