According to a study by the National Institute of Health (NIH), listening to audiobooks showed significant improvements in the mental health of older adults. The study showed benefits on mental health dimensions of aggression, depression…
Read MoreWhat a variety of books occupied me this winter in Chicago. Fortunately, I found lots of fun, quick reads. They make the darker, deeper stories possible to complete. In early March, I visited the Tucson Festival of Books. It’s informative to hear the popular…
Read MoreWelcome to Lesson 32! Today we are going to work on improving our note reading skills and will learn to use chord symbols in order to play from Fake Books! Let’s do it! In your Chord Calisthenics you have been seeing chord symbols above the staff…
Read MoreReading, by its very nature, is a charming experience. Who hasn’t been carried off to a distant land or found solace in books? All humans are hard-wired for stories, and it is in the realm of magical realism that stories blend the ordinary with the mystical…
Read MoreFinally, you have reached the age when you are beginning to think about downsizing. Perhaps you have familiarized yourself with all the practical and even emotional difficulties involved and have decided you are not quite ready to take the plunge?
Read MoreI 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…
Read MoreI am excited to share my thoughts about each of my current must read nonfiction books. Yes, you read that right – I am excited about nonfiction books. I think we are living in a fascinating time where scientific research is helping humans…
Read MoreAre you one of those people who, no matter how much you are enjoying it, simply cannot wait to finish the book you are reading when another interesting title catches your eye? Me too. Unfortunately, a busy schedule limits my dedicated reading time…
Read MoreIt 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…
Read MoreThank 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…
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