The Book Blawg

Too much reading, not enough blogging! Here's what I've been up to:

Little Men and Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott - I was getting tired of books about politics and money, so I pulled these off the shelf for a fiction break. Hadn't read them since I was a girl. Little Men should practically be required reading for mothers of boys, as I am.

The Covenant by Beverly Lewis - I really enjoyed this book, and can't wait to read the whole series. My only complaint is that it moves a bit slow, and since it is a series, many (well, most) of the plot lines don't get wraped up.

Money, A Memoir : Women, Emotions, and Cash by Liz Perle - Ms. Perle uses her life story to discuss the often complicated relationship that women have with money, as well as with men, power, and each other. The book gave me a lot to think about, but provides no easy answers.

Life Laughs : The Naked Truth about Motherhood, Marriage, and Moving On by Jenny McCarthy - When I reviewed Belly Laughs, I wrote: "Let's hope she doesn't write a sequel." Guess what. She wrote two. I couldn't finish this book fast enough. At least Belly Laughs had that "been-there, done-that" charm to it. This one wasn't even funny. I did get a lot of smug satisfaction out of learning that her breasts are droopy even though she didn't breastfeed, however. I am going to force myself to read Baby Laughs, and then I hope I can forget I ever read these books.

7 Money Mantras for a Richer Life : How to Live Well with the Money You Have by Michelle Singletary

Dream BIG!: A Roadmap for Facing Life's Challenges and Creating the Life You Deserve by Deborah Rosado Shaw

What these two books have in common are that they are both written by women of color who came from difficult circumstances yet became sucessful businesswomen. 7 Money Mantras begins:

In Rich Dad, Poor Dad style, Ms. Singletary relates the seven "mantras" she learned from her grandmother. The second half of the book covers the basics of saving, spending, and investing your money. She touches on debt, budgeting, estate planning, caring for a relative with a disability, financial planning, and so forth. No one topic gets in-depth coverage, but she adequately summarizes what you need to know.

Dream Big! is more inspirational than informational. Ms. Rosado Shaw has had a wild ride. Raised in the South Bronx, she attended (and flunked out of) Wellesley, yet went on to be a sucessful entrepreneur and public speaker.