The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life by Steve Leveen

If you read books, you probably know of Levenger. Steve Leveen, co-founder of the company, has written a delightful book on how to get more out of your reading.

The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life covers everything from ways to find new books to read (and keep track of your to-read list) to something I thought I made up, having a shelf (or two or three) of unread books. I've often said I feel rich when I have books I haven't yet read to choose from in my "library." He has some ideas on how to read as well and encourages writing in books--but understands those that don't like to. I remember having loaned my uncle a book, which was a comparison between our country and Germany before Hitler rose to power. My uncle is vastly knowledgeable about Germany and the notes he penciled in the margin (questioning or agreeing with various comparisons) were fascinating to me. It was like having a conversation with him and greatly enhanced what I got out of the book. I almost always read nonfiction with a pen in hand.

If you like to read, and love books, I think this is a fun little book. He even has a term, book-love, for when you can't wait to continue reading a book. He writes "... living your well-read life is measured not by the number of books read at the end of your life but by whether you are in book love today, tomorrow, and next week."

The only thing I would add to his suggestions is to keep a shelf set aside for people you regularly exchange books with. It's much easier when they stop by to go find that book you thought they'd like than search through your shelves, at least if you have as many books as I do. I also have a special spot for "borrowed" books so I can easily return those to their rightful owners.

The Ten Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class

An interesting book, The Top Ten Distinctions Between Millionaires And the Middle Class. Nothing totally profound but yet worth thinking about and reminding yourself of periodically, if you want to grow and learn. The 10 distinctions are as follows--and no, I'm not giving away the whole book.

1. Millionaires think long term.
2. Millionaires talk about ideas rather than things.
3. Millionaires embrace change.
4. Millionaires take calculated risks.
5. Millionaires are always learning.
6. Millionaires work for profits rather than wages.
7. Millionaires think they should be generous.
8. Millionaires have multiple sources of income.
9. Millionaires focus on their net worth rather than income.
10. Millionaires ask themselves empowering questions.

The last is my favorite and perhaps the most unique, as I've certainly read the others many times before. My favorite example of this is that rather than ask "What's the meaning of my life?" ask yourself "What can I do to make my life meaningful?" Puts a whole different slant on the answers that come up somehow. Amazon is saying this is $26 but I bought it at Borders for $14 in hardcover. Not sure why the disparity.

Paris Trout by Pete Dexter

Oooooh, dark but yet good.

Kinds of Love by May Sarton

I picked up Kinds of Love: A Novel because I have loved May Sarton's journals. I haven't read much of her fiction however, so thought I should.

This started out a bit slow somehow. It's an older style. We expected everything fast these days, start out with a bang to let us know something interesting will happen and then do a flashback to bring us forward. This starts with character, rather than plot. Maybe. I don't think I'm expressing it quite right. But if you're used to reading today's "Wham Bam!" novels, you'll need to take a few breaths and take the first few chapters on trust.

It's hard to describe the plot. It's the mixture of the summer people with year-rounders in a New Hampshire village. It's the present mixing with the past. It's classes. It's nature lovers. It's young love and mature love. It's friendship and marriage, both good and bad.

Set in 1969, Christina and Cornelius, a couple who have "summered" in the village for years, decide to stay the winter. Cornelius has had a stroke. Christina has an old childhood friend in the village who is a year-round resident, Ellen. Ellen's son Nick came back from serving in the war "not quite right" and has violent episodes over protecting animals. Ellen bristles when people see the village in idealistic terms. She sees a hard life with a lot of work and hardship. Generation and class differences are discussed and accepted and set up against each other.

It's a hard book to describe. As I said, it started out a bit slow but soon I was unable to put it down and couldn't wait to get back to it. Much of it is as valid today as it was when written.