Health & Lifestyle · Shelf Help
Shelf help
Which special reads did our
reviewers choose this month?
The Cathedral of the Sea
Mindfulness for the Frazzled
Set in 14th Century Catalonia, Spain, this
historical adventure novel presents the
extraordinary life of Arnau Estanyol, the
heroic protagonist born into servitude.
Mindfulness, sarcasm and science
come together in this comprehensive
guide to mindfulness for the busy
body. Not one to beat around the
bush, the fabulous Ruby Wax sums up
mindfulness as: “a way of exercising
your ability to pay attention…noticing
your thoughts and feelings”.
By Ildefonso Falcones
It all begins with a humble neighborhood
of fishermen, whose people decide
to build the biggest ‘Marian’ temple:
the Santa María de la Mar Cathedral in
Barcelona. This wondrous cathedral
construction is parallel to the life of
Arnau, a servant of the earth who flees to
Barcelona and becomes a free man.
Arnau faces a strenuous life, yet finds hope and protection in
the cathedral of the sea, that sees him progress from poverty
to riches, becoming a baron along the way. However, his
accomplishments also spark jealousy among his peers, who
end up turning against him and putting him in the hands of the
intolerance of religion: the Spanish Inquisition.
This is a novel full of light streaks and shadows, exciting,
informative, and never dull. It is an extremely readable novel that
anyone can enjoy, enriched by the extremely knowledgeable
descriptions of the history of a medieval Barcelona: from its
people and their relationships, to the political and religious
environment, everything!
Our pick of one the most interesting parts of the novel: The
detailed, realistic, and extraordinary description of the church
and its construction. It undeniably makes one want to catch
a plane to Barcelona just to go see it with your own eyes and
immerse yourself in Arnau’s life story! This novel will definitely
keep your interest from beginning to end.
22 · Mindspace Magazine · Issue 01
By Ruby Wax
With her classic comedic approach,
Wax explains mindfulness in layman’s terms. With an
MA in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy from Oxford
University under her belt, Wax shares her personal
experience and specialist knowledge of the brain and
psychology to deliver a handy and very amusing book.
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