Adult

Before Mr. Holland has his opus, this classic (also turned into a great Oscar-winning movie with Robert Donat) followed Mr. Chips, who dedicated his life to education after the untimely death of his wife. A heartwarming story that should be required reading for beginning teachers (even though I am opposed to required reading).

Since I despise textbooks, I have been on a fake textbook kick. If you are not familiar with The Onion, you are in for a treat, as the Onion provides readers with all sorts or egregious, inaccurate and hilarious “facts.” Since the news can often be a drag, I recommend you pay attention to the Onion’s news. It may not be true, but it certainly brings a smile to my face (something the nightly news rarely accomplishes).

This could also be classified as young adult, as this was the first book in middle school to get me to laugh so hard that I had to put the book down. Holden Caulfield is a profile of every teenager I've ever known (including myself), and it is a shame that this is one of the most banned books in America (attention all serial killers). I think the only reason I read this book was because there wasn't a movie - what a lucky break.

As the summer leaves us, I had to include at least one baseball book. This is one of the best. Piersall’s autobiography has less to do with his incredible fielding exploits for the Red Sox in the 1950s and more to do with his nervous breakdown (later made into a mediocre film with Anthony Perkins). Quick and captivating reading.

A wonderful coffee table book, this fun read includes the book jackets of some classic titles you may not be familiar with, like How to Avoid Huge Ships and People Who Don’t Know They’re Dead.

Lili Sanchez gave me a copy of this book that I used to read to my ESL students at USC. Can you believe that we had internment camps for Japanese Americans in the 1940s? This appalling chapter in American history is masterfully retold through one family's experiences (I believe this book formed the basis of a mediocre Dennis Quaid movie).

A quick, uneventful book that I include for two reasons: Diamant’s writing is superb, and I always like to read books about friendship. Any woman who has ever had a best friend will appreciate this lovely story.

Good riddance to the economic catastrophe known as 2009. It’s a new year, so why not get your finances in order? This is a practical, easy-to-read guide that conveniently maps out a financial strategy week-by-week. Very helpful.

If you really want to know what is happening in our schools, please do not turn to the newspaper or TV news. Grab a copy of this hilarious and heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Batory served for years in the “teaching and administrative trenches” of education, and this gem provides great insights that a lot of politicians and so-called “reformers” should take heed to instead of the nonsense perpetuating the corridors of power.

I host a TV show called People Make a Difference, so I was thrilled to indulge in Prince’s enticing profiles of ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things. Great for all ages.

Looking for inspiration? You won’t be able to put down this tale of how Barnes overcame his doctors’ belief that he’d be dead or in a wheelchair within ten years. Incredibly moving story of how any of us can stare death and disability straight in the face and make the choice to fight and prevail. Read it on a two-hour flight!

Why do we need bookstores? Perusing aisles in search of one book, we often stumble across something even better. That was the case with this extraordinary look at the impact of plans, sketches and drawings from cave paintings to the iPod. This one will wrap you up like a mother hugging a long-lost child.

A good companion to The Talent Code, this book provides 42 practical ways to improve performance with “proper” practice. My copy is out of shape from all of the dog-eared pages.

Stein is one of the funniest women writers out there. With summer vacation quickly approaching, a lot of parents will get a kick out of this hilarious diatribe.

This book has it all if you are lazy and want to impress people. It’s a photographer’s collection of her photos (pictures are good – yes!), it’s accompanied by short stories and observations (short is good – yes!) and it was written by a French woman (French literature makes you look worldly and introspective – yes!). It’s a trifecta! Better yet, it has a sequel.