Have you noticed how many books these days are really a bunch of riffs on life? You know, a collection of blogs or short articles with titles such as “When I Meditate” or “I Can’t Get That Penis out of My Mind.” Stuff like that. (You for sure want to know which book has that penis title in it.) I like the idea of writing a book this way. Seems a hell of a lot easier than actually stringing together a coherent, thematically interesting book from page 1 to 300. I’m pretty sure this will be the … [Read more...] about Would Everybody Please Stop?

This is a wonderful and thrilling story of how one man always had a dream of going to Antartica.  As a child who was bullied everyday on the bus by his schoolmates, Andrew found refuge in the hundreds of copies of National Geographic magazines he read as a child. Within the pages of the magazine he imagines himself traveling the world and dreams of working for the magazine one day.  Excommunicated from the Mormon Church and disowned by his family for being gay, Andrew eventually gets his dream … [Read more...] about The Black Penguin

All of us have watched Lesley interview famous people on "60 Minutes."  She's good at that.  But wait till you hear her take on being a grandmother.  Like other moms, she felt guilty over not being there as much as she would have liked for her own daughter.  But Lesley is all in on the grandmother track.  She even shares scientific information about the powerful impact grand parenting has on both the grandchildren and grandparents themselves. … [Read more...] about Becoming Grandma

Kirk is over a hundred and he and Anne have been married for over 60 years!  How did they make a Hollywood marriage work that long?  There's lots to learn about not just marriage but any relationship from Kirk and Anne.  A delightful read with beautiful, moving, and heartfelt letters from both of them. … [Read more...] about Kirk and Anne

Catriona discovered running in her 30's and found joy in the movement itself.  She ran her first half marathon after training on a treadmill only.  Although she participates in marathons, she is less interested in the competitive nature of running and more in how running makes her feel, including how much more connected she feels to her surroundings as she experiences them as a runner.  There are some great parallels between running and life.  It's also an enlightening history of the sport from … [Read more...] about The Long Run

Ooh.  This is just too good to put into words.  Her husband said: “I love it because it faithfully reflects the woman I have loved for so long.” Barack adds he may be a bit biased, but added, “She also happens to be brilliant, funny, wise—one of a kind.  This book tells her quintessentially American story.”  Here are some of the adjectives I wrote down as I read her remarkable memoir: transparent, accessible, real, vulnerable, inspiring, smart, incredibly well-written, and moving. I could go on, … [Read more...] about Becoming

Goodwin will capture your heart and mind with her poignant and fascinating exploration of these four remarkable leaders: Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson.  It’s captivating to see how the influences of their formative years played out as they grew into adults and politicians. Most striking, however, is at the core, each had a voracious appetite for learning, a willingness to change and grow, tremendous empathy for others, and a desire to truly make the world a … [Read more...] about Leadership In Turbulent Times

When Mary Byron first arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, she was only 29 and newly married to a U.S. special agent whose job it was to protect the entire American community in the Western Cape Province during South Africa’s transition to democracy under Mandela. What had this midwestern girl signed up for? Madly in love and eager to join her husband Patrick on his mission, this independent career girl would suddenly find herself thrust into uncharted territory as she learned to navigate a … [Read more...] about No Ordinary Life

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