Two Floors Above Grief: A Memoir of Two Families in the Unique Place We called Home by Kevin O’Connor is the best self-published memoir I’ve read this year. This concerns a family of undertakers and provides an examination of the day-to-day concerns of family life...

The Geography of Belonging: A Love Story by Oriane Lee Johnston is one the best books I’ve read this year. It is a smart and conscious book, written by a woman aware of who she is, the natural world around us, and the socio-political realities...

The Enchanted Suitcase: A Window onto My German Father's World War II Life by Helga Warren is a revealing account of one German soldier's life. Compiled from both handwritten letters and the two memoirs he had written, Warren has pieced together the previously untold story...

The Water Calls: One Woman's Journey to Reclaim Her Dignity and Freedom by Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi is designed to encourage women to reclaim their self-worth, dignity, and freedom. The book is one woman’s journey to find her voice and take control of her life. When...

The Sun Express: 27 Stations to Redemption by Pilar Velez is based on the author's experiences. The book opens as the protagonist Corinthia moves into her grandmother's house in the City of Cali. She grows up surrounded by grief and violence. As she moves out,...

The Gambia: The Smiling Coast by Terry Lister introduces the reader to the West African nation. Terry retired as an MP in Bermuda but continued his international travel. As he journeys, he writes about the various countries he visits. The writing and descriptions are superb....

The recollections of a writing teacher and poet, The Writing Party by Ken Waldman, is not what you might think at first. It’s not dull. The situations he chose to retell – of unfairly critical writing professors and their exact opposites – lead the reader...

Trapped in an unhappy marriage and faced with the sad reality of three children to cater to by herself, Pura Regalado draws inner strength from an unforgettable encounter with Jesus to turn her life around. She comes close to defeat when she nearly succumbs to...

The Computer Wasn't in the Basement Anymore: My Fifty + Years on Education Technology (1970-2021) contains insights from Anthony G. Picciano's journey of more than 50 years in the field of education technology and his activities in six public colleges in New York. Some of...

The Open Book: A Family Memoir of Adventure, Trauma, and Resilience is told using the voices of three women: Roselle “Rosie” Madrone, Robin Detmer, and Kris Dutter. Kris, the mother of Roselle and Robin, embraces the dream of building a life outside the confines of...