Gossip Books

I went into this book with the intention of ripping it to pieces. I came away disagreeing with the message and impressed at how well Mr. Boyles writes.

Any professional writer should read this book, if for no other reason than to explore some of the better subtleties of the trade. This book is well written, clear, it moves admirably well considering the subject matter which I previously would have thought to be prose-proof. It shows how enjoyable even subjects that one would previously have had no interest in can come alive for a reader with the right author.

Buy this book.

Ancient Paths: Walking in the Church and in the World, by Judy Gerry, addresses the question, "What are we to be in the world?" beautifully and completely. As Christians, we have responsibilities to our God, our families, our church, and the world. Judy Gerry takes us through these responsibilities as we go to God's word and see what His plan for us is. As usual for Gerry's work, this study is thorough and doesn't skirt the tough issues. I highly recommend this Bible study for any woman who is interested in God's biblical plan for her life.

It's cool and fun to read it! Everytime when I buy the Full House Stephanie book, I read it straight-away, no matter where I am! I'll read it till I have finished reading the book.

Mark Stone's new book "Behind the Screen: Hacking Hollywood" is for every one of us who has eavesdropped on the couple in line beside us at Starbucks.

The juicy tidbits of gossip main character Jonathan Davis gathers at his new job of monitoring company e-mails may make an adult business owner blush. Half of the readers will wonder what kind of people write steamy stuff on their company correspondence....the other half will wonder if their IT guy read the thank you note they sent to their girlfriend after that most unusual evening.

Stone could rely on the titillating aspects of a career that pays you to peek into co-workers inner most communications, but he proves to be a better storyteller than that. Sure, Davis hooks up with a couple co-eds at an IT function, scores dates with bondage e-mail senders from his office and trades MSN messages with a 17-year-old, but Stone does a masterful job of humanizing his "I.T. Romeo" before his escapades get out of hand.

Early in the book Stone sets up his main character to be more than just a hot computer geek. John Davis is trying to run away from his past and create a new future.

"John, 34-years-old, is a recovering gambling addict. He has not gambled at all in over a year. His evenings as an overly active participant at the card tables of Morongo Casino in Cabazon are behind him. He is proud of himself, but is heavily in debt."

Only a writer like Stone could make a blackmailing tabloid writer non-cliché. He uses his gift to bring the reader along on a wild fantasy escapade. The difference in this novel is you want to believe. Stone does a masterful job of entertaining while storytelling. He throws enough truth of computers, relationships, coffee shops and coincidences to carry off the far-fetched.

At times "Behind the Screen" reads more like a Hollywood screenplay than a novel. The twists and turns of each chapter are colorful, creative and continually ask you to believe the nearly unbelievable. A teenage girl who happens to know how to pick locks just as the skill is needed? An overworked boss who doesn't mind a mouthy, long-break taking new employee? Bank branches filled with some of the most outrageously hot to type employees? All these unusual coincidences are in the novel, but with Stone's incredible skill all come off as both believable and entertaining.

"Behind the Screen" is not for the prudish, but it is a fast-paced and fun read for anyone who has ever sent a personal e-mail at work.

The author tells a painful story of a betrayal in his own life that left him devastated and without the wife he planned to spend the rest of his life with. This is a beautifully written book and a very easy read. If you've ever been falsely accused of something, you will truly appreciate reading this man's experience.

I've been on Jennifer Crusie-kick for the last few months, after I read one of her novels for the first time, and I think she's now one of my favorite authors. This book -- two novels in one volume -- is a great buy for the price. These are two of Crusie's earlier novels, and they are a little different from novels like BET ME, but the story is just as good.

The best things about Jennifer Crusie's novels:

1. The heroines aren't rich, pampered, spoiled, blonde heiresses trying to make their lives useful.

2. The women aren't skinny size two or four stick figures with compulsive eating and exercise habits.

3. No one is obsessed with money, inheritances, status, or murder.

4. The stories are about real, complex relationships between families, friends and lovers.

5. There is real romance, even for women who aren't rich or perfect.

The first novel in this edition, CRAZY FOR YOU, is about Quinn McKenzie, and her realization that she does not want to live the same life and the same safe routine every day for the rest of her life. Her desire to make one small change in her life -- adopting a dog, even though her apartment does not allow them -- snowballs out of control. Quinn and her friends realize how many people have stopped noticing and appreciating things that are right in front of them, including themselves and loved ones, and many are inspired to try to make their lives and experiences feel new again.

The struggles of Quinn and her friends touch some important issues related to love, marriage, relationships, committment, appreciation, and loneliness.

TELL ME LIES is about a woman named Maddie Faraday. Maddie's cheating husband (cheating in more ways than one, and more people than just her) and his subsequent murder prompt her to shake up her life and provide her small time with something to talk about as she decides to start telling the truth to everyone, shed her "nice-girl" image, and make her own happiness a priority.

Neither of these books is really as good as BET ME or FAKING IT, in my opinion, but I greatly enjoyed both, and you can see a bit of Crusie's story-telling evolution. These stories are definitely different than the stories of the single, independent girls in the other Crusie novels that I have read.

This was truly an excellent portrayal of the battle between good and evil in the spiritual realm. I reccommend it highly.

This book is geared for elementary school aged children. All Serendipity books have a moral to the story and this one is about acceptance of who you are and to be happy with you as a person. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and you don't need to be like someone else to have value. Flutterby will have young readers feel the frustrations of not fitting in with groups. It will have them feel empathy towards someone who is different and hopefully be more accepting of others in real life. When I read it to students we often have a group discussion about it being ok to be different than others and to accept those who may dress differently, speak differently, etc. This book shows children what it's like to be on the receiving end of ridicule and will hopefully be a lesson they don't forget as they get older.

Flutterby is excellent in helping students understand that differences between people are acceptable and not something of which to be afraid. The combination of an incredible story and amazing pictures makes this book a winner for the classroom or the home library.

You love to cook and are fascinated by Russia and the circus? Then "Food and Gossip in the Moscow Circus" is a book that will easily capture your interests.

Yuri and Lubov were once stars in the Russian Circus scene. Yuri, a "hand balancer", was the son of a MIG pilot. He joined the circus hoping he would once day defect.

Lubov was a glamous circus star who developed ballet in the hoop. Lubov met Yuri. He was 20 years younger when they married, and oh was there gossip -- from Moscow to Vladavostok.
As they traveled and performed, Lubov loved to cook in her free time and in this book shares many recipes she gathered from each of the countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. All recipes are easy to prepare and simply wonderful to eat. Salads, traditional breads, beet soups...

Yuri illustrated the book (another of his talents is drawing with pen and ink) and Lubov tells of other famous Russian circus stars and about her life.

Truly a fascinating read about a time that has gone by.

Michael Kurland is one of the best writers in the genre -- I highly recommend his work!