Nadia was 21-years-old in August 15, 2014 when her home in Kocho, a small village in northern Iraq, was overrun by ISIS. Six of Nadia’s brothers were executed. Nadia’s mother was killed. Nadia, and the other younger Yazidi girls, were taken to Mosul and forced to become ISIS sex slaves. This brutal, horrific story tells how Nadia and the other girls were repeatedly raped and beaten. But just when you think things couldn’t get worse, Nadia decides to escape–or die trying. The Last Girl–in the final analysis–is a tale of hope and survival despite barbaric treatment of innocent girls. If you need a story to inspire you, I recommend Nadia’s journey through Hell. GRADE: A

Jack Gantos won a Newbery Medal for Dead End in Norvelt. But Gantos struggled to master the elements of writing. Writing Radar traces Gantos’s trial and error efforts to become a writer. Every writer has their own process. Gantos discovered that by keeping a journal, he was able to generate ideas for his stories. Gantos includes the many mis-steps he made in learning to write. I found this slim little book full of wit and humor and solid writing advice. GRADE: B+
Table of Contents
Before Writing, There Was Storytelling, xi
1 Trust Me, 3
2 Getting Started, 8
3 The Best Journal in the World Is Yours, 13
4 Turning On and Fine-Tuning Your Writing Radar, 25
5 Story Hunting and Gathering, 29
6 The Writing Journal in Action, 43
7 “I’ll Kill You,” Said My Sister, 48
8 The Oath, 61
9 Blank Slate, 65
10 Story Maps, 73
11 Action and Emotion, 84
12 Power!, 94
13 Good Habits Lead to Great Inspiration, 101
14 Story Structure and Story Elements, 110
15 Putting My Oath to the Test, 117
16 The Follower, 125
17 Breaking It Down, 142
18 My First Reader Teaches Me a Lesson, 153
19 Focused Drafts, 164
20 A Parting Surprise, 173
A Final Word, 193
Writing Connections, 195

Guillermo del Toro’s tribute to The Creature From the Black Lagoon features Sally Hawkins as a mute who falls in love with the bizarre creature being tortured by Michael Shannon in a secret Government facility. Hawkins and Octavia Spencer work as cleaners. But they witness the cruelty and decide to do something about it. The Shape of Water looks gorgeous. But, I was disappointed that there were no surprises. Very predictable plot. I wish del Toro had taken a few more risks. The elements for a Great Film are here, but the result just doesn’t jell. GRADE: B

Aaron Carroll decided to look closely at the research regarding food. Dr. Carroll learned a lot of the studies claiming coffee is a menace and eggs are causing heart attacks are flawed. Dr. Carroll shows that many foods have been demonized unnecessarily. Meat is a perfect example. Dr. Carroll discusses research that reveals that meat is not a “silent killer.” The research on diet sodas show they are mostly benign. Some people have problems with gluten, but those people are only 2% of population. The rest of us can eat gluten without worry. The most revealing part of The Bad Food Bible to me was the chapter on alcohol. Alcohol is another substance pilloried by “experts.” According to Dr. Carroll, men who had two drinks a day (women one) had lower rates of heart disease. They also lived longer than non-drinkers. There’s a lot of phony claims about the health aspects common foods like meat, eggs, and alcohol. Dr. Carroll clarifies the research and makes common-sense recommendations. Moderation is the key! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Foreword by Nina Teicholz ix
Introdution xiii
1. BUTTER: On fats 1
2. MEAT: On protein 19
3. EGGS: On cholesterol 39
4. SALT: On sodium 51
5. GLUTEN: On grains 68
6. GMOs: On genetically modified organisms 79
7. ALCHOHOL: On booze 95
8. COFFEE: On caffeine 113
9. DIET SODA: On carbohydrates and artificial sweeteners 129
10. MSG: On monosodium glutamate 155
11. NON-ORGANIC FOODS: On conventionally grown fruits, vegetables, and meat 171
CONCLUSION: SIMPLE RULES FOR HEALTHY EATING 187
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 199
NOTES 203
INDEX 227

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-point favorites over the Jacksonville Jaguars. When these two teams met on October 8, 2017 the Jaguars beat the Steelers 30-9 in a surprising upset. I don’t think that will happen today. But the game we’re all waiting for–especially Deb–is the New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings. The Vikes are 5-point favorites. Can the Saints win on the road in arctic Minnesota? What do you think will happen?

Just a few weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles were cruising into the Playoffs. Then, their brilliant QB, Cqrson Wentz, got injured and the Eagles looked like their goose was cooked. We’ll see today when the Atlanta Falcons come to the City of Brotherly Love favored by 3-points. In the late game, the mighty New England Patriots are favored by 13 1/2 points over the Tennessee Titans. This game looks like a blow-out. Who do you think will win today?

Rise of the Terran Empire is the third omnibus volume in BAEN Books’s “The Technic Civilization Saga.” The confederation of traders that kept order is breaking down. Poul Anderson shows how the Terran Empire emerges from the breakup of the old order. If you’re looking for that “Sense of Wonder” in Science Fiction, this volume has it in spades. Anderson also manages to create credible aliens in these stories, too.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
“Descent into Empire” By Hank Davis vii
Mirkheim 1
“Wingless” 293
“Rescue on Avalon” 307
“The Star Plunderer” 325
“Sargasso of Lost Starships” 363
The People of the Wind 437
“Chronology of Technic Civilization” By Sandra Miesel 663

Sam Walker has covered sports teams for 30 years. He founded the excellent sports section in the Wall Street Journal in 2009. Throughout his years of following sports, Walker was obsessed with the question of why certain teams won so consistently. In The Captain Class, Walker presents his theory of consistent winning: it’s all about the leadership. Walker provides dozens of examples where teams win while other teams–just as talented–don’t win championships. Walker cites evidence from soccer teams, cricket teams, baseball, football, and hockey teams. If you’re a sports fan, you’ll find plenty to think about in The Captain Class. If coaches read this book, they might rethink the way they build their teams. Most teams are focused on talent, not leadership. I’m convinced by Walker’s arguments that leadership provides the Winning Edge. GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
PROLOGUE viii
GREATNESS AND ITS ORIGINS: The Birth of a Freak Team 1
ONE: Alpha Lions: Identifying the Worlds Greatest Teams 13
TWO: Captain Theory: Importance of the “Glue Guys” 31
THREE: Talent, Money, and Culture: Alternative Explanations 52
FOUR: Do Coaches Matter? The Vince Lombardi Effect 69
PART II: THE CAPTAINS: The Seven Methods of Elite Leaders 87
FIVE: They Just Keep Coming: Doggedness and Its Ancillary Benefits 93
SIX: Intelligent Fouls: Playing at the Edge of the Rules 112
SEVEN: Carrying Water: The Hidden Art of Leading from the Back 133
EIGHT: Boxing Ears and Wiping Noses: Practical Communication 154
NINE: Calculated Acts: The Power of Nonverbal Displays 175
TEN: Uncomfortable Truths: The Courage to Stand Apart 185
ELEVEN: The Kill Switch: Regulating Emotion 204
PART III: THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION: Leadership Mistakes and Misperceptions 229
TWELVE: False Idols: Flawed Captains and Why We Love Them 233
THIRTEEN: The Captaincy in Winter: Leadership’s Decline, and How to Reverse It 255
EPILOGUE 271
APPENDIX 277
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 303
INDEX 315

Dollars and Sense shows how to make better decisions about money. Dan Ariely and Jeff Kreisler talk about the bad habits we develop that cost us every time we spend cash or credit. My favorite part of Dollars and Sense dealt with the ways we “lose control” over spending. I fight that battle daily when AMAZON sends me recommended suggestions for books, Blu-rays, and music CDs. And AMAZON’S insideous 1-CLICK buying option just makes it so EASY to buy! If you want to solve some of your money problems in 2018, reading Dollars and Sense would be a good place to start. GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction ix
PART I WHAT IS MONEY?
1 Don’t Bet On It 3 (4)
2 Opportunity Knocks 7 (8)
3 A Value Proposition 15 (6)
PART II HOW WE ASSESS VALUE IN WAYS THAT HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH VALUE
1 We Forget That Everything Is Relative 21 (20)
5 We Compartmentalize 41 (20)
6 We Avoid Pain 61 (32)
7 We Trust Ourselves 93 (18)
8 We Overvalue What We Have . 111 (20)
9 We Worry About Fairness and Effort . 131 (18)
10 We Believe In the Magic Of Language and Rituals . 149 (18)
11 We Overvalue Expectations 167 (16)
12 We Lose Control 183 (14)
13 We Overemphasize Money 197 (16)
PART III NOW WHAT? BUILDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF FLAWED THINKING
14 Put Your Money Where Your Mind Is 213 (12)
15 Free Advice 225 (2)
16 Control Yourself 227 (10)
17 It’s Us Against Them 237 (16)
18 Stop and Think 253 (6)
Thanks 259 (2)
Notes 261 (8)
Index 269 (7)

From 2011 to 2016, Scott & Bailey delighted audiences with a mix of police procedural and dark humor. The series stars Suranne Jones, Lesley Sharp, Amelia Bullmore, Nicholas Gleaves, Danny Miller, and Pippa Haywood. Detectives Janet Scott (played by Sharp) and Rachel Bailey (played by Jones) investigate crimes while dealing with their own personal problems. Both characters are members of the Syndicate Nine Major Incident Team (MIT) of the fictional Manchester Metropolitan Police. I liked the mix of cases Scott & Bailey investigate. Sometimes, the women’s personal problems threaten to dominate the action, but fortunately professionalism always brings them back to Reality. Both women are flawed, but their toughness manages to overcome their myriad of problems.

If you’re looking for an excellent series with strong women characters, Scott & Bailey delivers. Many PBS stations broadcast this series. It’s also available on AMAZON Prime if you’d rather not buy the DVDs. GRADE: A