FEBRUARY 2015

At the beginning of new years I particularly try to find new approaches and new things to learn. This little volume packs alot of inspiration and ideas to ponder throughout the year. Using the page a day method or just dipping in and around both provide something for your soul. Seek stimulation? See page 260. Page 286 gives thoughts on replenishment. "In life, it is we who select what we will become by the actions that we perform" (page 141). How about the purchasing action? Seek harmony in the world and within yourself. Read! Enjoy!

JANUARY 2015 (Part 2)

January, a month to maybe start a diet or at least find some new recipes. I may not be the cook in the house, but sometimes I make good suggestions. This is it! Tasty AND low calories! I never thought I'd like squash, put try is as pad thai, pg. 84. The directions are simple enough for me to follow and I like having shopping lists at the backof the book. Detailed nutrition info is at the bottom if each recipe. At this rate I may even try pg. 148...the turkey kale.

AUGUST 2014

Can't get enough of the TCFF?? Use this at home afterward as a guide. A father made a deal with his son who was allowed to drop out of school.... But they had to watch three films a week and discuss them. What films would you choose for a curriculum? Showgirls? Really??What couldbe the lesson there?? This could be the foundation of a book/movie club. Action!

JUNE 2014

You just have to leaf through this incredible book!! The artwork alone is so beautiful!! The individual stories and short quotes are touching and inspiring. Then there are the inquisitive journal prompts to challenge you. So this lovely volume could be a gift for a grad (Dad?) or retiree, or just something incredible for your own bookshelf. What a special book created by a writer who is really AOK and challenged others to respond. I am grateful I found this book and that I get to work around readers and book lovers. Enjoy!!!

APRIL 2014

Sit outside and dream of Paris while reading DeRosnay's take on the city in the 1860's as dark alley neighborhoods are being renovated to Haussmann's modern city. Rose will NOT leave her family home as she writes in letters to her dead husband. Relish the Paris she paints and the characters she describes with her charming turn of phrase... Enchante!

JANUARY 2014

A new year, a new leaf, a new portfolio? From novices to experienced investors, I bet you can find something in here for you. The clear layout makes it easy to learn concepts in sizeable segments, or just dip in and find out something specific. There are detailed "Action Steps" and checklists if you want to be precise & follow the Can Slim program. An e-mail is included for providong feedback or asking further questions. You may recognize author Galgani from his radio show & ties to Investors Business Daily. Books are usually a good investment, those like this one are more so. So invest in your future today!

NOVEMBER 2013

This is a lively truth-is-stranger-than-fiction narrative on REAL art thefts. Whittman, a former FBI undercover agent dishes the dirt and gives the the lowdown on the characters behind big heists. You don't have to appreciate art to enjoy the cat and mouse games and dicey dialogue detailed here.

Wait 'till you read about the "Antiques Roadshow" connection. Then there's the story about North Carolina's copy of The Bill of Rights looted during the Civil War and bought by the author in a sting. Steal some time to read this captivating book.

SEPTEMBER 2013

September. Fall makes me think of preserving my bounty of summer, and this book helps me do just that. It's still not too late to grab some great produce from local farmers markets and save summer in a jar or freezer. Can you top a recipe using a microwave and liqueur?? (Hint: it's in the jam section along with Autumn Fruit Jam.) Can you really say you have NO Zucchini?? See page 153. This volume packs in alot of good information in an easy to read and follow format even for kitchen challenged folk like me. Bon Appetit!!

JUNE 2013

June, a time for family vacations, a cutsie gift or a road trip. Sothis little volume could be useful, or just fun. Don't peek first, but guess which 6 unusual Michigan names are in here. Make this a parlor game with friends; name the states these towns are from and how they were named: Happy Camp , Index, Arctic, Toast. How many have you visited?

What town is named after a mule??(pg. 231) The stories about how these towns were named can add a smile to your day. Buy this, as the book says Wynot! (NE)

APRIL 2013

April may bring some showers, but I'm ready to see some green. I hope to walk/hike some of the places I cross-country skied this winter. The section on the Sleeping Bear Dunes is detailed with both descriptions & small maps. The North Country Trail section is not so detailed, but provides references to contact for additional information. Nearby Grass River Natural area is included as well. I plan to keep my copy in the car so I have it when out traveling. As a gift for a friend or to add to your own collection this is a great book to have on hand.

FEBRUARY 2013

February Fun includes Microbrew Festival, Comedy Festival, Valentine's Day, and the Oscars. Celebrate all those occasions with this book and its lively recipes. Besides a "Root Beer" Float, you could make a "Chocolate Truffle" (pg. 75) for your sweetie. It's called "Snakebite" for a reason; check it out to see why. All you retirees check out page 54. The photos are fab and the recipes clear and easy to follow. Have a blast and a giggle with these cocktails. Cheers!!!

NOVEMBER 2012

November: A month that sometimes needs color and reminds us to be thankful. The 10-year anniversary collection reminds me what FUN Runway has been and how colorful! This is a great gift for fashionistas, budding designers/costumers and all-around creative types. Learn all the backstage secrets like which designer is "fierce" and why. What type of dress would you make out of merchandise at a grocery store? Can you tell which dress on pages 152-153 was made of newspaper? Find the peanuts sack dress!

SEPTEMBER 2012

September: a month for star wathcing and off-shoulder travel... like, say, outer space??? Get the ins and outs of space without all the NASA Astronaugt training. Author Roach's irreverent style takes nothing away from the actual science involved. She makes the reading enjoyable for every younger readers who yearn to know about bodily functions in space. Do you know what a furuncle is? Or why the "corned beef sandwich" incident was dangerous? Learn and laugh with Roach, who also wrote Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers.

JUNE 2012

Nash Rambler & Studebaker were spoken of with reverence in our family. Great fun to read stories of romance, high-jinks, and lessons learned related to these cars. Even the stories told by names I didn't recognize were entertaining.

Another form of amusement in the book is finding typos & errors! Can you identify the incorrect word usage on page 78?

The handsome photos are helpful for me as I am unfamiliar with many styles and makes. Kinda makes you want to write an ode to your first car. Mine was a Coronet. What was yours? Is it in here? A great gift for a Dad, Grad or something to read on a road trip.

APRIL 2012

April Showers... bring May Meditation. Before the season gets too hectic try this book that comes with 4 guided meditations on CD. Skeptical??? So was I, but this small volume provides an easy-to-follow program. you can even just dip into it for some quick new perspective. Try pg. 96 and the Drinking Tea Meditation, or the answers on pg. 70 about being restless. "Real happiness depends on what we do with our attention," the book claims. Attend this and grab some.

FEBRUARY 2012

February. No Comedy Fest. Well this isn't funny, but it is a treat. Hey it is Oscar month so why not look at even more GREAT dresses. The photos are fab and the behind-the-seams stories give dishy details. Iconic Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn garments are here with Chanel, Princess Diana, Cher, Lady Gaga, and... well just look. Guys, it's a great gift for your lady love. Ladies, you know you have room in your closet for it. Buy it because it will never go out of style!

SEPTEMBER 2011

FEBRUARY 2015

March. An especially fun beach read for folks getting out of town but also a gripping read anywhere. I'd heard of Ederle being the first woman to swim the English Channel, but I didn't know about the three other American ladies. Read of the dreams, the training , the attempts, the tides, and the weather. Remember this, in 1926 when the bathing suits were modest, and there was no GPS trackin or internet for instant news. Mortimer gives you a detailed Jim Mckay, Al Michaels kind of easy to follow human story of these ladies' struggles and swims. He follows Ederle as she makes her hero/star tour. Forget "Boys in the Boat" and read about women in the water, and then go do some laps.