As a New Year begins, do you want to wedge more books into your life--in a doable, constructive, and true-blue way?

    Try my tips that follow--and let me know how they go!  And share your own. Together we'll learn from each other as 2009 kicks off.

    1. Attend a book signing at your local bookstore. Barnes & Noble usually posts a list of upcoming author appearances at its stores, and, all told, hosts "more than 100,000 events a year" in its stores across the country, according to its website, where, by the way, you can register in advance for events in your area. (These events include everything from book signings to arts and crafts activities for kids.) It's always great hearing directly from the authors about why and how they wrote their books--you'll see their passion and personalities up close, and you usually have the opportunity to ask questions. Or check out your independently owned local bookstore for its lineup of author appearances (some, but not all, still have these). 

    2. Read the book, then see the movie. You'll know the background, the history, the words, the context. You'll know the author and why he or she wrote the book in the first place. For starters, try the delightful book Marley & Me by John Grogan (now in paperback; we recommended it in Reader's Digest when it first came out). Or, at the very least, read an excerpt from the book or visit the author's website for inside details and surprising insights. 

    3. Give books as gifts--for birthdays, anniversaries, wedding presents, graduation presents, you name it. Books make lasting, personal gifts. They're appreciated, enjoyed, read, and shared for a long time to come. And guess what? Once you give a book as a gift, people tend to do the same with you. 

    4. Read to your kids. Even if they're 12. Or 14. Or 16. I have done this for years with my children, and they've always loved it. (Though they won't always say that, now that they're getting older...) It's a great bonding experience, and as the mom, I probably get more out of the cuddling time than they do. This doesn't have to last for hours on end, by the way. Even 20 minutes a day makes a difference. I figure at least a few new words, ideas, or pieces of information will sink in during that time frame, plus I get to sneak in a few hugs.

    5. Brush up on Lincoln. You'll see his name everywhere this year, as 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of his birth and celebrations will occur far beyond February. There'll be Lincoln books galore (I have a separate section in my office just for upcoming Lincoln books). But you may want to kick all of this off by reading, if you haven't already, Doris Kearns Goodwin's marvelous (and #1 New York Times bestselling) Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (Simon & Schuster). She worked for 10 years on it and explains the savvy way he assembled his political team (useful as Barack Obama assembles his). Or, listen to the audiobook of Team of Rivals in your car on your way to work, to the gym, or to the inauguration later this month, on January 20th (less than 3 weeks away already).