From Under the Truck by Josh Brolin

Anyone who knows me well, knows that one of the things that made me anxious as a child was doing cameos in my dad’s TV shows and movies. I didn’t like being in front of the camera because then I was no longer his daughter, but rather one of his actors. Regardless, he insisted I appear in each one of his projects, because he wanted me to see what he did for a living. The complicated life of being the child of a Hollywood persona is the territory of Josh Brolin’s new memoir, “Under the Truck.” As the son of actor James Brolin, Josh spent his childhood not with his dad but rather with his mother. While his dad was making television shows like “Marcus Welby M.D,.” Josh was on a ranch in Paso Robles where he had little exposure to his famous father’s acting career. Through high school, Josh lived with this brother, James, and mother, Jane Agee Brolin. His mother was a drinker, and he explains she turned him into her drinking buddy when he was just 8 years old. His unconventional childhood came to a crashing end when his mother died young, and he opted out of the life on the ranch and pursued an acting career. An early stint in “Goonies” brought him into the limelight. He later became a familiar face in movies such as “No Country for Old Men,” “W.,” “Milk” “Wall Street,” “Labor Day,” and “Dune.” His memoir travels back and forth in time between his childhood, and present day, as he explores not only his mother’s hold on him, but also his complicated feelings about Hollywood, love, drug and alcohol addition, loyalty, and parenthood. Now the father of four children, Brolin credits becoming a dad with helping him comes to terms with his own tattered childhood. And he seems to be friends now with his own father, James and wife Barbra Steisand. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

“The Housemaid” by Freida McFadden

I loaded a few books on my tablet for Phish Mexico last month, but I could not help myself from bringing one paperback book. If my tablet runs out of power, and I am stuck with nothing to read, it would be one of my biggest fears. So, after picking up “The Housemaid” at my local library, it fit easily into my backpack. As many of you know, I don’t normally read scary books but this one interested me. Later this year it will be released as a movie starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried. The book is a page turner, to say the least. While other women on the beach in Cancun were trading copies of different Elin Hilderbrand books, I was shrieking out loud over “The Housemaid.” Set in Long Island, the book follows a young woman, recently released from prison, who goes to work as a maid/nanny at the home of a upwardly-mobile couple with one young daughter. When the maid, Millie Calloway, is hired to work for Nina and Andrew Winchester, she thinks her life is finally starting to turn around. She sees the position as a fresh start and way to rebuild her life. However, from the beginning something is off about the Winchester house, including Nina’s room upstairs that has a lock on the outside of the door. As handsome Andrew dashes off to work each morning. Millee is left to fend for herself against the erratic, Nina and her doll-like daughter, Cece. As this was my first McFadden book, I was beyond impressed how she took the reader down a well-crafted odyssey with unreliable narrators at seemingly every turn. Whether you are traveling soon to a desert island, or just want to read a good book under your weighted blanket, “The Housemaid” is one that will leave you saying, “What the heck is happening now?” And apparently, we can follow Millee again in McFadden’s next book “The Housemaid’s Secret.” To buy this book on Amazon click here.

The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

Recently my husband and I went to see Phish in Cancun, Mexico. On the third night, I agreed to make Jeff very happy by going in very close to stage. To get one of these coveted spots, we had to get to the venue and grab our small plot of sand 90 minutes before the show. What I love about this plan, was that you get to meet interesting people while waiting, and you have plenty of time to talk. We met this couple from Alabama and the wife asked me to take a picture with her husband, as it was her 40th birthday. She was a little tipsy and as I was handing her back her phone she said, “Let Them.” I said, “Excuse me?” She said, “The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins. It is life changing! My mom and I both thought so.” I guess in the middle of a Phish show, I stuck out as a 61-year-old book lover, and I’m proud of it. She was not offering me a hit from a joint, or shot of tequila. She was offering me a book title! The irony is that I had already downloaded the book on my tablet to read by my favorite infinity pool across from Joe’s Deck restaurant at Moon Palace. I’m here to say the book is life-changing just as my Phish friend from Alabama suggested. Smart, innovative and really wise, this book is like no other self-help book I have ever read. The reason it stands out is that Robbins gives messy, uncomfortable and even cringe-worthy examples from her own life, and the lives of her friends and family, to make her points. And that is why this material is resonating with so many people. This book is honest because in a world of successful, slender, wealthy beautiful people, life is messy and out of our control. Robbins herself was once out of work and $800,000 in debt, while her husband’s career was tanking, too. But she found a way to make her plight serve her. She has written other books promoting her brand, but this book is perhaps a winner because it taps into the heart of people who are both winning and losing. Are you happy? Let them envy you and help them. Are you unhappy? Fine a way to make them let you back in. Do you want to be more driven? Let them be your source of inspiration. Are you down on your luck and need a lift up? Fine a way to let them lift you up. Stop worrying about what other people think, and forge your own path triumphantly. So many podcasters, authors and self-help mentors start out interesting at first, and dim over time. But I am here to tell you that Mel Robbin’s star is rising, and if you want to read a book that will shake up your life, read “The Let Them Theory.” To buy this book on Amazon click here

Cher: A Memoir Part One

If you are reading this, I am sitting on a chaise lounge in Cancun, getting ready to see a Phish show at Moon Palace. This is my umpteenth Phish show with Jeff. I stopped counting after I could recite the lyrics to “Bath Tub Gin,” “Farmhouse,” and “Simple.” We never intended to follow Phish to Mexico every year, but it has become a tradition because we like seeing live music together, especially at the beach. One of my first exposures to live music was watching the “Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour” which ran from 1971-1974. I loved that show so much. It was not just the music, guest stars and costumes, but the banter between Sonny and Cher that made the show so magical. They were sassy and irreverent, and just looked so cool together. Last week I finished all 16 hours of “Cher: The Memoir Part One” on audiobook. It was as exciting as Barbra Steisand’s memoir of 2024. Cher met Sonny when she was just a teenager. But the time she was 21 years old, she had had three miscarriages. Sonny was part husband and protector, but also part manipulator and psychological abuser. The book chronicles their early days making music that riveled the Beatles on the record charts, through their television series, and into their messy divorce. The fact she achieved her freedom from Sonny only to run into the arms of heroin addict Gregg Allman, is another sad misstep on the road to becoming Cher. But the one thing about Cher that holds true throughout the book is that she does not give up. When bad things happen, she does not wallow in them. She picks herself up, puts on her best Bob Mackie dress with sequins, and gets back on stage, as she should. Cher is a legend, and this book gives a wonderful insight into what it was like to be her during her years in television and married to Sonny. The book ends on the eve of her movie career, when she runs across old friend Francis Ford Coppola. Acting was a dream Cher had been keeping secret for a long time, and no doubt Part Two will follow her shining star onto the big screen. I can’t wait for Part Two. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

The Space That Keeps You by Jeremiah Brent

I have been reading posts, and feeling heart-sick about friends, family and even strangers who have lost their homes in the Los Angeles wildfires. The daunting task of rebuilding, and turning a plot of land into a home again reminded me of this book “The Space That Keeps You” by interior designer/TV personality Jeremiah Brent. So full disclosure, my friend Fran and I predicted the fame of Jeremiah back in 2020 when he starred in a Netflix series called “Say I Do: Surprise Weddings.” You probably have not seen it, but the content is excellent. In that series, Jeremiah stole every single scene, and made everyone cry, including me and Fran. Flash forward to 2025, Jeremiah has joined the cast of the new season of “Queer Eye,” and again is stealing every scene and making everyone cry. He is a smart, kind, shining-light-of-a-man. I have never met him, but I just know he is a gem. He has been married to designer Nate Berkus for more than 10 years, and the two share children, Poppy and Oskar, who also are in this book. “The Space that Keeps You” features Jeremiah’s own homes in New York City and Portugal, as well as those homes of Oprah Winfrey, Michael Hainey & Brooke Cundiff, James & Alexandra Brown, Tracy & Brian Robbins, and more. The book includes personal memories, family photos and moving stories about the influences on ancestors who shape the current residents of each home in the U.S. and abroad. The big takeaway from the book is this: a house has four walls, but a home is created by the people who live inside and make memories together. Jeremiah has created a gorgeous book, and I can only imagine it is an extension of his open and generous heart. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

I Could Live Here Forever by Hanna Halperin

Many years ago, a friend called me and told me our mutual friend had died. He went on to say this friend died of a heroin overdose. I showed empathy, and sympathy for the friend’s passing. But when I hung up the phone, I thought, “WTF?! We have a friend who was a heroin addict? And now he has died?” I did not know about his secret, and I was truly baffled. “I Could Live Here Forever” by Hannah Halperin is the story of how a Madison, Wisconsin, writing student falls in love with a heroin addict. The tricky part is that she knew about his addiction almost upon their first meeting, yet she did nothing to shy away from their relationship. I wanted to jump inside this book, rescue the young lady, and talk some sense into her. However, she had to live and learn. When Leah meets Charlie in line at the grocery story, sparks fly immediately. When he soon admits he is in recovery, she lets her guard down even more, thinking his struggles are behind him. He promises her he will never use heroin again, and she believes him. He lies again, and she believes him again. Thus begins the roller coast of his erratic behavior, and her isolation from her own family and friends. Leah is a believer in love, yet her co-dependent relationship with Charlie becomes a maze. She needs to find the strength and conviction to find a way out, before it brings them both down. Painfully realistic, this well-written book is a deep dive into the horrors of love and addiction. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

All The Beauty In The World by Patrick Bringley

The scenes of the fire ravaged streets of Pacific Palisades and Altadena are apocalyptic. Having grown up in Los Angeles, I cannot even recognize the city of my youth. The mountains, palm streets and beaches are now covered in ash and destruction, with wildfires still raging everywhere. The posts by people on Instagram who have lost their homes is nothing short of heartbreaking. There is loss, sadness and most of all grieving to be done. How does one deal with a loss so painful it hurts? This is a book about grieving. "All the Beauty in the World" by Patrick Bringley is the story of how the author lost his older brother to cancer in his 20s. The loss was unthinkable. How could his successful, healthy older brother die, and leave behind a young wife? Bringley was working at the New Yorker Magazine at the time, but he soon gave up that job to grieve. He decided to take a job as an official guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This job quite literally saved him. Going to the museum for his shift, standing in his assigned location and putting his uniform on, gave him structure, purpose and the chance to calmly, peacefully mourn the loss of his brother. The book almost reads like a play, as we meet his fellow guards, hear about the exhibits, and befriend the visitors to the museum, some frequent times. The longer he works at the job, the more Bringley comes back to life again, and then he marries and has two children. After the grief becomes easier to hold, hope emerges. My prayers are with Bringley and his family, and the people of Los Angeles as they all try to find hope in the middle of pain, suffering and loss. Bringley found beauty in the museum. May the residents of Los Angeles find beauty in each other, as they face the task of rebuilding the city of angels. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover

I watch Tik Tok for 10 minutes each day from 6:20 am to 6:30 am. I love the content, don’t get me wrong. However, left to my own devices I might be on it all day long trying to decide what recipe to make or what Koren sunscreen to buy. So it's best to put limits on myself. Right now, my feed is dominated by influencers commenting on Blake Lively’s sexual harassment suit against Justin Baldoni over the film “It Ends With Us.” Along with a smear campaign, a porn addiction, as well as leaked text messages, the story has a lot of moving parts. Colleagues who worked on the movie have come out in support of Lively and against Baldon's inappropriate behavior. The issue I do not see people talking about is the book’s sequel. What will become of “It Starts With Us,” Hoover’s book that picks up after “It Ends With Us” concludes. This book follows the story of Lily and Atlas, as well as the end of the marriage of Lily to Ryle. Switching back and forth between Lily and Atlas’ perspective, the story provides insight into what it is like to date a woman with a child, who also has an extremely aggressive and angry ex-husband. This is sadly not fictional as I know a lot of women who went through a situation like this.  The more I read Hoover’s books the more I like the way she tells such a different and unique story in each one of them. The issue of course is that it is unlikely Lively and Baldoni will ever be in another movie together.  So, if “It Starts With Us” is ever made into a movie, it will need a whole new cast. But stories that depict people looking for love, despite the obstacles, are stories I want to read and see on the big screen. So I hope Hollywood can figure out how to make this one into a film, too. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci

The Christmas holidays have a lot of strange food rituals associated with it. I have no interested in peppermint bark, eggnog smoothies, or any coffee drink with a holiday theme. What I do like to eat during the holiday season is Italian food. Think of a rich marinera sauce, ribbons of pasta in a homemade pesto or a light-as-a feather stracciatella soup. This is the domain of Stanley Tucci’s new book “What I Ate in One Year.” The award-winning actor and best-selling author has chronicled all the food he consumed in one year in London, where he lives, and abroad on various business trips. Many of the meals feature his wife Felicity and their young children Millie and Mateo. He also has three children from his first marriage to his late wife, Kate. He learned to love food from his parents, so it makes sense that one of the things he loves to do is make food for his family, as well as the handful of celebrity friends who parade through his kitchen. Judging from what he eats, you would think Tucci was a much larger man than he is. But daily workouts as well as steering clear of fast and junk food keep him trim. For the most part, he prepares his meals himself, even on his movie sets where he often makes his own soup for the week. The book is charming, witty and exactly like the man himself. I listened to it on audio and couldn’t wait to get in my car each day to spend time with Stanley. Whether he was dishing on a terrific restaurant in Rome, or critiquing the food in an airport lounge, his recipes about family and food are entertainment from the appetizer to the dessert. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

"What Does It Feel Like?" By Sophie Kinsella

Give me a good novella! A book you can read in one day,and feel enriched and changed for the better. "What Does It Feel Like?" is the story of a fictional novelist named Eve who wakes up in a hospital bed, confused. Her husband explains she has just had brain surgery, to remove a malignant tumor. Eve then struggles with how to deal with the diagnosis and tell her children. Thus begins this novella by best-selling and very prolific author Sophie Kinsella. While the story stands on its own as a thoughtful meditation on being diagnosed with cancer, there is a twist. In 2022, Kinsella was diagnosed with glioblastoma. She kept the diagnosis secret for a while from her fans and readers, in order to let her children adjust to the "new normal" of having a sick mom. Kinsell, whose real name is Madeleine Sophie Wickham, has 5 children with her husband, Henry. So, the thread of this book lives very close to home for the author. She said she wrote the book to help make sense of the diagnosis and how it changed, and altered, her outlook on life and death. She began to appreciate life with new eyes and a more sensitive heart. The author is currently getting treatment in London. You can follow her here @sophiekinsellawriter  To buy this book on Amazon click here.

How Not To Die Alone by Logan Ury

I recently binged the new Netflix series “The Later Daters.” Produced by Michelle Obama, the series chronicles six baby boomers in their 60s as they try to fine love again. The show is quite honest, and sometimes so awkward, that is shines of realness from beginning to end. One of the best parts of the show is the advice from author and dating coach Logan Ury. She doesn’t sugar coat her advice, rather she insists the participants listen to her in order to find success, and many of them do. “How Not To Die Alone” is Ury’s scientific, self-help book for finding love, getting married, and even breaking up if necessary. She uses her background as a behavioral scientist to bring new awareness to the pitfalls of dating. She tackles how to find success on the dating apps, as well as how to find your match in real life. Just like in the show “The Later Daters,” Ury does not tell couples to look for sparks or romantic bells and whistles when looking for love. Rather she wants daters to plan, prepare and strategize in order to find the relationship they always dreamed of. This is a book for people looking for a partner, and also a book for those people who feel stuck and frustrated. In Ury’s eyes, there is always hope and potential waiting around the corner. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Grief is for People by Sloane Crosley

The flip side of all of this family time full of fluffy mashed potatoes and gravy, of course, is grief. The grief for this people we have lost, who are no longer at the dining room table. We have not forgotten them, and yet we cannot hug them and see them as we once did. I think about grief every day, and I never seem to make much sense of it. Recently I shared a hotel room with my sister in Evanston, and this book "Grief is for People" by Sloane Crosley was on her bedside table. When I asked her what it was about, Kathleen said, "A burglar breaks into this woman's New York apartment, and steals all her jewelry. Shortly after that, her gay best friend commits suicide." Hmm. Ok then. I had to find out more. This memoir is kind of the anti-memoir in that Crosley doesn't really want to be writing this story, but she has to in order to make sense of what happened. I find the reluctant memoir fascinating. Even more interesting is that Crosley and her friend Russell worked in the glitz and glam or Manhattan publishing during the early 2000s, including on the controversial memoir "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey. This is not a book that is tied up neatly in a bow at the end. Rather it is a raw and honest tale about a young woman trying the make sense of the fact that bad things happen to good people. The ending poses the questions, "How do we continue to live and to grieve?" And that is a question that is still to be determined. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir by Ina Garten

The holidays are about family and food, so I would like to recommend a memoir written by one of America’s most famous chefs, Ina Garten.  In “Be Ready When the Luck Happens,” the famous cookbook author takes us beyond the walls of her kitchen, into her personal life. The jovial Barefoot Contessa had a childhood far from happy, because of a mother who was cold and dismissive. Searching for love and support, she married husband Jeffrey while still in college. She said in many ways he raised her better than her parents did, because he told her to do what makes you happy. After a stint in Washington, D.C. working for the government, she answered an ad to work at a specialty good store in the Hamptons. It was there she dove into catering, and continued to refine the recipes based on what people bought and didn’t buy. Cooking was a hobby, until Jeffrey encouraged her to make it a career. Her memoir is as direct, no nonsense and charming as her books. When people muse who would you like to sit next to at a dinner party, I would say Ina Garten because I know I would laugh and learn some cooking skills. She set out to make cooking look easier and less complicated, but in doing so she has inspired millions of amateur chefs to be bold in their own kitchens. Also, her marriage to Jeffrey is an example of how you bend, and not break during a long-term marriage. Is there anything this woman cannot do? I think not. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough

Continuing my deep dive into the life and times of Elvis Presley, I just finished "From Here to the Great Unknown" a memoir started by his daughter and then completed by his granddaughter after her mother's death. Riley Keough, some might remember starred in "Daisy Jones and the Six" as the lead singer. In the series, Keough wears Elvis' guitar strap in one performance. The fact that Keough had the faith and strength to finish her mother's book is quite amazing, considering both of their childhoods were far from stable. In 2022, Lisa Marie appeared to be struggling with completing the memoir, so she asked her daughter to help her finish it. A month later Lisa Marie was dead. Riley was left with dozens of audio tapes of her mother who described what it was like to grow up at Graceland with her father, Elvis. Riley was left with the daunting task of flushing out her mother's life, from her marriages to Danny Keough and Michael Jackson, to the death of her son, and her own struggle with addiction. This book provides us with an insider-look into the Presley family, and brings to life Priscilla, Lisa Marie, Riley and the King himself. The book culminates with the arrival of the next generation: Riley's daughter Tupelo named after the city in Mississippi where her great grandfather was born. The holidays are a time for family, and this book certainly profiles one of America's most famous. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

JFK JR: An Intimate Oral Biography" By Rosemarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil

In November of 1963, while my mother was pregnant with me, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. My mom was apparently crying so hard my dad had to yell at her to calm down for fear she would miscarry. She did calm down and I was born without incident. Flash forward to July of 1999, I was staying at my parent's house, along with my 4-year-old twins. I walked into the breakfast nook to see my parents' eyes glued to a small television sitting next to their cereal bowls. The screen showed the U.S. Coast Guard, commissioned by President Bill Clinton, frantically searching for JFK Jr.'s plane. As the cameras panned over the water, the three of us shared a look of sadness that another Kennedy had been lost. "JFK Jr." by Rosemarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil is an oral history of President Kenney's son, as well as the family and friendships that framed his short life. Make no mistake about it, there is new information in this book that makes it riveting. Terenzio, JFK JR.'s former personal assistant, and McNeil comb his life from his early years in the White House as a young child through his launch of "George" magazine and marriage to Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. There are stories about his time spent with Aristotle Onassis and his children. There are details from his high school dating, as well as passion for dangerous sports. And there are insights into the family dynamics, including a tense relationship with his sister Caroline's husband, Ed Schlossberg. I listened to this book on audio, and it took 15 hours. But those were 15 wonderful hours spent because during that time John, Carolyn and her sister Lauren were still gloriously alive, full of hope, talent, charm and beauty. I didn't want the story to end, but sadly it came to a tragic end that July night in 1999, when their plane came down into the water. A well-researched, poignant read about political royalty. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrow

Last week seemed much less complicated than this week, maybe because I was far away on the small island of Guernsey. I flew on a propeller plane from Gatwick with a group of friends, to explore three of the Channel Islands: Guernsey, Sark and Herm. The islands were beautiful, and the people quite charming. The hiking trails were rich with grass, ocean views, thick mud and flowers. Every night we had the same taxi driver named Rene who would pick us up, give us a smile and a story, and drop us at dinner in town. The fact that the island is peaceful and serene now, is a testament to the strength of its residents. Guernsey was once occupied by the German army for five years during World War II. This fictional book, "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," follows a British writer who travels to the island to connect with some of its locals who survived the Nazi occupation. Juliet Ashton is searching for a subject for her next book, after writing previous books under a pseudonym. She strikes up a correspondence with a handsome Guernsey farmer, and on a whim decides to travel to the island to meet him in person. After landing there, she meets the farmer and members of his book club, a quirky group of very close friends who share not only books but also a sacred secret. The book is as smart, warm and charming as its title, and was turned into a movie now available on Netflix. Lily James is terrific as Juliet Ashton. I think there are friends and stories to be found even in the smallest corners of the world, and Guernsey is no exception. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Elvis and Me by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley with Sandra Harmon

While I eagerly wait my turn for a copy of the new book "From Here to the Great Unknown" by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough, I decided to listen to Priscilla's side of the story by diving into "Elvis and Me." Priscilla met Elvis when she was just 14 years old, when he was in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany. She lived there with her mother and step-father, who was in the U.S. Air Force. From the get-go things seems a little strange. He was a rock star, and she was still in grade school. He wanted to date her, and she wanted to please him. They fell in love, and eventually when she was still in high school she moved back to his family's Memphis compound, Graceland. Priscilla was drawn to Elvis' larger than life personality, but she was also weary of his use of pills to fall asleep, and his reading habits that included the Bible and books on philosophy and spiritual teachings. He wore a cross and a Star of David around his neck because Priscilla said he wanted to cover all of his bases. Despite their love for each other, he was unfaithful numerous times, including with actress Ann-Margaret. But Pricilla always forgave him because she had her eye on the ultimate prize: Elvis. She became pregnant with daughter Lisa Marie shortly after their wedding, which left Priscilla to raise a child when she was not done raising herself. Despite Elvis' slide into more destructive behavior, Priscilla went from being a child bride into a strong woman forming her own opinions. When she was finally able to be her true self, and take off her heavy make up, and learn to dance and do karate, she knew it was time to leave Elvis. However, she was friends with him until the day he died. Despite the ups and downs of her relationship with Elvis, her love for him comes through on every page. To buy this book on Amazon click here

All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps by Dave Isay

The best place I know for crying is my car. It is safe, cozy, somewhat elegant, and secure. The only people who see me crying in my car are strangers, so I can feel free to cry in my car without any judgement or criticism. Mostly they just give me a sad, empathetic glance as they drive by me. I listened "All Their Is," an hour long audio book by Dave Isay and cried the whole time. I didn't know what StoryCorps was before I read this book. It is a non-profit organization that aims to record, preserve, and share stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs. It is promoting the best of humanity, one story at a time, and this books includes stories from their archives about love. This collection is lovely, heartbreaking, adorable, gut wrenching and more than anything, just poignant. Don't take my word for it. Download the Libby App, put this book in our library cue, and wait for the joy to overwhelm you. And remember, crying in your car is totally acceptable in my book. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg

Finally, a book that praises the power of libraries! Now this is quite an intellectual book, and not one I would normally find myself reading. But I have a friend who works for a non-profit, and the employees at her organization are reading the first two chapters of this book together. I'm a fan of group reading, so I decided to read this book, too. After the first chapters, I was intrigued so kept on reading. The premise is quite simple but powerful: One of the ways to heal society is to build more gathering places to create a stronger sense of belonging and community. Klinenberg, a best-selling author and sociologist, has done research on how such places as libraries, community centers, parks, gardens and swimming pools can bring people together. He maintains that in a country where people are divided over religious, class and political issues, creating more places to gather will help enlighten and educate people to each other's beliefs. In addition to U.S. libraries, he talks about swimming pools in Iceland. These are not pools for warm weather or summer activities but pools where people gather all year long. The price of admission to the pools is very inexpensive in order to encourage more people to use them. This creates a gathering place for people to connect with each other every day. Jeff and I saw one such swimming pool on our visit to Akureyri, Iceland. It is ideas like these that permeate the pages of Klinenberg's book, and make it a very thought-provoking read. My vote is yes for "Palaces for the People." To buy this book on Amazon click here.

You Can't Have it All by Stassi Schroeder

I am a long-time fan of the television show "Vanderpump Rules." My friend Maria and I once convinced my dad to take us to Lisa's restaurant "Sur" just so we could see one of the famous waiters. We met and talked to Peter, who was delightful and even took a picture with us. So when I saw Vanderpump alum Stassi Schroeder had a new book out, I couldn't wait to get the audio from my library. Now Stassi is no longer on the show, but she is still friends with many of the main characters, so there is a lot of cross over on social media. One of the highlights of my pandemic lock-down was checking in with Stassi and her husband Beau on Instagram every morning. The dramatic, self-absorbed Stassi has vanished and has been replaced by a mature, thoughtful down-to-earth mother of two children. Yes, she still does posts featuring her OOTD, but she also talks about the true trials of being a parent of two small children in Los Angeles. This book takes us behind the scenes of her life. She is not afraid to talk about her unsuccessful attempts at breast feeding, or the fact that Beau does almost all of the cooking and cleaning. But in Beau she has found a true partner who will work with her, and support her even while she goes into her "dark traveler" mode. She still covets expensive handbags, but now she is not afraid to carry pacifiers in them. Reading this book made me so happy because she demonstrated how you need to forgive yourself when you falter, and just keep going. Her attitude is that you need to laugh, play with kids on the floor, and put on jewelry when you need a pick-me-up. Stassi is soon returning to television and I can't wait to see her on screen again. To buy this book on Amazon click here.