Book Review: A Front Page Affair

The year is 1915. War has been declared in Europe, the US is on alert due to the sinking of the Lusitania, and there’s been a murder in New York City that needs to be solved. So begins Radha Vatsal’s debut novel A Front Page Affair, presumably what is to be the first in the “Kitty Weeks Mystery” series. 

I am not a huge fan of historical novels per se, but I can’t pass up anything having to do with New York City, so when I heard the author being interviewed as part of a “Reading With Robin” Literary Series in Bryant Park, I was drawn to this story from the start. The time period, when women surprisingly enough, were writing, producing, and directing films, as well as holding positions in many prominent fields also intrigued me.

A murder mystery set in Old New York City

The feisty Capability Weeks, better known as Kitty,  is a writer for The Sentinel who has been relegated to covering stories for the “Ladies Page.” While working at a party attended by high society, one of the guests winds up dead. Kitty becomes enmeshed in the story and soon realizes that one and one don’t add up, making for a very complicated tale that involves foreign intrigue and may even change the course of history.

The determined heroine who’s been raised in Europe and struggles to find her niche in the US, does not comply with the rules that conventional 1900’s culture tries to impose upon her. She drives, runs her father’s household, and is very much her own person. I found her to be high on the “likability index.”

Young sleuth tries to solve a murder against all odds.

The author’s skill at weaving an entertaining mystery and intertwining it among the strings of an historical setting is quite good. The story wends its way as quickly as Kitty does through the streets of Old New York in her bright yellow Bearcat. Scattered in with the unraveling of the murder are interesting details about the city, world events, and life during that period. Their inclusion is deftly handled, and seems to fit in rather well with the narrative.

Ms. Vatsal has put together a highly engaging story for her debut. I look forward to reading more of her writing and hope she has more escapades for Capability Weeks up her literary sleeve.

Book Review: Busy, Stressed, and Food-Obsessed

This piece originally appeared in betterafter50.com

Way back when, we were young moms, balancing a kid or two (or more) on one hand, and a household and perhaps a job on the other. Our lives were hectic and we were constantly in motion running from one activity, meeting, obligation to another. There were many times we grabbed what we could and ate on the go or from off our kids’ plates.

Now that we’ve reached a “certain age” and things may have calmed down a bit more–our kids are older and possibly out of the house, and we have some more time to focus on ourselves and our own well-being–that doesn’t mean we are any less stressed internally and that our eating habits have changed for the better.

In “Busy, Stressed, and Food Obsessed!” author Lisa Lewtan sets out to help us take a hard look at the lives we lead and how to make the adjustments needed in which to create a thriving, nourishing environment. It’s not a “diet book” in the traditional sense, but it does guide us on how to approach our diets in a sane and healthful manner. It’s not really a “relationship book” in the classic sense of that genre..but then again, it is loaded with strategies on how to better handle our often very complicated relationship with food. And it’s not really a “how to book,” but the chapters are jam-packed with practical advice about how to “finally figure out what your body needs to thrive.”

“The food you eat is one of the best health investments you can make.”

I approached this book as a “mere spectator,” someone who did not have any issues with food, unlike author Lewtan, a certified health coach, who admits very early on to at one time being all of the things her title addresses: Busy, stressed, and food obsessed. When she quite literally almost ran herself into the ground, she pulled herself together and began to scrutinize her lifestyle and dissect her habits, piece by piece, 

in order to figure out just what was causing her to crash and burn. This detective work and her method of self-care have led her to a more calm, stable…and healthy life. Reading about her own challenges encouraged me to take an honest appraisal of my own habits—both good and bad. (And yes, this “mere spectator” finally admitted to herself that the handful of chocolate chips she has with her morning coffee each day borders on obsession, and probably has something to do with the afternoon stomachache.)

Lisa’s methods in spurring the reader on to action involve using powerful verbs such as “investigate,” “alleviate,” and “eliminate.” In page after page we begin to learn how interdependent we are with the foods we eat, and how that relationship can be a vey toxic one. She helps us weed out the “bad” and weed in the “good,” with help being the operative word. There are no lectures as she puts us in the driver’s seat so that ultimately, the conclusions we arrive at are our own.

Identify your habits, and why you eat…Are you hungry? Bored? Happy? Sad?

Think about what you eat…Are there foods that “trigger” your patterns?

How does what you eat make you feel? Full? Depressed? Sick to your stomach? Guilty?

Judgment is thrown out the window and mindfulness is brought in. Being mindful about what we eat and why doesn’t mean being obsessive.  In fact, our obsession is what is leading so many of us on the path to ruin. Helpful charts and assignments to assist us on a better path, the one to reconnecting with our bodies, are included in every chapter. This is not a reference book filled with scientific terminology about carbs and protein, and in no way does Lewtan advocate one “diet” over another. What is provided is encouragement, with a little humor thrown in for good measure. Dancing, meditation, everything that may help you get in touch with your emotions and forge a connection with your true inner self are recommended…even encouraged. 

The author doesn’t expect miracles, and she does account for setbacks. Her message is “Stop being so hard on yourself, just be honest.” She inspires us in her mission to rid the world of the over-stressed crazy-woman. We believe her–even when she says you can maintain a healthy lifestyle while allowing yourself to stray every once in a while. The main thing is to “ditch the inner critic bitch.” If by the end of this book, you have learned how to stand up to that “bitch” in your mind, then Lewtan’s job has been done.

“Life is short and being too restrictive is not fun or particularly mentally healthy.”

Book Review: The Art of Social Media

Communication guru Marshall McLuhan asserted that "the medium is the message" so many years ago. I'm sure he had no idea how many platforms that message would be funneled through by the 21st century. I thought of him a lot when I read The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users, the new book by information power players, Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick. And as I attempted to absorb all that was put before me in this fast-paced, coming at you from all angles at breakneck speed book, I realized that no one could have predicted what today’s message disseminators were going to have to deal with. 

The first line of the book sets the tone as Kawasaki tells us the authors want us to “rock social media.” This is not “Social Media For Dummies”--if you are looking for the ABC’s, you will have to look elsewhere. In order to really appreciate what the book is about you must understand the basic concepts--meaning, no neophytes here, please. Only those who have already dipped their toes in the proverbial social media sea will benefit.

Kawasaki expects the reader to hit the ground running, and if you can keep up, you will find a huge storehouse of information about how to approach every social media platform and use it to its best advantage--for yourself, your business or a client’s business or organization.

Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, are all discussed in depth with content curation being a dominant focus. Where to find content that fits your niche, how and when to post, and how to respond to what will hopefully be many comments. Kawasaki stresses the importance of knowing your audience, building your network and increasing your fan base: “There are only two kinds of people on social media: those who want more followers, and those who are lying,” and his sharp wit often helps bring his point home. Of course, all of this is done with the ultimate intention of making money.

By often referring to his co-author, Peg, and providing both textual and visual examples of how she handles social media issues (she too is a thought leader in the field), the reader is actually getting a “two for one” deal. Kawasaki also uses a liberal hand when peppering his explanations with quotes and links from other industry smarties. (NOTE: I read the electronic version and found being able to immediately click on his links to be amazingly helpful.)

In addition to the “How To’s” (how to run a Google Hangout, how to take charge of an event, how to create a SlideShare presentation, how to organize a Twitter chat), the author has no problem telling us what not to do: “don’t be a pimp,” “don’t swear,” “don’t beg for shares and follows.” There are times when he does chide any naysayers--something I found to be a bit disconcerting--but he also goes out of his way to state that his “tips, tricks, and insights” should not be taken as gospel.

Whether you drink all the Kool-Aid or not, the book is so super-packed with information that you can’t help but take something away from it. It took me so long to get through it because I kept stopping to take notes! And, some of the most helpful portions appear after the conclusion...the list of apps and services is invaluable for someone like me who is often looking them up online. 

This book will serve as a helpful manual for anyone who handles social media for themselves or others and wants to learn how it can help grow your business. I know that I will reread it many times--each chapter is largely written as a separate entity, and can be easily referred to independently of the others. Algorithms will change and apps will come and go, but the philosophy and strategies that the authors so comprehensively share will continue to be pertinent for a long time to come.