Book of the Month Recommendations
from Relaxation at Home

A wonderful way to relax at home is to enjoy a great read. This Relaxation at Home Book of the Month page is updated monthly and provides you with my monthly picks for fiction and non-fiction books. If you need help starting your own home library, see the previous link for some suggestions.

If you disagree with my selections or want to add your comments, feel free to use the form provided at the bottom of this page. I will personally review your comments and include them on this page for others to see.

Fiction Book of the Month

My fiction recommendation for February 2012 is Voyagers II: The Alien Within by Ben Bova.

I haven't read book Voyagers I, but the author did a great job summarizing it: Keith Stoner, an American astronaut who froze on board a spaceship occupied by a dead alien, is brought back to life 18 years later by the world's largest corporation: Vanguard Industries. His ex-lover, Jo Camerata, did all she could to rescue him, including sleeping her way to the top of the most powerful company and marrying its chairman.

As the astronaut regains consciousness and starts interacting with various characters, he realizes that he now shares his mind with the dead alien. The story is filled with various organizations who want to get their hands on Keith Stoner, including the Soviet people who were part of the joint mission to reach the alien spacecraft, an extremist organization that wants to take power away from corporation and return it to the regular people, and more.

The author explored interesting themes like power, war and poverty, and included several twists in the story, which made it entertaining to read.

Non-Fiction Book of the Month

My non-fiction book for February 2012 is 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog: The Loved Dog Method by Tamar Geller.

This dog relaxation and training book is meant first and foremost as a training guide on how to improve your dog's behavior through love, play and social interaction with you and other humans and dogs. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of information related to dog massages and other relaxation techniques that can help dogs benefit from human touch. I already knew the benefits we as humans reap from petting a dog: reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, providing comfort, etc. but I hadn't considered how pets actually benefit from being slowly and lovingly petted in the direction in which their hair grows...

You can help your dog relax by petting him regularly. The author cites studies indicating that petting releases good hormones, lowers blood pressure, relieves stress and improves their cardio-vascular system. Petting could also help prevent depression in dogs!

Of course, the exact ideal petting method will vary from dogs to dogs, but your dog should look relaxed and pleased.

The author recommends TTouch or Tellington Touch, a relaxation method based on circular movements of the fingers and hands over an animal's body. It was originally created for horses, but dogs can also benefit from these dog relaxation massage techniques that stimulate their cellular function and awakens cellular intelligence. It can help improve the behavior of an animal as well as treat specific issues such as excessive barking, aggressive behavior, nervousness and more.

View dog relaxation and training book reviews here

Previous Books of the Month

Here are past selections for the books I recommended, with the most recent books shown first. You can click on the month if you want to read my personal reviews or click on the book's title to read other reviews on Amazon.

February 2012

Voyagers II: The Alien Within

30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog: The Loved Dog Method

January 2012

No Humans Involved (Women of the Otherworld, Book 7)

168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think

December 2011

The 7th Victim

Accent Reduction Made Easy: Secrets to Speaking Standard American English

November 2011

All Mortal Flesh: A Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery

Mind Power: Visualizing Your Success in Business

October 2011

Absolute Certainty: A Crime Novel

The Vortex: Where the Law of Attraction Assembles All Cooperative Relationships

---

• Read my 2010 and 2011 book recommendations.
• Read my 2009 relaxation book recommendations.
• Read my 2008 reviews for relaxation books of the month.
• Read the reviews for my 2007 books of the month.

Recommendations for Book of the Month

If you would like to suggest a book of the month, contact me.

If you have any additional comments to make on my free book review, you can submit them using the form below.

Return to Relaxation at Home Homepage