Adult

Part of the Donut Shop mystery series – and I confess, I had never heard of the series. Happy to discover these, as they are succinct, engaging and – at times – very funny.

If you have never read anything by Tom Stoppard, you are in for a treat. I rate him as one of the most important playwrights of out time. You may have seen his screenplay Shakespeare in Love. This tale is also set in Elizabethan times and focuses on the mundane daily rituals of two minor characters from Shakespeare's Hamlet. Hilarious and original, like all of Stoppard’s works.

If you have not yet rewarded yourself with one of Evanovich’s fantastic tales of Jersey bond enforcement agent Stephanie Plum, you are in for a real treat. Nothing gets me reading like a funny mystery, and Evanovich reminds me of a female Gregory MacDonald (author of the Fletch series).

Subtitled “Words to Awaken Your Heart,” this collection of Facebook quotes and “soul-bytes” will provide you with the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of life.

So, who’s in charge of America’s schools? This book is a good introduction to anyone who wants to better understand the challenges educational leaders face.

No, I did not include this book because I am infatuated by Communist revolutionaries. I enjoyed this book because it is one of the few journals that truly captures the simple traveler’s life on the road, and there are very limited travelogues on South America (although I hope to write one based on my experiences in 1996). A movie version of the book will soon be in theatres.

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.