Mailbox Monday/In My Mailbox 11-23-2009

Mailbox Monday is hosted at The Printed Page or In Your Mailbox at The Story Siren. Please stop by those posts and take a look at what packages everybody else got this week!

Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy by Mary Tomer

Celebrated for her style and substance, Michelle Obama has transformed the role of first lady and become a 21st century icon, attracting attention from all over the world. The qualities so admired in her -- intelligence, strength, and charisma -- radiate through her personal style, which has united accessibility with high-wattage glamour. The clothes, like the woman, feel both familiar and inspirational. Readily mixing high-end labels with more affordable brands, with a focus on craftsmanship and artistry, Mrs. O has elevated the notion of real value and ushered in a new era of "fashion democracy."

Building on the success of Mrs-O.org -- the Web site that chronicles Michelle Obama's style -- Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy takes a closer look at America's modern style icon, featuring more than 125 magnificent photographs of the first lady and delving into the back story of the clothes and accessories. It also goes behind-the-scenes with interviews from her favorite designers, including Isabel Toledo, Jason Wu, Michael Kors, Maria Pinto, and Isaac Mizrahi.

Opening with a brief overview of Michelle Obama's early years, the book goes on to provide rarely seen photos from the presidential primary trail through the 2008 Democratic National Convention, the monumental events of election night, the inauguration and early chapters of life in the White House. The final chapter hears the opinions of Mrs. O's adoring fans from all over the world -- giving the last word to the people.

Original photography of her most iconic looks, along with commentary from fashion experts top off this tactile visual feast. Woven together with sketches and illustrations inspired by the first lady, the book reveals the story of a new era of American fashion. (book jacket)

I won this book from Susan at her blog, Black-Eyed Susan.

Six Pixels of Separation: Everyone is Connected. Connect Your Business to Everyone by Mitch Joel

Is it important to be connected? Well, consider this: If Facebook were a country, it would have the sixth largest population in the world.

The truth is, we no longer live in a world of six degrees of separation. In fact, we're now down to only six pixels of separation, which changes everything we know about doing business.

This is the first book to integrate digital marketing, social media, personal branding, and entrepreneurship in a clear, entertaining, and instructive manner that everyone can understand and apply.

Through the use of timely case studies and fascinating stories, Six Pixels of Separation offers a complete set of the latest tactics, insights and tools that will empower you to reach a global audience and consumer base -- and, best yet, you can do this pretty much for free. Digital marketing expert Mitch Joel unravels this fascinating world of new media -- but does so with a brand-new perspective that is driven by compelling results. The smarter entrepreneurs and top executives are leveraging these digital channels to get their voice "out there" -- connecting with others, becoming better community citizens and, ultimately, making strategic business moves that are increasing revenue, awareness, and overall success in the marketplace -- without the support of traditional mass media.

Everyone is connected. Isn't it time for you and your company to connect to everyone? Six Pixels of Separation will show you how. (book jacket)

I won this from Nicole at Mom Saves Money for my husband.

A Christmas Carol Special Edition

Since its publication in 1843, the tale of a miserly old man and the ghosts who visit him has been bringing the true spirit of Christmas into hearts and homes. Whether you've read the story a thousand times or have only seen the movie, A Christmas Carol Special Edition will enrich your enjoyment of this holiday favorite with:

The complete text of the Charles Dickens classic.

Annotations offering interesting insight into the story's biblical allusions, the author's faith, and compelling Christian themes throughout.

Discussion questions designed to engage and promote dialogue among readers of all ages on such subjects as regret, repentance, and redemption.

A list of related resources to enhance your study.

Enjoy A Christmas Carol Special Edition in your home, study group, book group or Advent celebration and learn how to say with Scrooge: "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." (back cover)

I received this book for review from FSB Associates.

Hero's Tribute by Graham Garrison

Two men. One front-page story. A small town changed forever.

Michael Gavin was a local hero, admired for his prowess in sports, his service in the military, and his work in the community. But there is more to Michael Gavin -- including a past that has long been hidden.

Wes Watkins is a local newspaper reporter whose job it is to find a story, even if it means digging through court reports, interviewing the most unlikely people, and following leads that make him unpopular.

When Wes finds himself charged with writing Gavin's eulogy -- though the two had never met -- he sets out to find the truth. What happens next is something the little town of Talking Creek never expected. Secrets come to light, confidences are broken, and lives are redefined. But in the end, everyone will know what truly makes a man a legend. (back cover)

I received this book for a First Wild Card Tour next February.

Samson's Walls by Jud Nirenberg

Jud Nirenberg, as an organizer of human and civil rights efforts, has seen first-hand the destructive forces of inter-ethnic violence. His experiences color a dark vision of one of the Old Testament's most powerful stories in his new novel, SAMSON'S WALLS.

While the United States tries once more to draw Israeli and Arab leaders to the negotiation tables, SAMSON'S WALLS shows readers a much older view of the same region. Binding the psychology of its characters to the socio-political context of ancient Canaan, the novel breathes life into Samson, Delilah and others who struggle to survive and to connect with others in a world full of divisiveness and violence.

In a Canaan where Philistines and Hebrews vie for dominance, it is important to know one's place. Samson is isolated in his, trapped by unusual rules and expectations. He was promised to his parents by an angel, destined to grow into a great man and make his people strong. Raised with Philistines for playmates, he aches to be a part of their world. At marrying age, he chooses a Philistine wife. When his new family denies him the acceptance he craves, he releases years of frustration and loneliness in blood.

Samson goes into hiding, seeking to make peace with his wife's people. Other young Hebrews soon join him, each with their own reasons for rebellion. Even while longing for peace, Samson leads this growing army. He is trapped by his successes and grows in fame and power, taking enemy territory. He is alone.

He tastes love when he meets Delilah, the unlikely prostitute-queen of a village in no-man's land. She is the opposite of the clannish divisions he hates, with unclear ethnic origins and leading a mixed community. They become intimate as Philistine spies gather around them. Samson and Delilah are ensnared in Samson's fight to fulfill his own heart's need despite his tribe's and God's expectations. (publicity email)

I received this galley from Carol Fass Publicity for review.

Life After 187 by Wade J. Halverson

Sentenced to life in prison when he executes the men who murdered his wife, Kane Silver is singled out by the warden for his fighting ability. Along with inmates Valentino Lopez and Si'Ling Lee, Kane is drafted into service and forced to fight for money in high-stakes tournaments. But when the three friends escape during a New Year's Eve match in Lake Tahoe -- saving the warden's life in the process -- their situation becomes more complicated.

Their status undetermined, they vanish underground and sign on to help a young woman whose parents are being held by an Argentinean drug kingpin. Follow Kane and his friends as they compete and grow closer while rediscovering what it means to be free. From Lake Tahoe and the western United States to Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, and Thailand, Life After 187 takes readers on an exhilarating ride filled with big money, intense action, justice, and the pursuit of honor. (back cover)

I received this autographed book from the author for a review early next year. (boy - doesn't that sound strange!)

Lion's Pride by Debbie Jordan

Beware the Old Lion who jealously guards his pride.

In 1911 Arizona, as Sheriff Paco Alaniz investigates the murder of Don Santiago Castillo de Leon, he must deal with the priest who seems to be more than a confessor to the distraught widow, a runaway teenager who's promised as the tenth bride to the leader of renegade Mormon polygamists, and ex-Mormon gambler who wants to save his sister and the woman he loves from the husband they both share, and a vicious mountain lion threatening inhabitants of the Territory. (back cover)

I received this autographed book for a January tour from PR by the Book.

The Lost Child: A Mother's Story by Julie Myerson

While researching her next book, Julie Myerson finds herself in a graveyard, looking for traces of a young woman who died nearly two centuries before. As a child in Regency England, the young woman, Mary Yelloly, painted an exquisite album of watercolors that uniquely reflected the world in which she lived. But Mary died at the age of twenty-one, and when Julie came across this album, she was haunted by the potential never realized. She was also reminded of her own child.

Only days before the graveyard visit, Julie and her husband had locked their eldest son out of the family home. He was just seventeen. Their formerly bright and happy child had discovered drugs, and it had taken only a matter of months for the boy to completely lose his way and propel the family into daily chaos. Julie -- whose fragile relationship with her own father had left her determined to love her children better -- had to accept that she was powerless to bring her son back.

Honest, warm, and profoundly moving, this is the story of two young lives -- one cut short, one derailed. They are separated by centuries, but the questions remain terrifyingly the same. What happens when a child disappears from a family? What will survive of any of us, in memory or in history? ANd how is a mother to cope when love is not enough? (book jacket)

I received this book from Library Thing's Early Reviewers program.

Waking Evil: The Mindhunters by Kylie Brant

A killer, a prophecy -- and three deaths foretold.

Buffalo Springs, Tennessee, is a neighborly kind of place where folks leave their doors unlocked and crime is unheard-of. But once every generation, a strange red mist settles over the town, and with it come omens of death. . .

When the body of a young woman is found, forensic investigator Ramsey Clark is called in. She knows about the legend of the mist and about the curse that has the entire town afraid of the dark. But Ramsey blieves in evidence, not superstition, despite what she's told by the parapsychologist who's been dogging her every step. Then another murder rocks Buffalo Springs, and Ramsey begins to wonder if a killer is playing on everyone's fears or if a prophecy is indeed being fulfilled -- one victim at a time. (back cover)

I won this autographed book from Bingo at Bookin' with Bingo.

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day
by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D., and Zoe Francois

From the authors of the groundbreaking, bestselling Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day comes a new cookbook filled with quick and easy recipes for healthy bread.

Their first book was called "stupendous," "genius," and "the holy grail of bread making." Now, in their much-anticipated second book, Jeff Hertzberg, M.D., and Zoe Francois have taken their super-fast method and adapted it for the health-conscious baker, focusing on whole grains and other healthier ingredients.

The method is still quick and simple, producing professional-quality results with each warm, fragrant, hearty loaf. In just five minutes a day of active preparation time, you can create delectable, healthy treats such as 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Whole Grain Garlic Knots with Parsley and Olive Oil, Black-and-White Braided Pumpernickel and Rye Loaf, Cherry Black Pepper Focaccia, Pumpkin Pie Brioche, Chocolate Tangerine Bars, and a variety of gluten-free breads. And many of the recipes are 100% whole grain.

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day will show you that there is time enough for home-baked bread, and that it can be part of a healthy diet. Calling all bread lovers: Whether you are looking for more whole grains, watching your weight, trying to reduce your cholesterol, or just care about what goes into your body, this book is a must have. (book jacket)

I received this book for review from FSB Associates and can't wait to try out some of the breads this week!