52 Michigan Weekends by Bob Puhala

The mark of any good book I borrow from the library, is when I have found it so fabulous or useful, that I need to buy a copy for my OWN library. "52 Michigan Weekends" is such a book.

Perhaps it's because Michigan is a neighboring state to our own Indiana that I found the information so useful. Perhaps it's because the economy is so bad that we find ourselves taking many short trips with the kids instead of the traditional long vacation that makes the information this book contains more practical for us. Whatever the reason, "52 Michigan Weekends" has proved to be worth its purchase price.

The book is divided into sections, based on what season you should see these sights, starting with Spring (and I'm not just trying to be alliterative there!) Some highlights of interest to residents of Northwest Indiana include Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan, and things to do in the area around New Buffalo. We've been through New Buffalo a number of times, little knowing what to do or where to go once we got there besides use the bathroom and buy a burger at Redamak's! But now that we have this book, we've got a little inside knowledge that will prove helpful next time we're in town, including hints on nice places to spend the night, should we so choose. There is a little something for everyone; those who like to be physically active will especially enjoy the Winter section. Those of us who prefer to read and relax will enjoy Pulhala's writing style about the region, even if the towns are too far away or the activities not on our usual list of things to do.

In short, if you're from the region and are tired of fighting the traffic to head to Chicago for your fun, you may want to pick up this book and heard north instead! There are at least a few weekends worth of good times listed for everyone.

Submitted by Gerti

Stolen Figs by Mark Rotella

Stolen Figs is a book about a man that visits his family in Calabria, Italy with his father. Memories of Mark's father come alive and the author learns about the history and adventures of the Rotella family. He meets many characters that all know his relatives because of the closeness the little town shares. It tells of places the author visits and the history of the town. As the author takes you through the town you feel like you are with him by the way he describes the sights, sounds, tastes, and how it feels. I enjoyed this book and felt like I was visiting Calabria.

Review submitted by Erica