The Perennials Megatrends by Mauro Guillen - Book Review

Title: The Perennials; The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society

Author: Mauro F. Guillen

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: August 22, 2023

Length: 272 Pages

About the Author
Mauro F. Guillén is one of the most original thinkers at the Wharton School, where he is a Professor of Management and Vice Dean for the MBA for Executives Program. He combines his training as a sociologist at Yale and as a business economist in his native Spain to methodically identify and quantify the most promising opportunities at the intersection of demographic, economic, and technological developments.

Play - Study - Work - Retirement
Virtually every country in the world has embraced the idea that life proceeds in the following four sequential stages;

1. Play 
2. Study
3. Work
4. Retirement

The author believes the trend of sequential stages is coming to an end and we are entering an era where the perennials will thrive. Perennials are defined as "people who are not characterized by the decade in which they were born but rather by the way they work, learn, and interact with others."

My Thoughts

People are living longer and having fewer children.  Multi-generational households are becoming more common. 

The demand for social skills in the workplace is increasing. The future will require more soft skills, self-awareness, empathy, networked thinking, and lifelong learning. 
The ability to adapt to changes will be crucial in the workplace, in social interactions, and at home. People will be required to adapt, learn, unlearn, and relearn.

This is a fascinating book designed to predict the future trends of the worldwide economy and way of life. This book represents many years of research by the author and his team. The writing style is appropriate for the lay reader as well as professionals in the fields of business, sociology, and economics.

I found this book insightful and inspiring. 

The world will be a better place if these trends come to pass. Long live the Perennials!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for an excellent reading opportunity.

I am so glad you visited my blog. Please FOLLOW and share your thoughts in the COMMENTS section below.

Factfulness - Things Are Better Than You Think

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think

 Author: Hans Rosling

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publication Date: April 3, 2018

Length: 341 pages









About the Author
Hans Rosling was a medical doctor, professor of international health and renowned public educator. Mr. Rosling died in 2017, having devoted the last years of his life to writing Factfulness. 

"We are on the cusp of immense possibilities".
Hans Rosling believes that we are, historically speaking, at the best possible time in human history. 

Mr. Rosling bases his claims on publicly available data compiled by organizations like the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the World Bank.

Many people think the world is divided into two types of countries: developed and developing. This approach of dividing the world into two categories is now outdated and fundamentally wrong. It blindly labels countries as rich and poor and this leads to people making some poor assumptions about the problems the rest of the world may be facing.

There are about seven billion people living in the world today. The author divided the world into the following four levels of income;

• Level 1: Average income per person is about $1 per day. Roughly 1 billion people in the world live like this today.
• Level 2: Average income per person is about $4 per day. About 3 billion people in the world fall into this category.
• Level 3: Average income per person is about $16 per day. About 2 billion people in the world are in this situation.
• Level 4: Average income per day is about $64 per day. About 1 billion people in the world fall in this category.

A vast majority of the world's population is spread out across Levels 2 and 3. This is a much more accurate way to look at the world than the popular "we" vs. "them" narrative.

My Thoughts

I learned about this book on Bill Gates' blog and decided to put in a request for this selection at my public library. I waited several months for the opportunity to read this book but found it well worth the wait.

I believe this book is extremely interesting and informative. Mr. Rosling provides many charts and graphs that illustrate the data he has collected about the living conditions of people around the world. In terms of health, nutrition, income, vaccination, sanitation, and many other parameters, the world is in much better shape than ever before.

I agree with the author that the selective reporting of "bad news" in the media has led us into an extremely negative mindset. Unfortunately, the media does not highlight the positive aspects adequately and we end up suffering from an irrational fear that the world is becoming increasingly dangerous. Our journalists need to develop a less dramatic and more fact-based method of reporting world events.

This book is not attempting to provide us with an unrealistically glowing vision of the world. Instead, it uses facts and hard data to show us that although there are serious problems in the world, we are still much better off than many of us imagine.

Bill Gates described this book as "one of the most important books I have ever read...an indispensable guide to thinking clearly about the world". This book was a real eye-opener for me. Highly recommended!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please SUBSCRIBE and share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

Author: J.D. Vance

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: June 28, 2016

Length: 272 Pages









About the Author
J.D. Vance grew up in the Rust Belt city of Middletown, Ohio, and the Appalachian town of Jackson, Kentucky. He enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school and served in Iraq. A graduate of the Ohio State University and Yale Law School, he has contributed to the National Review and is a principal at a leading Silicon Valley Investment firm.

White, Working and Poor in America
J.D.'s grandparents moved north from Kentucky's Appalachia region to Ohio in hopes of escaping the devastating poverty around them. His family struggled to adjust to their new middle-class status. His mother was never able to escape the legacy of abuse, addiction, poverty and trauma that was so characteristic of her childhood years in Appalachia. Mr. Vance lived a very chaotic childhood and was passed around to numerous family members while his mother struggled with drug addiction and moved different men in and out of her home.

J.D. decided to join the Marines when he graduated from high school. When he left the Marines, he used his military education benefits to attend Ohio State University. He eventually graduated from Yale Law School and learned that social mobility involves much more than acquiring money.

“social mobility isn’t just about money and economics, it’s about a lifestyle change. The wealthy and the powerful aren’t just wealthy and powerful; they follow a different set of norms and mores. When you go from working-class to professional-class, almost everything about your old life becomes unfashionable at best or unhealthy at worst.” 

My Thoughts
I chose this book because it was on the Bill Gates book list for 2017. 


I was extremely touched by the childhood experiences that are described in this book. Mr. Vance is truly a survivor and overcomer. He credits his grandparents, sister and other family members for being there for him when his mother was unable or unwilling to take care of him.

“For kids like me, the part of the brain that deals with stress and conflict is always activated...We are constantly ready to fight or flee, because there is a constant exposure to the bear, whether that bear is an alcoholic dad or an unhinged mom....I see conflict and I run away or prepare for battle.”

The author believes his years in the U.S. Marine Corp gave him the confidence and skills he needed to overcome his chaotic childhood and set realistic goals for the future. 

Mr. Vance met his future wife at Yale and she became an excellent mentor and friend during his years in law school. He is now a practicing attorney and appears to have a very bright future indeed. However, sometimes things are not as they seem to outsiders. 

“That is the real story of my lift, and that is why I wrote this book. I want people to know what it feels like to nearly give up on yourself and why you might do it. I want people to understand what happens in the lives of the poor and the psychological impact that spiritual and material poverty has on their children. I want people to understand the American Dream as my family and I encountered it. I want people to understand how upward mobility really feels. And I want people to understand something I learned only recently: that for those of us lucky enough to live the American Dream, the demons of the life we left behind continue to chase us.”

This book is informative and inspiring. I am sure that many have walked a similar path as described in this book. The author was able to eloquently express the emotions and vulnerability that he feels as a result of his childhood experiences.

Dr. Phil frequently says, "There's an old saying in Texas: You gotta rise above your raisin'." 
This book shows you how.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI - I borrowed this book from my public library.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please FOLLOW and share your thoughts in the Comments Section below. 

Seven Stories of Christmas Love by Leo Buscaglia - A Review

Seven Stories of Christmas Love

By: Leo Buscaglia, PhD

Illustrator: Tom Newsom

Publisher: Slack Incorporated

Date of Publication: June 1, 1987

Length: 110 Pages


About the Author
Felice Leonardo "Leo" Buscaglia PhD, also known as "Dr. Love," was an American author and motivational speaker, and a professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Southern California. His dynamic speaking style was discovered by the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and his televised lectures earned great popularity in the 1980s. At one point his talks, always shown during fund raising periods, were the top earners of all PBS programs. Dr. Buscaglia died of a heart attack on June 12, 1998.

The Spirit of Christmas is Love
This book features the following short stories about the author's Christmas memories:

A Christmas Morning Memory - A story about Leo's poor Italian  immigrant family and a lesson in forgiveness and love.

Two Festivals of Light - Leo and his family share Christmas dinner with their new Jewish neighbors.

A Gift of Ravioli - When Leo was a boy, he had a crush on the public librarian. He only had some of his mother's homemade ravioli to give her at Christmas, but that was enough.

The Christmas Story According to Big Matthew - A humorous story about Leo directing the Christmas pageant when he was a young elementary school teacher.

A Santa Suit Does Not a Santa Claus Make - Leo is recruited to be the school Santa Claus when the school custodian fell ill.

No Room at the Inn - Leo shares the Christmas story during a magical trip to Bali on Christmas Eve.

The Christmas That Almost Wasn't - Leo finds himself in the hospital recovering from a heart attack and quintuple heart bypass surgery on Christmas day, 1992. This does not stop him from spreading love to fellow members of the "Open Heart Club."

 My Thoughts
I remember watching Dr. Leo Buscaglia on PBS and reading his books in the 1980s. When I saw this book at the library sale, I was immediately drawn to it. This little book does an amazing job defining the true meaning of Christmas. The author tells how each of the Christmas memories he shared in this book reinforced his beliefs in the value of caring and love.

I can't choose a favorite story from this book...I loved them all. The illustrations are lovely and add value to the stories.

The spirit of Christmas is love. Each of the seven stories in this book emphasized the importance of family, friendship, caring, sharing and love. "Dr. Love" was a great inspiration to all who heard him speak and read his books.

I highly recommend this book to older children and adults. 
It is a short book that packs a mighty punch. You will want to read it each year to remind you of the true meaning of the season.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I found this book on the quarter shelf at a Friends of the Library sale.

Thank you for reading my book review. Please join my family of blog subscribers and share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth - A Review

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

Author: Angela Duckworth

Publisher: Scribner

Publication Date: May 3, 2016

Length: 353 pages




About the Author
Angela Duckworth, PhD, is a 2013 MacArthur Fellow and professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the founder of the Character Lab, a nonprofit whose mission is to advance the science and practice of character development in children. 

“Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.” 
Grit has two components: passion and perseverance.
Passion means having enduring interest in the job you are doing.
Perseverance means being persistent and never giving up.

Are You Gritty?
Dr. Angela Duckworth developed the Grit Scale to measure an individual's grit score. The Grit Scale correctly predicted which cadets at West Point would pass the Beast Barracks, which National Spelling Bee participants would advance to the next rounds and which sales people would be able to retain their jobs. 
I encourage you to test your grit level by completing this short survey.

“as much as talent counts, effort counts twice.” 
Effort helps develop skill. Talent x Effort = Skill
Effort also helps put our skills to good use. Skill x Effort = Achievement.

Interest, Practice, Purpose and Hope
You must be passionate about something that interests you most.
Practice requires that you do things that interest you better than you did yesterday.
It is essential to identify how your work is connected to your own well-being and the well-being of others.
We must be able to get up after a setback. Hope prevails. Hope is an expectation that things will be better tomorrow.

My Thoughts
I was introduced to the work of Angela Duckworth in the Foundations of Positive Psychology Specialization on Coursera. 

This book offers many examples about how effort, perseverance and resilience play important roles in achievement and success. Finding something that you are passionate about is the key. It is natural to want to practice and improve skills that you are passionate about. After many years of effort and practice, you can use your skills for the greater good of society.

In our public schools, the children who have the highest IQ scores are often put in special "gifted and talented" classes. It is good to challenge children who have natural talent, but Dr. Duckworth found that these gifted students sometimes lack the grit that is needed for academic and professional success. Grit is not the only predictor of future success but it is an important part of the equation.

The chapter on gritty parenting gives some specific strategies that can be implemented to encourage the development of grit in children. These same strategies could be used by teachers. Parents should be demanding and supportive of their children. Wise parents are loving, warm, respectful and demanding. Children will emulate their parents, so parents must demonstrate perseverance and passion for their own personal goals. 

Dr. Duckworth believes that you can grow grit from "the inside out" by developing your most passionate interests with practice, purpose and hope. Grit can be grown from "the outside in" by seeking guidance and direction from parents, coaches, teachers, mentors and friends.

There is a reading list at the end of this book that provides more information on the topics that are covered in this book. My goal is to be a "gritty reader" and read all the books listed in this bibliography. 

I found this book fascinating and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the subjects of psychology, achievement and success.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI - I read a print copy of this book from my public library.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or tweet me @JanetteFuller.

ABCmouse.com Review and Giveaway

I was recently contacted by ABCmouse.com and offered a generous ONE YEAR subscription for one of my lucky readers. I don't have any young children at home so I asked my daughter, Cindy Phelps Thomas, to try this site with my granddaughter for one month.

Cindy is my guest blogger today and tells you about her experience with ABCmouse.com.

ABCmouse.com is a computer-based learning program for young children, ages 3-kindergarten. My daughter is 18 months, but I decided to try this program. The program is personalized, it is set up to your specified age group and even says hello with your child’s name at the beginning of each session.

There is a classroom setting to start. From there you can enjoy the variety of activities they have available, including games, songs, personalizing your classroom, and learning geared toward your child’s age group.

There are multiple themes that you can choose including the beach, the farm, the seashore, etc. In each of these settings there are courses that include learning through puzzles, electronic coloring sheets, songs, math, and more. There are lesson builders available also, if you want to design a particular lesson for your child. As you finish each activity there is a reward of tickets that your child can cash in for prizes.

Although my daughter was a little young for the program, she thoroughly enjoyed learning about zoo animals and listening to the songs. We were able to learn about the specific zoo animals and listen to the sounds that they make. The songs had various settings to listen and sing along with the words. We decided to choose the bouncing ball to guide us along in the song; my daughter was able to point to the ball as it went.

I highly recommend this program to parents of children in these age groups. ABCmouse.com is a great resource for parents to use with their children to encourage the learning process and prepare them for future grade levels. Parents can track the process on this program too. The best part is that the program is not expensive! I will definitely continue to work with my daughter through ABCmouse.com!

How To Win An Annual Subscription to ABCmouse.com
One lucky reader of this blog will win a subscription code for 1 year free use of the ABCmouse.com educational service.

I will conduct a random drawing at 12:00 noon on Thursday, August 29.

To enter the drawing for a chance to win, just leave a comment on this blog post. All you have to say is "I want to win ABCmouse.com!"

Please leave an email address with your comment. I will email the lucky winner on August 29 with the 1 year subscription code. I will annouce the winner on this blog the following week. Good luck to everyone!

Book Review: Burning The Page by Jason Merkoski

Title: Burning The Page; The Ebook Revolution and the Future of Reading

Author: Jason Merkoski

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Date: April 9, 2013



About The Author
Jason Merkoski was a development manager, product manager and the first technology evangelist at Amazon. He helped to invent technology used in today's ebooks and was a member of the launch team for each of the first three Kindle devices.

The Future of Reading
This is a comprehensive story about the history of books, the development of ebooks and the future of reading itself. Mr. Merkoski shares his experiences as one of the founding members of Amazon's Kindle team, a small group of people with the goal to make all books downloadable in less than sixty seconds.

Jason Merkoski was at the helm of the ebook revolution. The Amazon Kindle (and other ereaders) has changed the way we live, think and perceive the world around us. The author provides "insider" details about how the first ebooks and ereaders were designed and how they functioned.

This book offers some fascinating thoughts and ideas about the future of reading, writing and publishing. Reading will no longer be a solitary activity. Ereaders provide readers many avenues to share thoughts with authors and other readers on the world-wide web.

The author discusses the use of ebooks with children in great depth. The following quotation is an excerpt from the chapter, "Education: Print or Digital?"

"Children are highly adaptable by nature, and with the exception of the almost blind, I've never met a child of reading age who couldn't get into an ebook. As adults we may prefer to cling like Socrates to the old way. But trust me, we can all "get into" an ebook. There's no barrier in the brain to reading once you're engaged with a book. Children who are brought into ebooks now have the golden opportunity to start fresh without any preconceptions."

Mr. Merkoski states that "fewer people are developing the reading habit every year". What does the future hold for readers, writers and publishers?

My Thoughts
I accepted my first job as a school librarian in 1975. I worked as a librarian for 30 years...my whole life revolved around books. I admit that I was very skeptical when I heard about the first ereaders. I decided to give it a try in 2009 when I downloaded the Kindle for PC application to my laptop computer. I got my first ereader (a Kindle 3) in October, 2010. I received a Kindle Fire HD for a Christmas gift in December, 2012. I am HOOKED on the Kindle!

This book is incredible and should be required reading for educators, librarians, authors, publishers and anyone interested in the future of books and reading. Jason Merkoski has done a great deal of research and writes in a scholarly, understandable and enjoyable manner. Educators and library professionals need to be educated in the latest trends in publishing technology. This book is an excellent place to find valuable and practical information.

The author provides links to share your thoughts about the book on Twitter and Facebook.  Get the book and read it today! Let me know what you think in the Comments Section below.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review from the publisher via NetGalley.

I would love for you to FOLLOW this blog. You may use Google Friend Connect or the Networked Blog widget to show your support and encouragement.


Book Review: Webinar Manifesto; Never Design, Deliver Or Sell Lousy Webinars Again

Webinar Manifesto: Never design, deliver, or sell lousy webinars again

Authors: Matthew Murdoch and Treion Muller

Publisher: FranklinCovey Publishing

Date: October 8, 2012


About The Author
As FranklinCovey’s Global Director of Online Learning, Matthew Murdoch has worked with clients around the globe.
Treion Muller is an author, blended learning authority, social learning expert, and eLearning thought leader.

Declaring War on Bad Webinars!
A "webinar" is defined as a seminar or other presentation that takes place on the Internet, allowing participants in different locations to see and hear the presenter, ask questions, and sometimes answer polls.  (Dictionary.Com)

This book is designed for HR professionals, trainers, instructional designers, marketers, salespeople and anyone who is interested in teaching, educating and training.

The authors present the following seven principles to help you captivate your audience, push the limits of your technology, and transform webinar design and delivery:

• Connect or Die
• Don't Default
• Shut Down the Ugly
• Captivate or Alienate
• Humanize the Screen
• Crack the Feedback Code
• Cage the Monsters

Webinar Manifesto offers fresh insight and practical tips on designing, delivering and evaluating online learning experiences.

My Thoughts
Webinars offer students an opportunity to learn and interact with others in the comfort of their home. There will be continued demand for high-quality educational opportunities that are delivered on the Internet.

This book was written by experts in the field of online learning and instructional technology. They have worked with thousands of individuals and companies in a quest to design a webinar that meets the needs of online students.

I think the information in this book could be used to improve the quality of face-to-face presentations as well as online sessions. The authors are passionate about making their lessons relevant, interesting and interactive.

This book includes an abundance of fun graphics that make it an easy and pleasant reading experience. The book can be read in one sitting but the information should be studied and applied to your projects.

The authors offer their readers a free audio recording of 2 chapters of their first book "The Learning eXPLOSION" and The Webinar Manifesto poster.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in transforming your presentations into effective, efficient and productive learning tools.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

This book is being offered as a FREE Kindle download on Amazon TODAY ONLY.
Grab it now...this is a real bargain!

I would love for you to FOLLOW this blog. You may use either the Google Friend Connect or the Networked Blog widget to show your support and encouragement.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.