Beyond Basketball: Coach K's Keywords for Success by Mike Krzyzewski - Anyone who has a clue about anything involving basketball today knows who Mike Krzyzewski is. For many years, Duke's teams have found themselves at the top of the college basketball ranks, and they owe much of that success to the wisdom, discipline, and dedication of their coach. Coach Krzyzewski knows that one sentence, beyond any other, can inspire in his players the determination to succeed: "I believe in you." In life--whether it be academics, athleticism, or anything else--knowing that someone believes in you can make the difference between losing and winning. Coach K. knows that, and so do his players.

BEYOND BASKETBALL is broken down into numerous short "chapters," focusing on the words that most directly affect success and at any endeavor. From Adaptablity to Work, the words in between will leave the read with wonderful examples, both from basketball and beyond, about what it takes to be a truly successful individual. Whether you're a follower of college basketball or not, BEYOND BASKETBALL is a fitting book that deals with working hard, playing hard, and dedicating yourself to whatever goals you set for yourself.

How Reading Changed My Life by Anna Quindlen - "Reading has always been my home, my sustenance, my great invincible companion...I did not read from a sense of superiority, or advancement, or even learning. I read because I loved it more than any other activity on earth."

In this much too short book by one of today's more recognizable authors, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Anna Quindlen writes nostalgically about her life-long obsession with books. From a childhood spent with Nancy Drew and Heidi--when reading could often be more pleasurable than anything else--to her recommended reading lists, including a list of which 10 books she would save from a fire, Quindlen eloquently defends the practice of compulsive reading, whether of the great classics or the popular literature of the day. Throughout the book she makes clear that her profession as a writer, as well as her liberal inclinations, came directly from her love of books. Her stirring appreciation is a persuasive document that should warm the hearts of readers everywhere, and re-assures the reader that reading simply for the sake of reading itself is indeed a worthy endeavor.

During this time of year, reading is something that I get little time to do. Over the past few weeks I've been a reading bum, reading only magazines and 10 or 15 pages of books without committing to them. I did read a book about women's running, but I doubt anyone besides me (and Sue) cares to hear about it so I won't write a review here. I am determined to read a few of the new YA titles my students selected on our Barnes and Noble trip before Christmas. The more appealing ones are checked out (as they should be!), so I might just have to stick to my mindless magazines for a while longer!