Express Yourself is an experiential-packed "how to" focusing on discovering and forming a relationship with one's deep, inner creative self. A good many topics are covered, from priming oneself for the inward journey and surrendering to creativity to working with emotional energy (especially regarding uncovering and shifting beliefs that shape our experience of the outer world) and changing our behavior so as to more clearly feel, know and express the suchness of who we are -- finding the "joy of the journey," as Freeman so aptly puts it.

As a therapist and personal coach with over 20 years experience, Freeman shares many of her own stories as well as those of her clients. These examples both complement and coincide nicely with the bounty of exercises presented for accumulating and developing one's "tools" for the journey. What is especially helpful is that many variations are offered. If one exercise doesn't strike your fancy, another one with much of the same focus may. From working with power animals to self-dialoguing to journaling, there is plenty here to choose from. It is part of the book's point: tap into the deep essence of who you are, summon up the courage to let it out, and express yourself in the joyfully unique way that only you can.

StoryPeople are wood sculptures that artist and author Brian Andreas makes out of old barn and fence wood from homesteads in northeast Iowa. The sculptures look like people (in a rough, artsy sort of way) and are hand-stamped, one letter at a time, with stories. StoryPeople (the book) is a collection of the quirky stories that appear on StoryPeople (the sculptures), along with many equally quirky sketches.

This is a wonderful book that is great fun to read. It's especially perfect for people who long for some insight but have neither the attention span nor inclination to sit around and look for it. The stories are short, potent, and metaphysically intriguing -- kind of like a shot of killer espresso with a cosmic fortune cookie on the side. The category of the book is listed as Humor/Philosophy/Spirituality/New Age/Life Wisdom/Fiction and all of this is true. StoryPeople stories are silly, bittersweet, joyous, amusing and moving, depending on the page you're on. Here's a short sampling. Enjoy.

I tried for a whole summer to teach our cat to play the piano. We started with an easy song. It was 3 Blind Mice. My dad said it didn't work because the cat had a tin ear, but I think it was because she kept looking around for the blind mice the whole time & never gave it her full attention.

After his father died, he carried his life more gently & left an empty space for the birds and other creatures.

We lay there & looked up at the night sky & she told me about stars called blue squares & red swirls & I told her I'd never heard of them. Of course not, she said, the really important stuff they never tell you. You have to imagine it on your own.

Dawn Baumann Brunke is the Editor of Alaska Wellness magazine. If you would like to do book reviews or have a book to suggest, please e-mail her at brunke@matnet.com.