Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Steve Jobs was an arrogant asshole. You still with me? Ok, now you should totally read this book. While I know members of this fine family have their personal feelings about Apple and Apple products, perhaps even about Steve Jobs himself, this is a book worth picking up. As an iPhone and iPad owner, I clearly drank the Kool-Aid. And boy is it tasty. Mmmm…sugar.

Focus, Becky. Ok, but seriously, you don’t need to own or have owned an Apple product or even like Apple products to have respect for just what Apple has done for our society. Good, bad, or in between, it’s changed us. And Steve Jobs, love him or hate him (and there are about 10 people, I think, who loved him), was a mad genius. And I don’t mean that in the Boston “wicked-smart” sense, either. He was mad, and he was a genius.

While this book is more than 600 pages long, I didn’t find anything slow or extraneous about it. Walter Isaacson, the author, has written a few biographies that I think mom and dad have read – Einstein and Benjamin Franklin. And as Isaacson states in his intro, he’s quite sure that Steve Jobs saw himself as a natural progression of that list.

This was a fascinating portrayal of a very complicated, mercurial, selfish, brilliant, eccentric, sensitive, strong, elusive man. He brought computers into the mainstream, made them cool, accessible, flashy, and functional. He brought animation into the 21^st century before we were even in it, and he changed the way in which we buy and access music, movies, and information. Steve Jobs was an arrogant asshole. And this was one of the best books I’ve ever read.  

The Voyage by Philip Caputo

Could this picture be any bigger? Anyhow, thought I'd go big for my first post in a couple of years. Was going to try for funny, but Becky set the bar on that one for her first two, so I'll try my usual format and maybe stretch out with later posts.

"On a June morning in 1901, Cyrus Braithwaite orders his three sons to set sail from their Maine home aboard the family's forty-six-foot schooner and not return until September. Though confused and hurt by their father's cold-blooded actions, the three brothers soon rise to the occasion and embark on a breathtakingly perilous journey down the East Coast, headed for the Florida Keys. Almost one hundred years later, Cyrus's great-granddaughter Sybil sets out to uncover the events that transpired on the voyage. Her discoveries about the Braithwaite family and the America they lived in unfolds into a stunning tale of intrigue, murder, lies and deceit."

I copied that last paragraph from the Random House website. Couldn't have done better, so let's call this the sincerest form of flattery. About the book, I really liked it. The initial start with the great-granddaughter looking into a mystery was kind of clunky, but once the tale was fully enveloped with the three boys and the ship, it was as good as sea stories and coming of age stories get. The mystery is good, the clues make sense when presented, and all of the scenes of storms, animal or human attacks, and family dynamics really work. I had to put the book down a couple of times and mentally catch my breath after a few of those scenes. Caputo is a wonderfully clear and descriptive writer without being verbose. I know all the not-retired folks have time constraints, but this is writing at its best and worth the time.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

“This book will take you two days to read. Did you even see the cover? It’s mostly pink. If you’re reading this book every night for months, something is not right.”

Ok, full disclosure: This book took me three days to read when it should’ve taken me an afternoon. Why? Not because I’m secretly dyslexic or really super slow, but simply because I did not not not want this book to end. I didn’t think it’d be possible to read a book that I thought was funnier than “Bossypants,” but this one took the cake (mmm, cake).

“Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me” is written by someone who, up until reading the book, I knew nothing about, cared nothing about, and really thought was sort of annoying. I’m not a fan of the US version of “The Office”, even though I think it has its moments. But I really wasn’t a fan of Mindy Kaling’s character on that show. So when I heard that she wrote a book, it barely registered.

But then it popped up on my Amazon list under “Suggested Reads” (not sure why, I mean, just because I read any book by any famous woman who wants to give me advice on life, love, and friendship doesn’t mean…hey, it does sound funny! Thanks, Amazon.com!). However, I was still resistant because I have standards and if I’m going to be in my apartment alone reading with my cat it has to be something worthwhile, like Betty White’s “If You Ask Me…and I’m Sure You Won’t” (classic!).

In a shocking turn of events, though, I got really desperate one night when I realized that I was going through withdrawal after finishing the Steve Jobs biography (stay tuned) and “The Gates” (thanks for blogging about that, dad! Loved it! Perhaps I’ll add to your blogging…). So, I wandered over to Barnes and Noble and this pretty pink book was staring me down, just daring me to buy it. Never one to say no to a challenge, I picked it up and said “Bring it, Mindy.”

And she did.

I think Amanda would really like this book (actually, I think you all would, but for some reason I can’t see mom or dad picking it up) and I promise you will laugh out loud at almost every page. And the moment I put it down I immediately texted Courtney, Mary, Beth, and Deidre to tell them to stop whatever it was that they were doing and buy it. And since Courtney and Mary are the only ones, for some reason, who listen to what I say (mind-boggling), they did it immediately, leading to one of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received.

Court: I’m pretty sure you are the ghost writer behind this book. She sounds just like you. You need to write a book.

Me: I wish I was that funny.

Court: You are. Now shut up and go write a book.

So, you see, with a review like that how could you not want to read it?

“I'm the kind of person who would rather get my hopes up really high and watch them get dashed to pieces than wisely keep my expectations at bay and hope they are exceeded. This quality has made me a needy and theatrical friend, but has given me a spectacularly dramatic emotional life.”

Bossypants by Tina Fey

“My ability to turn good news into anxiety is rivaled only by my ability to turn anxiety into chin acne.” 

It is rare to laugh through a book as often as I laughed through “Bossypants.” And before any of you cast this book aside because you don’t think 30 Rock is funny (agreed) or SNL (agreed) or even Tina Fey herself (I was neutral), take a step back. This is at the top of my list as one of the two funniest books I’ve ever read – and the other I’m blogging about after this.

Being able to capture the funny in mundane is something I think Tina Fey does better than most. She also captures the universal feelings of insecurity, adolescence, career highs and lows, love, parenting, and everything else in between better than pretty much anyone I’ve come across. Except, of course, Tori Spelling. But c’mon, you saw that coming.

I actually think all three of you would find this book funny because it really does have something in it for everyone.  I know it’s not really the type of book any of you typically pick up, but maybe that’d be refreshing! Hey, I picked up “The Worst Book in Ameri –" wait, sorry, “Year of Wonders”, and I GUARNTEE you that this is better. Guaranteed. Wait, that’s faint praise. Ok, I guarantee that you will all like this better than “Stori Telling” by Tori Spelling. Wait……hmmm…ok, will you just pick it up already? I mean, what’s the worst that can happen, you waste an afternoon laughing and resent me for being right?

I think we can all live with that. 

Lit by Mary Karr

I have read a lot of books since my last blog entry but I think Lit

is one of my all time favorites. In general, I have avoided reading memoirs because it seems like such a shallow and narcissistic genre- does anyone else really care to know that much about you? Apparently, in some cases, YES if you have a compelling story, like Mary Karr.

When I saw that Mary Karr was coming to Traverse City for the National Writers Series, I decided to finally break down and read Liar's Club, her first book of memoir published 10 years ago. I figured that if I was going buy a ticket to hear her speak, I should have read at least one of her books. To my surprise, I quickly found myself hooked on her style, her humor and, especially her story. Lit is the third "installment" of her life story and it has convinced me that memoir can be a powerful and entertaining form of literature. I was halfway through Lit when Dave and I went to hear her talk about her work at the TC Opera House and we were not disappointed! We thoroughly enjoyed her candor, easy style, wit and insights about her struggle to overcome a hellish past (i.e. dsyfuncional family, sexual abuse, alcoholism and addiction) through sheer determination and discovering a spirituality within herself that she never knew was there.

I recommend this one for Dave, Amanda and Becky.

The Big Burn by Timothy Egan

Now this is a big picture. Don't know how it got that way, but it's fitting for the story being told. In 1910, a fire the size of Connecticut swept through parts of Idaho, Montana, Washington state, and the surrounding area. The newly minted Forest Service had the job of suppressing the fire, since the thoughts of the time were that mankind could control nature to a great degree. The Forest Service did not suppress the fire and yet that failure probably saved the service. The opponents were those U.S. Senators and Congressmen who opposed the service and the concept of national parks to meet the desires of the lumber, mining, and railroad barons of the day.

This is a story similar to Egan's other book about the Dust Bowl. It's as big a topic with the added feature of bigger than life characters like Teddy Roosevelt and the interests who opposed him. The story of the fire itself is gripping and individual accounts very moving. In the end, though, what struck me most was the change in the parks themselves. They are not the pristine wildernesses envisioned by TR and people like John Muir and TR's chief forester, Gifford Pinchot nor are they resources only for the taking of big industry. Lessons learned from the Big Burn (do everything possible to suppress fires) also are no longer the established thinking. All told, the parks today probably are a more balanced approach to both saving and using public lands, but the debate is far from over. This book gives a nice background to the parks founding, their early turbulent years and where they stand today.

The book was a Christmas gift from Amanda and I believe all our readers would enjoy it.

Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton

Jackie and I both read this and liked it. It's the story of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who entered Afghanistan shortly after 9/11 and worked with local, often competing, warlord factions to overthrow the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. You get to know the men and their training prior to deployment and then follow them as they move from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan via the worst helicopter ride you'll ever read about to the headquarters of one of the warlords. They lived with, and at the level of, the local fighters, which is to say they were very deprived and operated under extreme circumstances for long periods of time. It was touch-and-go near the end and could easily have resulted in a campaign that lasted years instead of months. We are a fortunate people to have those among us willing to live the life these Special Forces troops have chosen.
For those who've read "The Kite Runner" and "Three Cups of Tea," this is a compliment to those views of life in Afghanistan. I got a stronger sense of just how widespread and evil the Taliban regime was and how complex Afghan society is. I'm not sure if the country can be governed as a republic in the same way as occurs in the U.S., but it sounds like our initial foray into that country started on the right foot and gave us a better chance as being viewed as liberators rather than conquerors.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Beckie sent this book for Father's Day and mentioned she thought of me while reading it. It was a thoughtful gift. You've probably read about this professor who only had a few months to live and gave a last lecture at his university. He had three small children and wanted to leave snippets of himself for them to access when they were older in addition to the video tapes of him interacting with them. The lecture and book focused on dreams he had as a boy and approaches to life he used to attain those dreams and live that life.

Randy Pausch had a self-described large ego that came through in the book. I found it a little off-putting but in the end also thought he did a good job of weaving his life approaches into the narrative of giving the lecture and approaching the end of life. I also understand why Beckie thought of me because so many of the things he described as approaches to life have come out of my mouth and into the ears of Beckie and Amanda. Maybe the ego was there, too, which is a little disconcerting. He had more specific dreams for the future as a boy than most people I know and did a good job of attaining those dreams.

As a whole, you could do worse than following his advise for living a life. It's a quick and clear read that's worthwhile for all our blogger community. It also brings up the question of how you'd spend your last few months if you knew that was the limit. He made interesting choices with that question.

The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin

As with many of the books here, Jackie read it first and suggested I'd like it. She's right. It concerns the history of the Rehnquist court, the longest running time in U.S. history when the same 9 judges sat on the court. He continues the book after Rehnquist's death until just before the '08 election.

Toobin is a clear writer who handles this topic with judgement and as little bias as can be had considering some of the court's actions sometime call for expressions of outrage or confusion. It documents the steady drift to the right of that court and the self-leveling dynamics from within the court that allowed some justices who could have been considered right of center to move to the center for the sake of common sense. In the end, the steady focus of the extreme right that has taken over the Republican Party finally broke through with today's court being the result.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the book is the conclusion that there is no such thing as a judge who is not an activist. To have the hard core Constitutionalists judges like Thomas and Scalia vote for the Bush administration and against a specific portion of the original Constitution violating the Writ of Habeus Corpus and the skewing of power toward the executive branch just shows that politics speaks louder than the Constitution when it serves a judge's interests. This is a very good book but made me angry all over again reliving the 2000-08 time frame.

Amanda's Crafty Books

Dad is right....I've been in some sort of crafty manic phase for a while. But you said you wanted to know what I'm reading, so here goes. I recently checked out Material Obsession by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke. The subtitle is: Modern Quilts with Traditional Roots. I know, right? Who is this person and where did Amanda go? But it is beautiful! I've never quilted, but I think it's the next craft to get added to my list. The "Avalon" and "Retro Starburst" patterns look like projects I might actually be able to accomplish. And ALL of the more advanced quilts are so inspiring that they make you want to learn the craft so you could one day make something so beautiful. Mom, I think you might like this one. I'm actually surprised you haven't quilted before (or have you? she asks, in a mysterious tone, trying to uncover some deep dark quilting secret....)

I can't go any further without mentioning "The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections" by Amanda Blake Soule. This woman has become such an inspiration to me in the last few months. I can't remember how I discovered this book, but after being so impressed with her book I quickly began following her blog http://www.soulemama.com/. I have tried a few of the projects in her book such as the birthday banner, embroidering with kids, and letterboxing. In the next couple weeks I plan to do some freezer-paper transfers of some art by one of my favorite artists, Nikki McClure (http://www.nikkimcclure.com/) which is another project in the book. Phil and Debbie, you might find inspiration from this one. She really focuses on connecting with your children and exploring nature and creativity. I'm not doing her justice here, but at least check out her blog. If nothing else, you can enjoy her beautiful photography and gentle reminders to stop and appreciate your life "right now."

Okay, I'll only make you sit through one more...I'm guessing none of you will read it because it's a children's book. However, I am blown away by Cynthia Rylant's retelling of "Hansel and Gretel" and Jen Corace's amazing illustrations (http://www.jencorace.com/). Finding well-done retellings (i.e. not Disney-ified or saccharine sweet) of classic children's stories is not easy. There are very few that are accessible for the 3-6 year old age group. Most of the well-written versions are extremely wordy. And I'm sorry, but bedtime book reading is a 20-minute event in our house. Preferably with as little whining as possible. So when I found this version of "Hansel and Gretel" I almost cried. It opens with the lines: "It has been said that guardian spirits watch over and protect small children, and that may be so. But there are also stories of children who find the courage to protect themselves. Such is the story of Hansel and Gretel." Does it get any better than that?

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Becky wrote about Breakfast At Tiffany's and I mentioned I'd never read "In Cold Blood" so she loaned me her copy. If there are any others in our circle who've not read it, I strongly recommend it.

As you probably know, it's the story of two men who kill a family of four in Kansas and how they subsequently were captured and executed. The "must read" aspect of the story is Capote's descriptive yet sparse writing and his empathy for everyone appearing in the story, including the murderers. It's not a bleeding heart empathy but rather a clear-eyed look at everyone involved and a lack of vindictive slant when it would be easy to do given the awful nature of the crime. The two murderers had different backgrounds and somewhat different psychological drivers leading to the murder but you feel as if you know them, the victims, lawmen, townspeople, and anyone else touched by the crime. It's also why we lock our doors while living in an area where almost nobody else locks theirs.

Lincoln - The Biography of a Writer by Fred Kaplan

Not another Lincoln bio. Aren't there like a million of them? Yep, give or take but this is different from any of the others I've read. The author answers the "why another" question with "...there is no modern study of the origin and development of Lincoln's literary sensibility and genius... Lincoln's reading in the textbooks and literary anthologies of his youth, the literature that helped shape his mind and his prose style, is an essential part of the story."

Kaplan does a first rate job of looking at the available literature of Lincoln's youth, his favorite authors (especially poets) of his adulthood and the speeches by others who Lincoln admired and shows the echos of those sources in his famous and not so famous essays. Kaplan calls them essays rather than speeches because Lincoln almost never spoke extemporaneously. He laid out each formal speech in a tight format that made the point while allowing for inserted jokes and stories (mostly "earthy") as the situation dictated. He wrote decent poetry, made two of the best speeches by any politician ever and could well be called the political Mark Twain. Kaplan also focuses on areas skipped over by everyone else I've read, including his unhappy (and coerced?) marriage, his treatment of the Indians, and his alienation from his father. Lincoln's use of language and his personal philosophy of how honest language is a critical factor in presidential leadership brings into sharp focus why the presidential utterances of the last eight years have been such an unsatisfying experience and what contributed in great part to his (GWB) impotence as a leader. For anyone who is interested in Lincoln, this is a must read.

Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

Now that I can again get on and post reviews after an unexpected hiatus (due to log-on problems) I will report on this book that I read much earlier this year. As the title suggests, it is about a beauty school that the author was a significant factor in helping open and run. She is a US citizen, hair stylist by training, with a dismal marriage (lived in Michigan for part of it) who decides to do something bold and different. It is a true story. I was touched by the descriptions of the lives of Afghan women and once again became aware of how different my life as an American woman is from women in many other parts of the world. In learning skills at the beauty school, Afghan women are then able to support their families and themselves, which then opens a whole other door on the consequences of that in a country where women are not valued. Just trying to physically get around Kabul is a challenge, as is trying to do business as a woman who does not speak much of the language in a male-dominated country. I felt dangling at the end and wanted more of a conclusion one way or the other, which did not occur. I gave this book to my hairdresser (who says she never reads any books) who couldn't put it down and is passing it on to her friends.

Marley and Me

I read this book way before any hype about the movie came along. As you all probably know by now, it is a funny, touching book about a newlywed couple who gets a lab puppy who is full of personality, headstrong, loyal, with fears of thunderstorms (not good living in Florida as they do in the beginning). I laughed out loud many times. I cannot imagine having an animal like Marley for my pet, but the bonds with him swing emotions around like he enjoys swinging some pleasurable toy. The author is a professional writer (newspapers) and is an easy read. You learn about his family and their ups and downs (some very deep downs) as they all entwine themselves as a family. This is more like summertime beach reading, but if you want something to make you laugh and touch your heart, this is a good one.

The Life of Andrew Jackson by Robert Remini

I picked this up to fill in some gaps about American politics in the first half of the 19th century. It is an abridgement of a three book set that won the National Book Award in 1984.

From the beginning, Jackson's life was an adventure. He fought in the Revolution at 13 and was orphaned in the same year. He fought duals, had a controversial romantic life, fought Indians and the British, and reshaped American political and governmental life. It is a life that a fiction script writer would risk criticism for inserting so many near-death experiences, national firsts and bigger than life characteristics. He is justifiably controversial for having elevated the presidency to its modern executive status, for moving almost all eastern native American tribes to lands west of the Mississippi, for balancing the budget for the first time since the Revolution, changing national banking practices, etc.

When I read about FDR last month I came away with mixed emotions due to his character flaws and strengths combined with some governmental successes. He pales in comparison to Jackson, both for his flaws, his strengths, and his governmental outcomes. What was most surprising was the many similarities to issues that were addressed in this last election. Jackson took actions that reminded me of Bush, except Jackson was more courageous and competent. He also took stands that Democrats would applaud, especially since he created the Democratic party. He probably reminds me most of Teddy Roosevelt but is a unique individual. You will not be bored with this story and will come away with an excellent understanding of people like Calhoun, Clay, Webster, J.Q. Adams, and those presidents who followed Jackson into the 1840's. A worthwhile read and one that will leave me thinking about a president's place in the American governmental triumvirate for a long time.

Magical Thinking by Augusten Burroughs

I loved this book. Yes, I realize that Amanda may run away screaming because it's by Augusten Burroughs, acclaimed author of Running With Scissors, but this is a fabulous collection of short stories that had me laughing out loud. If any of you are David Sedaris fans I think you would get a kick out of this book. And the comparison isn't only with the writing style, though they are quite similar. His sexual preference (yes, he's gay), the slightly disturbing childhood and family drama (though, arguably, Burroughs had it way worse), and the humor with which he deals with it all is just...well, refreshing!

Even though Burroughs has unquestionably had a crazy, disturbing life, he addresses it with such humor that you actually find yourself relating to it...I swear! I think my favorite story is about him living in New York City and encountering a rat in his bathtub. This is a pretty typical New York City story - the whole rodent infestation problem, etc. But the way with which he goes about destroying this creature, and feeling this tug between good and evil, humanity and cruelty - it was absolutely hilarious.

If you're looking for a quick read, and (like most short story collections) a book you can put down and pick up at any time, this is your book. I realize this is coming from the person who read, blogged about, and even reveled in Stori Telling, but I swear...this was good!

Stori Telling

Most everyone who reads this review (hell, everyone) will undoubtedly lose most of whatever respect they had for me. But I don't care. That's right, people - I bought AND read Stori Telling by Tori Spelling. Soak it up. Breath it in. You're related to me.
Why did I pick up this book, you ask? A few reasons. One, it's summertime and dammit, I wanted something to read at the beach. Forget the fact that I read this on a sunny, hot Hoboken day laying on my leather couch for 7 hours until I finished it. Forget all of that. Forget the fact that I called several Barnes and Nobles (and, admittedly, a few Border's) to see if anyone had a copy. Sure, maybe it should've made me a bit embarrassed that this book was sold out everywhere (meaning that "the masses" were picking it up, and that usually isn't good). But I was shameless. I called everywhere saying "Do you have Stori Telling by Tori Spelling?" trying to sound as intelligent and worldly as I am while also really hoping they would put it on hold for me.
Second? I was curious. Maybe it stemmed from getting sucked into a marathon of her reality show on the Oxygen network "Tori and Dean." Maybe it is because I grew up watching her on 90210. Maybe it was because I always kinda thought she was an idiot and spoiled and entitled and annoying, and then when I watched that stupid marathon thought "Wait, she's kinda funny." Who cares. I bought it, and that's that.
So. The review? Well, none of you will read it, I'm sure, and that's just fine. I proudly have it displayed right up there with "The Bell Jar" and "Anna Karinina" and "Memoirs of a Geisha." Well, maybe not proudly, but it's there. And I am going to stick by this purchase because it was funny. And light. And a quick read. And it didn't make me curl up into the fetal position and contemplate the best ways to take your life. And I'm a firm believer that not every book has to change my life. Sure, it'd help if I learned something from it, but does it count that I learned that Tori Spelling only had one nose job as opposed to the several it's always reported she has gotten? Yeah, didn't think so.
Sure, it's fluffy and ridiculous and I'm sure you all have your opinions of Tori Spelling and her life so I won't bother trying to explain any of it away. I stand by it. I own it. It's a toss up between what was fluffier this summer, Stori Telling or Valley of the Dolls. But both have lots of pink on the cover, so that counts for something, right? Ok, you may proceed to mock me now.

No Ordinary Time

Okay, I know...another biography. I admit I'm hooked. I actually started reading this book about 10 years ago but it just didn't grab me. So, after all this time I decided to give it another try and I'm glad I did. It was well worth the investment of time and effort (all 635 pages). Doris Kearns Goodwin (Team of Rivals) is a clear and concise writer and, in this case has written a compelling and informative story, subtitled, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II.

As a child growing up in post- WWII America, the nation was still basking in the afterglow of the FDR presidency. It was a time of great national pride and growing prosperity after winning "the war". Although FDR had died in 1945 during his fourth term in office (can you imagine if we had GWB around that long?!!), his legacy was (and is) legion. Eleanor Roosevelt also remained a popular and much admired public figure, often appearing on television (a new media source in the 50s) to make public service announcements. After reading this book I have a much greater understanding of what it must have been like to have lived during "the war" and some of this nations darkest hours. I also gained a deeper appreciation for the contributions and sacrifices made by both Franklin and Eleanor during this critical and historic time. Franklin, an eternal optimist and Eleanor, a poster-child for civil rights and social justice, formed an unlikely, yet powerful partnership.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about America's role in WWII. In summary, Doris Kearns Goodwin writes, "the Roosevelt years had witnessed the most profound social revolution in the country since the Civil War- nothing less than the creation of modern America.

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

Apparently, Mom was not that impressed by this book, but I really enjoyed it. I read "Omnivore's Dilema" last year and found it compelling, so I was excited about this one. This book is more concise and doesn't go into as much detail as his first book, but that was okay with me. I enjoyed his down-to-earth eating recommendation: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." That sums it up right there, but he explains each of those statements further and gives some guidance about how to choose the food you eat.

Every time I read one of these books (about food, health, or the environment), I get more and more frustrated with the way I eat and always want to improve myself and my habits. You would think it easy to eat food, not too much, mostly plants...but Pollan explains why so much of Western food culture conspires against people trying to do just that.

I found this book inspiring and hopeful and would recommend it to anyone who is curious about why the Western diet is slowly (or quickly) killing most people who adopt it.

Helping Me Help Myself by Beth Lisick

As promised, a FUNNY book. "Helping Me Help Myself" was perfect! I don't know if we were seperated at birth or something, but Lisick seems to be some sort of soul sister. Basically, Lisick, a determined skeptic of self-reflection and gurus, decided it might be a kick to try out different "self-help" theories throughout the year and see if she might get something out of it. Embarassingly, I've read most of the authors/gurus she wrote about: Julia Cameron ("The Artist's Way" - to help her creativity,) Deepak Chopra (to help her find her spirit,) and, of course, Richard Simmons! It was a riot!

Of course, my favorite chapter might have been when she tried to take some advice from a parenting book to get her 4-year old to behave. Reading about her trying to get him dressed in the morning brought tears to my eyes because I could relate on such a deep level. And like any great comic writer, she had me laughing at every awkward, painful experience. Seriously, I was afraid of waking some kids up in the nap room because I was having such a hard time stifling my laughter.

That being said, can I send a shout out for some recommendations of cheerful/funny books I can read? Dad's latest "Stealing Horses" might fit the bill, I'm not sure. But basically, I have had to put down two books recently that were just miserably depressing. Alice Sebold's (of "The Lovely Bones") "The Almost Moon" and Jeannette Walls "The Glass Castle" were both painful in their own way. I got about 3/5 of the way through both of them before stopping. Sebold's was about a woman who murdered her dementia-stricken mother and I just didn't care that much about the main character. Plus, I couldn't relate at all...seriously. Did you hear that mom, couldn't relate at all. Her mom was pretty messed up and was basically never there for her daughter emotionally. And "The Glass Castle" was similar in the sense that it's a memoir about Walls growing up with her emotionally disturbed parents as they dragged she and her siblings across the country. The parents in both books were so horrible, I just didn't feel like reading any more. I understand that some parents are horrible but it's just not entertaining to read about such miserableness. At least, not right now. Not after "The Road." So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!