Arts + Culture

Book Review: Love, Anthony

Love, Anthony by Lisa GenovaThis is my second Lisa Genova book; I loved "Still Alice," Genova's well-known work told through the voice of a woman with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. I think "Alice" was better, but that said I really liked this glimpse inside the mind of a child with autism. The story is narrated by the boy's mother, finding a new normal after a marital breakup, and another mother coping with her husband's blatant infidelity. The paths of these two women intersect, of...

Arts + Culture

Review: The Daughters of Erietown

BOOK REVIEW: The Daughters of Erietown by Connie SchultzI really liked this book, the first of 2021 for my fiction-loving book club. Having grown up in a blue-collar home not far from "Erietown," a fictional Ohio hamlet, and during a similar time period, I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting scenes from my growing-up years—dinner around a Formica table in a humble home, with a father working an hourly job at the local plant and homemaker mother who tended to the hearth and found ways to stretch the...

Arts + Culture

Bread & Wine for Body & Soul

BOOK REVIEW: Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table, with Recipes, by Shauna NiequistShauna Niequist's favorite place is the table. It's where she nourishes her family with simple, homemade food she lovingly prepares in her kitchen. It's where she gathers with good friends and centers every party. It's where she communes with God.Shauna Niequist is a writer and essayist, a cook and a foodie. She's also an evangelist, bringing the word of God to Christians and non-Christians...

Shopping

'False Light': Revenge and Modern Media 

Editor's Note: This article contains themes that may not be suitable for all readers.Book Review: False Light, by Eric DezenhallAs a journalist, I approached Eric Dezenhall’s new book, False Light, with a reporter’s healthy dose of skepticism. “A thrilling tale of revenge set against the vibrant backdrop of sensationalist modern media,” the book jacket blares. Yeah, right, I thought as I began to read.While I might not have been “thrilled,” exactly, I was quickly intrigued and soon after...

Shopping

Book Review: Kindred by Octavia Butler

BOOK REVIEW: Kindred by Octavia ButlerThis is the most compelling slave story I’ve ever read: slavery as experienced by a modern-day Black woman.In this original and unexpected blend of science fiction and historical novel, Dana, a contemporary Black woman, is thrown back in time repeatedly to rescue a white ancestor upon whom her very life depends. First from drowning, when he's a young boy, then from a fire, as a slightly older boy, and so on, through his young adulthood and ascension from son...

Shopping

From Bride to MRS. 

The time you are engaged is an amazing time. Wedding planning, parties, gifts and endless gawking over your beautiful new ring. When I see someone get engaged, the first thing I want to do is buy them a little something—just a congratulations, “I am so happy for you” gesture. I always go for something that can be used right away like cookies or a bottle of Champagne paired with maybe a ring tray or cake plate—something they can use long after the wedding. My reason for this is from my own...

Health + Wellness

Stop Seeking Motivation

Is it truly motivation you are seeking? I hear this all of the time, “I have no motivation to do anything!” or “How do you stay motivated to go to the gym?” Let’s break down exactly what motivation is, how it is applied, and if this is truly what you are seeking. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “Motivation is an enthusiasm for doing something or the need or reason for doing something.” Motivation ebbs and flows. Motivation is more often than not fleeting. Why is that? Let’s break down...

Shopping

Inside the World of Therapy

BOOK REVIEWMaybe You Should Talk To Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed, by Lori GottliebI almost picked this book as my 2020 book club selection, but it was so backed up at the libraries I figured everyone would have trouble getting a copy, so I chose something else. When I finally reserved it at my library as a desired optional read, my position on the waitlist was, as I recall, 45 of 45. I hit "Place Hold" and waited months for the book, and when it...

Beauty

Our Guide to Massages in Richmond

When you hear the term give me liberty or give me death, the first thing that comes to mind is the state of Virginia, specifically Richmond, which is the capital. However, there is so much more to that city than that one of the country’s founding fathers made one of the most iconic statements there. In Richmond, there are scores of museums to explore, the Hollywood cemetery tour and not to miss is the Museum of Edgar Allan Poe. The city is also known for its fine arts, lovely bars, and...

Health + Wellness

Our Guide to Dentists in Richmond

Whether you are in need of ongoing dental treatment, cosmetic dentistry, a Medicaid dentist, or a pediatric dentist, there are dentists in Richmond VA that meet your needs.The area is full of highly qualified dental professionals, meaning that you can choose a dentist that specializes in the precise type of dentistry that you're most in need of. Dentists in the Richmond AreaThese are just a few of the highly qualified dentists in the Richmond area: Dr FriendDr KittrellDr OleyDr...