Adult

April means the start of baseball season. While most of us are still excited about our teams (as most of our teams should still be in the race for the pennant by the end of the month), I figured I would include a great baseball book. Warning: this book is not exactly like the wonderful Robert Redford movie. I found that out the hard way when I first read the book in junior high school (yes, when I was young, we did not have middle schools).

Subtitled “A Snapshot History of America,” this coffee table book tells the history of America through the snapshots of regular Americans. Simple idea with powerful images.

I guess I cannot take credit for discovering this book, as it is a bestseller. All I can say is that this is one of the more interesting books I have read in the past year. A great look into the Chinese Cultural Revolution, the book follows a couple of Chinese peasants who escape misery through literature. Do you think you have one of the world’s worst jobs? Try carrying excrement up hills everyday (I understand that a lot of us think our jobs entail that, but the protagonists in this book literally carry excrement up hills everyday).

So many people remember Robert DeNiro’s stunning performance as the tragic boxer Jake LaMotta in the Martin Scorcese film version, but a lot of folks forget about the original book that leaves readers incredulous. LaMotta’s autobiography has the power to make you love him and despise him, and this book stands as one of the all-time moving sports stories.

This is an old favorite of mine, as the author offers spiritual awakening by combining the teachings of the great philosophers, Confucius and A.A. Milne. A treat for all ages.

Braun’s "Cat Who" series consists of something like 25 books, and I will confess that this is not the best. It is the shortest, however, and I hope it gives you a taste of what to expect in her more interesting (but longer) mysteries, which usually run 240-320 pages.

A friend asked me to include a dark and twisted thriller, and this tale of star-crossed lovers seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I’ll just warn you that this slaughterhouse romance-turned-murder may leave you with sleep difficulties.

While the book exceeds my loosely-enforced 200-pages-or-less rule, it is one of those books that I was required to read that actually pleasantly surprised me. Hurston is masterful in her story-crafting and dialogue, and this book makes it evident why she is considered one of the most important African-American women authors of the Harlem Renaissance (which does not refer to the signing of Meadowlark Lemon by the Globetrotters).

Probably the greatest joy I get from reading short stories are the innumerable quirky characters and situations gifted authors can portray. This book was a breeze to read and did what any great book does: it made me laugh, it made my cry and it made me (heaven forbid) think.

Need to read a book quickly to feel better about yourself? Read a book of photography! I really enjoyed Joseph’s photos of bookshelves and record stores as art in his native Cleveland.

As the summer days wind down, why not treat yourself to a lazy afternoon reviewing this superb collections of poems from one of America’s finest poets, Langston Hughes? He is one of my favorites.

Urban was an award-winning teacher and leader in the character education movement, and this quick read provides a simple framework for anyone, especially students, to follow in order to excel in life.

I have been in sort of a rut lately, questioning where I am going with my life. My pastor shared with us a passage from this book, and it instantly lifted my spirits. Nelson clearly writes about “the romance of self-discovery,” and this book reminded me to always appreciate the journey and focus on my own choices. A lovely book.

I admit that when I think of Joel Grey, I usually think of the MC from Cabaret or Chiun from Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (one of my guilty pleasures). After watching a wonderful piece on Grey’s photography featured on the best television program on the air, CBS Sunday Morning, I rushed to the bookstore and bought this collection of his photographs. Photography books are the perfect books for truly lazy readers, and, while I do not know a lot about photography, I am always inspired by what photographers focus on. This book touched me by how much I learned about Grey through his photographer’s eye.

The page-turning true story of survivors of a 19th century whaling ship known as the Essex that inspired Melville’s Moby Dick. Um – let’s just say that the survivors wind up in a few flimsy lifeboats, and, once they get hungry, cabin boy Owen gets the short end of the stick.