In Bad Dreams and Bad Memories, Keith Thorn explains how these two issues continue to influence everyday reactions when the body responds to stored impressions, as if those earlier conditions still exist. He tells us that these responses begin before conscious thought and reflect patterns...

I’ve read my fair share of self-help books, but Making Sense of Life: Develop Your Own Theory for Happiness and Achievement by Simin Cai, PhD (with Mikaela Ashcroft) is in a league of its own. It actually respects the reader's intelligence, which is a breath...

Like Father, Like Son? by Alix Lee is the true story of what happened to a son who refused to conform to his father’s ideas. In the 1970s, racism and homophobia were rife, and children had no rights. Raised by a strict, authoritarian father, it...

Life Skills: A Handbook for Parents & Teachers of the Intellectually Disabled by Shari Pierce is one of those books you wish you'd found sooner if you're working with or raising someone with developmental needs. Pierce spent decades in the classroom, and you can really...

Fifteenth Summer by Laura Campbell follows her fifteen-year-old self, who is sent to the Norris Home after her mom finds out she is pregnant. It all happens really fast, and she’s nervous, embarrassed, and unsure of what's ahead. The Home is all about routines—chores, meals,...

In No Regrets: The Freedom Beyond What Can’t Be Changed, Keith Thorn traces how he spent years chasing achievement, and the journey to finally turning toward the memories he had spent much of his life trying to outrun. As regret surfaces in middle age, Thorn...

Gay Marriage After Retirement: 25 Questions for Gay Couples to Ask and Answer Before You Marry by Amy Rose Herrick is an excellent guide for any couple, gay or straight, to use in their senior years. Several important points stood out to me. First, financial...

In her memoir Reliance Road, Kate Winn describes growing up on a dairy farm near Whitewater, Wisconsin, where daily life revolves around livestock, crops, school, and the constant work required to keep the farm operating. Her mother, Margaret Rasmussen Winn, a trained chemist who later...

Walk a Lonely Mile by Brian Paige is a reflective memoir that follows the author’s experiences with friendship, ambition, relationships, and the unpredictable turns that shape a life. The book begins with his memories from adolescence, including the awkward and impulsive behaviors of his early...

Communication issues can make or break any relationship. Effective communication is the key to a healthy marriage. In The Couples Communication Handbook, author Raffi Bilek presents clear-cut strategies for couples to acquire skills that help them navigate their relationships with empathy, understanding, and kindness. Bilek...