Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise April 2019 Recent Releases Paper Crafts : A Maker's Guide by Victoria & Albert Museum Paper crafts are as old as paper itself, with a profusion of different traditions originating around the world. The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon What it's about: the cognitive and emotional benefits to both parent and child of taking time to read aloud together. Is it for you? Wall Street Journal children's book reviewer Meghan Cox Gurdon is not shy about her ambivalent feelings about modern technology's effects on children. Chapters include: "From the Nursery to the Nursing Home: Why Reading Aloud Never Gets Old" and "There Is No Present Like the Time." 13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don't Do: Raising Self-Assured Children... by Amy Morin Psychotherapist Amy Morin popularized her theory of mental strength through her earlier book, 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do. In this new volume, she offers parents and other adults a long-term method for rearing mentally strong children. Listing 13 things parents shouldn't do, she explains each prohibition (don't condone a victim mentality; don't expect perfection; don't take shortcuts to avoid discomfort) and provides self-test questions to help adults identify and address problem areas. Social Security, Medicare & government pensions : get the most out of your retirement & medical benefits by J. L. Matthews A guide to navigating Social Security and Medicare shows how to determine the amount of benefits, time retirement to get the best benefits, and file all the required forms, in a work that includes the latest Social Security and Medicare updates Ask a Manager: How to Navigate Clueless Colleagues, Lunch-Stealing Bosses, and... by Alison Green What it is: a straightforward advice book collecting 50 difficult workplace situations and explaining how best to navigate them.  Topics include: how to address racist and sexist comments, coworkers taking credit for your ideas, and communicating decisions that you don't agree with. Who it's for: new hires, new managers, and anyone looking to improve their workplace environment. Your Second Act Before You Know It: The Unconscious Reasons We Do What We Do by John Bargh According to psychology professor and researcher John Bargh, "snap" decisions are often wrong. In accessible, often humorous discussions of how the mind works, he give examples of inexplicable changes in attitude (holding a warm drink can make one feel "warmer" towards other people). He also explains how we can train our minds to override subconscious notions and shape our environment to support more thoughtful decision-making.  Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (or Die Trying) by Bill Gifford What it is: a cheeky, fast-paced exploration of aging and of humanity's enduring quest to defeat it. Chapters include: "The Fountain of Youthiness," "Baldness as Metaphor," "The Death of Death," "Who Moved My Keys?" Reviewers say: "[Bill] Gifford's entertaining and informative book will give readers sound advice" (Library Journal). How to Make Your Money Last: The Indispensable Retirement Guide by Jane Bryant Quinn What it's about: how to make the most of a retirement investment portfolio, presented with straightforward advice and without condescension. Don't miss: the author's emphasis on how having the right attitude toward money can help retirees hang onto more of it. Author alert: Jane Bryant Quinn is the author of personal finance classic Making the Most of Your Money Now. The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After 50 by Jonathan Rauch What it is: a science-based, journalistic examination of the titular "happiness curve," in which people report feelings of dissatisfaction in mid-life but a return to happiness in their later years. Why you should read it: although the research suggests that a mid-life slump is very common, the author makes a point to recommend ways to counteract it. Reviewers say: "Stimulating reading for those seeking enlightenment and joyfulness throughout middle age" (Kirkus Reviews). Happy Retirement: the Psychology of Reinvention by Kenneth S. Shultz What it's about: how to plan for and get the most out of retirement, based on recent research into retirement's psychological effects. Read it for: the pragmatic advice, abundant illustrations, and the author's skillful evaluation of the cited research studies. Chapters include: "Sunset or new dawn?," "Is my legacy secure?," "Passing the flame." Contact your librarian for more great books! Richmond Public Library 101 East Franklin Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 (804) 646-7223 rvalibrary.org/