Younger Next Year: The New Science of Aging 60 minutes DVD

G: I saw him speak when he came to Sun Valley a few years ago. This is more or less the presentation he gave. It scientifically explains how we age based on the choices we make. His inspiration for most of us is that it is never too late to change your patterns to create a new chart on your aging.

Amazon: You can actually become more fit both physically and mentally as you grow older. Join Dr. Henry Lodge as he dispels the myths of American aging and explains the new science of aging. Learn how to take charge of your biology to become functionally younger-more vibrant purposeful and dynamic-for years to come.

The Buddha: The Story of Siddhartha 120 minutes DVD

Amazon: Two and a half millennia ago, a new religion was born in northern India, generated from the ideas of a single man, the Buddha, a mysterious Indian sage who famously gained enlightenment while he sat under a large, shapely fig tree. The Buddha never claimed to be God or his emissary on earth. He said only that he was a human being who, in a world of unavoidable pain and suffering, had found a kind of serenity that others could find, too. This documentary by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin tells the story of his life, a journey especially relevant in our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. Richard Gere narrates.

The Graduates/Los Graduatos 120 minutes DVD

Amazon: The Graduates/Los Graduados explores pressing issues in education today through the eyes of six young Latino and Latina students from across the United States. More than a survey of contemporary policy debates, The Graduates offers first-hand perspectives on key challenges facing Latino high school students and their families, educators and community leaders. The Graduates/Los Graduados is not only a story about how Latino students are faring in our nation's public education system, it is also a story about the graduates who will make up America's future.

Tell the Wolves I’m Coming Home: A Novel by Carol Rifka Brunt 384 pages, CD

Amazon: 1987. There’s only one person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and that’s her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life—someone who will help her to heal, and to question what she thinks she knows about Finn, her family, and even her own heart.

G: A very emotional reminder of how AIDS was looked upon in the 80's. This book may bring awareness of how important tolerance and acceptance are to the well-being of loving families. I recommend it.

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown 416 pages, CD

Amazon: This is the story of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic Games in Berlin, 1936.

G: I had no idea crew races could be so exciting. The author does an extraordinary job of making each race more exciting. He brings us into the lives of all the members of the team as well as the infamous boat builders and coaches. Ask around, I am not the only one who loved this book. It would make a fantastic movie.

The Wind is Not A River by Brian Payton 320 pages, CD

Amazon: Following the death of his younger brother in Europe, journalist John Easley is determined to find meaning in his loss. Leaving behind his beloved wife, Helen, he heads north to investigate the Japanese invasion of Alaska's Aleutian Islands, a story censored by the U.S. government.

G: Shortly after the first few pages, I was immersed in this story. It is a tale of adventure, human instincts, love and relationships, and survival. Yes, another World War II story, but in a different setting in which I had little knowledge. I could not put it down.