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December 2003

December 2003

Hi Folks!

Enjoy the books. I recently read A Long Way from Chicago and The 39 Steps. One book captivated me; the other held me captive. Let's just say that I wanted to get a long way from The 39 Steps.

Anyhow, enjoy this month’s book selections below. I hope you are all reading some wonderful books. Make sure to tell me all about them. If you're an author or a publisher and would like to send me review copies of your book(s), please send them to the address listed for authors and publishers.

I hope you are reading some wonderful books. Make sure to tell me about them by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Have a wonderful December, and enjoy your books!

Danny ;-)

A Christmas Story

By Jean Shepherd 144 pages Adult

Danny Says

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.

Buy on Amazon

I Lost Everything in the Post-Natal Depression

By Erma Bombeck 192 pages Adult

Danny Says

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.

Buy on Amazon

The New One Minute Manager

By Ken Blanchard,Spencer, M.D. Johnson 112 pages Adult

Danny Says

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.

Buy on Amazon

The Crucible

By Arthur Miller 143 pages Adult

Danny Says

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

Buy on Amazon

Life on the Run

By Bill Bradley 229 pages Adult

Danny Says

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.

Buy on Amazon

A Long Way From Chicago

By Richard Peck 148 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I consider this a “must” read. My friend Carla Salley loaned me her copy, and I admit that I read it twice in two days. This funny tale of summers spent with grandma rivals Mark Twain and Tom Bodett. Sweet simplicity. You can read this book in under three hours, so grab a coffee and spend a delightful afternoon at Border’s. This book is a treasure!

Buy on Amazon

The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane

By Russell Freedman 144 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Can you believe that it was only a hundred years ago this month since the airplane was invented? Too bad nobody asked the Wright Brothers to invent good airline food. This is a very compelling and informative biography.

Buy on Amazon

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

By Dr. Seuss 64 pages Children

Danny Says

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I rate this and Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove as the two greatest television adaptations of all time. Who would think I could draw a comparison between those two classics?

Buy on Amazon

The Value of Believing in Yourself: The Story of Louis Pasteur

By Spencer Johnson,Steve Pileggi 62 pages Children

Danny Says

If the author looks familiar, it’s because he co-wrote “The One-Minute Manager” with Ken Blanchard. What I really admire Spencer Johnson for is this inspiring series of “value stories” that show children examples of people who valued patience, determination, etc. There are a bunch of these books, and I selected this one because I often find the best way to get me interested in a person or subject is to read a brief children’s version first. Louis Pasteur was an amazing person – so amazing he has an adjective and a verb named after him.

Buy on Amazon

Bark, George

By Jules Feiffer 32 pages Children

Danny Says

This is the perfect book to put a smile on your face at the end of a long day. Enjoy the story of a frustrated mother dog who cannot understand why her puppy will quack and meow but not bark.

Buy on Amazon

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