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Books for a Better Life Awards 2009

Awards

Books for a Better Life Awards 2009

Since its inception in 1996, Books for a Better Life has recognized more than 600 self-improvement authors and has now raised more than $1.8 million for the New York City - Southern New York Chapter’s comprehensive support services and educational programs for people living with MS, their friends and families. The Awards recognize self-improvement authors whose messages are aligned with the chapter’s mission of inspiring people to live their best lives.

To learn more about the Books for a Better Life Awards or the Multiple Sclerosis Society, please visit: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/nyn/fundraising/books-for-a-better-life/index.aspx.


2009 Winners

 

2009 Books for a Better Life Winners

Photographed from left to right are: Event emcee Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC's "Good Morning America; Winner Gail Blanke, THROW OUT FIFTY THINGS; Winner Sorrel King, JOSIE'S STORY; Winner Ashley Merryman, NURTURESHOCK: New Thinking about Children; MS Awareness Award Recipient Cami Walker, bestselling author of 29 GIFTS; Hall of Fame inductee Carolyn Reidy, president and CEO of Simon & Schuster, Inc.; Chairman of the Books for a Better Life executive committee Scott Manning; winner Jean Chatzky, THE DIFFERENCE; Carol Fitzgerald of the Book Report Network; and, Esther Margolis of Newmarket Press.

 

Childcare/Parenting
NURTURESHOCK: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman (Twelve Books / Hachette Book Group)
 
First Book
JOSIE’S STORY: A Mother's Inspiring Crusade to Make Medical Care Safe by Sorrel King (Grove / Atlantic, Inc.)
 
Green
JUST FOOD by James E. McWilliams (Little, Brown and Company)
 
Inspirational Memoir
STRENGTH IN WHAT REMAINS by Tracy Kidder (Random House)
 
Motivational
THROW OUT FIFTY THINGS by Gail Blanke (Grand Central Publishing)
 
Personal Finance
THE DIFFERENCE by Jean Chatzky (The Crown Publishing Group)
 
Psychology
CONNECTED by Nicholas A. Christakis, M.D. and James H. Fowler, Ph.D. (Little, Brown and Company)
 
Relationships
YOU WERE ALWAYS MOM’S FAVORITE: Sisters in Conversation Throughout Their Lives by Deborah Tannen (Random House)
 
Spiritual
WRITING IN THE SAND by Thomas Moore (Hay House)
 
Wellness
THE END OF OVEREATING: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David A. Kessler, M.D. (Rodale) 


2009 Finalists

 

Childcare/Parenting
THE CURSE OF THE GOOD GIRL by Rachel Simmons (The Penguin Press)
THE LOST CHILD by Julie Myerson (Bloomsbury)
NURTURESHOCK: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman (Twelve Books / Hachette Book Group)
SAVING SAMMY: Curing the Boy Who Caught OCD by Beth Alison Maloney (The Crown Publishing Group)
STEPMONSTER by Wednesday Martin (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

First Book
THE BLUE SWEATER: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World by Jacqueline Novogratz (Rodale Publishing)
LIVE THROUGH THIS by Debra Gwartney (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
IN THE SANCTUARY OF OUTCASTS by Neil White (William Morrow)
JOSIE'S STORY: A Mother's Inspiring Crusade to Make MEdical Care Safe by Sorrel King (Grove / Atlantic)
SHOP CLASS AS SOULCRAFT by Matt B. Crawford (The Penguin Press)

Green
THE BACKYARD HOMESTEAD edited by Carleen Madigan (Story Publishing)
CLEAN FOOD by Terry Walters (Sterling Publishing)
ED BEGLEY, JR'S GUIDE TO SUSTAINABLE LIVING by Ed Begley, Jr. (The Crown Publishing Group)
JUST FOOD by James E. McWilliams (Little, Brown and Company)
SUPER NATURAL HOME: Improve Your Health, Home and Planet --- One Room at at Time by Beth Greer (Rodale Publishing)

Inspirational Memoir
HANDS OF MY FATHER: A Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents, and the Language of Love by Myron Uhlberg (Bantam)
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT by Diana Welch, Liz Welch, Amanda Welch and Dan Welch (The Crown Publishing Group)
NOT BECOMING MY MOTHER by Ruth Reichl (The Penguin Press)
THE POSSIBILITY OF EVERYTHING by Hope Edelman (Ballantine)
STRENGTH IN WHAT REMAINS by Tracy Kidder (Random House)

Motivational
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM by Judith Orloff, M. D. (The Crown Publishing Group)
HOW TO RULE THE WORLD FROM YOUR COUCH by Laura Day (Atria)
LESS: Accomplishing More by Doing Less by Marc Lesser (New World Library)
THROW OUT FIFTY THINGS by Gail Blanke (Grand Central Publishing)
WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGES, CHANGE EVERYTHING by Neale Donald Walsche (Hampton Roads)

Personal Finance
1,001 THINGS THEY WON'T TELL YOU by Jonathan Dahl and the Editors of "Smart Money" (Workman Publishing)
THE CURE FOR MONEY MADNESS by Spencer Sherman (Broadway Books)
THE DIFFERENCE by Jean Chatzky (The Crown Publishing Group)
RICH LIKE THEM by Ryan D'Agostino (Little, Brown and Co.)
YOUR MONEY RATIOS by Charles Farrell, J.D., LL.M (Avery Books)

Psychology
CONNECTED by Nicholas A. Christakis, M.D., Ph.D. and James H. Fowler, Ph.D. (Little, Brown)
HOW TO INSTANTLY CONNECT WITH ANYONE by Leil Lowndes (McGraw-Hill)
THE NARCISSISM EPIDEMIC by Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D., W. Keith Campbell, Ph.D (Free Press)
PLAY by Stuart Brown, M.D. with Christopher Vaughan (Avery Books)
THE PURSUIT OF PERFECT by Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph.D. (McGraw Hill)

Relationships
BROTHERS: 26 Stories of Love and Rivalry edited by Andrew Blauner (Jossey-Bass / Wiley & Sons, Inc)
THE GIRLS FROM AMES by Jeffrey Zaslow (Gotham Books)
JANE BRODY'S GUIDE TO THE GREAT BEYOND: A Practical Primer to Help You and Your Loved Ones Prepare Medically, Legally, and Emotionally for the End of Life by Jane Brody (Random House)
PERFECTLY IMPERFECT: A Life in Progress by Lee Woodruff (Random House)
YOU WERE ALWAYS MOM'S FAVORITE: Sisters in Conversation Throughout Their Lives by Deborah Tannen (Random House)

Spiritual
THE ART OF HAPPINESS IN A TROUBLED WORLD by His Holiness The Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler, M.D. (Doubleday Religion)
CONQUERING FEAR: Living Boldly in an Uncertain World by Harold S. Kushner (Alfred A. Knopf)
THE LITTLE BOOK ON MEANING by Laura Berman Fortgang (Tarcher / Penguin)
TAKING THE LEAP by Pema Chödrön (Shambhala Publications)
WRITING IN THE SAND by Thomas Moore (Hay House)

Wellness
DIET MYTHS THAT KEEP US FAT by Nancy L. Snyderman, M.D. (The Crown Publishing Group)
THE END OF OVEREATING: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David A. Kessler, M.D. (Rodale Publishing Group)
LIVE A LITTLE by Susan M. Love, M.D. and Lice D. Domar, Ph.D. (The Crown Publishing Group)
SECOND SPRING by Dr. Maoshing Ni (Free Press)
SPENT by Frank Lipman, M.D. with Mollie Doyle (Fireside Book / Simon and Schuster)