All results / Stories / Terri Schlichenmeyer
“Kid Authors” by David Stabler, illustrated by Doogie Horner
“Write that down.” Your teacher says that all the time in class. Your parents might say it, as a reminder because sometimes, writing things down can be important. And as you’ll see in the new book, “Kid Authors” by David Stabler, illustrated by Doogie Horner, written words can also be magic.
“Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land” by Leah Penniman, foreword by Karen Washington
Your hands are filthy. Dirt lines every crease and covers much of your knuckles. It’s beneath your fingernails, all the way up to your wrists, soiling the edges of your sweatshirt and down your front. Yes, your hands are filthy but once you’ve read “Farming While Black” by Leah Penniman, your smile will be wide.
“Note to Self,” collected and introduced by Gayle King
Pay attention. Eyes forward, ears open. You’ve heard those things before in your life, and now you say them to yourself, your kids, and your employees. But do they hear what you say now… or, as in the new book “Note to Self,” collected and introduced by Gayle King, will your words ring back in the future?
Book Review: "Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home" by Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen
At least the commute is better. That's what you tell yourself every morning: 15 steps from bed to office is better than 15 miles. You've been working from home now for nearly two years and you're waffling: will it be like this forever and if so, is that good? Read "Out of Office" by Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen, and it could be...
Best Books of 2020
You've got a little extra time this month, and you don't want to waste it. You want to read something good, the possibilities are endless, and the best place to begin is with these Best Books of 2020 titles...
“Well, That Escalated Quickly” by Franchesca Ramsey c.2018, Grand Central Publishing $27.00 / $35.00 Canada 256 pages
You sat down to check your email. And there you were an hour later, still logged on. Your email was checked but then you watched a newsfeed, four kitten videos, posted three opinions, RSVP’d to two grad parties, and wasted sixty minutes. And judging by the new book “Well, That Escalated Quickly” by Franchesca Ramsey, you got off easy.
“Grandad Mandela” by Zazi, Ziwelene & Zindzi Mandela with Sean Qualls
Please tell me a family story. You never get tired of hearing about your Mom and Dad, and how much fun they had on their first date; or that one tale about your uncle (so funny!); or the story about your cousin’s very first car. Please tell me a story, you ask, and in “Grandad Mandela” by Zazi, Ziwelene & Zindzi Mandela and Sean Qualls, two children hear of their great-grandfather’s heroism.
“Agent of Influence: How to Use Spy Skills to Persuade Anyone, Sell Anything, and Build a Successful Business”
You just had your trench coat to the cleaners. There are new batteries in your undercover wrist-camera, and your listening device seems to be working well. You’ve even found a perfect hidey-place to watch from the shadows. Yep, this seeking-and-capturing-new-customers stuff is hard but that’s what it takes to get ahead, right? Although, wouldn’t it be easier to read “Agent of Influence” by former CIA agent Jason Hanson?
“In West Mills” by De’Shawn Charles Winslow
The burden on your shoulders is heavy. Your whole body sags with the weight of things you know but can’t tell, and each new whisper adds to the pack. Secrets you carry are more than you can bear sometimes, which is why you need to share them – but in the new book “In West Mills” by De’Shawn Charles Winslow, there’s virtue in hushing up.
"Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe" by Aomawa Shields, PhD
Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight... And the second and third and you'll just keep wishing until you run out of desires. You'll never run out of stars, though, so you can spend all night wishing and do it again tomorrow. Wish hard enough, work even harder and, as in the new book "Life on Other Planets" by Aomawa Shields, PhD, you may see your hopes come true.
“Soon: An Overdue History of Procrastinaton, from Leonardo and Darwin to You and Me” by Andrew Santella
Just do it. That’s a demand that comes from everywhere. Sneakers say it, your spouse says it, the law demands it, your diet may say it; your boss does, for sure. Just do it. Buckle down and get it done because, as in the new book “Soon” by Andrew Santella, delaying and dawdling are not so delightful.
“Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America” by Candacy Taylor
Your tickets have been purchased. Reservations were made in your name and all that’s left is packing. Yep, you’re heading out for the weekend, a week, a month, gone on the trip of a lifetime and as you’ll see in “Overground Railroad” by Candacy Taylor, it’s a trip your grandparents might’ve been denied.
“Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick” by Zora Neale Hurston, edited with an introduction by Genevieve West, foreword by Tayari Jones
Everybody has that place. You know, that place where everyone knows you, they know what you want, and they get it for you before your coat’s half off. It’s where you can catch up on gossip and good news, where you take shelter and get sympathy. In “Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick” by Zora Neale Hurston, you also get a front seat.
“The Weekend Effect” by Katrina Onstad
Zzzzzzzzzip. That was the sound of your last weekend as it passed by, but it probably doesn’t matter anyhow: it was packed with work, To-Dos and obligations, kid’s sports, and more work. Sometimes, you wonder why you even bother. You might as well just go to the office – but first, read “The Weekend Effect” by Katrina Onstad before you zip out Friday afternoon.
“The Self-Discipline Handbook” by Natalie Wise
Take your pick. Television, or getting that project done. Finishing tax-prep, or cruising online? Burritos, or bananas? Take your pick, life always has choices… but read “The Self-Discipline Handbook” by Natalie Wise first, and you may gain more willpower. Take a look at the closest dictionary, and you’ll see that self-discipline is basically “passion and purpose” and “doing what we think is right.” So now you know what it means… but does that make it any easier?
“Scam Me If You Can” by Frank W. Abagnale
Your friend “Rachel” called today. Seven times, she did, and you answered two of them before you realized that you were being robocalled again. You’re usually pretty savvy about not being fooled but lately, it seems like the more you know, the better scammers get at deception.
"Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away" by Annie Duke c.2022, Penguin Portfolio $27.00 336 pages
It's over. The last page is read, the credits are rolling, your plate is clean, you've said your good-byes for tonight, for this weekend, for this month, forever. It's time to turn your back and walk away – or is it? In "Quit" by Annie Duke, learn when to say alright and when to say adieu.
"The 5 Practices of Highly Resilient People: Why Some Flourish When Others Fold" by Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal
Once upon a time, life was a ball. You got up on the sunny side of the bed, greeted the day, and you kept moving with the flow like a pro. Bad things hit you and caromed off like you were rubber because they didn't affect you.
