Ended Book Giveaway: The Impostor's Daughter By Laurie Sandell

Laurie Sandell grew up in awe (and sometimes in terror) of her larger-than-life father, who told jaw-dropping tales of a privileged childhood in Buenos Aires, academic triumphs, heroism during Vietnam, friendships with Kissinger and the Pope.

As a young woman, Laurie unconsciously mirrors her dad, trying on several outsized personalities (Tokyo stripper, lesbian seductress, Ambien addict).

Later, she lucks into the perfect job--interviewing celebrities for a top women's magazine. Growing up with her extraordinary father has given Laurie a knack for relating to the stars. But while researching an article on her dad's life, she makes an astonishing discovery: he's not the man he says he is--not even close.

Now, Laurie begins to puzzle together three decades of lies and the splintered person that resulted from them--herself.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this book"
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till July 31
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on August 1
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - msgb245, jim.coyne2, hurdler4eva, hawkgirl_16, autumnrosen

Ended Book Giveaway - THE LINK by Colin Tudge

The astonishing new discovery that could change everything...

For more than a century, scientists have raced to unravel the human family tree and have grappled with its complications. Now, with an astonishing new discovery, everything we thought we knew about primate origins could change. Lying inside a high-security vault, deep within the heart of one of the world’s leading natural history museums, is the scientific find of a lifetime – a perfectly fossilized early primate, older than the previously most famous primate fossil, Lucy, by an astonishing forty-four million years.

A secret until now, the fossil - "Ida" to the researchers who have painstakingly verified her provenance – is the most complete early primate fossil ever found. 47 million years old, Ida rewrites what we’ve assumed about the earliest primate origins. So much of what we understand about evolution comes from partial fossils and even single bones, but Ida’s fossilization offers much more than that, from a haunting "skin shadow" to her stomach contents. And, remarkably, knowledge of her discovery and existence almost never saw the light of day.

With exclusive access to the first scientists to study her, the award-winning science writer Colin Tudge tells the history of Ida and her place in the world. The Link offers a wide-ranging investigation into Ida and our earliest origins – and the magnificent, cutting-edge scientific detective story that followed her discovery. At the same time, it opens a stunningly evocative window into our past and changes what we know about the evolution of primates and, ultimately, ourselves.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this book"
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till July 31
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on August 1
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - lesleymfan, wmknox, thehighflyer3, j.t.oldfield, 13rubberducks

ENDED Audio Book Giveaway: The Juror by George Dawes Green

Annie Laird is Juror 224. A sculptor with a career going nowhere. A single mother struggling to raise a son. A good citizen who has been summoned to what looks like a rountine tour of civic duty. But the trial she is called to serve on is no ordinary trial. It is a mob trial, whose outcome has been meticulously orchestrated by a man of insidious power and deadly precision. A man who lives by the teachings of Lao Tsu...whose magnetism is irresistible...whose mind is as brilliant as it is twisted. He is know to some as the Teacher, and he's set his sights on Annie Laird.

Pulled into the most chilling depths of the criminal underworld, Annie will be seduced by double-edged promises, stalked by the spector of terror, then, finally, driven to a shocking decision by the most basic motivation a woman can know. THE JUROR is a tour de force of crime and obsession, evil and innocence -- a story that taps into fears so primal they linger long after the last page has been read.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this audiobook"
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till July 28
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on July 29
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - bloggyig, espressogurl, doot65

ENDED Audio Book Giveaway: Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Deception

The Bourne Deception picks up where The Bourne Sanction left off. Jason Bourne's nemesis Arkadin is still hot on his trail and the two continue their struggle, reversing roles of hunter and hunted. When Bourne is ambushed and badly wounded, he fakes his death and goes into hiding. In safety, he takes on a new identity, and begins a mission to find out who tried to assassinate him. Jason begins to question who he really is, how much of him is tied up in the Bourne identity, and what he would become if that was suddenly taken away from him.

Meanwhile, an American passenger airliner is shot down over Egypt by what seems to be an Iranian missile. A massive global investigative team is assembled to get at the truth of the situation before it can all escalate into an international scandal.

Jason Bourne's search for the man who shot him intersects with the search for the people or the group that brought down the airliner, which leads Bourne into one of the most deadly and challenging situations in his entire life.

With the threat of a new world war brewing, Bourne finds himself in a race against time to uncover the truth and find the person behind his assault, all the while being stalked by his unknown nemesis.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this Ludlum audiobook"
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till July 27
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on July 28
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - traymona, donna444444, josephanewby

ENDED Audio Book Giveaway: Swimsuit By James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

Syd, a breathtakingly beautiful supermodel on a photo shoot in Hawaii, disappears. Fearing the worst, her parents travel to Hawaii to investigate for themselves, never expecting the horror that awaits them.

LA Times reporter Ben Hawkins is conducting his own research into the case, hoping to help the victim and get an idea for his next bestseller. With no leads and no closer to uncovering the kidnapper's identity than when he stepped off the plane, Ben gets a shocking visit that pushes him into an impossible-to-resist deal with the devil.

A heart-pounding story of fear and desire, SWIMSUIT transports listeners to a chilling new territory where the collision of beauty and murder transforms paradise into a hell of unspeakable horrors.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this Patterson audiobook"
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till July 26
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on July 27
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - gjsrjs, turboterp, elangomat

ENDED Book Giveaway: Soul Survivor By Ken Gross, Andrea Leininger, Bruce Leininger

The Reincarnation of a World War II Fighter Pilot

This is the story of James Leininger, who-- a little more than two weeks after his second birthday-- began having blood-curdling nightmares that just would not stop. When James began screaming out recurring phrases like, "Plane on fire! Little man can't get out!" the Leiningers finally admitted that they truly had to take notice.

When details of planes and war tragedies no two-year-old boy could know continued-- even in stark daylight-- Bruce and Andrea Leininger began to realize that this was an incredible situation. SOUL SURVIVOR is the story of how the Leiningers pieced together what their son was communicating and eventually discovered that he was reliving the past life of World War II fighter pilot James Huston. As Bruce Leininger struggled to understand what was happening to his son, he also uncovered details of James Huston's life-- and death-- as a pilot that will fascinate military buffs everywhere.

In SOUL SURVIVOR, we are taken for a gripping ride as the Leiningers' belief system is shaken to the core, and both of these families come to know a little boy who, against all odds and even in the face of true skeptics, harbors the soul of this man who died long ago.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this book"
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till July 25, 2009
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on July 26, 2009
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - Dutchlvr1, 2kidsblogger, texas_heartland84, ayancey, littlegeorgie56

ENDED - Book Giveaway: How Successful People Think by John C. Maxwell

The perfect, compact listen for today's fast-paced world, How Successful People Think (derived from Maxwell's previous book, Thinking for a Change) will teach listeners the 11 secrets successful people know. Arranged in an easy-to-follow format, America's leadership expert, John C. Maxwell, will teach listeners how to expand their thinking and achieve their dreams.

The 11 keys to successful thinking include:

Big-Picture Thinking - seeing the world beyond your own needs and how that leads to great ideas
Focused Thinking - removing mental clutter and distractions to realize your full potential
Creative Thinking - thinking in unique ways and making breakthroughs
Shared Thinking - working with others to compound results
Reflective Thinking - looking at the past to gain a better understanding of the future.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this book"
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till July 12
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on July 13
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - bsyb100, hasama, sharr1226, wyomingimpressions, jlilleysprint

ENDED - Book Giveaway: I HATE PEOPLE! By Marc Hershon, Jonathan Littman

Face it, whether your company has 10 employees or 10,000, you must grapple with people you can't stand in the office. Luckily Jonathan Littman and Marc Hershon have written I HATE PEOPLE!, a smart, counter-intuitive, and irreverent turn on the classic workplace self-help book that will show you how to identify the Ten Least Wanted--the people you hate--while revealing the strategies to neutralize them. Learn to fly right by the "Stop Sign" (nay-sayer) and rise above the pronouncements of the "Know-it-None." I HATE PEOPLE! will teach you how to carve out more time for yourself by becoming a "Soloist"--one of those bold individuals daring to work alone or collaborate with a handful of other talented people....while artfully deflecting the rest.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this book"
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till July 12
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on July 13
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - Bshaw75015, glenn_pessano, reallycool3108, kneecree, guapo1317

ENDED - Book Giveaway: Summer Beach Bag Books

Summer Beach Bag Books

Summer is here and you are probably thinking what am I going to read this summer. Think no more. This giveaway has 10 great books for you to spend the summer reading. A big thanks to Valerie of Hachette Books for making this giveaway possible!

1. The Secret Speech By Tom Smith ISBN: 0446402400

2. Julie and Julia By Julie Powell ISBN: 031604427X

3. Swimsuit By James Patterson , Maxine Paetro ISBN: 0316018775

4. Obama's BlackBerry By Kasper Hauser ISBN: 0316074357

5. A Summer Affair By Elin Hilderbrand ISBN: 0316018619

6. When You Are Engulfed in Flames By David Sedaris ISBN: 0316154687

7. Any Minute By Joyce Meyer , Deborah Bedford ISBN: 0446582530

8. The Book of Lies By Brad Meltzer ISBN: 0446616141

9. Kill for Me By Karen Rose ISBN: 0446616931

10. Miscarriage of Justice By "Kip" Gayden ISBN: 1599951975

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I love summer" and include your email
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till the 4th of July
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on July 5
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - ppoverboard, zestywonderland, bigken47, edeliz, suladuck

Book Giveaway: Dads and Grads Book Giveaway

Dads and Grads Book Giveaway

This is the time of the year were we say have one day to say Thanks to our Dad. It is also the time of the year when we graduate from all kinds of schools (Kinder, High School, College etc). It is also the time of the year were we are wondering what can I read? Is there something interesting out there for me to read. If you are one of those, then you MUST enter this giveaway. There are 8 fantastic books for you to read. A big thanks to Valerie of Hachette Books for making this giveaway possible!

1. The Nine Lessons By Kevin Milne ISBN: 159995074X
2. Do-Over! By Robin Hemley ISBN: 0316020605
3. The Man's Book By Thomas Fink ISBN: 0316033642
4. BoneMan's Daughters By Ted Dekker ISBN: 1599951959
5. An Honorable German By Charles McCain ISBN: 0446538981
6. The Richest Man in Town By W. Randall Jones ISBN: 0446537837
7. Lincoln on Leadership By Donald Phillips ISBN: 0446394599
8. Outliers By Malcolm Gladwell ISBN: 0316017922

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I love Dads and Grads" and include your email
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till the 30th of June
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on July 1
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - gwknox, senorpiero, rsgrandinetti, titanicluck, delilah0180

Audio Book Giveaway: The Way Home By George Pelecanos

Christopher Flynn is trying to get it right. After years of trouble and rebellion that enraged his father and nearly cost him his life, he has a steady job in his father's company, he's seriously dating a woman he respects, and, aside from the distrust that lingers in his father's eyes, his mistakes are firmly in the past.

One day on the job, Chris and his partner come across a temptation almost too big to resist. Chris does the right thing, but old habits and instincts rise to the surface, threatening this new-found stability with sudden treachery and violence. With his father and his most trusted friends, he takes one last chance to blast past the demons trying to pull him back.

Like Richard Price or William Kennedy, Pelecanos pushes his characters to the extremes, their redemption that much sweeter because it is so hard fought. Pelecanos has long been celebrated for his unerring ability to portray the conflicts men feel as they search and struggle for power and love in a world that is often harsh and unforgiving but can ultimately be filled with beauty.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this audio book" and include your email
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till the 30th of June
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on July 1
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - pboylecharley, bluebelle0367, nesta67

ENDED - Book Giveaway: When the Time Comes

When the Time Comes
Families with Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions
by Paula Span

What will you do when you get the call that a loved one has had a heart attack or a stroke? Or when you realize that a family member is too frail to live alone, but too healthy for a nursing home?

Journalist Paula Span shares the resonant narratives of several families who faced these questions. Each family contemplates the alternatives in elder care (from assisted living to multigenerational living to home care, nursing care, and at the end, hospice care) and chooses the right path for its needs. Span writes about the families' emotional challenges, their practical discoveries, and the good news that some of them find a situation that has worked for them and their loved ones. And many find joy in the duty of caring for an older loved one.

There are 45 million Americans caring for family members currently, and as the 77 million boomers continue to age, this number will only go up. Paula Span's stories are revealing and informative. They give a sense of all the emotional and practical factors that go into the major decisions about caregiving, so that readers will be better able to figure out what to do when the time comes for them and their loved ones.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this book" and include your email
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till the 21th of June
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on June 22 - Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - Telephones, theyyyguy, kjc02, lilyk, ky2here

ENDED - Book Giveaway: Law of Connection by Michael J. Losier

Law of Connection -- The Science of Using NLP to Create Ideal Personal and Professional Relationships by Michael J. Losier

Married couples...dating couples...parents and children...teachers and students...office workers...management and staff...business to business...

There is a simple solution to improving your communication and buiilding better, healthier relationships. It's called Law of Connection. Make it work for you!

Are there certain people you cannot seem to communicate with--at home, at work, or in your community? You say one thing, they hear something different. You simply do not understand one another, and you cannot explain why. The only thing you are certain of is that the lack of connection leads to disappointment, frustration, and conflict.

Now in LAW OF CONNECTION, Michael J. Losier gives you the key to successful communication. Using the principles of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), you will soon master the few simple skills needed to create better understanding with people in every aspect of your life.

With tips, tools, exercises, and scripts to guide you, you will discover:

• the three conditions for connecting
• techniques for calibrating your conversations
• four easy methods for effective communication
• tips for creating positive rapport in all kinds of situations
• a special section for teachers, trainers, and anyone who makes group presentations.

Bring LAW OF CONNECTION home to your family and introduce it into your workplace. Watch and listen as communication improves wherever you are, and your relationships become fuller, richer, and free of conflict.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this book" and include your email
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till the 15th of June
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on June 16
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - lovinfitch, smchester, Kimspam66, legab67156, ardy22

ENDED - Audio Book Giveaway: CEMETERY DANCE By Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

CEMETERY DANCE (Abridged and Unabridged)
By Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Read by Rene Auberjonois

Pendergast-the world's most enigmatic FBI Special Agent-returns to New York City to investigate a murderous cult.

William Smithback, a New York Times reporter, and his wife Nora Kelly, a Museum of Natural History archaeologist, are brutally attacked in their apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side. As Pendergast and Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta undertake their own private-and decidedly unorthodox-quest for the truth. Their serpentine journey takes them to an enclave of Manhattan they never imagined could exist: a secretive, reclusive cult of Obeah and vodou which no outsiders have ever survived.

Available in CD and Digital Download formats.
Also available in e-book, hardcover, and in large print.
Listen to an excerpt.
Read an excerpt.
Get an OpenBook™ Widget for your site.
Visit Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s website at www.prestonchild.com.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this audio book" and include your email
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till the 15th of June
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on June 16
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - abfantom, klp1965, ssummmer

ENDED - Audio Book Giveaway: THE WAY HOME (Unabridged) By George Pelecanos

THE WAY HOME (Unabridged)
By George Pelecanos
Read by Dion Graham

Christopher Flynn is trying to get it right. After years of trouble and rebellion that enraged his father and nearly cost him his life, he has a steady job in his father's company, he's seriously dating a woman he respects, and, aside from the distrust that lingers in his father's eyes, his mistakes are firmly in the past. One day on the job, Chris and his partner come across a temptation almost too big to resist. Chris does the right thing, but old habits and instincts rise to the surface, threatening this new-found stability with sudden treachery and violence. With his father and his most trusted friends, he takes one last chance to blast past the demons trying to pull him back.

Available in CD and Digital Download formats.
Also available in e-book and hardcover.
Listen to an excerpt.
Visit George Pelecanos’s website at www.georgepelecanos.com

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this book" and include your email
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till the 15th of June
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on June 16
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - jelly15301, edeliz, LittleEagle1953

ENDED - Audio Book Giveaway: THE RICHEST MAN IN TOWN (Abridged) By W. Randall Jones

THE RICHEST MAN IN TOWN (Abridged)
By W. Randall Jones
Read by the author

Like the classic bestseller The Millionaire Next Door, Randall Jones has talked to 100 of the wealthiest individuals in a variety of towns and communities across the country. Jones, founder of Worth magazine, lets everyone peek inside the lives and minds of these people. No, these are not those folks who inherited their wealth, or who happened to be a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Rather, these are the self-made types who, through hard work and ingenuity, found the right map to financial success.

Available in CD and Digital Download formats.
Also available in e-book and hardcover.
Listen to an excerpt.
Read an excerpt.
Get an OpenBook™ Widget for your site. Visit the website at http://www.richestmanintown.com/.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this audio book" and include your email
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till the 15th of June
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on June 16
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS - kmwhitney, jchaborek, zenrei57

Jungle Jack's The Wackiest, Wildest, and Weirdest Animals in the World by Jack Hanna

This book is a great read for children. The book covers thirty different animals and tells interesting facts about each one. Each page focuses on a different animal and the characteristics that make it wacky, wild, or weird. There is a great variety of animals, from lions and elephants to echidna and binturongs, and the pictures included are enjoyable to look at. There are at least three or four pictures of each animal on each page that shows the animal in different poses and gives the reader a good idea of what they look like in the wild. Also each page explains why the animal is either wacky or weird. Including what they eat, where they live and how big they grow. Some parts of the animals are magnified to point out something a little bit weird or different.

As an added bonus, the book also features a DVD with bloopers and behind the scenes from Jack Hanna’s “Into the Wild" TV show.

I would recommend this book for anyone that loves to learn about animals. Although this book is targeted to kids, the one thing that I missed is a table of contents. I had to flip through the book to find the animals and a table of contents would have been helpful.

As a member of the Thomas Nelson Review Blogger program http://brb.thomasnelson.com/, I recommend this book for anyone interested in teaching young children a little about animals. Hopefully, this will make the children more interested in learning about animals.

Book Review: Nelson’s Illustrated Guide to Religions – A Comprehensive Introduction to the Religions of the World by James A. Beverley

The first impression that I had was that it looked like a textbook. It is a big book with over 720 pages plus 70 pages for four appendixes and it has a lot of charts, graphics, and photographs. It is a guide to different world religions, giving you enough information without overwhelming you. The book is written from the Christian point of view but it shows respect for the other religions mentioned in the book. The average person will find it very interesting.

This book has 19 chapters for the following religions: Baha’i, Branch Davidian, Buddhism, Christian Science, Christian Sectarian Groups, Hinduism, Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Judaism, Mormonism, The New Age, Orthdoxy, Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Satanism, Scientology, Sikhism, Unification church and Witchcraft. It also covers all branches of Christianity (Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant). The ability to find information quickly, easily and understandably make Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions a must have for anyone interested in world religions.

Within each entry you have an introductory article that provides an adequate overview of the religion. The strengths of this book are the extras; time-lines, short window articles, profiles of personalities, analysis, and resources (both print and electronic) for additional study.As a member of the Thomas Nelson Review Blogger program http://brb.thomasnelson.com/ , I recommend this book for anyone interested in the religions of today’s world.

Book Review: His Name is Jesus - The Promise of God's Love Fulfilled - By Max Lucado

This is a beautifully packaged gift book with a cardboard sleeve to protect it. Wonderful photos and backgrounds complement the text. It is impressive when you hold it in your hands. The book is not big (9.4 x 8.5 x 1.1 inches) but has a nice weight/feel to it.

This will make a great gift for people new to the story of Jesus, whether they are young or old. Even those familiar with the Jesus story will also enjoy the book for its content and it's relatively short length. This book will make a beautiful gift for everyone.

This is the first Max Lucado book that I have read and was quite impressed at the simplicity of the text. This book is a compilation of about 20 of Lucado’s previous works all tied together so as to flow nicely. Mr. Lucado paints pictures with words that make it very easy to see the subject about which he is writing and adds beautiful graphics to accentuate his points.

My only reservation is that it is not for everyone. Some protestant christians might disagree with the way some of the stories are expressed. Overall, it is a good gift book. Check it out to see if this one that you must have on your table.

ENDED: Book Giveaway: Mix Shake Stir - Recipes from Danny Meyer's Acclaimed New York City Restaurants

Mix Shake Stir - Recipes from Danny Meyer's Acclaimed New York City Restaurants By Danny Meyer

The bartenders at Danny Meyer's wildly popular restaurants are known for their creative concoctions. Guests at Union Square Café or Gramercy Tavern expect not only the finest cuisine but also Meyer's special brand of hospitality that often begins with a Venetian Spritz or a Cranberry Daiquiri. In MIX SHAKE STIR, Meyer offers all the tips and tools needed to become a masterful mixologist and supplements the cocktail recipes with gourmet takes on bar snacks. There are over 100 recipes of bar classics, signature favorites, and original, refreshing libations--from the Modern's elegant mojito made with champagne and rose water to Tabla's Pomegranate Gimlet. Shaken or stirred, straight up or on the rocks, these cocktails make this collection an invaluable resource for elegant entertaining.

On a personal note: I loved the book. It is beautifully photographed and the recipes are easy to follow. I tried making a couple of them and they tasted wonderful. If you want a nice bar book, this is the one!

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I want this book" and include your email
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till the 31th of May
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on June 1 - Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected

WINNERS: danosor, eileen, ardy22.

ENDED - Book Giveaway: The G-Free Diet by Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Peter Green

For years, Elisabeth Hasselbeck couldn't figure out what was making her sick. She asked doctors and consulted nutritionists, but no one seemed to have any answers. It wasn't until spending time in the Australian Outback, living off the land on the grueling Survivor TV show, that, ironically, her symptoms vanished. Returning home, she pinpointed the food that made her sick -- gluten, the binding element in wheat. By simply eliminating it from her diet, she was able to enjoy a completely normal, healthy life. But that wasn't all. Hasselbeck discovered the myriad benefits that anyone can enjoy from a gluten-free diet: from weight loss and increased energy to even the alleviation of the conditions of autism.

In this all-inclusive book, Hasselbeck shares her hard-earned wisdom on living life without gluten and loving it. She gives you everything you need to know to start living a gluten-free life, from defining gluten - where to find it, how to read food labels - to targeting gluten-free products, creating G-Free shopping lists, sharing recipes, and managing G-Free living with family and friends.

For more information - http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9781599951881.htm

Read an excerpt

Giveaway Rules:

1. One entry only - just say "I want this book" and include your email
2. Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
3. Please no PO Boxes!!!
4. The drawing will last till the 31th of May
5. Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
6. I will post the winners here on June 1 - Winners have 24 hours to reply or new winner selected
   

WINNERS: mverno, kathrynheilbrunn, Meredith, Nunya, George

Book Review: In the Footsteps of Paul: Experience The Journey That Changed The World by Ken Duncan

http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1404104828
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1404104828/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

I received "In the Footsteps of Paul" by Ken Duncan through Thomas Nelson's Book Review Bloggers program. This book traces the paths that Paul is known to have traveled on each of his missionary journeys and provides scripture reference for those areas, quotes by famous authors and pictures of each area. I enjoyed the photography in the book because of the high quality photos the author used. I did wish the author would have expanded on the where the picture was taken and things like the date and time of the year the picture was taken. I would not recommend this book for bible or historical study because it has very little information. I wish the author would have added more historical and biblical content. There are short passages of scripture, short inspirational saying and quotes on each page. This book leaves you wanting to learn more about the historical and biblical aspects of the places.

Overall, I was very impressed with this book. It greatly exceeded my expectations and original impressions. Personally I really like this book itself the photos are amazing. This would make a good coffee table book, if you just want to flip through it and look at some amazing photos, but the written content leaves something to be desired. This is a hardback book made of good quality paper; it has a nice size and weight.

Book Review: I'll Make You an Offer You Can’t Refuse by Michael Franzese

Subtitle - Insider Business Tips from a Former Mob Boss

This book is not at all what I was expecting. This is a very good book. The "Insider Business Tips from a Former Mob Boss" are totally different than what I expected to read about. I thought it would be one-liners with some short paragraphs but the message is there and it is complete. Michael Franzese is able to take his experiences and give you insightful tips on how to expand your business.

In this book, Michael Franzese begins by detailing out his credentials and his story. He doesn't go completely in depth into his mob live, as he covered that in his previous books. As you read (at least for me) he causes you to think about how you do and deal with your life, job, friends, and yourself. After each chapter he has some "Get the Message" statements and questions that summarizes the chapter and solidifies the main points of each chapter.

He also writes about following a philosopher: Machiavelli (Prince) or Solomon (King), and making sure you have the right idea about success. He followed Machiavelli in his ways to succeed in his gas business. He also says that successful companies follow Machiavelli… Henry Ford and La Cosa Nostra (Mafia) are examples of it.

He says that the Machiavellian philosophy for life is seriously flawed. It has elements that are true and pragmatic. That’s the bait in the trap. But it creates an atmosphere of deceit, mistrust, and treachery—a place where fear masquerades as loyalty. Eventually, any group of people that adheres to such a philosophy will destroy itself from within. You create fear and that is the way other will defeat you by making themselves be more feared.

One of the rules he followed was to swallow all the small companies around that were his competition. The one tenant he says to make sure you follow is to pay your taxes. That is how he was defeated, just like Al Capone.

I was surprised to see how much Franzese despises gambling. He writes about gambling, not from a moral perspective, but from a business (economics) perspective. It can and will destroy your business. He explains how gambling can cause your employees to embezzle time which equates to money, and how stopping the gambling habit can cost you even more. It destroys families, personal and work. The example he uses in this book talks about a relatively small business whose employees wasted $1.5M once the hours used at work for gambling were computed.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. If you are in business then it gives you a good insight on how to deal with your own business. Students can use this book to learn what real life is going to be. I really like that at the end of each chapter, Franzese has a section called GET THE MESSAGE, which summarizes the message in each chapter. The words are clear and to the point. I am planning on reading this book more than once.

A fantastic feature with is book sis the "NELSON FREE" book. It allows you to download a searchable E-Book and a MP3 Audio book of this title. You can read it hardcopy or listen to it or use your computer to read the book.

Tony Waking Up

Tony had a very long nap. He is waking up in this picture.

Tony waiting for me

Tony is waiting for me in his favorite spot, the sofa. It overlooks the driveway. As soon as he sees my car, he runs and gets my husband John so that John can open the door for me.