Average Rating:
Rating:
 - A
Good Feng Shui Companion
Feng Shui has attracted
a lot of popular attention over the past few years, and
there is a large number of books on this subject to
choose from. This variety can be very confusing as there
are not only numerous formats, but also different types
of this ancient Chinese art. Fortunately, it also makes
it possible for everyone to find the right kind of book
for their needs. Feng Shui is a complex subject and
therefore it helps if one has a specific purpose in mind
that one wants to use it for. Simon Brown's Feng Shui in
a Weekend is an ideal book for someone who perhaps
already has some basic understanding of Feng Shui and is
looking for a handy and easy-to-use guide that describes
a number of very practical application of this art in
everyday life.
Being already familiar with Feng Shui and its
philosophy, I was searching for a book with more
specific instructions for how to apply these principles
in my own home. I believe that in Feng Shui in a Weekend
I have found exactly what I was looking for. The premise
of the book is simple: it breaks down the practice of
Feng Shui into a large number of projects that can be
done in your free time. It starts out by helping you
think about your goals or ways in which you want to
change your life, and then directs to specific projects
(by referencing their page numbers) that will best help
you achieve those goals. In addition, the book is
organized by different areas of the house: from
exteriors to kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, etc. In
this way, if you were just thinking of remodeling your
bathroom, you could easily refer to the appropriate
section in the book. I find this dual organization (by
area and by function) very useful and easy to navigate.
It also gives you direction for taking on projects that
will make the biggest positive difference in your life.
Feng Shui in a Weekend also is beautifully designed
and is truly a pleasure to read: the pictures are full
color and carefully selected to serve as illustrations
to the text; there are also a number of useful icons and
diagrams that help you visualize each concept. Each
chapter in the book is typically one or two pages long,
with specific projects (and approximate time needed to
complete them, from one-half day to two days) outlined
in step-by-step fashion at the bottom of the page. So no
matter how much or little time you have, you can always
find a useful project to tackle in order to make your
home more aligned with Feng Shui principles.
Now for a few words of criticism. While this book is
very easy to use and definitely practical, I did find
that it lacked depth and some of the tips were a bit too
obvious. It certainly does not aspire to be a definitive
guide to Feng Shui, and therefore should ideally be used
as a complement to a more comprehensive Feng Shui book
that does a better job explaining the underlying
philosophy and how all the elements fit
together.
Rating:
 -
Weekend Inspirations
I purchased this book on
a whim, expecting to breeze through it quickly. Instead,
I find myself really reading every little detail. It is
well-written (perhaps quirky to some readers who are not
used to certain UK English expressions), full of
information and inspiration. I particularly loved the
beautiful photographs and computer-generated floor plans
that show tips and tricks from the text in action. The
layout of the pages lends itself more to perusing and
slow reading, but the many added charts make it easy to
find information quickly.
I highly recommend this book as an excellent addition
to any Feng Shui
library!
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