As a writer, I naturally love books. People know this about me, and frequently gift me with books, which I love, too - some of my favorite reads have been authors I would have never picked up myself. Cookbooks, however, are another story. When I got married, I received dozens of cookbooks - some of which were gilded, gorgeous tomes not to be actually cooked from, some of which utilized ingredients only found in distant countries, while others had recipes that sounded delicious and doable ingredient-wise but required eighteen hours of prep time, not including marination. Brenda Ponichtera's cookbooks Quick & Healthy Volume 1 and Quick & Healthy Volume 2 both work to mix taste with time management, which my hubby and I greatly appreciate!

Kamala Harris was a prosecutor in Oakland, California, before being elected as San Francisco's District Attorney in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. Kamala Harris made history by becoming California's first African American Female District Attorney and now she's written a book, 'Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor's Plan to Make Us Safe," telling America what they can do to be "smart on crime."

As Westerners in general, and Americans in particular, it goes without saying that we are profoundly blessed with freedom, safety, and relative abundance. Yet, from time to time we may forget that we are in many ways the exception to the rule, and that around the world, at this very moment, human beings are suffering unthinkable horrors.

Nigerian-born Jesuit priest Uwem Akpan gives us a stark reminder of just how fortunate we are in his book Say You're One of Them, a collection of short stories detailing the terrifying lives led by African children that are fictional only in name.

Uwem Akpan's heartbreaking 2008 debut, now available in paperback, was a selection of Oprah's Book Club.


Read on below the jump for more about Say You're One of Them.

Ah Halloween. Trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving and costume parties are all fun but there's nothing like reading a good scary book. Are you looking for a chilling Halloween book to read to your kids that won't scare the pant off of them? Check out these 10 fun kid-friendly Halloween books:

Few stories of heroic sacrifice for one's country inspire more than that of Pat Tillman, who walked away from millions of dollars and stardom in the National Football League to serve as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet the swirling controversy surrounding his death by friendly fire--and the high-reaching conspiracy to conceal that fact--has left a dark pall over Tillman's service, and confounded efforts to present a realistic portrait of a truly unique man.

In Where Men Win Glory, acclaimed author Jon Krakauer looks to set the record straight on the events of Tillman's death, as well as provide readers an examination of the real man behind the propagandized martyr.

Where the Wild Things Are is coming to the big screen on October 16, 2009. It is based on the classic children's book with the same title, written in 1963 by Maurice Sendak.

The book tells the tale of a mischievous boy named Max, who is sent to bed without his supper for misbehaving. Max dons a wolf suit, travels (in his imagination) to a forest, encounters "wild things" and then returns home to a hot supper. This timeless tale is still popular among children today, and will be a favorite for years to come.

When I was growing up, my family had a collection of children's books at home but sometimes we'd go to the library to pick out books. A few of my favorites were: Corduroy, Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Caps for Sale and of course Where The Wild Things Are (although it was a little scary).

Since 1963, Where The Wild Things Are has been been delighting kids and adults. It tells the story of a little boy named Max who misbehaves and gets sent to bed without dinner. His room transforms into a mysterious forest that's inhabited by monsters (Wild Things). With a little magic, he's able to get over his fears, conquer the monsters and becomes the 'King of the Wild Things'.

I really enjoyed the book but I can't wait to check out the movie on October 16. Spike Jonze directed it and it stars Max Records, Benicio Del Toro and Catherine O'Hara, to name a few. I highly recommend reading this book before seeing the movie. In the meantime, here are a few little known facts about Where The Wild Things Are...

Best-selling author Nicholas Sparks has captured the hearts of millions of readers with his emotional stories of love triumphant. Commissioned to write a film vehicle for teenage actress and pop singer Miley Cyrus, Nicholas Sparks first wrote the screenplay, then the stirring novel of The Last Song, which features Miley Cyrus as Veronica "Ronnie" Miller, a young woman struggling to balance the love she has for her family against her first romantic love.