Lifestyle Books

Very seldom in our time do we come across a writer who can tell a story as well as Anna Quindlen. She has a fascinating use of methodology and quizzical styling. I buy anything that Anna writes or produces as it is highly entertaining and fun to be stimulated by her uncanny writings.

Commencement addresses are not ordinarily something I look
forward to hearing . . . yet when given the opportunity to listen to
two of them, I grabbed the opportunity by obtaining BEING PERFECT
AND A SHORT GUIDE TO A HAPPY LIFE--a short but powerful
CD read and written by Anna Quindlen.

Quindlen, the prolific author of novels, nonfiction books and
children's books, is also a 1992 Pulitzer Prize recipient for
her NEW YORK TIMES column . . . her column now
appears every other week in NEWSWEEK.

She took the aforementioned title from two commencement
addresses she had prepared . . . when she kept getting
requests for them, she put them into book form: A SHORT GUIDE
TO A HAPPY LIFE, followed by BEING PERFECT.

Both titles contain such useful advice that I found myself
listening to them repeatedly.

For example, she urges you to set aside your friends' advice,
what your family and co-workers demand, and what society
expects, and look at the choices you make every day. When
you ask yourself why you are making them, Quindlen encourages
you to give this answer: For me. "Because they are what
I want, or wish for. Because they reflect who and what I am . . .
[the] melodies spun out by your own heart."

Or when it comes to being a mother, a wife and a friend,
she notes, "I show up. I listen. I try to laugh."

My only regret is that Quindlen was not the speaker at my high school
or college graduations.

This book is wonderful....my grandkids love for me to read to them and they love this book the best.

Fun-filled adventure about the Great West! I loved this book and its' glorious illustrations. Great for beginners!

"Bernelly was a country mouse. She lived west of the city in a small village that had everthing a mouse could need-except a shoe shop. From spring through fall Bernelly was a fly-fishing instructor... And in winter she spent her time tying beautiful flies." But a leaky boot sends her to the city for new shoes and a visit with cousin Harriet. "Harriet was a famous artist, and her home was also her studio. In winter she painted glorious masterpieces... And in summer she traveled to exotic places that might inspire her." Harriet was thrilled to have Bernelly visit, and took her all over the city, sightseeing and shopping, and by the end of the week, Bernelly was exhausted. "It is just too crowded and noisy here. I miss being able to sit quietly by the river watching my beautiful trout." Harriet was intrigued with such a simple, quiet life. "Perhaps it will inspire me." But of course, country life was not the life for her. Harriet was bored with fishing and gardening, napping and "dinner parties with exciting tales of trout." She missed the "hustle and bustle of city life-the noise, the smells, the shopping!" and heads back to the city, where surprisingly, she finds country life did inspire her, in its own way.....Elizabeth Dahlie's modern retelling of an old, favorite fable is playful and entertaining. Her engaging text is only outdone by her charming and endearing illustrations, rendered in soft, pastel tones, and filled with marvelous eye-catching detail and humor. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, Bernelly & Harriet is a warm and captivating read aloud with a gentle message that won't be lost on little ones...there's no place like home.

This is a delightful new version of the Country Mouse and the City Mouse.

Bernelly's an independent country mouse who loves her life. Her jaunty attire of red scarf and black boots suit her life style as a fly-fishing instructor. She spends her leisure time tying flies and reading. Her library has an eclectic group of books that include, THE KENYON REVIEW, HENRIETTA, and THE VILLAGE, which indicate that she's a well read young mouse. Of course, her favorite books are about fly-fishing. When Bernelly realizes that she needs new boots, she decides to visit her cousin Harriet for a shopping trip to the city. Harriet's a stylish city mouse who wears gold loop earrings, and has a distinctive flair for clothes. Her sophisticated life as a famous artist allows for exotic travel and shopping. She's delighted to have Bernelly visit and takes her all over town seeing the sights. Bernelly's a bit overwhelmed and home sick, and invites Harriet to visit the country. When the city cousin visits the country, she's not overwhelmed, she's a little bored with the fly-fishing, gardening and the slow pace of life. In spite of the fact that the two mice have different life styles, they seem to enjoy an affectionate relationship which adds a nice warmth to the story.

I enjoyed the detail that Elizabeth Dahlie put into her illustrations. My favorite images are of Bernelly and Harriet walking hand in hand down a cobblestone city street where a flower pot reflects a house number--a delicious tea, served on blue and white china at Putney's Tea Shop-- shopping at an expensive shoe store--and, a mixed group of Bernelly's friends sharing a conversation at dinner. Each page of this enchanting book is filled with wonderful pictures.

A well done book that children will love.

This lovely, little cookbook combines recipes and fun, inside-the-loop stories about prominant Southern figures. I thoroughly enjoyed Vicky Moon's book "Middleburg Mystique," and I'm glad this book is just as good.

Vicky Moon has assembled a nice assortment of Southern salad recipes that take the reader up the eastern coast, from the Florida Keys to Northern Virginia and Washington, D. C. She calls it "Margaritaville to Egoville." The book is witty with bits of humor and antidotes about her travels.

BEST DRESSED SOUTHERN SALADS has a catchy title and the small, but compact book is filled with some luscious sounding recipes. I like the small size of the book, because you can easily take it with you to the grocery store when you shop for the dressing and salad ingredients.

I tried several of her salads and enjoyed them. I'm looking forward to trying more recipes as we get into the summer months when our produce is at its peak.

This book is a piece of my childhood-- the likes of which the poor kids eating microwaved meals and gourmet all natural junk food out of boxes cannot begin to imagine. The recipes are clear and easily understood, with master recipes that are adaptable to any use. My grandmother and mother both cooked and baked from this book, and my mother has just gotten a fresh copy, passing the original on to me. Is it dated? Yes, but the way that it is dated is a hoot. There is a surprising amount of international cuisine presented. And the very few products that are difficult to get nowadays, like cake yeast, are easily substituted. The bulk of home ecomony information seems stunningly useful and relevant to me, as does the idea of making most of your own food from fresh ingredients. The tone is chatty and friendly, and there are notes of origin about many recipes, that include personal details. It all makes for a warm, friendly read, and besides that, everythnig in the book is aimed at showing the reader that the cooking skills for making good food are within reach; it really gives a sense of confidence.
My own mother became a wonderful cook and homemaker using recipes and methods from this book, and she is still learning and cooking today, unafraid of new techniques.
If you know someone who needs to get some basic cooking and baking under their belt, get them this book!

This book is a classic that I remember from my childhood...the copy I received was well used but since I wanted this for the recipes this is ok.

I read this book when i was like 12. I loved it! It was such a great book and i reccomend it to all. I am 20 now and still remember it.

This book was good because, well, it was great! At a first glance, this book looks really boring. But as soon as I started reading it, I was hooked! My favorite characters were S.B. and Finis. I really hope that you all enjoy this book! ! !

This is a very fun story for 2 to 4 year olds aboat a little girl's visit to her grandfather's farm. The book gives good lesons about some of the dangers of farm, like a busy road, but bibi manages to get into trouble anyway (like all kids!). The charm of the story is how brave little Bibi gets herself out of trouble.

The quality and originality of the artwork is firstclass!

This is a very fun story for 2 to 4 year olds aboat a little girl's visit to her grandfather's farm. The book gives good lesons about some of the dangers of farm, like a busy road, but bibi manages to get into trouble anyway (like all kids!). The charm of the story is how brave little Bibi gets herself out of trouble.

The quality and originality of the artwork is firstclass!

My son made me read this book about 20 times in a row after we got it, and now it is among his favorites. he loves the wrecking balls and the character with a backhoe as well as "Jack Hammer". The thick cardboard pages and durable wheels make this book hard to destroy and a great value.

My son loves this book. It's about his favorite cartoon Rescue Heroes and it has great action in it. Every page has a wheel you can turn to make for action (ie: like the strobe of flashing lights, a cat being rescued, a boy throwing a basketball toward the hoop, etc...) My son loves all of the different Rescue Heroes and this book has a lot of them in it. And who doesn't love a happy ending!

Big Day On The River is a completely delightful picture book story about a young girl who sometimes feels a bit squeezed by her large family, and her determination to enjoy a river adventure. Playful color illustrations by Randy Cecil perfectly showcase the upbeat text by Sarah Wilson, -- and lots of splashing make for an upbeat and thoroughly fun-filled read for children ages 4 to 7!

Vivid acrylic gouache illustrations and sparkling prose highlight this funny, clever book about a "skinny-legs-tall girl's almost spoiled rafting trip down the "Wallawatchee." Just as she's celebrating her imminent launch from the dock, (along with two duck pals), Willie's extended (as in "large- extended") family prance down the dock bringing her provisions that threaten to overload her raft, and country dialect, similes, and metaphors for the reader's delight:

Gramma Clementia brings a bag of apples: "It's a long-toed river out there. You'll be hungry as a hound by midmorning!"

Gramma Emmaline brings a watermelon. "The watermelon was heavier than a full grown-raccoon in a washtub."

Some of the men happen to bring smelly items--even the ducks hold their noses: An umbrella "as tall as a beanpole" which might have some dirty socks within it,and a horse blanket which may have some horse hair. The raft loads up more and more as Uncle Binderbus and Uncle Mumpford, respectively, bring a bicycle and a chair. Calamity ensues as the raft goes under ("fortunately the water was shoulder-high-shallow) and the givers focus on getting back their supplies. There's a very happy ending, and overall, a very lightly presented lesson for the overly solicitous.

The narrative, dialogue, and pictures are just flat-out fun. (You may find yourself doing a little regional dialect yourself after reading this one.) It's great fun to read silently and especially to others. The large format illustrations and exaggerated portraits give the book a tall-tale feeling but within a familiar context. Sarah Wilson and Randy Cecil have concocted one of the most enjoyable books I've read all year; it's a very down-home yarn that's sure to please.

This book is absolutely loved by children, it is full of treasure and surprises. It may be easy to look past at first as an adult but children are drawn to this book like a magnet and enjoy reading it over and over. No joke. MSRP is a bit steep but if you buy it from the author at Max Cherry Books you can do well. This book is an absolute joy and a must have for your kids. Bravo to Jeffrey Judson Smith for this tribute to his boy.

If you've ever taken your child on a walk or shared an experience with them, then you and your young one are sure to enjoy this book. It has great pictures and a nice story which your child will want to hear again and again.