Vol 2:25 The Last Hurrah for '08 December 18, 2008	"Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice." -- Dave Barry
Take Me To: > The BK Website > BK News > New Releases > Surprise Me Make Mom Proud... M u s i c   G o n e    B a d Non-Cheesy, Free Festive Screen Savers! Show your spirit without looking like a dork.  (Just click on the themes to go to the download sites.) 1. Festive Volcano 2. Gift Wrap 3. Labbit 4.  Penguin Colony S o m e t h i n g   O d d El VIDEO	Publishing News _______________________ 2008's Greatest Hits What stories in the BK Communique did you like the most this year?  We've compiled the five most popular BK Communique news features of 2008, based on click-throughs and other information. Look at the list and add the stories that you felt should have been included or vent about how you just couldn't believe that we ignored the New Hampshire Lama Association. ____________________ What to Get the Reader Who Has Everything (If Money Is No Object) This gift is sure to impress any book lover and it will cost you only your 401(k) and life savings--at $100,000, it's the world's most expensive book and, weighing sixty-two pounds, probably the world's heaviest as well. Twenty copies have already been sold, which, at this price, means the book has already made $2 million! BK News ____________________ BK Authors Get Into the Giving Spirit: Mentoring Moments The BK Authors Cooperative is a unique community of Berrett-Koehler authors who shares our vision of creating a world that works for all. Even though the members are BK authors, the co-op operates as an independent not-for-profit entity (and shouldn't be confused with the other BK co-op). The co-op is now offering Mentoring Moments, a free service that connects established BK authors to any other BK authors (not just Author Co-op members) who would like some guidance and advice. Cooperative members have compiled a menu of topics that you can download here. If you see a topic you might find useful, please contact the appropriate author to arrange your moment. If you have questions or need help contacting a mentor, please contact Maren Showkeir or Bill Treasurer. Membership has its privileges. Spotlight ____________________ Our Gift to You This space is usually reserved to discuss a new release or other BK work, offering a deep discount and reasons to buy the book. Not this time. We decided to give you something instead--a free e-book edition of the BK bestseller (with over a quarter of a million copies sold) Repacking Your Bags: Lighten Your Load for the Rest of Your Life, second edition, by Richard Leider and David Shapiro.  The book is a great read to kick off the holiday season and the New Year. You'll notice that the e-book is still priced at $17.95 on our website. Only newsletter readers get it free by clicking here. (Download starts automatically--no annoying requests for email address or registration.) This gift is our way of thanking you for supporting us.  Now enjoy these photographs from our holiday party. Signs of the Times Reader Mail _______________________ BK Mail Roundup: A Few Selections BK author John Graham--whose autobiography just won the award for best memoir at the New England Book Festival--took his BK book and its message to Nigeria, where the work has been very popular.  As John tells us, "The giraffes came early to Nigeria this year..." Our friend Lucas Conley's book, OBD: Obsessive Branding Disorder, was chosen as one of the Best Business Books of 2008 by strategy+business  magazine.  He was also on the Colbert Report earlier this year.  Lucas is the journalist who wrote a feature about BK for Fast Company magazine in November 2005. Gabriela Melano  sent us a holiday video unlike any other.  A dog jumping around and playing in the snow. Set to a Christmas carol.  So simple and yet so  heartwarming. Tim Sullivan sends greetings from the land of the rising sun.  His blog, Intercultural Twilight Zone, is a great read.  Sure, you can read lots of cross-culture blogs, but how many of them provide lessons in humility from a Japanese blues guitarist? Jenny Williams was amused by an article on the hidden conflicts and unseen horrors behind book clubs and by the debate between John Updike and John Grisham. Mike Silverstein checked in to say that he decided to self-publish his next book.  Being the ex-senior editor at Bloomberg Financial News, an NPR commentator, and a published author with some cult classics in his repertoire, Mike could have used a major house, but he just wasn't interested in the "song and dance." Sites _______________________ Creative Gifts Actually Worth Giving (and Receiving) Every year, good people across the world receive horrible holiday gifts.  Because they are good people, they smile, say thanks, and stifle the urge to throw that pair of novelty socks right into the fireplace. It's still not too late to buy gifts that are practical, clever, ecofriendly, and inexpensive.  How about iPod gloves that allow you to use your touch-sensitive iPod without freezing your fingers?  Or the alarm clock that starts beeping and then runs away, forcing you out of bed to catch it and turn it off?  These are just two of the creative ideas included in Think Simple Now's listing of Thirty-Eight Creative Gift Ideas. All of the offerings are unique, practical, creative, and guaranteed not to end up sharing space with that fruitcake and that oversized reindeer sweater Nana made for you. End Notes _______________________ See You in '09! Well, Greg Stephens, our resident word master wins -- again.  Last time, Greg asked, "What word describes the practice of embellishing one's speech to the point that it becomes overly ornamental or flowery?" So many guesses, but no right answers.  Some came close (grandiloquent was the most common guess), but the word that refers specifically to speech of a flowery nature is flosculation. Here is this week's question:  What is the metal piece at the entryway of a scabbard that makes that ringing sound as the sword is drawn called? Be among the first three to guess correctly, and you win the BK book of your choice.  Guess incorrectly, and you must send me chocolate (which reminds me, a lot of you owe me chocolate from the last time). And for God's sake -- stop Greg! As always, email me with your answers as well as any comments, rants, and theories.  We will be on holiday until early January so have a wonderful festive season and New Year ! Oh, and did you think last week's puzzle was just not strange or challenging enough?  Just try to figure out this one, then.

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