This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. A very well-written coming-of-age story about a black teenager, Niru, and his best friend, a white girl named Meredith, and their lives in Washington, DC. Niru is an excellent student and a track star who’s been accepted to Harvard in the fall. Meredith has a crush on Niru, but…
Joel Meyerowitz is an amazing street photographer. He’s has published more than 25 photobooks and has had exhibits in museums and galleries all over the world. In his clear, concise, very relatable manner, he gives his inspiring philosophy on photography, along with dozens of photos that illustrate his points and display his skill and talent. The message really resonated with…
We Cast a Shadow is a satirical story in the future about a father (a black man) who tries to protect his bi-racial son from the rampant racism in the world. He does this by desperately climbing the corporate ladder at his law firm so that he can earn enough money for surgical procedures that will lighten his son’s skin…
This short book, by a successful Broadway, TV and film producer, is written like a long-form, multi-chaptered letter. The addressee is his 18-year old son. When his son came out to him as gay, the author was compelled to look back on his own experiences and struggles as a gay man, and hopefully pass on some advice and wisdom. The…
I was never a huge fan of Blondie, although I did buy their first album (on Private Stock records, before they were signed to the big label Chrysalis. Not worth much on eBay, though.) I’ve always thought Debbie Harry was cool and she’s certainly led an interesting enough life to make for a good memoir. This book leads you through…
This book is a memoir (the book cover calls it an autobiographical novel) in which the author recounts the story of how he was raped and almost strangled to death by a man he took back to his apartment for a one-night stand. The tale is told from several viewpoints: mainly the author, but also by his sister, and his…
The Graduate has held, for decades, a consistent, secure place in my list of top ten favorite movies, as well an iconic place in Hollywood history and in pop culture. This book (which I found, in pristine condition, sitting in a small pile of books next to a trashcan on a street corner on the upper west side), is an…
I read the author’s first book two years ago and was blown away. His new book did not disappoint. His first novel was set in Sofia, Bulgaria. This book, a collection of loosely interrelated stories, continues with the story of a gay American teacher who tries to navigate life in a foreign country. The stories in this collection details his…
I am admittedly late to the party with this book, having managed to not read it at the time when everyone I knew back in college was immersed in it. Unfortunately, I think this is a book that really should be read when you’re young and impressionable and are forming and developing your view of the world, as with books…
I’ve been reading a lot of books on photography since it’s become a big hobby for me, and this book is definitely the best I’ve read so far. Written in a really easy, candid style, the author provides a ten-step plan for success that really covers everything you might ever consider when pursuing photography, whether as a career or as…
Although I don’t follow sports anymore, I was a fanatical baseball fan as a kid, and the New York Mets were my life. That mythical 1969 season is embedded in my head forever, and I never get tired of reading about it. Last year, I read Art Shamsky’s great book about that miracle team. This year, I gave Ron Swoboda’s…
ART + AWARENESS = ACTIVISM! Many of you know that I’ve been friends with Brad for 27 years, since he was a little boy. Brad is 41 now, and I have gotten to see him jump into many unique and creative projects using his talents: computer whiz (his company, Ravelong, has been providing growth-hack outside-the-box digital marketing since 2006.). He’s…
Though it’s a daunting topic, the author tackles questions about the mind – what is consciousness, how does it arise, why does it even exist – in a very clear, concise (a mere 144 pages) manner, providing quite a lot of food for thought. Questions about free will, whether plants have consciousness, and artificial intelligence (AI) are addressed in a…
I readily admit that it was the provocative title of the book that suckered me in. I was hoping the book would have more of a sociological bent, given that the author has a history of political activism, but it was totally focused on Buddhism and mindfulness. I’ve read a few books on mindfulness and meditation, and I do meditate…
This is, hands-down, one of the best memoirs I’ve read in a long time. This is a coming of age story taking place in the 60’s and 70’s. The author’s search to find self-acceptance as a gay teenager and to earn the love and respect of his father leads him on a tumultuous, drug-fueled journey across the country. It’s a…