Book Review: Strike It Rich With Pocket Change

Katie May 3, 2011 0 Comments

Have you ever knowingly spent $100 on a candy bar of $50 on a soda? As ludicrous as the concept sounds, there is no doubt that you have unintentionally done this numerous times without ever knowing it. The fact is, billions of coins pass through the public’s hands every day and of these coins, a small but significant percentage contain variations in design or errors that make them different than the rest.

Ken Potter & Dr Brian Allen give you all the tips and tricks that you need to find all sorts of different error coins in your pocket change!  Break out the piggy banks – some of those pennies you have in there might be worth more than $0.01!

The book contains really everything you need to know about grading coins, storing them and even includes photos of what each imperfection you are looking for actually looks like so you can tell if your coin was struck incorrectly or if parts of letters are missing on it just because of it being passed around in circulation for a while.

While I don’t consider myself a coin collector I have collected the State Quarters, am working on a collection of Presidential Dollars and I also collect elongated pennies.  Therefore I have quite a stash of pre-1982 pennies in my room as well as lots of quarters so I can pay the machines to squish ’em.  You can bet that the next time I have some free time I will be scrutinizing these coins to see if any of them contain any sort of defects from being struck with an imperfect die.

This book is a great resource for anyone who wants to see if their pocket change might be worth a bit more than face value.  I dare you to read this book and not go looking for a magnifying glass and a stash of coins!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Washington by Paul Vickery

Katie May 3, 2011 4 Comments

Washington A Legacy of Leadership by Paul Vickery and Stephen Mansfield is part of Thomas Nelsons “The Generals” series.  If there was ever anything you wanted to know about the life and times of George Washington, chances are it is mentioned in this book.

His genius lay not only in becoming “The Father of Our Country,” but also in building the army that made our independence possible. Literally within sight of the enemy, this largely self taught soldier developed the foundational principles upon which our own modern army is built. These lessons did not come easily. For every victory at Boston, there was a defeat on Long Island. For every brilliant tactical move like Trenton, there was a disaster like Brandywine. But in the midst of both failure and success, he earned the devotion of his troops and the love of a budding nation.

History is not one of my strong suits, or one of my favorite subjects, but this book seemed like it might be interesting.  It took me a while to get through, as it is jam packed with tons of information and to me, wasn’t really written in a way that made me want to keep reading – to me it kind of read like an essay… which I generally do not read for fun.  However, if you are a history buff then I would definitely recommend this book – there are details from letters that George wrote home to Martha and if Early American History is your thing, I think you would have no problem diving right in to this book.

Although Thomas Nelson is generally known for its religious content, this book is not overly religious.  While George was Catholic, it is not a main focus of the book and is only included when needed for the story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The House that Ruth Built by Robert Weintraub

Katie April 29, 2011 0 Comments

A lot of my friends are probably a bit surprised that I actually read this book.  While I love baseball, I am a Mets fan and certainly NOT a Yankees fan.  But like I said, I love baseball.  And I actually really enjoyed reading The House The Ruth Built.
It was really interesting, and although it had a lot of history in it, the book did not bore me at all.  It follows the Yankees the first season that they had Yankee Stadium and focuses a lot on Babe Ruth.
I also enjoyed how it told a bit about how the radio broadcasts began and how the reporters worked on their stories.  Having studied Journalism in college, it was interesting to see how things worked in the 1920s versus now.  Also interesting was the cost of tickets.  The most expensive opening day tickets were something like $3.00.  Bleacher seats? Just $1.00.  A couple of scalpers ended up spending the night in jail after trying to sell the bleacher seats for $1.10! And a program from the game? 15 cents!  Those $1 tickets probably sell for closer to $100 today!  Another interesting fact was how a lot of the players got jobs during the off season because they got paid so little.  Could you imagine any if the players today having to take a job in the off season?

Before the 27 World Series wins, before Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Derek Jeter – the Yankees were New York’s also-ran franchise. They didn’t even have a stadium, renting out the New York Giants’ Polo Grounds and, embarrassingly, losing to them when it counted: in the Fall Classic.


But in 1923, the Yankees played their first season on their own field, and everything changed. Babe Ruth bounced back from a contentious season to carry the team to their first title, justifying his new Stadium’s nickname, “The House That Ruth Built.”


This is the untold tale of the Yankees’ break-out season, filled with stories of New York and baseball in arguably their greatest eras. Robert Weintraub’s fresh reporting vividly illuminates the singular year that made the Yankees the storied franchise they are today.

You can learn more by following these links:
The House That Ruth Built on Facebook
@RobWein on Twitter
RobWein.com

Book Review: Story Engineering by Larry Brooks

Katie April 26, 2011 0 Comments

Story Engineering Mastering the 6 Core Competencies of Successful Writing by Larry Brooks is a great guide for anyone who is looking to write a story.  It breaks down all the items your story needs to have in order to be successful.

The book tells you what the 6 Core Competencies of Successful Writing are and describes each of them, in detail, so that your story will be evolved and involved enough to keep people’s attentions.  He also provides examples in movies and books where the competencies are used (either properly or unproperly).  Fortunately for me, I knew most of what he was referencing, though he does explain enough I would think so you can understand the point even if you had not read the book or seen the movies.

For the past 2 years I have participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and while I have completed the word goal of 50,000 words, my stories aren’t quite finished.  In 2009 I just threw an ending together to hit my word count and in 2010 I hit my word count and then just stopped writing, even though another chapter or two is probably needed to actually provide closure to the story.  However, before NaNoWriMo 2011 starts, I am going to re-read this book and I will be prepared to not only reach my word count but have a story that might be published worthy! I will have the whole story mapped out and once I know where the story is going and I am not just flying by the seat of my pants, I should have something that I’ll actually be looking to share.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: How Music Works by John Powell

Katie April 22, 2011 0 Comments

What makes a musical note different from any other sound? How can you tell if you have perfect pitch? Why do 10 violins sound only twice as loud as one? Do your Bob Dylan albums sound better on CD or vinyl? John Powell, a scientist and musician, answers these questions and many more in HOW MUSIC WORKS, an intriguing and original guide to acoustics. In a clear, accessible, and engaging voice, Powell fascinates the reader with his delightful descriptions of the science and psychology lurking beneath the surface of music. 

I won the book How Music Works by John Powell from Just Another New Blog in January and have finally gotten around to reading it!  I was really excited when I won the contest since being an engineer and music fanatic (though believing I had no musical skill whatsoever) I thought this book would be interesting.  And it was!  My only “negative” thought was that sometimes the chapters seemed to be a bit too long.  I often read before bed so I would finish a chapter and just not want to continue on to another if it was going to be as long as the one I had just finished.  Or it could just be I picked the book up when I was already too tired to be reading.

The book had a few things I had already known from Physics classes and hearing things here or there, but it also had a lot of fun tidbits in it that I did not already know and I am wowing my friends while we wait for concerts with my musical knowledge! 😉  I was sad to find out that perfect pitch most likely can not be learned after the age of 6. I don’t know why, but that was something I was hoping I could train myself to do. I suppose there is still a chance it can happen though, so I won’t give up hope just yet.  However, I learned it is not too late for me to learn to play an instrument.  Although, considering I tried this in elementary and middle school with less than stellar results, I’m not sure I’ll be picking up a guitar or anything else any time soon!

Also included with the book was a Free CD with examples from the book such as: How To Get Different Sounds From A Guitar String, Can You Guess What Instrument This Is?, Different Ways to Accompany A Tune, The Horrible Out-Of-Tune Bamboo Whistle and How to Bring Tears To The Eyes Of The Audience among others. (10 tracks in total)

One of the great things about this book is that you don’t really need to read it all at once.  You can read a chapter here and there while reading other books (I read 2 or 3 other books in the middle of reading this book – something I hardly ever do because I tend to get stories confused) or just whenever you are looking for random facts about music to impress your friends with!

Book Review: No Place Like Holmes By Jason Lethcoe

Katie April 20, 2011 0 Comments

I just love good mystery book and No Place Like Holmes does not disappoint! The book follows Griffin Sharpe, a young boy from America who is sent to London to spend the summer with his Uncle.  His uncle lives at 221 Baker Street – which is also the home to Sherlock Holmes. (Although Mr. Holmes lives in 221B and Griffin’s Uncle lives in 221A)
At first, Griffin’s Uncle Rupert Snodgrass is not very impressed with the fact that his nephew is with him for the summer.  However, Griffin stumbles upon a case that is supposed to be for Mr. Holmes, but as he is not home at the time of the problem – the case becomes Rupert’s to solve. (He is also a detective, though much lesser known than his neighbor).  It is basically Rupert’s goal in life to solve a mystery before Sherlock Holmes.
The two then go on a fantastic journey!  Mrs. Dent believes that her husband was eaten by the Loch Ness Monster and those who were witness to his disappearance believe the same.  Griffin and Rupert are on the case and need to figure out what really happened.  As Griffin pays great attention to detail, all the descriptions in the book are incredibly detailed and make you feel like you are really there.  (However I did notice what I believe to be a continuity error – Griffin knows that Rupert is his Uncle because he notes that he has the same eyes as his Mother.  Later, Rupert tells the story about how his mother re-married a man who had a daughter – which was Griffin’s mother.  How do they have the same eyes if they share no biological parents?)
As the book is geared towards kids – things in the book are a bit over the top, but everything keeps your attention.  (I didn’t want to put the book down once I started it!)  It also contains several questions at the end of the book to really make you think about what you read and would be great for a group discussion.

No Place Like Holmes will be on bookstore shelves in May!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Chocolate Diaries

Katie April 19, 2011 0 Comments

I recently finished reading an advanced review copy of The Chocolate Diaries by Karen Scalf Linamen, which will be hitting stores May 3, 2011.  The book shares stories from Karen as well as from dozens of other women on what they do to cope on this rocky road we call life.
Each chapter contains “Sweet Secrets” where someone answers the question: “What’s your favorite secret to a sweeter journey on the rocky road of life?”  Some answers include taking a break to indulge in their favorite chocolate treat, others read excerpts from the bible and look to God to help them.
The end of each chapter contains some “Food for Thought” questions.  These questions help you take the stories that you read about overcoming difficulties and make you think about them in relation to your own life.   I liked this feature in the book because they would be great questions for discussion in a book group but they are also just great questions to answer for yourself to try and get yourself into a more positive mindset.
Also included at the end of several chapters were “Because Real Women Don’t Need a Cookbook” recipes.  All of which include one main ingredient, yep, you guessed it – Chocolate!

The book was enjoyable and eye opening and I definitely recommend it to anyone who might be looking for guidance to a sweeter journey on the rocky road of life!

About Karen – No stranger to good chocolate, Karen Scalf Linamen is a popular speaker and the author of several books for women, including Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt and Chocolathereapy: Satisfying the Deepest Cravings of Your Inner Chick.  Karen writes, entertains, cooks, and pursues the sweet life with her family in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Book Review: Galileo by Mitch Stokes

Katie April 12, 2011 2 Comments

Galileo is one of the books in the “Christian Encounters” series published by Thomas Nelson Publishers.  It was written by Mitch Stokes.  The book tells the life of science great, Galileo, but includes many details about his faith as well, and how it guided him.
This book is a great resource and is very detailed.  It would be a great book to use for someone who was doing a report or project on Galileo.  It would also be a great read for any science history buffs who are looking to learn more about Galileo from a bit of a different perspective.  There are not any other books to my knowledge which include so much information about Galileo’s faith.  (Something that the Christian Encounters series is trying to change – by profiling many great historical figures with more details into their Christianity and how God guided them to greatness)
For the average reader, it is a bit detailed and at times was tough to get through. I was familiar with some of Galileo’s works from my math and science classes in college, but this book went above and beyond anything I had learned.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Knock ‘Em Dead by Martin Yate

Katie April 10, 2011 2 Comments

Knock ‘Em Dead by Martin Yate is the Ultimate Job Search Guide and has recently been updated for 2011.  Whether you are unemployed or looking to switch jobs (either now or in the future) this book is a great guide and full of great tips to help you get not only your resume, but also your mind, in shape.
The first part of the book goes over how to make your resume be competitive.  At the end of each chapter there are activities for the reader to do to help figure out what items need to be added to the resume as well as how to phrase them.
Once you have your resume and cover letters set, the next part is all about the next step in the job hunt – the Interviews!  There are examples of questions that might pop up in interviews and how you should best answer them to promote yourself in a way that will keep the company interested.  There are tips on how to ace a phone interview, in person interview, and even a meal time interview. There are details on what you should wear, what your body language should portray and what you should ask.
Of course after you learn how to rock your interview – the next step is how to negotiate a winning job offer!
The end of the book lists more detailed information on certain job types.  There are a LOT listed and I found some similar to the job/career that I am applying for – I will have to check out all the links that were mentioned soon.  There are also lots of other helpful links throughout the book on where you can post your resume, find jobs, etc.  I fully intend to use what I learned in this book to re-work my resume and cover letter and hopefully it will yield a couple of interviews for me! (And then, a job!)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”