As many of you know, I try to alternate fiction and non-fiction books. I am always looking for new ways to stimulate my mind and not get caught up in the fiction world. Not that a really good fiction book can’t be stimulating, but if I didn’t restrict myself- that would be all I would read!
Today we will talk about non-fiction books !
French Style with Vintage Finds-A passion for French Antiques and Collectibles written by
Cindy Smith Cooper
The French are known for their impeccable taste, effortless glamour, and intrinsic flair for style that is timeless and traditional, edgy and modern, chic and seductive. Need I say more. This book is a beautiful pictorial of French design that is ever so inviting. Each page offers fabulous pictures with wonderful descriptions and discussions. What drew me to this book was the traditional elements of French designs. I really like the dark accents with the white walls and light colored ceramic pieces that bring warmth to any room. I guess French design is not as stuffy as I originally thought.
The book also covers beautiful French gardens. I really enjoyed flipping through the book and plan on purchasing it for a Christmas gift for my sister-in-law. I know she will proudly display it on her coffee table.
The Home Decluttering Diet: Organize Your Way to a Clean and Lean House, by Jennifer Lifford
What I liked about this book is the 30-day home detox daily plan. Each day of the month is broken down to clean and organize one area of your home. Here is a sample copy of the plan. Day 2 is the Front entryway and Coat closet/ mudroom. She says to donate any coats, shoes or accessories that you no longer use or need. If you are short on space, put items that are out of season into storage somewhere else in your home. Day 3 is empty your purse. Day 18 Makeup- toss anything out that has expired, is cracked or is no longer your style. Pick your favorites and get rid of the other 10 lipstick tubes you never wear. She evens has a separate page for recommended shelf life for various makeup. Day 23 Your nightstand. Day 31 Your car. I really liked the month long detox program and will find it useful for my fall cleaning and spring cleaning. Cleaning a large room or house can be daunting, this book breaks down the workload into manageable tasks. I photocopied the month long detox plan and will post it in my office to remind me of the areas that will need my attention. I highly recommend this book.
What I like about this book is that it opened my world to more food bloggers. I love reading blogs, I’m usually able to click on a few a day when I am working. I really enjoy food blogs that give easy, yet healthy recipes and display the food in beautiful pictures. Beyond the Plate, written by Daniela Galarzis, is just that…a wonderful array of bloggers (including bio’s of each), three recipes from each blogger, and beautiful pictures. There are quite a few American bloggers highlighted as well as many European. Recipes cover the gamut: soups, desserts, main dishes and appetizers. I enjoyed looking through the book as well as clicking on the blog sites.
Inside My Pencil: Teaching Poetry in the Detroit Public Schools. A memoir by Peter Markus. I liked this book very much and I would find it very useful if I were still a teacher. Getting students to feel confident in their writing is always a good thing. His experience is in the Inner City schools of some of the worse areas of Detroit. He cares about his students and that comes through in his memoir. Students write poems and realize that the form is not what maters- it’s the writing down of thoughts, memories, interests, dreams, fears, and hopes that is important when writing poetry. He has been helping Detroit students for many years and has been awarded numerous honors for his work. A good read if you like personal narratives that include discussions with young children.
Late Bloomer: How to Garden with Comfort, Ease and Simplicity in the Second Half of life. The title caught my attention since I am in the second half of my life! Jan Copploa Bills gives great advise on planting and planning your gardens. She compares life to a garden in the sense that it changes and we need to appreciate the changes that occur. Gardens are not predictable, nor is life. She also believes that we need to weed out the plants that do not give us pleasure, or have not thrived as they should. We should not feel guilty when we discard a plant that is not useful anymore, similar to relationships as we get older. If you have people in your life, that don’t benefit you, they bring you down, then you should consider weeding them. I have done this. I have had people in my life that were friends from way back; but now as I am older, we really don’t have much in common except history. Sounds harsh, but time is limited and we need to make the best of it. Taking control of who you spend time with and how you choose to spend your time is very liberating 🙂 The author gives lots of advise like this along with planting tips and encouragement. I really liked the book.
Where to Go When: The Worlds Best Destinations by DK Eyewitness Travel. If I ever win the lottery I will follow the authors advise and travel every month to at least one of their suggested destinations! The book is organized by months, each month highlights the best places in the world to travel during that month. There are lots of pictures and travel advise, graphs and charts. This is a great book if you are considering a trip and you want to know when is the best time to visit a certain country. A very good book with great photos and descriptions of popular destinations.
All of these books can be checked out of your public library or you may choose to click on the book titles and purchase them through Amazon.
Have a wonderful day friends!
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