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Susan Cain is a Ted-Talker, and also the author of the book 'Quiet- The power of introverts in the world that can't stop talking' which is a very famous book that changed a millions of lives around the world, with a whole new perspective about introverts, she unlocks so many possibilities and opportunities for introverts. To help you plan your visit, here is our guide to the best places and shopping areas in East Hanover. Select from our best shopping destinations in East Hanover without breaking the bank. Read reviews, compare malls, and browse photos of our recommended places to shop in East Hanover on Tripadvisor. BookTube is the unofficial name given to a collection of YouTube channels that discuss all things bookish. Each day, thousands of online creators, or BookTubers, share videos about books they love (and hate), literacy, fandom and being generally crazy for reading. CarlosDavid.org via Getty Images.
Mary MacKillop has moved a step closer to becoming the nation's first and only saint.
She is the saint for all Australians, not merely Catholics or Christians. She can be fairly described as a South Australian saint. It was in the South-East, with the inspiration of Father Tenison Woods, that she donned a girlish black dress and dedicated her life to bringing her goodness to the roughneck bush community: to man, woman and child.
Her devotion extended beyond her Catholic flock. The recipients of her loving were her neighbours, especially the barefoot children.
She was ecumenical. She couldn't help it. This was March 19, 1866.
Perhaps she was peculiarly lucky. She was more than a century in advance of the stone-ground changes in the value systems of the Catholic Church when they began to happen at last.
It was almost certainly apocryphal, but many people close to the papacy claim that the Pope himself expressed the opinion that an Australian saint would be a good thing, but it would be better to offer a saint for all Australians.
The Order of the Sisters of St Joseph, the only indigenous Australian sisterhood (who began their moils and toils in Angas St, in this [Adelaide], the most sectarian city in Australia), have worked for half a century or more to make Rome aware of Mary MacKillop as the indefatigable battler.
Her goodness was allied to the Australian principle of obedience, prayer and getting things done even if it meant an occasional spat with the authorities, or finding a dollar where few dollars were to be found - a harmony of spirituality and true temporal grit.
It was about seven years ago, I think, that I came across the Mary MacKillop literature and became persuaded that this lady (who received a period of local excommunication for her feminist convictions over matters of no great moment to the Church and its disciplines) must be the saint for all Australians.
Firstly, she was an ecumenical before her time. Her consultants for all sorts of problems and programs were Mr Solomon, an elderly Jew, and Mrs Joanna Barr Smith, a lady of Anglican persuasion.
Secondly, she was a feminist who believed women should be frightened of nothing. Having taught a coterie of girls from Adelaide's poor and unwanted how to teach, she sent them where they were most in need, and alone. A system of railways was proliferating in SA. Wherever the lines extended, there were gangers, their wives and a prodigality of feral children. The Josephites followed them to the end of the lines protected only by their Christian faith and love. They slept in tents, in tin halls, and no harm came to any of them. They brought love of the kind which commands respect.
It is strange that a sort of celibate man lived in this celibate girl. There was work, and a giving spirit. There was no such thing as a man's work or woman's work. If she could do it, she did it. Even now, the mass of Josephites have little deferential sense of gender separation.
The tradition is still present in this only Australian of sisterhoods. In the past couple of years, a West Australian sister felt she could change things in some ways if she went to the alti-plano of the Andes, grew vegetables and taught children. The teenage assassins of the Shining Path, the most vicious survivors in Peru of Maoism, poured into the village by night and shot her to pieces, slowly and tortuously.
To me, she was a martyr. She is not presented as a martyr by the Josephites. She did what she had to do and a replacement for her was found almost on the instant.
This is also the way it worked in the Australia that once was, before female submission became the great Victorian virtue.
At this point, you may have growing suspicions that you have read something like this before. You have, and in this newspaper two years ago. My theory then was that Australians (especially its egocentric agnostics) were creating moods of mediocrity, vacuity, aimlessness of the mind and heart.
Raging materialism ceased to be what life was all about. And the SA past seemed to have died on us. Bannon, Mason, McDouall Stuart, Don Bradman - all brave models, but spiritual? Scarcely! Their forte was bravery beyond the confines of reason.
Then Mary MacKillop came into recent view - a woman, a Catholic and relatively unknown. It would be sounder journalism to back up her sanctification with colourful stories of the life of the little Penola school teacher. The task is too large.
The verification of her unique humanity, set in the Australian mind, was posited in a three-volume work of 1500 pages by Fr Paul Gardiner, a Jesuit posted to Rome, with the task of setting down every little detail of Mary's mind, motives and fidelity.
The final document went before the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints and, as I understand it, the hands of all 11 members were raised. It must have been a frustrating day for the devil's advocate! But it was a wonderful day for me. Not a single word I had written earlier had to be retracted.
But there is a bit of explaining to do. Why should a convoluted, demanding and non-rational private convention of the Catholic Church have relevance to, or tenable meanings for, agnostics, atheists, or strict Protestants, Jews or Islamics?
Phillip Adams made this point on the radio. Elderly gentlemen, he said, such as Max, have a propensity for love affairs with Mary MacKillops, ho hum! All those ridiculous miracles and visitations from the Virgin Mary.
All perfectly fair, albeit unconvincing about what constitutes a spiritual life, and whether Phillip has any aspirations towards a self above and beyond the aggregation of wisdom of which he is possessed, I don't know.
St Francis of Assisi and William Blake. These are some of my saints. Through such models, the purpose of life can be defined. The purpose of life is a kind of loving - and a defiance of hating.
It is that kind of self-questioning which asks whether you have realised the best in yourself, or live a self-delusion.
Mary MacKillop operated differently. She combined a search for the wellbeing of an isolated and desolate colonial Australia, along with a belief that each soul unconsciously aspires to a richer and better selfhood.
Mary MacKillop has moved that step closer to sainthood, an achievement of the white man's dreaming. There is no available commercial biography of what she did, so I can only invite you to join my joy at the arrival of an image of an Australian quality of goodness. You'll just have to believe me.
It has always been my idea that she should be regarded as a South Australian saint for all Australians.
I believe we need a saint. We need hope. We need ideals for ourselves. Mary MacKillop is where we can look to find the best in ourselves.
So it's off to Penola to think our way to better goals and values.
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This is the final of four articles being published on this site by leading Australian writer, the late Max Harris. This article first appeared in the 'Adelaide Advertiser' (20 January 1995), and is reprinted here by permission of Max Harris' estate.
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It is strange that a sort of celibate man lived in this celibate girl. There was work, and a giving spirit. There was no such thing as a man's work or woman's work. If she could do it, she did it.
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I'm the guy at the barbershop, the dentist's office and the strip club with my nose in a book (OK, not the strip club, that was just to get your attention). I read all of the time, and I love it.
Reading invigorates me, sharpens my mind and makes my soul dance. I love when a book takes me to the furthest nook of my brain and expands my knowledge. I live in a state of constant evolution of mind, body and soul, where learning acts as one of the key pillars. Reading is a primary vehicle to growing that knowledge.
Did you ever ask someone if they read, and they give you that lame excuse that they don't have time? That really tears my pages. Mind you, this is that same person that told you he or she watched the entire season of Game of Thrones in three days. Reading is a sport that takes practice and dedication.
Related: Hey, Book Lovers: Now You Can Smell the Part
From 2011 to 2013, I read 197 books and became obsessed. I witnessed massive personal growth, development and knowledge gains. Here are some tricks I use to read more:
1. Carry your book(s) everywhere.
There's always an opportunity to read. Maybe at the DMV or before a business meeting. Whenever you have a moment, you can break out your book and read. Especially if you like to read digital versions. I still prefer hard copy.
2. Keep a list.
There's a sense of fulfillment and motivation tracking the books you've read. You'll always be able to reference the list or provide recommendations, and will be inspired by the compounding effect reading has. Soon after you begin, you'll already have a handful of books completed, and it will be motivating to see that list grow. I use Good Reads to track everything.
3. Read multiple books.
This strategy works well for me. I like to have different books in different areas of my living quarters. Also, reading multiple books at once helps keep my mind and thoughts fresh. I get bored easily, so I like to keep on my toes however I can.
4. Mark it up.
Whether a physical copy or digital version, marking up a book (underlining, highlighting, notes, etc.) provides multiple benefits. First, if ever you need to reference the book, you have already curated the main points. Second, if you read the book again, you can review what stuck out to you the first (or second, third, etc.) time through. It's fun to see the difference in perspective you sometimes have. Next, if you ever pass the book onto someone, they can see your notes and highlights, and compare their perspective to yours. Lastly, the interactivity helps you retain information.
5. Share what you read.
Sharing what I read helps me teach others. Teaching is the best way to learn. Also, I enjoy sharing information and providing insight about different topics I am passionate about. When I read, I expand my ability to provide more of those insights, and find the experience invigorating.
6. Listen to books.
This might fall into the reading loophole, but my buddy practices this strategy all of the time. He commutes about 40 minutes in the morning and 40 minutes at night. He has a subscription to Audible, and listens to books online. He puts the speed up on the readings too, to listen ('read') even faster.
Related: 6 Inspiring Summer Reads for Entrepreneurs
7. Buy cheap.
Ninety percent of the time I use Amazon to purchase my books. I will even purchase a used copy if it's available. Having a larger budget for more books allows me to purchase more. Purchasing more books allows me to read more. It's simple.
8. Keep your eyes open.
I find books I'm interested in reading everywhere. For instance, while traveling in Hong Kong I stopped at a book store and found about 50 books I want to read. I took a picture and now have a new list of books to purchase.
9. Prioritize.
If you want to read more, reading has to become a priority. It has to take precedence over watching Netflix, scrolling through Instagram or making snaps. We all have the same 24 hours. Some of us just know how to maximize every second.
10. Have dedicated reading time.
This helps to create a habit. Creating the habit helps you do more of it. Simple.
11. Join a book club.
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Mark Zuckerberg has a club you can join. Different book clubs have different processes. It's motivating to read with others and share what you've read. It's also helpful for accountability. There are online groups or in-person groups. Figure out what's best for you.
12. Find a trusted referral source.
Ryan Holiday is my guy. He has a newsletter in which he recommends books. They range from fiction to non-fiction, but his lists are always a good source of reading material. Actually, I just flew to Costa Rica and Thailand, and before I left I shot him an email asking for his favorite book about writing. He made a recommendation and I bought and read it.
Find someone whom you respect that provides recommendations. This will keep your mind fresh with new books to read. Having a steady flow will help you stay motivated to keep reading, while establishing a compounding list of books.
Related: A Simple Rule That Could Change Your Life (and How You Buy Books)
13. Read in sprints.
Some days my attention span is less than others. During these days, I set 20-minute timers and read in 20-minute sprints. This helps me not get too burnt out, and allows me to feed my wandering mind after a dedicated sprint (where I may spend five to 10 minutes doing something else).
If you enjoy reading as much as I do, join my Facebook group of more than 12,000 entrepreneurs. We just started a monthly book club, where I'll choose a book to read for the month. We plan to have discussions and share our learnings. Oh, and make sure if you end up at the strip club to bring a book.
