Also Read

I've decided to start a separate post for the books I've read which don't really need a review of their own. I'll update this from time to time. These include so far:

• Build A Man, by Talli Roland (Book 158), a sort of love story where a wannabe tabloid journalist working as a receptionist for her plastic surgeon boyfriend meets the man of her dreams when he comes in for a complete makeover. The clash of ethics with the chance of her dream job makes for interesting reading, though the book is a bit lightweight.
• Three Ways to Die, short stories by Lee Goldberg (Book 157)
• Brilliant Book of Calm , short, thought-provoking and inspirational chapters on keeping a more centered life (Book 156)

Babylon Series - Books 154 and 155

The Babylon series of books is written by Imogen Edwards-Jones with the help of an anonymous source inside the industry she is profiling. Factual information and anecdotes that actually took place are compressed into the space of a week. Perhaps the best known of the series is Hotel Babylon which subsequently sparked a TV program, but other in the series include Air Babylon, Fashion Babylon, Pop Babylon and the two I've just read, Beach Babylon and Wedding Babylon. Believe me - you will learn more about the inner workings of these industries than you ever wanted to know, all told with the best of British humor. Hotel, Air and Wedding are my favorite of the series so far, but rumor has it that another expose is on its way. Can't wait.  Recommended.


Check them all out on the Imogen Edwards-Jones author page.

Tuesdays with Morrie - Book 137

One of my favorite books from my first book club was The Five People You Meet in Heaven, so I couldn't wait to read Tuesdays with Morrie, which I'd heard so much about. Until I opened the book I had no idea that it was non-fiction, but the tale of Albom's past and present relationship with his dying college professor and the life lessons that he learns from him is as riveting as any novel. It's written in a simple and accessible style and is an easy read. Highly recommended.

A Dog Named Slugger - Leigh Brill - Book 135

I loved, loved, loved this true story of how Leigh Brill gets a working dog to help her deal with the challenges of cerebral palsy. The book examines their growing bond and you learn a lot about how such dogs are trained and work, too. An easy and excellent read - highly recommended.

Project Management Guide - Book 131

Jen Stakes-Roberts' Guide to Project Management was an eye-opener for me - and I'm no slouch at organization. This ebook, which I raced through in an hour or so, provided sound advice on taking a project management approach to your business. I have used the advice in the book to make some changes to my writing business and am trialing some of the project management tools she suggests. At the moment, this book is available here.

SEO School - Book 129

Looking to learn more about search engine optimization. SEO School provides an introduction to the subject with a series of easy tips that anyone can implement. Here's what it contains:

•  Your SEO Crash Course
•  The Only Moving Parts You Need To Pay Attention To
•  Setting Up Your Analytics So You Can See What’s Working
•  Fixing “SEO Leaks” On Your Site
•  Organizing New Content To Boost SEO
• Tweaking Existing Content To Boost SEO
• Getting Backlinks On A Regular Basis
•  On-Page Optimization Checklist

I found it a quick read and, although I know a lot about SEO, discovered a couple of new tips and tools. The handy checklist at the end makes a good guide for anyone setting up a new site. Recommended.

Thanks Mom (Chicken Soup series) - Book 126

In the last year, I've become a big fan of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, so I was really pleased when my daughter gave me 'Thanks Mom' as a Christmas present. Like others in the series it contains 101 moving anecdotes - this time of mother-daughter relationships. It's a great book to dip into daily to read a couple of inspirational chapters and in my experience you always get a lift from doing so - and sometimes food for thought. Recommended.

A Long Way Gone - Ishmael Beah - Book 124

You might think that A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier would be a depressing read, but considering its subject matter it was surprisingly upbeat. Author Ishmael Beah tells of his life in Sierra Leone when he was conscripted into the army to fight the rebel forces. It helps that we know from the start - really from the blurb - that he made it out alive.

For those of us safely removed from daily violence, what he had to endure seems unimaginable, yet he is matter of fact about his actions and feelings through the horrors of war and the actions he is forced to take, then comes to accept as normal. The story of his rehabilitation is also moving. I thought this was an excellent read. Highly recommended. 

A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi - Book 123

A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi - Words We Pinched from Other Languages is a word nerds delight. I breezed through the book in a couple of hours, revisiting the origins of foreign phrases commonly in use in English. For each entry, there's a literal translation, an explanation and an example of it in use. Most of the examples are funny, making the book even better. If you love words and are fascinated by their origin, you will love this book as much as I did. Highly recommended.

I Before E - Book 122

I before E except after C (Old School Ways to Remember Stuff) gives exactly what it promises. If you're looking for word and number mnemonics that will help you to remember important rules, formulas and even historical facts (though these are UK based) then this book is for you. It's like taking a step back into your school days and is an easy read. Recommended.

Going the Half Hog - Spike Wyatt - Book 121

Just finished this excellent primer on freelancing. I'll be reviewing it in detail on my writing blog and will post the link here when it's done. Update: Here's the link to my Going the Half Hog review.

Steve Jobs Biography - Book 113

Steve Jobs' biography was a fascinating read. I've always followed part of his story, intrigued by the inventions that shaped part of my working life. I used an early Mac, switched to a PowerMac when that became the norm in business desktop publishing environments and then watched the iMac, iPod, iTunes and iPad phenomena. This book gave the background to those well known successes and a few equally well publicized failures. It reveals a man whose management style left something to be desired while at the same time eliciting brilliance from his team and creating the world's top company while he did it. Although I got the feeling that the editor could have made another pass (there was some unnecessary repetition, in my opinion), I expect the book was rushed to publication when Jobs passed away and it didn't detract from an otherwise enthralling read. Recommended.

The Girl Who Couldn't Say No by Tracy Engelbrecht - Book 111

Something about this book reminded me of Juno - perhaps it was the matter of face attitude of the heroine and her refusal to be bowed down by events some might view as cataclysmic. She is forthright and unashamed to admit mistakes, while keeping a firm handle on what she did right.  Here's Amazon's description:

A sharp, occasionally shocking, memoir that will change how you look at teenage mothers, The Girl Who Couldn’t Say No is told with frank South African humour and refreshingly mature insight. Tracy Engelbrecht tells the story of how she came to find herself pregnant at 15, and how she coped with pregnancy, birth and homework.

This was an easy, fun read and very compelling, leaving you wanting to know more about the character. Recommended.

Diary of Anne Frank - Book 97

I last read this book as a teenager and it made as big an impression on me now as it did then. This tale from the Holocaust of a young Jewish girl who is forced to go into hiding to avoid the soldiers is moving. Imagine the turmoil of your teenage years with all this going on as well. Life is never the same for Anne, but she deals with it by writing in her diary chronicling the daily events. As you read, it's hard not to be impressed by the fortitude of those forced to live a restricted life and the bravery of those who helped them.

The Oxford Guide to Word Games - Book 93

This book is more than 20 years old, but it's still a refreshing treat for all of us word nerds. It lists word games from centuries ago to the present, showing how they have evolved and how to play them. It's probably better skimmed than read straight through as I did, but I learned some interesting new riddles and revisited palindromes and tongue twisters, as well as finding some word games I'd never heard of. Recommended.

The Reluctant Father's Club - Nick Duerden - Book 89

The story of a dad who takes some time to get used to the idea of fatherhood, this memoir is amusing and touching. Moms, if you have ever wondered what's going on inside the heads of dads who seem less than thrilled with their new status, find out about their state of shock from one who's been there - and come out the other side. As well as the honesty of the feelings revealed, what lends this book its charm is that it's a love story - the story of how a new dad falls in love with his baby daughter. Who could resist that? Recommended.

The Cure by Geeta Anand - Book 74

The Cure is an inspiring story of two parents' race to save their children, who are affected by Pompe's Disease, a genetic mutation which could prove fatal. They invest everything - both financially and emotionally - in getting their children the help they need, from finding a potential cure to investing in the scientists who will develop it. This story was the inspiration for Extraordinary Measures, and it's good to get more of the background to the story. Recommended.

How Starbucks Saved My Life - Book 73

Michael Gates Gill is the kind of person who, depending on your views, embodies all that is good or all that is wrong with corporate America. He's at the top of the tree, in a highly paid job, with a wife, kids and all the perks to which an Ivy League education, the right connections and the right background entitle him. Then it's all snatched away as he loses his job, his wife, his home, his good health and - almost - his self-respect. His salvation comes in the form of a job at Starbucks and his unlikely savior is an African American woman with a troubled background. The tale of his redemption is highly readable, including both his experiences as a Starbucks employee (doing everything from cleaning to working as a barista) and the contrast with his former life. He is honest about his failings and that, more than anything, makes this a likeable tale. Recommended.

Launch - Book 70

This was an excellent read, which I'll review in detail on Get Paid to Write Online. Check out my thoughts there .

My Word Is My Bond - Roger Moore - Book 28

Roger Moore's self-deprecating humour permeates this autobiography. It's a quick and enjoyable read, which all Bond/Moore fans are sure to enjoy. For me, it was particularly interesting to read it after reading Michael Caine's autobiography a few weeks ago, as their stories occasionally intersect. I give this one 4 stars.

Amazon's description:

One of the most recognizable big-screen stars of the past half century, Sir Roger Moore played the role of James Bond longer than any other actor. Still, Bond was only one in a lifetime of roles stretching back to Hollywood’s studio era. Moore has seen and heard it all. He has hobnobbed with the glamorous and powerful, counting Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Seymour, and Cary Grant among his contemporaries and friends. He has outrageous stories about foulmouthed Milton Berle, surly Richard Burton, and kindhearted Richard Kiel, infamous as Bond enemy Jaws. The stories in My Word Is My Bond are priceless, a treasure trove of Hollywood history. Sir Roger Moore has left nothing out—especially the naughty bits.