Skipping a Beat - A Review

Not long ago, I was sitting in the Charlotte airport, en route to Gainesville, desperate for sleep after a very uncomfortable red eye from Denver. My exhausted body was telling me to curl up under a bench, pull my sweater over my head and sleep for a precious few minutes. But my restless mind wouldn't allow it. I only had one more chapter left in Sarah Pekkanen's new book, Skipping a Beat, and I had to finish before I could ever think about sleeping.

After turning the last page, I quickly sent Sarah (who I do not know personally, but she did send me an advanced copy of her book) an email saying, "Damn you for not letting me sleep!" quickly followed by, "Brilliant work!" I adored this story. It is my favorite kind of book...the kind that lures me into my bed each night with the promise of another unexpected twist in the story. I kept telling myself (and my husband), 'Just one more chapter,' which turned into at least 4 or 5 a night.

Although I really connected with Sarah's first book, The Opposite of Me, her second effort grabbed my heart. Anyone who is married (or otherwise committed, long-term) will appreciate Pekkanen's candid look at the emotional ups and downs of relationships, in this case, in light of tremendous want and extraordinary success. On one hand, her words validated my own frustrations towards life's drama. On the other, she left me contemplating the meaning of true love and the promise of healing in the face of heartbreak.

Skipping a Beat is creative, honest and emotional. Pekkanen's writing style reminds me of a chat with an dear college friend. Bottom line: Go get it (it comes out in Feb). Read it. Share it.

Discloure: This post serves as entry into a sweepstakes and I received a free copy of the book to review.

His Excellency: George Washington - A Review

I've made a vow to myself this year to read more books, but not just books in general -- a specific kind of book. Namely: historical biographies. I kicked off my new goal with His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis. Although I've studied Washington before, I focused more on what he did rather than who he was. This biography certainly filled in the gaps and gave me tremendous insight into Washington's personality and character.

The more I read, the more I started to understand the man behind the wooden teeth (which, by the way, are a myth). Before reading this book, my perception of Washington was that he was a brilliant, rather unemotional, focused man. Of course, this idea was based purely on the facts of history and the stoic pictures we see of him (many of which, by the way, are grossly inaccurate). Ellis uses Washington's personal and public correspondence to create a vivid picture of a man who was passionate, socially savvy, respected and determined.

It's funny because we are constantly hearing about how polarized this country is and how explosive the political scene is today. But, Washington was faced with the seemingly impossible challenges of defeating the greatest military power in the world with a rag-tag militia, creating a viable government when every leader seemed to have a different idea of how things should be and staying true to his truly independent point of view when political parties were just beginning to surface. It seems Washington's time was just as contentious and ours (maybe more so).

This book is extremely readable and not at all intimidating as many historical biographies can be. In a time when the freedoms and essence of this country are at risk, tapping into Washington's vision for the United States helps put it all in perspective....so go read it. :-)