Adult

I’m not sure why, but I have been reading a lot of novels set in World War II recently. This book is remarkably written and vividly depressing, as it sets a tone for war from a foot soldier’s point of view that is reminiscent of All Quiet on the Western Front.

Finally, a book without a colon (punctuation-wise, that is). This is largely considered to be Cather's first masterpiece. I enjoy it because it reminds me a lot of the much longer "Little House on the Prairie." Whenever you feel like you've got a tough life, pick this up and read about the first settlers on the frontier. It will put things in perspective.

Besides proper nutrition, I have found that personal finance is one of the most important areas that parents and teachers need to prioritize for children nowadays. One way to educate children about money is to check out The Money Mammals, a wonderful program designed to teach kids how to save and invest their money. It was through that program that I discovered this wonderful book by David Owen, an excellent writer who offers a lot of practical advice on how to educate children about money. I have always found money to be the easiest way to attract students’ attention to math, as well. Own makes educating children about money fun and painless.

As the school year winds down for many, I thought I’d offer this simple yet powerful guide to meditation. This is an easy book to read with a variety of helpful exercises. Don’t take my word for it, though, as it has been a bestseller for over 25 years.

Jackpot! My favorite kind of book: short and funny. Nora Ephron is one of the funniest men or women alive, and this collection of 15 essays highlights her talent for dealing with subjects that seem depressing with her wry wit. Ephron is an intelligent humorist worthy of high praise and recognition.

So what if I am a disciple of Steven Sample? I’m a proud Trojan, and anyone can learn a thing or two from USC’s President, who has raised over $3 billion in his ten years there. For a book on leadership, this is a practical, easy-to-read book that I kept beside my bed and read a chapter each night before I went to bed. I especially enjoyed his thoughts in Chapter 10. Buy the book to find out what I am talking about.

Wally Amos, a.k.a. Famous Amos, offers his “recipes” for successful living. With unbridled optimism and good cheer, Amos inspires with his story of rise, fall and perspective.

While this is not one of my favorite books, I can appreciate its incredible use of language (Burgess, after all, was a linguist). Most people find the book to be hilarious, but it just disturbed me. Perhaps that is a tribute to its powerful images.

My life has been a little too fast-paced lately, and Bailey White is the perfect antidote. She has always regaled me with her stories of life in rural Georgia on NPR, and I can hear her voice as I read the wonderful short stories in this delightful collection of some of White’s most unusual characters. Georgia’s version of Garrison Keillor or Tom Bodett.

Incredible memoir by a California state park ranger. If you read this book and do not come away feeling deeply disturbed about our treatment to the environment, perhaps you began your day kicking puppies and dumping cigarette butts out your car window. The last nature book I read that hit me this deeply was Farley Mowat’s Never Cry Wolf. I highly recommend this book, and I know I will seek more books by Jordan Fisher Smith.

What can I say – I am an aspiring Cliff Clavin who loves random information to impress people (or, more likely, myself) with at parties. This book is filled with all sorts of wonderful useless information, making it the perfect book for waiting in the car or dazing on the toilet.

Do you know what I like best about short stories (besides being short)? Good short stories contain some of the quirkiest characters and storylines. I loved this book the moment I read about the bridge painters who talk down jumpers. Quirky, lovely – I wish I could write as well as Orozco. This book is a gem.

Knowing I live for anecdotes, my buddy Michael Stevenson recommended this book of tales about hypnotherapist Milton Erickson. Wow! There are some really cool things he did with patients, just through the vehicle of story-telling.

I have not read a modern satire this good in a long time. Israeli author Castel-Bloom is irreverent in her portrayal of a warped doctor-turned-mother. While the book is short, the story will linger in your mind for a long time asking questions and trying to re-think what an “overbearing Jewish mother” really is.

I have spent a lot of time recently reading books about the importance of “purposeful practice.” Malcolm Gladwell touches upon it in Outliers, and Matthew Syed’s Bounce is also a good read on the subject. This is a great book for those who have resolved to apply the principles used by highly successful people from all fields.