Adult

Want to get away? Oh, how I miss travel. The next best thing is armchair travel! Mayle has always made me want to live in France, and in this book he pays tribute to the most endearing and enduring aspects of his life there. He celebrates the café and lists some of his favorites; identifies his favorite villages, restaurants, and open-air markets; and recounts his most memorable meals. A celebration of twenty-five years of Provençal living marked by his signature warmth, wit, and humor.

How is it that we come to consider our parents as people with rich and intense lives that include but also exclude us? For Ford, the questions of what his parents dreamed of, how they loved each other and loved him become a striking portrait of American life in the mid-century.

Jamison's essays draw from her own experiences of illness and bodily injury to engage in an exploration of empathy and if it can be taught in today’s selfish world.

When first published in 1899, readers were taken aback by Chopin's daring portrayal of a woman trapped in a stifling marriage, who seeks and finds passionate physical love outside the straightened confines of her domestic situation. Now – it seems – this storyline is as common as a headcold!

Moore is always dependable, and these eight short stories do not disappoint. Beautiful prose! Intelligent, ingenious turns of phrase. Funny. Thoughtful.

ANY leader should read this book, and since – at a minimum – you are leading yourself, that means YOU. Capt. Abrashoff shares so many insightful leadership strategies, but his genius is how he LISTENS to his people and empowers them to take responsibility. So refreshing in today’s toxic political climate.

Great book for a lazy afternoon. The sixth crime novel by "Cyril Hare", nom de plume of Alfred Gordon Clark, one of the most influential names in English "Golden Age" crime writing.

A collection of side-splitting and illuminating essays by the popular stand-up comedian, alum of Chelsea Lately and The Mindy Project, and host of truTV’s Talk Show the Game Show.

PI Clio Browne, daughter of the first black private detective in St. Louis, does not like to get involved in family spats, but she pushes her reservations aside when Serena Scutter-Paschal offers her $10,000 to check out her son Wally's girlfriend in this easy-to-read mystery.

Before there were so many talking political heads on cable television, there were actual journalists who provided great insights. I miss David Brinkley’s wise and hilarious political commentaries. While I didn’t always agree with him, I knew he wasn’t in bed with any politician or their party. Fun, quick read.

One of the horrible things that COVID-19 has caused is for millions of students and their families to be denied their graduations. Here’s a great guide for any graduate to consider – and it makes a great graduation gift!

Farber walks his talk, as he is one of the most generous leaders in the business world today. I encourage you to read any of his past parable books (like The Radical Edge and The Radical Leap). This book is different in that it is based on his extensive research and work with some of the most successful companies on the planet. Love isn’t some touchy, feely thing; the data shows the companies built on positive connections and relationships outperform their draconian peers. Great read – and Farber has a great podcast to check out, as well.

Lots of pictures and funny asides make this book as easy to read as eating a tub of popcorn at a movie theater. This may be one of my favorite books of the past year, as Wansink masterfully retells his fascinating studies on human eating habits in a way that is eye-popping, funny and relatable. The book was tougher to put down than a piece of birthday cake, and I failed at putting both down! While the book is about eating in particular, anyone interested in habit formation will find this book to be worth its weight in gold (or chicken nuggets).

Warning: there’s some colorful language in this book, but if I had seen the things this five-tour Army Ranger had seen, I’m sure my language would follow suit. What’s amazing about this book is how Best puts the reader in his shoes, and the results are both hilarious and heart-breaking. If you’re not waving an American flag and offering to pay for a veteran’s meal afterwards, I doubt you actually read the book.

“What if you were only known for the worst thing you’ve ever done?” So asks the author Hoke, the founder of Defy Ventures, which trains prisoners in entrepreneurial skills. A poignant story that I am gifting to as many people as I can.