Rash is a great storyteller.  This novel is the tale of two brothers whose lives are forever altered by the sudden appearance of a beguiling young woman.  I read it one sitting. Fast-paced and engrossing. … [Read more...] about The Risen: A Novel

Love, love, love this book.  They are so wise and wonderful.  So much to glean from these pages! … [Read more...] about The Book of Joy

In this beautiful translation of  Colombian writer, Vasquez, the reader is treated to a provocative story about the role the artist wields to influence lives.  Reputations opens with the "crowning of a rebel," Javier Mallarino, a famous political cartoonist who can make and break reputations, especially of politicians. But what if the artist was basing his or her creation on a faulty piece of information or on something mis-remembered and a person's life is destroyed in the process?  Mallarino … [Read more...] about Reputations

This book blew me away. It's an unsettling exploration of the relationship between two very different women. You will never forget this story or these characters. (Plus there's a dog who plays an important role, as well.) … [Read more...] about The Door

We’ve all been on the receiving end of criticism or in a position to give it. Either way, it can be tricky, and, at times, ugly. I think of the times I’ve taken my kids out on the tennis court to to give them some coaching. When we walk back through the door, my husband immediately knows that a good time was not had by all. In my defense, I was just matter-of-factly telling them how to improve their strokes, and what they heard was “You think I’m not good enough,” or “You don’t appreciate me for … [Read more...] about Thanks for the Feedback

What do you want to be when you grow up?  How would you have answered that question when you were a kid?  Lindy West, the brilliant, funny, and insightful author of Shrill, is my new author crush.  She literally changed my view about so many things as I read her book.  She was asked that same question as a kid, but her reminiscence is both hilarious and biting with a big dose of (from my perspective) “wow, I never thought of that before.”  She writes: “Thanks to a glut of cultural messaging, I … [Read more...] about Shrill

When George Washington was a lad of sixteen, he copied down all 110 rules from "The Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation." He knew he had a fiery temper, a trait he worked hard to control all his life. Many of the rules he copied were about restraint, patience, and dignity, and according to the authors of Treating People Well: The Extraordinary Power of Civility at Work and In Life, these lessons of Washington’s youth were invaluable during the Revolutionary War and … [Read more...] about Treating People Well

When Lyndon Johnson was trying to pass the Civil Rights Act, he often tried to coerce opponents with stories of his beloved family cook, Zephyr Wright (a woman who had served as cook to Johnson’s family for more than three decades) but that did not protect her from suffering Jim Crow indignities.  Lyndon, Lady Bird and Zephyr drove from Texas to Washington and as they passed through a small town, Lady Bird said, “Lyndon, would you mind stopping at the next gas station?”  They stopped, used the … [Read more...] about Potlikker Papers

This is an enthralling narrative that profiles five historical figures: polar explorer Ernest Shackleton, President Abraham Lincoln, legendary abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Nazi-resisting clergyman Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and environmental crusader Rachel Carson. Each faced a significant, at times, life-threatening crisis.  Koehn shares their compelling/inspiring stories and the powerful lessons to be gleaned from their examples of leadership, courage, and perseverance.  Most interestingly, … [Read more...] about Forged In Crisis