Archive for August, 2008

Last month we sent out a request for early reviewers for The Shiniest Jewel, Marian Henley’s upcoming graphic memoir. Boy did we ever get a great response! You’ve been posting to our share a story section and to your own blogs. Here’s what people are saying:

On Gather.com, Mary M. calls it a “heartfelt memoir.” At Checking Out and Checking In it’s called “a short and sweet happily-ever after memoir told in comic book style,” and at Book Droppings, Jessica writes that it’s a “simple and loving story.”

You can read all the advance reader stories here.

Filed under: Books

I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of the Olympics. (and yet here I am blogging about them!) For two weeks, every two years it becomes the only topic of conversation amongst people who most of the time don’t care about sports. But I guess even I can concede that it’s an exciting time for swimming at Beijing in 2008.

Yesterday, Dara Torres napped her 11th and 12th Olympic medals, Silvers, in the 50m Freestyle, and the 4×100m Medley Relay. I have to say I’ve been rooting for her. At 41, she’s breaking down boundaries of who a “middle-aged” woman can be. She’s a mom and an athlete, and her passion and drive are what got her into five different Olympic games. That other guy may be the talk of the games this time around, but let’s see if he’s still swimming in 2028.

Who have you been rooting for? How about John Dane III, the boomer on the US sailing team? Or Hiroshi Hoketsu, the Japanese equestrian, and this year’s oldest Olympian? Or are you staying out of it, like me (only one more week, sigh)?

Filed under: News

Mary Ellen Geist’s new book Measure of the Heart is now in stores. She was on the Today show last week to talk about it. You can read an excerpt from the book and watch the video here.

To say that Kathie Lee Gifford was moved by the book, is an understatement. The book speaks to the millions of caregivers out there looking for inspiration and advice.

Filed under: Media

With the dogs days of August upon us, it’s hard to turn on the news or surf the internet without seeing the ubiquitous five rings of the Beijing Olympics.  Everyone’s excited about up-and-comers like Michael Phelps and…well, Michael Phelps seems to be getting all the attention.  But over at the New York Times’ Play Magazine, there’s a a multimedia feature called After the Games, which tells the stories of the Michael Phelpses of bygone days: you know, Mark Spitz, Bruce Jenner, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and other favorites of yesteryear. Don’t the athletes from the past always seem kind of magical when compared to the current crop?  For this reason, we have to admit that a small part of us hopes Mark Spitz holds on to the gold-medal record that Michael Phelps is, once again, gunning to break.  Watch out for the opening ceremony this Friday night.

Filed under: Boomers • Uncategorized