While Zappos may be an easily recognizable name to anyone who shops online and loves shoes, Tony Hsieh is probably not. I knew of him because he was often profiled in business news for his unique take on the best way to run a successful company. Happiness. Zappos was consistently ranked in the top 10 of best companies to work for by numerous magazines—Forbes, Fast Company, ... Read More...
The Art of Bob Mackie
After a week of reviewing tense and scary novels I wanted to end with a book that was a sheer delight. As a child of the 70s I grew up with a now defunct form of television, the variety show. Two classics were The Carol Burnett Show and The Sonny and Cher Show. While their format may have differed, these shows had one thing in common, one thing that made them stand out. Bob ... Read More...
Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography
Suicide is always shocking to those left behind, but when it’s someone famous, someone with what looks to be a “dream” life, it feels even more inexplicable. This was the case June 2018 when Anthony Bourdain killed himself. Bourdain was a chef turned television personality who created the iconic No Reservations and Parts Unknown series. He traveled globally in search of great ... Read More...
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
It’s May 1940, but Hitler is already on the move, invading and collecting countries like Monopoly properties. In Great Britain, Prime Minister Chamberlain has lost the confidence of his party and is going to be replaced. It is a momentous time in the world and in British history. Winston Churchill fulfills his lifelong dream of being Prime Minister when he is chosen as the ... Read More...
The Stranger in the Woods
In case this news slipped by you, as it did me: In 2013 a man was apprehended at a children’s summer camp in northern Maine stealing food and supplies. Not particularly interesting except that when asked by the police he can tell them his birth date, but not how old he is—he has no idea what year it is. Further questioning reveals he has no address, no vehicle, no mail, none of ... Read More...
Marilyn: The Passion and the Paradox
August 5 will mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Marilyn Monroe and 50 years later the attention on both her life and death is still strong. In Marilyn: The Passion & the Paradox, Lois Banner goes beyond the plethora of material already published about this glamorous American icon. While it might be hard to believe that there is anything left unknown, Banner’s ... Read More...
