'Thubten is a very generous and kind monk who writes with the lived honesty and humour of someone who has experienced the wisdom he shares. His writing is full of inspiration but also the pragmatism needed to form a sustainable practice. He clearly illustrates why we all need meditation and mindfulness in our lives.'- Benedict Cumberbatch We all go through hard times. We can experience moments when life feels like an uphill struggle, leading to unhappiness and stress. Perhaps we are feeling sad, anxious, or are challenged to deal with something bigger, such as a bereavement, a loss, a painful ending or a broken heart. It is during these moments when life feels difficult that we could do with some help with our thoughts and feelings. In HANDBOOK FOR HARD TIMES Sunday Times bestselling author of A Monk's Guide to Happiness Gelong Thubten teaches us to understand that happiness, kindness and resilience can be cultivated through reframing life's difficulties as opportunities for transformation. Meditation and mindfulness practices help us to access deep reserves of inner strength as we learn how to 'lean into' our suffering. Thubten suggests how we can find meaning in pain and discomfort, transforming deeply ingrained patterns of fear and resistance. As we discover how hard times can enhance the development of mindfulness, compassion and forgiveness, we can develop a fearless outlook on life and lasting, unshakeable happiness. This approachable and practical book, complete with meditations, is designed for modern times, and will be a valuable resource to anyone during times of struggle, but also during all times to encourage and build resilience and help us find inner contentment and peace. 'A most qualified guide in the journey from darkness and turmoil towards inner peace and positivity.' ANNIE LENNOX

A Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness for the Modern Day In our never-ending search for happiness we often find ourselves looking to external things for fulfillment, thinking that happiness can be unlocked by buying a bigger house, getting the next promotion, or building a perfect family. In this profound and inspiring book, Gelong Thubten shares a practical and sustainable approach to happiness. Thubten, a Buddhist monk and meditation expert who has worked with everyone from school kids to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and Benedict Cumberbatch, explains how meditation and mindfulness can create a direct path to happiness. A Monk’s Guide to Happiness explores the nature of happiness and helps bust the myth that our lives and minds are too busy for meditation. The book can show you how to: - Learn practical methods to help you choose happiness - Develop greater compassion for yourself and others - Learn to meditate in micro-moments during a busy day - Discover that you are naturally ‘hard-wired’ for happiness Reading A Monk’s Guide to Happiness could revolutionize your relationship with your thoughts and emotions, and help you create a life of true happiness and contentment.

Jerry Flamm's warm reminiscences of growing up in 1920s and 1930s San Francisco glows with romance for the city when San Franciscans entertained themselves listening to the radio, swimming at Sutro Baths or enjoying a 50 cents pasta dinner.

With high unemployment rates and the rising costs of food, clothing, and energy, it's often difficult to maintain a positive outlook. But there are ways to thrive and persevere through troubling economic times. In A How-to Book for Hard Times, author Gillian Kirkpatrick provides a plethora of tips for stretching your resources to meet your household needs. Kirkpatrick, who was a child during World War II in Europe, learned firsthand how to combat hard times. Sharing personal anecdotes, she presents many tactics for making do. A How-to Book for Hard Times includes tips and information on: ● Making and following a menu guide ● Stocking up on basic supplies ● Preserving food ● Maintaining first aid supplies ● Purchasing clothing and mending supplies ● Using herbs ● Keeping up the home and vehicles Hard times occur in many different ways, but with the advice and ideas presented in this how-to guide, life could become a little easier without breaking the budget.

If you had had this book in 1998, it would have helped you cope with the Sydney water crisis, the Victorian gas emergency and the Auckland blackouts. Who knows what lies ahead? This book contains a wealth of practical information and advice to help you become more self-reliant and less dependent on traditional sources of food, clothing and energy. It includes 180 practical household hints; 150 recipes for cheap, healthy meals; information on growing your own food; and tips on making your own bread, cheese, preserves, candles, soap, insect repellent, glue, ink and lots more. By following the authors' sensible, realistic advice you will be able to survive the hard times, save money and consume fewer of the world's diminishing resources.