December 2021

I have my wife and Janee Dahl to thank for this five-volume series of quirky, funny diatribes that make for quick, happy reading. Check them out: you can finish each volume in under two hours, and they get progressively better.

From 1954 to 1981, Brennan wrote for The New Yorker's “Talk of the Town” department under the pen name “The Long–Winded Lady.” Her wonderful observations of New York form a timeless, bittersweet tribute to what she called the “most reckless, most ambitious, most confused, most comical, the saddest and coldest and most human of cities.”

The holidays are filled with relaxing music, so I decided to grab a biography from one of the master vocalists, Tony Bennett. In this rich and beautiful memoir, the legendary Grammy and Emmy Award–winning singer takes us behind the scenes of his multi-platinum career and provides a “master class in life” that reveals his journey as an artist and all the amazing characters he has encountered along the way.  

Subtitled “The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination,” this little-know Scottish author offers words of wisdom to students – based on her 2008 Harvard commencement address.

Captivating memoir from the popular PBS host, this book chronicles a young man's budding scientific curiosity that began some thirty years ago on the roof of his Bronx apartment building and eventually led him to become the director of the Hayden Planetarium. A unique account of a young man who at one time was both nerd and jock, Tyson's memoir could well inspire other similarly curious youngsters to pursue their dreams. Great inspiration for classroom discussions.

A hit with all Marvel fans. For those who get mixed up with the different Thor movies confused by which Avengers villain is which, fear not! This book takes fans into this pop-culture colossus, and answers the questions most casual observers are dying to ask.

Wolverine, Deadpool, Doctor Doom, Thanos…there's one hero that's beaten them all-and now she's got her own ongoing series (Not that she's bragging.)! It's Squirrel Girl! Fun and goofy.

Outside the world is bright and colorful, but Lydia's family is too busy with their gadgets to notice. She says “hello” to everyone. “Hello? Hello!” Her father says hello while texting, her mother says hello while working on her laptop and her brother doesn't say hello at all. The TV shouts hello, but Lydia doesn't want to watch any shows. Restless, she ventures outside. There are so many things to say hello to! Hello rocks! Hello leaves! Hello flowers! When Lydia comes back home she decides to show her family what she has found, and it's hello world and goodbye gadgets! FABULOUS!!!!!

Olive, the dog, is merrily preparing for Christmas when suddenly she decides she must be a reindeer. So she quickly hops aboard the polar express and heads to the North Pole. And while Santa and the other reindeer are a bit surprised that a dog wants to join their team, in the end Olive and her unusual reindeer skills are just what Santa and his veteran reindeer team need in this funny tale.

When Slipper finds Mr. Furry Boots in her house, she does what any cat would do and investigates. But curiosity gets the best of her when she finds herself on a trip she hadn’t planned on taking, eventually discovering that there’s no place like home for Christmas.