Why do women drink so much these days and feel the need to hide it?  It’s a really important question, and Glaser’s book offers an eye-opening exploration of the history of women and drinking (especially wine consumption), the lack of research even done on women and drinking, and the limited options women have when they feel they have a problem.  She also provides research and examples of successful alternatives to AA. A very useful and enlightening book. … [Read more...] about Her Best-Kept Secret

Do you remember reading an essay in the New York Times a couple of years ago entitled: “You May Want to Marry My Husband”?  It was an incredible tribute written by Amy Rosenthal to her husband before she died at the age of 51 from ovarian cancer.  I know, I know, but she’s such a great writer and she lived life so joyfully that it’s worth revisiting.  So I was delighted when I finally got around to reading her book Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life and found myself chuckling, laughing out loud, … [Read more...] about Encyclopedia of An Ordinary Life

A brilliant book that captures the harsh realities and nuances of what it means to be an American in 2018 told through the compelling lives of characters who will both enrage you and hold up a mirror of our own flawed, vulnerable seeking selves.

 

Barry is the hedge fund anti-hero of the novel who has achieved it all, a degree from Princeton, despite his troubled upbringing, a multi-million dollar New York lifestyle, a beautiful wife, and, much to his dismay, a three-year-old son with … [Read more...] about Lake Success

Set aside enough time to finish Two Girls Down because it’s a page turner.  It’s every parent’s worst nightmare; two young girls disappear during a quick shopping trip to Target.  Their single mother, Jamie Brandt, is heartsick and distraught. Jamie’s aunt contacts Alice Vega, a famous California bounty hunter.  Within 24 hours, Vega arrives in Schuylkill County, PA. She needs a partner, someone who knows the local scene. Max Caplan, “Cap”, is her choice—once a local cop, now a private … [Read more...] about Two Girls Down

The subtitle of this book is “Stop believing the lies about who you are so you can become who you were meant to be,” and that’s what Rachel explores in 20 life-lessons she’s learned about how to overcome the falsehoods that left her feeling overwhelmed and unworthy and how she moved past them.  With raw honesty and humor, she shares her personal stories along with practical and inspiring advice on how to combat the lies and misconceptions (that so many of us fall victim to) in order to live a … [Read more...] about Girl, Wash Your Face

I did manage to squeeze in an hour of sightseeing while in D.C. this past July. Bill and I went to the National Archives Museum where the Constitution is housed.  There’s also a sobering and powerful exhibit in the museum that highlights how minorities and people of color have often been denied and barred from exercising the rights guaranteed by the very documents housed in the museum. I stood rapt in front of vintage video of African Americans marching side by side down the streets of D.C. as … [Read more...] about The Nickel Boys

A fun, immersive novel with lots to think about.  Great writing and surprise ending! … [Read more...] about Fleishman Is In Trouble

This description from the book cover captures the essence of this powerful book:

"How can we live our lives when everything seems to fall apart--when we are continually overcome by fear, anxiety, and pain? The answer, Pema Chodron suggests, might be just the opposite of what you expect. Pema shows that moving toward painful situations and becoming intimate with them can open up our hearts in ways we never before imagined. Drawing from traditional Buddhist wisdom, she offers life-changing … [Read more...] about When Things Fall Apart

Really enjoyed these words of hers: "Fitting in and belonging are not the same thing, and, in fact, fitting in gets in the way of belonging. Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn't require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are."

Important and inspiring description, me thinks! … [Read more...] about The Gifts of Imperfection