Dr. Simoyan’s books are at the following local shops in Pennsylvania: Junk to Jazz, The Reading Public Museum, Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary, and The Art & Craft Gallery of Hamburg.
Inspirational
I Played My Best for Him!
2024 American Writing Awards FINALIST
2024 American Writing Awards FINALIST
Delve into the rich history and stories of 13 beloved Christmas songs in Dr. Simoyan’s new book, I Played My Best for Him. This captivating companion to her 2023 album, Peju Sings! The Little Drummer Boy and Other Christmas Favorites offers a fresh perspective on timeless melodies like "Silent Night," "Feliz Navidad," and more.
Behavioral Health
Transformation & Recovery - Lessons from the Butterfly
Dive into an eye-opening journey through the stages of personal transformation, brilliantly paralleled with the awe-inspiring metamorphosis of a butterfly. Don't just read about change—experience it! This visually captivating resource will inspire you to spread your wings and embrace your own beautiful transformation.
Personal Growth
Living Foolproof! Wisdom for Daily Living
Transform your life with this powerful, interactive devotional and journal! Regardless of your faith or background, this 31-day journey offers universal principles to enrich your daily life. Each day brings a new opportunity for self-discovery and positive change. Ready to revolutionize your thinking and transform your life? Start your journey today!
Nature
Giraffes are Amazing!
Let your imagination soar as high as a giraffe's head! Enter the fascinating world of Earth's tallest land animals and enjoy stunning visuals paired with easy-to-understand science. Stretch your knowledge with this perfect addition to any animal lover's library.
The Amazing World of Butterflies
Discover the amazing world of butterflies and embark on a colorful journey into the fascinating realm of these winged wonders! This captivating guide introduces you to breathtaking species and encourages your imagination to take flight as you explore these delicate marvels of nature. Who knows? You might just be inspired to become a butterfly whisperer yourself!
Travel
Scranton, A Place to Call Home - The Electric City at a Glance
Originally published for Scranton's 150th anniversary, this expanded edition brings the city's story up to the present day. From its industrial roots to its modern renaissance, experience Scranton like never before! More than just a book – it's a journey through Scranton's past, present, and future. Whether adorning your coffee table or gifted to a loved one, this visual treasure trove is sure to spark conversation and ignite local pride.
Editorial Reviews
I Played My Best For Him
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I Played My Best for Him by Olapeju Simoyan is an engaging collection of Christmas songs, enriched with the inspiring backstories of classics like "The Little Drummer Boy", and other Christmas favorite songs.
This beautifully crafted book strikes a balance between education and entertainment, featuring a chronological timeline that traces the evolution of Christmas music from medieval times to modern favorites.
Each song is accompanied by historical context, revealing the cultural events that shaped their creation and highlighting diverse global celebrations throughout the years. The book delves into the significant themes present in popular Christmas lyrics, such as freedom, soldier homecomings, and family gatherings, providing readers with a deeper understanding of the songs' meanings.
It also profiles key influential figures in Christmas music, including composers and performers, while discussing their profound impact on the music industry. Additionally, it touches on regional variations of beloved songs, showcasing their unique characteristics across different cultures. The sing-along sections of the poems add an enjoyable interactive element, and a well-researched bibliography is included for those who wish to explore further.
Overall, Simoyan’s thoughtful compilation is both concise and accessible, making it a delightful read for anyone interested in the history and significance of Christmas music. I rate this book five stars.
I Played My Best for Him by Olapeju Simoyan is a well-crafted and informative book that explores the history and significance of Christmas music. With engaging backstories, profiles of influential figures, and sing-along sections, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of Christmas music and its cultural impact. Rated five stars.
I Played My Best for Him by Olapeju Simoyan is a well-crafted and informative book that explores the history and significance of Christmas music. With engaging backstories, profiles of influential figures, and sing-along sections, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of Christmas music and its cultural impact. Rated five stars.eBookFair Reviewer
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An enchanting peek into the music that enlivens every Christmas season, I Played My Best For Him: The Inspiring Stories Behind the Little Drummer Boy and Other Christmas Favorites by Olapeju Simoyan is a treat for music, holiday, and history lovers alike. From the mystery of who combined the lyrics and music for “Greensleeves” to the controversial hymns that led to “Joy to the World” and the missing verses of “Silent Night,” this illuminating collection of essays reveals the fascinating, and quite often untold stories behind more than a dozen favorite holiday songs. An enlightening collection that is well-designed to be shared with family, these extensively researched articles make for an entertaining and informative read.
Self-Publishing Reviews Reviewer
Transformation & Recovery - Lessons from the Butterfly
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What are the key stages of change as contained in the transtheoretical model of behavior change? Olapeju Simoyan, MD, MPH's book Transformation and Recovery: Lessons from the Butterfly thoroughly explores these stages of change. And there’s so much a butterfly can teach us, as Olapeju writes here about distinctive similarities between stages of change and a butterfly’s life cycle.
Olapeju’s writing is easy to follow along, and this makes the book very appropriate for the general audience. Moreover, the book is interactive enough, thanks to the reflection sections, which are found at the end of every chapter and are filled with a few reflective questions aimed at helping the readers make the most out of the book. Further, while teaching transformation and Recovery, Olapeju uses the correlation of a butterfly’s life cycle to stages of change. This makes the reading not only interesting but also refreshingly engaging.
Given its subject, the book could’ve been at least a little longer.
Who should read this book? Those who have unfortunately become the victims of addiction, which Olapeju defines as a ‘multifactorial disease that can affect an individual’s physical, mental and spiritual health.’ Secondly, readers who love books touching on health, fitness, and diet also have a book worth their time here.
Olapeju Simoyan's book Transformation and Recovery: Lessons from the Butterfly delves into the stages of change as outlined in the transtheoretical model of behavior change, drawing parallels between a butterfly's life cycle and the journey of transformation. The writing is easy to follow and the reflection sections at the end of each chapter make it interactive and engaging for readers. This book is recommended for those struggling with addiction and for those interested in health and wellness.
eBookFair Reviewer
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This book is a must-read for nature lovers, as it beautifully showcases the world of butterflies through stunning photographs and informative content. The author’s writing and editing skills make for a truly exceptional book, earning a perfect rating of 5 out of 5.
The combination of photographs and material, as well as the superb editing used to showcase the book, is really appreciated. I recommend this book to all who love to experience nature’s beauty as documented via photographs and words.
-eBookFair
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If you enjoy Christmas music, I Played My Best for Him! by Olapeju Simoyan is the book for you. Did you know that Katherine Davis wrote the song “The Little Drummer Boy” in 1941? This is just one sample of the wealth of information about Christmas songs you will learn as you read this book. The author of “Angels from the Realms of Glory” spent time in prison because he supported the French Revolution. Do you know what is likely the oldest Christmas carol? If you guessed “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” then you would be right. It was probably written before A.D. 800. This book will fascinate those who love music. The information adds depth to the familiar songs and music, increasing one’s love for Christmas music.
I Played My Best for Him! by Olapeju Simoyan is a great book for all who love Christmas music. The sources the author includes at the end of each song are invaluable. The stories of each songwriter will keep your interest and allow you to see writers’ varied backgrounds. This book is well-organized and delightfully laid out. Olapeju includes the words to the songs that the copywriting law allows. Many people forget that different people often write the words of a song and the music; however, this book includes details about both. The author’s attention to detail is seen in the fact that some Christmas songs were not originally written for Christmas. I highly recommend this book to all who love Christmas and non-Christmas music. It will be a wonderful addition to any library.
Reader’s Favorite Reviewer
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Dr. Olapeju Simoyan shows us an incredibly easy to understand comparison between struggles such as addiction and the cycle a caterpillar goes through in a lifetime. Dr. Simoyan writes of the "trans theoretical model of behavior change" and how it can help in recovery.
Reading this caused a pause for reflection in life. Do I know someone who may be struggling? Am I contributing to a healthy cycle? How can I attribute this into my own life?
Dr. Simoyan provided the examples of John, Jane, and Sue. Jane's addiction is used multiple times throughout the text. She is fired from her job, which is just one of many reasons causing her to get professional help. Jane has a friend named Sue who has watched Jane struggle also has a struggle of her own that she has been avoiding. When she sees that Jane is getting the help she needs, it helps her to realize she needs to be making changes to her life as well.
There are many different versions of examples provided, which shows that this method can help in multiple situations. I recommend this to anyone who may be struggling, who knows of someone struggling, or anyone wanting to learn how to provide help. It was easy to read and provided room for notation and questions for reflection.
Dr. Olapeju Simoyan's book is a reflective and informative read on the trans theoretical model of behavior change, using relatable examples of addiction and recovery. It's a helpful read for those struggling, wanting to support someone, or anyone interested in personal growth.
eBookFair Reviewer
The Amazing World of Butterflies
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I Played My Best for Him by Olapeju Simoyan is a well-crafted and informative book that explores the history and significance of Christmas music. With engaging backstories, profiles of influential figures, and sing-along sections, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of Christmas music and its cultural impact. Rated five stars.
eBookFair Reviewer
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This book, which focuses on recovery in terms of the stages of change and uses the butterfly to relate recovery to its life cycle. The author conceived the book as a resource for individuals in recovery from substance use disorders and behavioural health issues to find hope, gain a fresh perspective and understand the process of recovery.
I have found many things in here are attractive. The butterfly life cycle analogy is beautifully used as a framework leading to the recovery. It is clever and fresh. Many people familiar with the recovery path will be nodding their heads as they read through the book. The author’s personal stories and reflections are another strength of this book. They bring humanity and put a face to this winding and demanding process. The resources that the author listed at the end enhance this book as a good learning resource.
Recovery from many things can be challenging, but the book Transformation and Recovery: Lessons from the Butterfly is a real treasure trove for people who are in recovery or are wanting to help others who are struggling to move forward. This remarkable little book has an amazing creativity and is both beautiful and inspiring. It is also thought provoking and provides some helpful reflections on the creative process of change and transformation that make this a unique book. I would recommend it to anyone who is facing the struggles of despair and hopelessness and is wanting to move into a better story of a healthier, more fulfilled future.
This review praises the book Transformation and Recovery: Lessons from the Butterfly for its unique and creative approach to understanding the stages of recovery from substance use and behavioral disorders. The use of the butterfly life cycle analogy, personal stories, and helpful resources make it a valuable tool for those in recovery or looking to support others in their journey. The review highly recommends this book for anyone seeking hope and a new perspective on recovery and transformation.
eBookFair Reviewer