Norman Mailer (31 January, 1923 – 10 November, 2004) was an American author, journalist, playwright, actor, film maker and political activist.

The book is a fascinating chapter in American history showing how a fringe group can take the ideals this nation was founded on and manipulate them for their own purposes

The Lost Art of Gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith was my first Isabel Dalhousie novel (but the sixth in the series), a philosopher who pontificates about the mundane and lives in her own private hell where every word, gesture and movement has to be thought about, absorbed and dissected.

Edith Wharton (24 January, 1862 – 11 August, 1937) was an award winning American writer and designer.

Midwife Elspeth Howell returns to her home after spending a few months away working. Elspeth can’t wait to get back; she has gifts for each of her five children and her husband.

What Elspeth finds, however, is a bloodbath. Her husband and children are murdered and one son, 12 year old Caleb, is missing. But Caleb is hiding and is so startled that he shoots his mother.

Mr. Riggs certainly is a talented writer with an eye for strange and wonderful characters. Much like the first book, the author uses weird and mesmerizing photographs to compliment the story.

The Time in Between by María Dueñas is a novel following the life of a Spanish woman’s journey from her humble beginnings as a poor seamstress, to an English spy during World War II. This novel is an international best seller and is Ms. Dueñas first book.

I moved up another notch in Taekwondo. While I’m not doing as good as I hoped, I’m doing much better than I expected and am getting in better shape. Not losing much weight but I am feeling better and can do the exercises better and not hurting as much afterwards. I think once I get my eating under control it would be better. I don’t know if I like my resolution of reading less books. It seems strange to read 5-6 books a month instead of 10 or so (but I also read longer books). We’ll see how that goes. Via @nprnews: Book News: World War I Diaries Of British Soldiers Digitizedn.pr/1gPBEAa 16 nonfiction forms and how to write them |bit.ly/17pMsQ6 via @MatadorNetwork Know Your Poe: Remembering Edgar Allan Poe on His 205th Birthdaybiographile.com/know-your-poe-… via @Biographile Linguistic Mistakes Everyone Has to Stop Making in 2014 huff.to/1d6XYo2 via @HuffPostBooks Via @nprbooks: Never Again: ‘Trieste’ Is A Harrowing Mix Of Memory And Memorialn.pr/JbxhDN Boon For Writers: New Feature From Facebookepublishabook.com/2013/08/21/new… Via @nprbooks: Book Chronicles The Building Of Roger Ailes’ Fox News Empiren.pr/1gQ1VOL RT @brainpicker: A. A. Milne, born on this day in 1882, on the secret of happiness and how Winnie-the-Pooh was born j.mp/1mdedC6 Alexandre Dumas: swashbuckling musketeers…

January 17 is the birthday of one of the most famous man in American History, Benjamin Franklin ( 17 January, 1706 – 17 April, 1790). I read Benjamin Franklin’s Biography by Walter Isaacson a few years ago and it is, to this day, a favorite of mine. Many people know that Mr. Franklin was a printer, but here are a few interesting facts about his printing career and love of books & libraries.

The One Book on Dementia that No One Else Could Ever Write!                                                    2013 Winner!  National Indie Excellence Book Awards, Aging Category          Bronze Winner! Global EBook Awards, Aging Category          Honorable Mention Reader’s Favorite Contest, Memoirs          LuckyCinda Finalist Book Publishing Contest 2012 Finalist USA Book Awards, Best New Non-Fiction           Hollywood Book Festival, Honorable Mention Non-Fiction The author is giv­ing away one copy of this book — to enter fill out the Raf­fle­copt­ter form at the end of the post. I Will Never Forget is the incredible true story of the author’s talented mother’s poignant and often humorous journey through the mystifying haze of Dementia. Through entertaining anecdotes of the author Elaine’s childhood, from her controversial name, tales of smoking’ dragons, the feisty teenage years and a near paralyzing accident her mother, Betty’s wonderful character is revealed. Over time as their relationship evolves and a new paradigm is formed, Betty begins to exhibit goofy actions, uncharacteristic verbal assaults and bizarre thinking.  Although clearly mystified by her mother’s irrational behaviors, Elaine does not appreciate the extent of her…