George Washington: A Revolutionary Life by Tim Grove

 George Washington - first president of the newly formed nation

There is not much known about George’s childhood, but as a young boy he had two good mentors, Colonel William Fairfax and Thomas Fairfax. Both men took interest in George’s career. Surveying lands was a position available to George (to a man of his status). At seventeen, he began work as a professional surveyor.

In September 1751, George took a trip to Barbados. On the way there to occupy his time, he was learning marine navigation. In Barbados, he observed great wealth and met interesting people who were eager to discuss the affairs of the British Empire.

This trip lasted only three months but it proved to be a turning point in his life. He developed interest in military. He expressed his interest in the position of adjutant for Virginia’s southern district and was accepted. As a self-taught man, he learned training techniques from a book.

In October 1753, George accepted an assignment to lead a mission as Britain’s emissary to the French, a 900-mile journey.

During his two and a half month trip, he kept a journal. Upon his return, the journal and a map of the region drawn by George was sent to printers for publication. Newspapers and British publishers printed it and unexpectedly George became known in prominent circles.

George was continuously making a name for himself as a good leader and diplomat.

Washington became frustrated when King George repeatedly denied the regiment royal commissions and life pensions despite their loyal service. Because of that George resigned and ended his service to the British Crown.

His main focus, after leaving the military post, was on expending farming at Mount Vernon, with a goal of establishing a sustainable and profitable business. Again, he had to learn how to run a large agricultural operation. He read many books on the subject and created a circle of experienced farmers and experts who could give him guidance.

Due to British laws restricting tobacco sales, but not restricting wheat sales, he switched to experimenting with wheat production, then milling it into flour. He turned out to be a savvy businessman.

In his social circles, the expected next step was for him to serve the community which with time extended further outward.

Now, he was learning how to navigate the political world. By 1769, he had emerged as a leader in resistance against British policies. Again, he was gaining skills on the job and from those with more experience and cultivated a network of influential people.

After repeated increases in taxes by the British and the incident with the Boston tea party, Washington began study the tactics of the esteemed Prussian military. He had to figure out how to unify an army collected from thirteen colonies.

He proved to be a good military leader. When the mission was accomplished, he submitted his resignation to Congress as he believed that the people had the right to choose the right leader for the united colonies.

Many people saw him as the best candidate for the first president. Once president, many people hoped he would remain president indefinitely, but he wanted to set a good example of not serving for life. He departed his position after his mission was accomplished of firmly establishing Constitution and setting solid foundation for a freshly formed country.

This biography exemplifies a man who never stopped elevating himself in life on a personal level and improving lives of others, yet one fact remains he took part in building democracy intended for all yet he kept enslaved people.

This biography is written in an accessible way for the middle-grade readers. It gives many interesting details yet it doesn’t overwhelm in its scope with historical details. It is interestingly narrated with many illustrations and inserts helping young readers to grasp all the information.

Source: ABRAMS Kids, May 2026

 

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: Throughout his life, George Washington maintained a curiosity about the world and a thirst for knowledge.

 

 

 

Traits:

·         Most of the time, he was surrounded by some kind of mentors.

·         He was a self-taught man. Whenever, he needed to learn something new, he’d read books, and create a circle of experts who could give him guidance.

·         His trip to Barbados made him interest in military. Upon his arrival, he applied for a position in the military.

·         When an opportunity opened for a mission that was strenuous, it didn’t discourage him, he accepted the challenge.

·         His first professional position was in surveying land. This experience served him well in the military. While on a special mission, he surveyed the land for the military. His maps got published upon his return, unexpectedly he became known in prominent circles.

·         He never stopped elevating himself. He continuously made a name for himself as a good leader and diplomat.

·         He turned out to be a savvy businessman and proved to be a good military leader.

·         He always wanted to set a good example in every venture he undertook. However, one aspect will remain questionable - he took part in building democracy intended for all yet he kept enslaved people.

·         Once solid ground was created for a new nation, he proved with his own act what he created on paper. President had to be chosen democratically and serve a specific term only.

"It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one" – George Washington

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION:

       

The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles by Bruce Lipton - “Author Lipton is a former medical school professor and research scientist. His experiments, and those of other leading-edge scientists, have examined in great detail the processes by which cells receive information. The implications of this research radically change our understanding of life. It shows that genes and DNA do not control our biology; that instead DNA is controlled by signals from outside the cell, including the energetic messages emanating from our positive and negative thoughts. Dr. Lipton's profoundly hopeful synthesis of the latest and best research in cell biology and quantum physics is being hailed as a breakthrough, showing that our bodies can be changed as we retrain our thinking.”

Who Was A.A. Milne? by Sarah Fabiny

 Who Was A.A. Milne? - a playwright, poet, and an author – best known for his books about the teddy-bear Winnie-the-Pooh.

Alan Alexander Milne (1882-1956) was born in London, England. Both his parents were teachers and education was important to them, but the father also encouraged his sons to spend free time outdoors in nature. And that’s what Alan and his two brothers did.

Their school published a magazine, and Alan began writing articles for it when he was just nine years old. He wrote about his adventures in nature.

His education continued at Westminster School upon earning a math scholarship. But he quickly realized that writing was at his heart. When he found a copy of the Granta magazine published by students at Cambridge University, his new goal was to become an editor of Granta. But he needed to get a scholarship to Cambridge as his parents couldn’t afford the school.

While at Cambridge, he continued to submit poems and stories to the magazine. They became popular with readers.

In 1902, he received an offer to take over as an editor of the Granta. He leaped at the chance. He set a new goal of making the Granta even more known and respected. He was on his way as more and more people began to read the Granta.

The founder of the Granta noticed Alan’s work and thought he was a talented writer. Alan wasn’t sure if he could make a living as a writer but he decided to give it a chance. With his father help, he received some money and knew this was his only chance to make it.

After graduating from Cambridge, he moved to London. Some of his work got published, but most got rejected. He was unsure and full of doubt if he’d make it as a writer, but he wasn’t ready to give up.

In May 1904, his poem got accepted at Punch magazine that featured famous writers. But this wasn’t enough to make a living and he was running out of money. He changed his focus to writing a novel.

In 1905, he published Lovers in London. He wanted to quit writing for Punch magazine but instead was offered a position of assistant editor. So he accepted it, and soon he was meeting many famous people. At one party, he met the love of his life, and they got married.

He became a successful writer and now was looking for a new challenge. He thought of maybe writing a play but WWI came. He volunteered as a soldier. He still managed to write plays which were produced in London and US. He was becoming well-known.

When his son was born, he set a new goal of becoming a good father. He wasn’t interested in writing children’s stories but as he observed his son, a new idea came to him. He wrote poems for children. They got published at the end of 1924, and became a best seller in England and the US.

Despite this success, he didn’t want to write children’s stories. However, he agreed to write just one for the Christmas edition of the newspaper. Thus, he wrote about Christopher Robin and his teddy bear, which he named Winnie-the-Pooh. It was a huge hit.

This propelled him further to write a book of stories for children based on his son’s other stuffed animals. The book, Winnie-the-Pooh, was a massive success. And readers wanted more of it. So he wrote The House at Pooh Corner with addition of a new character – tiger. It was an instant hit.

Meanwhile, his oldest brother died of tuberculosis. After that, Alan wanted to go back to ‘serious’ writing. He focused on plays and novels. But people were not interested in his ‘serious’ writing. They wanted to talk about Winnie-the-Pooh which he didn’t like. His son didn’t like all the attention either. This put a rift between father and son.

During WWII, Alan’s children’s books brought comfort to many people but his grown-up son didn’t see it. Instead, he put a distance between him and his father.

Alan was always set on being a ‘serious’ writer. He didn’t see writing for children as something respectable, but at the end what he created for children brought him the biggest fame.

This biography exemplifies a man who discovered his passion for writing early in his childhood, and continued to refine his talent throughout his life. It was also shaped by what readers wanted to read. The sad part of the story was that he wanted to be a good father, and by observing his son, he came up with the idea of creating the famous story about a teddy-bear. His son loved the attention at first, but later disliked it, and turned the whole blame at the father. It’s a lesson to be learned between the father and the son, which is like a ripple effect, extending to all people that surrounded them or those for example reading this story - what can you learn from it?

Source: Penguin Workshop, 2021

 

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: “You will be better advised to watch what we do instead of what we say.” – A.A. Milne

 

 

 

Traits:

·         His parents were educators and from young age it was instilled in him that education was important, but the father also made sure his children had a good connection to nature, playing outdoors as well.

·         He began writing magazine articles since he was nine and continued throughout his school years.

·         He wasn’t sure if he could make a living as a writer after college but he decided to give it a chance. Some of his work got published, but most got rejected.

·         When things were not looking bright for him and he was running out of money and time, and was not yet ready to quit, he decided to change his focus. He went from writing poetry and short stories to writing a novel. – He was still doing what he loved but the change in focus shifted things for him.

·         When he wanted to quit a position at magazine, he was offered a position as assistant editor. – That as well shifted things for him. He started meeting influential people.

·         When he became a successful writer, he looked for a new challenge such as writing a play – this is typical for successful people, looking for new challenges.

·         When his son was born, he set a new goal of becoming a good father.

·         He wasn’t interested in writing children’s stories but as he observed his son, a new idea came to him. He wrote poems for children which became bestseller. – observation is the best indicator and leader for our intuition.

·         He never wanted to write stories for children but life continued to propel him in that direction.

·         When he tried to return to ‘serious’ writing, people didn’t want that, especially during war time. Whenever he tried to go against the current, it wasn’t working for him. – Sometimes what we want doesn’t resonate with others, which doesn’t mean we have to change for others. We just need to find a different approach.

 

 

 

“Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” – A.A. Milne

 

 

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION:  

is expansion on A.A. Milne’s above quote “Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along…” It highlights the importance of mindfulness and relaxation, slowing down and observing. We’ve been programed to act certain ways which don’t necessarily serve our highest best.

Lee Harris is a globally acclaimed Energy Intuitive, Channeler and Musician who offers grounded, practical teachings focused on helping conscious, intuitive, and sensitive people heal, thrive, and live a better life.

 The Future Human: New Ways of Living and Being on Earth by Lee Harris: 

“Humanity is facing an unprecedented phase of evolution, planetary revolution, and the acceleration of time. More and more people are seeking guidance as they wake up to a connection with something far bigger than what they were taught about human life. Channeled by Lee Harris and prompted by Regina Meredith’s incisive questions, Lee’s guides, the Z’s, expose the lies promulgated throughout history and explain the past and the future,

• why consciousness is driving you faster than your mind
• the positive and negative effects of artificial intelligence and other technology on intellect and the brain
• the changing landscape of relationships, and self-awareness
• why the next decade will be a genuinely revelatory time on earth
• why the most significant influencer in the development of humanity’s new potential is you

The Z’s remind us that everyone on Earth is being affected by the waves of higher consciousness now flooding the planet.”

Who Was Harvey Milk? by Corinne Grinapol

 Who Was Harvey Milk? - one of the first openly gay men to run for and win an elected position in the US, and who advocated for gay rights in San Francisco, California.

Harvey Bernard Milk (1930-1978) was born on Long Island, New York. Both his parents came from Jewish families who came from Lithuania. Harvey’s father followed the traditional rules of their faith. His mother wasn’t as strict about the rules. What mattered to her was - tikkun olam – helping to fix the world. Thus, she volunteered in projects helping to feed the poor.

Harvey was outgoing, liked making people laugh, loved being the center of attention, full of energy, bit of a troublemaker.

He was proud of being Jewish but he didn’t like the religious rules. He believed in having a choice.

When he was eleven, he fell in love with opera while listening to it on the radio. He even pretended to be a conductor while listening to it.

At fourteen, he went to opera in NYC and discovered different kinds of people. He saw men being attracted to men but he wasn’t ready to reveal it.

He didn’t know what he wanted to study after High School, so he followed his parents’ advice to become a teacher. He kept himself busy during his college years. He wasn’t good enough in sports to join a team but he still practiced different disciplines, became a coach and joined the newspaper staff to write about sports. Later, he started writing about other subjects that mattered to him, like discrimination within fraternities and sororities.

He also liked the idea of having an important role at the college. So he ran for treasurer and tried to join one of the school’s honor societies. He lost in both, but this was a good practice for him to teach him about persistence with his determination.

After graduating from college, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to teach and it was a time of the Korean War. So he joined the navy.

He was sent to Officer Candidate School to learn how to become the navy’s future leaders. At school, he discovered that he liked deep-sea diving.

In 1953, he was sent to a naval base in San Diego, CA. During his free time, he visited gay bars, not that it was safe to do it.

In 1955, after four years in the navy, he was honorably discharged. When he returned to NY, at twenty-six, he got his first job as a teacher. Even though, he was a good teacher, he wasn’t sure he wanted to do this for the rest of his life.

After only one year in teaching, he left the position with his partner and moved to Dallas, Texas. Eventually, he got a job at an insurance company, but that got boring to him. This led him to moving to different places: Puerto Rico, Miami, then back to NY where he got a job at Wall Street. But the position at Wall Street wasn’t exciting for him.

He continuously searched for something he’d feel passionate about. Around 1964 when he met a theater director and composer named Tom O’Horgan, he spent the nights at the theater and sometimes on stage.

In 1972, he moved to San Francisco where he was introduced to a more open culture. People weren’t afraid to show who they were.

In 1973, he opened a store with his partner where they developed pictures. This led him to being pro-active in challenges that life was sending him. And that further led him to run for a city supervisor as he felt that there was still discrimination against gay people, and also against people of color.

He wasn’t elected but that didn’t discourage him from being proactive with challenges. He joined forces with Allan Baird who represented Teamsters worker union.

Allan wanted beer delivery businesses to join union. Harvey agreed to help in exchange for union hiring gay people. Harvey with his friends created a boycott and won all companies except one.

Harvey’s shop became a place to go if you were new to the city. Harvey helped people to find a place to live and work. He got a nickname the mayor of Castro Street (from the street where his shop was located at).

He decided to run for a city supervisor again and lost again, but with each attempt he was gaining support of other groups. At his third attempt in 1977, he won.

He wanted to make sure that there were affordable places to live. He saved a library in his district from being closed. He fought against Proposition 6, which wanted to prevent gay people from working in public schools in California, and won.

His life was cut short. On November twenty-seven, 1978 he was shot by a former colleague.

He spent less than a year in office, but people still remember him and what he was able to accomplish in such a short time.

This biography exemplifies a man who didn’t know what he wanted to do in life. Thus, he constantly tried different things to find out what he was passionate about. Nothing would hold him back, even a prestigious job at Wall Street. As soon as he felt that something was boring to him, he was gone to try something new. Eventually, he did find his passion. And even then, he still met many challenges, which again didn’t discourage him. He knew persistence well.

Source: Penguin Workshop, 2020

 

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: “If you are not personally free to be yourself in that most important of all human activities – the finding of love – then life itself loses its meaning.” – Harvey Milk

 

 

 

“Hope will never be silent.” – Harvey Milk

“I have tasted freedom. I will not give up that which I have tasted.” – Harvey Milk

 

 

 

Traits:

·         From young age, he was taught to help others. It was engrained in him as part of tikkun process he was taught by his mother.

·         He was full of energy and throughout his life he used his energy well. As soon as he found something being boring to him, he’d move to his new venture which eventually led him to his passion – speaking out for human rights and taking action.

·         He was proud of being Jewish but he didn’t like the religious rules. He believed in having a choice. For him it was more important to be a good human being and of service to others rather than following some strict rules.

·         He kept himself busy during his college years. Even though, he wasn’t good in sports, he still practiced different disciplines, became a coach and joined the newspaper staff to write about sports. He used his college years well, not just studying theory but also finding out in practice what he liked to do.

·         He ran for treasurer and tried to join one of the school’s honor societies. He lost in both, but this was a good practice for him to teach him about persistence with his determination.

·         He joined the navy before getting his first job as a teacher at twenty-six. Even though, he was a good teacher, he wasn’t sure he wanted to do this for the rest of his life. So he quit.

·         He moved to a few different places and tried different vocations but none of them was exciting to him. Eventually, he moved to San Francisco where he opened a shop and became known as the mayor of Castro Street.

·         His college years gave him a good preparation for rejections he received when trying for political positions. His life was cut short as he was assassinated. He spent less than a year in office, but people still remember him and what he was able to accomplish in such a short time.

 

 

 

 

 

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION: 

 Tikkun Olam stands for “repairing the world,” and is a central Jewish concept emphasizing active human responsibility to improve the world.

If you’d like to get a better understanding what tikkun is about and use the wisdom of Kabbalah for personal growth and abundance, this is very well explained by David Ghiyam on his podcast under his name @DavidGhiyam

His courses of Your Infinite Soul (1,2,3) are excellent tools for understanding what Kabbalah is about or rather understanding yourself. Each course is based on pay what feels right. You can pay only $1 and get access that can have a profound change on your life. If it ends up being not right for you, you only lose $1 or $3 in total if you take all three courses, but at least you’ll know that you tried something new and different – something that Harvey Milk would embody. 

Also, Harvey Milk was full of energy and he naturally knew how to use his energy, so it wouldn’t become stagnant. Many people get stuck or feel blocked, it’s because the energy flow is stopped. Instead being a conduit of energy, letting it flow like a river.

Who Was E.B. White? by Gail Herman

 Who Was E.B. White? – a beloved American writer who wrote Stewart Little, Charlotte’s Web and The Trumpet of the Swan among other famous stories.

Elwyn Brooks White (1899-1985) was born in Mount Vernon, New York. He didn’t like his name so he went by Andy. They lived in the suburbs, half an hour from NYC. He liked having both worlds. But his siblings were older and he had no one to play with. So he filled his time with playing outdoors, and with animals. He used his imagination to engage him.

As a child, he had a tendency to worry, and lacked confidence. He was smart but he didn’t like school. He was afraid to read in front of everyone. Writing helped him through his school years. At Cornell University, he started to work on the school’s newspaper. He wrote news stories, poems, and humor pieces.

After college, he wasn’t sure what career to pick. He just knew that he liked writing. So in 1922, he took a road trip with his college friend. He hoped that by seeing different places it would give him ideas what to write about. After 18 months, he returned and wrote about his adventures for a magazine.

In 1925, he came across The New Yorker and liked it right away. Andy sent in samples of his articles and was recognized right away. People liked his articles about his funny misfortunes. He never took himself too seriously.

In 1929, he married Katherine Sergeant Angell who was the fiction editor at The New Yorker.

In 1933, they bought a farm in Maine.

With the rise of dictatorship in Europe, he started writing more political pieces, standing up for democracy.

Throughout his life he struggled with worry and depression. He took a few months off staying alone in Maine while Katherine was in NYC with children. He wanted to stay close to nature.

In 1937, he began to write a column for Harper’s Magazine. He continued to voice his opinion in regards to events in Europe. He stood up for freedom and wanted the US to join the war.

The family returned to NYC in 1943, and they both returned working for The New Yorker.

Meanwhile, he continued to struggle with some nervous break-down in 1943. He saw many doctors and eventually felt better.

He was afraid that he’d ran out of time with the story he began in 1926 – about the little mouse – Stewart. It was previously rejected. Now, another editor couldn’t understand how a mouse could be a part of a human family. Andy had faith in children and persisted. Stuart Little was published in October 1945. And he was right. Children loved it.

He continued to be outspoken about certain issues – environment, civil rights, democracy, and freedom – which are as important today as they were decades ago. A new collection of his political writings was published in 2019.

Meanwhile, he also continued to spin the stories with animals. In the late 1940s, it was about a spider. He studied spiders for a year. In 1953, Charlotte’s Web won a Newbery Honor, a top award in children’s books. It became the most popular book in children’s literature – ever.

In 1957, they moved back to Maine.

In 1970, Trumpeter Swan was published and became another best seller.

This biography illustrates a man who had tendency to worry and lacked confidence, but that actually led him to a space where he felt most comfortable - in nature and with animals. And that’s where he found his calling. He connected his love for writing with his observation of animals and span stories loved by both children and adults.

This illustrated biography for young readers, ages 8-12, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences, and insightful inserts.

Source: Penguin Workshop, 2022

 

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: “Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.” – E.B. White

 

 

 

Traits:

·         As a child, he had a tendency to worry, lacked confidence, was afraid to read in front of everyone - writing helped him through his school years.

·         While at University, he used his time wisely as he worked on the school’s newspaper: writing news stories, poems, and humor pieces.

·         After college, he wasn’t sure what career to pick. He just knew that he liked writing. So he took a road trip with his college friend. Seeing different places gave him ideas what to write about. When he returned, he wrote about his adventures for a magazine.

·         People liked his articles about his funny misfortunes. He never took himself too seriously.

·         Throughout his life he struggled with worry and depression but he recognized that nature brought him solace.

·         He wasn’t afraid to stand up for democracy when dictatorship was on a rise in Europe.

·         His story about the little mouse – Stewart was previously rejected but he had faith in children and persisted. When it was published, it became a beloved story by all.

·         Before he wrote a story about a spider, he studied spiders for a year. Charlotte’s Web became the most popular book in children’s literature – ever.

·         When Trumpeter Swan was published, it became another best seller.

 

 

 

“I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.” – E.B. White

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION:

 

As E.B. White was torn with making decisions sometimes, it happens to all of us. The good thing is that there are many tools out there these days to give us guidance how to make better decisions by knowing ourselves better. Thus, not depleting or blocking our energies. When energy is blocked, then different issues appear.  

One of the tools is understanding energy which we’re made of and which surround us - The Energy Codes by Dr. Sue Morter. The key is to live as conscious energy being. The codes are to help us to shift from Protective Personality to Soulful Self, which can also happen spontaneously. The seven Energy Codes are to help us achieve just that.

“For those ready and willing to build a new life, here are the tools. Powerful, incisive, extraordinary writing.” —Neale Donald Walsch, New York Times bestselling author of Conversations with God

Transform your life with this revolutionary and accessible seven-step guide—grounded in energy medicine, neurobiology, and quantum physics—to awaken your true health and potential through energy healing.

Eighteen years ago, health pioneer and practitioner Dr. Sue Morter had a remarkable and profound awakening. While meditating, she spontaneously accessed an energy field—a level of consciousness—beyond anything she had ever imagined. This dramatic experience changed her life, freeing her from years of struggle and pain.

It also set Dr. Morter on a mission to discover how to create such radical transformation for her patients. Through years of advanced study and research in energy healing and medicine, she developed the Energy Codes, a life-changing program that has now enabled thousands of people all over the world to overcome pain, disease, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, and to awaken their innate creativity, intuition, and inner power.

Bridging ancient healing practices with cutting-edge science, The Energy Codes offers a detailed road map to help you experience deep healing in your life. Grounded in practical, accessible exercises, including yoga, breathwork, meditations, and Dr. Morter’s proprietary B.E.S.T. protocol, The Energy Codes will help you activate untapped energy and neurocircuitry in your body, empower your hidden potential, and become one with your true, essential self.

Prepare to change your life by changing your energy.

Charles Dickens – Scenes from an Extraordinary Life by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom

Charles Dickens: Scenes From An Extraordinary Life. He was one of the greatest writers of all time who wrote Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities and Oliver Twist among many other famous stories.

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was born in Portsmouth, England during the age of war and Industrial Revolution. He witnessed the poverty and abuse and sympathized with those less fortunate.

His father was the wages clerk for the Royal Navy, and his job moved him and his family from place to place. He inherited his comic voice from his mother, which he used with his talent for story telling from early age. He entertained grow-ups at local inns.

For a while, the family lived close to a small theatre where songs came through the thin walls and the whole family would often join in dancing. When the family moved to London and his father no longer could afford to pay for his education, Charles stayed home, reading books, including Robinson Crusoe.

In 1823, at eleven, Charles got lost in the bustling streets of London which were filled with pickpockets, rogues and other characters which later appeared in his stories.

Theatres were the cheap entertainment of the day. Charles had his own toy theatre. From early age, he wrote and acted in some of his own plays.

His father had no sense of managing money. Thus, leaving family in much debt. Charles was forced by his parents to work at factory at twelve.

His father was sent to debtor’s prison. After he paid his debt thanks to his small inheritance from his mother, Charles was sent back to school. But it was his father’s decision. His mother wanted him to stay and work at factory. Charles felt bitter about this throughout his life.

When his father’s money troubles continued, Charles left school for good in 1827 and became a lawyer’s office boy. In his spare time, with a fellow clerk, they performed at a local theatre.

At sixteen, in 1828, he got a position as a newspaper reporter. He also began to write short stories which began to be published regularly. He became friend of editor whose daughter enchanted Charles, and they got married in 1836.

At twenty-five, Charles wrote a news series for a magazine. He immersed himself into creating characters by mimicking them. He looked in the mirror and made facial contortions or talked rapidly in a low voice.

In 1838, he visited the infamous Yorkshire schools to which unwanted boys were sent and treated badly. This led him to writing Nicholas Nickleby.

In 1842, he visited the US and was treated like a superstar followed by a multitude.

In 1843, A Christmas Carol became favorite Christmas fairy tale.

In 1850, he wandered for miles at night, revisiting some old sites, including the factory and the place nearby where he stayed. This place continued to haunt him even when he was happy. This led him to write David Copperfield.

In 1851, his fascination for detectives inspired him to invent one of the first fictional police detectives.

In 1865, he narrowly escaped death while travelling by steam train. Only five years later, at fifty-eight, worn out by his hectic life-style and before completing The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Dickens dies.

This is a graphic novel for ages 8-12. Thus, illustrations are big part of this storytelling, and both are beautiful and touching. Presented with fairly simple sentences, this story can be read by the target audience. Some painful memories that stayed with Dickens are well-dramatized so it touches human emotions. And it’s well-presented how Dickens used his painful experiences and observations as tool in his storytelling which touched multitude of people.

Source: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2011

 

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: Dickens used his painful experiences and observations as tool in his storytelling which touched multitude of people.

 

 

 

Traits:

·         He grew up during the time of wars and Industrial Revolution. He witnessed the poverty and abuse and sympathized with those less fortunate. Those observations influenced his writing.

·         He used his comic voice with his talent for story telling from early age.

·         When his father no longer could afford to pay for his education, Charles stayed home, reading books.

·         When he got lost in the bustling streets of London which were filled with pickpockets, rogues and other characters, what he observed later appeared in his stories.

·         From early age, he wrote and acted in some of his own plays.

·         In his spare time, with a fellow clerk, they performed at a local theatre.

·         While working as a newspaper reporter, in his spare time, he started to write short stories which began to be published regularly.

·         When he wrote a news series for a magazine, he also immersed himself into creating characters by mimicking them.

·         His fascination for detectives inspired him to invent one of the first fictional police detectives.

·         Throughout his life, he found jobs that kept him close to what he loved to do and meanwhile was writing what was close to his heart.

 

 

 

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” – A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

“Reflect upon your present blessings – of which every man has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens

 

 

 

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION:

 Discover Your Dharma – A Vedic Guide to Finding Your Purpose by Sahara Rose – host of Highest Self Podcast.

The dharma discovery journey talks about five stages: self-awareness, self-improvement, awakening, higher consciousness, stepping into your dharma. As you read those descriptions, you can identify at which stage you are.

It further explains, three paths to following dharma: leap – as it sounds, for example, quitting a job, investing all money, moving to a new country. Transition – for example, you keep your regular job and use your free time for what you love to do, but you have to be committed to do it on regular basis. Accidental discovery – for example you take a class that was required or someone asked you to do it with them, and you fell in love with what was done during that class and it becomes your passion and way of living.

Then, dharma is connected with three phases of dosha: vata – visionary who thinks outside the box; pitta – ambitious, driven individual; kapha – empathetic, generous soul.

Our life should be a cycle through those three phases of dosha, but some of us get stuck in one phase for life.

Thus, understanding ourselves and our actions, which comes down to consciousness/awareness, will make us move naturally through those phases.

This book gives a lot of practical examples, so it’s easy to grasp. Everything is encoded inside us. They key is to discover what it is. One of the ways of finding out is to pay attention what triggers us. Everything happens for a reason, good or bad, and you need to ask yourself what was the lesson to be learned. A lot of times, we assume or project things, which is a distortion, opposite of discovering the truth. When you feel being pulled towards something, then you should follow it. Keep exploring. Be curious. Those are directions of your dharma.