Jeffrey Zaslow

I just read that Jeffrey Zaslow was killed in a car accident last week.  If the name isn't familiar to you, he was well known for his columns in the Wall Street Journal, but in recent years he was also known for his books.  In addition to writing two nonfiction titles, which I'll mention in a little bit, he co-authored several three best-selling books: The Last Lecture (with Randy Pausch), Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters (with pilot Captain "Sully" Sullenberger), and most recently, with Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly, Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope.

Mr. Zaslow was often able to find unique, personal stories that needed to be shared with the world.  Pausch, Sullenberger, and Giffords are perfect examples of ordinary people challenged with life-altering experiences, and because of their books we have a better understanding of how extraordinary events can impact daily life.

The two titles that Jeffrey authored himself focus on subjects that at first glance might seem too commonplace for fascinating reading: female friendship and marriage.  It is through his wonderful writing that the reader feels connections with people who could be our next door neighbors.  The book about marriage was just published, and while I am sad that this is his last book, I am so glad that one more book is out there for readers to enjoy.

* The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and a Forty-Year Friendship (2009)
* The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters (2012) 

She blinded me with science!

We just received an interesting grouping of science books which will be heading to a shelf near you very soon.  If you're a science buff - or just want to dip your toes in the H2O (so to speak) - here are some good choices:

* Alone in the Universe: Why Our Planet is Unique - John R. Gribbin
* The Case of the Poisonous Socks: Tales From Chemistry - Willliam H. Brock
* How to Build a Time Machine: The Real Science of Time Travel - Brian Clegg
* Why Can't Elephants Jump?: And 113 Other Tantalizing Science Questions Answered

Dangerous footwear, time machines, non-jumping elephants - who can pass up such intriguing titles?

It's been a long time

My apologies for the dry spell with this blog.  What with the holidays, moving to a different work location, and dislocating a finger, it's been a wild and woolly ride since November!  Must say I'm rather glad to start a new year...

All of the recent change in my life has me thinking that maybe I need a little guidance in how to gracefully accept new experiences that aren't necessarily positive ones (graceful is the operative word here since I ungracefully fell in a parking lot and ended up changing the direction of my finger...).  One title that has caught my eye is Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard by brothers Chip and Dan Heath.  Their words of wisdom can apply to work and personal time, and that's exactly what I need.

I hope that 2012 proves to be a good year for all of us, but if change is getting you down already, give this book a try.