6-DAY BODY MAKEOVER: Drop One Whole Dress or Pant Size in Just 6 Days--and Keep It Off  by Michael Thurmond: Remember the Grapefruit Diet?  The Hardboiled Egg Diet?  Any fad diet that makes you drop weight quickly but is unsustainable for more than a few days?  This is the newest entry into the marketplace of fast weight loss.  Thurmond is known for his 6 Week Body Makeover, which emphasizes an exercise routine and diet based on your body type.  So does this new book, but with a more restrictive diet.  The idea is that you can jumpstart your weight loss by, in my case, eating nothing but fresh tuna and distilled water for six days.  Different body types get different foods, but this is not a diet I would dare show my doctor.  Still, if you are looking to drop a few pounds for a special occasion, and won't mind gaining it back the day after, it probably won't kill you.  But don't hold me to that.  05/05

52 PROJECTS: RANDOM ACTS OF EVERYDAY CREATIVITY by Jeffrey Yamaguchi:  This is a wonderful little book from the creator of www.52projects.com website.  Everyone has a creative streak and some of us are better than others at bringing it out.  This little book has positive ideas to get the creative juices flowing.  The first half of the book talks about why these projects are so important, how they work and why you should try them when you need some added inspiration.  Then there are the 52 projects which range from writing assignments, photography and other artistic suggestions, and lots of fun, really different ideas like #2, "Find a Recipe for Key Lime Pie."  Now I live in south Florida so I know that there are more recipes for Key Lime Pie than you would think - but it doesn't stop with just finding the recipe.  Then it's baking it, inviting friends over to eat it, taking pictures of the party and so on. Or #14, "Write down the lyrics to your favorite songs."  Or #50, "Go to the library" with additional suggestions of what to do when you get there.  This book makes the perfect graduation gift, a nice little gift for no reason at all (my favorite kind of gift) for any of your creative friends.  06/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

ABOUT ALICE by Calvin Trillin: Trillin’s latest bestseller is a loving tribute to his wife, Alice, who died in 2001. She had been such an integral part of his other books that people felt as if they knew her, and they sent him sympathy letters expressing their regret for his loss. Trillin had been married over thirty-five years to Alice, and, when she died, he felt as if she stayed long enough to see their daughters raised and married. He was always in awe of the beautiful, well-educated woman, and he felt that he was always trying to impress her. This is a tiny book, only seventy-eight pages, but it’s filled with love. I’m sure Calvin Trillin impressed Alice with his adoration, one last time. 04/07 Lesa Holstine

America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction by Jon Stewart and the writers of The Daily Show:  Presented as a textbook (perhaps "faux textbook" would be more appropriate) it is entertaining and educational.  Stewart has a way of pointing out the obvious; in chapter five, The Judicial System, the following discussion question is asked (p.101):   "How many of the nine Supreme Court justices can you name?  How many of the nine members of The Brady Bunch can you name?  What does that say about you?"  A lot of laughs and a lot of good points made.  A really good book - and Publishers Weekly's Book of the Year, deservedly so.

AMERICAN BAND: Music, Dreams, and Coming of Age in the Heartland by Kristen Laine:  Anyone who's ever been in marching band, or has a child in marching band, will want to read this intimate look at the Marching Minutemen of Concord High School, in Elkhart, Indiana.  Laine spent a year with these kids and really got to know them, and their band director.  I found all the band stuff fascinating because my only experience with marching band was when my daughter started high school last year, so it's interesting to see a different perspective.  The other major theme of the book is the strong emphasis on the Christianity of the band members.  Frankly, I found it a bit unsettling as I am a staunch believer in the separation of church and state, and it also bored me, thus making the book more difficult for me to read and I found myself skimming at times.  But despite that, the band stuff is interesting enough and unusual enough that I still have to recommend it anyway.  09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

American Rhapsody by Joe Eszterhas: Complete and utter garbage, I loved it!

And You Know You Should Be Glad by Bob Greene: The journalist and bestselling author tells a very personal story in his latest book, the story of his best friend’s death from cancer. Bob and Jack had been best friends since age five. As a group, ABCDJ, Allan, Bob, Chuck, Dan and Jack ran around in Bexley, OH until they graduated from high school. But, Bob and Jack were always close, so it struck Greene hard when he received the call saying Jack had cancer, and it was serious. As they walked the streets of Bexley, remembering their youth, it struck Greene that instead of making his remaining months about death, Jack was making them about his life. “He was tasting his life.” This is a poignant story about two men celebrating life and friendship. 07/06 Lesa Holstine

ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver, and Steven L. Hopp:  Kingsolver has been an advocate of eating locally grown food for some time, and was able to put her beliefs into practice when she moved to a farm in Virginia.  She spent a year eating only the foods they grew on her farm or that were grown in a hundred mile radius as much as possible, and wrote this fascinating book about that experience.  Her husband, Steven Hopp, and daughter Camille also contributed.  When people ask if she didn't get tired of eating the same things all the time, Kingsolver gently points out that every month grows a new menu.  They weren't sure if their pantry would get them through the winter, but it did, although March was a tough month.  My favorite part of the book was about the turkeys they raised.  Apparently turkeys have been artificially inseminated for decades, but these turkeys were being raised by hand and Kingsolver wanted them to reproduce the old fashioned way.  She finally found some information on turkey breeding au natural in an antique farming book, and her female turkeys soon gave up coming on to Steven and instead set their sights on the Tom turkey.  What I liked about this book was Kingsolver's tone; on rare occasion almost preachy, but for the most part just passionate, informative and often funny. Anyone with an interest in how and why we eat what we do should take a look at this book, which was most reminiscent of The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan.  There's also a website with lots of pictures and recipes: http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/  06/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Aqua Erotica edited by Mary Anne Mohanraj:  The subtitle is "18 Stories for a Steamy Bath."  What makes this book unique is that it is printed on special paper which feels rather heavy because it is completely waterproof!  

ARMED AND DANGEROUS: The Hunt for One of America's Most Wanted Criminals by William Queen and Douglas Century: Queen, in his third year as a Special Agent with the Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, became obsessed with Mark Stephens, known as "Mountain Man." Stephens was a dangerous, gun-crazy renegade who terrorized Southern California, and even threatened his own parents. He was a gunman, a mountain man, and a drug trafficker who grew marijuana on federal land in the San Bernardino Mountains, and came out of the mountains to terrorize his dealers, their families, and ordinary people. Although the police departments in a number of towns wanted him, no one was able to capture him. Queen's interest in the criminal grew into an obsession, and he pushed his supervisors until he was allowed to set up a team to track and arrest Stephens. This is the compelling story of one lone wolf tracking another. Queen was a determined law enforcement agent, resentful of the man who was holding a county hostage. It's a riveting story for any true crime fan. 07/07 Lesa Holstine

ARTHUR SCHWARTZ'S NEW YORK CITY FOOD: An Opinionated History and More Than 100 Legendary Recipes by Arthur Schwartz, photographs by Chris Callis:  I haven't actually made any of the recipes in this book, but I didn't buy it for the recipes.  I bought it for the historical significance and contribution and the great  pictures. The cultural diversity of the Big Apple is examined in detail and with love and laughter.  Anyone with a love of New York and a love of food will love this book.  09/05

ART OF THE CHOPPER by Tom Zimberoff: Motorcycles have always been hot and TV shows like American Chopper have revved up the heat even more.  Tom Zimberoff is a photographer who is best known for his shots of rock 'n roll stars like the Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder and many others.  But he's turned his lens to one-of-a-kind bikes and these pictures are just incredible.  This is a beautiful coffee table book, high quality paper and gorgeous photos of the motorcycle as art.  Put this on the top of your gift list for any chopper fan. 09/05

AT LARGE AND AT SMALL: Familiar Essays by Anne Fadiman: Fadiman, author of Ex Libris, once again returns to the essay format to discuss topics that the reader may never have thought about. These essays, written over a period of seven years, from 1998 to 2005, often discuss very esoteric topics. How many of us think about Charles Lamb or Samuel Coleridge in our daily lives? However, we do think about ice cream and coffee, and the mail. And, most of us will face the trauma of moving at some time in our lives. At times, Fadiman is very difficult to read, since her enormous vocabulary is beyond many of us. At other times, there are moments of understanding. It may be stretching at times to read her essays, but Anne Fadiman’s works are always rewarding. 07/07 Lesa Holstine

BAIT AND SWITCH: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream by Barbara Ehrenreich: After Ehrenreich’s book Nickel and Dimed hit the bestseller lists, she heard from people from the middle-class. These college graduates and former occupants of mid-level white-collar positions who couldn’t get jobs had stories to tell about downward mobility. Ehrenriech legally changed her name, and decided to do everything possible to land a middle-class job. In five months, she applied for over 200 jobs, attended career workshops, and paid consultants. Unfortunately, the book doesn’t measure up to Nickel and Dimed, in which the author spent time working low-wage jobs. This book is filled with the mind-numbing details of classes and advice from career gurus, all of which led nowhere. Ehrenreich failed to get a job, and the book fails to involve the reader. 09/05 ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

BAD DOGS HAVE MORE FUN: Selected Writings on Family, Animals, and Life by John Grogan for The Philadelphia Inquirer by John Grogan:  This follow up to the phenomenon known as Marley & Me seeks to capitalize on that success with this collection of Grogan's columns that have run in the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Some are sweet, some are funny, some are sad, and all will tug at the heartstrings and are worthwhile reading, but the magic of Marley & Me is missing here.  01/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

BEHIND THE MYSTERY: TOP MYSTERY WRITERS INTERVIEWED by Stuart M. Kaminsky, photographs by Laurie Roberts:  A must have for any mystery lover, this is a fascinating picture book of interviews with many of today's most popular authors.  The list is memorable and includes: Lawrence Block, James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly, Sue Grafton, Tony Hillerman, the late Evan Hunter, John Jakes, Faye and Jonathan Kellerman, Elmore Leonard, Sara Paretsky, Robert B. Parker, Ann Rule, Lisa Scottoline, Martin Cruz Smith, Mickey Spillane, Joseph Wambaugh, and Donald Westlake.  The interviews are interesting and personal, as are the candid photographs; they are taken at either the authors' homes or Kaminsky's home.  The authors featured are all friends with Kaminsky, lending an insiders' glimpse into the lives of those more mysterious to readers than the fictional worlds they create.  My only complaint: a book like this should have been printed on better paper. The quality is acceptable but this is a very special book and deserved more.  Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

BENTO BOX IN THE HEARTLAND: MY JAPANESE GIRLHOOD IN WHITEBREAD AMERICA by Linda Furiya: Furiya refers to her book as a food memoir, which it is, but it is also a thoughtful examination of family life in the only Japanese family in Versailles, Indiana. Furiya loved family meals until she went to school, and discovered that her parents and her food were not like that of the other students. When she asked to take a lunch to school, she was given an obento, a Japanese-style boxed meal of rice balls, not the white bread sandwich she wanted. For years, Furiya struggled with her identity. She fought back at school against the name-calling and injustice. She placed phone calls for her mother, so she wouldn’t have to talk on the phone. She didn’t understand that her mother, who spoke limited English, and lived in rural Indiana, had been a sophisticated woman in Japan. It was only as an adult that she could appreciate that her parents shared their culture, their history, and their stories with their children, while they ate. Her father, in particular, demonstrated the spiritual aspect of eating. It was many years before Linda Furiya took pride in her Asian identity. In her memoir, she opens up about her anger, shares recipes, and, finally comes to grips with the fact that Japanese home cooking was the only daily link to her parents’ culture. This is a moving book, about pain and triumph, and food. 01/07 Lesa Holstine

THE BEST OF FRIENDS: Two Women, Two Continents, and One Enduring Friendship by Sara James and Ginger Mauney: James, an NBC correspondent, and Mauney, a filmmaker, have been friends since the age of twelve, when they shared secrets at a slumber party. Both had dreams of leaving their hometown for the wider world, but their escape mechanisms where different. Ginger Mauney sought the escape through love, falling for and following a tennis player on the professional circuit. Sara James went looking for stories, hoping to become a broadcast journalist with a major network. When Ginger's dream fell apart, she found herself in Africa, hoping to photograph wildlife. Each woman found heartache, and success, and shared a special friendship. That friendship helped them through the ups and downs of careers, romance and life. The Best of Friends is a beautiful book. Share it with your own special friend. 07/07 Lesa Holstine

BIKER'S HANDBOOK: BECOMING PART OF THE MOTORCYCLE CULTURE by Jay Barbieri: Barbieri is the TV producer of American Thunder on the SPEED channel, which I've never seen as I don't think I get that channel.  But I did like this book which is light, fun, and full of pictures as well as information.  Helpful hints abound like if you have to fly to a bike rally and ship your bike, never admit it.  Jay tells you what you need to pack for road trips and how to load a bike, offers some of his favorite places to ride (the Badlands among others) along with lots of great stories about all aspects of biking including Daytona Bike Week and why you should never, ever refer to motorcycle clubs as "gangs." It is a great gift for the biker in your life - but only if they love Harleys.  11/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

BILLY COLLINS LIVE: A Performance at the Peter Norton Symphony Space by Billy Collins: I love poetry.  And Billy Collins, former U.S. Poet Laureate, is one of my favorites, especially when he is doing the reading.  This book on CD is almost as good as attending a reading.  Introduced by Bill Murray, Collins reads some new and some old favorites, then takes some questions from the audience.  My 13 year old daughter, who delights in torturing me by telling me how much she hates poetry, became a captive prisoner in the back seat of my car on her rides to and from school while I played this CD.  The first poem she heard was "The Lanyard", a sweet, nostalgic and laugh out loud funny poem about that childhood arts & crafts artifact.  Collins talks about how he made his mother a lanyard at camp and how that evened the playing field between them:

Black Cloud: The Great Florida Storm of 1928 by Eliot Kleinberg:  I recently had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Kleinberg speak about his new book at Borders.  It was standing room only and with good reason - this is a fascinating story and Kleinberg is a hell of a storyteller.  I immediately went home and started reading, and couldn't stop until I turned the last page.  This unnamed hurricane is the second worst natural disaster in American history, after the Galveston hurricane (Isaac's Storm,) yet it has been pretty much forgotten.  Kleinberg, along with Robert Mykle, who wrote a book about it last year called Killer 'Cane: The Deadly Hurricane of 1928, are determined to change that.  

Over 2500 lives were lost, and that is just an estimate.  Black Cloud not only covers the storm, it also covers the historical significance of it.  Sixty something white bodies were buried in the cemetery in West Palm Beach.  Almost 700 bodies of African Americans were buried in a mass grave in a potters field that was left unmarked for 73 years.  Even more disturbing was the fact that who knows how many more African American bodies were simply burned, leaving a black cloud hanging over the 'Glades (and giving Kleinberg his title.)  His research was exhaustive.  There are still survivors of the storm living in the area that were available to be interviewed and their stories are simply heartbreaking.  It's a story that needed to be told, and is told well.

Blood Washes Blood: A True Story of Love, Murder, and Redemption Under the Sicilian Sun by Frank Viviano: A history of Sicily told from the perspective of one man's search for his Sicilian roots and all the stumbling blocks along the way.

Blue Blood: Duke-Carolina: Inside the Most Storied Rivalry in College Hoops by Art Chansky: As the ACC kicks off its basketball season, it’s the perfect time for a book about the rivalry between the basketball programs at Duke and North Carolina. For more than fifty years, these two schools, only ten miles apart, have fought for supremacy in their conference. In fact, they played the first basketball game of any kind on TV. Chansky tries to be impartial, although he is a graduate of North Carolina, with his history of the schools, including the Dean Smith years at Carolina, the Coach Krzyzewski years at Duke, and the down years at both schools. This is definitely a book for fans of these particular basketball programs. The histories may be too detailed for casual fans. 01/06 Lesa Holstine

The Book of Courtesans: A Catalogue of Their Virtues by Susan Griffin:  Feminist author Griffin writes an eminently readable account of some of the most successful courtesans throughout history.  This book is sensuously written without being salacious and introspective without being smarmy.  Well done.

THE BOOK OF GENERAL IGNORANCE by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson: Despite the British slant, this fascinating trivia collection professes to prove that “Everything you think you know is wrong.” Originally compiled for the BBC panel game, QI (Quite Interesting), the book contains 230 misconceptions that most people have. What is the largest living thing? Unless you said a mushroom that’s growing in Oregon, you’re wrong. Did you know that camels originated in North America? There’s a wonderful story about Napoleon’s most humiliating defeat. This is an enjoyable collection for trivia buffs, and the know-it-alls in your family. They’re probably wrong about much of what they know. With The Book of General Ignorance, you can prove them wrong. 11/07 Lesa Holstine

BOOM! VOICES OF THE SIXTIES by Tom Brokaw: Forty years after the sixties, there is still debate about the meaning of the Sixties, politically, culturally and socioeconomically. Brokaw examines the Sixties, and the repercussions, from a personal standpoint. He relates his own viewpoints, and that of many others from all avenues of life. Brokaw interviewed people active in the civil rights movement, the women’s movement, students who opposed Vietnam, and the soldiers who went to Vietnam. He also interviewed politicians, musicians, and other journalists. Where were you in the Sixties? What have you become since or because of the Sixties. It’s a fascinating look back, and examination of our present, based on those years. 11/07 Lesa Holstine

Check out the interactive, online version of The Border Film Project. 06/07 Dan Cawley

Brainiac by Ken Jennings: Jennings, the Jeopardy champion with the longest run on the game show to date, has written an enjoyable book for trivia buffs and those of us who have always been nerds, enjoying knowledge, trivia and odd facts. This fascinating book is filled with information about college quiz bowls, pub trivia contests, and even a Wisconsin town that holds a radio trivia contest for fifty-four hours in which numerous teams compete year after year. Interspersed in this information is Jennings’ story of his competition and long run as a Jeopardy champion. If you enjoy this kind of information, you’ll also have fun with the trivia questions and answers Jennings includes in each chapter. This is a well-written, enjoyable book. 10/06 Lesa Holstine

Breaking Clean by Judy Blunt, Knopf:  This is the best memoir I have read in a long time. Just go out and buy it. You will find yourself drawn in immediately and you will not be able to put it down. Blunt is now a hero of mine and she will be a hero of yours. Remember how much you loved ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTIN'? How it took you to a part of the country in contemporary times and to a way of life you barely knew existed? How it plunked you down and opened your eyes? How you came to love it? This is similar to the experience of BREAKING CLEAN. But it's cold and barren and isolated. It's northeastern Montana and the challenges to live here are dangerous and frightenening. And if you don't fill with tears in the chapter called Winter Kill I can't imagine what is wrong with you! There are a million wonderful quotes hailing all aspects of this book - - but from me let me say I know it's a book you should read and share with friends - - especially young women.

Brothel: Mustang Ranch and its Women by Alexa Albert: Very interesting sociological peek into the country's most famous whorehouse and the lives of the women who work there.  Been optioned for a movie.

CAN I KEEP MY JERSEY?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond by Paul Shirley: Paul Shirley was a National Merit Scholarship finalist who went to Iowa State on an academic scholarship. He’s a 6’10” intellectual man, who also happens to play professional basketball. But, since he was a benchwarmer in the NBA when he did play, he kept a journal of his travels through the interesting world of basketball. He played basketball for teams in Greece, Spain and Russia, minor league teams in the United States, and, occasionally, professional teams in the U.S. He had very brief stints with the Lakers, the Chicago Bulls, and the Atlanta Hawks. His longest stretch playing with a pro team was the seven months he spent with the Phoenix Suns. Shirley says he is “Not good at writing from a positive-person viewpoint.” He’s right when he portrays himself as “cynical, judgmental and sarcastic.” This isn’t a book for a basketball fan with stars in their eyes. This is a realistic story of a man trying to make it to the difficult heights of professional basketball. Perhaps every young man who dreams of a basketball career should read Shirley’s story. 06/07 Lesa Holstine

CAT PEOPLE by Michael Korda and Margaret Korda: Cat lovers will appreciate this little book with enchanting cat sketches by Michael Korda. The Kordas relate a few stories about cats owned by famous people, such as Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln. Most of the book is dedicated to stories of the Korda cats, though. Anyone who loves cats will find themselves laughing, crying and nodding with recognition at the cats who entered their lives, and their hearts. It’s a perfect gift book for the cat people in your life. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History by George Crile:  This is the fascinating story of how Charlie Wilson, a hard-partying Congressman from Texas, undertook a personal mission to assist the mujahideen rebels of Afghanistan to defeat the forces of the Soviet Union. The consequences of this have shaped our times. On the one hand, this greatly accelerated the downfall of the Soviet Union as a superpower and on the other hand, it left billions of dollars worth of high tech munitions in the caves and on the plains of Afghanistan which we would later come to regret. So this is a story worth hearing.
    And a fine story it is. With rich characters, not only Charlie himself, but also a rogue CIA agent on the outs with the "old school" boys of the CIA and a military genius who figured out the appropriate "arms mix" to insure victory and then faded from view because he had no more worlds to conquer.
    The process revealed in the telling is just as fascinating as the characters. How Charlie was able to work effectively behind the scenes in Congress, forging an incredibly powerful network of allies from both parties and from all regions of the political spectrum. For example, his years in the Texas legislature sitting next to Barbara Jordan gave him an entree to and credibility with the Black Caucus in Congress. And all of this was accomplished at a time when the CIA was under fire at the White House and in Congress. And while dating a variety of gorgeous women and doing serious damage to his liver.
    Many years ago, I had a history test on which the only question was - Do leaders shape events, or do events shape leaders? This is the riveting story about one man who most certainly shaped some of the most important events of our time. With repercussions that perhaps are still yet to come.  ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

Chloe Anne: Force of Nature by Valerie Oblath: Chloe Anne, a voluptuous cat, “too beautiful for words,” tells her life story, through her owner, Oblath. Before her adoption from the Humane Society, Chloe Anne led a pedestrian life, with a pedestrian name, Penny. However, she found herself loved and cherished, adopted by Oblath, and sharing a pampered life with Cinders, the other cat in the house. Chloe Anne has a wonderful sense of humor, and cat lovers will totally love and accept this book, although other readers might find us nuts. It’s the perfect book for the cat lover in your life. 05/08 Lesa Holstine

CHRISTMAS WITH PAULA DEEN by Paula Deen: The Food Network star and restaurant owner shares her Christmas recipes and memories in this small book for the holidays. The recipes look wonderful, and not too difficult for most of us. The book felt repetitious, though, because many of the stories had been shared in Deen’s memoir, Paula Deen: It Ain’t All About the Cookin’. For fans, it’s fun to read the comments made by Deen’s sons, Bobby and Jamie, who we’ve grown to know over the course of her shows. If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for a cook who enjoys Southern cooking, this might be the perfect little present. The recipes are the reason to pick up this book. 11/07 Lesa Holstine

THE CITY OF FALLING ANGELS by John Berendt: If you loved Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, you might be disappointed in his latest book. Savannah was a character in the earlier book, and Berendt just doesn’t bring Venice, Italy to life in this latest one. He tries to focus the book around the fire that destroyed the Fenice Opera House in 1996, but it’s a slim hook on which to hang the entire story. The people who appear in this one are just as eccentric as those in his earlier book, but there are so many of them it’s difficult to keep the stories straight. Venice and its people remain distant and unfamiliar. Don’t expect to fall in love with the city as Berendt knows it. 10/05 ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

COACH edited by Andrew Blauner: Was there a good or bad coach in your life? Former Senator and basketball player Bill Bradley said, “The really great coaches engage their players in a quest to be the best.” In this collection of essays, twenty-five writers discuss people who made a difference in their lives. Authors who wrote about sports as varied as basketball, kung fu and golf include Pat Conroy, John Irving and John Edgar Wideman. For those of us who hated phys ed classes, Francine Prose reflects on the gym teacher she detested for eight long years. It’s a fascinating book to pick up and select an essay. Some will leave the reader with a thoughtful message. Others, such as Prose’s, might have the reader laughing and identifying with it. If coaches are in the business of molding people, somewhere in this book might be the story of a coach that brings back memories.  12/05 ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

THE COLDEST WINTER: AMERICA AND THE KOREAN WAR by David Halberstam:  On June 25, 1950, seven divisions of elite North Korean troops crossed the border into South Korea with the intention of gaining control of the entire Korean peninsula in three weeks.  Sixteen years later on June 25, 1966, I got married and in the fourth year of my marriage was sent to the DMZ in Korea, where the “three week war” was still being contested.  While not likely to garner the publicity of his defining book for the Vietnam War, The Best and the Brightest, Halberstam’s treatment of the Korean War, written three decades after it began is arguably his best effort ever.  Halberstam himself considered The Coldest Winter the best book he ever wrote, the culmination of forty-five years of writing about America's postwar foreign policy.  In the book, he provides astonishingly vivid and nuanced portraits of all the major figures -- Eisenhower, Truman, Acheson, Kim, and Mao, and Generals MacArthur, Almond, and Ridgway, while also giving us tightly crafted narrative journalism, chronicling the stories of individual soldiers on the front line and the challenges they faced.  It was for me a disturbing but uplifting read. 02/08 Jack Quick

Confessions of a Tax Collector: One Man's Tour of Duty Inside the IRS by Richard Yancey:  Richard Yancey was a failure.  He had numerous, low paying jobs over many years and was living with a woman who had inherited wealth - she was supporting him, and rubbing his face in it.  He was a very successful student, however, and when he finds a blind ad in the paper looking for someone with his impeccable grades, he decides to investigate.  Turns out to be a job as a revenue collector with the Internal Revenue Service, and thus begins Yancey's engrossing tale of life with the IRS.  This is the stuff of nightmares; he seizes people's homes, cars, businesses, basically destroys lives, but he's very, very good at it.  Yancey worked for the IRS for twelve years while secretly longing to be a writer, and this is his compelling story. 

THE CRAGGY HOLE IN MY HEART AND THE CAT WHO FIXED IT by Geneen Roth: Roth tells the story of the kitten she didn’t want, the father she was afraid to lose, and the love she found in life. After sixteen years of an eating disorder, Roth quit diets, settled at her natural weight, wrote two books, and taught workshops. What she couldn’t overcome was her fear of losing everyone she loved. Roth didn’t think she had the capacity to love, because she was afraid to let herself love. And, then along came Blanche, a white kitten who grew to be twenty pounds, and turned out to be a he. The woman who was out of touch with her feelings suddenly found herself dealing with her feelings about her father, and the acceptance of a cat who gave her love with no strings attached. Roth takes a fascinating journey of growth in this book about love and loss. 05/08 Lesa Holstine

CRASHING THROUGH by Robert Kurson:  Bob Lujano is a staff member at the Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham, Alabama where I work out.  In 1979, Bob lost his arms above the elbow and his legs at the hips to a rare form of meningitis.  Yes, he is in a wheelchair but he isn’t disabled.  Try to keep up with him in the swimming pool, or on the track.  Don’t even think of taking him on in wheelchair rugby as he has won 5 US Quad Rugby National Championships with the Lakeshore Demolition and 3 medals playing rugby for Team USA.  He was one of the stars of the 2005 movie about the sport titled Murderball.  Mike May is a similar remarkable person.  Blinded in a childhood accident, he learned to drive a motorcycle, hike alone in the woods, and downhill ski, while also working as the CIA’s first blind intelligence analyst as well as being a successful inventor, entrepreneur and family man.  While no one has yet been able to replace Bob’s missing limbs, Mike was able to have his eyesight restored at age 46.  This book tells the story, with all its ups and downs of what happened to this remarkable man whose brain had forgotten how to process visual input.  Whatever problems we think we have pale in the face of the accomplishments of people like these.  If you don’t get goose bumps from this book, have your pulse checked by a professional. 08/07 Jack Quick 

Crime Beat: A Decade of Covering Cops and Killers by Michael Connelly: For ten years, Michael Connelly was a crime reporter in Florida and Los Angeles. As he covered the detectives who worked the homicide beat, he observed their mannerisms, listened to their speech, and, eventually used the stories and people he covered for his award-winning crime stories. Although some of the stories in Crime Beat are a little long and tedious, the reader sees indications of the future writer. This collection of columns from Connelly’s years on the crime beat will appeal to true crime fans, and those who want to study Connelly’s background for his bestselling fiction. 05/06 Lesa Holstine

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM by  Deirdre Dolan:  I am a huge fan of the show, so I was really excited to get this book and it exceeded my expectations - and how often do you get to say that?  It basically covers the show through its star, Larry David, from his stand-up days through Seinfeld through Curb.  It runs through a season-by-season episode guide from day one through season five, but so much more than that.  I really enjoyed the interviews with David and his co-stars and directors, and the pictures are great.  Besides the obligatory candid on set shots and so forth, there is a section of pictures of artifacts from the show like Dr. Sewell's prescription pad and the Cashews & Raisins mix that had a low count of cashews, and another section with pictures and descriptions of Larry's various houses each season.  Yes, these are people's homes, not a stage set.  A fun read with a lot of bang for the buck, and a must-have for any fan of the show.  And who isn't?  11/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS by Conn and Hal Iggulden: Just in time for Father’s Day, this is the perfect gift for any man who is still young at heart. The Dangerous Book is jam packed with anything and everything a guy could ever need. From instructions on knots and how to make invisible ink to advice on girls, this book has it all. Think of it as an all-encompassing boy scout manual. I wouldn’t normally review something like this. How do you really review a gift book, right? I took one look at it and had to share it. It’s a neat concept and I highly recommend buying a copy for yourself and that person that is impossible to shop for (dad.) 06/07 Becky Lejeune

The Dead Beat by Marilyn Johnson:  Johnson’s quirky fascinating book is subtitled, “Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries.” According to the author, obituary pages are some of the best-read pages in the newspaper. Johnson not only attended the Sixth Great Obituary Writers’ International Conference, but also spent time interviewing some of the great obituary writers from newspapers as diverse as The New York Times and The Daily Telegraph of London and the weekly Chilkat Valley News. “Historians tell us we are living in the Golden Age of the Obituary.” Johnson’s fascination with the art of writing obits will intrigue the reader. This is a marvelous little book, with enough web sites and newspaper information to keep an interested reader hooked for years. 04/06 Lesa Holstine

Depraved English by Peter Novobatzky:  A reference book that charts a very specific territory.   This is a collection of obscenities and obscure disgusting words.  Impress your friends with words like callipygian (having nicely shaped buttocks) and mazophilous (fond of breasts).

THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America  by Erik Larsen: Nonfiction about the Chicago World's Fair with a parallel story about a serial killer in the same area at the same time. This book got all sorts of accolades and I can understand why; both stories are fascinating and compelling. But I had issues with the amount of detail the author provides, especially with the World's Fair - it felt like he had the names of every person who worked at building it. The book alternates chapters between both stories which made for a very jumpy book and forced me to try and remember who some of these people were. Too much information is not always a good thing. Includes about 40 pages of footnotes. 06/05

DIGGING FOR THE TRUTH by Josh Bernstein: Digging for the Truth is currently the highest-rated original series in the history of The History Channel. Fans of the show, or anyone interested in archaeology, will appreciate this fascinating book. Bernstein, host of the series, is the owner of the Boulder Outdoor Survival School (BOSS) in Boulder, Utah. He’s well-qualified to participate in the archaeological expeditions taken on the show. The show attempts to make history fun, which discussing archaeological discovery, preservation and education. In the course of the book, Bernstein discusses his adventures as he travels from site to site, filming the show. He covers such interesting historical mysteries as the lost Ark of the Covenant, the search for Ed Dorado in Peru, and Stonehenge. Readers get an inside look at the difficulties in filming the television show, as well as the mysteries behind history. It’s a fascinating view for history junkies. 01/07 Lesa Holstine

DON'T MURDER YOUR MYSTERY by Chris Roerden: Roerden’s book is an excellent selection if you are an aspiring mystery writer or an author looking for good advice. She has been an editor for over forty years. Her helpful techniques are offered with a touch of humor. Since Roerden believes, “Your most valuable resource for learning the craft of writing is the work of other writers,” she provides examples to assist with the learning process. She analyzes passages from 130 published crime novels, passages that successfully demonstrate the techniques she wants to teach. She also gives examples of poor writing, but she made those up. The tools provided in this book are designed to help writers catch the attention of readers. Along with the basic tools, she provides formatting information and a list of popular internet sites for mystery writers. Roerden provides invaluable advice for the aspiring author. 11/06 Lesa Holstine

EARLY BIRD: A Memoir of Premature Retirement  by Rodney Rothman:  Rothman was 28 years old when he lost his job as a comedy writer on a sitcom produced by David Letterman.  Since he was a New York Jew, he decided he would ultimately end up retiring to South Florida, so he got the idea of getting an early taste of what that would be like.  He sublet a room from an old woman in Century Village in Boca Raton, Florida and moved in for six months of shuffleboard, cruising with the Red Hat Club, and the ubiquitous Early Bird dinners.  Rothman also includes some interesting history on how Florida became the Mecca of retirement and portraits of many of the residents of the retirement community and what their lives are like.  Lots of laughs amid the tedium and of certain interest to anyone who is thinking about retirement or knows anyone who has retired to South Florida. 07/05

Every Book Its Reader by Nicholas A. Basbanes: Basbanes’ book is subtitled, “The Power of the Printed Word to Stir the World.” I cried while reading the first five pages. The book is an eclectic discussion of books. There’s a discussion of whether or not people are products of the things they read. There are suggestions for collections that have lists of best books. One powerful chapter discusses the books our forefathers and the Presidents read. There’s a chapter on researching the Bible, and one about book collecting. One chapter focuses on the medical doctors who realized the importance of reading to children. Basbanes has picked wonderful quotations to start each chapter. There’s something for everyone who truly loves books in this fascinating work. Even every chapter has its reader in this new piece. 12/05 Lesa Holstine

EVERYDAY PASTA by Giada De Laurentiis:  The newest cookbook from the Food Network star (and movie mogul niece) focuses on pasta, but also includes some sauces, salads and sides.  De Laurentiis is a classically trained chef, but her recipes are easy to follow and none looked too difficult.  I liked her explanations on how to cook pasta, especially the way she differentiates between pasta for hot dishes and for salads.  She also explained a few of the hard grating cheeses used in so many pasta dishes, but left out Grana Padana, the new kid on the grating block.  Lots of pictures make this a beautiful book, but only a few of the recipes tempted me to even try them, and those I tried were just okay - I'm not sure I'd make them again.  04/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT BEING A GIRL I LEARNED FROM JUDY BLUME, edited by Jennifer O’Connell: O’Connell compiled a collection of essays by YA and Chick Lit authors such as Meg Cabot, Julie Kenner and Beth Kendrick. Each of the twenty-two authors looked back at their own past and their connection to Judy Blume’s books. Blume was able to explore the troubles of adolescents in books such as Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, Deenie and Forever. In poignant essays, the writers tell about their lives, and how a Judy Blume story changed or affected them, or helped them through a difficult period. Does Judy Blume know that she “grew” an entire batch of authors who now try to emulate her, reaching out to other women or to teens? Blume may not have offered solutions in her books, but she showed that other young people have the same feelings or experiences. These writers acknowledge the “Judy Blume moments” in their lives, and share them in a thoughtful book. 06/07 Lesa Holstine

The Exact Same Moon by Jeanne Marie Laskas:  This is the marvelous sequel to Fifty Acres and a Poodle, where Jeanne marries Alex, they buy a farm, and live happily ever after...until this new book comes along.  Jeanne's mother becomes paralyzed from Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and Jeanne finds herself commuting back to the city to help out.  Sometimes it takes a crisis to force people to examine their lives, and this one causes Jeanne to rethink her decision not to have children.  Alex, with two grown children from his first marriage, is supportive and open to anything she wants.  Jeanne explores her relationship with her mother, her husband, and her own desire to become a mother in this tender, funny, heart-wrenching-yet-heart-warming story.  Lest this sounds maudlin, it is not - there are laugh out loud moments sprinkled throughout, from befriending the scary old woman recluse down the road to stealing her mother's plants back from the new owners of her home to the horror of converting the entire farming community into satellite TV junkies.  Laskas' style of writing just draws the reader in, making us feel like a part of her amazing family, and creating an intimate, appealing and ultimately satisfying escape into her gentle world of farming, laughs and love.

F5: Devastation, Survival and the Most Violent Tornado Outbreak of the 20th Century by Mark Levine: On April 3, 1974, the United States was hit by at least 148 tornados spawned from one “megastorm” that killed hundreds and caused billions in property damage. Six of these tornados were rated F5 with sustained winds of over 260 miles per hour. This book tells the story of that day in a rural Alabama county where dozens of individual tornadoes reeked havoc. I grew up in central Alabama in one of the infamous tornado alleys. I have had the experience of having one pass directly overhead (they really do sound like a freight train) and have helped clean up after a dozen of them. Nothing can prepare you for the sheer power of one of these beasts, nor its ability to change lives and alter landscapes in seconds. If you have never experienced one, this reads like fiction. If you have, then you know it is fact. A hurricane, tsunami, blizzard, volcano eruption, even earthquake – generally there is some warning. With tornados, you may die in the wreckage of your home while the dinner table at your neighbor’s house isn’t even disturbed. Entire houses can be picked up and set back down hundreds of feet away with children safely sleeping inside. The sheer capriciousness of these storms actually gives them a certain majesty, not unlike a “big cat” or other predator. Levine has captured about as much of these monsters as any human can – which is still only a modicum of their reality.  05/07 Jack Quick

Fantasyland by Sam Walker: Walker’s book about Rotisserie baseball is a fascinating book, if you’re a baseball fan or a fantasy baseball fan. It’s not for everyone. The details about checking out players ahead of time, crunching statistics, and watching players via computer throughout the year won’t be enjoyable for a number of readers. But, for those of us who are fanatical about baseball, or have spent a year sitting at a computer, watching one player in a game, this is an intriguing book. Walker, a Wall Street Journal sports columnist, cut back on his coverage in 2004, in order to spend a year playing Rotisserie baseball with some of the premier people in fantasy baseball. In order to get an edge, he traveled to each spring training camp, talked to players and managers, and hired a research team to assist him. Walker worked with everyone from a statistician to an astrologer in order to select a team. Walker’s book is wrongly subtitled, “A Season on Baseball’s Lunatic Fringe.”
Fantasy players might be crazy about baseball, but they’re certainly not lunatics.  10/06 Lesa Holstine

Father Joe: The Man Who Saved my Soul by Tony Hendra: Tony Hendra is a British comedian and comic writer (he prefers the term "satirist.") American audiences may be most familiar with him as the Ian Faith character in the rock satire This is Spinal Tap. This book is the surprising story of his spiritual journey from his teens to the present day and the role played in it by his spiritual advisor, a Benedictine monk named Father Joe.
    The beginning of their relationship is hardly auspicious. Young Hendra is sent to the monastery for confession and punishment when he is caught in the early stages of adolescent grouping with a neighbor's wife. Hendra is given a glimpse of a better faith when Father Joe suggests that the only sin involved was selfishness.
    Later in their relationship, as Father Joe advises Tony that his career is in the world and not in the monastery, he comments that "more husbands and wives should be canonized." Hendra does go on to live in the world and have a very successful career at the National Lampoon and other places, but he regularly feels the need in time of trouble to travel back to the monastery and visit with Father Joe. Despite Father Joe's cloistered existence, he seems to fully grasp the problems created by a fast-past modern society and life in the entertainment industry.    As the story concludes, Mr. Hendra brings his son to visit the dying monk.
    This book is The Seven Story Mountain of our time and will be considered one of the most important books of this decade. It is not light reading, however and may not be appreciated by those readers and worshippers who prefer their God "lite." Read it anyway. Any book with a sentence like "The first exercise of love is listening." is worth reading and pondering. 06/04 ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

FODOR’S SMART 1,001 TRAVEL TIPS: A must read for would-be world travelers.  How else can you learn to pack your own chewing gum if you are going to Singapore since its not sold there, and oh yes, be careful of the water in Mexico - use boiled or bottled water even for brushing your teeth.  A well-written and somewhat quirky guide that even armchair travelers can enjoy.  Even native English speakers can have difficulty with Scots’ English, so don't hesitate to ask for clarification.  Also, watch out for New Zealand's one health hazard -"duck itch".  In Holland be aware that coffee shops also sell (legally) marijuana, hash, and drug paraphernalia, which can be used on the spot. And if you are a book lover, no matter where you go, pack an empty tote bag or duffle inside your luggage as you will need the extra room to bring home the books. 11/07 Jack Quick 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Philip J. Romano: Over 200,000 people pay daily homage to the genius of Romano. They do so by eating at Fuddrucker’s, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, eatZi’s, Shuckers or Cozymels. Romano developed and has successfully operated and marketed each of these national restaurant concepts/chains. In his book he shares the reasons for his success, which include placing service first over profit and getting people to work with you rather than for you. Sounds simple, but you must be doing it right to build a $10 billion restaurant empire. Nicely written and interesting background for all of us who tend to eat out more than at home. 03/06 Jack Quick

THE FOOD YOU WANT TO EAT by Ted Allen:  This is a fabulous new cookbook from the cooking guy of the fab five of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy fame.  The recipes are easy and elegant, yet it's all food you'd want to eat.  The recipes are simply explained and beautifully laid out with lots of pictures.  I especially loved that there is a wine pairing with every recipe and the aesthetics of the book are terrific - there is a very practical and cool looking plastic cover.  This is the perfect cookbook for any new cook or anyone who lacks kitchen confidence because using these recipes will build confidence and inspiration, and what is more important in a cookbook than that?  02/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch 

FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN by Sister Karol Jackowski: Sister Karol Jackowski joined the convent during the turbulent sixties, years that were turbulent for the country, but also for the Catholic Church. Her memoir is a fascinating peek inside the secret world that most of us know little about. It tells about her first seven years, the formative years in becoming a nun. She joined the Sisters of the Holy Cross at Saint Mary’s in South Bend, Indiana. When she entered the convent, there were very rigid rules for postulants. After nine months, they entered the novitiate. However they knew they wouldn’t be going home for five years after joining. In 1966, with Vatican II, the rules began to ease up. Nuns changed their habits, and could take back their own names.
However, nuns that had been cloistered often couldn’t handle the changes, and young nuns wanted more. In the 1960s, more than 200,000 women left the convent.  Sister Karol Jackowski is one of those nuns who stayed, which is surprising when you read her story. This is an intriguing story of a little known world. 05/07 Lesa Holstine

THE FORTUNE COOKIE CHRONICLES: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8. Lee: I love Chinese food, and I love humorously written, well researched food books, so when I heard about this one, I couldn't wait to get my chopsticks on it.  I am really glad I did.  This is a fact-filled, fun read about the history of Chinese food in America, that includes amazing research that took the author all through China and Japan.  Japan, you say?  Why yes, because our beloved fortune cookies are not Chinese in origin, but rather Japanese.  In fact, we are now exporting "American fortune cookies" to China.  The idea of delivering food to people's homes started with a savvy Chinese restaurant owner in New York City.  And Lee explores the relationship between Jews and Chinese food, including a chapter devoted to the only Glatt Kosher Chinese restaurant in the southeastern United States, and its Peking Duck scandal.  She goes looking for the origin of one of our most popular dishes, General Tso's chicken, and explains why chop suey is disappearing off of Chinese restaurant menus all across America - hint: neither dish is Chinese in origin.  This is a quick, fun read, perfect to read in small bites and guaranteed to make you hungry.  05/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

FREE FOR ALL: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert: This one is for the librarians.  I checked out the customer reviews on Amazon, and it doesn't seem to be appreciated nearly as well by library users, and since I work in a library, I have a biased view, which of course I'm happy to share.  Borchert is an assistant librarian in a suburban Los Angeles public library, which means he doesn't have his coveted masters degree in library and information science.  But he does have several years experience in dealing with the public, and that's what he shares in this funny, breezy book.  If you think libraries are quiet, dull places of study, then you haven't been to a public library lately.  Borchert's library may be suburban but has had its share of drug dealers working out of the men's room, moms brawling in the stacks, and regulars that include a man desperately seeking to buy a South American wife, and Henry, the daily crossword puzzle aficionado/nut.  He discusses the hiring process and employment practices of civil service jobs - pass probation and you've got a job you can retire from.  But it's the little stories, one after another, that bring this book to life.  Written in conversational style, it's rather like spending a few hours in a bar with a friend who's unloading about work, like the story about the Indian girl who was hired because she was quiet and helped make the library diverse, but was fired when some young boys were singing offensive rap songs and she exploded like an atom bomb in the middle of the library, practically ripping their heads off.  Or the story about the proud parents of the child doing a science fair project on which the absorbency of diapers, and in doing his research Googled the word "diapers" and found a picture of a 50-year-old man wearing one along with a very satisfied smile.  But only other library/civil service workers will appreciate the chain of command that must be followed when you see a body go flying past your window. 12/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

GARLIC AND SAPPHIRES: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl:  A quintessential New York book that is so delicious I devoured it in one sitting, if you'll pardon the food metaphors.  Reichl was the NY Times restaurant critic for many years, and this is the inside scoop on how that worked.  She learned on her flight in from Los Angeles to take the job that her picture was already hung in every kitchen of every important restaurant in NY.  She decided she would need to invent a new persona, someone who could dine anonymously and ended up creating several.  Her claim to fame came with an early double review of the famous NY eating establishment, Le Cirque - one review was as the recognized restaurant critic for the Times, the other as an anonymous diner.  It cost the restaurant their coveted fourth star and made people sit up and take notice of the newcomer.  The book details her meals and her life as a critic with humor and pathos.  Reichl is a passionate foodie and her descriptions will fascinate and satiate the reader. 05/05

The Good Good Pig by Sy Montgomery: Naturalist Sy Montgomery always did identify with animals more than people, but she never expected to love a pig as much as she grew to love Christopher Hogwood. The little runt grew to be 750 pounds in his fourteen years living with Montgomery and her husband. During that time, he shared his love with them, and brought the town of Hancock, New Hampshire to their doorstep. Readers who enjoyed John Grogan’s Marley & Me will want to try The Good Good Pig. 08/06 Lesa Holstine

GRACE (EVENTUALLY): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott: This is the third book in Lamott’s “Thoughts on Faith” series, following the bestsellers, Traveling Mercies and Plan B. Once again Lamott views her daily life, politics and view of the world as part of her personal faith. She writes about her frustrations with her teenager son, Sam, but they’re the frustrations of most parents whose kids become rebellious teens who no longer seem to be the same person they were as a child. It’s a pleasure to read the writings of an ordinary person struggling through life. Lamott never was, and still isn’t a saint, so readers probably can relate to someone struggling as much as they are.
    And, as a reader, it’s hard not to love a writer who talks about the treasures in books, and the relationship between a writer and a reader. As a librarian, I have to admire and cheer for the writer who showed up for an emergency read-in to save the Salinas, CA libraries when they were threatened with closure. If you are looking for a spiritual book with all the answers, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for a book by a struggling human being, reaching out to God for help, you’ll appreciate Grace (Eventually). 04/07 Lesa Holstine

The Great Deluge by Douglas Brinkley:  The historian’s treatment of Hurricane Katrina and its immediate effects on New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast is an indictment of the federal government. Although Mayor Ray Nagin, Governor Blanco, and Michael Brown are all cited for their incompetence in time of crisis, FEMA and President Bush come under the greatest criticism. Brinkley tells the history of one week in the region, August 27-Sept. 3, 2005. The book isn’t totally depressing because he tells the story of some of the heroes of the disaster such as the Coast Guard, small town mayors and individuals who saved people and animals. However, if you weren’t ashamed of the government reaction before reading the book, you will be angry and ashamed when you finish it. 06/06 Lesa Holstine

THE GREATEST PRESIDENTIAL STORIES NEVER TOLD by Rick Beyer: I’m addicted to Beyer’s books, written in conjunction with The History Channel. Each of the small books contains 100 short tales, in two pages each. This one is subtitled “100 Tales from History to Astonish, Bewilder, and Stupefy.” You can’t go wrong with either of his other books, The Greatest Stories Never Told, and The Greatest War Stories Never Told. In this current collection, he tells the story of the president who once acted as a hangman. And, the president who applied for a patent wasn’t Thomas Jefferson, but Abraham Lincoln. Which president liked to go skinny-dipping in the Potomac? Did you know George Washington ran a profitable distillery? Beyer’s book is well-researched and sources cited. It’s a treat for anyone who enjoys presidential history or trivia. 11/07 Lesa Holstine

The Greatest War Stories Never Told by Rick Beyer: The documentary producer who works for The History Channel researched and gathered one hundred fascinating stories of military history. He presents the events in chronological order, beginning in 371 B.C. Short essays are accompanied by drawings and captions that tell of little known events, such as Napoleon’s interest in selling Louisiana because of mosquitoes. This is an intriguing little book for those of us who enjoy historical facts. 06/06 Lesa Holstine

HEAT: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford: This is a fun read for anyone who enjoys the Food Network, Mario Batalli, or has a healthy curiosity about what goes on in a high end restaurant kitchen.  Buford gave up his "real" job as an editor at the New Yorker to work full time for Batalli in the kitchen at Babbo.  Buford is charming and honest about his fun and foibles, from being deliberately bumped 40-some-odd times a shift (by the higher ranking kitchen echelon to keep him in his place,) to the wines that are really used in the restaurant, the blisters on his hands (tongs are useful!), or flying off with Mario to help at a charity event.  It's a foodie's delight and I couldn't put it down.  08/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Hiding Places by Daniel Asa Rose: After his divorce, the author decides to take his 2 boys, ages 7 & 12, to Europe to find the hiding places their relatives used to escape the "not-sees" during the Holocaust.  I loved the premise of a man instilling his family history, making memories, for his sons.  Reading it was an emotional roller coaster that had me laughing and crying and left me both elated and exhausted.  A truly amazing book that I could not put down.

HOUSE: A Memoir by Michael Ruhlman: From the back cover and flap info on this book I was expecting a written version of This Old House or Extreme Makeover.  But what I got instead was a story about a writer and his family and how they live; an old house renovated by an architect, a contractor and his team; and a fascinating history of suburbia, Cleveland-style.  Ruhlman, author of the wonderful Soul of a Chef, reveals more of himself than the actual construction efforts and it makes for compelling reading.  11/05

HOW NOT TO WRITE A NOVEL by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman: There are any number of how-to writer’s guides out there but this is not one of them, this is a how-NOT-to guide. Mittlemark and Newman use their combined years in the publishing industry to put together a guide using the most common mistakes made by authors. With advice on everything from plot and style to setting and character development, each chapter is full of useful information on what to avoid when writing your book. By outlining the pitfalls of writing with amusing and interesting examples, Mittelmark and Newman have created what turns out to be a quite funny and easy to read guide that will prove to be a very useful tool to any writer out there. Whether you are finally trying your hand at your first novel, or you’re trying to sell your first completed novel, How NOT to Write a Novel can help along each step of the process and clue you into just what you need to do to clean up your manuscript and get it published.  04/08 Becky Lejeune

HOW STARBUCKS SAVED MY LIFE: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else by Michael Gates Gill: Michael Gates Gill grows up in a very comfortable way, then builds a very successful career in advertising with a prestigious firm.  But after twenty-something years, a new, young boss is brought in who wants to surround himself with new, young employees, so buh-bye Mike. After an affair that produces another child, buh-bye marriage.  Mike finds himself wondering how to survive with no health insurance and the strong possibility of brain cancer.  He wanders in to a nearby Starbucks, where a young African-American woman is sitting at the next table.  She asks him if he wants to work for Starbucks, and before he knows it, he is.  Health insurance is the big draw, but Mike soon learns that feeling useful again is a pretty nice feeling.  If you've ever worried how you're going to make it through retirement, or if you are a Starbucks addict, like moi, then this is a very thorough and enjoyable look at the inside of the company through the eyes of one of its happier employees. 09/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

How to Set His Thighs on Fire: 86 Red-Hot Lessons on Love, Life, Men, and (Especially) Sex by Kate White:  When the editor of Cosmopolitan magazine writes a book with a title like this, you get exactly what you expect; a book length version of Cosmo minus the pictures.  If you love all the cutesy columns about getting along with your bitch of a boss, pleasing your man and making sure he pleases you, and you want some inside dish on celebrities, this is the book for you.  Back in the day, and by that I mean the Helen Gurley Brown days, Cosmo was new, inventive and shockingly bold about s-e-x when every other woman's magazine was avoiding the topic completely. But the cat was let out of the bag a long time ago and there's no stuffing it back in again, so frankly, this book just bored me.  The best thing I can say about it is it's written in 86 very short, very put-downable chapters, making it a great book to read at traffic lights.  06/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being a Woman by Nora Ephron:  This bestselling collection of essays is definitely a book for women. Very few men will appreciate the chapters called “I Hate My Purse” or “Maintenance.” Ephron discusses the difficulties in being a woman, and, an aging woman at that. The highlight of the book for many readers, though, will be the chapter “On Rapture,” about losing oneself in books. This is a nice little volume that enables us to laugh at ourselves. 09/06 Lesa Holstine

THE ICE MAN: CONFESSIONS OF A MAFIA CONTRACT KILLER by Philip Carlo: For over forty years, Richard Kuklinski, aka The Ice Man, carried out contract killings for six different mob families in New York and New Jersey. To many, he was a normal guy with a wife and three children. To his colleagues, he was a brutal and reliable hitman. He has claimed responsibility for anywhere between thirty and two hundred murders throughout his career.  At one point, he even claimed to be partially responsible for the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. Phillip Carlo’s chilling account is the result of hundreds of hours of personal interviews. This in-depth look at the life of one of the most notorious guns for hire will have you looking over your shoulder and wondering just how well you know your own neighbors. 09/07 Becky Lejeune

If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name by Heather Lende: Lende lives in Haines, Alaska with her husband and five children. She writes a social column called Duly Noted and the obituaries for the weekly newspaper, the Chilkat Valley News. In the small community of 2400 people, which is often isolated from the rest of the world by snow, Lende really does know the other residents. She writes of their tragedies, the death of a young man lost at sea in a fishing accident, the plane crashes, the health problems. But she also writes of their triumphs, the successful fundraisers for a child’s surgery, the weddings, the play productions and parades. Lende brings small town Alaska to life in a book that will make anyone from a small town nostalgic for what they left behind, the friendship and love shared by a community. 05/06 Lesa Holstine

I'M JUST A DJ BUT...IT MAKES SENSE TO ME by Tom Joyner with Mary Flowers Boyce: Tom Joyner is the black disk jockey on the syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, on which he talks to more than eight million African Americans in more than 120 markets. His book targets his media market with the hope that he can inspire someone to believe in their dreams, work hard to achieve them, and give back to the black community once they have made it. It’s not only the story of his life and career, but also the story of his own attempts to give back, particularly to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s). Joyner has serious suggestions to make to his black audience, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. This is a light-hearted book with an important message for the target audience. 08/05 ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

I'M LOOKING THROUGH YOU: GROWING UP HAUNTED by Jennifer Finney Boylan: I assumed this book was about ghosts and haunting. Instead, it’s more about dealing with one’s inner ghosts. The Boylans move in to a dark and mysterious old mansion, named the Coffin House after the previous owners. Strange happenings are a common occurrence for them. Jennifer Boylan, born Jimmy, repeatedly sees the spirit of an older woman with starry eyes. Jennifer felt like she was herself a ghost living in a body that was not hers. She finally confesses her feelings to the world years after she’s moved out of the Coffin House. She has a wife and children of her own. She’s long toiled over the gray area between men and woman. Years after her sex change, she returns to her childhood home with a group of “ghostbusters” in the hopes of revealing more about the ghosts she encountered growing up. Is it possible that the ghost she saw as a teen was simply an embodiment of herself in the future? Boylan’s writing and witty comments keeps the reader involved in the reliving of her childhood. Her honesty is genuine and downright painful at times. Admittedly, I didn’t exactly get was I was expecting from this book. In actuality, I think I got more. 05/08 Jennifer Lawrence

Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman:  After hearing this author speak, I immediately ran out and got all his books.  This one is a memoir of a few years he spent in China teaching doctors English, studying wushu (martial arts) and learning about the culture.  Fascinating and funny.  I found the video at Blockbuster (thanks Ann) and it was enjoyable seeing Salzman play himself.  

An Italian Affair by Laura Fraser:  A memoir set in Italy and San Francisco about a woman who gets over her husband's leaving her for another woman by having several trysts with a married man.  Italy & sex usually works really well for me, but not this time.  I hated the way it was written in the second person, especially as it was her own story!  If I could have read it as a word document, I could have changed all the "you's" to "I's" and the "yours" to "mine" and been much much happier, not to mention less likely to throw the book across the room.  Also, this woman is a travel writer and writes about these fabulous little hotels all over Europe yet never names them.  Maddening!  On the positive side, I did learn some cool bastardized Italian slang.

I Was a Teenage Dominatrix by Shawna Keely: This memoir is the real deal about men who hire women to humiliate them.  It's funny, sad, intelligent and informative.  Not for the puritanical or squeamish. 

IT'S NOT MY FAULT!-or- Can a Rabbi’s son Find Happiness as a Tennis Pro? By Daniel I. Waintrup: Waintrup, the son of a rabbi, spent fifteen years as a teaching pro at a New England country club. He tries to tell the story of his life using anecdotes, biography, letters, and advice as to how to play tennis. However, the book is in a confusing format since he doesn’t know if he wants to be a stand-up comic, a writer or a tennis pro as he writes the book. He discusses losing tennis tournaments by saying, “When it comes to executing the shot under pressure, you continually miss it.” Waintrup totally missed the shots with this autobiography. 12/05 Lesa Holstine

JACKPOT NATION: Rambling and Gambling Across Our Landscape of Luck by Richard Hoffer: Hoffer, a writer for Sports Illustrated, takes on one of this country’s biggest sports, gambling. He provides some background to illustrate the history of gambling in this country, saying the U.S. was built on luck and chance. In 1612, the English authorized America’s first lottery to help fund the Jamestown settlement. From gold rushes to oil gushers, this has been a jackpot nation. Today, we have a thriving economy based on gambling. Americans bet each other about $80 billion last year. Hoffer travels the U.S., checking out various forms of gambling, from Las Vegas and its history, to Utah, a state that outlaws gambling, to Minnesota, where charity raffles have been popular. This is a fascinating look at America’s fascination with games of chance, but at times, it’s a little too technical for those of us who are ordinary readers. 08/07 Lesa Holstine

THE JEWISH-SICILIAN COOKBOOK by Pamela Hensley Vincent:  Yech.  Okay, that's not really a review, so I'll expand on that.  First, some background - I'm Jewish, my husband is Sicilian.  Anyone looking at me knows I love food, and between our grandmothers, I know good Jewish food and good Sicilian food.  This book ain't it. The first hint that not all is as it should be is in the introduction to Vincent's mother, Gail: "this chic green-eyed, brainy blond hated to cook." Interesting tidbit to precede Gail's recipes.  So here we go - "Yetta's Spaghetti" is made with canned tomato sauce and tomato paste.  "Cacciatore" has serrano or jalapeno chilies and a can of "Chunky Tomato Sauce".  And don't get me started on the lasagna with "extra tomato paste".  The only fresh herb to make an appearance is parsley.  Curly parsley.  The only fresh tomatoes that show up are in "Yetta's Kasha and Bows"  and in, and I swear I'm not making this up, "Yetta's Chicken Soup".  I've eaten both of these foods all my life, had them in other people's homes, from Jewish delis, even frozen from the supermarket and I've never seen tomatoes in either Kasha Varnishkes (the actual name of the kasha and bows dish) or in Jewish style chicken soup.  Or Italian style chicken soup for that matter. There are dozens of fabulous Italian cookbooks out there, and some really excellent Jewish ones.  This is neither.  06/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

John Adams by David McCullough:  A fascinating look at one of our most interesting founding fathers from the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Truman.  Another Pulitzer Prize for this one.

JUGGLING ELEPHANTS by Jones Loflin & Todd Musig: At first glance, Juggling Elephants appears to be just another lightweight business self-help book. However, there is some meat to this story, despite the small size. The authors use a parable to suggest a way to organize your life so that you don’t seem to be trying to “juggle elephants,” do everything and be everything to everyone. They tell the story of Mark, a man overwhelmed by his work life, who is trying to have a satisfactory home life as well, while completely neglecting himself. It takes a trip to the circus, and a meeting with a ringmaster for Mark to learn a work style that will allow him to organize his time so that he can get the most out of all aspects of his life. In doing so, they ask, is life a three-ring circus in which you’re trying to juggle elephants. They suggest you identify the rings of your life. For Mark, they were work, family and relationships, and self. No matter who you are, you can’t do everything. This little book helps the reader organize time so as to prioritize the “best acts.” If you’re trying to meet everyone’s expectations, and starting to fall behind, Juggling Elephants might be helpful tool. 10/07 Lesa Holstine

JULIE & JULIA: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell: Put this book on your favorite foodie's gift list immediately.  Julie Powell was feeling a tad depressed, so to cheer herself up, she decided to tackle Julia Child's masterpiece, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  The goal she set for herself was to prepare every recipe in the book in one year and she blogged about it, way before blogs were much known.  That blog was expanded on and turned into this very funny, very brave and heartwarming book.  09/05

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain: A  behind the scenes look at what goes on in restaurants (sometimes more than you wanted to know!) along with recipes and shopping and cooking tips.  He is brutally honest about his profession and the people that work in it.  A funny and fascinating read for anyone who has ever wondered "how did they do that" while dining out.

Land's End: A Walk in Provincetown, by Michael Cunningham, Crown Journeys:  As Cunningham walks through Provincetown I felt as if I was peering over his shoulder. He introduced me to people, places poetry, pilgrims and porches. I know he has some secrets left, but that makes me want to explore Provincetown on my own. History, tips on where to pee, where to cruise, and other tourist pointers mix effortlessly with Cunningham's supreme ability to describe and interpret a place he calls home for a portion of the year. You share his respect for his neighbors, friends and the idiosyncrasies of this remote place. I felt I'd taken a mini vacation when I put this book down.  P-town is a place I visited as a child and then forgot. Now I plan to go back. But even if you never go, Provincetown is a wonderful spot to follow Cunningham to.