The ultimate guide to America's favorite vice president, filled with all of the key moments, all of the lessons, and none of the malarkey.

The aviators. The Amtrak. The ice cream cones. The memes. Few politicians are as iconic, or as beloved, as Joe Biden. Now, in The Book of Joe, Biden fans will finally have the definitive look at America's favorite vice president--and what he can teach us.

Structured around key moments in Biden's life and career--and filled with Biden-isms like "That's a bunch of malarkey" and "I may be Irish, but I'm not stupid"--this blend of biography, advice, and humor will reveal the experiences that forged Joe Biden, and the lessons we can use in our own lives. Along the way, readers will also encounter fun sidebars on his love of muscle cars, his most endearing gaffes, his bromance with President Obama, and much more.

Yet beneath the memorable Biden-isms, the book will reveal an inspirational story of a man who keeps "getting back up." We need this right now. Much as Biden has come back from both professional missteps and personal heartbreaks, sometimes we all have to get back up and fight. Given Biden's reputation as a decent, plainspoken, patriotic statesman of integrity, this entertaining and practical book will be both a celebration of great political figure and an essential guide to creating the America he believes in so dearly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pretty sure that I'm one of the least political people on this planet. It's not that I don't care, it's that I get completely overwhelmed and ....well, this isn't about me, is it? It's about this book and the fact that I am so glad that I followed my instincts and picked it up.

If you've been on social media at all, you've seen the Biden/Obama memes and you've chuckled and perhaps even wished for a friendship like that. It made me curious to know more about our former VP and where he came from. Enter The Book of Joe.

This fantastic biography shares with us the life of Joe Biden. It includes his hardships, his tragedies, and yes, his successes. I can't claim to know the man after reading it, but if he is anything like this book portrays him, I want to know the man. His love of family and his willingness to fight gave me an entirely new respect for a man that I only knew through memes.

So, if like me, you're overwhelmed by politics and especially with what's happening now, take some time and read...well, for lack of a better phrase...of a better time. Read about the man, not just about his politics. It was well worth it and I would recommend this to anyone interested in politics, biographies, or even a bit of self-help.





I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own. Now, I need to go write some of the quotes from this book onto my bathroom mirror.


If you like what you've read here, please share it with others using these buttons:

Dylan Jones's engrossing, magisterial biography of David Bowie is unlike any Bowie story ever written. Drawn from over 180 interviews with friends, rivals, lovers, and collaborators, some of whom have never before spoken about their relationship with Bowie, this oral history weaves a hypnotic spell as it unfolds the story of a remarkable rise to stardom and an unparalleled artistic path. Tracing Bowie's life from the English suburbs to London to New York to Los Angeles, Berlin, and beyond, its collective voices describe a man profoundly shaped by his relationship with his schizophrenic half-brother Terry; an intuitive artist who could absorb influences through intense relationships and yet drop people cold when they were no longer of use; and a social creature equally comfortable partying with John Lennon and dining with Frank Sinatra. By turns insightful and deliciously gossipy, DAVID BOWIE is as intimate a portrait as may ever be drawn. It sparks with admiration and grievances, lust and envy, as the speakers bring you into studios and bedrooms they shared with Bowie, and onto stages and film sets, opening corners of his mind and experience that transform our understanding of both artist and art. Including illuminating, never-before-seen material from Bowie himself, drawn from a series of Jones's interviews with him across two decades, DAVID BOWIE is an epic, unforgettable cocktail-party conversation about a man whose enigmatic shapeshifting and irrepressible creativity produced one of the most sprawling, fascinating lives of our time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I will never forget the reaction of friends when David Bowie died. He was mourned in such a way that I had never seen before. So, when this book became available, I requested it out of sheer curiosity. What was it about this man that people were so drawn to him? In this book, I learned just that in the stories told by those who knew him. Yes, at times, it felt as if I were in a room where people where gossiping and telling tales, but at the same time, I'm brought to memory every funeral dinner I have ever attended. That's just what we do. We tell the tales to keep the person close to you. If you're a long time Bowie fan or even just getting to know him, I recommend this book.






I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.

If you like what you've read here, please share it with others using these buttons:

The captivating, untold story of Hermann Rorschach and his famous inkblot test, which has shaped our view of human personality and become a fixture in popular culture

In 1917, working alone in a remote Swiss asylum, psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach devised an experiment to probe the human mind. For years he had grappled with the theories of Freud and Jung while also absorbing the aesthetic of a new generation of modern artists. He had come to believe that who we are is less a matter of what we say, as Freud thought, than what we see.

Rorschach himself was a visual artist, and his test, a set of ten carefully designed inkblots, quickly made its way to America, where it took on a life of its own. Co-opted by the military after Pearl Harbor, it was a fixture at the Nuremberg trials and in the jungles of Vietnam. It became an advertising staple, a cliché in Hollywood and journalism, and an inspiration to everyone from Andy Warhol to Jay-Z. The test was also given to millions of defendants, job applicants, parents in custody battles, workers applying for jobs, and people suffering from mental illness—or simply trying to understand themselves better. And it is still used today.

Damion Searls draws on unpublished letters and diaries, and a cache of previously unknown interviews with Rorschach’s family, friends, and colleagues, to tell the unlikely story of the test’s creation, its controversial reinvention, and its remarkable endurance—and what it all reveals about the power of perception. Elegant and original, The Inkblots shines a light on the twentieth century’s most visionary synthesis of art and science.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've been reading a lot of fiction lately and wanted something a bit different so when this book became available for review, it seemed like the perfect timing. Finding the time to read it, however, is another story for another day. Let's talk about Rorschach.

The Good: This book reads as if you're talking with a friend. I love this author's style. Biographies can be dry but I never had that experience with "The Inkblots". In fact, I picked it up every chance that I got because, almost like a fiction book, I wanted to know what happened next.

The Bad: The second half of the book is about what happened with the test after Rorschach's death and while interesting, I admit that it had a bit more trouble holding my attention.

The Summary: If you're interested in psychology, psychiatry, or just really well written biographies, I suggest you pick up a copy of this book. I don't think that you'll regret it.


I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.

If you like what you've read here, please share it with others using these buttons:

Chuck Pagano, head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, has become one of the most inspiring, intriguing personalities in the game of football. Only three games into his rookie season in 2012, Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia, sidelined by the side effects chemotherapy and months of recovery.

Undeterred, Pagano didn t let the confines of his hospital bed keep him from coaching: texts, calls, and emails kept him in constant contact with players, staff, and assistants. Motivated to be just as strong and determined as their ailing coach the team started winning game after game, compiling an impressive 11-5 record.

The players weren t the only ones touched by Pagano s hope and strength of character. Inspired by the tenacity and toughness of their beloved coach, a newcomer to town, thousands of fans united to form Chuckstrong, a movement that soon raised millions to help beat cancer. Pagano, fueled by his faith, his family, and his love of football, returned to lead the Colts to another winning season and the divisional playoffs in 2013.

With Pagano's practical lessons on living, loving, and leading, Sidelined, which includes an 8-page color photo section, inspires us all to stay in the game and never accept defeat.

====================
Ask my oldest and he'll tell you that unless it's his brother playing, mom doesn't care much about football. So, when this book came up as an option for review, I picked it up, not for me, but for him. After finishing it, I'm putting it on the family shelf, not his personal shelf. It has been a very long time since I picked up a book and less than halfway through it, I was reaching for a notebook to jot down some of the quotes. Even if you're not a diehard football fan, you can't help but be inspired. I've had this book for a couple of months, but something led me to pick it up the other night and the timing was perfect. I'm about to make some changes and this book is one that when things are tough, I'm going to come back to time and time again. I honestly cannot say enough positive things, so instead, I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book:

              "But regardless of our circumstances, they do not define us - not unless we give in and let                    them. Circumstances never determine who we are; they reveal who we are."
                                   -- Coach Chuck Pagano


I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts, comments and opinions are my own.
If you like what you've read here, please share it with others using these buttons:

Nightline anchor Dan Harris embarks on an unexpected, hilarious, and deeply skeptical odyssey through the strange worlds of spirituality and self-help, and discovers a way to get happier that is truly achievable.

After having a nationally televised panic attack on Good Morning America, Dan Harris knew he had to make some changes. A lifelong nonbeliever, he found himself on a bizarre adventure, involving a disgraced pastor, a mysterious self-help guru, and a gaggle of brain scientists. Eventually, Harris realized that the source of his problems was the very thing he always thought was his greatest asset: the incessant, insatiable voice in his head, which had both propelled him through the ranks of a hyper-competitive business and also led him to make the profoundly stupid decisions that provoked his on-air freak-out.

We all have a voice in our head. It’s what has us losing our temper unnecessarily, checking our email compulsively, eating when we’re not hungry, and fixating on the past and the future at the expense of the present. Most of us would assume we’re stuck with this voice – that there’s nothing we can do to rein it in – but Harris stumbled upon an effective way to do just that. It’s a far cry from the miracle cures peddled by the self-help swamis he met; instead, it’s something he always assumed to be either impossible or useless: meditation. After learning about research that suggests meditation can do everything from lower your blood pressure to essentially rewire your brain, Harris took a deep dive into the underreported world of CEOs, scientists, and even marines who are now using it for increased calm, focus, and happiness.

10% Happier takes readers on a ride from the outer reaches of neuroscience to the inner sanctum of network news to the bizarre fringes of America’s spiritual scene, and leaves them with a takeaway that could actually change their lives.

==============
It took me about a week to read this book and I don't have a single doubt in my mind that I will be picking this book up again to read again. I've already bookmarked the back section where it gives direction in meditation. As someone who used to meditate, in my own way, years ago, I found Dan's story to be honest, real and one that a lot of people could relate to, even if we're not nationally known news personalities. If you're interested in learning more about Dan Harris, meditation or just want a really good book to read that's different than the regular light hearted things that a lot of us read, I highly suggest picking this book up and curling up with it.



If you like what you've read here, please share it with others using these buttons:

"An unforgettable true story that will touch your heart and make you believe in love’s enduring legacy, and in the power of prayer.

In 1928, 16-year-old Minka was on a picnic in the woods when she was assaulted and raped. And suddenly this innocent farm girl—who still thought the stork brought babies—was pregnant. The baby was secretly born, named Betty Jane, and given up for adoption. For decades, Minka wrote letters trying to get news of her daughter; she kept loving and praying for her, even though she never dared believe they would meet again. Until nearly eighty years later, when Minka whispered her secret, impossible prayer for the first time: Lord, I’d like to see Betty Jane before I die. I promise I won’t bother her or interrupt her life. I just want to lay eyes on her. Unbeknownst to Minka, that very same day, a judge was releasing the sealed adoption records to her 77-year-old daughter. And soon, Minka’s phone would ring. Written by Cathy LaGrow (Minka’s granddaughter), The Waiting brings three generations of this most unusual family together over the course of a century to tell a story of faith that triumphs, forgiveness that sets us free, and love that never forgets."

===========================
It's been quite some time since I finished a book, closed the cover and thought, "Wow..." but that's just what happened with this book. The book reads like a novel and without out a doubt, it would make an amazing movie. I warn you though that it'd be one of those movies where you may want to wait until it comes out for home viewing because you may be doing some ugly crying and who wants to walk out of a theatre with a snotty blotchy face? Minka is an amazing woman. She goes through so much and yet it never turns her bitter. She is someone that all of us could model and be better human beings. As soon as I closed the book, I was on Google looking for more information on this amazing woman. I honestly cannot say enough good things about this book. Minka's granddaughter, Cathy, did an amazing job at capturing the life of this amazing woman. Minka, if you're still out there and I hope that you are, thank you for sharing your story with all of us...



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are my own.

If you like what you've read here, please share it with others using these buttons: