Anne Hart

One of the greatest things about books is learning from other people’s/characters’ mistakes.  In These Precious Days by Ann Patchett, she gives us a very intimate glimpse into some key points in her life. Thank you to Harper for sending me this ARC so I could feel like I was enjoying a little girl talk with Ann.   “Books were not just my education and my entertainment, they were my partners. They told me what I was capable of. They let me stare a long way down the path of various possibilities so that I could make decisions.” I Award 1st place to essay, These Precious Days about taking care of her friend Sooki.  The cover art of the book is by Sooki.  2nd place goes to To the Doghouse about how she became inspired to be a writer thanks to Snoopy.  And my 3rd place Award goes to Three Fathers about her Dad and two Stepdads.  These are all short and sweet stories that would be good for Bookclubs looking for a cozy read that will inspire members to sha...

Do you need a good laugh?  Do you need to know all families are crazy?  If the answer to either is yes, then read ACT Like You Got Some Sense by Jamie Foxx.  I’m so thankful Grand Central sent me this one and at the perfect time.  Jamie’s life story is crazy.  What I loved was his ability to forego anger and resentment and seize every opportunity he has to make his life better.  The odes to his Granny, Estelle Marie Talley is heartwarming if you can get past all the bad language.  Although I don’t like a lot of cursing, Jamie tells it like it was and his.  His upbringing in small-town Terrell, Texas lends to a lot of jokes.  The best parts for me were his honesty about his shortcomings as a father. Raising his two daughters to be humble and hardworking while he was in Hollywood was hard.  You can tell he truly loves his daughters Corinne, 27, and Anelise, 13.   Anelise's antics remind me of my opinionated and daughter. ...

Have you ever read a book that made you feel like someone really understood what you’ve been through?  Emily Maloney did just that in her book/essay collection called The Cost of Living.  It was like she was saying: I see you; I understand; It’s not your fault, and You will survive and thrive.  The essays read like a book that just isn’t in chronological order.  Emily survived a suicide attempt at the age of 19, but the medical costs followed her for 10 years. The costs were more than just money but also socially, career-wise, familial relations, and personal worth. I’ve dealt with 3 family members' suicide, luckily 2 survived.  The issue of the medications making depression worse is so true.  I also had to deal with people not being allowed to spend the night at your house or come over.  The looks from neighbors as they turned and hurried into their homes.  Then there are the calls from collection agencies.  On the other hand, I also ...