I try really hard to love every book I read. The easy measure of a book that succeeds for me is if I don't leave it on my bedside stand for a few paragraph's nightly reading before nodding off, but carry it with me to read while brushing my teeth, eating lunch, etc. until it's done. I'm not drawn to Sci Fi, murder mysteries, romance novels or New Age - otherwise, my criteria is in the "je ne sais quoi" realm. Good character studies, historical settings, no action needed. I hope you'll read the books I recommended - they're here because I loved them!
$85.00
ISBN: 9781419722226
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Published: ABRAMS - September 19th, 2017
The heft alone of this book is a testament to the elemental nature of this world-famous artist's large-scale sculptural work. According to Goldsworthy, "Each work grows, stays, decays – integral parts of a cycle which the photograph shows at its heights, marking the moment when the work is most alive. Process and decay are implicit." If you appreciate the forces of/in nature – or don't have the chance to – this book offers that inspirational gift. ~ Reviewed by Heather Bellanca
$16.00
ISBN: 9780812984965
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Published: Spiegel & Grau - August 18th, 2015
I generally avoid books that reveal too much reality. These shameful accounts are told in a way that I found utterly compelling. In spite of the clear injustices of these capital punishment cases, Stevenson relates his dogged efforts to rectify them in a clear way that left me with a sense of hope that these evils can and will be overcome. Read it. ~ Reviewed by Heather Bellanca
$50.00
ISBN: 9781611763195
Availability: Special Order
Published: Penguin Audiobooks - October 14th, 2014
Only because the set was handy, I took these CDs to pass the time in the car, anticipating a self-aggrandizing Hollywood tell-all. Boy was I wrong! Lear, at 90-something, in his own clear voice, tells his rags-to-riches story in a charming, funny and self-deprecating way. From his miserable childhood, to harrowing WWII service as a fighter pilot in Italy, to the shocking anecdotes about Hollywood stars, to legions of world leaders he's met, I had no idea that he should be a legend in his own time. Beyond his graciousness, his insider's account of the evolution of the great, radical TV shows of the 60s and 70s is fascinating. So sad now, to have to travel without being able to listen to him spinning yarns. Read the book if you can't abide audio-books, it'll be just as inspiring. ~ Reviewed by Heather Bellanca
$14.00
ISBN: 9780307590534
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Broadway Books - June 28th, 2011
A surprisingly believable and compelling tale written from the unusual perspective of the bastard son of an 18th century, deaf bell ringer in the Swiss alps. The boy has a preternatural gift for hearing and a remarkable singing voice. The reality of life in those times and within the realm of the church was not always as beautiful as the sounds generated by it. This book manages to be a magical aural experience in which the boy struggles against unthinkable hardships to create beauty around him. ~ Reviewed by Heather Bellanca
$16.00
ISBN: 9780307389923
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Published: Vintage - May 15th, 2012
Hands down my most favorite book of the year. The function of the human mind is an endless source of fascination, in my book, and this book takes the reader to concepts contrary to common thinking through the ages. His research suggests that our decisions are barely influenced by the part of our thinking brain of which we are aware. He brings into question the whole notion of culpability. Not to suggest that people should "get away" with anti-social behavior but that we should reconsider the consequences we impose on those who "misbehave." A mind-blowing assessment of who's really in our drivers' seats. ~ Reviewed by Heather Bellanca
