4 out of 4 stars
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Review: What's Your Magical Moment? by Gina Kloes
Many of us are so caught up in our everyday lives, in our daily routines, that we seldom pause to observe and discover the beauty of our surroundings and the moments we spend. As time passes, there may be moments where we’re touched, inspired or simply affected in some way. Even a moment which may seem insignificant now, may hold much more meaning if and when we look back, in the future. Gina Kloes calls these moments ‘Magical Moments’.
Gina Kloes, in her book ‘What’s your magical moment?’, persuades her readers to take some time out of their daily routines to notice magical moments and where possible, to create them. Further, she suggests recording these moments and creating a tradition of sharing them with family or friends. She reasons that when we notice magical moments, they remain with us as fond memories. When we create them, we create happiness. When we share them, we enable others to find the same magic and create their own memories. When we listen to others’ moments, we understand and connect with them better.
Further, in the book, she explores where, how and with whom magical moments are likely to occur. In the second half of the book, each chapter explores one relationship, location or act. These include family, friends, time spent alone, nature, magical legacies and serving others. She substantiates her point by including relevant stories (reflections of moments) written by numerous people. Finally, each chapter or section ends with questions directed at the readers, which are meant to make them reflect.
I chose to read this book because I thought it was an interesting concept. The first few pages, wherein she explains the meaning of magical moments were easy to read. However, thereafter, the book became increasingly difficult to read at one stretch. At times, I thought that the content wasn’t something unheard of. Quite often, I found myself thinking that the same basic point was being repeated chapter after chapter. Further, although the book seems to be for a wide range of audience, there were times when it seemed like the author expected the readers to be working and raising children. I had to read the book in many installments. However, after I finished reading the book, when I reflected upon its content, I knew that I could connect to and apply most of it. I realized that the book had, in fact, created a difference in my outlook towards life.
The book includes reflections by many different people, as they recollect their own magical moments. Many of these were inspiring to read and I think that these accounts play the most important role in convincing the reader. What I liked was the fact that these were written by people in different situations and in different parts of the world. This helped the author in proving two of her points – that magical moments can be experienced by anyone, and that sharing a magical moment can help others find magic in that moment and in their own moments.
In terms of language, the book is easy to understand and follow. Simple vocabulary and sentence structures have been used. I found a few grammatical errors in the reflections (by other people). These could have been corrected without changing the meaning or writing style. However, the errors were minor and did not interrupt my flow of reading. The book has been formatted well, with page breaks to separate chapters. Quotes and reflections are in italics. Overall, I think the language used in the book was effective and appropriate for the audience.
What I liked best about the book were the reflections it included. Without them, the book would seem informative and theoretical. The reflections made me believe that the ideas suggested by the author can, in fact, be implemented. What I liked least about the book was that certain sections were meant mostly for parents with young children. Many readers may not be able to relate to those sections.
I would rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. While it is not something that can be read in one sitting, it is something that can truly inspire and change the lives of the readers. The book has its flaws, but they can be overlooked because I think that the message is great and much needed. I would recommend this book to someone who is looking for an inspirational read, and who has the patience to read it in numerous installments. It is obvious that the author has put in a lot of effort into this book. She has inspired me, and I hope that she is able to inspire many others.
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What's Your Magical Moment?
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