Ina Garten’s new memoir isn’t just about food—it’s about life, reinvention, and creating joy around the table. We know her as the warm, unflappable Barefoot Contessa, but here she lets us into her private world: a childhood marked by pressure and criticism, a career that began in nuclear energy policy, and the leap of faith that led her to buy a specialty food store in the Hamptons—with no formal training.
The title itself—Be Ready When the Luck Happens—is Garten’s philosophy in action. She … [Read more...] about Be Ready When the Luck Happens

I’m a bit of a homebody.

So it’s a little ironic how much I enjoyed Rick Steves’ new travel book, On the Hippie Trail. I’m fascinated by people like Steves, who told the New York Times:

“Some people, their wisdom is, don’t get on a bus if it’s too crowded. You might get pickpocketed. I love to be on a bus that’s so crowded that there’s people hanging outside the door when the bus takes off and then they settle in like cornflakes settle into a box, and there’s always room for one more … [Read more...] about On The Hippie Trail

I first picked up Moon Shot after reading a quote from former astronaut Mike Massimino in an article about how to find happiness. That might seem like an odd place to find life advice—a man who’s been to space talking about how to find joy on Earth—but that’s what hooked me.
Mike said:

“Since going to space I’ve stopped complaining about the weather. Because in space, there is no weather…”

That line paused me—right in the middle of my Sunday walk on the Prairie Path, my bright pink … [Read more...] about Moon Shot

Consider this:

The U.S. incarcerates 1.8 million people, the highest per capita in the world.
The U.S. spends twice as much on crime and punishment as it does on social services.
By contrast, countries like Finland focus on rehabilitation, education, job training, and personal growth. Their incarceration rates are among the lowest in the world.

In Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change, Chicago author Ben Austen reveals the devastating truth about America’s … [Read more...] about Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change

This past Thursday, my husband, son, and I drove home from the Big Ten basketball tournament in Indianapolis where we had been cheering on our Northwestern Wildcats. My sister had treated us to incredible third-row seats, so we could hear the players talking to each other and see beads of sweat flying from their hair. The energy was electric.

And yet, as I looked around, I couldn’t help but notice the sheer amount of plastic cups and wasted food strewn under and around our seats. That’s … [Read more...] about Dream State

Ina Garten’s new memoir isn’t just about food—it’s about life, reinvention, and creating joy around the table. We know her as the warm, unflappable Barefoot Contessa, but here she lets us into her private world: a childhood marked by pressure and criticism, a career that began in nuclear energy policy, and the leap of faith that led her to buy a specialty food store in the Hamptons—with no formal training.
The title itself—Be Ready When the Luck Happens—is Garten’s philosophy in action. She … [Read more...] about Be Ready When the Luck Happens

I’m a bit of a homebody.

So it’s a little ironic how much I enjoyed Rick Steves’ new travel book, On the Hippie Trail. I’m fascinated by people like Steves, who told the New York Times:

“Some people, their wisdom is, don’t get on a bus if it’s too crowded. You might get pickpocketed. I love to be on a bus that’s so crowded that there’s people hanging outside the door when the bus takes off and then they settle in like cornflakes settle into a box, and there’s always room for one more … [Read more...] about On The Hippie Trail

I first picked up Moon Shot after reading a quote from former astronaut Mike Massimino in an article about how to find happiness. That might seem like an odd place to find life advice—a man who’s been to space talking about how to find joy on Earth—but that’s what hooked me.
Mike said:

“Since going to space I’ve stopped complaining about the weather. Because in space, there is no weather…”

That line paused me—right in the middle of my Sunday walk on the Prairie Path, my bright pink … [Read more...] about Moon Shot

Consider this:

The U.S. incarcerates 1.8 million people, the highest per capita in the world.
The U.S. spends twice as much on crime and punishment as it does on social services.
By contrast, countries like Finland focus on rehabilitation, education, job training, and personal growth. Their incarceration rates are among the lowest in the world.

In Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change, Chicago author Ben Austen reveals the devastating truth about America’s … [Read more...] about Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change