Molina by Bengie Molina and Joan Ryan

Bengie Molina, holds two World Championship rings and two Gold Glove Awards, but his Major League accomplishments are the sub-story in Molina. It's a moving tribute to Bengie's father, written by Bengie Molina and award-winning writer Joan Ryan.

I picked up this book knowing it was about Benjamin Molina, father of three brothers who have won World Series rings as catchers. But, still I was expecting mostly a baseball story about the Molina dynasty in Major League Baseball. I was immediately proven wrong reading the prologue. Molina is much more than a baseball story; it shares a bigger story of Bengie's relationship with his father, Benjamin. Baseball is simply the vehicle for the story of Benjamin Molina's life.

The love for baseball in Puerto Rico is intense and runs quite deep. It's not surprising that the Molina brothers played baseball. However, it is incredible that all three played arguably the most difficult position on the team. And, they did it so well. The three Molinas have won a total of six World Series rings and 9 Gold Gloves so far. Yadier Molina still plays for the St. Louis Cardinals (my team!). Benjamin's wisdom and love guided the brothers even after their ascent to the Major Leagues.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine. Baseball's baseball. Same in Dallas as Dorado. Ball's no bigger or smaller. They still have to throw it over the plate for a strike" - Benjamin Molina

Benjamin raised his boys to be seemingly humble even with the huge successes they've experienced. And, he wanted to be sure his boys passed on the importance of family to their own children.

Bengie understood that and wanted his father to know that he was the reason Bengie was playing in the Majors. Benjamin's guidance went beyond physical coaching to being a source emotional support. Bengie writes, "I wanted to make sure he knew that I didn't think for one second I had done this on my own."

Molina is a very accessible book. It would be enjoyable not only for baseball fans, but for anyone who enjoys a good family story. The clear, concise writing tells a heartwarming story. It's so well written, that I'm anxious to pick up one of Ryan's previous book called Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, named one the top 100 sports books of all time by Sports Illustrated.

Molina was published by Simon & Schuster in May 2015. It's available on Amazon in both hardcover ($19.05) and Kindle ($12.99) editions.

Rating: 5/5

Up Next: Bettyville by George Hodgman; selections from Let Me Tell You by Shirley Jackson

September Book Releases

Here's a look at some of the nonfiction titles being released in September. My to-be-read list continues to grow. Are you excited to read any of the new releases?

September 1

• The House of Twenty Thousand Books by Sasha Abramsky is about the author's grandparents and their salon-like house full of books.
• F*ck Feelings: One Shrink's Practical Advice for Solving All of Life's Impossible Problems by Michael Bennet, MD and Sarah Bennett is a self-help guide written by a psychiatrist and his comedy-writer daughter.

September 3

• Maggie Smith: A Biography by Michael Coveney

September 8

• History's People: Personalities and the Past by Margaret MacMillan is her thoughts on the people she thinks have shaped history.
• Paid For: My Journey Through Prostitution by Rachel Moran is Moran's own story of being a teen who turned to prostitution.
• The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World by Andrea Wulf is about the travels and ideas of German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt.
• What Philosophy Can Do by Gary Gutting explains how we can improve our discussions of modern issues using philosophy.

September 14

• Fast Girl: A Life Spent Running From Madness by Suzy Favor Hamilton is Hamilton's own story of her life as an Olympic runner turned call girl and how she finally stopped running from mental illness.

September 15

• A Strange Business: Art, Culture, and Commerce in Nineteenth Century London by James Hamilton is about culture and business in 19th century Britain.
• Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-Extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things by M.R. O'Connor examines the extremes scientists go to trying to save animals from extinction and questions if it's the best action.

September 22

• Chilled: How Refrigeration Changed the World and Might Do So Again by Tom Jackson looks at the past and future of refrigeration.
• Mary McGrory: The First Queen of Journalism by John Norris is about the Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist who worked in a time when journalism was dominated by men.

September 29

• Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads by Paul Theroux chronicles the people and customs of the south.
• Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction by Philip E. Tetlock and Dan Gardner examines wins and losses in prediction and explores how to make better predictions.

Confessions & Cocktails: A Humorous Holiday Memoir with Sassy Drink Recipes

Vicki Lesage’s latest in a collection of confessional memoirs is Christmas Confessions & Cocktails: A Humorous Holiday Memoir with Sassy Drink Recipes. The Missouri native now lives in Paris and chronicled her holiday adventures in this set of humorous essays and themed cocktails geared toward women.

Some of the stories are repeated from her previous collections, and some are new. The book is divided into sections including “Will Work for Food”, “Have Holiday Cheer, Will Travel” and “The Holiday Blues”.

Lesage’s essays are relatable and entertaining. Her family members almost seem familiar, like a typical Midwestern family.

While the book has an obvious self-proclaimed party girl theme, the family bond she describes is a strong theme as well. Humor is the backbone of the collection, and it is a quick and easy read. The essays are enjoyable, but some of the essays are definitely forced into the holiday theme.

Overall, the thirty-something party girl (or former party girl) audience will enjoy and relate to the stories in this book. And each story has a cocktail recipe if you’re feeling adventurous. It would be a great book to take along on your own holiday travels. It's a light-hearted holiday read to relieve some the stress that can come with the holiday season.

Some of Lesage’s other books include Confessions of a Paris Party Girl, Confessions of a Paris Potty Trainer and Petite Confessions. Her essays have also been included in a few anthology collections.

Christmas & Cocktails: A Humorous Holiday Memoir with Sassy Drink Recipes was published in July 2015 by Party Girl Press using Create Space. It is available in both Kindle ($4.99) and paperback ($10.99) formats on Amazon.

You can view Lesage’s Amazon author page at here.

Rating: 3/5

Up Next: Molina by Bengie Molina with Joan Ryan; Bettyville by George Hodgman