Chloe Anne – Force of Nature

Author: Valerie Oblath
Publisher: Three C’s Publishing
Genre: Memoir / Cats
ISBN: 978-09800623-2-8
Pages: 148
Price: $17.00

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Meet Chloe Anne – a voluptuous, long-haired kitty. Full of curiosity and charm, she knows she’s “too beautiful for words.”

Chloe Anne begins life as Penny, before being incarcerated at the Big House, and before author Valerie Oblath adopts her. Living with her new Mom and sister, Chloe Anne never runs out of ways to amuse herself and find trouble. But despite her mischief, she’s secure in the knowledge that her Mom loves her, and she’ll never have to worry about ending up in the Big House again.

This humorous tale of Chloe Anne’s adventures is a joy to read. Even though it’s impossible to tell what a cat is really thinking, Valerie Oblath has created a convincing chat with this delightful feline. But even more than that, she shares her own warmth and devotion to the cats who share her home.

Anyone who’s ever lived with and been loved by a cat will enjoy reading this book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Awake at the Wheel

Author: Mitchell Lewis Ditkoff
Publisher: Morgan James
Genre: Business & Economics / Entrepreneurship
ISBN: 978-1-60037-295-7
Pages: 117
Price: $13.95

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Og has an idea. A really Big Idea. But what is he going to do about it? Awake at the Wheel shows us how Og conceives of an idea and then attempts to bring it to the tribe for acceptance.

Like many of us who’ve come up with big ideas only to have others shoot us down, Og makes some mistakes. But in the end, he presents his “wheel” to the tribe so they can all benefit from it.

This motivational book is divided into three parts. First is the humorous tale of Og and his Big Idea. Next are the things Og learned from his experience. And last is a set of tools that will guide you in your own Big Idea generation.

If you’ve got a really Big Idea already – or if you just want to come up with one right now for your business – Awake at the Wheel will show you what you need to do to get your idea “rolling.”

Mitchell Lewis Ditkoff is the founder of Idea Champions, specializing in leading creative thinking and team-building sessions. This fun and information-packed book shares some of the techniques he’s developed in his years of experience working with Fortune 500 and mid-sized companies. I highly recommend it for any business person who wants to be more creative and successful in developing new ideas.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Dancing With Life

Author: Phillip Moffitt
Publisher: Rodale
Genre: Spirituality
ISBN: 978-1594863530
Pages: >352
Price: $24.95

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Why do you suffer? Is there a purpose to your pain?These questions come up for all of us at some time, as they did for the Buddha 2,500 years ago.In his wisdom, he developed a way through suffering, which he called the Four Noble Truths, and he left us the Twelve Insights to guide us through them.

Using examples from his own life and those of his students, and the step-by-step process of the Twelve Insights, Phillip Moffitt shows us how we can walk through our suffering to a path of joy.First we learn to embrace suffering through the First Noble Truth.In the Second Noble Truth, we learn there is a way to stop clinging.The Third Noble Truth shows us cessation of suffering is possible.And the Fourth Noble Truth offers us the Noble Eightfold Path to happiness.

Pain and suffering come to all of us, and at times can feel overwhelming. But Moffitt gives us clear and compelling reasons to believe that these Twelve Insights are the way to handle suffering and create a life filled with joy.Though at times the path won’t be easy, there is hope that we can learn to live with our pain and still enjoy our dance with life.

A profoundly spiritual book, Dancing With Life is a must-read for all those who want to find deeper meaning in life.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

The Backyard Bird Lover’s Field Guide

Author: Sally Roth
Genre: Nature/Outdoors
Publisher: Rodale Inc.
ISBN: 1-59486-602-3
Pages: 336
Price: $19.95

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“When you identify birds by name, they feel like friends.

That is Sally Roth’s assertion, noted on the back of her very pleasant book, The Backyard Bird Lover’s Field Guide. If you are accustomed to the usual suspects utilized for bird identification, such as the Peterson’s guide or Sibley’s, Roth’s work will give you a refreshing, simple alternative. And if you’re a novice birder, it’s just what you need.

Roth begins by describing a bit of bird-watching history along with personal reasons on how and why one should pursue such an activity. She writes with a casual, light-hearted style that makes it seem like you’re reading notes from a familiar acquaintance. The large number of vivid photographs adds additional life to her homespun tales.

The author gets to the heart of solving the avian identification riddle by describing specific geographic regions around the United States detailed with native birds in mind. The information is especially handy for those who enjoy traveling or are just curious about common bird populations around the country.

The book provides easy directions for identifying a variety of well-known species. What are your “First Impressions” of the bird in question? “Details, details,” and “Listen up!” are just a few of the categories one should consider. Roth even tells us what seeds they will eat from birdfeeders and the types of vegetation they prefer. Each page is capped off with a short recollection or insight of the featured bird.

The focus and style of Sally Roth’s field guide make this a valued addition to any bird lover’s collection. It may be slanted to newcomers, but it’s a great way for anyone to become friends with the birds.

Reviewer: Gene Berger

When a Man Loves a Woman

Author: La Connie Taylor-Jones
Publisher: Genesis Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 978-1-58571-274-8
Pages: 250
Price: $6.99

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Some men just don’t know when to give up. Victoria Bennett wants nothing to do with marriage, but A.J. Baptiste is in love and he’s determined to woo her.

After a suspicious accident that causes A.J. injury, Victoria moves into his home to care for him as he recovers. But she has no idea how living in such close proximity will affect her, especially when he starts to become a dear friend.

Victoria has good reason to avoid men after being hurt deeply by her ex-husband, and A.J. is sensitive to her pain while encouraging her to open up to him. Rather than taking advantage of her vulnerability, he insists she be ready to give him her heart before claiming her body.

This romance blossoms beautifully between two people who want to know each other intimately as both friends and lovers, and the suspense around the accident adds even more tension to the story. Both A.J. and Victoria are caring people, striving for good in the world, and the reader will cheer for their happiness. When a Man Loves a Woman is a truly enjoyable read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Giving Thanks

Author: Paula Langguth Ryan
Publisher: Pellingham Casper Communications
Genre: Financial Stewardship
ISBN: 1-889605-07-7
Pages: 176
Price: $17.95

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If you’re like many people, the concept of tithing brings up negative emotions. Maybe you live in constant fear of not having enough, or you were brought up in a religious environment that made demands on you to tithe, whether you wanted to or not. Giving Thanks provides fresh insights, and encourages an open mind as it explains all the reasons why you need to look past your limited thinking, and just do it.

If you’re feeling that your prosperity is limited, you probably aren’t tithing. As the author explains, in order to receive the good that wants to come to you, you first need to give thanks for all the good you already have – and you need to do this through your tithes.

Although the 10% tithe is recommended, Ryan encourages us to test the waters with a smaller tithe, working up to the full 10% as soon as possible. From her experience, most people will be tithing in full within months of beginning the experiment, once they see the results.

This isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme, where you give solely in order to get. Instead it’s a sound practice of blessing the good you’ve received, and giving back a portion in order to receive more blessing. This sets in motion a cycle of good that keeps on giving.

If you’re ready to experience more good in every area of your life, you first need to start tithing. Giving Thanks will show you how. I highly recommend you pick up a copy and put these principles to work for yourself.

Reviewer: Alice Berger