Every Book Is a Startup by Todd Sattersen

Multimedia has changed how we read and want books, and Todd Sattersen with his book, Every Book Is a Startup (O'Reilly Media, 2011; ISBN 9781449309015), talks about book creation in the same lines as entrepreneurship, rather than just ideas on a page. For tech books and their sometimes short shelf life due latest software and hardware updates and versions, knowing which ways to put the book in the best possible situation at the beginning is helpful.

Sattersen has divided Every Book Is a Startup into different chapters with good answers to typical problems with book publishing. Black Swans, Long Tails, and Big Dreams is the first chapter, and delves into what averages are, and why some books due better over time. Help the Heroes is about failure and success. A Book Is a Network chapter goes into how networks can strengthen a brand. The fourth chapter, Add or Subtract, goes into the future of bookselling including niche markets and sustaining innovations.

This is a work in progress, with later chapters being written and offered to readers in the future. Overall, a good start for those interested in how to publicize writing.

Book Information:

• Every Book Is a Startup; by Todd Sattersen
• O'Reilly Media; 2011, Second Release
• ISBN13: 9781449309015
• eBook; pdf version

Every Book Is a Startup is available through Amazon.

Disclosure: This book was provided to the author from the publisher. Any opinions are the author's own.

Raised Right - How I Untangled My Faith From Politics by Alisa Harris

The story line behind Raised Right: How I Unhinged My Faith From Politics is that of a young woman who undergoes a personal change, from religious conservative to liberal with a little religion mixed in. Harris details early on in the book of what it was like growing up in an ultra-conservative, god-fearing family who doesn't think twice of putting a picket sign in the hands of a child in front of an abortion clinic. As she grows up, her ideals change, and while God is still some part of who she is, she turns liberal in her politics.

Harris brings great writing with her book, with some sprinkling throughout of different bible quotes and the quotes of different people of literature. It is obvious the has at least some disdain for the way that she was brought up. In my opinion, she leaves a poor image in the mind of the reader of the 'religious fanatics' who were with her as a youth. As she grows up, she finds that what she was taught as a child isn't so black and white - the right side isn't always right and the left side isn't always bad.

In the end of the book she writes "Looking back on the years the changed me from someone carrying a George W. Bush tote bag to someone protesting corporate greed, from someone who wept with joy at the national anthem to someone who could no longer sing it withoug a pang of loss," which makes me wonder if she thinks the 'bible thumpers' of her youth, and even her family, were all wrong to begin with, and she and her liberal ideals are now right. As an adult, she is entitled to her opinion, even if it differs from her parents.

Book Information:

• Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith From Politics; by Alisa Harris


• WalterBrook Press; 2011


• ISBN13: 9780307729668


• Paperback; 230 pages

Disclosure: This book was provided to the author by the publisher. Any opinions are the author's own.

Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith from Politics is available through Amazon.

Grandma's Back to Basics All Natural More Than Just a Cookbook by Teresa Thompson

Grandma's Back to Basics All Natural More Than Just a Cookbook by Teresa Thompson is a cookbook for people with allergies or food sensitivities. Thompson gives a good overview on what causes allergies in people in her introduction, and her story may give people who suffer from sensitives tips to help cope.

While this book does provide good tips and great sounding recipes, the errors in formatting made it hard to follow. For example, after the heading for the recipe Creamed Eggs is this phantom text "Strawberry S 1 1/2 cu2", which is on several recipes including the Pecan Candy Roll, Powdered Cereal, and others. Other errors are simply double text (Sweet and Sour Shrimp directly and right above the same text Sweet and Sour Shrimp).

There were numerous phantom text throughout the recipes, which I'm assuming came from poor proofreading, or perhaps appeared without anyone's knowledge just prior to printing. I'm not sure, but it looks like it started with the Strawberry Shake recipe since multiple phantom text entries include something with either strawberry, or strawberry shake in it. Since this book is the First Printing of a book published in 2003, I'm hoping subsequent editions will be fixed and edited correctly. This is unfortunate since the overall theme is a good one.

Book Contents and Chapters

The cookbook has nine recipe chapters: Appetizers; Beverages; Breads; Breakfast; Desserts; Sandwiches/Soups; Sauces/Dressings/Marinades; Vegetables; and Main Dishes. The recipes use unbleached sugar, sea salt, unbleached flour, and filtered water to create recipes acceptable to most individuals with food sensitivity issues.

Thompson provides a good range of recipes for any culinary palate. Her many tips for avoiding chemically laden products and food substitutions are helpful.

Book Information:

• Grandma's Back to Basics All Natural More Than Just a Cookbook; by Teresa Thompson
• Dorrance Publishing; 2003
• ISBN: 0805962867
• Softcover; 281 pages, no photos

Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher to the author. Any opinions are the author's own.

More info:
Publisher book info and author bio.

Up, Down, or Sideways: How to Succeed When Times Are Good, Bad, or In Between by Mark Sanborn

The latest book by Mark Sanborn, Up, Down, or Sideways (Tyndale; 2011; ISBN 978414362212) gives readers a way to answer questions they've been wondering about, like 'Is it possible to create sustainable success?'. Through his simple tips and guides, Sanborn lays out a chart to success no matter what difficulties are encountered.

Up, Down, or Sideways Contents and Chapters

The book is separated into three sections: Section 1: See; Section 2: Think; and Section 3: Do. Each of these sections has examples of individual, and individual situations, that have overcome obstacles by one of the overlaying theme.

There are 12 chapters:

• The Surfer's Situation
• Barrier Bashing
• The Scorekeeper's System
• The Optimist's Orientation
• The Learner's Leverage
• Produce Value
• Create and Keep Connections
• Continuously Innovate
• Build Reserves
• Practice Gratitude
• Embrace Discipline
• Conclusion: How to Succeed All the Time

Using these tools and reading different examples, Sandborn hopes to instill a vision of success in the reader's mind. I think he does a pretty good job of it in the end.

Book Information:

• Up, Down, or Sideways: How to Succeed When Times Are Good, Bad, or in Between; by Mark Sanborn
• Tyndale Publishers; 2011
• ISBN13: 9781414362212
• Hardcover; 170 pages

Disclosure: This book was provided to the author by the publisher. Any opinions are the author's own.

Up, Down, or Sideways: How to Succeed When Times Are Good, Bad, or In Between available from Amazon.

Up, Down, or Sideways publisher and author information.

The Book of Man: William J. Bennett

The newest book by William J. Bennett, The Book of Man,  is a great collection of different writings, poems, stories, and biographies bringing real life and fictional heroes to young boys and young men. In his introduction, Bennett states that the purpose of the book is to 'explore and explain what it means to be a man.' Throughout the book, there is advice on home life, work life, ways to set an example, and ways to learn from example.

Our kids received Bennett's book The Book of Virtues as a present from their grandparents, which contains various fictional works and real life accounts of heroes that hopefully will stay with them long after story time is over. The Book of Man is a similar book, and encourages parents to read to younger boys, and older boys to read on their own with fun and insightful selections.

The book is separated into these chapters: Man in War; Man at Work; Man in Play, Sports, and Leisure; Man in the Polis; Man with Woman and Children; and Man in Prayer and Reflection. The section Man: At the End, Bennett gives a very touching reflection on his father in law, Clarence E. Glover.

The Book of Man makes a wonderful keepsake book to be given to boys for birthdays, parents of sons as gifts for them, and even expectant parents of a baby boy. Or, like me, given to a son in the hopes that when he begins to read, reading some of the works and deeds of notable men, that their good intentions and examples will rub off on him when he grows up.

L.L. Bean Fly Fishing For Bass Handbook by Dave Whitlock

L.L. Bean Fly Fishing for Bass Handbook

An illustrated guide for fly fishing bass, L.L. Bean Fly Fishing for Bass Handbook by Dave Whitlock has bass fishing basics and fly tackle information like tackle assembly and bass flies.

For those just getting into the sport of fly fishing and want to fish for bass, Dave Whitlock has put together a great book all tailored for bass. What he found after years of fishing for bass with flies and tackle, was that he was more successful if specific gear was used. He details his methods, and notes in his introduction that this book and the information in it aren't just for bass: his methods can be used for any 'predator fish in cool, warm, or brackish water.' Other fish that can be caught using his methods and tips: crappie, perch, pike, bluegill, stripers, and muskie, among others.

For the full review, read it on BellaOnline.

Stash Happy: Felt - Fun Book with 30 Different Sewing and Craft Projects

Stash Happy Felt: 30 Fun Projects for Felt (and Fabric) Lovers

For those with a stash of felt (or any fabric for that matter) and are looking for creative ways to use it up, Stash Happy: Felt by Amanda Carestio gives 30 fun projects that range from useful table top accessories, to actual accessories you can wear.

Read the full article and review on my Sew Now This blog.