Eric Weiner's "The Geography of Bliss"

Eric Weiner's "The Geography of Bliss: One Grumps Search for the Happiest Places in the World"

I found "The Geography of Bliss: One Grumps Search for the Happiest Places in the World" on the Uncollege reading list (I'm slowly getting through their list). I thought the premise was interesting, a man travelling the world to find the places who's inhabitants are happiest, and what makes them so cheery. But aside from having an intrigueing plot, it's a surprisingly entertaining read. 

Eric Weiner is a correspondant for NPR and a self-proclaimed curmudgeon. When he sets out on his quest to find the happiest places on Earth, he first starts in Amsterdam, where he visits the World Database of Happiness - yes, that's a real thing. While in Amsterdam, he lives as the Amsterdammies? live, smoking hash and spending his days chugging coffee at cafes. He doesn't indulge in Amsterdam's legal prostitution, because he explains, he doesn't think his wife would approve, even if it was for research purposes. At the WDoH, he procurs a list of the world's countries, arranged by happiness level, and sets off.

In his travels, he visits a half dozen or so countries, those that are reported to be happiest, least happiest and some that rank in the middle, and at each stop, he lives like the people do. He tries rotten shark meat in Iceland, he stays in an ashram in India, he buys rounds for strangers at a pub in Britain. And at each stop, he talks to the locals about their happiness. 

He explores the contridictions between places are happy for certain reasons, like a good economy (Switzerland) and places which are happy for opposite reasons (India). He talks to experts on the human condition, and quotes philosophers, all interspersed with his own amusing observations. In the end, he finds that there is no one thing that makes us happy (though there are certainly things that statistically can help) and that paradise is only paradise if it's a temporary stop. 

If you find yourself in need off a little perspective, The Geography of Bliss is probably for you.

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Isaac Marion's "Warm Bodies"

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Last week my sister and I took a road trip to go shopping. She needed a bathing suit for her trip to Mexico this weekend, and I had a Barnes & Noble giftcard from Christmas burning a hole in my pocket. Unfortunately, I walked into Barnes & Noble with no idea what book I wanted. I wandered around a little, waiting for something to jump out at me, but nothing really did. I passed endless tables of romance books, but I'm fairly anti-V-day, so for the most part I ignored them. I wasn't in the mood for non-fiction (as I'm still currently reading "The Geography of Bliss") so I stopped at the "Popular in Fiction" table. There was a Chuck Palahniuk book that I hadn't read yet, an Anne Rice erotic Sleeping Beauty story, a couple others that didn't interest me at all, and this one - "Warm Bodies" by Isaac Marion.

Normally, I wouldn't have even picked it up,since Im not big into the whole zombie thing - though I do love Zombieland and The Walking Dead - but my sister asked if I'd read it. I had never even heard of it or seen the movie trailer, since that's apparently how she knew about it, so I asked what it was about. She said simply, "It's a zombie romance." Let that sink in... a zombie romance. As in necrophilia with flowers. Gross... but intrigueing. I figured that since it was really down to either her suggestion (she asked if she could borrow it when I was done) or "50 Shades of Grey", I decided to give it a shot. It's short. Worse case scenario, if I didn't like it, it would be over quickly.

Well, I need not have feared not liking it. "Warm Bodies" is GREAT. Isaac Marion is an amazing storyteller, and the book manages to be both gruesome and poetic. The protagonist, "R" is a zombie who, upon meeting (and kidnapping) a living girl, Julie, realizes that he wants more out of his eternal existance than the blank day-to-day shuffling about and eating of brains that comprises the zombie lifestyle. Once he realizes that he wants more, he starts to change, to become little by little, less undead. 

In one of my favorite passages from the book, "R" is trying to explain to Julie - as you know, zombie diction isn't the best - what life as the undead is like. Even though he talks at a two year-old level, his inner monologues are always beautiful. In this particular instance, he thinks "How to explain it to her in words? The slow death of Quixote. The abandoning of quests, the surrendering of desires, the settling down and settling in that is the inevitable fate of Death." The whole book is is like that. Poetry without pretense. I just loved it. 

The story is clever, though borderline cheesy at times, but the writing is where it really shines. It's a brilliant look at the human condition through the eyes of a civilization that has thrown it all away. I'm looking forward to reading Isaac Marion's other two books, but this is a masterful debut novel.

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R.L. Stine's "Temptation"

R.L. Stine's "Temptation"

There's a reason behind the old addage "Never judge a book by its cover", and this is it. The cover - awesome. The contents - what's the opposite of awesome? not awesome... 

To say that R.L. Stine's "Temptation" was a letdown is putting it mildly. Of course, this may be my own fault. I may have romanticized R.L. Stine to be better than he was. Afterall, I haven't read a book of his since I was probably thirteen. I didn't even know he was still alive.

When I was a kid, I remember thinking that "99 Fear Street: The House of Evil" was the scariest book of all-time. (Prior to that, it had been "Wait Till Helen Comes"). So, when I was doing a little Santa shopping, looking for books for myself, and I came across "Temptation", I thought, "R.L. Stine + Vampire romance?? It's like they reached into my head and made the perfect book!" (Please don't let that last comment effect your opinion of my taste. I am who I am.)  Boy was I wrong. During the reading of this book, I found myself referring to it multiple times as "the worst book ever." You'd think I'd just stop reading it, but nope. I'm a glutton for punishment.

To add to the deception that was the pretty sweet cover, there was a sticker that said "It's a mixture of (something) and The Vampire Diaries." (I didn't really read that first part. I saw "The Vampire Diaries" and yanked that business off the shelf.) Let me be perfectly clear, it is NOTHING like the Vampire Diaries. Maybe if the Vampire Diaries were written by a twelve year-old in a middle school creative writing class.

So, what's it even about? The book is comprised of two stories, both of which take place in Sandy Hallow, a touristy beach community, conveniently located by a small island which is home to bats and vampires. In the first story, a group of teens from Fear Street visit Sandy Hollow on summer vacation and fall victim to two evil vampires who have made a bet to see who can be the first to turn one of the teens into a new vampire.

The second is about a group of teenage boys returning to Sandy Hallow for summer vacation. One of the boys is there to hunt the vampires, but ends up spending most of his summer trying to convince his two friends that vampires exist and that the girls they are dating are evil blood-sucking fiends. Oh yeah, these girls ALSO have a bet to see who can be the first to make a new vampire.

The formula for the book is pretty simple. Group of teens + making out + vampire bites + stupid bets = best-selling book. It actually sounds like classic R.L. Stine, so like I said, falling for it is my own fault. It should have been a red flag from the very beginning.

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Cassandra Clare's "The Mortal Instruments" Series

Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series

I know that I haven't updated in a couple weeks, but it's because I wanted to knock out this whole series before I reviewed it. I had previously reviewed Cassandra Clare's "Clockwork Angel", which is the first book in her prequel series "The Infernal Devices" and I really liked it. While I didn't think that The Mortal Instruments was quite as good, mostly because I preferred the ID characters, it's a very entertaining series.

The heroes of this series are Clary and Jace. Clary is your average sixteen year-old girl, growing up in Brooklyn with her overbearing mom, her substitute father figure, Luke (who reminds me of Luke from Gilmore Girls, plaid shirt and all) and her best friend, the awkward and nerdy Simon. At least she thinks she's the average teen until her life takes a head-on collision with Jace, a handsome and arrogant Shadow Hunter, a secret class of warriors who, hidden from mortal eyes, protect the world from demons. Clary shouldn't even be able to SEE shadow hunters, so the fact that she can proves that she isn't so ordinary afterall, and as it turns out, neither are the other people in her life. While Clary proves to be not-your-ordinary human girl, Jace also proves to be not-your-ordinary shadow hunter, and both characters are lead on long journey to battle the forces of evil and find out who they really are.

While Clary and Jace are both likable characters, the real appeal lies in their fellow characters, "people" like the paternal to everyone, father to none Luke, the feisty and self-assured shadow hunter Isabelle, the forever loyal BFF Simon and the flamboyantly gay warlock, Magnus (who you'll recognize if you've read the Infernal Devices.

The one thing that I didn't care for in the series was that the last book, City of Fallen Angels, ended in a cliffhanger. Of course, I assume this to mean that the series isn't finished, but when I finish a boxset, I like all of my endings to be tied up nice and neat. I'm highly impatient with cliffhangers, and now I'm left thinking "I need to know!!!" Other than that, the series is good. Perhaps not the best fantasy series ever, but definitely worth the read, especially if you plan to see the movies, the first of which, "City of Bones", comes out in March, I believe. To its credit, I can't think of another series that has vampires, werewolves, warlocks, demons, angels, fairies... If it had a dragon, it would have everything.

Speaking of the movies, I had no interest in seeing them, because I felt like it's the kind of story that is preset for a horrible film adaptation... until I saw the casting. Aidan Turner as Luke Garroway?? Yes, PLEASE! As for the rest of the cast, they're all pretty much exactly what I pictured for the characters (or in the case of some, what the cover of the book lead me to believe they would look like). Maybe the movies won't be so bad afterall.

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J.T. Geissinger's "Shadow's Edge"

Night Prowler Series - Book 1 Shadow's Edge

I'm not sure how I came upon this book, maybe from one of those "Top Fantasy/Sc-fi Books" lists, but I'm glad I did. In the world of paranormal fiction, The Night Prowler series has the potential to be one of the best. Admittedly, I'm basing this opinion soley off of the first book "Shadow's Edge", but that's how good I thought it was. 

So, what makes it so great? Simply stated, it's beautifully written. Every aspect of the book is wonderfully descriptive without being tedious. The characters are approachable and believable. But most of all, the premise of the story is fairly unique, especially in a genre filled to the rafters with vampires, werewolves and witches. 

The Night Prowler series is about a hidden race of ancient creatures, the Ikati, "people" with magical powers and the ability to shapeshift into panthers. They live in secluded communities and keep to themselves, following a strict Ikati Law to keep their kind protected. 

The main character, Jenna, is not aware that she is the daughter of a renegade Ikati leader, or that his former Ikati tribe has been keeping tabs on her. All she knows is that she is different, that is until the current Alpha, a tall, dark and handsome Englishman named Leander shows up with two other members looking for her. Jenna must return to their tribe with them to get the answers to who, what and just how powerful she is.

The book is engaging, vivid and just to reiterate - the hero is a sexy Englishman named Leander. Need I say more? Of course there's a romance, and sex scenes aplenty, but they have the added bonus of being laced with the panther's primal urges. I can't wait to start the next book in the series, "Edge of Oblivion".

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H.P. Mallory's "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble"

"Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" on Amazon.com

May I start by saying that I LOVE that "Paranormal Romance" is an actual genre now? It cracks me up, and man do I love my paranormal romances. I would definitely say that they are my literary guilty pleasure.

This series, "The Jolie Wilkins Series", was recommended to me by a fellow PR lover, and upon the first couple of pages, I had my doubts.

Jolie Wilkins is a 28 year-old psychic in LA, who doesn't date and is perfectly content with her life, running her psychic business with her best friend, Christa and spending her evenings at home with her cat.

Then, one day, a Adonis-esque stud of a guy enters her shop, tells her his name is Rand and that he's a warlock and her life is never the same. Jolie finds out that not only is she a witch, but after taking a job offer from Rand, she learns that she has the unheard-of ability to bring back the dead, a power which makes her a prized trophy in the brewing war between the Underworlders. 

Once thrown into the world of the creatures of the night, Jolie must learn her craft while fending off the advances of every hot magical being that she comes into contact with, including not only her new employer, but a Master vampire, a werewolf that she brings back from the dead, a ghost and the King of the Fairies. 

Despite my initial doubts, "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" is sexy, quirky, fun and a very entertaining read. Get a hot cup of cocoa and curl up, because it's a perfect read for a lazy day in.

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Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"

Pride and Prejudice on Amazon

This is one review that I am particularly happy to write. No, not because it's one of my favorite books, but because I was finally able to remove "Pride and Prejudice" from my "To Read" list. Since my high school days, roughly 12 years ago, I have attempted to make it though this book 5 or 6 times, and have never made it more than 10% in. I just can't read Jane Austen. It's nothing personal against her, really. I'm not a huge fan of Brit Lit, but she does seem to catch my attention less than most.

So why continue on this quest to read it? Well, honestly, I was just determined to figure out this world-wide obsession with Mr. Darcy.

All I remembered of Mr. Darcy was that he was an arrogant prick who didn't seem any different than the British guy that I recently dated, who has now soured me on all Brits. So the quest began to read Pride and Prejudice all the way through.

If you aren't familiar with the plot line, the story is about a middle-class family, The Bennets, which is comprised of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their 5 daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine and Lydia. Mrs. Bennet's sole goal in life is to marry her daughters off to affluent gentleman, and the she goes about this task with obnoxious zeal, much to the occasional embarassment of her two eldest daughters. 

Jane is the first Bennet daughter to make a "catch", in the form of Mr. Bingley, a rich, handsome and attractive man who has just moved to town. With him, he brings his close friend, Mr. Darcy, who just as I remembered is a wealthy, yet arrogant, stuck-up and extremely unpleasant person, who much to his own  chagrine finds himself falling for the lower-class-than-himself, Lizzy Bennet. 

The story then follows his attempts at both avoiding and pursueing the extemely independent, vivacious and opinionated Lizzy, as well as lightly following along with the relationships of the other Bennet girls. 

I will say that once I got about a quarter into the story, it started to pick up for me, and by the middle, I actually found it interesting enough to breeze through. However, by the end, I still didn't understand the Darcy-mania. Yes, he's a bit more humble and kind, but that's all the credit I'll give him.

I think I'd like to a see a modern-day film adaptation of the story, because it definitely lends itself to a "Mean Girls" type film, and it would actually be pretty funny.

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Nicholas Sparks' "A Bend in the Road"

A Bend in the Road on Amazon

I'm a HUGE Nicholas Sparks fan, probably in large part because I'm a breathing member of the female gender. His books are like crack to us. I've read almost all of them, and "A Bend in the Road" was on the short list of those that I've missed. It also turned out to be one of my least favorites. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad story, but it just lacked the emotional tug that a lot of his others have. 

The story opens on the narrator, who is telling his story of a horrible moment in his life, a moment that years later, still haunts him. He tells the story of a young mother who was killed in a hit-and-run accident, in which he was the killer.

The story then cuts to the time of the event and follows the woman's husband, Miles Ryan, a sheriff's deputy in a small town (because all Nick Sparks books take place in small towns) and his fruitless investigation to find his wife's killer. The story takes the reader through Miles' struggles to raise his young son, Jonah, and his blossoming romance with Jonah's teacher, Sarah. 

Unlike other Nicholas Sparks stories, this one reads, for the most part, like a mystery novel. You spend the story wondering who the nameless, faceless narrator is, but once the source of the narration is finally revealed... In my case anyway, it left a "well,  that was stupid." taste in my mouth. I think the reason that I felt that way stemmed from the fact that the coincedence was so big, that it became unbelievable. His other books always seem tragic in their possibility, like a less ridiculous Shakespeare. 

One thing that I did really appreciate about this story, however, was that the male lead in it was a lot more rough around the edges than your typical always perfect Nicholas Sparks character. With most of his stories, you have to remind yourself that guys like that don't exist, or else they're a needle in a haystack to find. Miles Ryan, while a genuinely good person, is definitely flawed. He's kind when he wants to be, but he can be volatile and abrasive. He makes plenty of wrong choices and he's not quick to apologize. He screws things up, and he has trust issues. He's a very real character, and at times, I found myself disliking him immensely. It was a refreshing change for a Nicholas Sparks character, because Miles never really has that moment where he just becomes this great guy with an epic happily-ever-after. The ending of the story is more realistic than idealistic.

So, while not a bad read, it doesn't compare to say, "At First Sight" which is one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks books. (BTW, if you decide to read "At First Sight" make sure to read "True Believer" first.)

Steven D. Levitt's "Freakonomics"

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

The title "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" is a little misleading. He actually only explores the hidden side of a dozen or so things, but what he does is explore is most definitely interesting. And with his weekly article in the New York Times, Mr. Levitt certainly has time to keep exploring everything.

This book, co-written by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner is one of the select must-reads from the Uncollege Reading List (uncollege.org), which is how I stumbled across it. However, before I even got to it, several people had asked if I'd read it. Surprisingly, every person who mentioned it, referenced the same chapter - one in which the authors explain the correlation between the legalization of abortion after Roe v. Wade and the unforeseen nationwide drop in crime during the 90's. 

To give you a bit more of an idea of what this book is about, "Freakonomics" is a compilation of how statistics and data can be examined to show relationships that you nay have never noticed. The authors show how they were able to use match result data to prove cheating among Japanese sumo wrestlers, the show the inner-workings and financial data of the Chicago crack regime, they show what facets of parenting do and don't contribute to the scholastic success of their kids, and plenty more, all with the numbers to back it up.

Of course, many of the points that they make can still be argued by the reader, however, the theories and insight are still interesting and worth the read. One particular study at the end of the book is actually very interesting today, since the list of the 2012 most popular baby names was released today. The article is about how you can take popular baby name list, and using that data, predict which names will be popular years down the road. Since the book was written in 2005, they predicted the popular names for 2015. Let's see how they compare so far.

Of the 2012 most popular girl names, they had on their list - Sophie/Sophia, Emma, Isabel/Isabell and Ava. Four out of ten. Not too bad.

Of the 2012 boys names, they had - Aidan, Jackson and Liam. Three out of ten. Still not bad for a guess made seven years ago. 

It still remains to be seen how they do for 2015 year. 

Anyway, whether you agree with them or not on their findings, if you keep an open mind, it's a quick and fascinating read.

Veronica Roth's "Divergent" and "Insurgent"

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Veronica Roth's "Divergent" series has been lauded by some as "the next Hunger Games", and while I think that's quite a stretch, I can't argue that the books aren't entertaining. Afterall, I plowed through both 500+ page books in less than two days. 

"Divergent" introduces the heroine of the story, 16 year-old Beatrice Prior. The story is set in a future version of Chicago, after the country has been engulfed and consumed by war. In an effort to prevent future wars, the population of the city has divided into five factions, in a belief that the downfall of mankind is caused by differing character traits and values. Each faction is based upon a trait that the faction holds most dear; amity, dauntless, erudite, candor and abnegation. Beatrice is a member of Abnegation and feels opressed by it's policy of selflessness. When given the chance, she transfers to the Dauntless faction, where she trains as a soldier and learns that bravery is not about being fearless, it's about learning to act in the face of your fears. 

Of course, being youth fiction, Beatrice falls in love with the first attractive guy that talks to her and he helps her through the story, so no surprise there. 

While I thought that "Divergent" was entertaining, it felt far too familiar. If you've ever read Scott Westerfield's series, "The Uglies", you'll definitely feel a sense of deja vu, which is why I was relieved when "Insurgent" took the story in a different direction. 

I found "Insurgent" to be, by far, the better of the two books. It's an action-pack story of war, intrigue and government overthrow. It's not nearly as predictable as I thought it would be. Beatrice's life is constantly in danger (of course) but aid tends to come from unexpected places. The mystery element keeps you guessing, and you find yourself cheering along with Beatrice (she adopts the name 'Tris' when she moves to Dauntless) for always following her instincts. She definitely grows into her role as a youth fiction heroine, perhaps equal to the likes of Katniss Everdeen and Rose Hathaway. She's smart, tough and brave yet she frequently shows her vulnerabililty. 

I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes in the next book.

 

 

Jay Conrad Levinson's "Guerrilla Marketing"

"Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business"

The last marketing book I posted about, "31 Days to Millionaire Marketing Miracles", was all about marketing your business online, and this book "Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits From Your Small Business" is all about marketing your business OFFLINE. 

If you've read the first book I mentioned, you'll recognize the author of the second. She actually recommends Jay Conrad Levinson's books several times and lists him as one of her mentors. Apparently, Mr. Levinson is THE expert in offline marketing, and this book, "Guerilla Marketing", which was originally written pre-internet, is a great roadmap on marketing businesses back before the invention of the web made it so much easier. 

The point behind guerrilla marketing is to find the best ways to advertise your business for the least amount of money. The book is broken down into media sections, and each section explains the method of advertising (radio, tv, bulletin boards, fliers, etc) and the pros and cons. With each method, he gives tips for saving money and questions to ask yourself to determine if that means of advertising even applies to you. 

I read the original version of the book and it was a little surreal to read, because it takes you back to a different time, and a lot of the ideas seem downright silly now (who would canvas fliers when we have Facebook), but all of the advertising means that it talks about are still applicable today. Some may longer be worth our time, but they're still feasible. The latest edition, the 4th, has been updated with more current information.

While "Guerrilla Marketing" is the only book that I've read of Mr. Levinson's, he has a whole series of books. This is the most general, and the rest focus on specific industries and uses. If any of them are applicable to you, I'd recommend them in addition to this one.

Nicole Baart's "After the Leaves Fall"

After the Leaves Fall

I'm not sure where this book came from or why I originally decided to read it, but it was the just the thing I needed. I just finished the fourth book in the Dark Tower series, and I needed to take a break from Roland of Gilead and read something different. Thumbing through my Kindle app, this is what I settled on. I guess the name jumped out at me because I never heard of it and had no idea what it was about.

"After the Leaves Fall" is a sweet, if somewhat heartbreaking, story of a young girl who's handed a somewhat crappy hand in life, and chronicles her efforts to deal with the cards as they come. The events of her life aren't horrific, just sad, which makes them much more relatable. Her mother walks out on her and her father when she's a kid, her father passes away when she's a teen, and while being raised by her grandmother, she deals with the same teen love and heartbreak that we all deal with. She makes bad choices, she loses her way sometimes, she dtruggles to find out who she is and what she wants. It's an age-old story that everyone is familiar with. In the end, the book gets a little preachy, when Julia learns to take her grandmother's advice and trust in God, but it's still good.

Nicole Baart is a master of young-womanly emotion. Every action and feeling by Julia is exactly how I remember feeling at her age. She over-analyzes, she thinks too much, she always assumes the worst. She's awkward and has trouble figuring out where she fits in. She falls in love too easily and ends up a broken mess each time. She's your typical teenage girl. 

If you're looking for a good curl-up-on-the-couch read for a cold autumn afternoon, I recommend "After the Leaves Fall".

Tracy Lynn Repchuk's "31 Days to Millionaire Marketing Miracles"

This book, "31 Days to Millionaire Marketing Miracles" was recommended to me via my stepmom, who has been a small business owner for the last 16 years, when I told her I was interested in starting my own business. The woman knows a LOT about small business success, so when she recommends something, I listen.

When I read Timothy Ferriss' book "The 4-Hour Work Week" a few months ago, I thought his concept of creating a business that generates automated income, one that basically runs itself, thus filling your bank account while freeing up your time was revolutionary. It was an eye-opener for me and something I didn't really believe that just anyone could do... until a friend actually succeeded by using his program. This friend of mine started his online retail business 7 months or so ago and last week he did more than $10k in sales, while hardly touching the business himself. Needless to say, I was motivated to try the plan for myself. 

That's where this book recommendation came in. Tracy Lynn Repchuk does for business marketing what Tim Ferriss does for business structure. She gives you step-by-step instructions for generating the most web traffic with the least amount of fuss. She tells you upfront that by putting in a few months of hard work and time, you can lay the groundwork for a future of easy traffic. 

First off, let me say that this book isn't for someone new to the idea of internet sales. She speaks at a level that assumes that you know the basics already. She also says things without fully explaining them until later, which leaves you temporarily lost. Also, a lot of the book didn't apply to the type of business that I plan to start. She teaches people how to make money on the internet, and so she's basically teaching you how to do the same - become someone who teaches people how to do something. As I plan on selling a product, rather than knowledge, this didn't really touch base with me. 

However, those criticisms aside, she had some really good tips for driving traffic that would apply to ANY online business. She teaches you how to set up your website to maximize marketing exposure, by getting your customers to join a mailing list, where you are then able to keep them updated on new products and promos, and to get referrals, so that your customers do the marketing for you. After reading her instructions, I realized how many of the sites that I frequent use this same model. In fact, most major companies do, and she explains that this is the difference between a successful website and an unsuccessful one. She had me sold. 

She also gives plenty of suggestions for software programs and web services to make doing business online easier. If you're in business for yourself, or you ever plan to be, "31 Days to Millionaire Marketing Miracles" is a good reference tool.

Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People"

How to Win Friends and Influence People on Amazon

For a motivational book, withstanding the test of time is a rare quality, one that only a handful have managed. "How to Win Friends and Influence People" sits atop that throne with its prestigious fellow comrades, classics like "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."

The thing I loved most about this book, and let me emphasize the fact that I LOVED this book, is that, were it not for the fact that it references such people as John D. Rockefeller and Woodrow Wilson, I never would have guessed that it was originally released in 1936! Every principle taught within it is just as relevant now as it was back then. I suppose that's because human nature never changes, something Dale Carnegie certainly understood.

There are no points in the book that will surprise you. However, almost every point made is something that we have a tendency to forget. Dale talks about the power of a smile, he preaches about the importance of never criticizing others, treating others as you would like to be treated, and acknowledging and empathizing with your opponant's feelings. 

My favorite tip from the book was about calling people by their names and taking pains to never misspell them. He says that "whether they know it or not, everyone's favorite word is their own name." and that using that name is the simplest compliment you can give someone. It brought to mind the hot guy at the deli counter of my local Walmart. I know his name, but there's no reason for me to know it other than the fact that I was talking about him behind his back, and my cousin happens to know him, so he clued me in. I live in constant fear of accidently calling him by his name and having to explain why I know it, thus exposing what a creeper I am. Then I think about my grocery store job I had in high school, when the incredibly attractive owner of our town's Quiznos called me by my name when I carried out his groceries. I gloated to everyone for days until someone pointed out that I wore a nametag. To this day, I still haven't forgotten how special I felt when he knew my name though. See? Just as relevant today as in the 30's. :)

Perhaps the most useful section of the book is the section on influencing people. If you have a sales job, or ever have to convince someone of something that they ordinarily wouldn't agree to, the information and strategies in this section are indispensible. I wish I had read this back when I was in sales and sales management. It would have been interesting to test the effects of his ideas. 

Regardless of what you do, who you are or what station in life you find yourself, I highly recommend this book to everyone. It should be a high school reading lists requirement, with a refresher every five years. I really can't recommend it enough. In my opinion, it is to social interaction what "The 4-Hour Work Week" is to business and lifestyle design, a necessity for success.

Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale"

This was my first book by Margaret Atwood, and I definitely get what all of the fuss is about. "The Handmaid's Tale" was a brilliant imagining of a scary future, that resonated just as strongly with this reader today as it did with readers when it was written in the 80's.

The story opens on a time in the not too distant future, when the country has been overrun by a fanatical religion intent on bringing around a society free of sin, where men hold power and woman are subjugated. 

The handmaids are a group of woman who are used soley as vessels for procreation. They carry the children of society's elite when the men's wives are too old to concieve themselves. The main character, and narrator, Offred, is just such a handmaid.

Offred tells her story of loss, pain and emptiness, and the pining for a life that she can only vaguely remember, when she had a husband, a job and a child. In this new existence, all of those things have been taken from her. She is left to live as a walking womb for a Commander and his spiteful wife. 

"The Handmaid's Tale" is a unique twist on the typical dystopian future, one that has significant moments of foreboding that key into current battles in the women's rights arena. This book is as powerful eye-opener for any generation.

David Guterson's "Snow Falling on Cedars"

Snow Falling on Cedars on Paperback from Amazon

When I browse the book section at Goodwill, I have to tendancy to pick up any book that sounds familiar. When I came across "Snow Falling on Cedars" I recognized the name because I knew it had been turned into a movie. I had no idea what it was about, but I decided to check it out. It had a pretty name.

By the first chapter, I started to think that it wasn't for me. It opens on the trial of a Japanese man accused of killing a fellow fisherman. I have no patience for courtroom dramas. 

However, as the story progressed, I grew more and more entrenched in it. The trial is just the culmination of a several decades' worth of events, starting with the backstory of the Japanese immigration to an island off of the coast of Washington, then to a young romance between a Japanese girl and a caucasian boy, which is torn apart by the bombing of Pearl Harbor, when all of the local Japanese families were shipped off to containment camps. It describes in detail the experiences of the American soldiers during World War II, the continued prejudice towards Japanese-Americans for years afterward, and their struggles to rebuild their lives in the face of that prejudice. 

If you enjoy history at all, this is a great book, albeit a somewhat slow read. It's well-written and while not necessarily emotionally charged, it does tug at the heartstrings. It's a great look into a culture that is taught to endure anything with determination and grace.

Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's "Hunters of Dune"

"Hunters of Dune" on Amazon

If you're not at all familiar with the Dune series, then you might want to familiarize yourself with at least the first book before reading this one. (Or you could watch the movies "Dune" and "Children of Dune") Although "Hunters of Dune" takes place in a much more distant future than the original Dune story, many of the characters are gholas, or clones, of the original characters in Frank Herbert's series.

This book was written by Frank's son, Brian Herbert and co-written by Kevin J. Anderson. However, it is supposed to be based off of an original outline written by Frank and locked away in a safe deposit box. Sounds a little too "Holy Grail" to me, but who cares? It's a good story, regardless of who wrote it.

Like I was saying, a lot of the characters and historical events referenced in "Hunters" took place in the previous books, but you can follow along perfectly well with only a base knowledge of the Dune world. The story does a good job of clarifying background information, without too much time spent backtracking. I noted a pleasant lack of "previously on Gossip Girl..." type reiteration. 

Hunters of Dune takes place after the escape of the Reverend Mother Sheena, the ghola of Mentat Duncan Idaho and several other refugees from the new rule of the Mother Commander Murbella on Chapterhouse.

While onboard their escape ship, these refugees stumble upon the opportunity to create gholas of many of Dune history's most famous characters. Meanwhile, Mother Commander Murbella is working to form a new alliance between the viscious Honored Matres and the powerful Bene Gesserite, and alliance than many, including Sheeana and tribes of rebel Honored Matres consider a horrific alliance and afront to their beliefs.

As Murbella's New Sisterhood grows, all will find that they must either join or prepare to fight, as she builds her army and prepares to fight the unknown Enemy that she knows is coming to annihilate the entire Old Empire. The book ends as the Enemy launches it's attack and is continued in "Sandworms of Dune."

It's a good read, though it starts out somewhat slow. Once it picks up, it's bloody, intriguing and fast-paced. The entire Dune series is really a must-read for any sci-fi fan.

Stephen King's "The Dark Tower: The Drawing of the Three (Book 2)"

Stephen King's The Dark Tower: The Drawing of the Three

Most people who know me, know that despite my outward "coolness", on the inside, I'm a raging fantasy nerd. So, for years, I've had the gents in my life recommending Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series to me. He may be known for his horror books, but his fantasy series is his true legacy.

A few years ago, I decided to give it a shot by reading "The Gunslinger" (the first book in the series. Not being a western fan, I was immediately turned off by the title, but I read it anyway. To be honest with you, it didn't grab me, and I don't remember too much of the story. It wasn't a bad book, just not my thing. Needless to say, I didn't continue with the series...

... until the other day. A good friend of mine made me a deal. He would read my favorite series (The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind) if I would read his. That brought me back to The Dark Tower. 

"The Drawing of the Three" is infinitely more interesting than "The Gunslinger". It still has the "shoot-em-up" wild west gunslinger, Roland, but in this one, he travels through dimensions and time, fighting dope slinging mob bosses in the 80's and taking the reader into the hate-fueled race battles of the 60's. (In fact, I can't think of another time that I've heard the word "honky" thrown around quite so much.)

The book is much more sci-fi than fantasy. In fact, the only fantasy aspect is the gaint lobster creatures, but it was still interesting. Graffic, but interesting.

The place where the book scores major points in my book, is simply in the writing. There where several passages that caught my attention enough for me to actually highlight them, something I rarely do. 

"'There is steel in him, I dispute it not. But there is weakness as well.'"

"'If we were going to rape you, you would be one well-raped woman by now,' the gunslinger said evenly. 'Don't do it again.'"

and my personaly favorite, which is by far the most romantic description I've ever heard of a house of cards - 

"But they would have been amazed if he had had the words to describe it - how delicate it had been, how it had reached almost three quarters of the way from the top of the desk to the ceiling, a lacy construct of jacks and dueces and kings and tens and Big Akers, a red and black configuration of paper diamonds standing in defiance of a world spinning through a universe of incoherent motions and forces; a tower that seemed to 'Cimi's amazed eyes to be a ringing denial of all the unfair paradoxes of life.

If he had known how, he would have said: I looked at what he built, and to me it explained the stars."

I'll continue on with the series once my dear Mr. Shaw has finished the second book of his part of the bargain. For now, it's on to some Terry Pratchett.

A.A. Milne's "Once on a Time"

A.A. Milne's "Once on a Time" on Amazon

If you're familiar with A.A. Milne's work, and you most likely are since he wrote Winnie the Pooh, you'll know that he wrote very cutesy heartwarming stories. He was quoted as saying that he wrote Winnie the Pooh for the kids and "Once on a Time" for the adults, but apparently what constituted "adult content" back in 1917(ish) was a LOT different than now. I read this book to my three year-old.

It's really an adorably quirky story about a princess left to rule a kingdom after her father goes off to fight a ludicrious "war" with a neighboring kingdom, and the hijinx that ensue when a trusted countess tries to steal the throne.

The characters and goofy and the plot is downright silly. It actually reminded me of a Shakespearean comedy or something akin to Rosencrantz and Guildentstern Are Dead. 

It has love, jealousy, intrigue, war... all within a very g-rated plot. With back-to-school time, it's a great read for someone getting into chapter books.