This is not your typical prayer book and doesn’t read like you might expect your stereotypical book by a pastor to read. If you like quotes from Casablanca in your prayer book, then this might be for you. Very open minded, there are mentions of Buddhists and Muslims as well as more typical ideas about Christianity. She also delves heavily into pop culture with references to the plop plop fizz fizz commercial among others. There is a definite sense of humor in this book. She even has religious jokes: Why do Unitarian Universalists sing so badly? They’re too busy reading ahead in the hymnal to make sure they agree...

Originally published in German, this book of games made just from buttons is great for children or for crafters and seamstresses needing to use up extra supplies. Who knew there were more than a hundred games you could play with just buttons alone? The book is separated into games you can play by yourself or games with a group. Some are standard competitive games, others are more touchy/feely thinking games. So, whatever type of game you or your family likes, you might just find something in here to enjoy. There are also examples of how to make music with buttons and arty ideas of how to play with them...

It’s pretty bizarre to gush over a book on punctuation, but that’s what I’m fixing to do. British writer Lynne Truss has written a wonderful book that both explains the eccentricities of English and has a good laugh at the same time. This is a book to buy and keep on the shelf. (Or buy a new one when all the great passages have already been underlined and you can’t reread your favorite parts anymore). She quotes writers like Thurber on why they wrote in their various styles (as well as fights they had with editors) while still coming up with her own wonderful ideas. One of her best comments:...

Some people find Millan’s dog training to be too over bearing or strong. Others think he gets it just right. I enjoyed this book which gives a lot of tips on how to not over mother your dogs. Millan reminds folks a lot (like on his tv show) of what happens when you forget to be a leader to your dog and instead act like a parent. I’m very guilty of that myself. It’s a good book to help you balance what you want to do with what you should do. Dogs, obviously, have feelings, but handling them correctly does not always include treating them like humans. Doing that...

If you’ve never read Siddhartha, the summer is nearing an end. Maybe it’s a good time to try it! This classic by Hermann Hesse is a must read (like much of Hesse) for angst ridden teen or twenty somethings. No one can do self exploration like Hesse. Siddhartha is like a soothing poem for a soul in need. It’s really one of those books everyone needs to have at least peeked at (even if you find it boring and later only claim to have read it!) It’s a small book, though, barely over a hundred pages. So, painless as classics go. Siddhartha is on a journey, both practical and...

I’ve gardened in apartments and I’ve gardened on several acres. In a way, container gardening was one of my favorite things, though you might not at first think that. You only have to worry about a small space, and if you’re inventive as this book advises you to be, you can make a big splash. There are a lot of good ideas here, from architecture to paint to plant selection. If you have the smallest type of garden, like an apartment balcony, this book doesn’t have the most ideas for you. (Though you’d think it might with that title!) But, there’s a lot you can learn about structure and...

“When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Hard Times” is a beautiful, short, simple book by none other than Pema Chodron, one of the best known Buddhist teachers and practitioners in the world today. Whether you are interested in Buddhist principles or are simply having a hard time and are open to new ideas, “When Things Fall Apart” has a wealth of these standing at the ready. Because Chodron is able to present Buddhist philosophy and practices without an overabundance of Buddhist theology present, her teachings are digestible and accessible to all (this also no doubt explains at least in part her widespread popularity as a writer and teacher...

“A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”" by Marianne Williamson, is one of those books you will either love or hate. If you have ever been exposed to “A Course in Miracles”, a rather esoteric and thick volume that takes traditional Christianity and its practitioners a great many steps beyond their comfort zone, you will already know whether “A Return to Love” might potentially be a good choice for you or not. If you have struggled with the principles from “A Course in Miracles” but want to learn, then this book is definitely for you. If you have struggled in other areas of...

I heard the author of “The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being”, Daniel Siegel, PhD, speak at a conference, and I eagerly stood in the long line to buy his expensive hardcover book. Dr. Siegel was a very compelling speaker who used no notes, no powerpoint, and no props – just the man up there alone on a platform held the audience rapt for over two hours. I can’t say the same for his book. While I certainly will conceded that, quite possibly, “The Mindful Brain” is simply addressing subject matter that is beyond the scope of my education and training, yet I had no...

“Juno” was my first introduction to up-and-coming star Ellen Page, and she made a striking first impression as Juno, a teen girl who unexpectedly finds herself pregnant one day and has to decide what to do about it. She wrestles with all the predictable issues – abortion versus adoption versus keeping the baby – but the way she does it, and the colorful cast of characters who alternately aid or inhibit her efforts – literally makes the film. This is a movie that aims for quirky and hits, aims for funny and hits, aims for dramatic and hits, aims for heart-warming and hits. In this world of far too...