Renee Paule Libros

"If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things." - René Descartes. Renée Paule took this advice to heart in The Doubt Factor - sowing seeds of doubt about a range of topics and giving them the benefit of her unique take on things. She encourages us to use our own powers of reasoning, rather than taking things at face value. Renée writes "Doubt feeds on the fear of imagined consequences, such as making a mistake we may later regret; doubt holds us in a state of indecision ... it becomes our master." She makes a good case that we need to "... learn to doubt intelligently." - to wield doubt rather than to be wielded by it. There is much in this book to give pause for thought - perhaps even enough to shake off complacency.

Umbra, Penumbra and Me is a collection of the first four observational books written by Renée Paule. They chronicle her self-reflective philosophical journey in a style that’s amiable and engaging. Throughout this book, Renée questions the many facets of life that we take for granted by lifting the lid on convention, and challenging the status-quo - unlearning all that society has taught her in the process, and freeing her mind of conditioning. There is much to think about in these pages and it can make for uncomfortable reading, as questions we tend to avoid are raised and discussed - this is not, as Renée calls it, ‘cotton wool’ philosophy. This collection is ‘self-help’ in the truest sense; there are no answers provided and it is left to the reader to cogitate and draw their own conclusions - conclusions that Renée maintains we already know but shy away from. If there is one thing that stands out in this work it’s that ‘we’ are responsible for what happens in our world - there is no-one else to blame. You may not always like what you read herein, but will be hard-pressed to refute it.

Enquiring further into the subject of human conditioning - and beyond - Renée Paule takes us past another milestone on her continuing journey of self-reflection, wherein she looks at and discusses the society created and sustained by us. As with Renée's previous books, her unique perspective gives no answers and is self-help in its purist form - sympathetically encouraging you to think independently. Have you ever wondered 'What am I doing here?' or 'Who am I?' If so, this book may help you to realise that you are not alone with these thoughts, or in being frustrated by the maze of conflicting information we're directed towards when we ask these questions. Ultimately, you may discover that it isn't answers you are looking for, but yourself.

Bertie the gardener is happy with his life, so is Oscar - his dog. However, this happiness turns to discontent when Bertie sees George looking 'important' in his new bowler hat. Bertie wants one just like it, so that he can look important too. Consequently, he hangs up his comfy old hat and that's when his adventure begins. There's a fun activity page at the back of this book so that children can learn more about different types of hats and their names.