Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Most good books are good because of the story - it keeps you coming back and wanting more. Many books are good because of the characters - you relate to them or feel for them or admire them. And there are some books - rare books -that are good because of the writing. Little Bee by Chris Cleave is a great book because of the writing, because of the words. As I read the first few chapters, I was compelled to read on and on and on because the words and thoughts flowed like a mighty river on a warm summer day.

The book is about a Nigerian teenager and her sister who converge on a beach with an English couple on a holiday to save their marriage. It is a tragic story. It is funny. It unfolds in pieces. Read it and enjoy.

Last Week in the News

Retail sales rose 0.4% in August after a revised 0.3% increase in July. It was the biggest gain since March. Economists had anticipated retail sales to rise 0.3% in August.

Total business inventories rose 1% in July, following a revised 0.5% increase in June. Total business sales rose 0.7% in July after falling 0.5% in June and 1.2% in May.

The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted composite index of mortgage applications for the week ending September 10 fell 8.9%. Refinancing applications fell 10.8%. Purchase volume decreased 0.4%.

Industrial production at the nation's factories, mines and utilities rose 0.2% in August, following a downwardly revised 0.6% increase in July. Capacity utilization rose to 74.7% in August after a revised 74.6% in July.

The producer price index, which tracks wholesale price inflation, rose 0.4% in August, following a 0.2% increase in July. Core prices — excluding food and fuel — rose 0.1% after a 0.3% increase in July. For the year, seasonally adjusted wholesale prices are up 3%.

The Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for September's preliminary reading fell to 66.6 from 68.9 in August. It was the lowest reading since August 2009.

Initial claims for unemployment benefits fell by 3,000 to 450,000 for the week ending September 11. Continuing claims for the week ending September 4 fell by 84,000 to 4.49 million.

Consumer prices rose a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in August, matching a 0.3% increase in July. For the year, seasonally adjusted consumer prices are up 1.2%.

Attitude

The Longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one thing we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our ATTITUDES.

Homeowner Oil Heating Upgrade Law

The new Homeowner Oil Heating System Upgrade and Insurance Law, originally set to become law effective July 1, 2010 has been delayed and will become effective September 11, 2011, giving homeowners 15 additional months to comply. The law is designed to eliminate oil leaks that have plagued numerous older homes when a fuel line leaves the oil tank and is buried in concrete. In addition, the new law requires homeowner insurance companies to make available coverage, at an additional charge, for oil spills to all homes that are in compliance with the new rules.

I Really Like This Quote

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort