"Every Day I Fight" by Stuart Scott with Larry Platt

Every Day I Fight by Stuart Scott with Larry Platt is the true story of Stuart Scott's fight with Cancer.  Stuart worked as an anchor on E.S.P.N.  He was one of my favorites and I always enjoyed hearing what he had to say.  He made it fun, not just giving the scores and highlights.  The second part of the book when he finds out he has Cancer and how he and his family deal with it is what makes this book so good.  He pulls no punches and tells it like it is, just like he did on E.S.P.N. 

I felt like I lost a friend when he passed away.  There will not be another one like him!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Unbroken: An Olympian’s Journey From Airman to Castaway to Captive by Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken:  An Olympian’s Journey From Airman to Castaway to Captive (The Young Adult Adaptation of Unbroken) by Laura Hillenbrand is an amazing and fascinating non-fiction novel.  With never a dull moment, Louie Zamperini’s adventurous story kept my attention from beginning to end.  Just when you think things couldn’t possibly get any worse for him, they do!  It’s hard to believe he actually survived drifting on a life raft in the Pacific ocean for 47 days and then being tortured and humiliated as a POW. 

I highly recommend this to anyone!  It is well researched and very informative, giving me insight into a life of a POW that I had no clue about.  Unimaginable horrific things actually happened to our POW’s during World War II.  I was afraid this was going to read like a history book, but it really doesn’t.  It is very well written and stayed on my mind long after I put it down.   I found it astonishing that Louie lived to be 97 after all he went through. 

(Karen's review, 5 stars)

 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"I Promised My Dad—An Intimate Portrait of Michael Landon"

I Promised My Dad—An Intimate Portrait of Michael Landon by His Eldest Daughter, Cheryl Landon Wilson with Jane Scovell is about the life of Michael Landon.  I was impressed by how much his daughter knew about his childhood.  By reading this book, I learned many things about Michael Landon that I never knew.  Since I watched him as “Little Joe” in Bonanza and then as Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie, I was eager to learn about him as a person.  This book answers the question, What was Michael Landon really like?  It has a lot of interesting things in it but I especially liked his reason for letting his hair grow long—it gave him more confidence and made him feel like he could do anything, like Samson who had great strength when his hair was long.  He was a loving man with a great sense of humor.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Words From a Fearless Heart--A collection of wit, wisdom and whimsy" by Laura Ingalls Wilder

After being married 16 years, I decided to start reading some of my husband’s books that are in our bookcases and this is one of them.  Words From a Fearless Heart—A collection of wit, wisdom, and whimsy by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a delightful read, especially since I always enjoyed watching “Little House on the Prairie.”  This goes very quickly and is as the title suggests, collection of short bits of wisdom, wit and whimsy.  It’s a great little book to read when you just have a few minutes.  I especially enjoyed the musing on pioneer eating that showed the huge contrast between then and our healthy focus on eating today.  Back then, not only did they eat lots of meat, but it was heavily salted!  Lard was used when cooking or baking and fried potatoes were a staple, cooked in lard.  Butter and sugar was considered good for you!   In fact, sugar was considered “essential to growing child’s health—a nutritious food.”   I recommend this quick inspirational read to anyone, but especially to fans of Little House on the Prairie and Laura Ingalls.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Good Tidings and Great Joy--Protecting the Heart of Christmas" by Sarah Palin

GOOD TIDINGS and GREAT JOY--Protecting the Heart of Christmas by Sarah Palin is about how Christmas has changed over the years in America and where it is headed.  She shares some of her family's Christmas traditions and recipes along with some advice to Christians to stand up to preserve the true meaning of Christmas in America.  Words do matter. 

This is a thought provoking book with some shocking things that are currently happening in America that I wasn't aware of.  I agree that people should be able to acknowledge publicly that Christmas is a religious holiday and that the reason we celebrate Christmas is to celebrate the birth of a Savior, Jesus Christ.  If you are interested in civil rights and religious freedom, I recommend you read this book.
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"SeinLanguage" by Jerry Seinfeld

SeinLanguage by Jerry Seinfeld is a short paperback filled with standup comedian commentary on a variety of subjects.  It is entertaining, humorous and enjoyable.  One can easily finish it in less than a day.  I liked it okay.

(This is one of the books Gerard bought and read a long time ago before we were married.  I just thought I'd read it before releasing it into the wild at bookcrossing.com.  I left it in the bus stop shelter at E. 9th and Superior in front of St. John's Cathedral in downtown Cleveland on Thursday.)
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Someday, Someday, Maybe" by Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood

Someday, Someday, Maybe is Lauren Graham's first book.   I loved her on the show, "Gilmore Girls" and now on "Parenthood."  She tells the story of a young woman who wants to be an actress on Broadway, sharing the trials and triumphs she goes through, hoping to make her dream come true.  It is very funny, like watching an episode of "Gilmore Girls."  Do yourself a favor and pick it up.  You will be glad you did!
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"The Outsider--a Memoir" by Jimmy Connors

I always enjoyed watching Jimmy Connors play tennis, so it was a no brainer that I would read his memoir called The Outsider. I especially liked reading about his young teen years and found his comments on his fellow players interesting. The part with his on-again, off-again relationship with Chris Evert was very good also.
(Gerard's review, 4 1/2 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Bruce" by Peter Ames Carlin (Non-fiction)

Bruce by Peter Ames Carlin is a really good story about Bruce Springsteen aka "The Boss." It has some wow factor with details of how the band came to be and lots of inside stuff that I didn't know. I enjoyed it very much. If you are a Springsteen fan, it's a must read. I highly recommend it.
(Gerard's review, rating 5+ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Cat Daddy" by Jackson Galaxy

His cat Benny looks like Spunky Doodle so Spunky liked it.

Cat Daddy--What the World's Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me about Life, Love, and Coming Clean by Jackson Galaxy was both eye-opening and disappointing to me. It is about Jackson Galaxy more than it is about cats, although it does have some suggestions for relating to cats and has a touching story about the cat he rescued, Benny. Jackson is a cat consultant who seeks to help people solve problems they have with their cats instead of having them euthanized. I was surprised to learn about all of Jackson's addictions. I thought it would be more like his TV show, “My Cat From Hell,” telling about the different cat owners he consulted with about their cats but it's not that at all.  The bad language in this book really was a turn off for me.
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during June and July to The Wounded Warrior Project which helps wounded warriors and their families returning from current conflicts.

"Fairy Tale Interrupted" by Rosemarie Terenzio

Fairy Tale Interrupted--A Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss by Rosemarie Terenzio is the story of the author, who was JFK Jr.'s executive assistant while he was trying to get his magazine, "George," up and going.  I enjoyed it because I was able to see what JFK, Jr. really was like.  I'm not too surprised that I found I liked him a lot!  Rosemarie holds nothing back.  Of course, it was sad about his and his wife's early death.  A very good read, indeed!
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during March to the American Cancer Society.

"Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope" by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly

Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly is the true story of Arizona Congresswoman, Gabrielle Gifford's recovery after being shot in the head. It is a very inspiring story and is told by Mark, her astronaut husband. It reads like a novel and I enjoyed it a lot.
(Gerard's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)


Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Betty & Friends" by Betty White is a Must Read for Animal Lovers!

Being an animal lover myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this book of fantastic photographs of animals Betty White has met and got to know in various zoos. She gives some interesting facts about the animals, shares her special one-on-one encounters she's had with many and manages to include some humor as well. The only thing I object to was that she gives "Mother Nature" credit for the animals instead of God, the creator.  This book is centered around the photographs that are true works of art.  Tad Motoyama, the L.A. Zoo's official photographer, gave her some of his photos that she chose to share with the world through this book.    

My favorite experience she shared was that she developed a bond with a baby gorilla named Lulu, and when it was older, it blew her kisses.  Years later when visiting another zoo, she saw a gorilla do the same thing and mentioned that Lulu used to do that with her too.  It turned out that was the same gorilla!  

I highly recommend this as a must read for all animal lovers--a great animal book and a fast read with no boring parts! I loved it!
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Rin Tin Tin" by Susan Orlean

Our dog, Abby, thinks you should read this one!

Rin Tin Tin—The Life and the Legend by Susan Orlean is one of the most interesting dog books I have read. For those who may now know, Rin Tin Tin was a dog in a TV show years ago. First of all, let me tell you that Susan Orlean did a ton, and I mean a ton of research on this book. It took a decade to write it and second of all, this is a wonderful book!!! You're going to find things about the owner, Lee Duncan, and Rin Tin Tin (a German Shepherd) that is simply going to dazzle you! I got so caught up in it that I had a hard time putting it down. The few pictures in the book are very good too. Thanks for all your hard work, Susan, I LOVED IT!

Here is one of my favorite quotes from it since I'm not reading it on Tuesday for a Tuesday Teaser from page 85:

He scrambles up a tree--a stunt so startling that I had to replay it a few times to believe it. Can dogs climb trees? Evidently. At least certain dogs can.

(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"This Time Together--Laughter and Reflection" by Carol Burnett

This Time Together—Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett is a collection of short essays about funny things that happened in her life.  She shares humorous stories about her career and various celebrities.  By reading this book, I discovered a depth to Carol Burnett that I hadn’t known before.  She is really a nice person, not just funny.  I used to enjoy watching The Carol Burnett Show and fondly remember the sketches with Tim Conway, Harvey Korman and Vicky Lawrence that made me laugh.  That’s why I chose to read this book and am glad I did!
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't) by Betty White

If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't) is a quick, fun, light read about Betty White.  What impressed me most is that she is 89 years old when she wrote it!  She is in good health and still has passion and enthusiasm.  I enjoyed reading about her career, her pets, and her love for life and felt like old age doesn't have to be bad after reading this.  It's uplifting.  She has a great attitude as this quote from the first page indicates:

However, if one is lucky enough to be blessed with good health, growing older shouldn't be something to complain about.  It's not a surprise, we knew it was coming--make the most of it.

I was also surprised to find out she has quite a collection of stuffed animals.  We have stuffed animals all over our house; hers were in one room.  I loved that she turned down roles that went against what she believed in or that she did not find funny.

I knew she was an animal lover and liked her in The Mary Tyler Moore show as the "Happy Homemaker" and in  The Golden Girls TV show too; consequently, I was eager to read this book and was not disappointed.  Her humor comes through. 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"America By Heart: Reflections On Family, Faith and Flag" by Sarah Palin

There is really no grey area when it comes to Sarah Palin.  You either like her or you don’t.  I do.  America By Heart:  Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag is her second book; her first was Going Rogue: An American Life.  She touches on a number of subjects.  The chapters of this book that I enjoyed most were:  “Why They Serve,” “The Rise Of The Mama Grizzlies,” “I Hear America Praying,” and “Common Sense Constitutional Conservatism.”  I liked both her books. 
 (Gerard's review)

 Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Way Back To Mayberry—Lessons From A Simpler Time" by Joey Fann

The Way Back To Mayberry—Lessons From A Simpler Time by Joey Fann is a nostalgic trip back to the “Andy Griffith Show” from the 60s, but with lessons we can learn from 30 different episodes to apply to our life today.  The author, Joey Fann, uses specific episodes to illustrate a point and take it further to reflect on how God can be at work in similar situations in our lives today by sharing from his own experiences.  Each episode is connected to some scripture which the author has included to give each lesson a spiritual application.  Some churches throughout the country have used Finding The Way Back To Mayberry as material for informal Bible classes. 

For those unfamiliar with the show, Mayberry is a small, quiet town and Andy is the Sheriff.  The show was just about everyday life and experiences that happened in the small town and in the lives of the different characters.  Andy’s son, Opie, is often the one to learn the lessons, but also is the one who is first to “get” it. 

Here is a quote from one of my favorite episodes, “What’s Your Hurry?”:

Consider .. . consider how we live our lives today.  Everything is run, run, run.  We bolt our breakfast, we scan the headlines, we race to the office.  The full schedule and the split second:  these are our gauges of success.  We drive ourselves from morn to night.  We have forgotten the meaning of the word relaxation.  What has become of the old-fashioned ways, the simple pleasures of the past?

I don’t know about you, but this sure sounds a lot like our life.  The chapters are short so this could easily be used as a family devotional book.  This was a fun read for me because I used to watch the show.  Goober, the auto mechanic in the show, wrote the foreword.  I think anyone who enjoyed the "Andy Griffith Show" would like The Way Back To Mayberry—Lessons From A Simpler Time and those who haven’t seen the show would find this book wholesome and inspirational. 

(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Tuesday Teasers From "The Insane Train" and "The Way Back To Mayberry"

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following:          

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser. 

Gerard's:

"Now," he said, tugging at his nose, which had now disappeared altogether, "about this proposition. You're telling me you want to hire on as security to help transport mental patients from California to Oklahoma?"

from p. 74 of The Insane Train by Sheldon Russell (The review will be posted Saturday (1/8/11) for this one)


Karen's:

Because of his appearance and social status, Rafe never had a chance with the mayor and Mrs. Jeffries. Look at what they missed--a warm, funny, and talented individual. It makes you wonder about the relationships we may miss because we are too quick to judge people on external appearances.

From p. 33 of The Way Back To Mayberry: Lessons From A Simpler Time by Joey Fann

"The Man Behind The Nose" by Larry Harmon

The Man Behind The Nose by Larry Harmon is definitely worth reading.  It tells the story of Larry Harmon, aka Bozo the clown.  He tells very interesting stories. Larry Harmon is a man who was really determined to reach his goals.  I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would.  I admire Larry Harmon for what he did to bring joy to thousands of children and adults as well.  Rest in peace, Larry.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?