Friday Finds: THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN by Coco Irvine

Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Click on over and tell us about your own wonderful book finds by leaving either a link or a comment.

I "found" this lovely little book at Unshelved.

THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN:

A Girl's Diary of Life on Summit Avenue in the Jazz Age

by Coco Irvine, Peg Meier

Pub. Date: March 2011

Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

Format: Paperback , 104pp

Series: Fesler-Lampert Minnesota Heritage

ISBN-13: 9780816673063

ISBN: 0816673063

Description (from the publisher):

On Christmas Day, 1926, twelve-year-old Clotilde “Coco” Irvine received a blank diary as a present. Coco loved to write—and to get into scrapes—and her new diary gave her the opportunity to explain her side of the messes she created: “I’m in deep trouble through no fault of my own,” her entries frequently began. The daughter of a lumber baron, Coco grew up in a twenty-room mansion on fashionable Summit Avenue at the peak of the Jazz Age, a time when music, art, and women’s social status were all in a state of flux and the economy was still flying high.
 
Coco’s diary carefully records her adventures, problems, and romances, written with a lively wit and a droll sense of humor. Whether sneaking out to a dance hall in her mother’s clothes or getting in trouble for telling an off-color joke, Coco and her escapades will captivate and delight preteen readers as well as their mothers and grandmothers.
 
Peg Meier’s introduction describes St. Paul life in the 1920s and provides context for the privileged world that Coco inhabits, while an afterword tells what happens to Coco as an adult—and reveals surprises about some of the other characters in the diary.

Click here to read Peg Meier's article on "Unearthing Coco Irvine."

About the author(s) (from the publisher):
A lumber baron’s daughter, Coco Irvine Moles (1914–1975) grew up on St. Paul's prestigious Summit Avenue. She and her sister Olivia Irvine Dodge donated their family home to the state of Minnesota in 1965, and since 1966 it has served as the governor's residence. Peg Meier was a reporter at the Star Tribune for thirty-five years. She is the author of many popular books, including Wishing for a Snow Day, Bring Warm Clothes, and Too Hot, Went to Lake.

Spotlight and Book Giveaway: THE SUN'S HEARTBEAT by Bob Berman

CLOSED.

Thanks to those hot HOT HOT! folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 give away three (3) copies of

THE SUN'S HEARTBEAT
by Bob Berman.

Rules for entering this giveaway
are at the bottom of this post.

THE SUN'S HEARTBEAT

by Bob Berman

Pub. Date: July 2011

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Format: Hardcover , 304pp

ISBN-13: 9780316091015

ISBN: 0316091014

Description (from the publisher):

The beating heart of the sun is the very pulse of life on earth. And from the ancients who plotted its path at Stonehenge to the modern scientists who unraveled the nuclear fusion reaction that turns mass into energy, humankind has sought to solve its mysteries. In this lively biography of the sun, Bob Berman ranges from its stellar birth to its spectacular future death with a focus on the wondrous and enthralling, and on the heartbreaking sacrifice, laughable errors, egotistical battles, and brilliant inspirations of the people who have tried to understand its power.

What, exactly, are the ghostly streaks of light astronauts see-but can't photograph-when they're in space? And why is it impossible for two people to see the exact same rainbow? Why are scientists beginning to think that the sun is safer than sunscreen? And how does the fluctuation of sunspots-and its heartbeat-affect everything from satellite communications to wheat production across the globe?

Peppered with mind-blowing facts and memorable anecdotes about spectral curiosities-the recently-discovered "second sun" that lurks beneath the solar surface, the eerie majesty of a total solar eclipse-THE SUN'S HEARTBEAT offers a robust and entertaining narrative of how the Sun has shaped humanity and our understanding of the universe around us.

Click here to visit the author's website.

Click here to check out the book's Facebook page.

About the author (from the publisher):
Bob Berman is one of America's top astronomy writers. For many years, he wrote the popular "Night Watchman" column for Discover magazine. He is currently a columnist for Astronomy magazine and a host on NPR's Northeast Public Radio, and he is the science editor of the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Audio and Video

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave an original comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• PLEASE NOTE: One win per household. If you win this title in another contest hosted at another blog, Hachette will only send one copy per household address.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, July 22, 2011.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Book Review and Giveaway: THE PORTABLE PEDIATRICIAN by William Sears, MD, et al.

CLOSED.

Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 give away one (1) copy

THE PORTABLE PEDIATRICIAN

by William Sears, MD, et al.

Rules for entering this giveaway

are at the bottom of this post.

THE PORTABLE PEDIATRICIAN

by William Sears, MD; Martha Sears, RN; Robert Sears, MD

James Sears, MD; and Peter Sears, MD

Pub. Date: February 2011

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Format: Paperback , 592pp

ISBN-13: 9780316017480

ISBN: 0316017485

Description (from the publisher):

Imagine you are up at three o'clock in the morning with a sick child. Wouldn't it be nice to have expert advice readily at hand to help get you through the night? Encyclopedic in scope, THE PORTABLE PEDIATRICIAN features timely and practical information on every childhood illness and emergency, including when to call the doctor, what reassuring signs can help you know your child is okay, how to treat your child at home, and much more-all in a convenient A-to-Z format. Among the scores of topics covered:
 

teething; sprains and broken bones; nosebleeds; measles; ear infections; choking; rashes; colic; headaches; eating disorders; fever; hip pain; warts; allergies; obesity; seizures; Asperger's Syndrome; bronchitis; masturbation; sunburns; pneumonia; speech delay; lice; vomiting; asthma; heart defects; blisters; sleep problems; and more.

 
The Searses guide parents and caregivers from a child's infancy through the teen years, teaching them what to expect at regular checkups as well as how to boost a child's well-being, devise a family health plan, work effectively with their pediatrician, and more. Distinguished by the Searses' trademark comprehensiveness, reliability, and accessible, comforting one, this book is a must-have for all families who want to keep their children healthy and happy.

About the authors (from the publisher):

William Sears, MD, and Martha Sears, RN, are the pediatric experts on whom American parents increasingly rely for advice and information on all aspects of pregnancy, birth, childcare, and family nutrition. Dr. Sears has practiced pediatrics for more than 40 years, and is an associate clinical professor at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine. Martha Sears is a registered nurse and parenting and health consultant. Robert W. Sears, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician in private practice in southern California.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars - A Great Resource

My Thoughts:
What a terrific book! If you have kids or grandkids running around your house, you should have a copy of THE PORTABLE PEDIATRICIAN handy. Since I live with my young niece and nephew, I was really excited to have the opportunity to review this book, and not only was I not disappointed, I was much more impressed than I expected.

I really like how easy it is to use this volume. Even though the authors cover childhood health issues relevent from infancy through the teenage years, everything is easy to understand. The bulk of the book is a section called "Pediatric Concerns and Illnesses: A to Z." The conditions discussed range from major to minor and cover all sorts of routine concerns. With subheadings such as Symptoms; Causes; Treatment;When to Worry; What to Do and even What Not to Do and How Long Will It Last, it's easy to get useful and clear information. It's great having so much advice at my fingertips, and I've also found it interesting to sit down and just randomly read. 

I also like the sections on getting the most from checkups and office visits. Sometimes its difficult to talk to your child's doctor because your baby is fussy or your doctor seems rushed. I thought the discussion on how to prepare for an office visit and what to expect was really helpful. I especially liked that the section included the teen years and what sorts of questions to ask and discussions to have with your doctor when your child is older.

You might think that with the Internet, a book such THE PORTABLE PEDIATRICIAN would be obsolete these days, but think again. In the time it would take you to power up your computer, Google some symptoms, and wade through the results, you could have already referred to this book and evaluated your child's condition as well as decided whether you need a trip to the doctor, the drugstore, or maybe only the sofa! Not to mention that you could just sit back in a comfy chair and leaf through it and familiarize yourself with illnesses and conditions that may not yet be present but that you're likely to encounter down the line. Wouldn't you prefer to know ahead of time how to treat a black eye, bloody nose, or bee sting?

THE PORTABLE PEDIATRICIAN is a great resource that no family home should be without.

FTC Disclaimer: I recieved a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  Honest!

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave an original comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• PLEASE NOTE: One win per household. If you win this title in another contest hosted at another blog, Hachette will only send one copy per household address.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, March 18, 2011.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

Thank you to Anna
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Book Review and Giveaway: THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition

CLOSED.

Rules for entering this giveaway

are at the bottom of this post.

THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition

by David Borgenicht, Nathaniel Marunas, and Robin Epstein

Publisher: Chronicle Books

6 x 8 in; 128 pp ; 1-color throughout, ages 8 and up
Guided Reading Level: Q
Paperback
Published in September, 2010
ISBN 9780811875707
ISBN10 0811875709

Description (from the publisher):
Leave it to the authors of the best-selling Worst-Case Scenario series to serve up a hilarious and totally "gross" handbook that will guide kids through all things slippery, slimy, and stinky. Find out how to survive boogers, bloody noses, barfing emergencies, and more. The tips in this book will have kids laughing out loud, while gearing them up to tackle all that's utterly disgusting in life, Worst-Case Scenario-style!



Click image to enlarge.

 My Rating:  5 out of 5 Stars - Kids will love it - you will, too!

My Thoughts:  Want something to grab and hold the interest of your reluctant middle-grade reader - especially boys? Have I got the book for you!  THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition is so chock full of disgusting yet worthwhile information that no boy on earth will be able to put it down. O.K., so realistically, I can't guarantee that claim, I can only speak for myself and what I witnessed with my 10 y.o. nephew. I breezed through it in one sitting (I am, after all, an adult). It took him a few more.

When reviewing a book, one has to consider not only whether it lives up to one's expectations but also whether it lived up to it's own claims. Let's take the most attention-grabbing claim first. Right on the front cover, THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition claims it will tell the reader how to survive: Nightmare Boogers (check - see page 12); Barf Emergencies (check - see page 16); and the School Bathroom (check, check - see page 82). In all, the book discusses 30 of the grossest situations a kid (or anyone -- even you!) could find themselves in. Everything is discussed in kid-friendly language. If you cringe when a nearby child uses words like "fart" and "poop" and "nose loogie", well, then, cover your ears because the authors do not mince words. If your kid doesn't know enough variations on the word "vomit", this book will quickly bring him up to speed, offering an alphabetical listing of alternatives from "blow chunks" to "yak." So, yes, this book definitely covers all things gross.

But is grossness enough for me to recommend this book to you? Of course not - we are, after all, civilized, as well as maybe just a bit snooty. Many would argue as to the value of purposeless play -  our jobs as adults is to educate the younger generation and foster their survival. Exposing our children to a whole tome of grossness just for the sake of entertainment would be a waste of precious educational time not to mention just plain irresponsible. But wait! What is the secondary claim put forth by the authors? The one that will initially slip past the attention of kids as they race to find the grossest of all possible gross scenarios? Ah, yes. It was "survival" wasn't it? See, it's right there in the middle of the title: THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition. This book not only details most gross situations, it explains to kids how to survive them. So the reader is not just going to become comfortable with terms such as "nose loogie" but will also learn what exactly is a nose loogie, why they exist, and what to do about them. In the guise of entertaining grossness, kids will learn lots of useful information about health and hygiene.

Both my nephew and I had a lot of fun reading THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: GROSS Junior Edition. It's appealing to kids because the subject matter is gross and the illustrations are funny. Adults will be happy to know the kids are learning exactly why it's a bad idea to stick a wad of chewed gum under your desk. This book is a great way to sneak a little education into your kid's entertainment. We plan to check out more titles in this series.

About the authors (from the publisher):
David Borgenicht is a writer, editor, publisher, and co-author of all the books in the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series. He lives in Philadelphia.

Nathaniel Marunas is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York.

Robin Epstein is the co-author of The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Middle School. She lives in New York City.

I have one (1) copy to offer for giveaway. Here's what to do:

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave an original comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. The publisher is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• PLEASE NOTE: One win per household. If you win this title in another contest hosted at another blog, the publisher will only send one copy per household address.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 16, 2010.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

• Winners are determined using the sequence generator at Random.org.

Thank you to Lara
at Chronicle Books

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Book Review #48: CHERRIES IN WINTER by Suzan Colon

CHERRIES IN WINTER

by Suzan Colón

Pub. Date: November 03, 2009

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Format: Hardcover, 224pp

ISBN-13: 9780385532525

ISBN: 0385532520

Description (from the publisher):
What is the secret to finding hope in hard times?

When Suzan Colón was laid off from her dream job at a magazine during the economic downturn of 2008, she needed to cut her budget way, way back, and that meant home cooking. Her mother suggested, “Why don’t you look in Nana’s recipe folder?” In the basement, Suzan found the tattered treasure, full of handwritten and meticulously typed recipes, peppered with her grandmother Matilda’s commentary in the margins. Reading it, Suzan realized she had found something more than a collection of recipes—she had found the key to her family’s survival through hard times.

Suzan began re-creating Matilda’s “sturdy food” recipes for baked pork chops and beef stew, and Aunt Nettie’s clam chowder made with clams dug up by Suzan’s grandfather Charlie in Long Island Sound. And she began uncovering the stories of her resilient family’s past. Taking inspiration from stylish, indomitable Matilda, who was the sole support of her family as a teenager during the Great Depression (and who always answered “How are you?” with “Fabulous, never better!”), and from dashing, twice-widowed Charlie, Suzan starts to approach her own crisis with a sense of wonder and gratitude. It turns out that the gift to survive and thrive through hard times had been bred in her bones all along.

Cherries in Winter is an irresistible gem of a book. It makes you want to cook, it makes you want to know your own family’s stories, and, above all, it makes you feel rich no matter what.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars -- Highly recommended - and quick, too!

My Thoughts:
You've heard the expression "Good things come in small packages." Well, CHERRIES IN WINTER by Suzan Colón is a delightfully good little book. At a diminutive 5 x 7.5 inches, it fits nicely in your hands and just feels good to hold. However, it's what's inside the package that really counts, and from the opening lines of the preface to the last few words of the acknowledgments, this little book is a feast of family fortitude. (I know, I've got to lay off the alliteration.) Colón's family members are by turn plucky, quirky, spunky, funny, hardy, and inspirational. I really wish I knew them. You'll wish so, too.

In an effort to trim her budget after being laid off, Suzan Colón digs out her grandmother's recipe folder from storage. Inside, she doesn't just find instructions for creating hardy and inexpensive meals. She finds a time capsule that introduces her not only to her grandmother who died when Colón was young but also to her great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. Some of my favorite parts of the book were the brief glimpses into the daily lives of ordinary women over the course of the last hundred or so years.

One of the main principals to which Colón aspires is to be able to live frugally without being miserly. To achieve that requires mindfulness of one's choices and an appreciation for the gifts of mere existence. She conveys this beautifully in the little vignette from which the book derives its title. Believe me when I say I will most likely never eat cherries again without thinking of Manhattan.

I loved this book. When I give a book 5 out of 5 stars, it has to be more than really good. It has to have the "WOW! Factor." It's hard to define the WOW! Factor. It's a feeling of awe that comes over me as I'm reading a book. If that feeling is sustained throughout the entire book, it's a WOW! What made me say WOW! as I read this little book is that the author writes with a precision and economy that makes every word count. She manages to amuse and inspire as well as give us a little social history all while telling simple entertaining stories of her family. Just as CHERRIES IN WINTER is about how to economize while not feeling deprived, Suzan Colón's memoir provides us with a feast in just a few little bites.  


Click here to visit the author's website.

About the author (from the publisher):
Suzan Colón is a contributing writer and editor for O, The Oprah Magazine. Her articles have appeared in Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Rolling Stone, Details, and other magazines. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, Nathan.

Book Review #47: HIGH AS A HAWK by T.A. Barron; illustrated by Ted Lewin

"Of the two hundred and fifty-odd trips
which I made as a guide to the summit
of this great old peak, the trip with Harriet
is the one I like best to recall."

Enos Mills (from the Author's Note at the back of HIGH AS A HAWK.)

HIGH AS A HAWK

by T.A. Barron

illustrated by Ted Lewin

Pub. Date: May 2004

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)

Format: Hardcover, 32pp

Age Range: 4 to 8

ISBN-13: 9780399237041

ISBN: 0399237046

Description (from the publisher):
Eight-year-old Harriet is determined to climb to the top of Longs Peak in Colorado. To get there, she'll have to overcome steep slopes, a freezing blizzard, and what her wise trail guide calls "surprises." But she simply must try both for herself and for the mother she has lost. If she succeeds, she will spread her wings and fly . . . high as a hawk.

Based on the historic 1905 ascent by the youngest person ever to climb Longs Peak, the highest mountain in Colorado, this book combines T. A. Barron's powerful, poetic writing with Ted Lewin's magnificent, evocative paintings. Together, they make a truly inspiring journey.

An author's note describes how the ascent encouraged guide Enos Mills to pursue his dream of creating the Rocky Mountain National Park.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars - Wonderful story - Beautifully illustrated - Enthusiastically recommended.

My Thoughts:
Never underestimate the power of a good book. A few weeks ago, I was alone in the house with E-6 (my 6 y.o. niece) and she was pitching a major fit. She just wanted her parents (who were both at work) and nothing less would appease her. Fortunately, I had recently been to the library and had a few "new" books. I picked up HIGH AS A HAWK and declared "I'm just going to sit here and read this book. You can listen if you want to, but you don't have to." Then I started to read aloud. Within just a few sentences, the crying had stopped and E-6 was at my elbow. I pretended not to notice and kept on reading. Soon, she climbed onto the arm of the chair and then into my lap and, together, we kept reading.

HIGH AS HAWK is based on the true story of Harriet Peters who, in 1905 at the age of 8, became the youngest person ever to have climbed to the 14,255-foot-high summit of Longs Peak in what is now Rocky Mountain National Park. She did it in fulfillment of her mother's dream to make the climb with Enos Mills, a mountain guide whose love of the area inspired his campaign to have it declared a national park. Unfortunately, Harriet's mother passed away just a short time before she was to make her dream come true.

When author T.A. Baron was researching the life of Enos Mills, he found an old letter from Harriet mixed in with those from some of America's most famous historical figures such as Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir and even Helen Keller. Mr. Baron dug deeper to discover just why Enos Mills would have preserved a letter from a little girl. The result is this fictionalized account of the historic event.

Telling the story from Harriet's point of view, Mr. Baron's prose is economic and eloquent at the same time. The little expedition consisting of Harriet, her "pa," and Mr. Mills, sets out before dawn. As the sun rises and the light changes, Baron uses beautifully descriptive phrases that sound realistic coming from the mouth of an 8 year old in 1905. The mountain "looked pinker than a ripened peach. And big, too." The peak "glowed bright, with golden light dripping down its sides like honey." The beauty of her surroundings and her commitment to fulfilling her mother's dream give Harriet the strength to make the long and difficult climb.  And it is arduous. Her father has to drop out because of a persistent cough long before Harriet and Mr. Mills traverse steep woods, open meadows, fields of boulders, and sit out a mountain snowstorm. Little Harriet pushes on despite her throbbing knees and badly blistered foot. Her tenacity so inspires Mr. Mills that when she is about to give up, he tricks her into climbing just a few more yards to the summit, where finally, she spreads her arms wide and glories in being high as a hawk.

Everything about this book is perfect. The heroine is admirable and inspiring; I'm in awe of T.A. Barron's writing, which is spare (for this is a children's picture book) yet so evocative I don't believe illustrations are even necessary. And yet, we are treated to the most gorgeous, color-saturated illustrations of Ted Lewin. It is amazing to me how realistic and detailed watercolor can be in the hands of a true artist. If it's not clear enough how much I love this book, let me point out that my review copy came from the library, but I'll be purchasing one of my own to add to my Keeper Shelf. Find a copy of HIGH AS A HAWK -- and don't wait until you have a crying six-year-old on your hands. Although . . . if you want to test the book's power . . . ;)

About the author (from the publisher):
T.A. Barron is the award-winning author of fantasy novels such as The Lost Years of Merlin epic—soon to be a major motion picture. He serves on a variety of environmental and educational boards including The Nature Conservancy and The Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, and is the founder of a national award for heroic children. Following a life-changing decision to leave a successful business career to write full-time in 1990, Barron has written seventeen books, but is happiest when on the mountain trails with his wife, Currie, and their five children.

About the illustrator (from the publisher):
Ted Lewin grew up in an old frame house in Buffalo, New York, with two brothers, one sister, two parents, a lion, an iguana, a chimpanzee, and an assortment of more conventional pets. The lion was given to his older brother, Don, while he was traveling as a professional wrestler, and he shipped it home. The family kept Sheba in the basement fruit cellar until Don returned and their mother convinced him to give it to the Buffalo zoo.

Ted always knew he wanted to be an illustrator. As a child he copied the work of illustrators and painters he admired, including N.C. Wyeth, Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, Velázquez, and Goya. When it came time to go to art school (Pratt), he needed to earn money to finance his education. So, following in his brother’s footsteps, he took a summer job as a wrestler—the beginning of a 15-year part-time career that eventually inspired his autobiographical book I Was a Teenage Professional Wrestler.

Ted’s career as an artist began with illustrations for adventure magazines, and it’s only over the last several years that he has devoted his time to writing and illustrating children’s books. “I’m having more fun doing this than anything I’ve ever done before,” he says. He is an avid traveler, and many of his books are inspired by trips to such places as the Amazon River, the Sahara Desert, Botswana, Egypt, Lapland, and India.

Ted and his wife Betsy live in Brooklyn, New York, where they share their home with two cats, Slick and Chopper. Click here to visit his website.

My review copy came from the Portsmouth Free Public Library, and I read this as part of the 2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog.

Spotlight and Book Giveaway: THE ART OF CHOOSING by Sheena Iyengar

Thanks to the generous folks at
Hachette Book Group,

I have been authorized to
 give away five (5) copies of

THE ART OF CHOOSING
by Sheena Iyengar.

Rules for entering this giveaway are at the bottom of this post.

THE ART OF CHOOSING

by Sheena Iyengar

Publisher: Twelve

Category: Psychology, Self-Help

Format: Hardcover Book
Publish Date: 3/1/2010

Price: $25.99/$31.99

ISBN: 9780446504102

Pages: 352

Size:6" x 9"

Description (from the publisher):

Every day we make choices. Coke or Pepsi? Save or spend? Stay or go? Whether mundane or life-altering, these choices define us and shape our lives. Sheena Iyengar asks the difficult questions about how and why we choose: Is the desire for choice innate or bound by culture? Why do we sometimes choose against our best interests? How much control do we really have over what we choose? Sheena Iyengar's award-winning research reveals that the answers are surprising and profound. In our world of shifting political and cultural forces, technological revolution, and interconnected commerce, our decisions have far-reaching consequences.

Click here to view the author's Columbia University website.

About the author (from the publisher):

Sheena Iyengar's groundbreaking research on choice has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Security Education Program. She holds degrees from UPenn, The Wharton School of Business, and Stanford University. She is a professor at Columbia University, and a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award. Her work is regularly cited in periodicals as diverse as Fortune and Time magazines, the NYT and the WSJ, in books such as Blink and The Paradox of Choice.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave a comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. Hachette is unable to deliver to P.O. Boxes.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, April 10, 2010.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

Thank you to Valerie
at Hachette Book Group

for making this giveaway possible.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Giveaway and Book Review #43: ALPHATUDES: The Alphabet of Gratitude by Michele Wahlder

Rules for entering this giveaway are at the bottom of this post.

ALPHATUDES: The Alphabet of Gratitude

by Michele Wahlder

Pub. Date: January 2010
Publisher: Life Possibilities Publishing
Format: Paperback, 128pp
ISBN-13: 9780982364505
ISBN: 0982364504

Description (from the publisher):

Sometimes complicated problems have simple solutions.

In Alphatudes: The Alphabet of Gratitude, Michele Wahlder reveals the unexpected and simple secret to living a joyful life: gratitude. In a world obsessed with negativity, we must deliberately choose to focus our attention toward the positive.
The good news is the homework is already done! Alphatudes utilizes your earliest grade school victory—the ABCs—to elicit a sustainable shift in your thinking and outlook on life. This book will help you:

•Heighten your awareness and appreciation of life’s daily gifts

•Attract opportunities with a positive mind-set

•Surmount life’s challenges with a healthy reservoir of gratitude

•Find the hidden blessings in difficult situations

•Free yourself from worry, negativity and resentment
 

Alphatudes shares the practical, yet remarkable, secrets of embracing a grateful, positive outlook and approaching life’s little challenges with grace, gratitude and hope.

Resplendent with breathtaking illustrations, heartfelt prayers, uplifting affirmations and quotes, Alphatudes takes you on an extraordinary 26-step journey grounded in spiritual principles and universal human concepts. An inspiring guide that serves as a road map and a trusted companion on life’s journey, Alphatudes: The Alphabet of Gratitude provides an uplifting, simple method for positively transforming your life … one day at a time.

Click here to visit the author's website.

Click here to read an interview with the author.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars

My Thoughts:  I've frequently heard how valuable it is to consciously express gratitude on a daily basis, and I've often wanted to start a gratitude journal. Somehow, I never got around to it. When I was offered the opportunity to review ALPHATUDES: The Alphabet of Gratitude by Michele Wahlder, I took it as a sign to put my intentions into action.

One of the things that had held me back from focusing on gratitude was that I had convinced myself of how it had to be done. I thought I needed to have a special journal and write in it every evening a list of things for which I was grateful. With the help of this little book, I've realized that I can express my gratitude anywhere, any time of day, and in a multitude of ways.

The book is lightweight and slim and it's easy to carry around in my purse - so I have been. Some mornings I pull into the parking lot at work and read a segment and then hold those thoughts in my mind throughout the day. Sometimes I don't read it until my lunch break or before I head home. Then I think about one of the concepts, such as forgiveness, joy, obstacles, or even "now", and apply them to interpreting events that occured that day. Other times, I don't read it until just before I go to sleep. Regardless of the time of day, I've found reading it, focusing on the concepts, and applying them to events in my life to be a relaxing, restorative, and centering exercise.

In ALPHATUDES, each letter of the alphabet is dedicated to a positive and uplifting discussion of a concept. Included are such diverse subjects as beauty and music and the "universal yes." The segment begins with a colorful illustration which visually connects to the concept. Then there is a quote on the topic, a short discussion followed by an affirmation and, finally, a short prayer. Each concept is covered in a total of 4 pages. It's a wonderful format for a busy person.

I've been very pleased with my copy of ALPHATUDES and, of course (here it comes . . . ) grateful! I've read it on an almost daily basis. Some of the images are ingrained in my brain and I only have to call up the illustration to bring to mind the positive message of that concept. A few of the quotes are beginning to stick with me and guide me through my day. I've found this book to be a valuable and comforting resource and definitely recommend it, especially to those who want to be more spiritually expressive, but don't really know how to begin or have a lot of time to devote each day.

My copy of ALPHATUDES is a keeper, but thanks to the author and publisher, I have one (1) copy to giveaway. Here's how to enter:

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

• Leave a comment on this post telling me you would like to win. Include an email address with your comment so that I can contact you if you do win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com or geebee.reads [at] gmail [dot] com

• You must leave an email address in order to qualify. If I can't contact you, you can't win!

• You can earn an extra entry by being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of this blog and telling me about it in a separate comment.

• Blog about this contest and provide me with the link to the post in a separate comment, and I'll give you yet another entry.

• Tweeting about this contest and providing me the link in a separate comment will get you one more entry. I've added a Retweet button at the bottom of every post.

• Stumble this blog, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it, whatever, and leave a separate comment for another entry.

• Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address - no P.O. Boxes.

• Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, March 19, 2010.

• Winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing that they have won; if I don't hear from a winner, I will draw another name.

Thank you to Rebecca
of The Cadence Group

for providing my review and giveaway copies.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Blog Tour and Guest Post: Christy Strauch author of PASSION, PLAN, PROFIT: 12 Steps to Convert Your Passion into a Solid Business

Like a lot of crafters, I've toyed with the idea of turning my hobby into a business. I make beaded jewelry, handbags, and cloth dolls. I've occassionally sold jewelry around the holidays at craft fairs or house parties. I wonder if I have what it takes to make my skills turn a profit? In these challenging economic times, I could use a second income! Fortunately, I've been given the opportunity to review a book that discusses just these issues. Today's post is a guest article by Christy Straugh, author of PASSION, PLAN, PROFIT: Twelve Simple Steps to Convert Your Passion into a Solid Business. Take a peek, and come back tomorrow for my review of her book!

PASSION, PLAN, PROFIT:

Twelve Simple Steps to Convert

Your Passion into a Solid Business

by Christy Strauch

About the book (from the publisher):

In this hands-on workbook, Christy Strauch gives creative people and small business owners the tools they need to help them understand the purpose their business or skill serves in the world; serve their best clients even better; and get clear on "Number," the language their business speaks to them. Passion Plan Profit takes a light-hearted and semi-painless approach to helping readers create a useable, fun plan to run a successful business. No one is "too creative" to make money doing the work they love.

Turn Your Hobby or Passion into a Business

by Christy Strauch

Want to start a business based on your hobby or passion? Here’s what you should do.

The first thing you have to know when you are evaluating whether or not to turn your passion into a business is your level of commitment.

Having a hobby is a lot like being single—you can work on your hobby (i.e. go out on a date) when you feel like it, or stay home in your pajamas and watch TV if you don’t. Hobbies don’t demand anything of you (just like that casual date you had last night). You can work on your hobby every free minute you have, or put it down for a year, or change your mind and forget about it completely, with few repercussions.

A business, on the other hand, can be very demanding. Deciding to cross the line from hobby to business is like committing to getting married. If you decide you want to make your hobby into a business, you have to commit yourself heart and soul. If you decide to turn your passion into a business, you’ll be making the decision to go from happy-go-lucky hobby kid, to grown-up business adult.

You know what making a commitment looks like. There will be days when you don’t feel like working on your business. But since it’s now a business instead of a hobby, you’ll have to do the work anyway, or figure out how to delegate it to someone else. Your commitment will force you to take actions that scare you; take risks that might frighten you, or do things you don’t enjoy.

But just like with a marriage, if you pick the right work, the work you love, turning it into a business can be deeply fulfilling, not to mention fun and profitable.

It boils down to one question. Are you ready, willing, and able to commit?

Do you have what it takes to turn your passion into profit?

The skill of successfully owning and running a business doesn’t require a specific genetic trait, or possessing the set of secret rules from a small business society that only allows five selected people into their membership every three years. What it does require is:

• A willingness to learn, at a deep level, who your perfect clients are and how to market to them.

• The perseverance to keep going when things are tough.

• The training to understand what your business numbers are telling you.

• The ability to flow with change.

If this all sounds too scary, then you should consider keeping your hobby a hobby.

But if you think these challenges sound interesting, stimulating and fun, you’re the right candidate to turn your Passion into Profit. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you love your hobby enough that you’d like to do it regularly, as work?

2. Would you like to become a professional at your hobby; to step up your level of skill at it so you would be considered one of the best in your field?

3. Would you be willing to spend time marketing your work?

4. Are you willing to work on it even on days you’re not in the mood?

5. Can you weather setbacks (a client firing you, someone not paying who promised to pay, a downturn in the economy, plus a host of other things that happen to every business owner).

6. Are you willing to learn new things; such as new ways to market, updated ways to do your work, etc.?

About Christy Strauch

In 1989, Christy Strauch, took a job as a sales representative for a small IT company with $50,000 a year in sales. Christy had an MBA in finance and marketing from UCLA and a dream of making a difference in business. Fifteen years and 3 mergers later, Strauch was a partner, took the company public, and sold it.

In 2005, with over 9 years experience working for nationally known companies such as IBM, Carnation International and Capitol Records, Christy decided that it was time to follow a lifetime calling to help small business owners learn to prosper doing the work they love. Considered an expert in small business, Christy has been interviewed by The Los Angeles Times and The Scottsdale Daily Progress, among others.

Throughout her career, Christy has received numerous honors. She won several regional managers awards during her tenure with IBM, has been honored by the Arizona Small Business Association, received the advanced Toastmasters Silver designation and earned her Certified Professional Co-Active Coaching (CPCC) certificate from the Coach Training Institute, as well as her Associate Certified Coach (ACC) certificate from the International Coach Federation.

In 2005, Christy formed Clarity To Business, a coaching and consulting practice. To date has worked with over 300 small business owners, from artists to real estate agents, helping them to both do what they are passionate about – and to make a profit.

Christy Strauch is the author of Passion, Plan, Profit: 12 Simple Steps to Convert Your Passion into a Solid Business. In addition she is president of Clarity To Business and has worked with over 300 small business owners, from artists to real estate agents, helping them do what they are passionate about – and make a profit. Her book is available at Amazon.com at http://cli.gs/JhYQXG

Check out some of other stops on the tour:
The Book Connection
The Huffington Post
Daily Awareness
Marketing Mindset
Ask Wendy, the Query Queen
Stark Raving Bibliophile Book Reviews
Linda's Business Blog
Books and Authors
Simply Sweet Home

Thank you to Stephanie of

Promo 101 Virtual Blog Tours

for organizing this tour.

Book Review #42: WOMEN ARE CRAZY, MEN ARE STUPID by Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee

Desperately looking for
a last-minute Valentine gift?
 This is it!

WOMEN ARE CRAZY, MEN ARE STUPID:
The Simple Truth to a Complicated Relationship

by Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee

Pub. Date: September 2009

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group

Format: Hardcover, 256pp

ISBN-13: 9781416595052

ISBN: 1416595058

 
About the book (from the publisher):
Since the dawn of time, when the first smitten caveboy tried to woo the object of his affections by shoving her into the mud, men have demonstrated that when it comes to women, they are profoundly stupid. And when it comes to men, women — no matter how intelligent or mature — are completely crazy.

Based on this simple yet groundbreaking insight, comedy writers and real-life couple Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee have devised a relationship guide that is refreshingly honest, completely hilarious, and surprisingly practical. Using their own crazy/stupid romance as an example of these forces in action, they set out to explain why women ask questions that they absolutely do not want answered — and why men persist in answering them. What are men really thinking — or crucially, not thinking? Why do women view even the most mundane events through an emotional prism? Why do guys suck at being romantic? And why does every conversation with a woman lead back to whether or not she's fat?

Using wit, hard-earned wisdom, and a highly entertaining he said/she said format, the authors explore the surprising method to his dumbness and the valid reasons behind her insanity, while providing real solutions to perennial relationship problems. By teaching men how and why they're stupid around women and showing women how to "control the crazy" for everybody's sake, Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid helps couples to reach the place where giving isn't giving in, needing isn't needy, and where the sexes can break the dysfunctional patterns and find away to live lovingly, happily ever after.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars out of 5.

My Thoughts: If you're desperately looking for a last-minute Valentine's gift, this is it! Morris and Lee have written a laugh-out-loud funny explanation of why men and women are forever doomed to butt head (and hearts). The great thing about this book is that neither side really comes out ahead. Although Lee makes the point that it's men's stupidity that drives women crazy, Morris is right there with examples and anecdotes to show that women have some degree of mental unbalance right from the get-go.

Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid is a perfect gift for couples because you get the point of view of both men and women. Even with all the laughs, readers will still gain insight and understanding of the opposite sex. It's pretty clear that Morris and Lee have a lot of love and respect for each other - and themselves individually. They poke fun at themselves as much as at each other, and you can't do that without a pretty healthy attitude.

This is a terrific book for Valentine's Day, anniversaries, weddings - it's the kind of book couples can give to each other or someone else can give to the couple together. Hidden within all the humor are some great relationship pearls of wisdom!
Click here to read an excerpt.

About the authors (from the publisher):
Howard J. Morris began his career in television, writing for the revolutionary HBO series Dream On, and then on the Emmy-nominated Home Improvement. He created the series, Holding the Baby and In Case of Emergency. He's also written on My Wife and Kids, According to Jim, and most recently, The Starter Wife. Jenny Lee was a writer on the hit comedy series Samantha Who?, starring Christina Applegate. And a writer on the Nickelodeon show, The Troop. She is also the author of three books of humor essays: Skinny Bitching, What Wendell Wants, and I Do. I Did. Now What?!: Life After the Wedding Dress. They live together in Los Angeles.

Thank you to Julie at FSB Associates for my review copy.