The 21 Day Sugar Detox by Diane Sanfilippo. “For those looking for a jumpstart to bathing suit season”

50 After 50: Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life by Maria Leonard Olsen. My friend Maria wrote this wonderful guide to overcoming obstacles and becoming the best version of you, even if you're on the "wrong" (I say "right!") side of fifty.  

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.  Also Hamilton The Revolution by Lin Manuel Miranda. "Listen to the Hamilton soundtrack 5-6 times.  Then read this book.  Then see the show.  Then find a 12-step program because you will get hooked." “I’m making my kids read the Chernow biography before we will take them to see Hamilton. This has two benefits: 1) help them appreciate the show more; 2) ticket prices will come down by the time they get through it.” And: "Given the craziness around Hamilton the musical, I decided to re-read Chernow's book on Alexander Hamilton. Hearing Manual Miranda's lyrics from Hamilton the musical practically every morning I drive my daughters to school, I was interested in the translation from book to musical. It is amazing how his lyrics tell the breadth and depth of Hamilton's story as well as the book. To some extent, Hamilton's life was both amazing and a soap opera, making a great story for a biography or a musical. My only complaint is with some of Chernow's writing. On numerous occasions he feels like he has to show off is SAT vocabulary when a more accessible word would do."

American Kingpin by Nick Bilton. The true story about a programmer-turned-drug czar who started the Silk Road, a billion-dollar online drug empire, and almost got away with it.

As You Wish:  Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride by Cary Elwes. "It's not great literature but it's great fun. If you love The Princess Bride (and who doesn't, right?) then this is a real treat to listen to. Cary Elwes is the primary voice but Rob Reiner, Billy Crystal etc etc all chime in to tell you how much they enjoyed making the movie. Don't expect ANY dirt - this is a love fest and I loved every second of it".

Bad Days in History: A Gleefully Grim Chronicle of Misfortune, Mayhem, and Misery for Every Day of the Year by Michael Farquhar. “Tons of fun, very much in the Michael Farquhar style, which I love. It's the kind of book you can have on a coffee table and people will pick it up, look for their birthday, then keep thumbing through it, laughing. Great gift for people who love history and trivia.”

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande. “Thought provoking and, at times, difficult to listen to book - but one that I would highly recommend to everyone. It especially hit home now that I'm in those sandwich years between the kids/grandkids and the aging parent. Almost every story and aspect of this book was recognizable in my own life and made me think about how I need to deal with other people's health and mortality as well as my own. Sounds pretty heavy but Gawande makes it all very accessible. Highly recommend!”

Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West by Hampton Sides. “In the summer of 1846, the Army of the West marched through Santa Fe, en route to invade and occupy the Western territories claimed by Mexico. Fueled by the new ideology of “Manifest Destiny,” this land grab would lead to a decades-long battle between the United States and the Navajos, the fiercely resistant rulers of a huge swath of mountainous desert wilderness. In Blood and Thunder, Hampton Sides gives us a magnificent history of the American conquest of the West. At the center of this sweeping tale is Kit Carson, the trapper, scout, and soldier whose adventures made him a legend. Sides shows us how this illiterate mountain man understood and respected the Western tribes better than any other American, yet willingly followed orders that would ultimately devastate the Navajo nation. Rich in detail and spanning more than three decades, this is an essential addition to our understanding of how the West was really won.”

Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West by Hampton Sides. “In the summer of 1846, the Army of the West marched through Santa Fe, en route to invade and occupy the Western territories claimed by Mexico. Fueled by the new ideology of “Manifest Destiny,” this land grab would lead to a decades-long battle between the United States and the Navajos, the fiercely resistant rulers of a huge swath of mountainous desert wilderness. In Blood and Thunder, Hampton Sides gives us a magnificent history of the American conquest of the West. At the center of this sweeping tale is Kit Carson, the trapper, scout, and soldier whose adventures made him a legend. Sides shows us how this illiterate mountain man understood and respected the Western tribes better than any other American, yet willingly followed orders that would ultimately devastate the Navajo nation. Rich in detail and spanning more than three decades, this is an essential addition to our understanding of how the West was really won.”

Bobby Wonderful by Bob Morris.  Another title released just prior to our 2015 list publication, this is a recommendation from our mole in the publishing world.  “His mother's last word was his name. His father's was ‘Wonderful.’ Together they inspired the title for this true story of love and redemption.Bob Morris was always the entertainer in his family, but not always a perfect son. When he finds his parents approaching the end of their lives, he begins to see his relationship to them in a whole new light and it changes his way of thinking.  How does an adult child with flaws and limitations figure out how to do his best for his ailing parents while still carrying on and enjoying his own life? And when their final days on earth come, how can he give them the best possible end?  In the tradition of bestselling memoirs by Christopher Buckley, Joan Didion, and with a dash of David Sedaris, BOBBY WONDERFUL recounts two poignant deaths and one family's struggle to find the silver lining in them. As accessible as he is insightful, Bob Morris infuses each moment of his profound emotional journey with dark comedy, spiritual inquiry and brutally honest self-examination.  This is a little book. But it captures a big and universal experience.”

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba. “Inspiring true story, well told.  Great read to jointly read with a teen/pre-teen.  Push through the first few chapters and it is a quick 'can't put it down' read.”

Boys in the Trees: A Memoir by Carly Simon. From Amazon: “Carly Simon's New York Times bestselling memoir, Boys in the Trees, reveals her remarkable life, beginning with her storied childhood as the third daughter of Richard L. Simon, the co-founder of publishing giant Simon & Schuster, her musical debut as half of The Simon Sisters performing folk songs with her sister Lucy in Greenwich Village, to a meteoric solo career that would result in 13 top 40 hits, including the #1 song You're So Vain… The memoir recalls a childhood enriched by music and culture, but also one shrouded in secrets that would eventually tear her family apart. Simon brilliantly captures moments of creative inspiration, the sparks of songs, and the stories behind writing "Anticipation" and "We Have No Secrets" among many others. Romantic entanglements with some of the most famous men of the day fueled her confessional lyrics, as well as the unraveling of her storybook marriage to James Taylor."

Carry On, Warrior: The Power of Embracing Your Messy Beautiful Life by Glennon Doyle Melton. “In Carry On, Warrior, Glennon Melton’s honesty, thoughtfulness, and humor will keep readers racing through the pages—and set them thinking more deeply about their own lives.” ….“Glennon embodies all that we want to be and fear we are not: she is authentic, funny, wise, loving, and resilient in the face of extraordinary challenges. But the magic of Carry On, Warrior is that by the time you finish the book, you realize you ARE all those things, and more. It is a book that actually makes you feel that you are loved and cherished. Has a book ever accomplished anything more marvelous than that?” (Vanessa Diffenbaugh, author of The Language of Flowers)

Creativity, Inc by Ed Catmull. “I highly recommend this business book.  Written by a founder at Pixar, Catmull provides some great insight about encouraging risk-taking and collaboration in any type of organization.  It is clear to me that the success of Pixar isn't because of a few innovative animators, but an entire organization working with the same vision.”

Dead Wake by Eric Larsen. “The story of the final voyage of the passenger liner The Lusitania and the confluence of events that lead to its sinking at the start of WW1.  Chapters alternate between the stories of the passengers and crew and the unfolding political situation as the US and President Wilson sought to avoid involvement in the European conflict.  A perfect balance between a novel and an historical account of the early days of WW1.” …..From Amazon:  “On May 1, 1915, with WWI entering its tenth month, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of New York, bound for Liverpool, carrying a record number of children and infants. The passengers were surprisingly at ease, even though Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone. For months, German U-boats had brought terror to the North Atlantic. But the Lusitania was one of the era’s great transatlantic “Greyhounds”—the fastest liner then in service—and her captain, William Thomas. Turner, placed tremendous faith in the gentlemanly strictures of warfare that for a century had kept civilian ships safe from attack. Germany, however, was determined to change the rules of the game, and Walther Schwieger, the captain of Unterseeboot-20, was happy to oblige. Meanwhile, an ultra-secret British intelligence unit tracked Schwieger’s U-boat, but told no one. As U-20 and the Lusitania made their way toward Liverpool, an array of forces both grand and achingly small—hubris, a chance fog, a closely guarded secret, and more—all converged to produce one of the great disasters of history.It is a story that many of us think we know but don’t, and Erik Larson tells it thrillingly, switching between hunter and hunted while painting a larger portrait of America at the height of the Progressive Era. Full of glamour and suspense, Dead Wake brings to life a cast of evocative characters, from famed Boston bookseller Charles Lauriat to pioneering female architect Theodate Pope to President Woodrow Wilson, a man lost to grief, dreading the widening war but also captivated by the prospect of new love. Gripping and important, Dead Wake captures the sheer drama and emotional power of a disaster whose intimate details and true meaning have long been obscured by history.”

Do the Work by Steven Pressfield.  This is a little book. A very little book.  But it’s the most wonderful volume for anyone with creative ambition.  I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big? Thoughts for Moms and Other Tired People by Annabel Monaghan. “Wherever you are when you read this book, you will spontaneously burst into laughter. All the absurdities of raising a family in this day and age, the impossible expectations thrust onto mothers, are in there.  In a series of essays, Monaghan renders with precision and wit our daily lives:  the grocery store runs, school fairs, parent-teacher conferences, and playdates. You will see yourself in here but mostly those ‘other’ moms who ruin it for the rest of us! You will learn to celebrate your cranky selfish side who is craving ’me’ time”.

Dreyer's English by Benjamin Dreyer.  Dreyer is the Copy Chief of Random House and has written a snarky and precise guide to language use as it should be today. A delight.

Educated by Tara Westover. "If you’ve read Hillbilly Elegy, JD Vance’s family will look like they were reared by The Tiger Mother. Tara Westover was raised in a militant Morman family. Her parents didn’t believe in birth certificates because it 'wasn’t the government’s business to know you were born.'  The children were prohibited from going to school because 'The Illuminati' would ruin them. And despite repeated health crises and medical emergencies, the family avoided care by 'The Medical Establishment' and relied on herbal oil remedies the mother concocted. Despite all of these roadblocks, Tara taught herself everything that would have been covered in school, took the ACT, did well enough to secure a scholarship to Brigham Young, and then went on to study at Cambridge and Harvard. Absolutely amazing book".

Eleni by Nicholas Gage. "Investigative journalist Nicholas Gage reveals In the opening pages of the book that his mother, after whom the book is named, suffered a torturous death at the hands of Greek Communists in the years after World War II. Gage and siblings managed to escape when he was 9 years old and join their father in America, but his professional work inescapably drew him back to Greece, enabling him to meticulously research and recreate his mother’s young life and brutal death. An epic portrait of rural Greek life set amidst the Second World War and the subsequent brutal attempt by Greek Communists to take over their country".

Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S. C. Gwynne.  “In the tradition of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, a stunningly vivid historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West, centering on Quanah, the greatest Comanche chief of them all. S. C. Gwynne’s Empire of the Summer Moon spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker and her mixed-blood son Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches. Although readers may be more familiar with the tribal names Apache and Sioux, it was in fact the legendary fighting ability of the Comanches that determined just how and when the American West opened up. Comanche boys became adept bareback riders by age six; full Comanche braves were considered the best horsemen who ever rode. They were so masterful at war and so skillful with their arrows and lances that they stopped the northern drive of colonial Spain from Mexico and halted the French expansion westward from Louisiana. White settlers arriving in Texas from the eastern United States were surprised to find the frontier being rolled backward by Comanches incensed by the invasion of their tribal lands. So effective were the Comanches that they forced the creation of the Texas Rangers and account for the advent of the new weapon specifically designed to fight them: the six-gun. The war with the Comanches lasted four decades, in effect holding up the development of the new American nation. Gwynne’s exhilarating account delivers a sweeping narrative that encompasses Spanish colonialism, the Civil War, the destruction of the buffalo herds, and the arrival of the railroads—a historical feast for anyone interested in how the United States came into being. Against this backdrop Gwynne presents the compelling drama of Cynthia Ann Parker, a lovely nine-year-old girl with cornflower-blue eyes who was kidnapped by Comanches from the far Texas frontier in 1836. She grew to love her captors and became infamous as the "White Squaw" who refused to return until her tragic capture by Texas Rangers in 1860. More famous still was her son Quanah, a warrior who was never defeated and whose guerrilla wars in the Texas Panhandle made him a legend. S. C. Gwynne’s account of these events is meticulously researched, intellectually provocative, and, above all, thrillingly told. Empire of the Summer Moon announces him as a major new.”

Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune by Bill Dedman  From Amazon: "Fascinating book about the wealthiest family in the US you've probably never heard of.  The story of how the book ‘Empty Mansions’ came to be, in the words of Bill Dedman, one of its two authors, begins with ‘an exercise in American aspiration.’ And when Mr. Dedman, a journalist, embarked on that exercise, he could not have guessed how right that phrase would be. In 2009 he and his wife were looking for a house outside New York City. Just for fun, Mr. Dedman Googled real estate listings in the astronomical range. He found a markdown in New Canaan, Conn., a house that had gone from $35 million to $24 million and had one very unusual feature, even more unusual than its room for drying draperies. The place had been unoccupied since it was purchased. In 1951."

The Geography of Loss by Patti Digh. “If you have suffered any loss which still feels large, heavy and burdensome, this book of essays and beautiful art will give you a way toward peace. NPR recently ran this story.”

The Glass Castle By Jeannette Walls. This emerged as the “must read” for the summer of 2006. Has been called an American Angela’s Ashes. “So touching, sweet, sad and hilariously funny. Page one and you are hooked. You MUST read it!"

Goddesses Never Age by Christine Northrup. “Come on, don't we all need a little dose of this?  " Explaining that the state of our health is dictated far more by our beliefs than by our biology, she works to shift our perceptions about getting older and show us what we are entitled to expect from our later years—no matter what our culture tries to teach us to the contrary"

Hellhound On His Trail by Hampton Sides. From Random House:  “”On April 23, 1967, Prisoner #416J, an inmate at the notorious Missouri State Penitentiary, escaped in a breadbox. Fashioning himself Eric Galt, this nondescript thief and con man—whose real name was James Earl Ray—drifted through the American South, into Mexico, and then Los Angeles, where he was galvanized by George Wallace’s racist presidential campaign. On February 1, 1968, two Memphis garbage men were crushed to death in their hydraulic truck, provoking the exclusively African American workforce to go on strike. Hoping to resuscitate his faltering crusade, King joined the sanitation workers’ cause, but their march down Beale Street, the historic avenue of the blues, turned violent. Humiliated, King fatefully vowed to return to Memphis that April. With relentless storytelling drive, Hampton Sides follows Galt and King as they crisscross the country, until the crushing moment at the Lorraine Motel when the drifter catches up with his prey. Against the backdrop of the resulting nationwide riots and the pathos of King’s funeral, Sides gives us a riveting cross-cut narrative of the assassin’s flight and the sixty-five-day search that led investigators to Canada, Portugal, and England—a massive manhunt ironically led by J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI. Magnificent in scope, drawing on a wealth of previously unpublished material, this nonfiction thriller illuminates one of the darkest hours in American life—an example of how history is so often a matter of the petty bringing down the great.”

Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance. "An amazing story of one extraordinary man’s climb out of Appalachian poverty and into the elite halls of Yale Law School.  Along the way, JD Vance describes in detail his upbringing, the problems with Appalachian culture as he sees them, his time in the armed services, and his ideas on the difficult task of helping those people left behind in the current economy.  It helped me understand, if not sympathize with, parts of America whose votes and actions are affecting all of our lives, whether we live there or not". "There is a reason why this book has created so much buzz.   Yes, it is a story of forgotten America -  white Appalachia, the Rust belt, etc, but Vance’s voice makes it worth reading.  He shows remarkable objectivity and humanity in his writing and analysis.  He seamlessly connects his family’s experience to larger historical, economic and demographic developments".  "A book is for the geeky beach reader. This is the book that made the rounds of discussions among parent gatherings this winter and spring. It is a story about the struggle of poor, white Americans told from the perspective of one who made it to Yale law school via the Marines. JD Vance has been touted by book clubs as a window into the most recent election of Donald Trump and thus he has made it onto the pages of The Washington Post and other newspapers. I would say the book only explains a piece of the November election, but it is a fascinating piece told with a mix of pride and humility."

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh.  "Allie, where have you been all my life?  I read some of blogger Allie Brosh’s humoristic memoir (which also features quirky cartoon drawings) to my teen daughter. We were laughing so hard we cried.  Brosh’s life has not been easy, and she is raw and honest in taking on tough topics, but she’s SO DAMNED FUNNY."

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara. "Long a fan of true crime, I was looking forward to this book … and then Michelle died while writing it.  It’s still good (though would have been better had she been able to finish it, rather than her researchers and a ghost writer finishing it), and tells the deep, dark stories of the Golden State Killer.  Especially a good read now that the killer has been captured".

I’ll Drink to That by Betty Halbreich. "Memoir from a long-time personal shopper at Bergdorf Goodman.  Shares her life story, social-climbing upbringing, divorce, depression, and clothes, clothes, clothes!"

I’m Happy for You (Sort Of…Not Really) by Kay Wyma.  “Humorous yet enlightening book about finding contentment in a culture of comparison.”

In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides. “New York Times bestselling author Hampton Sides returns with a white-knuckle tale of polar exploration and survival in the Gilded Age. In the late nineteenth century, people were obsessed by one of the last unmapped areas of the globe: the North Pole. No one knew what existed beyond the fortress of ice rimming the northern oceans, although theories abounded. The foremost cartographer in the world, a German named August Petermann, believed that warm currents sustained a verdant island at the top of the world. National glory would fall to whoever could plant his flag upon its shores. James Gordon Bennett, the eccentric and stupendously wealthy owner of The New York Herald, had recently captured the world's attention by dispatching Stanley to Africa to find Dr. Livingstone. Now he was keen to re-create that sensation on an even more epic scale. So he funded an official U.S. naval expedition to reach the Pole, choosing as its captain a young officer named George Washington De Long, who had gained fame for a rescue operation off the coast of Greenland. De Long led a team of 32 men deep into uncharted Arctic waters, carrying the aspirations of a young country burning to become a world power. On July 8, 1879, the USS Jeannette set sail from San Francisco to cheering crowds in the grip of "Arctic Fever." The ship sailed into uncharted seas, but soon was trapped in pack ice. Two years into the harrowing voyage, the hull was breached. Amid the rush of water and the shrieks of breaking wooden boards, the crew abandoned the ship. Less than an hour later, the Jeannette sank to the bottom,and the men found themselves marooned a thousand miles north of Siberia with only the barest supplies. Thus began their long march across the endless ice—a frozen hell in the most lonesome corner of the world. Facing everything from snow blindness and polar bears to ferocious storms and frosty labyrinths, the expedition battled madness and starvation as they desperately strove for survival. With twists and turns worthy of a thriller, In The Kingdom of Ice is a spellbinding tale of heroism and determination in the most unforgiving territory on Earth.”

Inheritance by Dani Shapiro. A New York Times bestselling memoir about a woman who took a “23 and me” genetic test and discovered she is not who she thought she was.

Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz. “For the dog lovers.”

Into the Raging Sea; Thirty-three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro by Rachel Slade. "I found this book on a NYT list of must reads for the summer.  First, readers should know modern day shipping vessels are all but unsinkable, so when El Faro sank in 2015 during a hurricane in the Caribbean it was international news.  The author does an excellent job of walking newcomers through the souls on the ship, the weather forecasting of shipping, the shipping industry, and how this became the perfect storm."

The Language of Man. Learning to Speak Creativity.  by Larry Robertson.  (Link goes to website - will be available on Amazon soon, but better for author if you order directly anyway).  I've been listening to a lot of podcasts lately about creativity, which is why I was so excited when Larry told me about his new book.  It's about creativity in PRACTICE.  He uses neuroscience, philosophy and the experiences of MacArthur Fellows (the "genius grant" awardees) to make a compelling case that we are wired to be creative.  It's SO smart.  It doesn't just tell you that creativity is not the sole purview of a few fortunate people - it shows you. In the words of Brigid Schulte from the Washington Post: “Within the first few pages of his fascinating new book, The Language of Man, Larry Robertson shatters deeply-held myths that creativity and genius are the birthright of a mere handful of elites, bringing the vaunted notion of genius out of the clouds and into our everyday lives. In a carefully constructed argument, backed by wide-ranging research from neuroscience to philosophy and the engaging stories of some of the most creative people on the planet, Robertson instead shows how creativity, more than anything, is a mindset, a habit, a choice, and the limitless and necessary birthright of us all. The accessibility of creativity this book reveals and the possibility it opens our eyes to are utterly captivating.”

Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht. “Aliza is better known as @DKNYPRGIRL on Twitter, and she is a fan-fucking-tastic author.  This book is a career guide and story-driven book about how not to suck at PR and journalism.  It’s fantastic and awesome and I have already bought 10 copies as gifts for the 20 somethings in my life.  I think you’ll like it because you will leap to your feet with glee at the great advice she gives because it’s all stuff we’ve known and done for years.  This book is AWESOME.”

The Library Book by Susan Orlean. "I cried several times when I read this book which tells the story of the great LA Library fire in 1986 which reduced nearly the entire collection to ashes. Orlean weaves the story of how the collection was built with how they found the perpetrator with such clarity - you know exactly how the things that burned had found their way to the library, which makes their loss even more sharp and painful. If you love libraries, and books, you will love this book. It's also designed to feel like a library book in your hand, which I appreciated greatly."

The Little Way of Ruthie Leming: A Southern Girl, a Small Town, and the Secret of a Good LifeBy Rod Dreher. “It's a wonderful book--just released and debuted on the NYT bestseller list. A story of family, community, small town America, illness, and a meaningful life. Ruthie Leming – the author's sister and a non-smoker – is diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer in her early 40s. Little Way tells the tale of what happens in the wake of her diagnosis. The ways in which a community rallies around the Leming family and the ways in which it profoundly changes her brother Rod, the author. It's a beautiful book and I highly recommend it to you readers. I couldn't put it down and--despite crying several times during the book. I felt happy and uplifted after reading it. Little Way is a rare book and I hope you and the beach books list will give it a whirl.”

Love That Boy: What Two Presidents, Eight Road Trips, And My Son Taught Me About A Parent's Expectations by Ron Fournier.  "Believe the rave reviews of Ron Fournier's book about his autistic son Ty, Its brave, wise and big-hearted and has so much to say to all of us about parenting."  "Ron's son has Asperger's. Ron's wife suggested he take Ty on some road trips to presidents and presidential libraries, a passion of Ty's. The trips would be good for father and son and would help Ty to learn those things that don't come naturally, like making eye contact and modulating his voice. The book is about those trips."  Here's an interviewwith the author that will make you cry.

The Madwoman in the Volvo: My Year of Raging Hormones by Sandra Tsing Loh.

The Magnificent Masters by Gil Capps. “I’m Addicted”

Man at the Helm by Nina Stibbe.  If a book can make you laugh out loud one moment and cry tears of sadness the next I think it's pretty brilliant. I'm sure this won't be for everyone - it's sometimes silly and over the top but completely entertaining. I just closed the cover and I'm already missing the company of 9 year old Lizzie and her family.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. "A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, Fredrik Backman’s novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful and charming exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others."

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb.  Don't let the title put you off.  This book by a therapist chronicles her own journey through therapy and also includes compelling stories about her patients.  The author is a good storyteller who gives a peek "behind the scenes" of psychotherapy. As one reviewer put it, "Here are some people who might benefit from Lori Gottlieb’s illuminating new book: Therapists, people who have been in therapy, people who have been in relationships, people who have experienced emotions. In other words, everyone. Lori’s story is funny, enlightening, and radically honest.”

Men Explain Things To Me by Rebecca Solni. “A manifesto about women standing up for themselves in the workplace - funny, profane, strident and a quick read.”

No One Understands You and What To Do About It by Heidi Grant Halvorson. “One of my favorite books of all time. Practical, research-based tactics to communicate better and more fully in all aspects of your life. Halvorson (who is a friend) is funny, quirky and totally passionate about her subject.”

Once Upon a Time in Russia by Ben Mazrich.  Released just prior to our 2015 list publication, this title was suggested by our mole in the publishing world.  “the untold true story of the larger-than-life billionaire oligarchs who surfed the waves of privatization to reap riches after the fall of the Soviet regime: “Godfather of the Kremlin” Boris Berezovsky, a former mathematician whose first entrepreneurial venture was running an automobile reselling business, and Roman Abramovich, his dashing young protégé who built a multi-billion-dollar empire of oil and aluminum. Locked in a complex, uniquely Russian partnership, Berezovsky and Abramovich battled their way through the “Wild East” of Russia with Berezovsky acting as the younger man’s krysha—literally, his roof, his protector.  Written with the heart-stopping pacing of a thriller—but even more compelling because it is true—this story of amassing obscene wealth and power depicts a rarefied world seldom seen up close. Under Berezovsky’s krysha, Abramovich built one of Russia’s largest oil companies from the ground up and in exchange made cash deliveries—including 491 million dollars in just one year. But their relationship frayed when Berezovsky attacked President Vladimir Putin in the media—and had to flee to the UK. Abramovich continued to prosper. Dead bodies trailed Berezovsky’s footsteps, and threats followed him to London, where an associate of his died painfully and famously of Polonium poisoning. Then Berezovsky himself was later found dead, declared a suicide.”

The Orchard House by Tara Austen Weaver. “A woman and her mother, estranged along with other family struggles, by a decrepit old cottage and garden property together in an effort to heal decades-old wounds, and try to build a stable family foundation for nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.  A sweet memoir that will sometimes punch you in the gut and make you wanna call your own siblings.”

Playing Big by Tara Moh. :” Some of us feel, sometimes, that we're sort of playing small. Sort of stuck in a diminished place and don't know how to get out. Enter Tara Mohr and her wonderful book Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Mission, Your Message. I've known Tara for several  years and she's taken the work she's conducted over the years and distilled her learning into one helpful book. It's great.”

A Princess Remembers by Gayatri Devi. “This is the memoir of the last Maharani of Jaipur.  It tells her personal story which spans one of the most interesting periods of Indian history, from the princely states under British rule to Indian Independence.  It is a very readable, interesting book that reads more like a novel than an historical memoir”.

Radium Girls by Kate Moore. "I am not usually a non-fiction reader, but I could not put down this book.  The dial painters were girls in their teens and early twenties that put the luminous paint on watches during WWI and the early 1920s.  In order to get a nice point on the paint brush, they were taught to put the brushes containing radioactive paint in their mouths. As girls became radioactive themselves and developed horrible illnesses, they began to figure out the common cause of their diseases.  But labor laws were very different at the time, and the corporations were just as shrewd as today. These deathly ill women fought valiantly for justice. Their stories should have been told long ago".

Redefining Realness by Janet Mock. From Barnes and Noble: “With unflinching honesty and moving prose, Janet Mock relays her experiences of growing up young, multiracial, poor, and trans in America, offering readers accessible language while imparting vital insight about the unique challenges and vulnerabilities of a marginalized and misunderstood population. Though undoubtedly an account of one woman’s quest for self at all costs, Redefining Realness is a powerful vision of possibility and self-realization, pushing us all toward greater acceptance of one another—and of ourselves—showing as never before how to be unapologetic and real.”

Shockaholic by Carrie Fisher. "The photo captions are enough reason to read this book.  Brilliant.  Some may love Nora Ephron, but I think Carrie has her beat with this one". Shockaholic tells the story of Carrie Fisher's upbringing as the daughter of Hollywood royalty. Filled with outrageous tales of celebrity gossip, Carrie Fisher gives readers an intimate look at the realities of Hollywood.

Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs.  "Steve Jobs is a dick, is what you will say to yourself after only a few pages of this book.  By the end of it, you’ll want to throw your iPhone into the ocean and cancel your subscription to The Atlantic.  Steve and Laurene were maybe not the greatest dad/stepmom.  No, I’m sure they’re pretty awful.  This book was sad and painful, but so well written."

The Still Point of the Turning World by Emily Rapp.  “The heart wrenching story of a mother with a child diagnosed with the fatal Tay Sachs Disease. Sad and profoundly human.”

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson. “Epic.  Moving.  A compelling story and important read for everyone to read and understand this critical piece in American history.”

Yes, Please by Amy Poehler. “No review or explanation will do it justice.  Read this book.  Read it now.  It puts Bossypants to shame.  Even better is the audio version, because Amy reads it and is the awesomest of all things that are awesome.”  "We listened to this on a long car ride and were in hysterics. Maybe not a good idea if there are pre-teens or youngsters in the car.  If there are teenagers (as we had) just be ready to fast forward in places. She's so funny."

The Yoga Store Murder: The Shocking True Account of the Lululemon Athletica Killing by Dan Morse. "Bought this when it came out, and it sat on the shelf forever.  Read recently, and enjoyed the behind-the-scenes detective work of a murder story that happened close to home."

Zen Golf by Joseph Parent. “For the golf enthusiast.”