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In My Mailbox is a weekly feature that is hosted by The Story Siren. Every Sunday (maybe Monday if I’m feeling off) I will post a list of all of the books I received or bought over the past week. I don’t expect this to be a weekly feature at TS – but hey – it’d be great if it was!

Monday, September 7th was Labor Day, and sadly, this meant that there was one less day to receive mail this week. Now, here are the books that I received this week from September 8th to September 12th, 2009.

Received for Review

Cracking the $$ Code: What Successful Men Know and You Don’t (Yet) by Attorney Patricia M. Annino

Cracking the $$ Code: What Successful Men Know and You Don’t (Yet) sets forth important code cracking lessons that successful men just know and women just don’t, but can easily learn. Whether you are a professional, have your own business, work for a corporation or are considering re-entering the workforce, this book provides practical getting-ahead lessons from a successful woman who learned it in the trenches.

This arrived on Tuesday and it sounds like a very promising and helpful read. I have high hopes for it.

The Great Mrs. Claus by Chris A. Shoemaker

The Great Mrs. Claus is told by Sparky, Santa’s senior elf, and his favorite nephew and niece, Rassle and Klee-Klee. Their surprising bedtime demonstration prompts their doting Uncle Sparky to share a seldom-told poem. It details how Santa first met Mrs. Claus and fell (literally!) in love with her.

At heart, The Great Mrs. Claus is a coming-of-age story that proves we’re never too old to show our true affections for one another. It features Mrs. Claus – an often overlooked but smart and fiercely independent-minded woman with an enormous sense of humor!

The Great Mrs. Claus reminds us to value our loved ones and practice those daily family rituals that make life special.

This book also arrived on Tuesday. The poor mailman looked a bit harried as he tried to unload all of the boxes and packages that arrived at the house that day. It looks absolutely cute, but came wrapped in plastic, so I haven’t opened it yet to take a sneak peek. This probably won’t last long though.

A Cat’s Eye View of Life and Love by Sterling With Gentle Self-Help for All Ages by Marta Felber

Look into a cat’s eyes. What is the cat thinking? What would the cat say if the cat spoke your language? Sterling the Cat answers these questions in sixty stories dictated to M, his co-author. In “Mewsings” at the end of each story, he seeks meaning in what happens to him in M’s world.

You first meet Sterling curled up on the top shelf of an animal shelter waiting in vain for someone to want him. He has given up hope until M reaches up a finger for him to smell and says, “I choose you.” Thus begins their live and love together. He faces his anger, M going away, a ghost cat in the house, having to lose weight, the night he causes a cat-astrophe, moving to a new home, the no-fun birthday party, and the intruder cat – he calls her Miss Fit – who joins them.

These stories and the others lead up to the last one where he reveals a secret. Photographs throughout this large-format paperback help bring Sterling the Cat – and his Mewsings – to life for readers of all ages.

As a cat lover I am very eager to read this. Any book that has to do with cats grabs my attention, doubly so when it’s told from the cat’s perspective. I hope to get a chance to read this one very soon.

The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire LaZebnik

Smart, successful Ava Nickerson is closing in on thirty and has barely had a date since law school. When a family crisis brings her prodigal little sister Lauren back to Los Angeles, Lauren stumbles across a forgotten document – a contract their parents had jokingly drawn up years ago betrothing Ava to their friends’ son.

Frustrated and embarrassed by Ava’s constant lectures about financial responsibility (all because she’s a in a little debt. Okay, a lot of debt), Lauren decides to do some sisterly interfering of her own and tracks down her sister’s childhood fiance. When she finds him, the highly inappropriate, twice-divorced, but incredibly charming Russell Markowitz is all too happy to reenter the Nickerson sisters’ lives. And always-accountable Ava will soon realize just how binding a contract can be…

This arrived on Friday, and thankfully, our UPS man is good about leaving packages on the porch and protected from the elements. I say this because the dogs never barked nor did I ever hear the UPS man arrive that day and, worst yet, it was raining all day long on Friday.

Books from Giveaways & Contests

Shapeshifter: The Demo Tapes (Year 1) by Susan Helene Gottfried

A band’s demo tape is intended to introduce listeners to their music. Likewise, this collection of short pieces allows readers into the fictional world of Trevor Wolff and his band, Shapeshifter.

Originally published online between April 2006 and March 2007, the Demo Tapes: Year 1 brings together the moments that parallel – but never encounter – Susan Helene Gottfried’s debut novel, Trevor’s Song. Arranged chronologically and with introductions to each, this is a must-have volume for anyone who’s ever wanted to hang with a rock band.

A big THANK YOU goes out to owners of Down Under Views who hosted a giveaway where Year 1 or Year 2 (winner’s choice) were both up for prizes. And of course, to the author, Susan Helene Gottfried whose writings I have been stalking online for some time now (and of course) for autographing my copy as well!

You’ve read my review of Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman’s NurtureShock and now, courtesy of the Hatchette Book Group, I have 3 copies of Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman’s NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children to give away to 3 lucky readers in either hardback or audiobook. That’s right, winners’ choice.

Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman have written what is destined to become one of the most provocative and influential books about children of our time. The force and wisdom of these award-winning journalists’ work have been apparent since the publication of their cover story, “The Inverse Power of Praise,” in New York magazine. Literally overnight, parents changed how they talked to children. Schools assigned the article as homework for teachers, while business leaders discussed how it would change the way they rewarded employees. Over w,000 bloggers typed away, while legislators and religious leaders considered how the aritcle could transform the larger society.

But Bronson and Merryman’s insight on praise is just part of the first chapter of NurtureShock. There are nine more equally groundbreaking chapters after that. Among the topics covered:

• Why the most brutal person in a child’s life is often a sibling, and how a single aspect of their preschool-aged play can determine their relationship as adults.
• When is it too soon – or too late – to teach a child about race? Children in diverse schools are less likely to have a cross-racial friendship, not more – so is school diversity backfiring?
• Millions of families are fighting to get their kids into private schools and advanced programs as early as possible. But schools are missing the best kids 73% of the time – the new neuroscience explains why.
• Why are kids – even those from the best of homes – still aggressive and cruel? The answer is found in a rethinking of parental conflict, discipline, television’s unexpected influence, and social dominance.
• Parents are desperate to jump-start infants’ language skills. Recently, scientists have discovered a series of natural techniques that are astonishing in their efficacy – it’s not baby videos, sign language, or even the richness of language exposure. It’s nothing you’ve heard before.

NurtureShock provides a revolutionary new perspective on childhood that upends a library’s worth of conventional wisdom. Nothing like a parenting manual, NurtureShock gets to the core of how we grow, learn, and live.

Guidelines:

• You must provide a working email in the email field of your comment so that I can notify you should you win.
• Books are being shipped directly from the publisher, as such, the contest is only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and no P.O. Boxes will be accepted.
• Winner will be notified via email and has 72 hours (3 days) to respond with a mailing address. If the winning contestant does not respond after 72 hours a new winner will be drawn.
• Winners will be randomly selected using Random.org
• This giveaway and review are a part of the NurtureShock Blog Tour, of which, several other blogs are also hosting giveaways. Should you win a copy of this book on another blog please be kind enough to remove yourself from this giveaway so that those who have not won a copy may have a chance.

How to Enter

• Comment on this post. (1 entry)
• Comment on my review of NurtureShock for another entry. (1 entry)
• Follow me on Twitter for the duration of the giveaway (1 entry). Be sure to tell me your username in your comment. If you’re already following be sure to let me know as well and you will receive 2 entries instead of 1.
• You may also tweet about this giveaway on Twitter for an additional entry.

Giveaway will run from September 10th until midnight on September 18th. Winners will be drawn on September 19th.

The Symposium is proud to participate in the NurtureShock Blog Tour by hosting a review and giveaway. Be sure to check out the other fine blogs participating in the tour!

Participating Blogs:
Bookin’ With Bingo – Aug. 31 Q&A, review and giveaway
Sage and Savvy – Aug. 31 review and giveaway
Readaholic – Aug. 31 giveaway
MomDotCom.net – Sept. 1 giveaway
Debbie’s World of Books – Sept. 1 giveaway
Starting Fresh – Sept. 1 giveaway
Busy Julie Blog – Sept. 1 review and giveaway
Metroreader: Reading One Mile At a Time – Sept. 2 review and giveaway (audiobook)
Book Soulmates – Sept. 2 giveaway
Bibliophiles ‘R’ Us – Sept. 3 giveaway
Mama Latina Tips – Sept. 4 review and giveaway
Review From Here – Sept. 5
Take Me Away – Sept. 5 Q&A and giveaway
Just Another New Blog – Sept. 5 review and giveaway (audiobook)
Global Arts – Sept. 5 review and giveaway
Reading at the Beach – Sept. 6 Q&A, review, and giveaway (hardcover and audio).
A Journey of Books – Sept. 7 Q&A and giveaway
Blog Business World – Sept. 7 Q&A and review
This Book for Free – Sept. 7 review and giveaway (book and audiobook)
Beth’s Book Review Blog – Sept 7 review; Sept. 8 Q&A and giveaway
A Park Avenue Princess – Sept. 9 review and giveaway
Knit Purl Gurl – Sept. 10 giveaway
The Symposium – Sept. 10 review and giveaway
Today’s Adventure – Sept. 11 review and giveaway
Library Queue – Sept. 11 review.

NurtureShock
New Thinking About Children
by Po Bronson and Ashely Merryman
ISBN: 978-0-446-50412-6

When I cracked open my copy of Bronson and Merryman’s NurtureShock I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Would it be the equivalent of a condescending lecture on how one should be raising their kids or would it instead be a dry collection of statistics and studies that would better serve as a cure for insomnia? Perhaps a combination of the two?

Thankfully NutureShock is none of the above. Instead I was pleasantly surprised to see Bronson and Merryman had in fact compiled a staggering amount of evidence based on the findings of numerous studies that have helped to disprove numerous long-held beliefs and “truths” when it comes to raising children. In some cases, where an answer is not readily available, Bronson and Merryman help to bring to light glaring errors that are having a detrimental affect. A perfect example of this occurs in chapter 5 of the book and is humorlessly entitled “The Search for Intelligent Life in Kindergarten”.

In the hopes of securing a better future for children, parents race to get their children into private schools and advanced programs for the gifted as soon as possible. A primary requirement for placement in such programs is, of course, a test to determine the child’s IQ level. Millions of kids are competing for seats in gifted programs and private schools. Admissions officers say it’s an art: new science says they’re wrong, 73% of the time – the facts are saddening and the lack of “push” to rectify these errors is just plain frightening.

Gifted children will indeed score high on the IQ tests used by programs and institutions, but sadly, the vast majority of the so-called gifted children who also score so well are just fortunate to have come from good backgrounds. By the third grade an alarming number of “gifted” students are struggling in their advanced classes and yet the schools and programs refuse to drop them. How is this happening and why isn’t anything being done to truly rectify it? The answers to these questions are disturbing to say the least.

That is just one of the many interesting topics that Bronson and Merryman hit upon in this book. Other shocking topics that are brought up are the inverse effects of praise; the astounding effects sleep have on a child’s development and even their weight; even when children begin to lie and the why behind it. Then there is the chapter on race, and that if nothing else, is well worth reading. You will be amazed what studies have shown when it comes to just how early on children notice the race of others, even if they do not yet understand the concept behind it, and the effects not addressing it early on can have.

I strongly recommend and encourage any person who has even the slightest day to day contact with children to pick up a copy of this book. It contains a great deal of insight and provides a banquet-worth of food for thought without a hint of condescension or criticism directed to readers. In fact, Bronson and Merryman readily share several trials and misadventures that they themselves endured while attempting to raise their own children utilizing the information that they had gleaned from the various studies and applying it to their own methods. By no means is this book an instruction manual on how to raise your children. Rather, it is more accurate to say that this book provides is a fountain of information that no parent, teacher, and so forth, should be without.

Joana’s Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)

Pst! Click here to find out how you can win a free copy of NurtureShock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman in either hardback or audiobook!

Special thanks to Ana Balasi of Hachette Book Group for providing a copy for review.

In My Mailbox is a weekly feature that is hosted by The Story Siren. Every Sunday (maybe Monday if I’m feeling off) I will post a list of all of the books I received or bought over the past week. I don’t expect this to be a weekly feature at TS – but hey – it’d be great if it was!

Without further ado, here are the books I received for the week of August 31 to September 6, 2009.

Books Received for Review:

Lovers, Muggers & Thieves: A Boston Memoir by Jonathan Tudan

Back Cover Excerpt: In 1969, an eighteen-year-old college freshman is offered a free ride into Boston’s Combat Zone, the most bizarre neighborhood the city has ever known, to manage a flophouse renting rooms by the week to the purveyors of the neighborhood sex trade. Within a very short time he discovers the ride is anything but free. The seedy marquees of Boston’s notorious adult entertainment district, along with its strip clubs, triple-X peep shows and adult book stores have passed into history. Dancers, musicians, drug dealers, pimps, and prostitutes that once dominated these streets return to the scene to join a boy surrounded by a man’s world. Lovers, Muggers & Thieves – A Boston Memoir brings you through a convergence of extraordinary events inside one of America’s most infamous neighborhoods in this entertaining journey of friendship flirting with the dark side.

This one arrived on Monday (August 31) and is just sitting there in my TBR pile teasing me. Read me it screams!

Butcher by Gary C. King

Back Cover Excerpt: HIS GOAL: TO KILL AN “EVEN FIFTY”
They called him “Uncle Willie.” At night, Robert “Willie” Pickton visited the streets of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The women he picked up never came back…

HIS METHODS: RAPE AND TORTURE
For years, police built a long list of missing prostitutes, women at the edge of society. Some people claimed there was a serial killer. One detective lost his job for saying so. But investigators didn’t have a single body…until someone found a skull sawed in half…

THE PIG FARM MURDERS
On land that had made his family millions, on a squalid pig farm near a school, a condo development, and a Starbucks, Robert Pickton ran a house of horrors for decades. What he did to his victims was unspeakable. What he did to the bodies was unimaginable. How he got away with it is the most shocking crime of all…

This one arrived on Thursday, and I must confess, I am very tempted to just drop everything else in order to read this one. I love reading true crime books (and watching television enactments and documentaries too) but this one is especially intriguing. I can’t wait to start it.

Awakening by K Lippi

Excerpt from Back Cover: For Emilia Miani, a fifteen year old girl from San Diego, CA, the supernatural world and its creatures only existed in books and movies. But when she went to visit her father in Japan and met Shin Kurosaki, a Japanese demon assigned by one of her ancestors 500 years ago to be her guardian angel and protect her from her destiny, supernatural events begin happening to Emilia and they continue escalating.

During her journey, Emilia discovered her family secrets. Her grandfather was a death angel hired by God and she is his heir and forced to step into his shoes by God and Lucifer to stop Markus, an ex-death angel set on destroying them to become a new god. She also discovers that she has a special blood – a divine blood – running through her veins. A blood that kills anything it comes into contact with, including her.

And this one arrived on Friday. A supernatural young adult story that appears to have its setting in Japan. Can it get any better? I sure hope so!

That’s it for this week folks! Now I must be going, I’ve got a stack of books to be read!