I am starting a new feature on my blog:  Three 4 Thursday.  Each week I will spotlight three books with a common theme in the hope that it might inspire you to start reading one (or all) of them over the next weekend.  I am relatively new to blogging.  This is my original idea and I have not seen this feature on other blogs.  However, since there are no new ideas and I haven't seen too many other blogs, there could easily be other Three 4 Thursdays out there.  If so, please politely contact me and I will be happy to spread the word about your awesome blog.  But I am not actively trying to copy anyone.  Three 4 Thursday just sounds like a catchy phrase to me.  Now on to some good things that come in threes...



1.  Yes, Please by Amy Poehler:


I've always admired Amy Poehler's achievements and confidence.  In her audiobook version of Yes, Please, Amy's positive message of empowerment is enhanced by celebrity voices such as Carol Burnett, Kathleen Turner, Patrick Stewart, and her SNL news partner Seth Myers.  This really brings the stories to life and creates a truly special listening experience.  Amy works hard but you can see (or in this case, hear) how all the connections she has made with others has led to such a successful career.




2.  Not my Father's Son by Alan Cumming:

Alan Cumming's memoir is a searing account of his turbulent childhood and how it shaped the man he is today.  With his Scottish accent setting the scene, we hear the terror of growing up with a violent father and feel the anguish of the aftermath it causes in Alan Cumming's life.  The book follows Alan Cumming's appearance on the BBC television show, Who Do You Think You Are?, the show that researches the ancestry of each episode's guest.   A family mystery begins to transpire as the show moves forward with it's search for Alan's paternal grandfather.  This is a thoughtful, and at times, difficult book to listen to.  I was very touched by how he got past such trauma and learned to move beyond it.


3.  Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari:

When I first downloaded this from the library, I thought this book would be an another amusing comedian's memoir.  But it is actually a real scientific study that Aziz Ansari (with the help of a sociologist) designed to try and understand how romance has changed in the digital age.  It was fascinating listening to him explain why, and how, people use technology to find their soul-mate.  And it was so entertaining, from the very first minute of the book.  This is a great example of how an audiobook can enhance the user experience.  Through music and asides, Aziz Ansari makes us so grateful we were "too lazy to read the book."

    As far as finding the actual time to read, I just make time to do this.  Reading is such a pleasurable activity to me, that I willingly don't watch T.V..  I will also read on my breaks at work.  Another great time to read is as I wait for my kids in the school pick up line.  I readily confess that I don't make time for other activities such as exercise.  But, for now, this is my priority.  Perhaps with Spring coming on, I could vow to start to walking as I listen to audiobooks.  But for now, I am perfectly content to listen to the rain, and curl up with a great book.