Sunday, June 28, 2009

ENLIGHTENMENT FOR IDIOTS: A Giveaway

GIVEAWAY CLOSED
ENLIGHTENMENT FOR IDIOTS
by Anne Cushman

A GIVEAWAY
ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nearing age thirty, Amanda thought she’d be someone else by now. Instead, she’s just herself: an ex-nanny yogini-wannabe who cranks out “For Idiots” travel guides just to scrape by. Yes, she has her sexy photographer boyfriend, but he’s usually gone—shooting a dogsled race in Alaska or a vision quest in Peru—or just hooking up with other girls. However, she’s sure her new assignment, “Enlightenment for Idiots,” will change everything; now she’ll become the serene, centered woman she was meant to be. After some breakup sex, she’s off to India to find a new, more spiritual life.

What she finds, though, is an ashram run by investment bankers, a yoga master who trashes her knee, and a guru with a weakness for fashion models. She escapes a tantra party at the Taj Hotel, has a nasty argument outside the cave where the Buddha used to meditate, then agonizes through the ten-day silent retreat that’s supposed to make her feel better.

No, India is not what she had pictured. But she finds a friend in Devi Das, a redheaded sadhu who refers to himself as “we.” And when a holy lunatic on the street offers her an enigmatic blessing, Amanda realizes a new life may be in store for her—just not the one she was expecting.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR-ANNE CUSHMAN:

As a writer and teacher of yoga and meditation, Anne Cushman explores the poignant intersection between the lofty ideals of spiritual practice and the gritty, comical, and heartbreaking details of ordinary life. She is a contributing editor to both Yoga Journal and Tricycle: The Buddhist Review and the coauthor of From Here to Nirvana, a seeker’s guide to spiritual India. Her essays have appeared in the New York Times, theSan Francisco Chronicle, O: The Oprah Magazine, and Salon.com, and have been anthologized in Best Buddhist Writing 2004 and 2006, A Woman’s Path: Best Women’s Spiritual Travel Writing, Traveling Souls: Contemporary Pilgrimage Tales, and other books. She co-directs the Mindfulness Yoga and Meditation Training Program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California; and lives in nearby Fairfax with her son, Skye.

THE GIVEAWAY

I HAVE 3 COPIES TO GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Priya at Crown Books at Random House

RULES:
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P.O. BOXES, PLEASE
--ALL ENTRIES MUST BE IN SEPARATE COMMENTS IN ORDER TO COUNT
--YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS MUST BE IN YOUR COMMENT SO I CAN CONTACT YOU WHEN YOU WIN!!!

ENTRIES:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT AND TELL ME WHAT YOU FIND INTERESTING IN THE DESCRIPTION THAT MAKES YOU WANT THIS BOOK

+1 MORE ENTRY:
BLOG ABOUT THIS CONTEST OR TWEET AND LEAVE A LINK IN YOUR COMMENT (THANK YOU IF YOU DO BOTH BUT ONLY ONE WILL COUNT TO BE FAIR TO ALL AS SOME DON'T HAVE BLOGS BUT THEY CAN TWEET)

+1 MORE ENTRY:
FOLLOW WITH MY GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT IN THE LEFT COLUMN OR TELL ME IF YOU ALREADY FOLLOW THERE--EVERYONE CAN DO THIS AND IT IS EASY (AM TRYING TO HIT 300 SOME DAY)

GOOD LUCK TO ALL
BE SURE YOU ENTER BY 6 PM, EST, JULY 18

56 comments:

Pam said...

Guess being first has likely ruined my chances but statistically it has just as much chance of being picked as any other number, right?

Anyways, first off, the title made me giggle; anything with "idiots" in the title is bound to be fun. Secondly, it sounds like she's feeling like I felt as I approached my 25th birthday - my life wasn't exactly going as planned. This sounds like a much more comedic solution to that than my "finding myself" which is why I'd love to read it.

melacan at hotmail dot com

Pam said...

Follower

melacan at hotmail dto com

Carlene said...

I love that she has break up sex and then is off to India. Please inlcude me in your giveaway.
Thanks
Carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net

holdenj said...

I think the story has a great premise and I think it's interesting that she goes to India to really dig into the roots of enlightenment and yoga.

JHolden955 (at) gmail (dot) com

Thanks!

Unknown said...

I love stories about people trying to better themselves. This is why I would like to read this.

bjhopper(at)me(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Hey if it works for - Enlightenment for Idiots - it should work for me too right LOL. This book sounds like a fun read, especially after seeing the movie Outsourced, I'd love to read more more India. Thanks for the great giveway : D

BevE
merryweatherbookblog@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I'm really interested in this since the main character is trying to take charge of her life - make changes toward a better life. Not to mention, I love the title!!

jgbeads at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

I am a follower :)

jgbeads at gmail dot com

valerie2350 said...

serenity and adventure sounds good! :)

valerie2350 said...

http://twitter.com/valerie2350/status/2375028322

valerie2350 said...

follow

Nancy said...

I like the idea that she "thought she'd be someone else by now". That thought has probably occurred to more than a few of us from time to time. I'l love to read this!

Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

Nancy said...

I just signed up at Google Friends - you're 1 closer to 300 - good luck!

Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

Nicole said...

Sounds similar to 'Eat, Pray, Love'. I enjoy reading about other's enlightenment stories.

Unknown said...

What I found interesting is when you said, "No, India is not what she had pictured. But she finds a friend in Devi Das, a redheaded sadhu who refers to himself as “we.” And when a holy lunatic on the street offers her an enigmatic blessing, Amanda realizes a new life may be in store for her—just not the one she was expecting."
It sounds like she is trying to better herself but can't seem to win.

jrandtam[at]columbus.rr.com

Unknown said...

I am a follower.

Valorie said...

I want to know what that tantra party is all about!

Valorie
morbidromantic@gmail.com

Valorie said...

I follow.

Valorie
morbidromantic@gmail.com

LoveMyCoffee said...

The title is what attracted me to the book. I love it. This sounds like a great read, and I love that she goes to India. I missed the Tantric part...so this really intrigues me.

Dutchlvr1(at)aol(dot)com

ChristyJan said...

Nearing age thirty, Amanda thought she’d be someone else by now. I've had that same thought with every milstone birthday.

hawkes (at) citlink.net

ChristyJan said...

I'm a follower

hawkes (at) citlink.net

Debbie F said...

I want to read the book because like all women I too have gone thru the re-evaluation of my life. Not being what I thought it would be - where am I going.
And I have found that you just have to be happy with what you have - It is what it is.

Debbie
dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Debbie F said...

Oh - I follow you also!

debbie
dcf_beth at verizon dot net

A Reader said...

I don't know anything about India, so this would be a fun way to learn abit about the country.

kimspam66(at)yahoo.com

A Reader said...

Follower through google friend (liane66)

rubynreba said...

First off, the title caught my eye. Then all the different things she does has to make the book very interesting.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

amanda said...

What I find interesting is that it's about someone who imagined their life would be different than what it really is. I think most people can identify with that.

oheeyore at hotmail dot com

amanda said...

I follow.
oheeyore at hotmail dot com

Sammie said...

The fact that her life doesn't go as expected makes me interested in the book.
SamantharaeM at gmail dot com

Sammie said...

I am a follower.

SamantharaeM at gmail dot com

Sammie said...

I posted about this giveaway on my blog, here is a direct link: http://scrappincraftinmomma.wordpress.com/book-giveaways/
SamantharaeM at gmail dot com

Lesley (aka Upper West Side Writer) said...

The book sounds interesting because it plays on one of my fears: not figuring out what I want to "do with my life." I'm lucky in that I'm married to a faithful and oft-around guy, but job-wise, I'm very lost. So the book sounds great!

Thanks!

lesleymfan(at)gmail(dot)com

Lesley (aka Upper West Side Writer) said...

I Tweeted about this contestL

http://twitter.com/uwsreader/status/2482179049

Thank you!

lesleymfan(at)gmail(dot)com

Lesley (aka Upper West Side Writer) said...

I'm already a follower--thank you again!

lesleymfan(at)gmail(dot)com

mrsshukra said...

Please include me, thanks!
delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

mrsshukra said...

India as a setting for this novel makes it really interesting to me!

mrsshukra said...

I'm a follower!

minishoes1 said...

Why I want to read this is it is set in India and she does something to want to change her life. This should be very interesting and fun! Thanks!jacquecurl1@gmail.com

minishoes1 said...

I already follow.jacquecurl1@gmail.com

Misusedinnocence said...

That it deals with a long distance realtionship.

misusedinnocence@aol.com

Rebecca N. said...

I find the title interesting and funny! I'm a mom of 2 small children who isn't able to get away to India when life isn't going my way, so I want to escape through the characters in this book lol!The pretty cover art grabs my attention as well. Please include me in the giveaway! Thanks!

Rebecca N. said...

I follow your blog!

g.g. said...

What a great title...in the description it almost felt like EAT LOVE PRAY...but in a more sexual way.

Geraldine said...

I like the idea of the main character finding something in life unexpectedly.

gr11781[at]gmail[dot]com

Unknown said...

Often in life, things we least expected happen - sometimes for the better. That's why I'd like to read this book.

Unknown said...

FOLLOW

Shawna L. said...

This book is set in India how cool is that ;o)
Shawna Phillips
weloveourdogs@juno.com

Shawna L. said...

I follow you ;o)
Shawna Phillips
weloveourdogs@juno.com

Matt Gladden said...

the part about the taj hotel i love taj mahal and i mean love it it is beautiful u should definitely go and visit.
matt dot glddn at gmail dot com

Matt Gladden said...

im a follower and im loving every minute of it!!! :)

matt dot glddn at gmail dot com

catss99 said...

my friends have been trying to get me into yoga lately for enlightenment but i haven't done it. this book might provide some insight

amanda
catss99@yahoo.com

catss99 said...

i follow

amanda
catss99@yahoo.com

catss99 said...

i tweeted http://twitter.com/catss99

amanda
catss99@yahoo.com

Cindy said...

I love the fact that the main character, Amanda, is so human and not perfect! I think this would be a really fun book to read!!

Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com

Cindy said...

I am a follower of your blog!

I also subscribe by email!

Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com

Cindy said...

I follow you on Twitter. I tweet about your blog and will do so again today! My username is Soccermom213

Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com

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