In 1995 Bill Bryson got into his car and took a weeks-long farewell motoring trip about England before moving his family back to the United States. The book about that trip, Notes from a Small Island, is uproarious and endlessly endearing, one of the most acute and affectionate portrayals of England in all its glorious eccentricity ever written. Two decades later, he set out again to rediscover that country, and the result is The Road to Little Dribbling. Nothing is funnier than Bill Bryson on the road—prepare for the total joy and multiple episodes of unseemly laughter.

Becoming a writer begins with a simple but important belief: You are a writer; you just need to write.

In You Are a Writer, Jeff Goins shares his own story of self-doubt and what it took for him to become a professional writer. He gives you practical steps to improve your writing, get published in magazines, and build a platform that puts you in charge.

This book is about what it takes to be a writer in the 21st Century. You will learn the importance of passion and discipline and how to show up every day to do the work.

Here's what else you will learn:

- How to transition from wanting to be a writer to actually being one
- What “good” writing is (and isn’t)
- How to stop waiting to be picked and finally choose yourself
- What it takes to build a platform
- Why authors need to brand themselves (and how to do it)
- Tips for freelancing, guest blogging, and getting published in magazines
- Different ways to network with other writers, artists, and influencers
- The importance of blogging and social media and how to use it well to find more readers and fans of your writing

You Are a Writer will help you fall back in love with writing and build an audience who shares your love. It’s about living the dream of a life dedicated to words.

AND IT ALL BEGINS WITH YOU.

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Guess what else begins with me? This review because I'm writing it!

The Good:

The Bad:

The Summary:

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I love the simplicity and colors of this cover!

Learn how to publish your work like a pro and start building your audience with the most comprehensive and up-to-date self-publishing guide on the market today. Packed with practical, actionable advice, Let's Get Digital delivers the very latest best practices on publishing your work and finding readers.

· Boost your writing career with marketing strategies that are proven to sell more books.
· Get expert tips on platform building, blogging and social media.
· Discover which approaches are best for selling fiction vs. non-fiction.
· Implement powerful ways to make your ebooks more discoverable.
· Increase your visibility by optimizing keywords and categories.
· Weigh the pros and cons of Kindle Unlimited, and find out exactly how to tweak your promotional plans depending on whether you stay exclusive to Amazon or opt for wider distribution.

And that's just for starters...

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My apologies that it's been a couple of weeks since my last Wordsmith Wednesday post. Life in the last month of the school year is crazy! Now...let's talk about this book...

This author was one that I kept seeing being mentioned as someone to check out, so I did just that! When I went on my "oh my gosh how am I going to be an author" book buying spree, I picked up this title from Amazon. Let's see how it broke down...

The Good:

The Bad:

Links. I know that this is an e-book, but I really don't like to be reading along and suddenly coming across a link within the text. If the information is important, it should be included within the text. My Kindle is old and doesn't like opening links and when it does cooperate, flipping between that link and back to the book is a bit of a pain. After all, my Kindle doesn't have alt-tab that I can use. I would have preferred a list of links in the back of the book and have it left at that. I should point out that there was a resource section so this was done in part.

I also found the third part (other authors who have made it) to feel outdated. The authors all had their success about eight years ago when the market wasn't nearly as swamped as it is now. I would love to see this section updated with authors who have found their way in the past couple of years.

The Summary:

If you're serious about becoming a self-published author, this is a book that you need to pick up and spend many hours pouring over its pages. Like I said, I'm going to be going back over my notes because there was just so much information packed in that I want to be sure to absorb as much of it as possible. I can guarantee that as I prepare my next book for publishing, I'll be using the checklists that I made and hey, I might even get brave enough to get that mailing list set up soon!






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Are you unsure how generate more traffic to your blog? Do you feel overwhelmed by all the SEO articles out there (or not even sure what the term means)? Do you wish someone could break it down for you in simple steps?

Then this is the book for you!

Rachel provides you her top 25 tips laid out in easy to understand language gleaned from her own ten years of successful blogging as well as optimizing and managing countless client blogs. Containing a wealth of information, these tips will help you increase traffic to your site!

Topics include:
· SEO terms defined
· Specific ways to increase traffic to your blog right now
· How to optimize each post for maximum exposure on Google
· Ways to connect with readers
· How to integrate your blog posts on the various social media sites

If SEO confuses you, this is a great beginner breakdown for any new blogger, writer, veteran author, and even small businesses.

Buy your copy NOW and start increasing your visibility!

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In my ongoing efforts to learn about how to make this a better blog, I decided to tackle some beginner SEO. It's a topic that can be totally terrifying if you have no idea what SEO is or how to figure it out. I happened to see this author in a webinar and decided to check out her books. Imagine my delight when I found this for only 99c!

The Good:
Rachel writes as if you're sitting down with her at a table and walking you through everything, step by step. She links to quite a few handy (and free) tools to help you with improving on whatever SEO you currently have going. As if that isn't enough, all of her tips are specific so you're not spending hours trying to nail down generic information to something that you can use.

The Bad:
This book is very specifically for those using Wordpress. If that isn't your platform (and my site actually isn't), then you'll have to do some tweaking to make it work for you. Some things may not be possible to do but I've already found some that I can put into place. Also, the section of the book that actually pertains to this topic is only about 44% on Kindle with the rest going to an author bio and a sneak peek at her next book.

The Summary:
For 99c, you honestly cannot go wrong with this book. If only one of the 24 tips (the 25th is more of yay, you made it!) is something that you can apply to your blog, it's more than paid for itself. I know that this is one that I'm going to keep coming back to so I can continue to add to what I'm already doing.





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As I become more serious about my writing, I'm hoping to add another feature here on the blog. Wordsmith Wednesday may not happen every week quite yet, but it's reserved for things that specifically have to do with my writer's journey. We're going to kick it off with a book review!

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How long does it take to become a better writer?
Just five minutes.
These five-minute chapters are each designed to help you master an aspect of the writers’ craft. From prewriting and character development through plotting, editing, proofreading, and on to the options available in publishing, we will help you with every step of your writing journey. No matter where you are in your process, there is something you can learn that will make your writing stronger.
The path from writer to author is an obstacle course of pitfalls and secret rules. Five Minutes to Success promises to help you overcome each roadblock on your road to publication. With exercises and worksheets for each topic, we promise tips and tricks to make your work shine.
Give us five minutes.
We’ll give you the writing world.

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I first heard about this book not long after it was released. A friend of mine happens to know both of the authors and was encouraging everyone that he knew to pick it up. Eventually, that's just what I did. Then, it sat on my Kindle until this past week when I decided to start really working on my education as an author. I confess that I didn't do a 5 minute lesson each day. If I had, it would be another 6 years before I wrote this review. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but this book is long.

The Good:
There is a ton of great information within the pages of this book. Even if you're not new to writing, this book will serve as a great refresher course. Each section has a little assignment at the end which will help the knowledge acquired sink in even further. This is one of my favorite things about this type of book. I'm a put it down in pen and ink kind of learner so having study questions really helps.

The Bad:
While it is stated that there are two authors for this book, the book really reads as if only DW Vogel (known as Wendy in the book) wrote it. I believe there are only one or two occasions where Jeri's opinion is stated. Also, there are locations where the punctuation is off (primarily section 1) and at least one point where a sentence's subject's gender changed mid-sentence. There are some other errors in the book, such as Deus Ex Machina being listed as Deus Ex Machine and the author's use of the term dialog instead of dialogue.  Granted, that last one is a pet peeve kind of thing for me. It isn't technically wrong, but it isn't the preferred form of the word. Dialog should be reserved for software design in my world.

The Summary:
If you can overlook the issues that I mentioned above, don't hesitate to pick up this book. It doesn't matter if you're a first time writer or someone who has been at this for a while, I'm pretty sure that you can find something in there that you can use. I do want to point out that the emphasis is more on traditional publishing, but again, don't let that stop you, self-publishers! I have no desire to have an agent or be signed to a big name publisher and I have pages and pages of notes to refer back to.



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"Fascinating--and it is all true!"-- FREDERICK FORSYTH, author The Day of the Jackal

Washington Post: "A fascinating and complex picture of the interplay between politics and media in the Cold War era."

Hailed by The New York Times Book Review, Alan Furst, Bill Moyers, Alex Kershaw, Kai Bird, and more.

A thrilling Cold War narrative exploring two harrowing attempts to rescue East Germans by tunneling beneath the Berlin Wall, the U.S. television networks who financed and filmed them, and the Kennedy administration's unprecedented attempt to suppress both films.

In the summer of 1962, one year after East German Communists built the Berlin Wall, a group of daring young West Germans came up with a plan. They would risk prison, Stasi torture, even death to liberate friends, lovers, and strangers in East Berlin by digging tunnels under the Wall. Among the tunnelers and escape helpers were a legendary cyclist, an American student from Stanford, and an engineer who would later help build the tunnel under the English Channel. 
         
Then two U.S. television networks, NBC and CBS, heard about the secret projects, and raced to be first to air a spectacular "inside tunnel" special on the human will for freedom. The networks funded two separate tunnels in return for exclusive rights to film the escapes. In response, President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of State Dean Rusk, wary of anything that might raise tensions and force a military confrontation with the Soviets, maneuvered to quash both documentaries.
       
Unfolding week by week, sometimes hour by hour, Greg Mitchell's riveting narrative deftly cuts back and forth from one extraordinary character to another.  There's the tunneler who had already served four years in the East German gulag; the Stasi informer who betrays the "CBS tunnel"; the young East Berliner who escapes with her baby, then marries one of the tunnelers; and broadcast legend Daniel Schorr, who battled unsuccessfully to save his film from White House interference and remained bitter about it to the end of his life. Looming over all is John F. Kennedy, who was ambivalent about--even hostile toward-- the escape operations.  Kennedy confessed to Dean Rusk:  "We don't care about East Berlin."
   
Based on extensive access to the Stasi archives, long-secret U.S. documents, and new interviews with tunnelers and refugees, The Tunnels provides both rich history and high suspense.  Award-winning journalist Mitchell captures the hopes and fears of everyday Berliners; the chilling reach of the Stasi secret police; U.S. networks prepared to "pay for play" yet willing to cave to official pressure; and a White House and State Department eager to suppress historic coverage. The result is "breaking history," a propulsive read whose themes reverberate even today.

-------------------------------

Every so often I feel the need to dip my toes into the nonfiction world and that's how I ended up with this book. I'm glad that I did. It took me a while to get through this book because the subject matter could be heart wrenching at times and I just had to sit it down and walk away. That being said, some books on history are so dry that you need a glass of something to get through them. This isn't that book. It reads more like a novel than a dry history book. If you're interested in Berlin, the Cold War, or anything of that nature, I highly recommend that you pick up this book.






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




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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.

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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.


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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.

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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.

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A graphic novel biography of the American legend who inspired the hit Broadway musical Hamilton.

Alexander Hamilton was one of the most influential figures in United States history--he fought in the Revolutionary War, helped develop the Constitution, and as the first Secretary of the Treasury established landmark economic policy that we still use today. Cut down by a bullet from political rival Aaron Burr, Hamilton has since been immortalized alongside other Founding Fathers such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson--his likeness even appears on the ten-dollar bill. In this fully-illustrated and impeccably researched graphic novel-style history, author Jonathan Hennessey and comic book illustrator Justin Greenwood bring Alexander Hamilton's world to life, telling the story of this improbable hero who helped shape the United States of America.

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As some of you might know, I used to do quite a few comic book reviews. Sadly, I don't have as much time these days so I leave most of that to my staff over on Geek-o-Rama. Still, when I get the chance, I still reach out and grab it!

This book was the perfect for that kind of thing. It has three of my favorite things: comics, history, and a great "story".  Let's break this one down in one of my favorite ways: The Good, The Bad, and The Summary.

The Good:
This book is full of information! It may be a biography of Hamilton, but it also covers a lot of what was happening during that time, not just here but in other countries that would get involved. The dialogue included quotes from actual letters and pamphlets of that time period. That's some serious dedication to the project and I love to see that kind of effort put into a project.

The Bad:
While I generally enjoyed the art, it was sometimes tough to keep track of who was who. After all, there were a lot of white men wearing white wigs! The only other thing is that the language in this books makes it more suitable to an upper level high school student versus anyone younger.

The Summary:
All in all, if you like history, have an interest in Hamilton (the musical), love graphic novels, or a combination of any of the above, go ahead and check out this book. I think it's going to be a really good addition to my books on history shelf.






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From a leading art instructor at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, a complete survey of drawing as an art form covering its history, materials, and key techniques, alongside step-by-step demonstrations.

Foundations of Drawing is a comprehensive and authoritative overview of the history, aesthetics, methods, and materials of the drawing medium. Throughout, clearly defined demonstrations provide easy access to the practice of drawing as well as the history and development of core drawing techniques. Richly illustrated, the book contains reproductions of the finest master drawings from the fifteenth century to the present. Unlike other drawing instruction books that focus on step-by-step lessons exclusively, Foundations of Drawing provides readers with the context and background to help understand just why these materials and methods are so vital for successful drawing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Artist I am not. That may be the understatement of the century. I cannot draw a straight line even with a ruler. Still, I very much appreciate art and I have quite a few friends who are artists so I thought I'd give this one a read through.

This book is perfect for those who aren't looking for a how to draw book. This book combines the history of drawing with drawing techniques. I especially appreciated the section on drawing materials. As someone who scrapbooks and colors in coloring books, it was information that I could use even if I never try to draw another sad little stick figure. I always appreciate books that have information that I can adapt to whatever it is that I'm doing.

So, if you're looking for a book that's jam packed with information, I'm sure you'll enjoy this book. As for me, I'm going to find an art lover to pass it on to because knowledge and art should be shared.





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

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How Music Works is David Byrne's incisive and enthusiastic look at the musical art form, from its very inceptions to the influences that shape it, whether acoustical, economic, social or technological. Utilizing his incomparable career and inspired collaborations with Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and many others, Byrne taps deeply into his lifetime of knowledge to explore the panoptic elements of music, how it shapes the human experience, and reveals the impetus behind how we create, consume, distribute, and enjoy the songs, symphonies, and rhythms that provide the backbeat of life. Byrne's magnum opus uncovers ever-new and thrilling realizations about the redemptive liberation that music brings us all.

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"I believe in you. You have a great destiny. You are meant for great things. And it s possible to live a wonderful, extraordinary life." That is the promise offered by bestselling author and illustrator James A. Owen in this remarkable and inspirational meditation. In Drawing Out the Dragons, James shares personal stories and the deep truths he learned while navigating past obstacles and adversity toward a life of lasting belief and joy. We all have a grand destiny, but sometimes we feel we lack the power to achieve it. But we always have the power to choose. Every drawing, every life, is nothing but a series of choices and actions. Make your lines. Make your choices. . . . What you create from there is entirely up to you. Drawing Out the Dragons has the power to uplift, inspire, and change your life.

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Sometimes in life, you get what you need just when you need it. For me, that was the case with Drawing Out the Dragons. I was chin deep in a depression that was threatening to swallow me whole and me, being me, posted about it on my blog. It wasn't much later that I received a Facebook message from someone reminding me that they'd sent me the pdfs of not only this book, but the other two in the series. Little did either of us realize, but I'd purchased the Kindle versions back in 2016 and forgotten all about it until I found my Kindle and they were right on top staring at me. Never one to ignore such blatant hints from the universe, I curled up at the park one day and started reading. I didn't stop until I'd finished this book.

Why? Because every page spoke to me on some level. James has been through some horrendous things, but it wasn't his difficulties that had me. After all, I've long said that everyone of us on this planet has a challenge or challenges to overcome. It was the ways in which James overcame them. He never quit. Here I was contemplating the value of my own life and James is screaming from the rooftops that it's okay and that no matter what, he isn't going to let me fall. Sometimes, when everything seems the darkest, all it takes is one person saying hey, I believe in you. Sometimes all it takes is seeing how someone else survived and thrived to make you sit up, take some deep breathes, and say, "Okay world, let's give this another shot."

Thank you, James...for reminding me that I can do this and like you say in the book, "Always, always ask for what you want. Because the Universe might surprise you — and give it to you.” I'm hoping to someday be able to ask for one of those Dragon pictures because I want it to serve as a reminder of what I can do in this world. 



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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.

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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.

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From storytelling phenomenon The Moth, 45 unforgettable true stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown, drawn from the best ever told on their stages.

Carefully selected by the creative minds at The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of live storytelling, All These Wonders features voices both familiar and new. Alongside Louis C.K., Tig Notaro, John Turturro, and Meg Wolitzer, readers will encounter: an astronomer gazing at the surface of Pluto for the first time, an Afghan refugee learning how much her father sacrificed to save their family, a hip-hop star coming to terms with being a one-hit wonder, a young female spy risking everything as part of Churchill's secret army during World War II, and more.

High-school student and neuroscientist alike, the storytellers share their ventures into uncharted territory and how their lives were changed indelibly by what they discovered there. With passion, and humor, they encourage us all to be more open, vulnerable, and alive.

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Sometimes you pick a book and you're not sure why. That was the case for me and this book. I had no idea what was drawing me to it, but once I started reading, I knew that I'd made the right choice. While this book can be read in small snippets, I couldn't stop reading and actually read this in one sitting. Every story had something in it that made me nod or smile or even cry a time or two. I truly believe that there's something in it for every single person out there.

My one and only complaint was that the stories in the book are almost all from well known people. One of the things that draws people to The Moth are the average people who get up and talk. They were left out of this tome and I really wish that they had been more included. I'm just an average person and I really was looking for an average person to connect to in this book.

That being said, I know that this book is going to go onto my shelf and be one that I come back to time and time again. I sincerely hope that they do more in a series of books because storytelling is such a powerful tool and we all have something to share.



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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Fifth-generation New Yorker, third-generation bartender, and first-time author Tara Clancy was raised in three wildly divergent homes: a converted boat shed in working class Queens, a geriatric commune of feisty, Brooklyn-born Italians, and a sprawling Hamptons estate she visited every other weekend. This childhood triptych comes to life in The Clancys of Queens, an electric, one-of-a-kind memoir.  

From scheming and gambling with her force-of-nature grandmother, to brawling with eleven-year-old girls on the concrete recess battle yard of MS 172, to hours lounging on Adirondack chairs beside an immaculate croquet lawn, to holding court beside Joey O’Dirt, Goiter Eddy, and Roger the Dodger at her Dad’s local bar, Tara leapfrogs across these varied spheres, delivering stories from each world with originality, grit, and outrageous humor.

But The Clancys of Queens is not merely an authentic coming-of-age tale or a rowdy barstool biography. Chock-full of characters who escape the popular imaginings of this city, it offers a bold portrait of real people, people whose stories are largely absent from our shelves. Most crucially, it captures—in inimitable prose—the rarely-heard voices of New York’s working-class women.

With a light touch but a hard hit, The Clancys of Queens blends savvy and wit to take us on an unforgettable strata-hopping adventure.
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 I finished this book over a week ago and I've been trying to decide how to write this review.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this book up. I love memoirs but traditionally, I choose ones by people that I actually know. In this case, I have and had no idea who Tara Clancy was, though I did get to know her throughout her book. In fact, I got to know quite a few interesting characters. When the book opened up, I smiled at her memories of her grandparents and what life was like when she was with them. As the book progressed though, I found myself smiling less as the language picked up and some of the stories seemed too out there to be true. Are they true? I don't know. I mean, I have stories that people look at me and say there's no way that happened, but they did. Then, the book abruptly ended and it didn't feel as if there were any closure to it. If I had to rate this book (and I kinda do), I'd give it at 3 out of 5. It's not a bad read, but I feel as if I may not have been the right audience for it.



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Emmy award-winning photographer Robert Trachtenberg presents today's playfully "macho" coffee-table collection of 100 modern (and cheeky) portraits of men including Channing Tatum, Neil Patrick Harris, Stephen Colbert, and more.

James Van der Beek in a state of undress; Mark Wahlberg arm-wrestling his son; Channing Tatum bromancing with friends in the park. These are the portraits of today's tongue-in-cheek masculinity, as conceived by Emmy Award-winning director and photographer Robert Trachtenberg. Red-Blooded American Male presents 100 of his most imaginative, striking, and unconventionally sexy portraits of both celebrities and regular guys going about their thoroughly modern lives. No longer do men have to be serious businessmen or hunky firefighters to be deemed attractive--they can also ride tricycles and get pedicures. Revealing a surprising (and often self-deprecating) side to Mel Brooks, Seth Rogan, Jimmy Fallon, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Hamm, Conan O'Brien, and more, this gorgeous coffee-table book features an introduction about male images and stereotypes plus pithy captions about each photo's shoot, giving readers a peek behind the curtain of a famed portrait photographer's creative process.

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Every so often you come across a book and you just plain fall in love with it. That's exactly what happened the moment I opened up Red-Blooded American Male.  The photographs are amazing and I just love the descriptions that go along with the photos. The part that I like the best? The life that's in each and every photo. It takes an amazing photographer to draw out in these celebrities what Robert Trachtenberg drew out. I could probably go on all dang day about how amazing this book is if a) you love photography b) you love celebrities c) you love both or d) you have a goals of becoming a celebrity stalker. No wait, scratch d. Don't become a stalker. Go buy this book and admire these amazing people and the amazing talent of this amazing photographer from your favorite snuggly spot.




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Nazi planes were bombing Paris the day a lifelong, more personal war began for Pierre. It was the day he lost his identity.

Born into a famous family, Pierre Matisse grew up immersed in the art world of Paris and the French Riviera, spending time with some of the most famous artists of the twentieth century. The man he knew as his grandfather, legendary artist Henri Matisse, encouraged Pierre from a young age, creating a strong desire in him to become a great artist in his own right.

Being a Matisse was an important part of young Pierre's identity. So he was crushed and bewildered when, at the outbreak of WWII, that identity was suddenly snatched from him with no explanation.

So began Pierre's lifelong search to solve the mystery of who he really was, a quest that forms the intriguing backdrop to this memoir of a fascinating and adventurous life on three continents. Spanning the insider art world of 1930s Paris, the battles of WWII, the occupation of France by the Nazis, Pierre's involvement with the French resistance, his post-war work restoring art and historical monuments, and his eventual decision to create a new life in North America, The Missing Matisse is a story of intrigue, faith, and drama as Pierre journeys to discover the truth―before it's too late.

Pierre Henri Matisse was born in Paris in 1928. Brought up as the grandson of Henri Matisse, Pierre spent his childhood among some of the most famous artists of the twentieth century, including Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali.

During WWII, Pierre and his father, Jean Matisse, were heavily involved in French underground activities, wanted by the Nazis for their efforts in aiding the British spies and saboteurs. When the war ended, Pierre worked in the restoration of the art and historical monuments in France that were damaged by the war.

Now a citizen of the United States, Pierre is best known as "The American Matisse, the Artist of Freedom and Love." He is devoted to children's causes and has given or created pieces to help organizations such as Project Hope, The American Red Cross, numerous children's hospitals, missions organizations, and rescue programs around the world.

Pierre and his wife, Jeanne, live in Florida.
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I wanted to love this but I'm afraid that I can't go above like. The book is written in present-tense which is really unusual for a memoir. The author also included a lot of information that just dragged down the story of his life instead of filling in the gaps. I had also hoped there would be a lot more regarding the mystery of who is father was. It seemed to pop up now and again but never in as much detail as I would have liked.

All in all, it was an okay read for anyone who enjoys history but not totally my thing.






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From the author of the New York Times bestseller, Lost in Translation, come this collection of 52 artistic renderings of sayings from around the world that illuminate the whimsical nature of language.

Ella Frances Sanders's first book, Lost in Translation, captured the imagination of readers with its charmingly illustrated words that have no direct English translation. Now, the New York Times-bestselling author is back with an illustrated collection that addresses the nuances of language in the form of sayings from around the world. From the French idiom "to pedal in the sauerkraut," (i.e., "to spin your wheels,") to the Japanese idiom "even monkeys fall from trees" (meaning, "even experts can be wrong"), Sanders presents sayings that reveal the remarkable diversity, humor, and poignancy of the world's languages and cultures.

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To say that I love this book is an understatement. There is absolutely nothing that I dislike so I can't even do my usual the good, the bad, the summary. It's all good! I love the illustrations and how the author compares these incredible sayings from around the world with ones that I recognize from my own vocabulary. I've even used some of these in comments and posts around social media. In the time that I've had this book, I've found myself picking it up and reading it again and again. I don't think it's ever going to grow old. If you have a language lover in your life, this would be the most amazing gift. Seriously. It's one of my favorite things right now.



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James Beard Award-winning and self-made chef Naomi Pomeroy's debut cookbook, featuring 95 lesson-driven recipes designed to improve the home cook's understanding of professional techniques and flavor combinations in order to produce simple, but showstopping meals.

Combining elements of Julia Child's classical aesthetic and ambition to teach the world how to cook with Naomi Pomeroy's own unique history, style, and verve, this book is an inspiring guide for home cooks who want to up their game in the kitchen. Pomeroy demystifies professional techniques by paring back complex recipes to the building blocks necessary to create them. Her "master lessons" approach will appeal to home cooks of all levels who want to improve their skills. And her nurturing, self-deprecating tone is a welcome change from the ethereal fine-dining tomes that home cooks can't actually cook from or the snapshots of a specific restaurant meant to celebrate the chef's cult of personality. Beginning with sauces, and working from straightforward to more complex recipes, Pomeroy presents a collection of dishes you want to eat every day, including salads, vegetables, fish, pork, meat, and desserts--along with the tools and techniques you need to make each meal shine.

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Y'all know by now that I cannot resist a good cookbook and this one just looked so pretty and full of great information! I'm a pretty good cook, but it's something that I'd love to really improve upon. For example, my knife skills are absolutely atrocious! This book promised to not only have amazing recipes but to also be educational, so I said sure! send it my way!

Let's start with the good...

The pictures look absolutely amazing and I could have spent hours just drooling over them. I also really enjoyed the author's introduction to the book. She seemed like someone I could be friends with and I find that I appreciate that about cookbook authors. Down to earth is important to me. As for the recipes, they all sounded amazing!

The bad -
The author chose to lay her recipes out in paragraph format which can make it more difficult to follow a tricky recipe. Also, this really is a book that you have to cook your way through because those lessons are hidden within the recipes. For me, it would take me months to do this so it's just not realistic.

The summary -
This is a beautiful cookbook and if you have the time to work your way through it -and- you enjoy "fancy foods", you're going to love it. As for me, it's going on my shelf to properly explore once I don't have two teenage boys taking up every bit of my free time.



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Gary Chapman first penned the bestselling The Five Love Languages more than ten years ago. The core message has hit home with over 5 million people as it focuses on the need to "feel" loved. This need is felt by married and singles alike. Dr. Chapman now tackles the unique circumstances that singles face, and integrates how the same five love languages apply in their relationships. For example, in a business environment, when and how is physical touch appropriate? Take the love language test included.

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If you've read the original Five Love Languages, you can save your money and don't bother to pick up this particular edition. It doesn't really have anything new and the author doesn't seem to have a very positive attitude when it comes to dating. I would also warn you, dear readers, that this book has a heavily Christian tone to it and while that's great for some, it does rule out a lot of readers who may have benefited from the concepts in this book. My recommendation? If you want to know about the Five Love Languages, pick up the original book or just do a quick Google search. Leave this particular book on the shelf.



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