Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

What is a memoir? Viga Boland puts it quite simply: it’s “a selfie in words.” In this high tech decade of selfie this and selfie that, a popular social media glitch in our society, there isn’t a better way to describe the iconic reality of what a memoir entails. It is, in effect, a story about ME; hence MEmoir; hence Viga Boland’s inspirational and motivational approach in her guide to memoir writing, Don't Write Your MEmoir Without ME!

Memoir author, public speaker, and inspirational memoir mentor, Viga Boland has always felt a powerful bond with the written word. “Words,” she writes, “can build us up or tear us down in seconds. Whichever way they are used, there are lifelong ramifications for all who read or hear them.” Powerful thoughts put into powerful words. So if words have that much power, why put them into the written form? To make our lives, our life stories, to make everything about life count for now and for generations into the future. That’s why memoirs are important. Memoirs teach, they reflect, they inspire, and they motivate. And, as this award winning memoir author points out, “The more personal the memoir, the more universal it is.”

This is a self-help book in many ways. It leads the would-be memoir writer through the process as well as the pros and cons of writing a memoir. It instills in the receptive mind, the importance of ME. After all, what would a MEmoir be without the ME? Viga shares her own insights in a conversational approach, logically presented, and with a dash of humor and reality to entertain. She includes quotes from other authors and memoir writers, as well as an appendix full of memoir examples and reviews she has written about other worthy memoir writing guidebooks. This is not your typical instructional manual. As in her memoirs, and as she frequently insists is a necessary ingredient for all good memoirs, this book both educates and entertains. Well done! As a memoir writer and memoir mentor myself, this book will certainly be referenced many times in the years to come. Thanks for sharing.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Incision Decisions: A Guide to Getting Through Surgery, Recovery, and Your Hospital Stay by Kaye Newton is a helpful guide for readers who are planning to undergo surgery or recovering from it. Planning to undergo surgery is a daunting task and in this book there are many useful and practical tips that one can implement to prepare well and educate themselves about their operation and recuperation. Reading this book will give one the feeling that they are in control and will enable them to make better decisions about their medical care. The author lays to rest the many doubts that linger in the minds of patients before their first major surgery.

The tips and suggestions are simple and based on the issues the author has faced during her surgical experiences and the operations of her family members, along with some discussions with medical professionals, fellow patients, and reviews of accredited hospital websites. The author has done excellent research on the topic and handles it methodically and extensively, making it a beneficial guide to all those who are planning to have major surgery; especially if it is their first one. The topic is relevant yet not written about much, and that makes this book a must-read. The book is informative, educational, and also deals with the emotional and psychological angle of what a patient goes through while in the hospital for a surgical procedure and after one. The book will help readers understand the importance of being actively involved in their medical care.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

It might surprise Pokemon Go fanatics to learn that the man who created the original Pokemon game, Mr. Satoshi Tajiri, has confirmed that he has Asperger's Syndrome, one of the types of autism. In fact, it most likely would surprise many people to realize that some of the most brilliant and famous people in history, like Einstein and Mozart, are thought to have had autism. How terribly sad then to realize, as Jonathan Alderson points out in Challenging the Myths of Autism, that for decades now great numbers of children and adults with autism have been diagnosed as mentally retarded, socially inept and/or reclusive, incapable of showing affection, of having low IQ's, and lacking in imagination and creativity. How important then for someone like Jonathan Alderson to come along and separate the facts from the fiction surrounding autism.

Challenging the Myths of Autism is a book that should be read by everyone involved with autistic children in any way: teachers, educators, medical researchers, doctors, and especially parents need to read this book. Jonathan addresses the myths surrounding seven key behavioral and intelligence issues of autistic children. He begins each chapter quoting some of the erroneous statements made by those considered experts. Next, he'll share a story of an autistic child with whom he has worked, what the child was like when he first met and observed him or her, and how that child grew, changed and thrived when approached as these children need to be approached: with tons of patience, without judgement, and above all, without preconceived ideas based on erroneous, often unsupported or empirical evidence.

In Challenging the Myths of Autism, Jonathan Alderson points out parents and educators need to change their beliefs about learning. They need to look for evidence that learning is happening. He cautions that we need to focus on what autistic people can do and not what they can't i.e. look for the positives instead of zeroing in on the negatives. Really, how different is what he suggests from what we all know children need: time to grow into their own greatness. It just might take longer for that to happen with autistic children, but it can happen. But it won't happen if the adults involved in their lives remain unenlightened. That's why this is such an important book.

I've personally been involved with parents of autistic children. I know how hard it is on both the parents and the child at times. I've witnessed the screaming and the repetitive behaviors. But I've also seen the love these often exhausted parents show for their children. And I've had the pleasure of seeing a child eventually express his or her love for that parent in a way that brought tears to my eyes. Challenging the Myths of Autism will give hope to parents who are running out of it, and alternative approaches to teachers and therapists to use with autistic children in their care. This book was originally released in 2011 by Random House. If you didn't read it back then, read it now. With 1 in 100 children now being diagnosed with autism, it's high time everyone learned the truth so they can better deal with it. The next child to be diagnosed autistic could be your own.

Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite

Classics (Why and How We Can Encourage Children to Read Them) by Fiza Pathan is a non-fiction educational book. Classics would appeal most to an audience of adults employed in educationally based or teaching positions, parents, aunts/uncles, grandparents, as well as anyone else who is working to get a child to read classic literature. Classics (Why and How We Can Encourage Children to Read Them) by Fiza Pathan is designed to teach people how to get children to read classic literature and to enjoy it without any negative feeling toward the material.

The first thing I liked about Classics (Why and How We Can Encourage Children to Read Them) was the title Classics. I liked how it got right to the point of the book without any needless wording. I found the organization of the book very helpful to reading and understanding the book and I felt that Fiza Pathan had a writing style that made everything both easy to understand and interesting to the reader. I was interested in reading Classics because I am an after school counselor who works with elementary aged children. The program I work for has access to quite a bit of children’s classic literature, but none of my children are ever interested in it. Classics by Fiza Pathan provided me with all sorts of ideas, guidelines, and techniques for getting my kids interested in classic literature. I am so excited to give what I learned a shot as I feel much better prepared to succeed with the help of Fiza Pathan.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Why Zarmina Sings: 18 Steps to Live and Learn Beyond Anxiety is a non-fiction educational text written by Therese Ayla Kravetz. The author has been an educator for years in primary schools as well as on the collegiate level for over 15 years. Many of her students are from other countries and are taking her ESL courses on writing, reading, and conversation. As well as having some challenges learning a new language, those students are also balancing the demands of family and work, and many are culturally challenged when asked to perform in a classroom setting. Kravetz utilizes her own background in drama and arts therapy to get students involved and excited in the classroom. She does that through setting them innovative assignments that include oral presentations, preparation of class lessons, and participation in performances of Shakespearean and other plays as well as teaching them relaxation methods. She provides a detailed appendix of end notes for the material presented in each chapter.

While I am not currently involved in the teaching profession, I was fascinated by Therese Ayla Kravetz' non-fiction educational work, Why Zarmina Sings: 18 Steps to Live and Learn Beyond Anxiety. I do have some background in ESL and appreciated her awareness of the cultural differences ESL students bring to the educational table and thought her solutions were creative and inspirational. I was especially intrigued by her use of Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and other playwrights' works in the classroom and enjoyed reading about how her students were able to transform themselves through acting.

Why Zarmina Sings is more than a pedagogical aid, however; it's filled with anecdotes and techniques that are valuable for anyone who wants to reignite their creativity, heal old traumas, and find their own voice. I tried many of the exercises Kravetz included and plan on integrating them into my own daily schedule. Why Zarmina Sings is well-written, highly accessible, and a joy to read. The author is a gifted communicator who can instill enthusiasm both in the classroom and via her writing. Why Zarmina Sings: 18 Steps to Live and Learn Beyond Anxiety is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Aunt Phil’s Trunk Volume 5: Bringing Alaska’s History Alive by Laurel Downing Bill is a continuation of a historical look at Alaska’s past. In this book we take a look at the years 1960 through to 1984, brought alive in a series of photographs and stories. We look at how the people started their very first government and follow it through 25 years of history. We talk to people who survived the Good Friday Earthquake in 1964, a massive 9.2, and the tsunamis that wreaked havoc afterwards. We look at the discovery of black gold on the northern slopes and how the Natives fought the biggest battle for their own land and won. The settlement they got paved the way for an oil pipeline to be built through the Alaskan wilderness, stretching for 800 miles. And we look at the evil that tainted the 1980s with no less than six mass murderers.

Aunt Phil’s Trunk Volume 5: Bringing Alaska’s History Alive by Laurel Downing Bill is an amazing addition to the series, all of which I have read and would read again, over and over. Alaska is top of my bucket list and this book, covering more recent times, has brought it all the more to life for me. I love the addition of the photos; they add so much to the book, making it more than just a historical narrative. Together with the entertaining stories, you can really feel the emotions coming off the page, the horror of the earthquake and the tsunamis, the joy of winning the settlement, and the terror of the mass murders; it is all brought vividly to life. An amazing book and I would strongly recommend that the entire series is read in order, although you can read this as a stand-alone.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

Deciding to read Writing Tips and Tricks by Kim Lambert was one of the best and most timely decisions I've made in the past year! Why? Because I'm a writer who's paralysed my writing by procrastinating for some months now. Then I picked up Writing Tips and Tricks, and suddenly I recognized what had been holding me back, knew where I needed to go and what I needed to do to get there. What a brilliant book!

Now I'm not going to say that I haven't heard all that Kim Lambert has to share. I have. But the best feature of Writing Tips and Tricks is the way this book is laid out. For starters, it's short, meaning a quick read. Second, its appearance facilitates reading: lots of white space between short paragraphs. That's not just easy on the eyes: it's easier to assimilate and remember. Third, and I think this is what pleases me most, is seeing that Kim Lambert does exactly what she advises us to do. That is utterly powerful. If Kim says keep the language simple, she keeps it simple. If she suggests you need to keep the reader uppermost in your mind as you write, she does that. I know from years of experience that the best way to show someone how to do something is to do it yourself. Kim Lambert practices what she preaches.

Kim Lambert is no novice at writing these types of "how-to" non-fiction books. She is an 8-times Amazon award winning writer. I can tell she also knows a great deal about good copy writing. So many of her suggestions are the tenets of writing good sales copy. But does this book only apply to those who write non-fiction? Not at all. Kim Lambert bounces back and forth, showing how what she's explaining applies to and works for both fiction and non-fiction. Those interested in writing fiction will find themselves refreshed by her ideas on how to get going, find characters, and create realistic dialogue and effective descriptions. As someone who teaches creative writing, I most certainly plan to use some of the ideas she presents in my upcoming workshops, along with recommending that participants immediately purchase a copy of Writing Tips and Tricks.

One of the "coolest" things I discovered in this book was how to create a series of books by not putting everything I know in one book. I had never thought of this before. It explains why some of the most successful authors and bloggers that I follow have dozens of books and thousands of followers to their credit, just like Kim Lambert does. How do they find so much material for book after book? When you read Writing Tips and Tricks by Kim Lambert, you will find out how to do that too. And as Kim points out, not only do you then build a following and increase your presence and credibility as an author worth reading, but you always have another book in the works. Curious? If you really want to write, not just one book but several, you should be. Pick up a copy of Writing Tips and Tricks by Kim Lambert today and start writing tomorrow.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Maximizing Your Injury Claim: Simple Steps To Protect Your Family After An Accident is a non-fiction self-help book written by Matthew D. Dubin. The author does not show you how to pursue your own injury claim; rather his book is designed to instruct the reader on personal injury actions, discuss legal representation and illustrate the steps necessary to get fair compensation when you're injured. He recommends that drivers take a second look at the insurance they're carrying on their vehicles, and he gives recommendations for minimum coverage amounts. He explains why this is crucially important and how your PIP coverage can help pay for medical bills after an injury, whether you are in your car or not. Dubin discusses what you should and should not do at the scene of an accident, and then shows you what to expect and do at each step in the process of resolving your claim. He also demonstrates what you can and should expect from the lawyer you select to pursue your claim.

Matthew D. Dubin's educational self-help book, Maximizing Your Injury Claim: Simple Steps To Protect Your Family After An Accident, describes the entire compensation process starting from even before you have that accident or injury. His discussion on insurance coverage had me double-checking my policy and considering whether I should go for more coverage. I really appreciated his cautions on speaking to claims adjusters right after an accident. Most people feel there's nothing to hide or to lose from an honest question and answer session and are eager to get things going, but the author shows how this can work against your best interests. Dubin discusses legal representation and how he feels that a personal injury lawyer's job is to take care of the details while you get better. He discusses an attorney's obligations and what a client should expect from his or her counsel. I was most impressed with this informative and helpful book. Dubin clarifies a convoluted and often confusing legal process, and he does so in language and with anecdotal examples that are written with the layperson in mind. Maximizing Your Injury Claim: Simple Steps To Protect Your Family After An Accident is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Classics: Why We Should Encourage Children to Read Them is a non-fiction educational work written by Fiza Pathan. Pathan is an educator and author who attributes much of her career success to a broad base of classics reading, both as a child and an adult. She discusses the books that made the biggest impact on her personally and includes suggested reading lists for boys and girls. She argues that classics exercise the imagination and build a firm base for learning and living. Pathan bases much of her work as a teacher of English on the classics, but she shows how reading the classics can impact a child's performance in other academic disciplines. She shares with the reader her strategies for getting kids interested in classics, which include reading selected chapters aloud to her class, playing movies based on classic works, and having her students perform dramatic vignettes from their favorite stories.

Fiza Pathan's non-fiction educational work, Classics: Why We Should Encourage Children to Read Them, reveals the author's enthusiasm and love of her subject in every page. That enthusiasm is quite contagious, and I found myself seriously reconsidering a long-delayed intention to read more of Robert Louis Stevenson's adventure tales. Pathan's writing style is conversational and ebullient, and her ideas seem solid and eminently workable both for kids and anyone else who might be finding a diet of social media, internet gossip, and television to be getting a bit tired and dull. She made me remember the intensity of my experience reading The Black Arrow in high school and listening to my English teacher discuss the historical and cultural background of the text. Classics: Why We Should Encourage Children to Read Them does what it sets out to do, and it will probably get a goodly percentage of its readers to consider diving into a classic novel themselves. It's highly recommended.

Reviewed by Suzanne Cowles for Readers' Favorite

Sex, Love and DNA: What Molecular Biology Teaches Us About Being Human by Peter Schattner PhD is an easy to follow description of the latest scientific research into the field of molecular biology. Written for a layperson, Dr. Schattner draws upon 30 years of experience as a scientist and physicist to carefully describe proteins, DNA, RNA, amino acids, hormones, chromosomes, genes, inheritance, epigenetics, DNA ownership, genetic variants, and the role that nature and family play to influence who we become. As links to our past and future, molecular biology can answer fundamental questions and explain our behaviors and emotions. In six parts, moral and ethical questions are discussed concerning scientific discovery such as in cloning, cryogenics, resurrecting extinct animals and viruses, animal experiments, mutants, and altering genetics through transcription/translation. Microscopic events can explain not only why the world is this way, but also genetic diversity in the spectrum of humanity.

Sex, Love and DNA: What Molecular Biology Teaches Us About Being Human by Peter Schattner PhD provides interesting information about hot topics such as HIV immunity, cloning a T-Rex from DNA, resurrecting an extinct virus stored in human DNA and how chromosomes can predict the lineage of Genghis Khan. However, at the heart of this well-crafted book is a no-nonsense writing style that engages the reader into a complex world of chemistry, cells and intelligent design. Anyone with a strong interest in human physiology, cures for deadly diseases and the God-complex of the scientific community will find this book simply fascinating and hard to put down.