Adult

Fascinating memoir of self-discovery that explores the rhythms, chance encounters, and ever-changing friendships of urban life that forge the sensibility of a fiercely independent woman who has lived out her conflicts, not her fantasies, in a city (New York) that has done the same.

Presenting ten transformative principles, this inspiring guide to creativity in the digital age will help readers discover their artistic side and build a more creative life. Nothing is original, so embrace influence, school yourself through the work of others, remix and reimagine to discover your own path. A marvelous little book!

The more I read emails and letters, the quicker I realize the necessity for a thing called “grammar.” This classic is a treasure for its unique tone, wit and charm, which have conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers. More importantly, I appreciate its brevity! Great teaching doesn’t have to be verbose.

This may be the most important book you read this year; it certainly kicked me in the butt! Pressman’s brilliant quick read pleads with readers to go out and do what they are born to do. If you’re an actor, act! If you’re a painter, paint! Stop talking, and start doing. Sound advice for us all.

Touching memoir of one of my favorite actors (have you watched Back to the Future recently? It truly holds up; timeless classic). Fox details his journey with Parkinson’s disease, in this highly engaging and readable autobiography.

This book grabbed my attention for two reasons: (1) it is super-short (and I always like to be able to read an entire book in a day – or two hours!); and (2) it is considered “the” classic novelization of the Mexican Revolution, which I knew little about before diving into this book.

At eight years old, Burroughs profoundly misunderstood the meaning of Christmas. Now he shows how the holidays can bring out the worst in us and sometimes, just sometimes, the very best in this hilarious and irreverent – if not traditional – holiday classic.

Charles Dickens is not feeling the Christmas spirit. His newest book is an utter flop, the critics have turned against him, relatives near and far hound him for money. While his wife plans a lavish holiday party for their ever-expanding family and circle of friends, Dickens has visions of the poor house. But when his publishers try to blackmail him into writing a Christmas book to save them all from financial ruin, he refuses. And a serious bout of writer’s block sets in. Laced with humor, rich historical detail from Charles Dickens’ life, and clever winks to his work, Silva's novel is an irresistible new take on a cherished classic.

Have you had a really bad day – or year? This book is the perfect pick-me-up to get you laughing out loud. A wonderful gift to get you in the perfect mood for the upcoming new year.

Since I speak for a living, people often ask me how to do it. There are plenty of charlatans out there, but there are also some wonderful “givers” who provide useful guidance. Newman’s book is unbelievable, as he provides a roadmap for anyone interested in becoming a speaker. Read carefully: he has crammed a $10,000/year coaching program into a $20 book. If you don’t grab this treasure, you’re not serious about speaking. Even an old hack like me learned some practical tips!

Laura Hunt was the ideal modern woman: beautiful, elegant, highly ambitious, and utterly mysterious. No man could resist her charms – not even the hardboiled NYPD detective sent to find out who turned her into a faceless corpse. As this tough cop probes the mystery of Laura’s death, he becomes obsessed with her strange power. Soon he realizes he’s been seduced by a dead woman – or has he? Noir at its best! To paraphrase UCLA basketball coach John Wooden: the problem with new books is they keep us from reading the old ones. Femmes Fatales (publishing) restores to print the best of women’s writing in the classic pulp genres of the mid-20th century.

Couldn’t put this book down! Read it on a flight from Houston to Los Angeles, and I chuckled at Maher’s escapades with co-conspirators as they successfully invaded some of Hollywood’s biggest events. They know no fear, and I am convinced he needs to make this into a reality TV show (look for the Steven Seagal lookalike stories and the invalid having his “last supper” at a posh sushi restaurant beside the Farrelly brothers; they’re priceless!).

Thanks to my buddy Ruben Gonzalez for insisting I read this fascinating diatribe by KISS founder Gene Simmons. Filled with all sorts of great practical tips on how to get ahead in business. Not always “politically correct,” Simmons impresses with his no-nonsense approach to succeeding financially in America.

The first comprehensive social history of jazz, this book provides an intimate and compelling look at the many forces that shaped this most American of art forms and the many influences that gave rise to jazz’s post-war styles.

Want to sound impressive at cocktail parties? Fit this quick, literary read into the conversation. In A Room of One's Own, Virginia Woolf imagines that Shakespeare had a sister – a sister equal to Shakespeare in talent, and equal in genius, but whose legacy is radically different. This imaginary woman never writes a word and dies by her own hand, her genius unexpressed. If only she had found the means to create, argues Woolf, she would have reached the same heights as her immortal sibling. In this classic essay, she takes on the establishment, using her gift of language to dissect the world around her and give voice to those who are without. Her message is a simple one: women must have a fixed income and a room of their own in order to have the freedom to create. Best of all? This summary is just a little longer than the book itself.