By Scott Harrison My quick notes: I was in the mood for an inspirational, positive, uplighting book and Thirst hit the mark. Scott Harrison was a 28-year-old nightclub promoter in NYC when he had an epiphany. He decided to change the trajectory of his life and dedicate himself to helping others. Since that time, [...]

By Beverly Cleary My quick notes: With a four and seven-year-old at home, Ramona came to us at a great time. It was a change of pace from our previous chapter books, and I found the connectability to my little ones to be spot on. Ramona is dealing with self-doubt, a bit of confusion [...]

By Matthew John Bocchi My quick notes: After reading Sway, I connected with its author (Matthew Bocchi) and had the fortune of having him on the show. This book is his story of persevering through loss, abuse and addiction. It connected me to 9/11 in a way that I had never experienced before. His [...]

By Ethan Hawke My quick notes: What a great little book. Philosophical and adventurous, the stories are enjoyable to read and packed with lessons on living well. Told from the perspective of a father prior to going off to battle, it serves as a farewell and guide to his children. Small and well constructed, [...]

By Paulo Coelho My quick notes: I don't read many books twice (maybe three, including this one), but this is one I wanted to bring to the podcast. I had read it years ago and remember really enjoying it, so I dusted it off the shelf and dove back in. I was looking for [...]

By Col. Chris Hadfield My quick notes: Point blank, I want to hang out with Chris Hadfield. He's the kind of guy I want to have in my corner. This book is chock full of lessons on how to live a meaningful, rich and adventurous life. His writing actually gives off a sense of [...]

By Henry Winkler My quick notes: This is a really fun book, and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series. Hank is our fourth grade friend who's described as "the world's greatest underachiever." This is a fun, light appropriate read for kids as young as four (my son is four). It's a [...]

By Alfred Lansing My quick notes: Phew, what a book. You'll find lessons on leadership, purpose, resilience, community and more. You'll learn about nature and the world. This is a tremendous account of Ernest Shackleton and his crew's journey of survival that began with the mission of being the first people to walk across [...]

By Patricia Polacco My quick notes: My daughter jumped at the idea of getting this book. She saw the cover (either on Amazon or a Scholastic newsletter) and said, "Yes! Get that!" Haha, I ordered it immediately. This is a fun story about a girl and her brother whose relationship transforms over time and [...]

By Dan Crenshaw My quick notes: Dan Crenshaw was brought into my awareness when he was the butt of an SNL skit. Little by little his name would pop up in podcasts I'd listen to and conversations I'd have. A few solid recommendations had me buy and study the book. It's a great manual [...]