Recordpub.com - One for the Books: Return to Amish Country

It's been one year since we took an armchair visit to Amish country. So let's go back and check in with some old friends, and then meet some new ones.

"When the Soul Mends" by Cindy Woodsmall completes the Sisters of the Quilt series started in book one, "When the Heart Cries," and continued in book two, "When the Morning Comes." Hannah Lapp is forced to leave her Amish family and her Mennonite sweetheart in Pennsylvania because of a calamity that wasn't her fault. She pulls herself up from despair and makes a new life in Ohio (just down the road from us, near Alliance) and finds a new love and new sense of purpose. But in book three, she's drawn back to Pennsylvania by family tragedy. Can she reconcile her two worlds to determine where and with whom she belongs?

The books feature several complicated, believable, fault-filled but lovable characters that make me want to read more about them. And the discussions of the differences between plain life and "English" life are engaging. This is my favorite of the Amish series, so far. And book three is an absolutely lovely read. The complex plot between two different worlds is nicely handled, and we are able to understand Emma's confusion.

The Courtship of Nellie Fisher series that began with "The Parting" by Beverly Lewis continues in "The Forbidden" and concludes with "The Longing." This is a very religious, Christian-oriented series, and would make for interesting discussions in a church-affiliated book club. The storyline is based on true events in the history of the Amish community in the 1960s, when the church was divided between those who followed the offer of salvation in the New Testament and those who did not. Young Nellie is mourning the death of her sister Suzy, whose diary revealed that she accepted biblical salvation just before her death. Nellie and some of her relatives also find themselves drawn to the new belief. But the church schism has split apart families, friends and sweethearts. And one of Nellie's sisters wants to "jump the fence" and leave the Amish community altogether. Meanwhile, one of Suzy's Mennonite friends finds himself attracted to Nellie. Can she choose between men, as well as between faiths?

This is a well-written series about Amish life, filled with hope and tragedy, love and fulfillment, but be warned that there is quite a bit of religious proselytizing. I enjoyed books one and three more than two, which is the most religious. And one of the storylines, about a woman's inability to have children, is almost unreasonably sad.

A romantic mystery in Amish country concludes in "A Sister's Hope" by Wanda E. Brunstetter, book three of the Sisters of Holmes County series; the first was "A Sister's Secret" and the second, "A Sister's Test." Each book centers around one of three sisters, all with very different personalities and problems, but sharing common plot threads. The most serious of these involves attacks on the family, which grow more and more violent. Who is attacking them? and why? There are plenty of suspects. We get to spend a lot of time with an Amish family and their friends, some of whom live in Geauga County. I recommend this heart-warming series.

While all these books are safe for young people, Wanda E. Brunstetter also has written a series for children, ages 9 to 12. The Rachel Yoder -- Always Trouble Somewhere series features, in order, "School's Out!"; "Back to School"; "Out of Control"; and "New Beginnings." The curious Rachel, age 9, lives with her family in Lancaster County, Pa. She's a typical little girl who's afraid of storms and the dark, and she always seems to find mischief, but learns lessons as a result. The stories offer adventure and fun in a secure family setting reminiscent of "Little House on the Prairie," and I'm sure that both girls and boys will like the books.

Although not about the Amish, the very enjoyable Change and Cherish historical series from author Jane Kirkpatrick centers around another group who separated themselves from society for religious reasons. The story follows historically accurate events and real members of the German-American Bethel Colony who moved from Missouri to a new home in the Washington-Oregon area in the 1850s. Book one is "A Clearing in the Wild," followed by "A Tendering in the Storm" and "A Mending at the Edge." The story is told from the viewpoint of young Emma Wagner, who marries a man twice her age. Together they cross the American frontier and build a new life in the wilderness amid romance, adventure, danger, hunger, cold, rain, Indians and wild animals -- with a tyrannical leader (and I think he's crazy), no less. The books describe the communal lifestyle well. Of course, women have no power and are pretty much ignored, but our young heroine won't put up with that! I was swept into Emma's world, and I loved her spunky, "I'm-as-important-as-any-man" attitude. The books are well written and the layered story kept my interest. I think both men and women will like these excellent adventure books. The author has written other historical fiction series, so she'll keep you busy for a while!

"Separate from the World" is the sixth in the Ohio Amish Mystery series from P.L. Gaus, set in Holmes and Wayne counties. Vertically challenged Amish farmer Enos Erb, who doesn't trust the "English" legal authorities, seeks the help of college professor Michael Branden to solve the murder of his brother Benny. But while Enos is in Michael's office, a student falls to her death from a college tower. Was it suicide? or murder? The book includes an interesting discussion of genetics because Amish intermarriage fosters genetic disorders, and the study of this phenomenon brings out a culture clash between English and Amish, science and faith.

For a link to last year's Amish column, best-seller lists and more, go to www.recordpub.com, click on "Lifetimes" and look for "One for the Books" online. And visit my blog, "Shine A Light," for book news, inspiration and fun.
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BOOK NOTES, One for the Books Extra Online Exclusives:
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As promised, here's the link to last year's column on Amish-themed books:

The Amish -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/3142161

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Check out my new blog on books, inspiration, fun and thought-provoking goodies! It's called "Shine A Light!"

http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/

If you lose that link, go to www.recordpub.com. Click "Blogs" in the blue bar at the top of the page, and find "Shine A Light."

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LOCAL BOOK CLUBS:

The Book Discussion Group at the Randolph Library meets the first Monday of the month, except August, at 6:30 p.m. in the Randolph Senior Center. The group is open to everyone, and new members are always welcome. The library will stock copies of the books each month. Call the library at 330-325-7003.

Pierce-Streetsboro Library's Book Discussion Group meets regularly on the second Monday of each month at 6:45 p.m. in the library's meeting room. New members are always welcome to attend and participate in the discussion. The library is located at 8990 Kirby Lane in Streetsboro, next to the administrative offices of the Streetsboro City Schools. For more information, call the library at 330-626-4458.

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The National Catholic Reporter Book Club features a review of conservative scholar Mark Royden Winchell's "God, Man & Hollywood." There's some controversial stuff here!

http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/3085

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The winners of the 2008 National Jewish Book Awards have been announced:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6629659.html?nid=2287&rid=108544603&source=title

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from Publishers Weekly:
Christian Marketplace Bestsellers January 2009
Hardcover

1. What in the World Is Going On?
David Jeremiah. Thomas Nelson
2. Multiple Blessings
Jon & Kate Gosselin and Beth Carson. Zondervan
3. Grace for the Moment, Morning and Evening Edition
Max Lucado. Thomas Nelson
4. Love and Respect
Emerson Eggerichs. Thomas Nelson
5. Jesus Calling
Sarah Young. Thomas Nelson
6. Cast of Characters
Max Lucado. Thomas Nelson
7. 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life
Joyce Meyer. FaithWords
8. Believing God Day by Day
Beth Moore. B&H Books
9. Sinner
Ted Dekker. Thomas Nelson
10. Walking with God
John Eldredge. Thomas Nelson

Paperbacks

1. The Shack
William P. Young. Windblown Media
2. Every Now and Then
Karen Kingsbury. Zondervan
3. Sinner
Ted Dekker. Thomas Nelson
4. Sunset
Karen Kingsbury. Tyndale
5. The Love Dare
Alex Kendrick. B&H Publishing
6. Redeeming Love
Francine Rivers. Waterbrook/Multnomah
7. Dead Heat
Joel C. Rosenberg. Tyndale
8. The Longing
Beverly Lewis. Bethany House
9. Adam
Ted Dekker. Thomas Nelson
10. Alaska Twilight
Colleen Coble. Thomas Nelson
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from Shelf Awareness -- New Titles Out Now:

Nemesis: The Final Case of Eliot Ness: A Novel by William Bernhardt
The Best of Everything by Kimberla Lawson Roby
Bicycles: Love Poems by Nikki Giovanni
The Lexicon: An Unauthorized Guide to Harry Potter Fiction and Related Materials by Steve Vander Ark
Agincourt: A Novel by Bernard Cornwell
Breakneck by Erica Spindler
We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work by Jimmy Carter

New Titles Out January 27:

The Associate by John Grisham
Dark of Night
Basketball Jones by E. Lynn Harris
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: A Novel by Jamie Ford
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Publishers Weekly Best-sellers
By The Associated Press

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "Plum Spooky" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
2. "Black Ops" by W.E.B. Griffin (Putnam Adult)
3. "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
4. "Scarpetta" by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam Adult)
5. "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski (Ecco)
6. "Mounting Fears" by Stuart Woods (Putnam Adult)
7. "Cross Country" by James Patterson (Little, Brown)
8. "Fire and Ice" by Julie Garwood (Ballantine Books)
9. "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb (Harper)
10. "Running Hot" by Jayne Ann Krentz (Putnam Adult)
11. "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows (Dial)
12. "From Dead to Worse" by Charlaine Harris (Ace)
13. "Eclipse" by Richard North Patterson (Henry Holt and Co.)
14. "The Piano Teacher" by Janice Y. K. Lee (Viking)
15. "Beat the Reaper" by Josh Bazell (Little, Brown)

NONFICTION/GENERAL
1. "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown)
2. "Guilty: Liberal "Victims" and Their Assault on America" by Ann Coulter (Crown Forum)
3. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion)
4. "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron, Brett Witter (Grand Central)
5. "Flat Belly Diet" by Liz Vaccariello and Cynthia Sass (Rodale Books)
6. "The Power of Soul: The Way to Heal, Rejuvenate, Transform, and Enlighten All Life" by Zhi Gang Sha (Atria)
7. "What's Age Got to Do with It?: Living Your Healthiest and Happiest Life" by Robin McGraw (Thomas Nelson)
8. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words)
9. "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House" by Jon Meacham (Random House)
10. "Too Fat To Fish" by Artie Lange and Anthony Bozza (Spiegel & Grau)
11. "I Can Make You Thin: The Revolutionary System Used by More Than 3 Million People" by Paul McKenna (Sterling)
12. "The American Journey of Barack Obama" by The Editors of Life Magazine (Little, Brown)
13. "Best Life Diet Cookbook: More than 175 Delicious, Convenient, Family-Friendly Recipes" by Bob Greene (Simon & Schuster)
14. "The UltraMind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing Your Body First" by Mark Hyman (Simon & Schuster)
15. "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients" by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter)

MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "Revolutionary Road" by Richard Yates (Vintage)
2. "Plum Lucky" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
3. "The Appeal" by John Grisham (Dell)
4. "Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog" by John Grogan (Harper)
5. "Married in Seattle" by Debbie Macomber (Mira)
6. "Star Bright" by Catherine Anderson (Signet)
7. "Dead Until Dark" by Charlaine Harris (Ace)
8. "Final Justice" by Fern Michaels (Zebra)
9. "The Pagan Stone" by Nora Roberts (Jove)
10. "Murder Game" by Christine Feehan (Jove)
11. "The Shooters" by W.E.B. Griffin (Jove)
12. "The First Patient" by Michael Palmer (St. Martin's Press)
13. "Lady Killer" by Lisa Scottoline (Harper)
14. "Glitter Baby" by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Avon)
15. "Betrayed" by Jamie Leigh Hansen (Tor Paranormal Romance)

TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "The Shack" by William P. Young (Windblown Media)
2. "Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan" by Suze Orman (Spiegel & Grau)
3. "Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide" by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding (Rodale Books)
4. "Sundays At Tiffany's" by James Patterson, Gabrielle Charbonnet, (Grand Central Publishing)
5. "Revolutionary Road" by Richard Yates (Vintage)
6. "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)
7. "The Reader" by Bernhard Schlink (Vintage)
8. "Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow" by Elizabeth Lesser (Villard)
9. "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)
10. "Three Cups Of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin)
11. "Skinny B----" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press)
12. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead)
13. "Eat This, Not That! Thousands of Simple Food Swaps that Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds " or More! by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding (Rodale Books)
14. "He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys" by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo (Simon Spotlight Entertainment)
15. "Firefly Lane" by Kristin Hannah (St. Martins Griffin)
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USA Today Best-Sellers
By The Associated Press
Key: F-Fiction; NF-Nonfiction; H-Hardcover; P-Paperback

1. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw" by Jeff Kinney (Amulet) (F-H)
2. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-P)
3. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
4. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
5. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-P)
6. "The Shack" by William P. Young (Windblown Media) (F-P)
7. "Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan: Keeping Your Money Safe and Sound" by Suze Orman (Spiegel & Grau) (NF-P)
8. "Plum Spooky" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press) (F-H)
9. "Revolutionary Road" by Richard Yates (Vintage) (F-P)
10. "Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog" by John Grogan (Harper) (NF-P)
11. "Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution" by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding (Rodale Press) (NF-P)
12. "The Appeal" by John Grisham (Dell) (F-P)
13. "Plum Lucky" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press) (F-P)
14. "Sundays At Tiffany's" by James Patterson, Gabrielle Charbonnet, (Grand Central Publishing) (F-P)
15. "Star Bright" by Catherine Anderson (Signet) (F-P)
16. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic) (F-H)
17. "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press) (NF-P)
18. "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown) (NF-H)
19. "Final Justice" by Fern Michaels (Zebra) (F-P)
20. "Guilty: Liberal "Victims" and Their Assault on America" by Ann Coulter (Crown Forum) (NF-H)
21. "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-H)
22. "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)(NF-P)
23. "Married In Seattle: First Comes Marriage 1/4Wanted: Perfect Partner" by Debbie Macomber (Mira) (F-P)
24. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion) (NF-H)
25. "The Reader" by Bernhard Schlink (Vintage) (F-P)
26. "Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow" by Elizabeth Lesser ( Villard) (NF-P)
27. "Eat This Not That!: Thousands of Simple Food Swaps That Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds-or More!" by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding (Rodale) (NF-H)
28. "Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion" by Mark Cotta Vaz, (Little, Brown Young Readers) (NF-P)
29. "Watchmen" by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons (DC Comics) (F-P)
30. "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke (Scholastic) (F-P)
31. "Murder Game" by Christine Feehan (Jove) (F-P)
32. "Shadow Music" by Julie Garwood (Ballantine) (F-P)
33. "The CalorieKing Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter 2009 Edition" by Allan Borushek (Family Health Publications) (NF-P)
34. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney (Amulet) (F-H)
35. "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron and Brett Witter (Grand Central Publishing) (NF-H)
36. "Three Cups Of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin) (NF-P)
37. "Flat Belly Diet" by Liz Vaccariello, Cynthia Sass (Rodale Books)(NF-H)
38. "The Twilight Saga" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown for Young Readers) (F-H)
39. "The Pagan Stone" by Nora Roberts (Jove) (F-P)
40. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books) (F-H)
41. "Dead Until Dark" by Charlaine Harris (Ace) (F-P)
42. "Skinny B----" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press) (NF-P)
43. "I Can Make You Thin: The Revolutionary System Used by More Than 3 Million People" by Paul McKenna (Sterling) (NF-H)
44. "Scarpetta" by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) (F-H)
45. "Confessions of a Shopaholic" by Sophie Kinsella (Dial Press Trade) (F-P)
46. "Black Ops" by W.E.B. Griffin (Putnam) (F-H)
47. "The Love Dare" by Stephen Kendrick (B&H) (NF-P)
48. "What to Expect When You're Expecting" by Heidi Murkoff, Sharon Mazel (Workman Publishing Group) (NF-P)
49. "The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski (Ecco) (F-H)
50. "Mounting Fears" by Stuart Woods (Putnam Adult) (F-H)
Reporting stores include: Amazon.com, B. Dalton Bookseller, Barnes & Noble.com, Barnes & Noble Inc., Books-A-Million and Bookland, Booksamillion.com, Borders Books & Music, Bookstar, Bookstop, Brentano's, Davis Kidd Booksellers in Nashville, Jackson, Memphis, Tenn., Doubleday Book Shops, Hudson Booksellers, Joseph-Beth Booksellers (Lexington, Ky.; Cincinnati, Cleveland), Powell's Books (Portland, Ore.), Powells.com, R.J. Julia Booksellers (Madison, Conn.), Schuler.
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Wall Street Journal Best-sellers
By The Associated Press

FICTION
1. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw" by Jeff Kinney (Amulet)
2. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
3. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
4. "Plum Spooky" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
5. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
6. "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
7. "Black Ops" by W.E.B. Griffin (Putnam)
8. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic)
9. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
10. "Scarpetta" by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam)
11. "The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski (Ecco)
12. "Mounting Fears" by Stuart Woods (Putnam Adult)
13. "Fire and Ice" by Julie Garwood (Ballantine)
14. "Cross Country" by James Patterson (Little, Brown)
15. "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows (Dial)

NONFICTION
1. "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown)
2. "I Can Make You Thin: The Revolutionary System Used by More Than 3 Million People" by Paul McKenna (Sterling)
3. "Guilty: Liberal "Victims" and Their Assault on America" by Ann Coulter (Crown Forum)
4. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion)
5. "The Power of Soul: The Way to Heal, Rejuvenate, Transform, and Enlighten All Life" by Zhi Gang Sha (Atria)
6. "StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Tom Rath (Gallup Press)
7. "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron and Brett Witter (Grand Central Publishing)
8. "The UltraMind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing Your Body First" by Mark Hyman (Simon & Schuster)
9. "Flat Belly Diet" by Liz Vaccariello and Cynthia Sass (Rodale Books)
10. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words)
11. "Too Fat To Fish" by Artie Lange and Anthony Bozza (Spiegel & Grau)
12. "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House" by Jon Meacham (Random House)
13. "What's Age Got to Do with It?: Living Your Healthiest and Happiest Life" by Robin McGraw (Thomas Nelson)
14. "Best Life Diet Cookbook: More than 175 Delicious, Convenient, Family-Friendly Recipes" by Bob Greene (Simon & Schuster)
15. "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients" by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter)
The Wall Street Journal's list reflects nationwide sales of hardcover books during the week ended last Saturday at more than 2,500 Barnes & Noble, B. Dalton, Bookland, Books-a-Million, Books & Co., Bookstar, Bookstop, Borders, Brentano's, Coles, Coopersmith, Doubleday, Scribners and Waldenbooks stores, as well as sales from online retailers Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

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The following authors are making the media rounds, talking about their books:
--Suze Orman,Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan
--Laird Hamilton, Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul
--Hilary Black, The Secret Currency of Love: The Unabashed Truth About Women, Money, and Relationships
--John Quiones, author of Heroes Among Us: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Choices
--Gregory Feifer, author of The Great Gamble: The Soviet War in Afghanistan
--Robin McGraw, What's Age Got to Do with It? Living Your Healthiest and Happiest Life
--Siddharth Kara, Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery
--Mary Ellen Mark, Seen Behind the Scene
--Joel Best, author of Stat-Spotting: A Field Guide to Identifying Dubious Data
--Lawrence Lessig, Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy
--Bob Greene, author of The Best Life Diet, Revised and Updated
--Cheryl Scruggs, co-author of I Do Again: How We Found a Second Chance at Our Marriage--and You Can Too
--Dr. Ian K. Smith, The 4 Day Diet
--Adam Cohen, Nothing to Fear: FDR's Inner Circle and the Hundred Days That Created Modern America
--Paul McKenna, I Can Make You Thin: The Revolutionary System Used by More Than 3 Million People
--Steve Knopper, Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age
--Shmuley Boteach, author of The Kosher Sutra: Eight Sacred Secrets for Reigniting Desire and Restoring Passion for Life
--Cheryl Richardson, author of The Art of Extreme Self-Care: Transform Your Life One Month at a Time
--Evan Thomas, A Long Time Coming: The Inspiring, Combative 2008 Campaign and the Historic Election of Barack Obama
--Tony Blankley, author of American Grit: What It Will Take to Survive and Win in the 21st Century
--Stephen Weissman, author of Chaplin: A Life in Film
--Elizabeth Lesser, author of Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow
--Ann Coulter, author of Guilty: Liberal 'Victims' and their Assault on America
--Andrea Buchanan, author of Note to Self: 30 Women on Hardship, Humiliation, Heartbreak, and Overcoming It All
--Josh Bazell, author of Beat the Reaper: A Novel
--Dr. Wayne Dyer, Change Your Thoughts--Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao
--Deirdre Imus, author of The Essential Green You: Easy Ways to Detox Your Diet, Your Body, and Your Life
--Dalton Conley, author of Elsewhere, U.S.A.: How We Got from the Company Man, Family Dinners, and the Affluent Society to the Home Office, BlackBerry Moms, and Economic Anxiety
--Niall Ferguson, author of The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World
--Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, The Kosher Sutra: Eight Sacred Secrets for Reigniting Desire and Restoring Passion for Life
--Stacey D'Erasmo, The Sky Below
--Philip Smith, Walking Through Walls: A Memoir
--Mario Livio, Is God a Mathematician?
--Alex Beam, author of A Great Idea at the Time: The Rise, Fall, and Curious Afterlife of the Great Books
--Mark Zandi, author of Financial Shock: A 360 Look at the Subprime Mortgage Implosion, and How to Avoid the Next Financial Crisis
--Annette Gordon-Reed, author of The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
--Joan Rivers, author of Men Are Stupid . . . And They Like Big Boobs: A Woman's Guide to Beauty Through Plastic Surgery
--.P. Olsen and Nancy Campbell, authors of The Narcotic Farm: The Rise and Fall of America's First Prison for Drug Addicts
--Andrea Buchanan, Note To Self: 30 Women on Hardship, Humiliation, Heartbreak, and Overcoming It All
--Graydon Carter, Vanity Fair's Tales of Hollywood: Rebels, Reds, and Graduates and the Wild Stories Behind the Making of 13 Iconic Films
--David Bach, whose The Finish Rich Dictionary: 1001 Financial Words You Need to Know
--Pino Luongo, Dirty Dishes: A Restaurateur's Story of Passion, Pain, and Pasta
--Azar Nafisi, Things I've Been Silent About: Memories
--Niall Ferguson, author of The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World
--Jodi Lipper and Cerina Vincent, authors of How to Love Like a Hot Chick: The Girlfriend to Girlfriend Guide to Getting the Love You Deserve
--Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, author of Ms. Hempel Chronicles
--Gwen Ifill, author of The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama
--Patti Stanger, author of Become Your Own Matchmaker: 8 Easy Steps for Attracting Your Perfect Mate
--Olivier Ameisen, The End of My Addiction
--H.W. Brands, Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
--Adam Michaelson, The Foreclosure of America: The Inside Story of the Rise and Fall of Countrywide Home Loans, the Mortgage Crisis, and the Default of the American Dream
--Louise Erdrich, The Red Convertible: Selected and New Stories, 1978-2008
--Bill Strickland, author of Make the Impossible Possible: One Man's Crusade to Inspire Others to Dream Bigger and Achieve the Extraordinary
--Godfrey Hodgson, author of The Myth of American Exceptionalism
--Daniel Sperling, co-author of Two Billion Cars: Driving Toward Sustainability
--Scott McClellan, author of What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception
--Shauna Reid, author of The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl
--Thomas Sugrue, author of Sweet Land of Liberty: The Forgotten Struggle for Civil Rights in the North
--Gar Alperovitz and Lew Daly, authors of Unjust Deserts: How the Rich Are Taking Our Common Inheritance and Why We Should Take It Back
--George Herring, author of From Colony to Superpower: U.S. Foreign Relations Since 1776
--Robert Bork, author of A Time to Speak: Selected Writings and Arguments
--Bob Beaudine, author of The Power of Who: You Already Know Everyone You Need to Know
--Eugene Jarecki, author of The American Way of War: Guided Missiles, Misguided Men, and a Republic in Peril
--Karan Mahajan, Family Planning
--Joe Lupo and Jesse Garza, authors of Life in Color Life in Color: The Visual Therapy Guide to the Perfect Palette--for Fashion, Beauty, and You!
--Jeff Kinney, The Last Straw: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 3
--Dr. Diana Kirschner, author of Love in 90 Days: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Own True Love
--Joel Berg, All You Can Eat: How Hungry is America?
--Lee Israel, Can You Ever Forgive Me? Memoirs of a Literary Forger
--Jabari Asim, What Obama Means: For Our Culture, Our Politics, Our Future
--Jon M. Huntsman, author of Winners Never Cheat: Even in Difficult Times
--Dr. Kevin Leman, Have a New Kid by Friday: How to Change Your Child's Attitude, Behavior & Character in 5 Days
--Michael F. Roizen, author of YOU: Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty
--Bernard Goldberg, author of A Slobbering Love Affair
--James Lipton, author of Inside Inside
--Mark K. Updegrove, author of Baptism by Fire: Eight Presidents Who Took Office in Times of Crisis
--Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
--David Sanger, The Inheritance: The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American Power
--Anna Post, author of Do I Have to Wear White?: Emily Post Answers America's Top Wedding Questions
--Toni Morrison, author of A Mercy
--P. W. Singer, author of Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century
--Jon Meacham, author of America Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
--David Sanger, The Inheritance: The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American Power
---Sanjaya Malakar, Dancing to the Music in My Head: Memoirs of the People's Idol
--Sue Bailey and Carmen Flowers, Grave Expectations: Planning the End Like There's No Tomorrow
--Christopher Kennedy Lawford, Moments of Clarity: Voices from the Front Lines of Addiction and Recovery
--Jayne Anne Phillips, Lark and Termite
-- Steven Johnson, The Invention of Air
--Greg Mortenson, Three Cups of Tea
--Ben Sherwood, author of The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life
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Here are links to other recent One for the Books columns:

More links are available on my blog at http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/

President-elect Barack Obama -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4501793

Christmas! -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4482323

Photography -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4475598

Going Green -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4466424

Books for ages 8 to 12 -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4449028

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"One for the Books" appears the second and fourth Fridays of the month in the Record-Courier. Extra columns may appear on occasion, especially preceding Christmas and Hanukkah.