Adult

A renowned songwriter, Cohen is a natural poet. Poetry is one of my favorite tools to motivate students to read and write, and Cohen expresses himself beautifully in this book that will transport you to a nicer place. Best read on a beach or in front of a fireplace.

After recently reading a biography of Billy Graham I decided to start checking out some of his books. He’s prolific – as this is book 33! Inspirational and thought-provoking.

Never had time to read Crime and Punishment, but you’d like to impress people at cocktail parties? Here is a novella from Dostoevsky (say his name five times fast), and I must admit that I enjoyed it. His characters remind me of a cross between Woody Allen and something J.D. Salinger or Albert Camus would create. It is worth your time.

This past month we lost one of my favorite authors and speakers, the incomparable Paul Harvey. Rachel Reichman recommended I try Beyer’s wonderful series of books (there are three in total) that each include 100 two-page vignettes about amazing events. I love them! Buy all three of Beyer’s books. These are perfect for teachers and parents to use to calm students down and gain their attention during transitions.

A reader complained I include too many happy books on my list and not enough fiction. Well, here is a depressing book of fiction that you can read in one evening. Stephen Fleming is a middle-aged British politician who lives the ideal life – or so we think. His obsession with his son’s girlfriend can only lead to destruction, but Hart writes a novel that makes readers turn pages to see how far this tragedy can go.

Need something to lift your spirits? Indulge in this true story of two Aussie wanderers in London who bought a lion cub at Harrod’s and watched their pet grow big quickly. Rather than put Christian in a zoo, they flew him to Kenya under the care of lion expert George Adamson. A stunning reunion sparked a youtube.com sensation that caused this uplifting tale’s re-release. The perfect antidote to the dreary nightly newscast.

During these hot summer days there is nothing better than sitting in the shade with a good mystery. If you are not familiar with Mehmet Murat Somer’s six-part Turkish delight series, you are in for a real treat as this is one of the funniest page-turners with the most unforgettable protagonist I have read about in recent memory.

Don’t worry about the page count, as there are plenty of blank pages and spaces to justify this selection. It should take you only a few hours to read, and you’ll thank me for it, as Demetri Martin is simply one of the funniest comedians around nowadays (set your DVR to Comedy Central at 3:34 a.m. sometime to catch his hysterical show, Important Things with Demetri Martin).

If you have never heard of Fr. Gregory Boyle, you are in for an inspirational insight into his wonderful work reforming gangsters with HomeBoyz Industries. Uplifting and thought-provoking.

This book provides us all with a wake-up call to live in the here and now. All of us need to appreciate the journey a lot more, as that is “where all the magic happens.”

Kinky Friedman has written over 20 books – from mysteries to cookbooks. He is a writer, an animal rights activist, a singer, a humorist – and, oh, he’s running for governor of Texas in 2006. He was recently featured on one of the most relaxing, interesting and informative shows on television, CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood, and by the end of that profile I resolved to recommend at least one of his books. He reminds me of Will Rogers, in a way, as he is down to earth and folksy while also making very pointed observations. If I lived in Texas, I’d vote for him. Check out this book and enjoy an introduction to one of America’s most unique Renaissance scholars.

Do you need a pep talk? I always try to read as many inspirational books with positive messages that I can, as too often we are subjected to all of the negatives in the world. Believe it or not, there are a lot of amazing people with amazing stories out there; they just do not make the nightly news. Les Brown is a speaker I must meet now, as this book touched me in a very personal and positive way. By the way, as an African-American male, Les Brown also serves as an excellent example to share with students seeking role models (I have shared anecdotes from his life with many of my students).

As summer begins I understand that a lot of folks are looking for quick beach reads. What better than a fast-paced murder mystery on a lazy afternoon?

Subtitled “Confessions of an Elementary School Teacher,” this book is a perfect primer for teachers looking to smile as they begin the new school year.

I need to purchase another copy of this book, as the one I have is filled with underlined passages, scribbles in the margins and dog-eared pages. This is the sort of book that can change your life – IF you put the principles into action. Fascinating reporting on how to “grow” achievement. I LOVED this book.