Hi, as this section becomes larger, we need to break the pages up for easier loading. These are books that we had recommended in the past. For our latest recommendations go to the main page.

Previous recommendations:
• Charlotte's Web - a great kid's book!
• Small Time Operator and Working Solo - excellent advice for the self-employed.
• The Little World of Don Camillo
• The Far Pavilions
• Diet for a New America - an eye-opener!

A book that we just read to the kids is Charlotte's Web by E. B. White. It is a wonderful book, both for the kids, and for adults too! We had the animated video, which follows the book very closely, but there is nothing like reading the book. Jonathan's favorite part is when Wilbur explains why saying "less than nothing" is not logical.

And to top it off, the high school kids from Centennial HS just put a performance last weekend, so we had the joy of taking 10 neighborhood kids (including our own two) to the play.

Anacom has several editions of Charlotte's Web, including a very inexpensive paperback, but we bought a wonderful hardback with large print and great illustrations. No matter what kind you get, you will definitely enjoy the story.

Paperback

Annotated

Turtleback(?)

Video (Nice)

Audio Cassette

They also have an E.B. White Anthology which includes "Stuart Little" (also wonderful!) and "Trumpet of the Swan" (we haven't read it yet. If you have, let us know how it is.)

About a year and a half ago, after working for a while with a wonderful gentleman, I decided to start my own business. This is decidedly an immense step in life, and one requiring much knowledge and guidance. I found the book Small Time Operator: How to Start Your Own Small Business, Keep Your Books, Pay Your Taxes, and Stay Out of Trouble! by Bernard B. Kamorof, an invaluable resource.

The book is very thorough, covering every aspect of how to start and run a business, from permits to obtain, to how to choose a name, to what taxes to pay, plus a breakdown for the different states. It has a series of forms in the back that can be photocopied and used to keep inventory records, financial records, etc. The language is simple to understand and straight forward.

I find myself going back and reviewing different sections of my very much marked-up copy, especially around tax time. I highly recommend this book to anyone planning to start, or just having started a business.

As another recommendation, just last week I went with a friend to a "Start your Small Business Seminar" and found out that every topic covered there I had read about in this book.

I also got the book Working Solo, The Real Guide to Freedom & Financial Success with Your Own Business by Terri Lonier. This is also an excellent guide, but I have to admit that I didn't give it as thorough attention as I did the other one, probably because of the demands on my time. But I did read parts of it, and it complements the Small Time Operator book very well.

There are two other books that I just have to tell you about, they are my all time fiction favorites:

I have had my copy of The Little World of Don Camillo by Giovanni Guareshi, for at least 30 years, and have read it at least 15 times. I think that it is a wonderful book! It relates the story of a priest in Italy that converses with Christ and has a running feud with the communist Mayor of the small mountain town where they live. The insight into human nature is thought provoking, and besides that, there are many hilarious parts.

I'm afraid that Anacom doesn't have this book right now (it's on back order), but you might find it here, or at your local library.
 
The Far Pavilions by M.M.Kaye is a saga that takes place in the middle and far east (mostly India), and has something for everyone: suspense, love, adventure, horror. I saw a movie made of the story, but it wasn't one tenth as good as the book.

I do have to warn you that it is a very long story. I have a two-volume hardback edition, which I bought at a yard sale, but at Anacom you can buy the paperback very reasonably priced.

There is one last book that I would like to mention at this time. This book really has changed the way we see our food supply, and the way we eat. It is Diet for a New America written by John Robbins. He is the son of one of the founders of Baskin Robbins, and as the story goes, refused his inheritance of the ice cream "conglomerate" because of the research he had done on animal products (milk...ice cream, get it?). That research has all gone into his book.

Our copy of the book was sent to Stacy by a friend, but I read it first. It is amazing and incredible the stuff in it. First it talks about animals and how sensitive and loving they are. The next section presents the cruel ways in which livestock and animals grown for food are treated and the horrible things that they are fed and injected with (hormones, steroids, antibiotics, etc) The last section presents study after study of how bad meat is for humans, and it presents alternatives to a meat based diet.

The book is written in easy to understand English, although it repeats itself somewhat. But it is definitely an eye-opener. Needless to say, we tried becoming vegetarians. It isn't easy because of the mindset we have that a meal has to revolve around a good steak, or porkchops, or chicken. But we did become vegetarians for about a year (not completely, we still ate eggs and milk and cheese). But what a difference it made. I lost ten pounds and the bloated feeling dissappeared. I have to confess that we have slipped, and are eating meat at least a couple of times a week now, but I believe that another reading of this book will set us on the straight and narrow again.

I highly recommend it!

If you have any comments or questions, contact us at:
louise@loeschfamily.net