Summer vacation is breaking out all over. But maybe not for you. Perhaps you’re trapped in a cube-farm, forced to play prairie dog just to stand up to stretch your legs. Perhaps you’re now struggling with life while the kids are out of school – and wishing you could be “off” too. Or maybe you’ve got some time coming, but every time you look at airfares you have to go lie down in a quiet room and do some Lamaze breathing to get over the shock.
Summer also inspires us to make changes for our health. Maybe you’ve begun to realize that now may be a great time to give the old noggin’ a little stimulation – hey, even Esquire discussed it in their article about the care and keeping of “Your Brain, Your Heart, Your Balls” [Doc Gurley caveat: forget the article’s “suggested” blood tests for brain health – they’re not standard of care and there’s no clear data about treatment interpretation/implications]. But when you’re exhausted and feeling left out of the excitement of summer, it can be hard to think of even what to read. Nothing seems appealing.
If you’re looking for a great way to escape, and give your brain a vicarious, entertaining work-out, consider grabbing hold of Cara Black’s latest Paris thriller. Known for her amazing ability to transport readers to the rich sensory experience of Paris, Cara’s latest book even takes you into actual, secret, behind-the-scenes parts of the Louvre. Not only can you feel like you got to spend some time in Paris, you’ll get to go to places no one else you know has ever been. AND your brain will thank you for it. AND a little “escape” may be just what you need to reduce some of the pressures of your day.
Check out this conversation with acclaimed novelist Cara Black, as she explains how she works her tele-transportation-to-Paris neuro-magic. Then buy your virtual ticket to the experience at Book Passage. Paris and back, first class, all for the price of book. Bon voyage!
Obligatory conflict-of-interest disclaimer: Doc Gurley does not receive any compensation of any kind from either Cara Black, her publishers, or Book Passage. Nothing, other than the joy of the purchased-book reading experience, that is. Do YOU know of some get-out-of-your-everyday-rut suggestions for summer reading? Or brain-training fun? Sound off in the comments section. Doc Gurley is the only Harvard Medical School graduate, ever, to be awarded the coveted Shoney’s Ten Step Pin for documented excellence in waitressing, and is a practicing board-certified internist. You can get more health posts at www.docgurley.com, or jump on the Twitter bandwagon and follow Doc Gurley. Also check out Doc Gurley’s joyhabit and iwellth twitter feeds – so you can get topic-specific fun, effective, affordable tips on how to nurture your joy and grow your personal wellth.