There are so many books about how to write, or how to sell novels, but it’s difficult to find something good about how to sell articles. Glatzer’s book is a wonderful reference for anyone looking to break into the freelance business, or improve their sales and earnings!

I’m almost as obsessed with books about writing as I am with writing itself. I’ve read more than I can count, and Poemcrazy broke into my top ten list. Wooldridge writes with a passionate frenzy that made me jump up and write.

Don’t pick up this book expecting a formal study of poetry and structure. What Poemcrazy does is make you reexamine how you use and combine words, and work up an appetite for creativity!

Knowing my fondness for reading about food, one day my mom said to me “You know, Andrea from Top Chef wrote a couple books.” She lent me one, and it finally came to the top of my must-read pile (ok, I procrastinated).

Beaman’s advice is common sense— eat natural, seasonal, local ingredients as much as possible. Stay away from anything fake and processed. Listen to what your body is telling you.

Her writing style is what makes this book something special. She is smart, funny, and concise. It sounds like she is talking to a friend, not trying to impress the reader with her credentials. Her personal anecdotes are relatable, and I laughed out loud on two different occasions (how often can you say THAT about a cookbook?)

I haven’t tried any of the recipes yet, but they all look terrific! The food is simply prepared so any home cook can follow along. It is the ingredients and the combinations that make them look special. I am a baker and pastry chef, and looking through the desserts I got hungry.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get off the diet roller coaster and start eating for your health, not your weight!

I added this movie to my Netflix list because I grew up in Richmond. Although I attended private high school, I played against Richmond High and was in school when the real Coach Carter locked out his team for their poor academic performance.

After hearing other reviews, I went into this movie with low expectations but was pleasantly surprised! It lagged in a couple places but overall held my attention. Samuel L Jackson delivered a compelling performance as Coach Carter, pushing his team to the limits and motivating them to do something better with their lives.

I was given this book by a friend, who knows that I love Orwell almost as much as I love books on the subject of writing. Why authors write, how the do it, where they do it— I read them all.

This book does not fall in that category.

Why I Write provides an illuminating view of the political and social history of England during Orwell’s lifetime. Through these four essays, I saw deeper into the world that sparked him to write his famous novels. If you enjoy history and political thought, then definitely give this book a try!

I loveo books about writing and writers. They make me laugh, they make me angry, and they make me get back to my computer and continue writing on whatever project that I am currently stuck in the middle of.

The second book is Maisel’s series about the major writing cities of the world, this book features a city I love more than all else. I have lived within a short drive of San Francisco for my entire life, and this book captures much of it’s spirit. Familiar coffeshops and neighborhoods dot the writing as the book reflects on an author’s journey through a city like San Francisco.

The illustrations are beautifull done and reflect the Bohemian nature of the stories captured here.

Highly recommended!

Dean Young has been my favorite contemporary poet since I read “First Course in Turbulence”. I was so excited when they reissued this book, because it was a challenge to find a used copy.

There is something amazing about Young’s writing that I have never been able to put into words. It is intense and frantic, with thoughts and associations melting into one another. it is the human mind on paper, with all its twists and turns and gaps in logic.

When Young writes, I am there. I can feel the moment, see the woman downstairs, hear the sounds in the restaurant.

Everyone who enjoys poetry should give this book a try!

I read new cookbooks cover to cover like I would a novel. This one made for an excellent read! Mina covers two main things in the book— his concept of trios, and his classic recipes.

The Trios section offers three variations on each main ingredient, which can be served together in small portions, or made individually. I love this because I can be a picky eater, and for every dish there is at least one variation that looks appealing to me!

My one complaint with this book is the photography. It seems to want to be more artistic than I personally like from a cookbook. That can make it hard to get a sense of what the dish is supposed to look like. However, since they did include a visual reference to all the trios, it isn’t a huge problem.

I really wanted to like this movie. A black and white film with some amazing actors, directed by the wonderful Woody Allen.

Unfortunately, I knew within the first fifteen minutes that this movie was going to be a chore to finish. The pacing was off and the dialogue seems forced. There were a few good performances among the legions of characters, but it was not enough to make the movie anything but a yawn.

I generally adore Kenneth Branagh, but he spent the movie doing a poor imitation of Woody Allen that just made him tedious to listen to. The film would have been much better if Branagh had made the character his own instead of doing a straight imitation.

The parade of celebrity cameos could not save Celebrity. Don’t waste your time— watch something else.

This was a challenging read, but I am glad that I attempted it. Hawking and Mlodinow wrote this book for a general audience, and they actually managed to make subjects like general relativity and quantum physics very accessible!

I didn’t understand all the concepts that they put forth, but it is a book that I look forward to reading again.