Non-Fiction

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 interview with the author that will make you cry.

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

Magical Thinking By Augusten Burroughs. “This is more like a composition of short stories about the author and so far it is very funny - a good light and quick read for the beach.” This is the guy who wrote Running with Scissors and Dry. He seems to be entertaining people with his basket-casedness.

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

Making Toast: A Family Story by Roger Rosenblatt. (From Amazon) "Family tragedy is healed by domestic routine in this quiet, tender memoir. When his daughter Amy died suddenly at the age of 38 from an asymptomatic heart condition, journalist and novelist Rosen-blatt (Lapham Rising) and his wife moved into her house to help her husband care for their three young children ... Rosenblatt draws sharply etched portraits of his grandchildren; his stoic, gentle son-in-law; his wife, who feels slightly guilty that she is living her daughter's life; and Amy emerges as a smart, prickly, selfless figure whose significance the author never registered until her death."

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."

Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine by Eric Weiner. “Very fun read.” From Amazon: “When a health scare puts him in the hospital, Eric Weiner-an agnostic by default-finds himself tangling with an unexpected question, posed to him by a well-meaning nurse. 'Have you found your God yet?' The thought of it nags him, and prods him-and ultimately launches him on a far-flung journey to do just that.”

Marriage and Other Acts of Charity: A Memoirby Kate Braestrop. “( pronounced bra-strap) hilarious memoir!!! a must read!!!!!”

Martha Gellhorn : A Lifeby Caroline Moorehead. “Buckle up! Martha covered every conflict over a span of sixty years, was very close to Elenor Roosevelt and stopped by the White House on a whim, hung out with - and barely tolerated - all of the biggest stars in Hollywood and, as an aside, according to one of Hemingway's sons was the first beautiful woman he'd met who said [the f word]. And that she did. She was never dull and makes me wish I hadn't gone into banking after college! The biographer, Moorehead, was the daughter of one of Martha's dear friends and had access to her abundance of letters and knew her well into her old age. Now, this new twist has me ready to read one of Gellhorn's books Travels With Myself and Another: A Memoire.”

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.”

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Homeby Rhoda Janzen. “This is a wicked-funny memoir about the year the author turns forty, her husband leaves her for a dude he met on Gay.com, and a car accident leaves her seriously injured. She packs her bags and returns to her quirky Mennonite family. They welcome her with open arms but also do things like suggest she date her cousin to get over her heartbreak. I read the entire book on a fight to L.A. and couldn't stop laughing.”

The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan "Quick, funny, heart wrenching read - very enjoyable. I am looking forward to her next novel." A story about a mother of two who finds out she has cancer and her father also has cancer.

Mike Isabella's Crazy Good Italian: Big Flavors, Small Platesby Carol Blymire. We’ve never had a cookbook as a top pick, but this one is special. Not only was it co-written by our clever and devoted contributor, it also includes great summery recipes. (Carol, among many accomplishments, also cooked her way through the Alinea Cookbook. See here).

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. "This book - literally - changed my life. Dweck, a Stanford researcher, examines why some people get stuck and find limits, and why some don't. Absolutely blew my mind."

Mommies Who Drink: Sex, Drugs, and Other Distant Memories of an Ordinary Mom by Brett Paesel. "It may not be for everyone because of the raunchiness but if you want a chuckle, it’s worth it. Here is the part from Amazon that I feel sums up her humor: Paesel's willingness to mock herself even allows her to milk a laugh from a postpartum visit to a therapist. "I'm so unhappy," she cries. "I hate myself. I hate my life. I feel like it's never going to change." After a while, the therapist makes a suggestion. "Maybe we should think about antidepressants.'' "What?" Paesel thinks. "It's not that bad." And guess what? She eventually finds that motherhood is not that bad. In fact, she likes it, which is lucky, since Hollywood demands a happy ending. Even so, it's safe to say that if there's Jell-O around, this mommy wants not a lollipop but a vodka-infused "shooter."

Money Doesn't Grow On Trees: A Parent's Guide to Raising Financially Responsible Children by Neale S. Godfrey. "Great ideas for teaching money management to kids." (I am so getting this. My 11 year old evidently thinks iphone apps grown on trees.)

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma. “A fable about fulfilling your dreams and reaching your destiny. Although published in 1997, it is a current read which inspires thought and inspiration about how we live our lives each day. I really enjoyed the journey of reading this book. It’s a very easy read.”

Monsieur Mediocre by John von Sothen is a hilarious and touching memoir about an amusing American columnist married to a Parisian. As an expat and French dad, this STA alumnus shares his French life lessons with candor and wit. I was soaking up “Monsieur Mediocre” during a flight and my neighbor commented that it was highlighted in our American Airline magazine. Quelle surprise!!

Non-Fiction

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