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December 2004

Hi folks!

I hope you are all doing well and not gaining too much weight during the holiday season (unless, of course, you want to be gaining a lot of weight during the holiday season). I am excited to go visit family in Chicago and Boston in late December. 

Enjoy the books.  I have been reading like a madman to try to reach my annual quota of books (that’s for me to know; translation – I am not telling you how many books I try to read each year). Doug Dorsey just sent me his father’s short book One Man, and I read the whole thing in an evening. I really enjoyed Playing the Moldovans at Tennis by Tony Hawks (not the skateboarder; this Tony Hawks makes insane bets while drunk at pubs, and the resulting adventures are hilarious). Finally, I’ve been madly flipping the pages of scripts by Barry Levinson, Preston Sturges and Cameron Crowe.

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 ;-)
The Hedonism Handbook

The Hedonism Handbook

By Michael Flocker 208 pages Adult

Danny Says

I know a lot of stressed people who need to get off to a good start in 2005.  This is the ultimate “anti” self-help book that celebrates butter and booze over diet and exercise.  Read this book, and you just may live the life of Jack Nicholson instead of the dude in the “American Gothic” painting.
Buy on Amazon
Cool Dead People

Cool Dead People

By Jane O'Boyle 160 pages Adult

Danny Says

I confess, when I don’t link to Amazon via the Lazy Readers’ website, I buy most of my books from a great discount book broker called Edward G. Hamilton (they send me a monthly catalog of books that all cost under $3).  I bought this book for a buck and read it in three hours.  I loved it!  It is filled with fascinating two-page obituaries of people I truly wish I had known.  Inspirational, quirky and fun.
Buy on Amazon
Daisy Miller

Daisy Miller

By Henry James 98 pages Adult

Danny Says

Great book for those who are having trouble getting to sleep.  I am not a huge fan of Henry James, so I figured I’d recommend one of his shorter books (I believe it was his first big commercial success).  Impress people at cocktail parties by discussing Daisy’s flaws abroad (she is like a 19th century sorority girl scampering around Europe).  This short book is a tad less painful than some of the film adaptations of James’s other works.
Buy on Amazon
Captains Courageous

Captains Courageous

By Rudyard Kipling 100 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

My Uncle Bob reminded me to include this classic Kipling tale about a spoiled brat who loses everything before understanding not to take life for granted.  In many ways this tale reads like an alternative series of events to Kipling’s fantastic The Jungle Book.  We sure are lucky to have had a writer like Rudyard Kipling (I can read anything he wrote).
Buy on Amazon
The Incredible Journey

The Incredible Journey

By Sheila Burnford 160 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

You now all know that I am a sap.  I loved this story so much as a kid that after I saw the Disney movie, I actually wanted to read the book (this was simply unheard of when I was a young lad).  One of the greatest stories of friendship and perseverance ever written (in my humble opinion). 
Buy on Amazon
Just Annoying

Just Annoying

By Andy Griffiths 144 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

No, this author has an “s” on the end of his name, and his series of books bear little resemblance to anything you’d ever see in Mayberry.  I find that this author has a way of making teenage boys want to read, and I will always recommend an author who motivates reluctant readers.  Parents beware, as his silly tales can sometimes be a bit “raunchy.”
Buy on Amazon
The Scrambled States of America Talent Show

The Scrambled States of America Talent Show

By Laurie Keller 40 pages Children

Danny Says

Tired of what’s a “red” state and what’s a “blue” state?  Here is a great way to make American geography fun for kids, and the states are multiple colors, just like this country.
Buy on Amazon
The Shrinking of Treehorn

The Shrinking of Treehorn

By Florence Parry Heide 64 pages Children

Danny Says

Ever felt ignored?  While Treehorn tries to convince adults that he is shrinking, they shrug their shoulders as if the boy had told them there was a monster in his closet.  All the while Treehorn shrinks, and the illustrations by Edward Gorey are delightful in his demented style (he illustrated the macabre drawings at the beginning of the wonderful “Mystery” series on PBS).
Buy on Amazon
Peter and the Wolf

Peter and the Wolf

By Sergei Prokofiev 40 pages Children

Danny Says

I saw this modern adaptation at the library and could not resist.  I am not sure I love the book, but I love Prokofiev’s wonderful tale.  I always love to hear this extraordinary piece of music at this time of year.  If you want kids to enjoy a truly wonderful explanation, however, I’d direct them to the audio version provided by Sir Alec Guinness over 40 years ago.
Buy on Amazon
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

By Mo Willems 40 pages Children

Danny Says

I am sorry that I did not include this pick a lot sooner (I thought I had).  My good friend Marva Cappello sent this book to my daughter Kate soon after she was born, and this book is a favorite in my family.  It is simple and hilarious, as a bus driver leaves the reader with the responsibility of watching his bus and making sure that mischievous pigeon doesn’t drive away in it.  Turn off the nightly news and read this book to a loved one.  I guarantee you’ll smile.
Buy on Amazon

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