New Book Suggestions For Fall: fiction, how-to, relationships, careers, general interest and more

I have been getting a lot of books to review in my mailbox, and haven't had time to read them all. But I want to pass along some suggestions for some of the new books I've read recently, covering fiction, crafts, self-help, relationships, and career. There's something for everyone in this list!

Hungry: A Mother and Daughter Fight Anorexia (Paperback) by Sheila and Lisa Himmel (Penguin 2009) . I read this book when I was trying to change my own eating habits and eat healthier. I found myself really focusing on food, and how it made me feel. This book really gets right to the heart of our emotional attachments to food, and the socializing that works itself around eating. It is truly ironic that Sheila Himmel, a writer and food critic, spent her days eating and reviewing food, clueless that her daughter had an eating disorder and was starving herself. The story of Lisa's eating disorders is told in a quasi-diary form, alternating between Mother (Sheila) and Daughter (Lisa). The stores moved ahead through first-person recollections of particular incidents or time periods and the story ends at the present day. The actual writing isn't brilliant, but the concept of connecting two women with opposite views of food and where it fits into their lives, was fascinating. I find it interesting, almost amazing, that Lisa's parents didn't recognize what was happening to their daughter, but apparently, they wouldn't be the first to misinterpret the signs of distress in a child. As a writer, you can do something positive with your pain. The co-authors of this book use a difficult journey to provide very useful information for parents and potential eating disorder victims. It's not a "feel good" book, but if nothing else, it may help you more carefully examine your own eating habits. It might just save someone else's life, too.

Grammar is one of those subjects that everyone has to take in school, and no one particularly . likes. But good grammar is part of being a good writer and communicator, and it shows that you are an educated, literate person. My Grammar and I....or Should That be Me? How to speak and Write it Right, by Caroline Taggart and J.A. Wines (Readers Digest 2009) is an informative and straightforward look back at grammar lessons you missed, forgot, or never understood In the first place! You can review all the things you have forgotten about punctuation, spelling, parts of speech, sentence structure, and some elements of style, without having to suffer the gaze of your 8th grade teacher! This is a good book to keep on your desk...just in case you really don't remember the different between may and might, or what the plural of sheep or fish, is.

The Sweethearts' Knitting Club by Lori Wilde (Avon A - November 2009) is a sweet little fiction book that celebrates the underdog winning in the game of life and love. Jesse Calloway had a drug addicted mother and a father who died when he was too young to remember him. He ended up as a delinquent teenager and ended up in jail. But he was in love with Flynn McGregor, who also had a tempestuous childhood. Flynn and Jessie were sweethearts in high school, before Jessie ended up in prison. When he gets out of jail, he heads back to his hometown of Twilight Texas, where her re-connects with Flynn...and the sparks fly. Of course, Flynn is otherwise engaged. But Jessie isn't about to give up without a fight. The book has a few interesting twists and turns, but you won't have to wrack your brain for the happy ending...and it is definitely a feel-good.

I Before E (except after C) Old-School Ways to Remember Stuff by Judy Parkinson (Readers Digest) is another must-have for your reference This book offers up a lot of important if trivial bits of knowledge along with how to remember them. There's so much information in this book, I can't really describe it all, but you'll get info about everything from the four points of the compass (andhow to remember them,: NEWS-North East West South) to dealing with words in different languages, and a bit of everything encyclopedic. It is just a fascinating read, great for students and a way to increase your general knowledge.

Everyone knows someone who likes to dumpster dive, or frequent yard and estate sales. Some people do it because it's challenging. The treat it like a hobby, pointing with obvious pride to their bargain "finds." Others simply scavenge because they need to be frugal. The Scavenger's Manifesto by Anneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson (Penguin 2009) offers would-be or newbie scavengers the tools they'll need to do it right. Since Americans throw away something like 250 millions tons of trash each year, there's a lot of opportunity to pick through and discover "treasure." This book gets a bit mired down i it's wordiness, and some of the content seems to be filler that the editors insisted upon adding to make the book, more beefy. But the basic how-to is straightforward, and interesting. The tips may have you finding yourself scouring the roadside to see what you can "reclaim" for yourself.

Screw Cupid The Sassy Girls Guide to Picking Up Guys by Samantha Scholfield, (The Experiment 2009) is definitely not your mother's or even your older sister's dating book. It's a bold playbook for younger girls who don't feel like waiting to be asked out. Although many of the tips in the book are actually useful and practical, I didn't like the predatory vibe nor did I appreciate the fact that girls are supposed to use these tactics to seduce on "hot" guys. I guess, if a guy isn't a hunk, you don't have to seduce him so you don't need to use the tactics in this book. The one thing I do like is that for once, the book shows girls how to be players, turning the tables on all those "playbooks" for guys. But, two wrongs don't make a right. Sassy girls may get guys to notice them, and even get to that first date. But make sure you know what you're asking for. Game playing never mixes well with lasting love.

It may take you longer to read the title than to read the book, but Ambition is Not a Dirty Word A Woman's Guide to Earning Her Worth and Achieving Her Dreams by Debra Condren, Ph.D. (Broadway Books 2009) offers women some tips and tactics to defuse and deflect male chauvinistic behavior and disarm detractors, in the workplace. The information is provided in a clear, concise way, with no apologies for wanting to "get ahead." I liked some of the typical scenarios and the suggested ways to handle them. I also liked the empowering, reinforcing messages that women need to stand up for what they're worth. We believed it when the hair color commercial said "you're worth it." Now is the time to put that into action, in the workplace and at home.

Two just in time to create holidy gifts, craft books are: The Lampshade Lady's Guide to Lighting Up Your Life by Judy Lake (Potter Craft 2009) and Sew What Bags by Lexie Barnes (Storey Publishing). Both books require just a little knowledge and patience, to produce boutique-like results. The former offers up easy, intermediate and advanced projects to produce lampshades and table lamp bases for table lamps, using fabric, photos, even baby blocks. If you've ever wanted to cover up an ugly shade on a nice base, this book will give you the tools to do it. The latter book offers 18 pattern-free projects that you can customize starting with small items such as eyeglass cases and wristlets, and moving forward to totes, sacks, messenger bags and even organizers. Both books require some basic equipment, such as a sewing machine for the bags, and basic lampshade pieces for the lamps, but none of the projects are a major investment of time. Both books provide step by step instructions, diagrams and photos, to guide you to a successful result!