Saturday, July 4, 2009

Agatha Christie on Masterpiece Mystery - in time to celebrate ThrillerFest!

Just a quick note about Masterpiece Mystery's focus on Agatha Christie.

If you didn't catch the two Hercule Poirot episodes, you can still watch them online

Cat Among the Pigeons is available until July 5, 2009

Mrs. McGuinty's Dead is available until July 12, 2009

This Sunday at 9 pm, Masterpiece Mystery introduces a new Miss Marple with Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple.

A Pocketful of Rye airs on July 5, 2009
Murder is Easy airs on July 12, 2009
They Do It With Mirrors airs on July 19, 2009
Why Didn't They Ask Evans? airs on July 26, 2009

Agatha Christie - perfect timing to celebrate the start of ThrillerFest! Don't forget - ThrillerFest begins this Wednesday at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in NYC. Online registration ends on July 7, 2009 at 6 pm. If you're heading to ThrillerFest, I'd love to meet up in person. Just send me a comment or an email at gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com.

Book Giveaway: Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons

Thanks to Valerie at Hatchette Books, we're giving away 5 copies of Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons. Thank you so much for your generosity, Valerie and Hatchette Books!

About the book:

Acclaimed novelist Anne Rivers Siddons's new novel is a stunning tale of love and loss.

For as long as she can remember, they were Cam and Lilly--happily married, totally in love with each other, parents of a beautiful family, and partners in life. Then, after decades of marriage, it ended as every great love story does...in loss. After Cam's death, Lilly takes a lone road trip to her and Cam's favorite spot on the remote coast of Maine, the place where they fell in love over and over again, where their ghosts still dance. There, she looks hard to her past--to a first love that ended in tragedy; to falling in love with Cam; to a marriage filled with exuberance, sheer life, and safety-- to try to figure out her future.

It is a journey begun with tender memories and culminating in a revelation that will make Lilly re-evaluate everything she thought was true about her husband and her marriage.

About the Author:

Anne Rivers Siddons is the author of sixteen New York Times bestselling novels, including Sweetwater Creek, Islands, Nora Nora, Low Country, Up Island, Fault Lines, Downtown, Hill Towns, Colony, Outer Banks, King's Oak, Peachtree Road, Homeplace, Fox's Earth, The House Next Door, and Heartbreak Hotel. She is also the author of a work of nonfiction, John Chancellor Makes Me Cry. She and her husband, Heyward, split their time between their homes in Charleston, South Carolina, and Brooklin, Maine.

Visit Anne Rivers Siddons's website to read an excerpt and learn more about the author.
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/anneriverssiddons/content/index.asp#utm_source=anneriverssiddons.net&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=print



CONTEST DETAILS

To enter, please share a book recommendation or a book that you'd like to read.

Rules:
1. Please include your email address, so that I can contact you if you win. Without an email address, I won't be able to reach you.
2. For an extra entry, sign up to be a follower and let me know. If you're already a follower, let me know and you'll get the extra entry as well.
3. For another extra entry, subscribe via googlereader or blogger or by email and let me know that you do.
4. For another extra entry, follow me on twitter (startingfreshny) and let me know that you do.
5. For another entry, blog about this giveaway and send me the link.
6. Leave a separate comment for each entry or you'll only be entered once.

The contest is limited to US and Canada only. No P.O. boxes. The contest ends at midnight of July 31, 2009.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Book Giveaway: Julie & Julia by Julie Powell

I'm very excited to announce a giveaway for 5 copies of Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. Thank you so much, Anna and Hatchette Books!


Here's the blurb on the book:
Julie & Julia, the bestselling memoir that's "irresistible....A kind of Bridget Jones meets The French Chef" (Philadelphia Inquirer), is now a major motion picture. Julie Powell, nearing thirty and trapped in a dead-end secretarial job, resolves to reclaim her life by cooking in the span of a single year, every one of the 524 recipes in Julia Child's legendary Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Her unexpected reward: not just a newfound respect for calves' livers and aspic, but a new life-lived with gusto. The film version is written and directed by Nora Ephron and stars Amy Adams as Julie and Meryl Streep as Julia.

If you'd like to read an excerpt from the book, check this out:


CONTEST DETAILS:


To enter, (a) if you cook, please tell us about one of the most ambitious dishes or dinners that you've prepared, (b) if you don't cook, tell us about a meal or dish that you can't forget. (good or bad, your call), or (c) recommend the best place to eat in your town or city and tell us what to order.

Rules:

1. Please include your email address, so that I can contact you if you win.
2. For an extra entry, sign up to be a follower. If you're already a follower, let me know and you'll get the extra entry as well.
3. For another extra entry, subscribe via googlereader or blogger or by email and let me know that you do.
4. For another entry, follow me on twitter (startingfreshny) and let me know that you do.
5. For another entry, blog about this giveaway and send me the link.
6. Leave a separate comment for each entry or you'll only be entered once.


The contest is limited to US and Canada only. No P.O. boxes. The contest ends at midnight of July 31, 2009.




Book Review: Too Too Many Tutus by Suzanne Davis Marion


Too Too Many Tutus
Review of Too Too Many Tutus written by Suzanne Davis Marion
and illustrated by Marj Hales

Synopsis:
Young Christina is getting ready for her ballet class but she has a problem. Christina has too many tutus and can't decide which tutu to wear. She asks her family members one by one but no one can make the choice for her.

Christina spreads out the tutus on her bed: green, blue, pink, yellow, purple, orange and white. Each one evokes a different image and a different dance and style. The green tutu reminds her of tree tops swaying in the wind and leads to an outdoor dance. The blue tutu creates images of the sky and dancing on the beach with the fish and birds. The pink tutu leads Christina to think of roses blowing in the breeze. The yellow tutu makes Christina think of sunlight, yellow butterflies and sunflowers. The purple tutu evoke images of an early Spring day with violets and lilacs. For the orange tutu, Christina creates a wild dance by sunset and a blazing fire. As Christina goes through each one, she hears advice that helps her come to the right decision.


Review:
Christina's world is an a wonderful one for a little girl. Surrounded by her loving family and her lovely things, Christina is full of fun, imagination and talent. As she creates a different dance for each tutu, it is easy to enjoy her world. The watercolor pictures are full of joy and would surely delight any little girl.

Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (February 24, 2009), 32 pages.
Courtesy of Bostick Communications and Suzanne Davis Marion.


Many thanks to Bostick Communications and Suzanne Davis Marion for this opportunity!

Book Review: How to Score by Robin Wells



Review: How to Score by Robin Wells


Synopsis:
Sammi Matthews has had awful luck with men. After the bad breakup with her ex- eighteen months ago, Sammi has somehow injured every man that she's been interested in. A black eye, a broken rib, and a broken leg, it is no wonder that she's ready to see a life coach to get her love life in order. So, drawn to an ad in the newspaper, Sammi calls Luke for help.

FBI Special Agent Chase Jones is Luke's older brother. He's also the reason that Luke has had to go into Witness Protection for a few months. To make up for the upheaval in his brother's life, Chase agrees to takeover some of Luke's clients. As he talks Sammi through her problems and trust issues, he's drawn to her. Against his common sense, Chase finds a way to see Sammi - then he falls for her and somehow it's never the right time to tell her that Luke and Chase are the same man.

Review:
How to Score read like a fun romantic comedy movie. As a leading man, Chase was very likable with his slightly obsessive drive for neatness and control, his difficult childhood and great looks. I can clearly see why Sammi would take it into her hands to get his attention. Sammi sounded like a wonderful fit for Chase as well with her warmth, generosity, and passion for life. The situation is a bit difficult to swallow, but if you suspend your disbelief, How to Score is a fun summer read.

Publisher: Forever (June 1, 2009), 400 pages.
Courtesy of Hatchette Books Group.

Giveaway alert! Robin Wells is giving away a vintage coach bag on her website. To enter the contest or read an excerpt from the book visit Robin Wells's website.

Here's a video of How to Score



Thank you so much, Anna and Hatchette Books Group for this opportunity!

The Friday 56: Week 7










Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions
on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*
Post a link along with your post back to this blog and to Storytime with Tonya and Friends here or at http://storytimewithtonya.blogspot.com/
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.


Here's mine:

"You're safe now. I know you have some other cuts, but they will heal on their own." He bent down and kissed the girl's forehead. "You're safe now," he repeated.

"I can't wait to tell my friends that the President stitched my head," the girl said smiling through the dried blood that remained on her face.

-The Phoenix: Firestorm by Joseph Allen



Thursday, July 2, 2009

Look out! Quiet creep of increased bank fees

Yesterday's NY Times article on bank fees mentioned how the various banks have recently increased their fees. With an increase in federal deposit insurance fees and a decline in revenue, many banks have sought to make up the difference through increases in ATM fees, credit card fees (including credit card charges overseas), account maintenance fees, stop payment fees and overdraft fees. Industry professionals mention the implementation of increased fees is unusual during a recession but that the increased cost of doing business at this time and the increased risk of repayment has caused the increase in fees.

I've been putting off transferring money from my "working account" to my favorite online bank, but I'll do that today. Another thing on my to do list is to compare the various fees on my accounts.


To read the NY Times article in full, visit
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/business/02fees.html

Bank Fees Rise as Lenders Try to Offset Losses
Published: July 2, 2009
Some institutions quietly and creatively charge people more to save and spend their own money.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Book Giveaway of $20 per Gallon by Christopher Steiner

Thanks to Valerie at Hatchette Books, we are giving away 5 copies of $20 per Gallon by Christopher Steiner. Thank you so much, Valerie and Hatchette Books!

About the Book, courtesy of Hatchette Books:

Imagine an everyday world in which the price of gasoline (and oil) continues to go up, and up, and up. Think about the immediate impact that would have on our lives.

Of course, everybody already knows how about gasoline has affected our driving habits. People can't wait to junk their gas-guzzling SUVs for a new Prius. But there are more, not-so-obvious changes on the horizon that Chris Steiner tracks brilliantly in this provocative work.

Consider the following societal changes: people who own homes in far-off suburbs will soon realize that there's no longer any market for their houses (reason: nobody wants to live too far away because it's too expensive to commute to work). Telecommuting will begin to expand rapidly. Trains will become the mode of national transportation (as it used to be) as the price of flying becomes prohibitive. Families will begin to migrate southward as the price of heating northern homes in the winter is too pricey. Cheap everyday items that are comprised of plastic will go away because of the rising price to produce them (plastic is derived from oil). And this is just the beginning of a huge and overwhelming domino effect that our way of life will undergo in the years to come.

Steiner, an engineer by training before turning to journalism, sees how this simple but constant rise in oil and gas prices will totally re-structure our lifestyle. But what may be surprising to readers is that all of these changes may not be negative - but actually will usher in some new and very promising aspects of our society.

Steiner will probe how the liberation of technology and innovation, triggered by climbing gas prices, will change our lives. The book may start as an alarmist's exercise.... but don't be misled. The future will be exhilarating.

About the Author, Christopher Steiner, courtesy of Hatchette Books:


Intrigued by rising gasoline prices in spring 2008, Christopher Steiner conceived of the concept for $20 Per Gallon when he wondered, simply, how will our lives change in a future of higher gas prices? A civil engineer and a staff writer at Forbes who regularly reports on energy, technology and innovative entrepreneurs, Steiner researched the question. His examination roamed from Manhattan tunnels to desert plane graveyards to organic farm fields and manifested in this book, which breaks down our future and its coming changes in terms of dollars per gallon.

Before his first reporting job at the Chicago Tribune, Steiner worked as a civil-environmental engineer in San Francisco and Park City, Utah. He holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University. He lives in Evanston, Illinois, with his wife, Sarah, and his son, Jackson.

Visit Christopher Steiner's blog or the $20 per Gallon website to learn more.


CONTEST DETAILS

To enter, please tell us if you live in a city or the suburbs and how much gas prices and your commute to work had factored into your decision.

Rules:
1. Please include your email address, so that I can contact you if you win.
2. For an extra entry, sign up to be a follower. If you're already a follower, let me know and you'll get the extra entry as well.
3. For another extra entry, subscribe via googlereader or blogger or by email and let me know that you do.
4. For another entry, follow me on twitter (startingfreshny) and let me know that you do.
5. For another entry, blog about this giveaway and send me the link.
6. Leave a separate comment for each entry or you'll only be entered once.

The contest is limited to US and Canada only. No P.O. boxes. The contest ends at midnight of Saturday July 18, 2009. July 31, 2009.

Note: Due to the delay in posting the book review, I decided to extend the giveaway deadline to allow readers of the book review to join in the contest.

Winners of How Successful People Think by John C. Maxwell

Winners!

How Successful People Think by John C. Maxwell

Bridget3420 - confirmed
heatherzilla - confirmed
Bingo-confirmed
Chey BP- confirmed
Kitten22 DR - confirmed


Congratulations, winners! Kitten22 and Chey were kind enough to let me know that they'd won the book on other sites. We have replacement winners. I've forwarded your contact info to the publisher and you should receive the books shortly. Enjoy!


Thank you so much to Valerie and Hatchette Books Group for this giveaway!

Winners of The Richest Man in Town: the Twelve Commandments of Wealth by W. Randall Jones

Winners!

The Richest Man in Town: the Twelve Commandments of Wealth
by W. Randall Jones


Alison Storm-confirmed
Janetfaye-confirmed
glenn_pessano-confirmed
lynda98662 Alexa - confirmed
luvdaylilies-confirmed


Congratulations, winners! I've forwarded your details to the publisher and you should receive your books shortly. Enjoy!


Thank you so much to Valerie and Hatchette Books Group for this giveaway!

Winner of A Hint of Wicked by Jennifer Haymore

Winners!

A Hint of Wicked by Jennifer Haymore

Axon-confirmed
Nicole-confirmed
Beth-confirmed
MJ-confirmed
Kitten22Amanda-confirmed

Congratulations, winners! I've sent your details to Hatchette Books Group and they'll send you the books directly. Enjoy!


Thank you so much to Anna and Hatchette Books Group for this giveaway!

July Book Giveaway: My Name is Will: A Novel of Sex, Drugs, and Shakespeare by Jess Winfield ends July 31

Thanks to Anna at Hatchette Books Group, we have 5 copies to give away!


About the Book, courtesy of Hatchette Books Group:

Book Information:

A Tale of two Shakespeares...

Struggling UC Santa Cruz grad student Willie Shakespeare Greenberg is trying to write his thesis about the Bard. Kind of...

Cut off by his father for laziness, and desperate for dough, Willie agrees to deliver a single giant, psychedelic mushroom to a mysterious collector, making himself an unwitting target in Ronald Reagan's War on Drugs.

Meanwhile, would-be playwright (and oppressed Catholic) William Shakespeare is eighteen years old and stuck teaching Latin in the boondocks of Stratford-upon-Avon. The future Bard's life is turned upside down when a stranger entrusts him with a sacred relic from Rome... This, at a time when adherents of the "Old Faith" are being hanged, drawn, and quartered as traitors.

Seemingly separated in time and place, the lives of Willie and William begin to intersect in curious ways, from harrowing encounters with the law (and a few ex-girlfriends) to dubious experiments with mind-altering substances. Their misadventures could be dismissed as youthful folly. But wise or foolish, the bold choices they make will shape not only the 'Shakespeare' each is destined to come... but the very course of history itself.


About the Author, courtesy of the Author's website:


With credits ranging from portraying Hamlet on the London stage to writing self-help books and Saturday morning cartoons, Jess has lived an eclectic creative life.

A Southern California native, Jess was raised in the bohemian artists' enclave of Lake Sherwood before it was transformed into a top ten golf course. His mother, a freelance writer, and his father, a writer and producer for the Walt Disney Studios, instilled early on a love of language, wordplay, and talking animals.

Senior Yearbook
Wisely giving up sports for drama, speech, and journalism at Newbury Park High School, he continued his education at the University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of California, Berkeley. Although he majored in English and specialized in Shakespeare, Jess mostly hung out in the dark, subterranean hallways of experimental theater, studying improvisation with Shireen Strooker of Amsterdam's Het Werkteater.

In 1981, he joined forces with high school chum Adam Long and writer/director Daniel Singer to form The Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Early Hamlet
After six years of busking at Renaissance Faires and tourist haunts with their freewheeling, half-hour versions of Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, their full-length show The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1987 and became an international sensation, leading to multiple world tours and lengthy engagements in Los Angeles, New York, London, Montreal, Dublin, and Edinburgh. In 1991, the show opened in the West End to rave reviews. Jess retired from the RSC in 1992, but The Complete Works continued with various casts, finally closing at Piccadilly's Criterion Theatre in 2005 as the longest-running comedy in the West End.

Jess as Bard
Although the 1990s found Jess adapting and editing the trade paperback version of The Complete Works (now in its fourth printing) and directing critically-acclaimed productions of the show both Off-Broadway and at San Diego's Old Globe Theater, he largely turned his attention from Shakespeare to animation. Following in his father's footsteps, he embarked on a second career as a writer and producer for the Walt Disney Company that culminated in two Daytime Emmy awards for Disney's Teacher's Pet (starring Nathan Lane and Jerry Stiller) and the hugely successful Lilo and Stitch spinoffs Stitch! The Movie; Lilo and Stitch: The Series; and Leroy and Stitch.

After dipping his toes back in Shakespearean waters with the lighthearted self-help book What Would Shakespeare Do? in 2000, Jess left Disney in 2005 to begin work on his first novel, My Name Is Will — A Tale of Sex, Drugs, and Shakespeare, which blends a historically plausible story of William Shakespeare's young adulthood with a contemporary romp loosely based on experiences from Jess's years in Santa Cruz and Berkeley.

Emmy Winner
Jess lives in Hollywood with his wife Sa, an accomplished ceramicist.

In his spare time, he blogs about Los Angeles's dynamic ethnic food scene (lafoodcrazy.blogspot.com) and supports the L.A. Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl, the Los Angeles Kings, and the distillers of Ketel One vodka, as well as many progressive causes and charities.
Learn more about Jess Winfield on Jess Winfield's website and blog http://www.jesswinfield.com/index.html

CONTEST DETAILS:

To enter, please share your favorite Shakespearean play or character.

Rules:
1. Please include your email address, so that I can contact you if you win.
2. For an extra entry, sign up to become a follower and mention this in your comment. If you're a follower, let me know and you'll get the extra entry.
3. For an extra entry, become a subscriber and mention this in your comment. If you're a subscriber, let me know and you'll get the extra entry.
4. For an extra entry, follow me on twitter (startingfreshny) and let me know that you do.
5. For an extra entry, blog about this contest and post the link.
6. Leave a separate comment for each entry or you'll only be entered once.

The contest is limited to U.S. and Canada. No P.O. boxes. The contest ends on midnight of Friday, July 31, 2009.

Winners of How To Score by Robin Wells

Winners!

How To Score by Robin Wells

Belinda M-confirmed
Book Lady-confirmed
pam-confirmed
Just Me-confirmed
Alexa-confirmed



Congratulations, winners! I've forwarded the addresses to Hatchette Books and you should receive your copies shortly.


Thank you so much to Anna and Hatchette Books Group for this giveaway!


WINNERS of I HATE PEOPLE! Kick Loose from the Overbearing and Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get What You Want Out of Your Job

Winners!

I HATE PEOPLE! Kick Loose from the Overbearing and Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get What You Want Out of Your Job by Jonathan Littman & Marc Hershon

cabadov - confirmed
Dixie - confirmed
A Novel Menagerie brightwingbliss- confirmed
Wendy - confirmed
A Reader Sara - confirmed

Congratulations, winners! Sheri of Novel Menagerie and A Reader graciously let me know that they'd won copies of the book, so we have replacement winners. I've notified the publisher and you should receive your books shortly.


Thank you so much to Valerie and Hatchette Books Group for this giveaway!

Winners of Law of Connection by Michael Losier

Winners!

Law of Connection
by Michael Losier

Dawn M - confirmed
Vera - confirmed
Cindy Belinda M. - confirmed
jake.lsewhere - confirmed
rlz - confirmed

Congratulations, winners! I've sent your details to the publisher and you should receive your books shortly. Enjoy!


Thank you so much to Anna and Hatchette Books Group for this giveaway!

Winners of The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos

Winners!

The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos:
Kitten22 Barbara (fatima's treasure) - confirmed
Vicki Carrie Anne from Toronto - confirmed
nfmgirl -confirmed
Jennifer B - confirmed
budletsmom - confirmed


Kitten22 won the book on another site and graciously let me know. I've emailed the publisher with your mailing addresses. You should receive the book shortly. Congratulations!!

Thanks so much to Valerie and Hatchette Books Group for this giveaway!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Book Giveaway: The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep The Man That You Want by Karrine Steffans



Thanks to Anna at Hatchette Books Group, we have 5 copies of The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep The Man That You Want by Karrine Steffans. Thanks so much for your generosity, Anna and Hatchette Books!

About the Book, courtesy of Amazon:

Since she exploded on the scene with her two juicy and impossible-to-put-down tell-alls, readers have wanted to know even more about what makes Karrine Steffans tick. How was she able to meet all the high profile politicians, movie stars, and other celebrities that are her close acquaintances? What skills does she possess to keep men wanting more? Finally, Karrine lays it all out and explains exactly what a woman must do to win over the man of her dreams. With chapters like "Never Let Him See You Sweat,""Flirting,""Encouraging His Manhood," and "Give Him What He Wants," this hot and sexy manual is a must-have for every woman's bookshelf.


About the Author, courtesy of Amazon:

Karrine Steffans became a New York Times best selling author after releasing her debut tell-all book Confessions of a Video Vixen in June of 2005. Since the success of her books, Karrine speaks at universities and celebrity panels. She has also established The Karrine Steffans Girls Club, The Karrine Steffans Book Club , and The Steffans Commentary on MySpace. Check out Karrine's website at www.karrine.com

CONTEST DETAILS:

To enter, please share either the worst line or best line that you've heard lately.

Rules:
1. Please include your email address, so that I can contact you if you win.
2. For an extra entry, sign up to become a follower and mention this in your comment. If you're a follower, let me know and you'll get the extra entry.
3. For an extra entry, become a subscriber and mention this in your comment. If you're a subscriber, let me know and you'll get the extra entry.
4. For an extra entry, follow me on twitter (startingfreshny) and let me know that you do.
5. For an extra entry, blog about this contest and post the link.
6. Leave a separate comment for each entry or you'll only be entered once.

The contest is limited to U.S. and Canada. No P.O. boxes. The contest ends on midnight of July 28, 2009.

Book Review: The Richest Man in Town: the Twelve Commandments of Wealth by W. Randall Jones


Review of The Richest Man In Town: The Twelve Commandments of Wealth by W. Randall Jones

Synopsis:

W. Randall Jones, founder of Worth Magazine, identified and interviewed the Richest Man in Towns (RMITs) in one hundred American towns and cities. Jones selected self-made types who found their own paths to success through hard work and their creativity. While members of this select group span a range of companies and industries, they share certain traits. Jones calls these traits the Twelve Commandments of Wealth.

Here are the first few:

1. Seek Money for Money's Sake and Ye Shall Not Find.
- Wealth comes from a contribution of real value

2. Find your perfect pitch
- Know your own unique strengths and talents and match them with your personal passion.

3. BYOB: Be your own boss
- Don't work for someone else, found your own enterprise. Choose partners carefully - only those who bring something critical to your success.

The bulk of the book is devoted to describing these Twelve Commandments of Wealth and sharing how successful men demonstrated these traits. Anecdotes come from a diverse group of successful folk. Here are just a few: Michael Dell, Stephen King, Sam Zell, Fred Smith, Carl Icahn, John McAfee, Bill Gates, Sergey Brin, and Larry Ellison.

Aside from describing the traits, Jones offers exercises to help us find our strengths and individual paths to wealth. For instance, when describing the need to look for more than money, he suggests writing your own obituary to visualize your lifetime goals.


Review:

I found The Richest Man in Town: the Twelve Commandments of Wealth to be an interesting and absorbing read largely because of the wealth of stories shared by his sources.

Some of the quotes are particularly memorable and here are a few that I can't resist sharing:

"I always tell young people there is no substitute for hard work and diligence. It takes eight hours a day of hard work to be a success, but it takes most people twelve or thirteen hours a day to do eight hours of good work."
- Joe Taylor, former CEO of Southland Log Homes and secretary of commerce for SC

"Everyone should have at least one silent goal. This is a goal that is known only by you. It's a reach goal, one that is extremely hard to attain, but potentially life altering, even world changing. These kinds of world-changing golas are realized by only very few people. If you don't reach them, you certainly won't be judged by others-it's your well-kept personal secret."
-Dr. Thomas Frist Jr., co-founder of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), the largest for-profit hospital management company

As I read, my copy slowly filled up with post-it tabs and notes. I highly recommend the book for those interested in business books and personal finance and for their loved ones who might need personal finance tips.


Publisher: Business Plus; 1 edition (May 4, 2009), 256 pages.
Courtesy of Hatchette Book Group.


About the Author, courtesy of Hatchette Books Group:

Randall Jones has spent 25 years in the magazine and media business. He is the founder of Worth magazine, the financial lifestyle magazine for active wealthy investors, and is also the founder of The American Benefactor magazine, the first magazine about philanthropy from the donor's perspective. He was recently honored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America as "Philanthropist of the Year."

Here's a video of Randall Jones Welcome to The Richest Man in Town
Shared via AddThis

To learn more, visit Randall Jones's website at http://www.richestmanintown.com/
Listen to an excerpt of the audio book or read an excerpt at http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780446537834.htm#

**Enter the contest for The Richest Man in Town at
http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com/2009/06/giveaway-richest-man-in-town-twelve.html

A big thanks to Valerie at Hatchette Books Group for the opportunity to review this book!

Book Review: The Law of Attraction: How to Get Your Man The Slam-Dunk Formula to Getting the Love of Your Life by Sally Huss

Click to enlarge

Synopsis:
Sally Huss's book first reads like the memoirs of a beautiful and talented tennis star discovering how exciting the world can be for a young woman open to romance and adventure. At fifteen, Sally was playing tennis and spending time with an equally young Ricky Nelson. Reading about her first love affair at Wimbeldon and the fun years while working for Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. at Goldwyn Studios, the anecdotes that Sally Huss recount remind me of the most glamorous aunt or family friend of my mother's generation.

A catalyst leads Sally to rethink her approach and her life. With meditation and greater self awareness, Sally comes up with her "letter to the Sun" in which she describes the traits and characteristics of the right man for her. Then Sally prepared to meet this man - by putting herself and her life in order - both on the surface and "inside her mind and heart". Sally has a clear sense of the life that she wants and is strong enough not to settle for men or situations while being open to opportunties until she does come across the right person and relationship. Not surprisingly, this right man falls deeply in love with Sally. With patience, strength and love Sally and her man, Marv, create a life together. It's over 35 years since her letter to the Sun and Sally's book is her way of sharing her story and secret.

Review:
The Law of Attraction: How to Get Your Man - The Slam-Dunk Formula to Getting the Love of Your Life is a short and enjoyable read. The secret that she shares reminds me of the advice that my grandmother, quite a famous beauty in her time, would give me and my cousins. Although the drawings and photos give the book a self-published feel, the book is self-published and as you read it, you realize that adds to its particular charm.

Publisher: Huss Publishing (March 19, 2009), 56 pages.
Courtesy of Bostick Communications.


About the Author, courtesy of the Author's website:

Sally Huss has been an artist all of her life. She was raised in Bakersfield, California where she took her first private oil painting lessons at the age of 10. She studied art at Occidental College, eventually graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in Fine Arts.

At the same time Sally (Sally Moore) was developing her art skills, she was developing her tennis skills. She became National Junior Champion, a member of the U.S. Wightman Cup Team and a Wimbledon semi-finalist. As an accomplished tennis player Sally taught her special brand of Zen tennis to celebrity clients such as Barbra Streisand, Joel Grey, Jill St. John, Marilyn Bergman, Helen Reddy, Larry Hagman, Jack Jones, Milos Forman, among others. After playing the Virginia Slims Women's Tennis Tour against tennis greats such as Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, Sally became the head rackets pro at The Aspen Club in Colorado. There she hosted visiting celebrities, including Clint Eastwood, Merv Griffin, Ingmar Johansson and Rod Laver.

In the 1980's with the help of her husband Marv, former head of advertising and promotion for Hallmark Cards, Sally returned to art and writing in a big way. Along with her own products -- her gift art and original paintings -- she branched out into licensing. Her designs and verse found their way into lines of greeting cards for American Greetings, plus collections of wallpaper, ceramics, mugs and even T-shirts. Now her art dances across thousands of products including clothing, purses, children's books and even baby bibs. Her paintings and gift art brighten walls and uplift hearts in homes, office buildings, restaurants and hotels everywhere. One piece even graced the walls of the White House.

Today Sally Huss is considered one of the leading artists/designers in the country, in many cases combining her writing with her art. This has resulted in a number of books for children and The Happy Book published by Ten Speed Press. Her most recent book, The Law of Attraction: HOW TO GET YOUR MAN -- The Slam-Dunk Formula to Getting the Love of Your Life, is taking off in popularity as people recognize the wisdom it reveals in the light-hearted manner that it is presented.

Visit Sally Huss's website to learn more about her life, art, and books.

Thank you to Bostick Communications and Sally Huss for this opportunity!