Books into Movies

            Here are some books that recently have been made into movies and TV series.

            The Alienist is written by Caleb Carr. It is set in the year 1896 and features a team of criminal investigators who hunt down a madman stalking victims on the streets of New York City, using revolutionary techniques such as fingerprinting and psychology. It now is a television mini-series.

            Ready Player One is written by Ernest Cline. Set in the mid-twenty-first century, in a technological virtual utopia used to escape an ugly real world of famine, poverty, and disease, protagonist Wade Watts joins an increasingly violent effort to solve a series of puzzles by the virtual world’s creator. This is now a movie.

            Boy Erased: A Memoir is written by Garrard Conley. This biographical work tells the author’s story as a survivor of a church-supported sexual orientation conversion therapy facility that claimed to ‘cure” homosexuality. He describes its institutionalized intense Bible study program and its daily threats against his sanity. The movie will be released in November.  

            First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong is written by James R. Hansen. This is an authorized portrait of the first astronaut to set foot on the moon. It also examines other aspects of Armstrong’s career and the toll his professional dedication took on his family life. The movie will be released in August.

            Crazy Rich Asians is written by Kevin Kwan. The novel features Chinese-American Rachel Chu’s visit to Singapore to meet her fiancé’s family. She is surprised to find them an extremely rich and underhanded clan who are opposed to their relationship. The movie will be released in November.

New E-Book Purchases for July

            Here are some new e-books available through our library’s subscription with Bibliotheca.

            The Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering, is written by Joanna Gaines, the star of HGTV’s Fixer Upper. It is a compilation of more than one hundred classic recipes for meals, snacks, desserts, and small plates, including chicken pot pie, asparagus and fontina quiche, overnight French toast, and fried chicken with sticky poppy seed jam. Full-color photos accompany the recipes.

            The President Is Missing: A Novel is co-authored by James Patterson and former President Bill Clinton. Here, a fictional President confronts a threat so huge that it jeopardizes not just Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street, but all of America. Cyber terror, espionage, and a traitor in the Cabinet might be possible; the President himself becomes a suspect – until he disappears!

            Spymaster: A Thriller is written by Brad Thor, featuring his protagonist Scot Harvath.  Across Europe, a secret organization has begun attacking diplomats. Back in the United States, a foreign ally demands the identity of a highly placed covert asset. In the balance hang the ingredients for all-out war.

            When Life Gives You Lululemons: A Novel, written by Lauren Weisberger, is a sequel to the popular The Devil Wears Prada. Here, Emily Charlton, the beleaguered assistant-turned-successful Hollywood image consultant, teams up with a former ace lawyer-turned-Greenwich stay-at-home mom to retain the services of an A-list model and politician's wife.

            Enjoy these and other e-books from our collection.

Librarian's Favorites

            Here are some of the books that librarian Eileen has reviewed for our Adult Summer Reading Club.

            This is M. Sasek: the Extraordinary Life and Travels of the Beloved Children’s Book Illustrator, is written by Martin Salisbury. It is a fascinating biography of the artist, Miroslav Sasek, who is the creator of the bestselling “This is” series of children’s books. Chock full of illustrations, documents and fan letters from children, this oversize book is a wonderful read for those people who enjoy both beautifully illustrated children’s books and world travel!

            Appetites: a Cookbook, is written by Anthony Bourdain. In true Anthony Bourdain fashion, the author entertains with not only a memoir of his globetrotting travels but also his favorite recipes for entertaining. Full color photos enhance the classic recipes, and his irreverent chatter throughout the book serves as a way in which we are able to get to know him on a more personal level. A true “work of art!”          

            Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel, is written by Alon Shaya. Part cookbook and part memoir, Alon Shaya has written a book that interlaces the story of his life with the food memories that helped shape it. His recipes are simple-to-follow and the full-color photographs entice the reader to try them.

            Cuba Then: Rare and Classic Images from the Ramiro Fernandez Collection is a dazzling compilation of rare photographs and observations of “old” Cuba, and is one of the largest collections of images outside of Cuba. This will be of interest to people traveling to Cuba and others interested in Cuban-American culture.

Afternoon Book Discussions

Join us for our Afternoon Book Discussions, held on the second Wednesday of every month from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. We select books from a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, encourage lively discussion, and enjoy delicious refreshments. The reading selections for the second half of 2018 are:

July 11^th – The Paris Architect: A Novel, written by Charles Belfoure. A Parisian architect is paid handsomely to devise secret hiding spaces for Jews in his Nazi-occupied country but struggles with risking his life for a cause he is ambivalent towards, until a personal failure brings home their suffering.

August 8^th – Goldberg Variations, written by Susan Isaacs. A septuagenarian business owner evaluates her grandchildren as possible successors to her multi-million-dollar beauty empire, including New York movie studio editor Daisy, womanizing sports PR representative Matt, and religious Legal Aid lawyer Raquel.

September 12^th -- Orphan Train, written by Christina Baker Kline. Close to aging out of the foster care system, Molly Ayer takes a position helping an elderly woman named Vivian and discovers that they are more alike than different as she helps Vivian solve a mystery from her past.

October 10th – Best Boy: A Novel, written by Eli Gottlieb. A middle-aged autistic resident of a therapeutic community where he was sent as a young child rebels against changes in his environment by attempting to return to a family home and younger sibling he only partially remembers.

November 14^th – Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948, written by Madeleine Albright. The former Secretary of State witnessed the Nazi invasion of her native Prague, the Holocaust, and the defeat of fascism, the rise of communism, and the onset of the Cold War

December 12^th – Marriage of Opposites: A Novel, written by Alice Hoffman. Dreaming of an exotic life in Paris while coming of age in a St. Thomas refugee community, young Rachel is forced to marry a widower before falling scandalously in love and becoming the mother of Impressionist master Camille Pissarro.

New Non-Fiction from Bibliotheca E-Books

             Just in from our subscription to Bibliotheca e-books – some of the latest bestsellers and other new non-fiction.

            The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations, is written by John McCain and Mark Salter. Here, the former Republican presidential nominee chronicles his political career from the election of Barack Obama through the divisive 2016 election, offering his opinions of the current developments in Washington as well as his recommendations for ongoing international challenges.

            Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, is written by David Grann. The book presents a true account of the early twentieth-century murders of dozens of wealthy Osage and law-enforcement officials, citing the contributions and missteps of a fledgling FBI that eventually uncovered one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.

            Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House is written by Michael Wolff. The columnist  and author presents his impressions of the chaos of Donald Trump's first nine months in office, detailing why Comey was really fired, how to communicate with the president, and who is directing the administration following Bannon's dismissal.

            Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-To Book is written by Dan Harris, the co-anchor of the weekend edition of Good Morning America, and two other authors. This is a a practical guide to meditation that debunks the myths, misconceptions, and self-deceptions that make many people reluctant to try it, and suggests a range of meditation practices.

            Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery is written by retired astronaut Scott Kelly, a veteran of four space flights. This is his illustrated memoir of his experiences, including a record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station. He shares candid reminiscences of his voyages, his colorful formative years and the off-planet journeys that shaped his early career.

            These and other e-books can be borrowed. Instructions are available on the library’s website at www.lmlonline.com

Hot Weather Foods

            Here are some ideas for hot weather meals, bound up in some recently published cookbooks.

            Cool Smoke: The Art of Great Barbecue is written by Tuffy Stone, a World Record-breaking champion pit master who has traveled throughout the world on the competition circuit. He provides tips on how to handle smoke, fuel, and fire during the cooking process, and then continues with recipes for rubs, sauces, brines, mops and sprays and dishes made of pork, beef, poultry, and seafood. Recipes for some sides, salads, and desserts round up the collection. Colorful photos and clear text simplifies meal preparation.

            Great Vegan BBQ without a Grill: Amazing Plant-Based Ribs, Burgers, Steaks, Kabobs, and More Smoky Favorites is written by Linda and Alex Meyer, who are the authors of the food blog Veganosity. Using a grill pan or cast iron skillet instead of an outdoor grill or smoker you can prepare plant-based barbecue, burgers, kabobs and other entrees along with sides and salads, dips, sauces and rubs.

            A la Mode: 120 Recipes in 60 Pairings: Pies, Tarts, Cakes, Crisps, and More Topped with Ice Cream, Gelato, Frozen custard, and More is written by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarborough, popular cookbook writers and QVC favorites. Not just apple pie and vanilla ice cream, this book features more unusual recipes and combinations to please your palate.

Travel Ideas

            In the summertime, or anytime, planning a trip can be almost as much fun as the travel itself. Here are some new books for your enjoyment.

            111 Places in Queens That You Must Not Miss, written by Joe DiStefano, offers the opportunity to sample the many ethnicities of the world in one borough. Whether you are interested in food, the arts, religious edifices, shopping, and more, this concise yet informative guide, accompanied by plenty of color photos, will encourage you to visit our next-door neighbor.

            National Geographic Guide to State Parks of the United States, Fifth Edition offers concise, descriptive reviews of more than 950 parks within the United States, accompanied by full color photos of several of them. Listings are arranged by region of the country and then by state.

            Road Trips: A Guide to Travel, Adventure, and Choosing Your Own Path, is written by Jen CK Jacobs, an editorial photographer who has published work in several books and periodicals. This is a different type of travel book; it describes eight different trips, from solo traveler, to romantic getaway, to those shared by friends and gives tips on packing, snacks, photographing the sights, and more.

            The Solo Travel Handbook: Practical Tips and Inspiration for a Safe, Fun and Fearless Trip, is a Lonely Planet publication designed to answer many of the questions solo travelers have, such as managing your money, meeting people, staying connected, health, safety, and others.

Walking the Americas: 1,800 Miles, Eight Countries, and One Incredible Journey from Mexico to Colombia is written by Levison Wood, a British explorer whose previous books tell of his adventures walking the length of the Nile River and of the Himalayas. Here we follow him and his friend Alberto on a trek that took over four months and 1,800 miles, from Yucatan, Mexico to Colombia..

Books for and about Older Americans

               Join us in celebrating May as Older Americans month by reading one or all of these recently published books.

            Aging Gracefully: Portraits of People Over100 is compiled by Karsten Thormaehlen. It features photographic portraits of 52 people who have lived beyond 100 years, accompanied by enlightening annotations about their lives.

            Aging with Care: Your Guide to Hiring and Managing Caregivers at Home is written by Amanda Lambert. This guide helps readers in finding superior at-home care for one’s aging parents or other relatives, based upon the level of attention they need. Real-life stories are included.

            Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year among the Oldest Old is written by John Leland, a reporter. Here he recounts his time spent with six of New York's oldest inhabitants, all eighty-five and older, who share their wisdom about aging, life quality, and the art of living.

            Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century is written by Jessica Bruder. The award-winning journalist sets out on the road to explore the new phenomenon of “workampers” who are migrant workers made up of transient older Americans who took to the road after discovering that their social security came up short and their mortgages were underwater.

            The RBG Workout is written by Bryant Johnson, the personal trainer for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The fully illustrated book details her twice-weekly exercise workout, including warm-up, strength training, and cool-down that all of us can follow in our own homes.

            Who Will Take Care of Me When I’m Old?  Plan Now to Safeguard Your Health and Happiness in Old Age is written by Joy Loverde. The book asserts that growing old does not mean a decline into helplessness, and argues that it is essential to have a plan in place in order to maintain a high  quality of life in later years.                                                  

Historical Fiction: World War II

            Although the war ended more than seventy years ago, novels depicting this time are relevant in today’s society.

            The Paris Architect, written by Charles Belfoure, is the story of a Parisian architect who is paid handsomely to devise secret hiding spaces for Jews in his Nazi-occupied country but struggles with risking his life for a cause towards which he is ambivalent. A personal failure brings their suffering home.

            Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, written by Jamie Ford, finds a present-day Henry Lee looking back at his youth in Seattle during World War II, when artifacts from Japanese families sent to internment camps are uncovered, reminding him of the young girl Keiko he met at that time.

            The Nightingale, written by Kristin Hannah, finds two French sisters reunited when the elder’s husband is sent to fight in World War II. Vianne and Isabelle find their bond and their respective beliefs tested by a world that changes in horrific ways.

            Lilac Girls, written by Martha Hall Kelly, tells the story of three women whose lives converge at the Ravensbreuck concentration camp as one resolves to help from her post at the French consulate, one becomes a courier in the Polish resistance, and one takes a German government medical position.

            A Thread of Grace, written by Mary Doria Russell, is about Claudette Blum, a fourteen-year-old, and her father. They are fleeing across the Alps into Italy with thousands of other Jewish refugees seeking safety, only to find an open battleground among the Nazis, the Allied forces, resistance fighters, Jews in hiding, and ordinary Italians struggling to survive the harsh realities of World War II.

 

More Sensational Spy Stories

            Read some or all of these thrillers to see how the experts handle intelligence operations.

            In The Kremlin’s Candidate: A Novel, written by Jason Matthews, Dominika Egorova overhears a Kremlin plot to install a spy in a high intelligence position so that the Russians can identify CIA assets in Moscow. She launches a desperate mole hunt, only to be exposed and arrested.

            In The Lost Order, written by Steve Berry, agent Cotton Malone becomes involved when rival factions of a clandestine organization begin a race to find billions in treasure hidden by their forerunners. Malone finds the case complicated by his personal ties to the Knights and a scheming politician.

            The Prisoner: A John Wells Novel, is written by Alex Berenson. Here, John Wells is forced to resume an old undercover identity as an al-Qaida jihadi to unmask a CIA mole. He gets close to an ISIS prisoner in a secret Bulgarian prison, where he confronts the profoundly cruel and ambitious plans of increasingly formidable terrorist organizations.

            The Quantum Spy: A Thriller, is written by David Ignatius. It tells the story of CIA agent Harris Chang, who uncovers a mole in a top secret American research lab where they are racing to develop a quantum computer before China does.

            In A Single Spy, written by William Christie, a World War II Russian spy with divided loyalties goes deep undercover in Nazi Germany and uncovers an assassination plot with the potential to change history.

            In Three Envelopes, written by Nir Hezroni, an Israeli intelligence agent receives a notebook written by a rogue agent and assassin who supposedly has been dead for years. He begins to investigate whether the rogue agent was a psychopath or actually part of a lethal, top secret operation.

            Find these and many more spy stories at your library.

Sensational Spy Stories

            Return to the genre that promises plenty of intrigue and bravado. Here are some recently published spy stories, sure to keep you up at night to find out if the hero will triumph over the forces of evil.

            In Act of Betrayal, written by Matthew Dunn, former intelligence operative Will Cochrane investigates the poisoning of a CIA agent who uncovered a mysterious situation involving the assassination of a terrorist financier.

            Agent in Place: A Gray Man Novel, written by Mark Greaney, Court Gentry accepts a contract to abduct the mistress of a Syrian dictator in order to obtain any information she may possess. Then he discovers that the woman has given birth to the dictator’s only son; he must retrieve the child safely out of Syria in order to guarantee her cooperation.

             In Cold Harbor, written by Matthew Fitzsimmons for his Gibson Vaughn series, former Marine and gifted hacker Gibson Vaughn is free after a period of brutal isolation in a CIA black-site prison. However, he has no idea where he was or how much time he has lost. Struggling to maintain his grip on reality, he races to return to the life he left behind.

            Death at Nuremberg: A Clandestine Operations Novel, written by W.E.B. Griffin, tells the story of special agent James Cronley, Jr. who is assigned to the Nuremberg war trials to protect the chief prosecutor from a rumored kidnapping. Instead, he finds himself fighting wars on multiple fronts as he also hunts down an organization that helps Nazi war criminals escape to South America.

            In Ends of the Earth, by Robert Goddard, World War I flying ace turned secret service operative James Maxted travels to Tokyo to uncover the truth behind his British Diplomat father’s suspicious death. His goal: to take down the German spymaster he believes to be responsible.

            Forever and a Death, by Donald E. Westlake, features wealthy businessman Richard Curtis, who loses everything when Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule and vengefully plots to use a construction technology to destroy the city and steal its gold. Westlake originally wrote the storyline for a James Bond film, but it was not used for political reasons.

March Is Women's History Month

            Celebrate women from all over the world and throughout time by learning their stories. Here are some current books that will help you.

            In Praise of Difficult Women: Life Lessons from 29 Heroines Who Dared to Break the Rules is written by Karen Karbo. The author reviews the lives and accomplishments of several women from recent history, celebrities all. They include Amelia Earhart, Helen Gurley Brown, Hillary Clinton, Nora Ephron, Frida Kahlo, Billie Jean King, J.K. Rowling and more. Learn what makes them an inspiration to us all.

            Bad Girls from History: Wicked or Misunderstood? is written by Dee Gordon. From different countries, different centuries, and different cultures, these ladies aren’t the law-abiding citizens we usually honor. Whether they were cited because of sexual misconduct, murder, thievery, or other crimes, you will get the inside scoop on such women as Cleopatra, Bonnie Parker, Jezebel, Lizzie Gordon, and more.

            The Women Who Made New York is written by Julie Scelfo, a journalist who has written for the New York Times and Newsweek. The book features more than 100 women who contributed to the social, cultural, political and economic development of the city. Illustrations by Hallie Heald enrich the text.

            Bet you don’t know about all of these female radicals featured in Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History. Written by Kate Schatz, this book tells the stories of forty women, from Hatshepsut (a female king of Egypt) to Malala Yousafzi (the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize) and accompanies each with an illustrated portrait done by artist Miriam Klein Stahl.  

Books Recommended by Librarians

             Do you want to know some of the favorite books of our librarians?

Here is what librarian Craig likes best.

            Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft is written by Thor Heyerdahl, a Norwegian adventurer and ethnographer with a background in zoology, botany, and geography. He became notable for his Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947, in which he sailed 8,000 km (5,000 mi) across the Pacific Ocean in a hand-built raft from South America to the Tuamotu Islands. The expedition was designed to demonstrate that ancient people could have made long sea voyages, creating contacts between separate cultures.

            The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography is written by Simon Singh. This is a look at the world of codes, tracing its history back from Mary, Queen of Scots to the world wars, and also hypothesizes what the future of cryptography will be. Simon Singh received his Ph.D. in physics from Cambridge University and is a former BBC producer.

            Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time is written by Dava Sobel. This book describes the forty-year effort of John Harrison to invent the chronometer, the first instrument to keep accurate time for navigational purposes.

            The Andromeda Strain is written by the late novelist and medical doctor Michael Crichton. Originally published in 1984, it tells the story of a team of scientists who struggle to save humanity when a deadly bacteria is brought back from outer space by a satellite. A movie based on the book also was produced.

            Enola Gay, written by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts, tells the story of the

nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, Japan at the end of World War II, as carried out with the Enola Gay bomber.

The Fictional Abraham Lincoln

            Most readers of non-fiction are aware of Abraham Lincoln’s life and accomplishments. However, they may not be aware that he also is the subject of many novels. Here are some recent ones.

            In Perish from the Earth: A Lincoln and Speed Mystery, written by Jonathan F. Putnam, the newly minted trial lawyer and his friend Joshua Speed, the son of a steamboat owner, defend a young traveling artist wrongly accused of a murder linked to a rigged card game.

Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel, written by George Saunders, traces a night of solitary mourning and reflection as experienced by the sixteenth president after the death of his eleven-year-old son at the dawn of the Civil War.

In Murder in the Lincoln White House, written by C.M. Gleason, when a man is found stabbed to death only yards away from Abraham Lincoln during the inaugural ball, the president dispatches his assistant, and former frontier scout, Adam Quinn, to investigate.

            A Friend of Mr. Lincoln, written by Stephen Harrigan, depicts Abraham Lincoln in his twenties and thirties, as he works as a lawyer and in the state legislature and spends time with a fictional poet, Cage Weatherby.

More February Birthdays

            Ready to see what other authors have been born in February?

            James Joyce, born on February 2, 1882, was an Irish novelist, short story writer, and poet. He wrote such classics as Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, The Dubliners, Ulysses and Finnegan’s Wake.

            Toni Morrison, born on February 18, 1931, writes novels that reflect her African-American culture and focus upon the themes of racism and sexual oppression. Some of her titles in our collection are Beloved, Song of Solomon, The Bluest Eye, and Sula, as well as others.

            Ayn Rand, born on February 2, 1905, was a Russian-born American writer of both fiction and non-fiction that focuses upon the theme of “rational self-interest”, and are in the dystopian fiction and science fiction genres. Her works include Anthem, Atlas Shrugged, and The Fountainhead.

            John Sandford, born on February 23, 1944, is the best-selling author of crime thrillers, both in series – Prey series and Kidd series – and standalone novels. His most recent books are Deep Freeze, Golden Prey, and Escape Clause.

            Amy Tan, born on February 19, 1952, also is a popular author of literary fiction focusing on Chinese and Chinese-American culture and the relationships between mothers and daughters and between women. Some of her well-known books are The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God’s Wife, and The Valley of Amazement.

           

Authors Born in February

            Let’s celebrate February by honoring the famous authors who were born in that month.

            Meg Cabot, born February 1, 1967, focuses on chick-lit, mystery, and romance genres, as well as young adult and children’s books. Some of her books include The Princess Diaries series, The Boy is Back, and Royal Wedding.   

            Kate Chopin, born February 8, 1850, is considered to be a forerunner of twentieth-century American feminist authors. She is best known for her novel The Awakening and a number of short stories.

            Charles Dickens, born February 7, 1812, was a critically acclaimed, prolific, and very popular writer during England’s Victorian era. Some of his works include A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol.

            Gillian Flynn, born February 24, 1971, writes mysteries and thrillers. Before turning to fiction, she was a journalist for fifteen years. Her novels include Gone Girl, Sharp Objects, and Dark Places.

            John Grisham, born February 8, 1955, is an internationally popular author who writes legal thrillers based upon his education and experience as a lawyer. Some of his bestselling books – The Firm, Pelican Brief, A Time to Kill, and The Client – and others, have been turned into feature films.

            Langston Hughes, born February 1, 1902, was an African-American poet, author, and playwright who produced much of his work during the Harlem Renaissance. Some of his works in our collection are The Big Sea: An Autobiography, The Collected Works of Langston Hughes, and The Political Plays of Langston Hughes. 

Healthy Diet

            New Year, new diet books. Here are some recently published ones.

            The Economists’ Diet: The Surprising Formula for Losing Weight and Keeping It Off is written by Christopher Payne and Rob Barnett. They are two economists who met while working at Bloomberg, both were formerly obese. They modified their diets using behavioral techniques based on economic principles. Their recommendations include weighing yourself every day, being calorie conscious but not a calorie counter, occasionally splurging, limiting variety, and more.

            Brain-Powered Weight Loss: The 11-Step Behavior-Based Plan that Ends Overeating and Leads to Dropping Unwanted Pounds for Good is written by Eliza Kingsford, a licensed psychotherapist specializing in weight management, food addiction, and eating disorders. Her goal is to show the reader how to modify high-risk situations, cope with stress, and prevent a slip from continuing to a setback or binge. Learn how to overcome your addiction to fatty, sugary, and salty foods.

            The Psychobiotic Revolution: Mood, Food, and the New Science of the Gut-Brain Connection is written by science journalist Scott C. Anderson, and medical researchers John F. Cryan and Ted Dinan. They explain how a healthy gut can manage depression and anxiety, by adjusting your intestinal bacteria. The typical American diet, often highly processed and rich in sugar and white flour, is very unhealthy for the body’s microbiota. It also is blamed for causing such illnesses as Crohn’s Disease and diabetes.

            Diet Right for Your Personality Type: The Revolutionary 4-Week Weight-Loss Plan that Works for You is written by health and fitness trainer Jennifer Wlderstrom, featured in NBC’s The Biggest Loser. She describes the requirements for the five personality types and presents a four-week diet and exercise plan for each. Recipes are included.

            Food Can Fix It: The Superfood Switch to Fight Fat, Defy Aging, and Eat Your Way Healthy is written by Dr. Mehmet Oz, well-known television host and health book author. He presents a 21-day weight loss jumpstart plan, and includes healthy recipes accompanied by full-color photographs. Learn to fix problems such as fatigue, pain, bad moods, run-down immunity, and more.

Personal Finance: How to Make the Most of Your Money

           With the New Year comes New Year’s resolutions. And money management is on almost everyone’s list. Let these books guide you in reaching your goals.

            Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter is written by Dan Ariely and Jeff Kreisler. They identify the psychological aspects of poor money management styles and discuss how to override them. They will help you cope with the financial bombshells inherent in credit card debt, household budgeting, holiday spending, and real estate sales, and keep your interest with the book’s breezy, anecdotal style.

            Ageproof: Living Longer without Running out of Money or Breaking a Hip, written by Jean Sherman Chatzky and Michael F. Roizen, MD, is a two-pronged approach to living securely in your senior years. Chatzky, a financial expert, and Roizen, an internist at the Cleveland Clinic, explain the very important connection between health and wealth and demonstrate ways to maximize your quality of health, longevity, and financial well-being.         

            The Motley Fool Investment Guide: How the Fools Beat Wall Street and How You Can Too, is written by David and Tom Gardner, investors and authors of earlier editions of this guide, other investor manuals, and co-founders of The Motley Fool, Inc. They present a simple and effective investment strategy that espouses their theory that making money through investments involves some risk.

            Rich Dad, Poor Dad: With Updates for Today’s World – and 9 New Study Session Sections is the latest in the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series. Written by Robert T. Kiyosaki, the book presents the history of money, investing, and the global economy over the past twenty years. Then the author demonstrates how to modify your investment style to complement today’s economy. The book provides financial literacy lessons for both the reader and his or her children.            

            Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook is written by Tony Robbins, an investment author and financial coach. In this book, Robbins interviews fifty international financial masterminds who offer their formulas to attaining financial freedom.  Your investments can grow no matter what stage of life you start or how much you earn, and whatever political and economic crises come into play.