I read Life in the Sloth Lane: Slow Down and Smell the Hibiscus - 5 Stars - This is such a delightful coffee-table type book and would make a lovely gift. It’s filled with adorable sloth pictures and uplifting quotes throughout. Here's my Good Reads review with a few sample pages included. The Great Santini - 4 Stars - I’d never paid any attention to Pat Conroy until a few years ago when I read one of my favorite books of all time “Gone with the Wind”. Conroy wrote the beautiful introduction to that book. My rule with classics, not that I read them as often as I probably should, is to read the introduction after completing the book. Once I finished “Gone with the Wind” and then read Conroy’s introduction, I knew that this would be an author that I would like. In that introduction, he describes his mother reading him “Gone with the Wind” from a very early age. I believe that he was five years or old so, something like that. His mother, a true Southerner, sounded so much, like the mother in “The Great Santini”. This is one of my favorite excerpts from “The Great Santini”, a letter from the mother to her son, Ben, on his birthday: “’My dear son, my dear Ben, my dear friend who becomes a man today, I want to tell you something’” the letter began. ‘You are my eldest child, the child I have known the longest, the child I have held the longest. I wanted to write you a letter about being a man and what it means to be a man in the fullest sense. I wanted to tell you that gentleness is the quality I have admired the most in men, but then I remembered how gentle you were. So I decided to write something else. I want you to always follow your noblest instincts. I want you to be a force for right and good. I want you to always defend the weak as I have taught you to do. I want you to always be brave and know that whatever you do or wherever you go, you walk with my blessings and my love. Keep your faith in God, your humility, and your sense of humor. Decide what you want from life then let nothing deter you from getting it. I have had many regrets in my life and many sadnesses but I will never regret the night you were born. I thought I knew about love and the boundaries of love until I raised you these past eighteen years. I knew nothing about love. That has been your gift to me. Happy Birthday. Mama.’” Pat Conroy has a way with storytelling, and this was a powerful read. This book is based on his own life growing up in a military family, with an abusive father. Although there were many painful and difficult scenes, the story dragged a bit in some parts. It was an amazing book, but I didn’t love it as much as others that I have read by him. A quote that liked: “Because I saw myself as pretty, I became pretty. If you think you are ugly, you will be ugly, mark my words. I even think depression is caused by thinking about things that depress you. I feel that if you think positively, things will turn out for the better. It’s also a matter of good taste to talk about only happy things.” “Have you taught me to have good taste, Mama? Is that another trick of the trade I haven’t learned?” Mary Anne said. “Good taste is not something you can be taught. It’s not something you obtain in a store or go to college to learn. You either have it or you don’t. It is passed down from generation to generation in a straight line, but not everybody in a family gets it. It’s like high cheekbones. Your father will never have good taste and I will never be without it. You could drain every drop of blood from my body and what was left would include my innate good taste.” Here's my Good Reads review with photos. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Thank you for your kind thoughts. I don't think that I've read "Dave Barry Slept Here". I love his books also. Interesting about your SIL!

Junie, oh, I wish that I had known! I considered getting the graphic novel and I should have. I love graphic novels. Maybe I'll get it at some point, after some time has passed. Kindle book on sale today (mystery;/crime/thriller)

I'm slowly catching up on reviews. I read Speak - 1 Star - This book disappointed me. YA is not my cup of tea. I knew this already, but I was swayed by all the high ratings for this book and I figured that this might be worth reading. The story was slow, much of it felt contrived, and the characters seemed a bit too extreme. The ending was one of the most abrupt endings that I have come across. I shouldn’t have wasted my time on this boring book. Some interesting quotes, which are not positive or upbeat, since the book is depressing enough anyway, but quotes that I thought to be worth sharing and that are a bit telling about the overall mood. “It is easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say.” “The same boys who got detention in elementary school for beating the crap out of people are now rewarded for it. They call it football.” “When people don’t express themselves, they die one piece at a time. You’d be shocked at how many adults are really dead inside—walking through their days with no idea who they are, just waiting for a heart attack or cancer or a Mack truck to come along and finish the job. It’s the saddest thing I know.” “Gym should be illegal. It's humiliating.” Every Living Thing - 4 Stars - Most people know that James Herriot wrote about his life as a Yorkshire country vet in the 1930s, ‘40s, and this one, which took place in the ‘50s. When my children were small, we read and re-read a beautiful children’s Treasury edition of the Herriot stories. We all loved these stories, our son especially. Honestly, if I could, I would buy a copy of this for every family. Herriot’s descriptions of Yorkshire are so delightful that four years ago, when we were traveling in England, we spent a few nights in Thirsk (known as “Darrowby” in his books) and we visited the Herriot museum (“The World of James Herriot”). The museum is the actual surgery where the stories take place. We stayed at a cozy little B&B in Thirsk. The owners grew up knowing James Herriott and his family. They all lived down the street from one another. The Herriot children, who are now adults in their seventies, went to school with owners of the B&B. They are friends still. We took this picture of the church where James Herriot and his wife got married. It’s just down the street from the Herriot Museum. Although I liked this book very much, it wasn’t my favorite. It’s the last one in the series. I’ve enjoyed them all and feel sad that as with all good things, this too, had to come to an end. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Love your photos! Thank you for sharing. I've heard that England's been having some wonderful weather.

Thank you all so much for your kind thoughts. It was probably a good thing that I didn't get to see my brother for longer. The whole family is woven from the same cloth. I don't want to there if my presence is that upsetting to them. They're that way with most of our side of the family. I wish them all the best and will continue to pray, but I have to move on.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and kind thoughts re: my brother from last week's thread. Reading all your posts warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes. Seriously. Well, in a nutshell. My dd and I were gone to NYC for four nights. NYC was nice, as it always is. His family was not nice, as is often the case. We didn't get to see him for more than about five minutes total. My parents are there and, poor things, they're not doing well at all. Our focus and thoughts are all on them at the moment. Okay ... books. I read Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland - 3 Stars - I have read a few Dave Barry books – most of them had me laughing out loud, almost to the point of crying. When we were at Miami International Airport recently, my daughter and I headed to the bookstore as soon as we could. We were waiting to board our flight back to the small island where we live, an island where there are no proper bookstores. Whenever we get to travel, we shop as much as we can and crave bookstores like you wouldn’t believe. Anyway, I digress. I saw this book and knowing that it’s about Florida and that Dave Barry lives there, well, I just had to get it. I love associating books with specific bookshops and traveling. I started reading it while on the plane back home. It was a quick and fun read. It was funniest at the beginning of the book, yet I found it enjoyable throughout. I don’t think that this book was intended to be a humor book, probably more of a travel guide. As for Florida, I have only visited Orlando and Miami, but reading this makes me want to visit the state further, even though there are certainly some odd tourist attractions! My favorite description: “Cassadaga’s nickname is The Psychic Capital of the World. As you drive into town on Cassadaga Road, you pass house after house with signs that say PSYCHIC. This is a place where you might have trouble getting a plumber on the weekend, but if you need an emergency tarot card reading, help is only seconds away.” MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

No. Not a single person.

Thank you all so much. I deleted that part about my brother in my OP. I wasn't thinking clearly, but it's perfectly fine. His illness is no longer a secret. We leave later this morning and it's going to be a very difficult trip. Talking to him yesterday, my goodness, I broke down completely. We haven't been particularly close for the past two decades and in fact, we were estranged for a while. Life is too short for all that. I wish that I had been a better person. I'm crying as I type this. I tried so hard to read this while we were on vacation. I tried twice and forced myself to get to 20%. I gave it my all and was so looking forward to reading it. The reviews are amazing and I usually love sagas and books like that. I guess the Western genre is not for me, although I love Western movies. I really wanted to like it.

I haven't had much time to work on vacation photos, but hope to in the next few weeks. I read Lilac Girls - 1 Star - I really wanted to like this book. I’m old enough to know not to judge a book by its cover, but boy, this cover is pretty for sure. The genre and glowing reviews appealed to me. It started off well and drew me in right away with good character development, but then it just fizzled out. I didn’t connect with any of the three main characters, nor did I care for the storytelling. It was a tedious book to get through, contrived and overdone; and yet it seemed full of promise at the start. Although I didn’t care for this book at all, I have one favorite quote: “Don’t waste your energy on the hate. That will kill you sure as anything. Focus on keeping your strength. You’re resourceful. Find a way to outsmart them.” MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

I loved "The Poisonwood Bible". I've read a few others by her, but that one stands out for me. I'll explain the rooftop. It's the roof on Casa Mila (La Pedrera), which is one of Gaudi's best works. Here's the rooftop - taken during our morning visit. There are tiled chimneys, which reminds many of Star Wars. There are 30 chimneys and ventilation towers. The picture that I had in my first post showed our night visit with the light show. Both visits were fabulous, but the night one was superb.

Thank you. I'll clarify. I should have done so earlier! First, the Palau de la Musica Catalana is :the only European concert hall to be illuminated entirely by natural light.". The stained glass ceiling is the highlight of the place, but it's all beautiful. This is a clip of what we saw. Gorgeous music. I was almost in tears, but I often get emotional. Let me get back to you on your other question about Gaudi later. Dinner is calling!

Last week, I kept wanting to visit this thread more often than I did and to catch up, as well as to catch up on sharing some of our Spain vacation pictures. I'll try to come here more this week. Things have just been so busy since we returned. Here's a picture of a beautiful concert hall in Barcelona - the Palau de la Musica Catalana - if any of you visit Barcelona, this place is gorgeous. Pictures cannot do it justice. What's even better, is to try to also go to a concert, which we did. The concert (four incredible guitarists) was amazing! On our last evening in Barcelona, we had a night tour of Casa Mila (La Pedrera) - one of the Gaudi homes. The day visit was lovely, but the night visit was spectacular. This is a picture that we took on the rooftop. They had a lovely light show. I read Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall - 5 Stars - I love non-fiction that reads like fiction, and this book was truly remarkable. It’s a true story about a German family separated during the Cold War years. It captures the horrors of living under a totalitarian regime perfectly. I often tell my parents how thankful I am to them for taking us out of Iran when we did. I also feel grateful for not having had to ever live in a Communist country. The author, writing about her mother’s family, does an incredible job of engaging the reader right from the get-go. I felt a strong connection to them all, and this is not always easy with non-fiction. Another fabulous book that comes to mind is “Nothing to Envy”, which is about life in North Korea. While reading this, I realized that although I have read so many books about the Holocaust, I haven’t read that many about life under communism. Both systems were absolute nightmares, but communist regimes have killed and tortured far more people. It often surprises me that communism isn’t hated nearly as much as Nazism. These days especially, most people’s focus is on Hitler and labeling anyone that one disagrees with as Hitler or a Nazi Most people are unaware that communist governments have killed an estimated 120 million people in the 20th century. That’s far more than the evil that Hitler did. Don’t get me wrong. Hitler was a monster, but it puzzles me that most of the focus and hatred is towards him. Why not the communist governments and their leaders also? Since I spoke about this book to my husband constantly, he’s now pushing me to watch a show that he’s been telling me to watch for years, “Deutschland 83”. Some of my favorite quotes and other parts to share: “Children were encouraged to report rule breaking at home, such as whether their parents listened to forbidden West German radio or made disparaging remarks about the system. Vigilance in reporting others for their failings came with rewards: public accolades, special treatment, promotions in their youth group, the authorities all the while carefully noting who was and was not fully investing. What will become of a country, Oma wondered, when a mother cannot even trust her own children, and they, in turn, cannot trust their own families?” “’The world is infinitely vast and full of wonder,’ he had said. Then, paraphrasing Mark Twain, his favorite American author, he told them to ‘träumen, entdecken, erforschen’—explore, dream, and discover it. That day Hanna came to view the Heidelberg Castle as a symbol of the extraordinary world that lay beyond the lovely but ordinary provincial village of Schwaneberg’.” “At the height of their power, the Stasi had employed one informant for every sixty-six residents; factoring in part-time informants, the number more accurately approximates one in six East German citizens.” “… in 1979, a spectacular incident occurred when two families took their escape to the skies. Having fashioned a hot-air balloon from canvas, bedsheets, old scraps of fabric, and a homemade gas burner, Günter Wetzel, a mason, and Peter Strelzyk, a mechanic, and their families ascended into the dark night sky and sailed quietly over the Wall to safety in the West. The escape made headlines around the world, with Strelzyk saying, ‘Freedom is the most valuable thing a human being can possess. The only people who know that are people who have had to live without it. If you’ve grown up free, you don’t know what it means.’ After that escape, the sale of fabric and cloth was closely controlled in East Germany.” “Gorbachev would tell Honecker, simply, ‘Life punishes those who delay.’” “’’What is right will always triumph’. —President Ronald Reagan” If you're interested in seeing my review on Good Reads (with images), here's the link MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad. .

Sorry that you're not loving "Pillars of the Earth". I read it years ago and loved it back then. Many have said that Amber and Scarlett are similar. I actually loved Scarlett and liked Amber just fine, lol! I'm not like either of them at all, however. I have to read that William Steig piece. We loved his books so much. I think that we still have most of them. Junie, you are too kind. Thank you. Thank you all for your kind words re: photos and trip. I thought to only share one a week since I don't want to overwhelm, or maybe just one from each destination? Probably the same thing. We have so many. I just don't want to overdo it.

Hi Robin! One of the books that I've read recently took place in Alaska, so maybe that counts. Thank you everyone for the loving and warm wishes re: our trip. We went to Spain and it was wonderful. If you all don't mind and are interested, I may share one photo each week from our trip, until at least it gets to be too much? Here's one from the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - the unfinished cathedral designed by Gaudi that's expected to open by 2026. This is the number two top attraction in all of Spain. This church has the most amazing stained-glass windows. I read: Forever Amber - 4 Stars - I loved this book, even though much of it felt like waiting for a storm that’s about to happen. I felt sorry for Amber who loved a man far more than he loved her. She made one bad decision after another, leading to mayhem and self-destructiveness. Although Amber is not the most likeable of characters, I found myself caring for her, and even rooting for her at times. I gave this four stars, because I thought that the ending was abrupt, but overall it was a fabulous story. If you enjoy historical fiction, you will probably like this. The book is set in 1600s England and is well-researched. Major events such as the Black Death/Great Plague and the Great Fire of London take place. Finally, a bit of trivia about this book. I would not have known all this if it wasn’t for a review that I saw on Good Reads. When the musician/actor/writer Artie Shaw was married to a young and beautiful Ava Gardner, he was disappointed that instead of reading an intellectual book, she was reading “Forever Amber” which he considered to be trashy and romance. Lo and behold, just one year later, he left Ava Gardner and married the author of this book, Kathleen Winsor! Actually, he ended up being married eight times. His wives included Lana Turner. Both Lana Turner and Ava Gardner described him as being controlling and emotionally abusive. Sounds like it. My favorite quote: “’Oh,’ she breathed unhappily. ‘They look like gods!’ ‘Even gods, my dear, use a chamber-pot,’ said Charles Hart.’” and The Great Alone - 5 Stars - What an incredibly beautiful story! This was the third book that I have read by Kristin Hannah and I believe that her writing is truly improving with each one. The story is set in 1974 Alaska. A book like this that is so emotionally charged, atmospheric, and where I cared deeply for so many of the characters is a rarity. Some of my favorite quotes: “Two kinds of folks come up to Alaska: People running to something and people running from something. The second kind -- you want to keep your eye out for them.” “So they would try again in a new place, hoping geography would be the answer.” “Books are the mile markers of my life. Some people have family photos or home movies to record their past. I’ve got books. Characters. For as long as I can remember, books have been my safe place.” “A girl was like a kite; without her mother's strong, steady hold on the string, she might just float away, be lost somewhere among the clouds.” “Love and fear. The most destructive forces on earth. Fear had turned her inside out, love had made her stupid.” “She loved that her grandmother was a complex mixture of optimism and practicality.” MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Aaaw, thank you! The book cover you posted is just lovely. We were on vacation for most of May and have just returned. I can't wait to catch up on everyone's posts!

Robin, Happy Easter to you and Happy Easter and Passover to everyone here. Hope that your day is as productive as can be! I need to have a book-buying ban. Oh dear. I have far too many books, more than enough that I'll ever need. I read Everything I Need to Know About Family I Learned from a Little Golden Book - 5 Stars - I love these Little Golden Books for adults. Little Golden Books take me back to my childhood. When I was in second grade in Tehran, my teacher at our international school, gave us the address for a bookstore that had the Little Golden Books. It was hard enough to find English books in Tehran, never mind the Little Golden ones. Oh, how I loved the days that my mom or dad would take us there! MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Rosamunde Pilcher Kindle books on sale today Coming Home September Voices of Summer

I got this one recently.

Thank you, dear Kareni. Your comment made me smile. Many don't know who Tim Gunn is. He was on "Project Runway". I probably wouldn't have known him either, had it not been for my daughter. I hardly watch any TV these days and am definitely out of it when it comes to pop culture.

I read The Academy - 3 Stars - This is a short story and an introduction/prequel to the Tracy Crosswhite series. It was a fun and light read. I look forward to reading more in the series. Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible: The Fascinating History of Everything in Your Closet – 4 Stars - I adore Tim Gunn, and reading this book was an absolute delight. It had two things that I love – history and fashion. As with his other books, Tim Gunn’s writing style makes it all so interesting and fun. While reading it, I could almost hear his voice narrating, which made it even more enjoyable. I cannot share images here. If you wish to see my Good Reads review with images, here's the link. Some of my favorite quotes: ON AMERICAN FASHION DESIGNERS “I am especially concerned that American fashion not be forgotten. Once, I met the head of a hot design school in the Netherlands, and she expressed nothing but contempt for American design – an attitude I find very offensive when espoused by Europeans and downright tragic when held by Americans. When I look through ‘Project Runway’ applications, I am always struck by how few American designers are cited in their influences section. Invariably, the only designers they name are Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior, and Coco Chanel – often misspelled ‘Channel.’ You only rarely see American designers listed. If you do, it’s usually Donna Karan. (I don’t understand why people don’t write Michael Kors – even just in their own political self-interest.)” “American fashion designers are doing so much in spite of severe disadvantages in the global fashion world. First of all, they have always needed to make money from their work. They’re not subsidized by the textile mills, as the French are. And they haven’t enjoyed any of the design piracy protections that exist in Europe. It’s hard to be a designer in America! It takes a lot of courage and feistiness. In short: up with America; up with fashion. If I never get invited back to Europe, or to another conference on structural garment design, I can live with that.” ON ATHLETIC WEAR “All over America, you see women in yoga pants and men in sweatpants, even when they are not on their way to or from a yoga class or softball field. When I fly, I see so many sweat suits – even pajamas – on my fellow travelers that it’s as though the airplane were the sleeper car of a train bound for summer camp or a gym in the sky, not a public space for business people and vacationers.” “This explosion of athletic wear and rompers is very ironic when you think about how much more sedentary we've become. As we've become less active and higher-tech, we're wearing more and more workout clothes.” ON FASHION MODELS “Fashion models today are so different from the women buying the clothes. That has not always been the case. If you look at issues of ‘Vogue’ or other fashion magazines from the 1950s, you’ll see models in possession of womanly (albeit spectacular) bodies and expressive, mature faces. Star models typically were over thirty, and they had curves. They just looked like extraglamorous versions of the women buying the dresses. It almost seems shocking now, when models are all in their teens and look as though they’re playing dress up. In 2011 there was a cover of French ‘Vogue’ featuring a ten-year-old model. Ten years old! Did she look ten? No, she looked twenty-five! What does that say to young people? I worry about the pressure this puts on teenagers and tweens.” ON FOOTWEAR HISTORY “… the long pointy, piked shoes (also called poulaines or crackowes) of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. An edict was passed in the 1300s banning all but the wealthiest citizens from wearing long poulaines. The clergy opposed these shoes for anyone, regardless of their station, perhaps because it was hard to kneel in prayer while wearing such pointy shoes. Also, perhaps, because they were overly phallic, especially when men wore flesh-colored ones with attached bells. The plague of 1347 was even blamed on the obscenity of the poulaine – nature’s retribution against inappropriate footwear as defined by the Church.” “All footwear until the middle of the nineteenth century was different from our modern shoes in one respect: they were made up of two straight shoes rather than one left and one right shoe. Shoes without distinction between the left and the right are called ‘straights,’ and would you believe that until 1900 – 1900! – many shoes were just that, such that you didn’t need to distinguish one shoe from the other?” ON GRAPHIC TEES “I’ll wear a graphic tee that says: ‘AIDS Walk,’ when I’m on the AIDS Walk. But generally graphic tees are for the young – and I’m not talking about the young at heart.” ON HAREM PANTS “Harem pants, one of the most costumey looks of the 1980s, sport a dropped crotch, which to me suggests you are wearing a diaper. Do any of us think that’s a good look?” ON MATCHING SHOES TO DRESSES “My advice: in so many cases, metallic hues can be your savior – in shoes, belts, and handbags. Women sometimes balk when I say that. My response: if you’re wearing jewelry, it’s probably silver, gold, or platinum. Why not do the same with your accessories?” ON PANTS, SOCKS, AND SHOES “So what’s the rule of thumb? Some say you should always match your socks to your shoes. Others say you should always match your socks to your pants. The correct answer is pants. And so in the case of jeans and brown shoes, I would go with navy socks. One note on sock-and-pant etiquette: if you’re wearing socks with dress pants, you should reveal no leg skin. It’s like a bare midriff: you don’t want to see it. It’s different if you’re wearing shoes without socks, which is fine in casual settings.” ON TRENDS “In my typical way, I declined to respond, saying that I didn't want anyone to run to a store just because I endorsed a trend. Besides, a trend is good only if it works for you, your wardrobe, and your lifestyle.” ON THE WRAP DRESS “The wrap dress is a very flattering style on any body type. You just need to make sure you fit the shoulders, and the rest of the dress takes care of itself. It makes women look feminine, pulled together, and at ease in the world. I encourage all women who are trying to update their work wardrobes to invest in a couple of flattering wrap dresses. It’s easy, one-step-dressing: it travels well, and it’s easy to care for. With a wrap dress and heels – a complete outfit that can fit in the average purse – you’re all set for a business meeting or dinner date.” Rick Steves' Pocket Barcelona - 5 Stars - Another incredibly helpful Rick Steves Pocket Guide. I love these since they’re small, light, and convenient to travel with. I also enjoy the color photos. His books are great, his vides on You Tube also, but his online forums are the best. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Kindle books on sale today. The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding (historical fiction) America's First Daughter (historical fiction)

Kindle book on sale today - Book 3 in The Cazalet Chronicles

You're welcome. I haven't read it yet. He is very conservative. To me, he makes so much sense. I've enjoyed every book of his that I've read so far.

Kindle book on sale today, by my very favorite, Dennis Prager.