I am a mood reader. Sometimes I like a mystery or a thriller. Other times, I crave historical fiction. But during the summer, when I’m heading off on vacation or a weekend getaway, I prefer a quick, fun read – a book that keeps me turning the pages…

A couple of weeks ago, I had some minor surgery. All is well, but I could not bend, stoop, lift, twist, or ride in a car while recuperating. The silver lining? These constraints gave me the perfect excuse to pull on my sweats, curl up on the couch, and read…

Thanks to an issue with my right eye, I struggle to read an actual book. As problems go, it’s a tiny one. It’s also solvable. I read newspapers and magazines on a tablet. For books, I rely on my trusty Kindle. With both devices, I can adjust the font size…

Thirteen years ago – when she was 65 years old – Barbara Pagano stumbled on a longevity website. She plugged in her basic health information, along with her family’s diseases and history, and pressed submit. What popped up on the screen was her proposed…

I love it when a friend or family member gifts me a book. With so many choices in bookshops and online stores, it’s a fun way to discover new authors or subject matter that might not otherwise appear on my radar. Here are a few favorites I’ve read recently…

Welcome – almost – to fall in my part of the world! Recently, I chatted with a woman over lunch at a café. Our conversation steered to books. “I only read non-fiction,” she said to me. “I want a book that’s thought-provoking…

It is hot, hot, hot where most of us live. Pour a tall glass of lemonade. Retreat into the air conditioning or under a shady tree or to a porch with a swirling ceiling fan. And then disappear to Chicago or Fire Island or London or Africa…

According to research, our brains can’t concentrate on two things at once. When we’re cooking a meal or knitting a blanket or building a birdhouse, we can’t worry at the same time. When we’re immersed in a good book, we can’t also be fretting…

Thank goodness for books. It’s been a difficult past few weeks in my city. An armed woman stormed into a school, killing innocent children and teachers. Our community continues to cry, grieve, and rage for the lives of families and schoolkids changed forever…

The bad news? I’m still recovering from a nasty case of the flu. The silver lining? My malady gave me the perfect excuse to lay around and read! During my convalescence, I ripped through – and enjoyed – the following books…