Balancing the Books

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mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0000

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'Collectible Spoons of the Third Reich,' and other strange-but-true book titles

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:22:00 +0000

Our friends from across the pond at Reuters have released their annual list of book titles that take the cake. The Mercury's ever plugged in Evan Brandt found these gems on the Web and passed them along. Some are funny, some just odd...

Crocheting beats the Reich for odd title prize

LONDON (Reuters) - Defying grim predictions that the economic downturn would clobber specialist books, the annual contest for oddest title has had a bumper year, with the 2009 winner being named on Friday as "Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes."

The book won 42 percent of the vote run by TheBookseller.com to emerge a comfortable winner.
The top six were as follows:
1. Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes
2. What Kind of Bean is this Chihuahua?
3. Collectible Spoons of the Third Reich
4. Afterthoughts of a Worm Hunter
5. Governing Lethal Behavior in Autonomous Robots
6. The Changing World of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Horace Bent, The Bookseller magazine's diarist, said "Crocheting" was always the front runner.

"It defended its poll-topping position despite strong support for the spoon-carrying Third Reich, once again attempting to muscle in on someone else's territory."

Bent added: "I confess that when the credit crunch began to bite British publishing, I feared for the future of this most prestigious of literary awards.

"Surely oddly titled books would suffer in a climate that was prompting publishers to focus on more bankable works -- like frankly lamentable biographies of Z-list "celebrities' and those depressing white books with doleful children on the cover."

"I believe Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes is a worthy champion to stand alongside the likes of 'Greek Rural Postmen and Their Cancellation Numbers' and 'Living with Crazy Buttocks' as winners of this distinguished award."

Philip Stone, The Bookseller's charts editor, said the magazine had received more than 4,500 votes, which had been a reflection of the oddest and therefore strongest shortlist in the 32-year history of the prize.

"I think what won it for Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes is that, very simply, the title is completely bonkers," he added.

"On the one hand you have the typically feminine, gentle and woolly world of needlework and on the other, the exciting but incredibly un-woolly world of hyperbolic geometry and negative curvature.

"In Crocheting ... the two worlds collide in a captivating and quite breathtaking way."

(Reporting by Stephen Addison; Editing by Paul Casciato)

3 new biz books reviewed by the AP

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 12:03:00 +0000

I'm going to start routinely running the Associated Press' Personal Finance Bookshelf feature here because 1) my company pays for this service; 2) we've no space to run it print-side; 3) these are interesting brand spanking new business books you'll likely be interested to learn more about; and 4) I'm an opportunist: This is a good thing feature, ready made that I can use, and I'm going to run with it.

So, here's the most recent installment of the AP Finance Bookshelf, which gives short reviews of 3 new books on finance topics. Enjoy!

Bookshelf: Budgeting fixes, economic IDs

By The Associated Press

One lesson from the Great Recession is that simplicity is a good thing. That's true both in managing our personal budgets and keeping the financial system afloat. Too many people and banks got stuck with complex financial obligations that they didn't manage properly, or in some cases simply didn't understand.
A couple new personal finance titles offer tips and proposals to help.
If you're looking to make your paycheck stretch a bit further, you may want to pick up "Be CentsAble: How to Cut Your Household Budget in Half." We also look at a couple of more issue-oriented titles, "Jimmy Stewart is Dead: Ending the World's Ongoing Financial Plague with Limited-Purpose Banking," and "Identity Economics: How Our Identities Shape Our Work, Wages and Well-Being."

Here's a look at the new titles:

TITLE: Be CentsAble: How to Cut Your Household Budget in Half
AUTHORS: Chrissy Pate and Kristin McKee
PRICE: $14 (paperback)
SUMMARY: Stay-at-home moms tend to be among the smartest when it comes to handling money. In an era of rising household costs, they have to be.
Pate, a former high school teacher, and McKee, a former financial analyst, outline everyday savings strategies that go beyond coupon clipping.
The focus is on four basic areas: groceries and personal care products; cleaning products and utilities; miscellaneous "other stuff" that has to be bought for families and homes such as shoes, gifts and pet supplies; and entertainment and travel. Along the way, the authors highlight "CentsAble Tips" in boxes designed to look like coupons.
The advice may not be all new, but it makes sense. Examples: Make a grocery list and stick to it. Stockpile gifts when items are on sale. Replace paper towels with cloth towels. And lower your thermostat by 2 degrees. Savings no doubt will add up if you follow these tips.
QUOTE: "We look at our methods and planning as earning money rather than saving it. We find that having a dinner plan each week, for example, means we can spend more time visiting with friends, playing with our children, or simply relaxing. Having a plan that also saves money means we have room for more fun in our lives!"
PUBLISHER: Plume Books
— Dave Carpenter

TITLE: Jimmy Stewart is Dead: Ending the World's Ongoing Financial Plague with Limited-Purpose Banking
AUTHOR: Laurence J. Kotlikoff
PRICE: $27.95 (hardcover)
SUMMARY: This book opens with a dire declaration: The honest, trustworthy banker that Jimmy Stewart portrayed in "It's a Wonderful Life" is gone. Kotlikoff, a Boston University professor and former economist with the President's Council of Economic Advisers, uses the classic movie as a springboard to argue that banking should return to its simpler past. His prescription for financial reform is what he calls limited-purpose banking. He proposes transforming banks into financial intermediaries that would connect borrowers and lenders with savers and investors. They would never themselves own financial assets other than what they'd need to run their operations.
QUOTE: "The proposition that banking as usual is essential to our economy as opposed to extremely dangerous is predicated on a quaint view of banks that bears little resemblance to today's reality."
PUBLISHER: Wiley
— Mark Jewell

TITLE: Identity Economics: How Our Identities Shape Our Work, Wages and Well-Being
AUTHORS: George A. Akerlof and Rachel E. Kranton
PRICE: $24.95 (hardcover)
SUMMARY: Akerlof, a Nobel Prize-winning economist from the University of California-Berkeley, and Kranton, a Duke University economist, explore the links between our identities and the everyday decisions we make about earning and spending money. Their goal is to add a more personal touch to economics. For example, market forces don't explain why the gap in smoking rates between men and women disappeared throughout the 20th century. Women began lighting up just as much as men because of changing gender norms, the authors argue. The book also shows how financial bonuses can run amok. In the banking industry, for example, financial incentives have motivated workers to do whatever it takes to ensure bonus pay, even if it might hurt the company and the economy. The authors' proposed fix: Get employees to identify with the company and its mission, so they advance its goals even without financial incentives.
QUOTE: "If employees think of themselves as firm insiders rather than outsiders, the pay differentials needed to induce high effort will be lower. The difficulties that arise when employees game incentive systems are also greatly reduced. Worker identification may therefore be a major factor, perhaps even the dominant factor, in the success or failure of organizations."
PUBLISHER: Princeton University Press
— Mark Jewell

The Ten-Year Nap

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:55:00 +0000

In "The Ten-Year Nap" (Riverhead Books, 2008, $16, paperback, 383 pp.)Meg Wolitzer writes about four female friends in New York who left their careers for motherhood.

Each of the four has a somewhat different take on that decision.

Amy Lamb, an attorney who plans to return to her legal career after maternity leave to have her son, Mason, finds herself in a decade long haze of enjoying stay-at-home mom-hood immensely while turning a blind eye to the family's growing debt that results from her missing income. Amy is the daughter of a renowned feminist novelist - a pioneer in making the case for women to work outside of the home. Talk about conflicted!

Jill Hamlin, best friend since college of Amy, inherited a large sum from her parents' business and no longer needs to work. After 9/11 and the adoption of an infant girl from Russia, she and her husband move to the New Jersey suburbs. There, Jill frets over her daughter's cognitive growth and makes a conscious choice NOT to make friends.

Karen Yip, math genius, leaves her job as a statistical analyst to raise her twin boys. Despite her love of numbers, Karen doesn't return to work. But she still thinks about it and, in fact, occasionally interviews for positions. She is invariably hired, but always refuses. No matter: Her husband, also some kind of math genius, makes tons of money.

Roberta Sokolov, starving artist, puts her work on hold to raise her son and daughter. She daily does projects which she considers "craft" and not art with the kids. Her husband, whose dream it is to be a puppeteer, takes a day job doing "regular" work to support the family.

As the title suggests, a decade after making the choice to exit the career track, the four friends find themselves at a bit of a crossroads. The children no longer need constant supervision. The women are no longer content just to carouse over brunch at their favorite diner.

Told from the viewpoints of these women, Wolitzer's intelligently-written novel seems very true to me. The dialogues, the petty arguments, the small personal triumphs - all of these seem pretty accurate with regard to discussions I've had with friends and mothers.

I would say one of the main themes of the book is that women are empowered to do anything they want - stay home with the kids, work, don't work, go back to work after a time, finish school -it's all OK. And no one's perfect.

There were some witty bits, melancholy bits, some sexy bits and some, well - snoozy bits. I thought the novel -hefty at nearly 400 pages - lagged a bit at times and so I occasionally needed to take my own nap. But overall, quite satisfying and insightful.

Wolitzer's other books include "The Position" and "The Wife," a New York Times Notable Book.

Doppelganger getting you down? Here's your chance to compare notes with Lisa Scottoline

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:46:00 +0000

Fans of Lisa Scottoline, take note. The New York Times best-seller will be signing copies of her latest novel, "Think Twice" (St. Martin's Press) at Costco, 201 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, on Saturday, March 27, beginning at noon.

According to a press release announcing the book-signing, Scottoline's latest thriller poses the question: "Is evil born in us or is it bred?"

Below is a synopsis:

Bennie Rosato may look exactly like her twin, Alice Connolly, but there's an evil to Alice that makes them two very different women. That's what Bennie thinks until she finds herself buried alive by her own twin. With her sister disposed of, Alice takes over Bennie's live, impersonating her at work and sleeping with her boyerfriend with the hope of escaping her own messy reality.

However, Alice's plan wasn't perfect. She underestimated her twin and the determination she would have to stay alive long enough to exact revenge. She also underestimated Bennie's anger threshold and her own penchant for evil. Now Bennie must face the fact that she is more like her sister than she ever could have imagined as she becomes locked in a war she cannot win - a war with herself.

Sounds like a real page-turner!

Notably, Scottoline pens a weekly column, "Chick Wit," for the Philadelphia Inquirer. She earned her bachelor's and law degrees from Penn before embarking on a career as an attorney that ended in 1986 when she took leave to raise her daughter and began writing legal fiction part-time.

Below is a list of her books:

Everywhere That Mary Went (1993)
Final Appeal (1994)
Running From the Law (1996)
Legal Tender (1996)
Rough Justice (1998)
Mistaken Identity (1999)
Moment of Truth (2000)
The Vendetta Defense (2001)
Courting Trouble (2003)
Dead Ringer (2003)
Killer Smile (2004)
Devil's Corner (2005)
Dirty Blonde (2006)
Daddy's Girl (2007)
Lady Killer (2008)
Look Again (2009)
Why My Third Husband Will Be A Dog: The Amazing Adventures of an Ordinary Woman (2009) Think Twice (2010)

To learn more about Scottoline, click here to visit her Web site.

Cranberry Queen: Silly title, good book

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:32:00 +0000

I was really taken with Kathleen DeMarco's 2001 novel "Cranberry Queen" (Hyperion, $12.95, paperback, 254 pp.)

Maybe because it had an unforeseen twist and was refreshingly, engagingly witty. But mostly because I started it on a plane ride filled with what seemed to be an unusual number of babies and wanted to be absorbed in a good story.

This Book Sense 2001 pick was the first novel written by DeMarco, a Philly resident and Penn graduate - now a lecturer in the school's cinema studies program. Her full name is Kathleen DeMarco Van Cleve, according to the Penn website. She has also written under the name Kathleen Van Cleve.

By the title and the first chapter, I expected the light diversion of chick lit. And there it was, perfectly entertaining, relating the story of thirtysomething Diana Moore and her hangups with her cheating boyfriend.

Wedged in the center seat between two dozing passengers, within sight of at least three babies who inexplicably NEVER CRIED DURING THE ENTIRE TRIP (??) I escaped the plane's drone and delved into Diana's seemingly carefree and self-absorbed life.

The Harvard grad with a successful career and Manhattan apartment is, even three years later, devastated by the boyfriend she thought was the love of her life who cheated on her with some random girl he met at a Knicks game one night. She now refers to him as "The Monster" to her close friends, who have long since exhausted their patience with the subject.

Her mourning of this lost and failed relationship is exacerbated by the fact that her brother has found love and is planning his nuptials. Diana laments her feelings on the situation to her mom and dad in Princeton - they speak on the phone daily - but is still having trouble getting past it.

At the novel's outset, Diana has to go to a wedding of a mutual friends, where her ex will be with his new girl.

Sounding quite Bridget Jones like, Diana thinks to herself:

"I will be the Perfect Single Guest. I will be the Katharine Hepburn (at 33, not 80) of the wedding. I am going alone. And I am not allowing myself one second of self-deprecation. Not one second" ... "I am anyone, anyone at all, but me, Diana Moore, brown of hair, nine of shoe, and wide of thigh."

And then something unexpected and tragic happens. I don't want to go into it, because the twist was a little shocking. I wouldn't want to ruin it for the next reader. I will say that the turn of events turns the story in a completely new direction, literally. And after a while, our resilient main character finds herself on a new adventure in New Jersey's Pine Barrens.

Her time in this rural and beautiful part of the Garden State is one of self-discovery, to say the least. She thinks of herself as two personas: The Smiling Idiot, who doesn't stand up for herself; and Foxhole Girl, her true fighting spirit. Somedays, the former smothers the latter. Strength vs. weakness; yin/yang. Inner demons we all battle with ... or at least I do.

"It is something, I think. It is me beginning ot take a step, me as a giantess, extending a leg over a miniature world of despair, reaching for whatever exists on the other side."

As a side note, Diana makes some new friends in NJ. One of them is a gorgeous but prickly woman who becomes a great friend. Diane herself is also described to be quite pretty, lithe, athletic. Despite the packaging, Ivy League degrees and enough material goods to get by, the two of them are rather grossly unlucky at love. I took this as some kind of lesson: You can possess everything you need and still be totally F'd up. Or, we all - even the beautiful among us - have work to do on ourselves, or something like that.

Anyhow, "Cranberry Queen" is a poignant, fresh surprising and sometimes hilarious read and I highly recommend it.

DeMarco has since published a second novel, "The Difference Between You and Me," Miramax Books. She is currently touring southeastern PA in support of her new young adult book, "Drizzle," under the name Katheen Van Cleve. Cute and interactive website complete with book signing dates in Philly and Lancaster may be found here.

Notably, according to the her web page for Penn's English department, Kathleen "Kathy" DeMarco has been the writing partner of John Leguizamo for many years, co-writing with him films such as "The Secret Life of Jesse Sanchez," (under option to Universal Films) and she has been the producer of numerous films, among them "Undefeated," "Pinero," "Joe the King" (which won the 1999 Sundance Film Festival Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award), "Big Shorty" (an animated TV series under option to Nickelodeon), "Sexabolix; a Love Story" (HBO Films)

Per the Penn site, DeMarco took her B.S. and B.A. (Creative Writing) from Penn in 1988--a dual degree from the Wharton School and the College of Arts & Sciences. She has been a consultant for NYU's Tisch School of the Arts M.F.A. dramatic writing program as well as for Tisch's undergraduate dramatic writing candidates.

She and Leguizamo are partners in Rebel Films, a NY-based production company.

Biz book-signing in Bethlehem March 25

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:29:00 +0000

Telford entrepreneur to hold book signing March 25

The Moravian Book Shop, 428 Main St, Bethlehem will host a book signing and presentation based on the 2008 book "Grow Your People, Grow Your Business" at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, by author and entrepreneur Karen L. Jett, CMA. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public.

Jett's presentation will cover the "secret" to growing a team of high performers. Jett will cover a four-step process to help staff work more independently, be able to create opportunities for sustained employee growth, and improve department productivity and quality.

With more than two decades of accounting and business leadership experience, Jett started her own business, Jett Excellence, in 2004 so that she could follow her passion for helping businesses and people to excel. She brings a unique business perspective to her clients by understanding the operation and financial challenges faced by leaders on a daily basis.

She has also developed an interactive ethics training system for small businesses, called “Questioning Ethics."

Jett holds associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in accounting from Montgomery County Community College and Temple University, and is a Certified Management Accountant. She was inducted into MCCC’s prestigious Alumni Hall of Fame in 2009. Jett has served as a past-president of the North Penn chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants and as a current board member of the National Speakers Association.

For more information about the book-signing, call the Moravian Book Shop at 610-866-5481. For additional information about Jett Excellence, visit http://www.jettexcellence.com/.

Ghost nonsense

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:07:00 +0000

Hated Rebecca Stott's novel "Ghostwalk," but I drudged through because my sister passed it along to me and she tends to have great taste. But in this case, maybe she was just trying to recycle.

Like Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code," "Ghostwalk" has a background story that is factually/historically rooted - here it is Isaac Newton's alchemical research and its consequences - that is mixed in with a modern-day murder mystery.

The mystery has to do with animal testing in England and Europe and suggests that there is an animal-rights group that goes around killing humans to make its point that animals are sacred. After the original researcher mysteriously dies, a woman is hired to finish a book based on Newton's work.

She gets mixed up with the militant animal rights group and goes a bit bonkers when the 17th century surfaces in her current time/place. A contemporary of Newton's - a ghost, hence the name of the book - haunts her and her friends and tries to kill her! I just didn't buy it.

Overall, I thought it was preposterous, tedious, and icky. But if anyone wants to give it a go, I have a copy for you.

Book related fundraiser for YWCA to be held March 19

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:29:00 +0000

Among the many organizations in Pottstown that need your help is the YWCA Tri-County Area. This agency does wonderful things to help women and children in the Pottstown area who are in need.

Their Adult Literacy Program includes GED tutoring and diploma assistance as well as organizng a network of trained volunteers to help women learn how to read and improve their prospects.

Their Parents Network program support group allows parents to meet for one or two hours a week with a facilitator. The children's group that meets in conjunction gives kids some time to work on crafts and enjoy snacks while parents seek help.

Their Women EXCEL group holds monthly breakfast meetings give professional women and businesses the opportunity to network, provide support and become aware of local commerce and trade. The group seeks to energize, empower and inspire women to reach their full potential.

Coming up March 19 is your chance to support the YW and have some fun at one of its major fundraisers of the year, this time with a book-related theme.

The YWCA Tri-County Area's 11th Annual Basket Party will be held on Friday, March 19, from 6 to 9 p.m. at North Coventry Elementary School, 475 Kemp Road, Pottstown.

The organization is currently accepting sponsorships as well as book-themed basket donations.

From 6 to 7:15 p.m., attendees can view and bid on themed baskets, purchase dinner from the buffet, bid on silent auction items and view live auction items. The basket raffle, door prizes and auctions will be held from 7:15 to 9 p.m.

Advanced tickets are $15 each or two for $25. Advanced table reservations (for eight people) are $100. Admission at the door is $20. Admission includes 10 raffle tickets. Additional tickets are available 10 for $15.

This year’s event is "All About Books." Basket donations with that theme in mind are being accepted. Choose a favorite book/story and build your basket around it. All basket contributors will receive 10 additional raffle tickets with their paid ticket. All baskets should be wrapped in cellophane with your name or company name, basket theme, and a list of contents. Deliver your basket to the YWCA no later than Monday, March 15. Basket pickup is available, call the YWCA at 610-323-1888 to make arrangements or for more information.

Sponsorship levels are also available. The gold level ($300) includes eight admission tickets, a reserved table and a full-page program ad. The silver level ($200) includes four admission tickets and a half-page program ad. The Bronze level ($100) includes two admission tickets and a business card program ad.

All proceeds to benefit YWCA Tri-County Area, which promotes the elimination or racism and the empowerment of women.

Above is their cute and colorful flyer, designed by Epps Advertising and printed by Complete Graphics.

Perhaps your business would like to become a sponsor and help out this tremendous organization. Or maybe you have some books lying around that you no longer need that you wouldn't mind donating to this cause. Plus, when you donate, you get an additional 10 raffle tickets with paid admission. It's worth combing the bookshelf for.

For more information about YWCA Tri-County Area, visit http://www.ywcatricountyarea.org/

Progress, or lack thereof, and some new personal finance books

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:24:00 +0000

Not a lot of time for reading/blogging this week. I was putting together The Mercury's annual Progress section spotlighting area business accomplishments. Look for it online at www.pottsmerc.com/business or in print this Sunday, Feb. 28.

Stories for the 12-page section were written by each of the Merc's three in-house reporters, me, and one stringer. Their four stories are all great reads, but I'm gonna tell you about mine:

I wrote about Limerick residents Doug and Deb Campbell. They faced the challenge of their professional and personal lives in September 2008, when their Pottstown properties burned to the ground after an accidental fire was set (kids playing with matches was the unofficial ruling). Luckily, none of their 54 tenants were killed in the fire. A few were injured jumping off the roof of the three-story structures to safety, as were some area firefighters hurt in the line of duty.

The Campbells decided to rebuild; their new buildings literally rose from the ashes. Once they went through the often frustrating process of getting all the necessary permits lined up, they started to rebuild in August 2009. This March, they will open up the newly rebuilt High Street Rentals at 538 and 540 E. High St.

Their story is just one of those to be featured in our special section. Please check it out.

But if, in the meantime, you were just itching for some personal finance book news, below is the AP's personal finance Bookshelf feature. Enjoy.

Date: 2/26/2010 10:33 AM
New titles cover personal finance from all angles

By The Associated Press

Financial well-being can be reached from a variety of paths. Several are charted out by money experts in new personal finance books.

In "One Year to an Organized Financial Life," the message to readers is to get off your assets and put your financial life in order, month by month, topic by topic. Organization, then, is the way to success.
The second title, "Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is," follows a more inspirational strategy en route to "portfolio peace of mind."
An alternative way of approaching things gets explored in "The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed." Its target audience may have no choice but to march to a different personal finance drummer in what the authors characterize as a world of mass layoffs and ever-shrinking benefits.

Here's a look at the new titles:

TITLE: One Year to an Organized Financial Life
AUTHOR: Regina Leeds with Russell Wild
PRICE: $16.95 (paperback)

SUMMARY: The Los Angeles-based Leeds, who dubs herself the "Zen Organizer," takes on finances in her third "One Year" book. Her overarching premise is that when things are in order, you'll feel calmer and more inspired.
To help put readers' financial lives in order, Leeds brings in Wild, a financial adviser with a few books of his own. But this book isn't about how to invest or where to stash cash; it's about taking control.

Leeds offers a month-by-month approach written in simple, straightforward language that begins with understanding your relationship with money and moves to decluttering your wallet, briefcase and office space. She offers a schedule for making sense of different topics, from bills to spending, taxes, credit cards and retirement accounts.
There's a chapter for kids and money, and one on controlling holiday spending. And while the book is set up like the calendar, Leeds notes you can start the 12-month plan at any time.

QUOTE: "Your budget is the foundation of your financial life. Without it you might be robbing Peter — say your 401(k) — to pay Paul — perhaps that four-star vacation you just put on a credit card."

PUBLISHER: Lifelong Books (Da Capo Press)
— Eileen AJ Connelly

TITLE: Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is
AUTHOR: Sue Stevens
PRICE: $15.99 (paperback)
SUMMARY: Some personal finance books are checklists summarizing all the things you need to do to be financially sound. Others are inspirational, focusing on a right-brained approach to your money. This one is a mixture of both, as underscored by the title.
The author, a former professional cellist turned financial planner at Vanguard, Morningstar and now her own firm, takes the reader through the basics in this 168-page book. Key points about budgeting, determining net worth, retirement planning, health care concerns and estate planning all are addressed.

But her primary message throughout concerns finding financial happiness and using money to support your highest intentions — employing a personal, conversational writing style and drawing on real-life stories to make her points. Underscoring her theme, she outlines a six-step process to achieve what she calls "portfolio peace of mind."

QUOTE: "By paying attention to a few key areas, you can transform your everyday relationship with money from frustrating to inspiring. Instead of endless worry, you can create a life that you look forward to living because it reflects who you are and what is important to you."
PUBLISHER: CreateSpace
— Dave Carpenter

TITLE: The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed
AUTHOR: Joseph D'Agnese and Denise Kiernan
PRICE: $15.00 (paperback)

SUMMARY: Salaried workers often take a lot for granted when it comes to their personal finances. Taxes are automatically withheld, and insurance and retirement plans are at their disposal. For freelancers and other independent contractors the lack of a financial plan can cause tremendous problems.

Just consider the unpredictability of their income from month to month, or working with clients who pay late. "The Money Book" lays out the key issues for workers who don't have benefits. It hits on the major themes of saving regularly, planning for retirement, and managing your taxes when you, the worker, are ultimately responsible. Its conversational tone makes it easily accessible for readers who aren't inclined to read about how to crunch numbers and budget.

QUOTE: "This is a book for anyone with a job that doesn't provide benefits. It's for anyone who is trying to plan for the future on an income that varies from month to month. It's also a book for the hardworking individuals who, by no choice of their own, find themselves juggling temporary jobs to make ends meet, none of which provide the kinds of benefits that most Americans rely upon."

PUBLISHER: Three Rivers Press
— Trevor Delaney

Book-related blogs I've admired lately

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:08:00 +0000

1) Awful Library Books

This site takes a look at outdated library volumes and pokes fun at them. At right is their pick of the day for Wednesay, Feb. 17: "Going for it: How to Succeed as an Entrepreneur" (Victor Kiam, aka "The man who bought the company," 1986). Funny to browse through the titles they unearth, from a time when there actually was a physical card catalog.

http://awfullibrarybooks.wordpress.com/

2) Book Club Girl
Fun and quite comprehensive blog about female-friendly book club reads. Lots of book and gift cert. giveaways. Impressive event calendar. Hooked up w/ all the social media. "Book Club Girl" herself is an anonymous book reviewer.

http://www.bookclubgirl.com/book_club_girl/

3) 26 Books

This blog was started in 2006 by one guy, Shane Richmond, to help him be self-motivate to read 26 books in a year (one every other week, give or take). Richmond said he made his goal with time to spare and decided that the following year, he'd ask some friends to join him on the blog, which continues as a group effort. So one or another of these folks always has a book to write about.

(Hmmm. I guess I never counted my number of books read for the year. Right now am stuck on my book 2 for 2010, "Ghostwalk" by Rebecca Stott. Keeps putting me to sleep.)

http://www.26books.com/

4) Paper Cuts

Written by the editors of the New York Times Book Review. Good stuff by our friends at the best paper in the country, 'nuf said.

http://papercuts.blogs.nytimes.com/

5) The Book Lady's Blog

An anonymous bibliophile shares her informed and interesting book picks and offers lots of fun book giveaways.

http://thebookladysblog.com/

6) Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

I'm not really a romance novel fan, I just really like the title of this book blog.

http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/

7) Jossey-Bass on Leadership

Wiley Books imprint delves out info on their stable of business writers, including Patrick Lencioni (whose work has been reviewed on my blog twice: "The Three Signs of a Miserable Job" and "The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family") and who just released his latest "Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding the Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty."

http://josseybassonleadership.typepad.com/josseybass_on_leadership/

8) 800-CEO-READ
Another site by a company promoting its books. Well-organized, with contests in which you can win books and stuff. But yes, they are trying to get you to buy books.

http://800ceoread.com/

And last but not least:

9) The Astonishing Blog

Written by Carolyn Turgeon, author of "Rain Village" and "Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story" (which I reviewed here). Very talented and imaginative storyteller who just happened to graduate from my high school.

http://carolynturgeon.blogspot.com/

Publisher seeks information on former Pottstown sports teams

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:22:00 +0000

Global Sports (www.sportsbooksempire.com), a sports reference book publisher based in Enumclaw, Wash., is seeking information on and memorabilia from the Pottstown Firebirds semi-pro football club and the Eastern Basketball League.

"What we are looking for are any original photos, programs, schedules, stickers, etc. that we can use in a project," said Global Sports Publisher Ed Kobak. "We also need any team photos and other team memorabilia such as programs, pennants, etc. and any official records that were kept. For photos and records, etc., we can accept images and would gladly offer (to pay) for any original memorabilia."

Anyone with information to share is asked to call Kobak at 310-454-9480 or e-mail him at globalnw@earthlink.net.

The latest Lisa Montgomery book signings in the area

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:16:00 +0000

Raw food enthusiasts/fans of Lisa Montgomery, take note:

Below is an updated book-signing schedule from Royersford resident Lisa Montgomery, author of "Raw Inspiration: Living Dynamically with Raw Food" (2009, Martin Pearl Publishing, $20, 184 pp.):

*Saturday, February 20, 2010 11 - 2, book signing/tasting - Kimberton Whole Foods, Downingtown, PA

*Saturday, March 13, 2010 - 12 - 2 Book Signing/tasting - Barnes & Noble - North Wales, PA

*Saturday, March 20 -11 - 2, Book signing, tasting - Kimberton Whole Foods - Kimberton, PA

*Saturday March 27, a.m. West Chester University - Montgomery will be a vendor (book signings/tastings) at the Integrative health Conference featuring Olivia Newton John

*Saturday, April 10 9 to 5 , Full Day Workshop - Pure Body - Douglassville

*Saturday, April 17, 11 to 2 - book signing/tasting - Kimberton Whole Foods - Kimberton, PA

To learn more, visit Montgomery's Web site,
http://www.livingdynamically.com/

Stories Yann Martel wrote before 'Life of Pi'

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:56:00 +0000

I listened to the audiobook version of Yann Martel's novel "Life of Pi" last summer on a 5-hour road trip to one of my favorite places to golf and swim in PA, Treasure Lake.

The story started off slow but picked up momentum as the story focused on a boy who is trapped on a small boat adrift at sea with a big tiger for many months. (Tough for that scenario not to be interesting.) Both survive, and without a doubt Martel's power of imagination is revealed through twists and unexpected turns of the suspenseful tale.

"The Facts Behind the HELSINKI ROCCAMATIOS" (1993, Harcourt Inc, 209 pp., $13 - paperback) is a collection of three stories and a novella that pre-date his Pi adventure. Curious to see what Martel would do with the short-fiction genre, I picked it up at my fave used bookstore (Gently Used Books of Douglassville).

The novella (of the same name as the collection) details a friendship between two young male college students in Toronto, one of whom learns at the tender age of 19 that he is dying of AIDS. He contracted the illness via a blood transfusion after a car wreck in a foreign country when he was 15 and doesn't start to get sick until he gets to college.

So the non-sick friend invents this epic tale for the two to create while the sick friend is convalescing. It involves an Italian family in Finland and what happens to them over the course of a century. The two friends take turns with the years.

I was curious about this fictional family, however, the novella is constructed so that we never read about the Roccomatios - only about a sort of made-up timeline that goes along with the Roccomatios' tale. That timeline's events vary by what's going on with Paul, the sick boy's, health. As his health gets worse, so do his and his friend's depictions of the events of that fictional world.

It's a couple of stories within a story, with the larger tale being the surviving friend's reaction to Paul's dying and death. The Roccomatios' story I could care less about. It was a construct for this larger, overall story. The overall effect, I think, was kind of brilliant. The novella itself, a little dull.

As for the short stories in this collection, they are memorable and also imaginative. It's clear that Martel of 17 years ago was trying out his writing chops here, before he went on to win the Booker Prize with "Pi."

One of the stories is a collection of letters from a prison warden to a mother after her son is executed. Each one is nearly identical, always about a prisoner named Kevin Barlow, detailing what he ate before being put to death, and his demeanor. Every Kevin Barlow wants something different to eat and every Kevin Barlow reacts to his impending death differently. As does the warden. Weird - and dark - story, but interesting.

Another is about an old woman who has a machine that can make mirrors using sand, silver, and a stream of memories.

The stories zipped along for me quicker than the novella. Interesting to read even if not the greatest short fiction ever (that might just be Raymond Carver, in my humble opinion).

Pictorial history book features DVD of interviews with 16 Boyertown folks

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 12:49:00 +0000

If you're interested in learning more about this Berks County town or simply want to remember it as it once was, you may want to check out "Coming Together—Interviews with Special People from a Very Special Kind of Place—Boyertown, PA," a two-hour DVD included with Boyertown’s second pictorial history book.

The DVD compiles interviews of 16 men and women of Boyertown’s past and present.

In addition to taking a look at the lay of the land and the town's civic and service organizations, the book and DVD focus on the town leaders and community volunteers who have devoted their time to Boyertown since it was chartered in 1866.

The book includes a look at Main Street businesses, everyday life, and scenes of the area.

Each chapter of the 169-page volume has a differenc author, providing a variety of "voices" to the effort.

Copies of the pictorial history book and DVD are available at the following Boyertown area locations: Bause’s Super Drug Store, 42 E. Philadelphia Ave.; Crown Card and Gift, Gilbertsville Shopping Center; Twin Turrets Inn, 11 E. Philadelphia Ave.; Gracefully Framed, 135 E. Philadelphia Ave.; Studio B, 39A E. Philadelphia Ave.; and the office of Building a Better Boyertown, 12 N. Reading Ave.

Contact Building A Better Boyertown’s Main Street Manager Heather Oxenford at manager@boyertownpa.org or 610-369-3054 to order a copy of the book and DVD through the mail. Cost for soft-cover and DVD is $31.79; Hardcover with DVD, $52.99 (prices include tax, please add $10.35 for shipping and handling).

Boyertown native offers free e-book

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:48:00 +0000

Marshall E. Wren, a 1965 graduate of Boyertown Area High School and current adjunct professor at Colorado Technical University, has announced that he has published "Simeon’s Witness: Volume I of The Origins, History and Purpose of Mankind, Revisited Series," a novel in E-book format.

Wren's brief description of the work, eight years in the making, is as follows:

"A family in a future world, a father preparing his son for a destiny which lies ahead, with the primary textbook for this preparation being the history of a world known as Earth."

Read the book for free on his Web site, http://webpages.charger.net/mewren.

Per his Web site, Wren is a graduate of Ursinus College, with a bachelor of arts in philosophy and religion, and of Colorado Technical University with an MBA in health care management. He is currently positioning to pursue a doctorate of theology in christology and neurotheology.

Wren worked for 16 years as an underwriter and vice president of marketing in the property and casualty insurance industry. He later worked 17 years as a computer software developer, and subsequently as a manager of an assisted living facility.

He is currently an adjunct faculty professor, as well as a faculty mentor and coach, with Colorado Technical University in their Health Science College teaching a healthcare management associated course of instruction via the university’s online virtual campus.

Wren was recently recognized by his students and peers as CTU On-line’s 2009-2010 Educator of the Year in the Category of Leadership.

He describes Simeon's Witness as the culmination of years of amateur ancient history research, archeological readings, religious and philosophical study, along with a passion for science, technology, and theoretical physics.

Miles from Nowhere

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:34:00 +0000

I am so addicted to bookstores. I love to leisurely browse the shelves and see what speaks to me.

On a recent trip to a major book retailer, Christmas giftcard in hand, I did just that and came away with "Miles From Nowhere" by Nami Mun, Riverhead Books, 2009, 286 pages, $14.00 (paperback).

I opened the book an read the first paragraph, which begins: "I'd been at the shelter for two weeks and there was nothing to do but go to counseling or lie on my cot and count the rows of empty cots nailed to the floor or watch TV in the rec room, where the girls cornrowed each other's hair and went on about pulling a date with Reggie the counselor because he looked like Billy Dee Williams and had a rump-roast ass. I didn't see a way to join in, but I didn't feel like being alone, either."

I was intrigued and wanted to stay with this lonely narrator, 13-year-old Joon, and find out where she was going from that point.

Cursed by parents obsessed with their own dramas who don't care if she lives or dies, Joon takes to the streets and survives - sometimes barely - on her own wits. We go along for the ride with her as she spirals into addiction, is beaten, used, taken advantage of in so many ways. But she survives, and on the streets that is success of a sort.

It's the way the story is written that is captivating. It's spare and wise, unemotional and blunt, bold and painful. The tone doesn't apologize, it simply reveals.

During the course of the novel, which is set in 1980s New York City, the young Korean girl finds work as a dancer/hostess, newspaper hawker, drug dealer, makeshift hooker, Avon lady in the ghetto, nursing home activities assistant, and as a delivery girl for a sandwich joint. She quickly - very quickly - becomes addicted to heroin and will gladly try any drink or drug she can get her hands on, just to escape for a moment the brutality of the life she's chosen.

Joon knows the street life is no good for her, but she can't find a way to climb out of it (when she does, someone is always there to show her the way back down). She's often homeless, sleeping on a ferry some nights, the subway on others.

"At night I used to ride the ferry back and forth, from the city to Staten Island. I'd watch the diamond lights smearing the wet window glass or stand out on the windy deck as the regulars sat crooked, drinking their pints and shouting about different kinds of loss."

At one point, she's sharing an apartment with 20 people taking turns on the one mattress. If it's not your "night," you're on the floor or in the bathtub. But if you do favors for the person who has the mattress for the night, well, then, you may just get so sleep a few inches off the flor.

The apartness Joon feels from her own situation, from the street life, is apparent and compelling. She does make friends along the way: Knowledge, her protector from the shelter; Benny, the bad-news boyfriend who keeps her on the needle; Tati, her crazy asian drinking buddy.

It turns out the novel is somewhat autobiographical. Like Joon, Mun is Korean, grew up in the Bronx, and, according to the book jacket, has in her lifetime worked as an Avon lady and activities coordinator for a nursing home.

This is her debut novel. A bestseller, it was shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers.

It's no-holds-barred glimpse into the netherworld of every American city. We are invited into Joon's bleak world and are treated to beautiful descriptive passages at times when it seems all hope is lost.

I was rooting for Joon to not only survive, but find her place in the world. A worthwhile read, if bleak and brutally honest. The glimpses of hope and beauty are enough to sustain you through this short, readable novel.

Holden Caulfield stays mum for now

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:56:00 +0000

Did J.D. Salinger write a novel - or 10 - to rival "The Catcher in the Rye"?

We may never know.

Though there's much speculation about the unpublished writings of one of the most-talked about novelists of our time, time will tell if his family will release them - if indeed any writings exist.

The reclusive Salinger, who died on Jan. 27 at the age of 91 in New Hampshire, remains an enigma. The mass adoration of his 1945 classic caused him to run for cover.

I admit, I would salivate to see more of Salinger's shorter works. At least he did see fit to publish "Franny and Zooey," "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters," and "Nine Stories," the collection that contains two of my fave stories "For Esme with Love and Squalor," and "A Perfect Day for Banana Fish."

And yes, a "new" novel would be a dream come true. Too bad the guy had to die before we could see it (possibly).

Below, The Assocated Press asks the question that's foremost on the fan's minds.

"What’s in J.D. Salinger’s safe?"

By the Associated Press (1/29/10)

NEW YORK — So what about the safe?

The death this week of J.D. Salinger ends one of literature’s most mysterious lives and intensifies one of its greatest mysteries: Was the author of "The Catcher in the Rye" keeping a stack of finished, unpublished manuscripts in a safe in his house in Cornish, New Hampshire? Are they masterpieces, curiosities or random scribbles?

And if there are publishable works, will the author’s estate release them?

The Salinger camp isn’t talking.

No comment, says his literary representative, Phyllis Westberg, of Harold Ober Associates Inc.

No plans for any new Salinger books, reports his publisher, Little, Brown & Co.

Marcia B. Paul, an attorney for Salinger when the author sued last year to stop publication of a "Catcher" sequel, would not get on the phone Thursday.

Salinger’s son, Matt Salinger, referred questions about the safe to Westberg.

Stories about a possible Salinger trove have been around for a long time. In 1999, New Hampshire neighbor Jerry Burt said the author had told him years earlier that he had written at least 15 unpublished books kept locked in a safe at his home. A year earlier, author and former Salinger girlfriend Joyce Maynard had written that Salinger used to write daily and had at least two novels stored away.

Salinger, who died Wednesday at age 91, began publishing short stories in the 1940s and became a sensation in the 1950s after the release of "Catcher," a novel that helped drive the already wary author into near-total seclusion. His last book, "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour," came out in 1963 and his last published work of any kind, the short story "Hapworth 16, 1924," appeared in The New Yorker in 1965.

Jay McInerney, a young star in the 1980s thanks to the novel "Bright Lights, Big City," is not a fan of Hapworth and is skeptical about the contents of the safe.

"I think there’s probably a lot in there, but I’m not sure if it’s necessarily what we hope it is," McInerney said Thursday. "’Hapworth’ was not a traditional or terribly satisfying work of fiction. It was an insane epistolary monologue, virtually shapeless and formless. I have a feeling that his later work is in that vein."

Author-editor Gordon Lish, who in the 1970s wrote an anonymous story that convinced some readers it was a Salinger original, said he was "certain" that good work was locked up in New Hampshire.

Novelist Curtis Sittenfeld, frequently compared to Salinger because of her novel "Prep," was simply enjoying the adventure.
"I can’t wait to find out!" she said. "In our age of shameless self-promotion, it’s extraordinary, and kind of great, to think of someone really and truly writing for writing’s sake."

Some of the great works of literature have been published after the author’s death, and even against the author’s will, including such Franz Kafka novels as "The Trial" and "The Castle," which Kafka had requested be destroyed.

Because so little is known about what Salinger was doing, it’s so easy to guess. McInernay said he has an old girlfriend who met Salinger and was told that the author was mostly writing about health and nutrition. Lish said Salinger told him back in the 1960s that he was still writing about the Glass family, featured in much of Salinger’s work.

But the Salinger papers might exist only in our dreams, like the second volume of Nikolai Gogol’s "Dead Souls," which the Russian author burned near the end of his life. The Salinger safe also could turn into a version of Henry James’ novella "The Aspern Papers," in which the narrator’s pursuit of a late poet’s letters ends with his being told that they were destroyed.

Margaret Salinger, the author’s daughter, wrote in a memoir published in 2000 that J.D. Salinger had a precise filing system for his papers: A red mark meant the book could be released "as is," should the author die. A blue mark meant that the manuscript had to be edited.

"There is a marvelous peace in not publishing," J.D. Salinger told The New York Times in 1974. "Publishing is a terrible invasion of my privacy. I like to write. I love to write. But I write just for myself and my own pleasure."

What're the odds?

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:48:00 +0000

I guess it's close enough to Groundhog Day for a little Deja Vu.

Just a couple of weeks ago I reviewed "That Old Cape Magic," by Richard Russo, about a guy named Griffin who's having some marital problems. Shortly thereafter, a novel called "Say When," by Elizabeth Berg was recommended to me by a coworker. It's about a guy named Griffin who's having some marital problems.

What're the odds?

While I did enjoy Berg's writing style, and I give her props for writing from the male point of view for the first time, I will admit was annoyed when I picked up the book. "Ugh. Another divorce story ... Fantastic." I almost said "when" right then.

But I wanted to read the book. My friend Pat who gave it to me has exquisite taste in so many things. I wanted to see what she liked about this novel.

The protagonist, Frank Griffin, is a guy who's pretty content with his life. His wife is his best friend, and together they have a precocious 8-year-old daughter named Zoe, a comfortable home.

So when his stay-at-home-wife, Ellen, tells him she's having an affair, Griffin's world is pretty well rocked. Ellen, who was Griffin's college sweetheart, doesn't want to leave the house or Zoe, but after discovering Griffin's not about to leave (he is, after all, the wronged party), she moves out and continues her affair with her lover, and asks him for a divorce.

But she's not completely out of the picture. She and Griffin alternate nights at the family home with Zoe after school.

Meanwhile, Griffin struggles to come to terms with the end of his marriage. Is it worth saving? Staying strong for his daughter keeps him from entirely losing it. He and Ellen proceed to have a lot of painful and bitter fights.

Griffin keeps himself busy with a seasonal job playing Santa at the local mall, and taking the beautiful and too-understanding (divorced herself) Santa photographer out on a couple of dates.

Griffin starts to learn about himself and to take responsibility for his role in the problems with his relationship with Ellen. His personal growth and change is the interesting part of the novel for me. The acrimony and petty insults that surround the dissolving marriage, not so much. I admire him for his attempts to get Ellen back, even when it seems there's no hope left.

In the end, "Say When" was a worthwhile read. The characters, their dialogues and relationships are real. I got over my annoyance with the subject matter and finished the book just to find out what happened. When you want to know what becomes of the character, that's when I think you're invested.

Incidentally, I read that Elizabeth Berg - a former nurse - writes only one novel a year (I don't know if that's true), and that she has quite a following who wait for that yearly tome. Thus far she's published 10 novels, including New York Times bestsellers "Never Change" and "Open House," which was an Oprah's Book Club selection in 2000.

You'll want to be privy to these private lives

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:30:00 +0000

When I finish a good book - one that takes me out of my life, away from the droning of a plane's engine, a cold doctor's office, a mediocre day, and into a story - I go through a little mourning period. Now I have to find another book, and will it be as good?

That's how I felt after finishing Rebecca Miller's "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee," (2008, Canongate Books, 231 pp.).

I devoured this book in a couple of sittings. I didn't know when I was reading the novel that it was Miller's first (she is the author of a book of stories, "Personal Velocity," and director of movies, "The Ballad of Jack and Rose," the film version of this novel), or that she is the daughter of famed playwright Arthur Miller and photographer Inge Morath, and wife of actor Daniel Day-Lewis.

When the novel begins, we are introduced to Pippa Lee, a 50-year-old woman, married to an 80-year-old publishing mogul Herb Lee. Pippa is serene, loving, an accomplished cook and devoted wife. Herb's third wife, that is, but the one who is in it for the long haul - she's the one Herb calls his "true wife."

The couple, parents of two grown and successful twins, have just sold their Gramercy Park and Long Island properties and belongings and moved into Marigold Village, a retirement community where the plan is for Herb to transition into old age and Pippa to go along for the ride. Herb's had some heart problems, and he's supposed to take it easy now. But he still works constantly from his new "retirement" home.

But Pippa, known as one of the community's "young ones," is restless in "Wrinkle Village." She begins to fall into old, bad habits. We are given a glimpse of Pippa as a child, a teen, a young woman. The novel shifts from the third person (the present day) to the first person (the past). Young Pippa's actions fall more on the bad-ass side than you'd expect. Illicit affairs at 16, visits to sex clubs not long after, a latent addiction to uppers.

So when we return to to the present day, it's not such a shock to find Pippa drawn to the much-younger son of a retirement-community neighbor. Or Herb involved in a personal crisis of his own. But the tale's conclusion is not the ending we imagine when we first meet Pippa at her own dinner party, receiving compliments on her butterflied lamb, laughing about being relegated to a retirement community while still quite young and vibrant.

I won't spoil it further by telling you.

If, as the adage goes, we are the sum of our experiences, then Pippa the party-girl turned-housewife is the sum of hers. And following those experiences is an interesting ride.

"I don’t have all the answers," Miller said in a November interview with The Associated Press. "It’s more that I’m bringing up all sorts of questions and incongruities and things that don’t match because that’s what people really are, these anomalies. There are all these qualities that don’t match within people, and that’s what makes people individuals and makes them very difficult to understand and yet also interesting."

I knew, as the paperback book I picked up is graced with the beautiful face of actress Robin Wright Penn, that "Pippa" is now a major motion picture, directed by Miller, of course. It was released in the U.S. around Thanksgiving, and is not yet in any theater that I've heard of (maybe it's not a great film?). Stars include Blake Lively as a young Pippa, Alan Arkin as Herb, and Keanu Reeves as the drifter son of Pippa's neighbor. Also, Julianne Moore, Winona Ryder.

Though the movie is never as good as the book, I'm dying to see it.

At the end of the story, Pippa has a new beginning of sorts, and a new hope. Kinda like I'd like to feel:

"I feel an unfamiliar story unfurling in me. I have no idea how it will go, I don't know who will be in it. I am filled with fear and happiness," she says.

Not enchanted by 'That Old Cape Magic'

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:00:00 +0000

When I think about Richard Russo's latest novel, "That Old Cape Magic" (2009, Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, 272 pp., $25.95), one word comes to mind - annoying. It fell far from the mark, in my opinon, for the Pulitzer Prize winning author of "Empire Falls."

I only started to be less annoyed and actually begin to like the book and its protaganist, Jack Griffin, about two-thirds of the way through. That was when he and his wife separated and Griffin seemed to regain some humility. The pages preceding described ad nauseum Griffin's unhappiness with himself and his marriage.

True to her name, Griffin's wife, Joy, always looks on the bright side of their outwardly successful life, their well-adjusted daughter. Griffin wallows in doom and gloom, haunted by his own parents' seemingly unhappy union. It's as if he can't see the good in his life. His wife, his daughter, his career.

That's where it became tedious for me. Much of the book was about the marital argument. Who's right? Who's wrong? Who can do the most damage to the other without even trying? Ugh.

The novel begins and ends with weddings - one on Cape Cod and the second on the coast of Maine - just a year apart. One dead parent accompanies Griffin via ashes in an urn is his trunk to the first, another to the second.

Cape Cod was the stuff of Griffin's parents dreams. The family would summer there in rental homes, never able to afford to buy a place in their shangri-la. They would spend summers poring over real estate books, putting the properties they surveyed into two groups: "Can't Afford It" and "Wouldn't Have it as a Gift." Their dream was unattainable.

Griffin's parents taught college English and history courses at a midwest college, never quite making it to the bigtime - the Ivy League, and never seeming to have enough money to follow their dream of moving to the Cape fulltime. Their marriage crumbles late in their lives. Following her death, Griffin paints his mother as the unhappy voice in his head. Griffin unwittingly repeats his parents' mistakes in his own life.

More than once, when Griffin was hearing his dead mother's commentary in his head, I was reminded of Norman Bates being haunted by his mother's voice. I found the allusion creepy rather than comic, as the Washington Post's book reviewer seemed to find it: "It's a sign of Russo's comic genius that these two hilariously acerbic parents - one on the phone, the other in an urn - just about steal the show," wrote Ron Charles for the Post.

Like his parents, Griffin ends up a professor. He does them one better by ultimately landing at a private Connecticut college, where he yearns for his days as a screenwriter in LA. By the time this story begins, his 34-year marriage is on the decline, his daughter has grown up and doesn't need him, and he is in the middle of a midlife meltdown. The year-long span of the story details Griffin's experience with that meltdown.

What Russo does best is make us like the regular guy - Jack Griffin (for me, that affection was won after a time) despite his insecurities and his foibles. He also weaves plots, describes relationships (with the dreaded in-laws and siblings), and creates scenes that ring true with poignancy, humor and grace: The elder Griffins' beach rentals; the horrible wedding catastrophy where half the wedding party ends up at the local hospital.

All told, the Russo magic just wasn't in this one for me.

Nonetheless, I wouldn't be surprised to see the story on the big screen soon: I can picture the novel, with its two weddings and two funerals, failed and redeemed relationships, and the sometimes cliched Cape reminisences, easily translating to film.

The Rudolph Factor

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Though I didn't have a copy of this book to review prior to the holidays, I thought this book's name alone warranted a mention this week.

"The Rudolph Factor: Finding the Bright Lights that Drive Innovation in Your Business" by Cyndi Laurin and Craig Morningstar (Wiley, July 2009, $21.95) uses The Boeing Company as an example of how a large corporation needs only to focus on employees who are hyper-creative yet sometimes not in traditional leadership roles to ensure future success.

Laurin and Morningstar recommend turning to those employees who "light the way" for their coworkers, the "Rudolphs." They say "Rudolphs" are highly-engaged, creative thinkers that populate about 10 percent of every organization. But for the most part, they aren't the traditional company leaders, and their talents ,may go untapped, the authors state.

"Depending on the business culture, political structure, and reward system, Rudolphs either let their nose glow, or they cover it in mud so as to not create any career-limiting moves with their non-traditional, and generally unconventional ideas," Laurin said. "Obviously, the more progressive and innovative the business culture, the easier and safer it is for Rudolphs to contribute business-growing innovations or cost-saving solutions to their company's bottom line."

In the last decade, the "Rudolphs" of The Boeing Company helped the giant aircraft manufacturer turn around a cruscial division that was the edge of collapse.

Paraphrased from the book’s inside flap:

The Boeing Company aircraft manufacturers has struggled with the cyclical nature of demand for commercial aircraft. Between the challenging integration of the Rockwell and McDonnell Douglas employees into Boeing, competition from Airbus, and market pressure, the company was facing serious financial consequences ... until it managed a remarkable turnaround.

"The Rudolph Factor" explains how Boeing's journey back to excellence began a decade ago with the Boeing C-17 Globemaster, an Air Force cargo aircraft. Hampered by a toxic culture and struggling to stay alive, Boeing C-17 management and employees partnered with the Air Force to fix the program. They — all 10,000 of them — instituted a new set of progressive practices from the top down and from the bottom up.

This experiment was a smashing success. The C-17 Program continues to be so successful, in fact, that its leadership and employee involvement principles are currently being instituted throughout Boeing.

"The Rudolph Factor" uses Boeing C-17's success as a platform for teaching organizations how to elicit and benefit from the creative, revolutionary thinking of current employees. A small percentage of hypercreative, out-of-the-box thinkers can be the catalyst for organization-wide reform — if you can recognize and nurture their special abilities.

In a Wiley press release supporting the book, Laurin and Morningstar recommend the following ways to motivate the Rudolphs in your organization (a la The 12 Days of Christmas):

1) Give them ample time to shine. No one knows your company and its customers as well as your employees. After all, they are the ones closest to the processes that work and those that don't. That's why they are best suited to uncover the solutions that will make your organization a success in the New Year. But great innovation doesn't necessarily happen overnight, so it's important that you give your employees plenty of time to brainstorm their bright ideas.

"Allowing your employees time to brainstorm each day will likely produce some great cost-saving ideas," asserts Laurin. "Even if it's just for fifteen minutes. Some of the most progressive companies begin and end each workday with a five-minute huddle. It's a great opportunity for the Rudolphs in your workplace to shine!"

2) Include your Rudolphs in the reindeer games. Management often has difficulty solving problems due to a natural level of disconnect between their position and the work itself. "Start listening to the unlikely voices amongst your workforce," suggests Morningstar. "If a red nose is shining, pay attention! Include workers in strategy meetings, and ask for their opinions. You may be surprised at the solutions and innovation that is generated this way."

3) Be on the lookout for a red nose. If you aren't sure how to spot the Rudolphs in your organization, here's a tip: one of the most obvious signs of a Rudolph is that they light up when talking about their work. Maybe not literally like the nose of the most famous Rudolph of all, but you can definitely see and feel their passion for their work. To pinpoint your Rudolphs, look for a face that is shining bright and listen for a passionate voice, and that will be the person who can help you through your company's foggy nights.

"If you want to inspire this phenomenon in others, make sure you take the time to connect with your employees everyday," explains Laurin. "Ask them about their projects and ideas for improvements, and watch them light up with excitement when they speak."

4) Keep their curious spirit alive. Another surefire sign of a Rudolph is that they ask a lot of questions. And they have a tendency to ask those questions even when it isn't the most popular thing to be doing. It's important for you to understand that when your employees are asking questions, they are engaged and generally trying to gain a better understanding of the company's goals, which should be encouraged.

"Make sure you are not inadvertently discouraging their questions," warns Morningstar. "Encouraging questions in your employees helps you to develop a dialogue with them, and it encourages a dialogue for them amongst one other—precisely the way most great innovations come to life!"

5) Don't put your Rudolphs (or their ideas) in the corner. Most employees want to work in an environment that is safe, supportive, and offers them an opportunity to make a difference—it's our human nature. Rudolphs have a natural tendency to see their world through a lens of potential and opportunity. Encourage this type of thinking in all of your employees by listening to their ideas—even if they seem unrealistic or just plain crazy.

"Some of the greatest innovations in history seemed unrealistic or un-marketable at first," Morningstar explains. "For example, the concept of a wireless telephone was being discussed at the famous Bell Labs in the 1950s. Look at how many decades it took to come to fruition, and think about all the great ideas that could be simmering in your own organization."

6) Congratulate them on a job well done. One of the more interesting characteristic of Rudolphs is that they are not interested in self-promotion. Instead, they are genuinely vested in wanting their organization to succeed. And while they aren't looking for personal accolades, it's still a good idea to let them know that you've noticed their good work. It will keep them motivated in the long run.

"Make sure that all your employees understand how their individual work has contributed to the organization this past year," says Laurin. "It may seem trite, but a simple acknowledgement goes a long way in today's business cultures. Try taking advantage of the season and send a simple holiday card with a hand-written note thanking them for a job well done. You may be surprised at just how far a small gesture will go."

7) Reward your Rudolph with action. The greatest reward a Rudolph can experience is seeing their ideas in action. Encourage all employees to share their ideas, and have a system in place for reviewing them. Remember, there is nothing more de-motivating than being asked for ideas only for them to end up in some organizational black hole.

"Be prepared to respond to ideas quickly and briefly," says Morningstar. "And seek more information if the idea is not clearly presented. The only way to keep the creative Rudolph juices flowing is to encourage all ideas, good or bad, and to never discourage an employee from offering suggestions."

8) Encourage your herd to be, well, a team. Rudolphs are natural team players, and when they need help, they are generally not afraid to ask. To bring out the Rudolph-ness in everyone at your organization, make sure that the doors of communication are open. And give people an opportunity to collaborate with one another, if necessary, so that ideas can be shared, refined, and encouraged within your organization.

"It's amazing to meet workers who don't even know the person sitting in the cubicle next to them," says Laurin. "You may be missing out on some great ideas by simply not encouraging the great minds in your company to work together."

9) Be willing to branch out from the eight reindeer you know. Encourage diversity in thought as well as other types of traditional diversities. Many employees intentionally stop sharing ideas if their work environment is not conducive or if the perception is that management doesn't care. This can result in "million-dollar" ideas forever locked in people's minds.

"Make sure your organization recognizes diversity in thinking as a legitimate and unique human quality," adds Morningstar, "And you may also want to consider hiring employees with non-traditional or diverse backgrounds who may offer a completely unique and value-added perspective."

10) Give them some ownership over the workshop. Rudolphs are natural entrepreneurs, a quality many managers will tell you is a great asset to an organizational team. To encourage entrepreneurial thinking, be open with your employees about business information. Employees will feel a greater sense of ownership over your business if they have a basic understanding of the organization's current strengths and challenges.

"Keep in mind that this may require some basic training for all employees," says Laurin. "Every employee should understand the fundamentals of profits and loss, budget creation, and how their work contributes to the bottom line. Without a clear value proposition to employees, it will be difficult to reap the rewards of innovative thinking."

11) Let all your reindeer lead the sleigh (in their own special way!). Rudolphs tend to be natural leaders because of the way they define leadership. Rather than looking at leadership as a position on the organizational chart, encourage employees to lead from where they are.

"This can be easily accomplished by offering a new definition of leadership," asserts Morningstar. "Try to define leadership as 'a commitment to the success of people around you' or 'connecting people to their future.' With the appropriate verbiage in mind, all employees can start leading today!"

12) Always offer your Rudolphs the resources they need. Give them the tools, training, and resources they need to contribute to the organization's bottom line.

"And remember, your people are your most sustainable competitive advantage, and many are just chomping at the bit to make a significant impact to the bottom line," Laurin conclude. "So when you see those red noses shining bright, why not give them the chance to guide your company's proverbial sleigh this year?"

'The red tornado is Santa Claus'

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:47:00 +0000

I saw this book cover photo by the Associated Press on the wire, smiled, then wished I had it to review.

Not only am I feeling a little Scrooge-like (which will happen when you have a secondary job in retail during the holidays) at this point in time, but I also agree with the author's premise: That a lot of the gifts we give just become clutter in someone else's closet.

From The Associated Press' Bookshelf Roundup:

TITLE: Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays

AUTHOR: Joel Waldfogel

PRICE: $9.95

SUMMARY: This 186-page pocketbook measures just 4 by 6 inches in size, and invites readers to think just as small when it comes to holiday excess. Joel Waldfogel, an economist at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, goes beyond the obvious in arguing against habitual gift-giving.

Buying a tie that Dad will never wear or a toy that a child may use once, will hurt more than just your pocketbook and add to household clutter. Waldfogel argues all those ill-chosen gifts damage the economy, whether they're purchased using credit or not. He calculates waste of $85 billion each winter from holiday gift giving's failure at "allocating resources" — getting stuff to the right people who can actually use or enjoy it.

QUOTE: "The red tornado is Santa Claus. And despite the warm feeling he evokes in children, his tornado of giving does a perennially poor job of matching stuff with people. In so doing, he destroys a lot of value."

PUBLISHER: Princeton University Press

Free book, seminar propose to make you more productive

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:49:00 +0000

The Philadelphia Business Journal and Neen James (pictured below), president of Neen James Communications LLC have informed me that on Friday, January 22, I can attend a free "supercharged: seminar to jump-start my productivity and make 2010 my most productive year ever!

This description, the use of the word "supercharged" and the exclamation point have already scared me away. Plus the fact that my job doesn't allow me to jaunt off to Philly on workdays for a seminar, albeit free. That simply wouldn't be productive.

But you, reader, may reserve your spot now for the Supercharge Your Productivity seminar, where you'll meet Philadelphia Business Journal Publisher Lyn Kremer and special presenter Neen James, president of Neen James Communications LLC. James is an international productivity expert, author, and native Australian.

The seminar takes place Friday, January 22, from 8 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. at the offices of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, 200 South Broad St., Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19102. In addition to complimentary admission, light refreshments will be served and each attendee will receive a free copy of James' book "Secrets of Super-Productivity."

From the press release: Do you ever hear yourself saying 'there are never enough hours in the day?' Do you ever feel like you get to the end of the day and you haven't achieved anything? If you answered yes to these questions you need to hear productivity expert (and Aussie), Neen James share her practical advice on how you accelerate your business and start creating impact with super-productivity. It's not about time management; it's about focusing your time, attention and energy in the things that will deliver the best results for you and your firm. During these current times you need to stop being busy and start achieving! (again with the exclamation point!)

Program Details:

8 to 8:30 a.m.: Registration and Networking

8:30 to 9:15 a.m.: How to Make More Money with the Philadelphia Business Journal. Learn how to turn our business news into new business for you! During the seminar, you'll become resourceful at unearthing key information, prepared to achieve your sales goals, successful in recognizing sales leads, proactive in pursing warm leads and informed on what networking events are geared to your business.

9:15 to 9:30 a.m.: Break

9:30 to 10:15 a.m.: Super-Productivity: How to make 2010 your most productive year ever with Neen James, President, Neen James Communications LLC.

Although the seminar is free, registration is required. To register, visit Supercharge Your Productivity.

Quoth the Raven: Never before

mkaras@pottsmerc.com (Michelle Karas) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:23:00 +0000

The dark wordsmith Edgar Allen Poe, were he alive today, might brighten a bit to learn that his first published work fetched more than a half-mil at auction today - and set a new record to boot.

The rare, tattered copy of "Tamerlane and Other Poems" sold for $662,500 earlier today, smashing the previous record price for American literature. The 40-page collection of poems was published in 1827 by the author, who identified himself only as "a Bostonian" on these particular pages. According to the Associated Press, Poe wrote the book shortly after moving to Boston to launch his literary career.

The previous record is believed to be $250,000 for a copy of the same book sold nearly two decades ago, per the AP.

No more than 40 or 50 copies of "Tamerlane" were printed, and only 12 remain.
The record-breaking copy is stained and frayed and has V-shaped notches on the outer and lower margins.

According to a post on Marjorie Kehe's Chapter and Verse blog, the book’s owner is former television executive and rare book collector William Self. His 300-book collection, all of which goes on sale today, also includes rare works by Mark Twain, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens.
Self, who is 88, has told the press that were his children to inherit the books, they wouldn’t be able to afford to pay the taxes on them.

Kehe writes that “Tamerlane” is the Latinized name of 14th-century historical figure Timur, a Mongol conqueror and emperor. Although a fierce and controversial character with a mixed legacy, Timur was a great patron of the arts who, according to legend, knew a thing or two about rare books himself. His court calligrapher is said to have created two remarkable editions of the Koran, one so small that its text fit on a signet ring, and the other so large that it had to be carried in a wheelbarrow.

For my fellow poetry geeks, click here for the full text of "Tamerlane."