Reviews with TLC

I bought Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring by Bassem Youssef at his performance in Eugene, Oregon. His performance was as interesting as the clips I'd seen of his show, so I was interested in seeing if the book would expand on his show or be totally different. His courage to speak the truth infiltrates both his performance and his book. His ability to apply humor to devastation is both uplifting and heart wrenching. There were times when I read about the Arab Spring from his point of view that I was astounded by how badly people can treat one another even though it's in the news all the time. I was taken aback by how easy it is for people in power to create a narrative to hold onto that power and take more power when they can control the media. Youssef shares his story, his struggle, his hopes, and his disappointments in this memoir of how he went from being a surgeon to a comedian as well as from a patriot of his country working for change from the in...

Writing to Change the World: An Inspiring Guide for Transforming the World with Words  by Mary Pipher is an interesting look at using words to make a difference in the world. Pipher uses her own experience drawing attention to issues that matter to her and even discusses some of her failures. Writing to Change the World is more than a how to write effectively book. Pipher pushes writers to examine their attitudes, goals, and motivations while demonstrating how she's examined hers throughout her writing life. I felt moments of resistance as I read which shows the book is effective in provoking thought and creating an emotional connection. Writing to Change the World is not only a book about how to write to change the world but a book about creating change in the world.

Becoming by Michelle Obama lifted my spirits and touched my heart. Obama writes in a way that makes the reader feel like a new friendship is being forged. She writes her story without apologizing for who she is from childhood forward. She shares her insecurities, which somehow only make her seem stronger. She shares her journey from childhood through her time as First Lady of the United States. She talks about her missteps and her accomplishments with the same honesty. She shares her resistance to politics and living in the spotlight with unexpected openness. Becoming truly embraces the ongoing journey through life to becoming one's best self and embracing that self in any given moment. She shares stories that resonated with me and had me nodding along and other stories that my life experience doesn't give me context for. I felt like I understood life in general a little better from reading Becoming . I loved Becoming so much that I often snapped photos on my phone of pass...

The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Release & Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly 6th Edition by David Meerman Scott is an interesting, informative, and detailed book on marketing and public relations. Scott gives great examples of the techniques he recommends. The New Rules of Marketing & PR is filled with tips that I can't wait to implement as well as ones I've long been doing. Scott offers new approaches to old ideas that marketing and public relations feel more approachable than many marketing and public relations books. I tagged a few places in the book for things to revisit in the next few months as I work on marketing my books. The New Rules of Marketing & PR brings new energy to marketing and public relations that feels less manipulative than many approaches.