Adult

The great thing about the start of the new year is the vast amount of potential that each of us has. I included this book because it is a quick-read and reviews some simple considerations for improving a variety of life skills. We each have the power to change our own lives, and I enjoy books like this to reinforce that concept.

This one could just as well be classified as “young adult,” as I have introduced it to teenage girls with very positive results. It is the coming of age story of a young girl who has made up her mind that she will go on her brother’s honeymoon whether she is invited or not. A very well-written novel.

A wonderfully humorous and enlightening guide for all parents of teens. Who says a book cannot sell itself with a great title? Lots of practical tips.

If you have an afternoon free to dive into a wonderful mystery, be sure to dive into one of Camilleri’s Inspector Montalbano books. This is the sixth in a terrific series that are pure chocolate: easy to devour in a single sitting.

You’ve probably seen the movie any of the 357 times it is aired each December, but if you have never read anything by Jean Shepherd, you are in for a real treat. Shepherd is a master at nostalgic storytelling, especially around holidays. He also wrote a wonderful collection of stories about the Fourth of July.

A touching and informative book written by a doctor who wants terminally ill people (and their families) to understand their options. Good book for everyone to read, as the empathetic Dr. Martensen points out the tough questions that people need to ask.

I’m a sucker for baseball stories, and Halberstam’s book (told ingeniously using flashbacks as Dominic DiMaggio and Johnny Pesky drive 1,300 miles to visit their former teammate and beloved dying friend Ted Williams) chronicles the bonds of four legendary Boston Red Sox during the 1940s. This book will move even Yankee fans. It reinforced my depression over Halberstam’s early death a few years ago in a car accident that left a lot of us wondering how many great future books were stolen from us on that tragic day. Two words: Read Halberstam. He is masterful.

Bombeck is a prolific humorist whom I have just discovered, thanks to my own baby that’s on the way. This woman really makes me laugh.

I had not read a good, old-fashioned Western in awhile, and a recent viewing of the wonderful Henry Fonda movie inspired me to pick up the text. It did not disappoint. As a matter of fact, readers could draw a lot of parallels between this story and current incidents involving mob justice.

Johnson is the genius who wrote all of those wonderful children’s level biographies (see below), and Blanchard is one of the best motivational speakers I have ever seen. This book is a sales phenomenon, as I believe every business in the galaxy is required to purchase it. More importantly, their message is to the point and clear and does not ramble on and on with no point like the remainder of this sentence.

I have not been this fascinated about India since reading Gandhi’s autobiography. Chaudhuri masterfully crafts tales that demonstrate the contrasts between young and old India. Stimulating reading.

This Independence Day, between BBQs and fireworks, take a moment to check out this book and remind yourself how lucky we are to live in a democracy protected by our fighting men and women in uniform. This beautifully told account of soldiers returning home from their service will stir your soul.

Not exactly the book I’d read to spread holiday cheer, but a delightful play, nonetheless. Particularly good reading for the ignorant.

Chast is one of my favorite New Yorker cartoonists, and this magnificent graphic novel memoir is both hilarious and heartbreaking, as Chast deals with the issue of aging parents. I highly recommend you check out this and anything else Chast has written. So talented.

I know, I know. It exceeds my 200-page maximum, but the print is big and the book is small. Since basketball season just started, I thought this look into Bradley’s experiences with the Knicks would make good reading. It is definitely good reading for New Yawkers who cannot stomach the current crop of players at the Garden.