A lovely woman named Kristine called me from San Antonio, Texas last week to say that she had received a package with Workman books that were delivered to her by mistake.  (The street address was completely wrong, but the zip code was correct.)

Instead of refusing delivery and asking me to arrange to pick them up, she immediately offered to bring them to the rightful owner because “well, he just lives 5 minute away.”

When I asked her to please pick a book or calendar from our website as a gesture of our thanks,  she wrote back the next day to say that she was so pleased to discover that we are the publisher of her favorite Page-A-Day calendar, Women Who Do Too Much.

She made sure that the books got to their rightful owner…and she really is a woman who does too much!

Welcome, one and all, to the third and final installment of the 2010 Workman Holiday Gift Guide Extravaganzaaaa! (Are you tired of all those A’s yet?) By now you’ve found the perfect gift for the kids in your life (Part 1) and the adult members of your family (Part 2). So now it’s time to take care of the rest of your list: your friends! Read on to find out what Workman employees are giving their Might-as-Well-Be-Family Friends this holiday season.

Might-as-Well-Be-Family Friends:

• “I’m giving Water for Elephants to the only friend I can think of who hasn’t read it yet, and A Reliable Wife to all of the others, because who doesn’t love a great read?” —Kendra
• “Everyone on my list is getting the DC Comics Super Heroes and Villains Fandex, because I’m darn proud of it.” —Randall
• “I got  Children Learn What They Live and Teenagers Learn What They Live for the Program Director and the parents I attend classes with through the Children’s Aid Society. The Darts! Calendar is what I will be giving my Sunday School students; the 365 Bible Verses a Year Calendar for the other teachers; and the 365 Puppies a Year Calendar for my neighbor, because my daughter dog-sits for her throughout the year while she’s on vacation.” —Jean
• “The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating is going to a “sensitive” and “contemplative” friend. One friend’s getting Heart of the Artichoke just because it’s so good and any cook should like it. And, always, Love, Loss, and What I Wore to every woman I’d not given it to before.” —Carolan
• “I already gave Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?—such a valid question!—as an early holiday gift to a bunch of my fellow recent grads who are now on the hunt for jobs.” —Avery
• “I’m giving Stitch ‘n Bitch to a friend who has just discovered the joy of yarn. And Curly Girl is going to my roommate, who has some of the most beautiful—and corkscrew-y—hair I’ve ever seen.” —Erin
• “Some of my favorite calendars to give include The Talking Fortune Teller Calendar (for my wacky tarot-card reading cousin), Trout of North America, 365 Sports Facts-a-Year, the Dog Page-a-Day Gallery Calendar, the Smart Sudoku Page-a-Day Calendar, and the Audubon Birds of America Calendar—all reflecting passions of my loved ones.” —Melissa

There you have it! The 2010 Workman Holiday Gift Guide…well, you know. We hope this list helps provide some guidance in your holiday shopping this season, so you can show your friends and family how much you care with a gift that’s just right for them. Happy holidays!

Welcome to Part 2 of the 2010 Workman Holiday Gift Guide Extravaganzaaaa! If you missed Part 1: Kids and Kids-at-Heart, check it out here. Then see below for part 2 of the list: The Grown-Ups’ Table. What do you get for your parents, your aunts and uncles, and those other adult relatives who can be a little tricky to shop for? Here’s what Workman employees had to say…

The Grown-Ups’ Table:

• “My husband and I just had our first child, a daughter, so I will slip From Father to Daughter into his stocking.” —Selina
• “I’m giving The Crabby Cook Cookbook to my mother, who no longer has to worry about cooking for a family but will get such a kick out of remembering what it was like to put dinner on the table every night … though she will be sorry that she didn’t have those simple recipes back then when she needed them. For all the hypochondriacs in my family (and that would be everyone on one side of the family, though I can’t say which)—The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick. I think our phone calls may get more interesting when they realize there are concrete steps they can take to reduce their susceptibility to illness.” —Suzie
• “My parents are getting copies of Younger Next Year and Younger Next Year for Women, since they’re both recently retired and I want them to stay healthy and happy.” —Randall
• “I got the Islands Page-a-Day Gallery Calendar for my mom, because she loves tropical beach scenes.” —Claudia
• “Last year I gave my father-in-law The Miniature Book of Miniature Golf, which brought Christmas morning to a complete halt for a good hour, because he and my husband just had to play through the whole book (they’re very competitive, so it got a little intense)… He brought it to work and it is a huge hit in his office too. 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die was a huge hit with MY dad, who is a serious music buff. (Brought that gift-opening session to a standstill as well, as he became totally engrossed in the book!!)” —Melody
• “My step-dad is getting the Nuns Having Fun Calendar—perfect for an ex-Catholic School Boy who loves the Three Stooges. And I’ll probably give my mom a copy of The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free, in hopes that she’ll send some tasty treats this year that are suitable for my glutard self.” —Emily
• “Anything golf-related goes over well with my old man.” —Tom
• “I’m giving a copy of Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies to my Aunt Betty. She’s an amazing baker, and the best part is that she always loads me up with baked goods whenever I see her (and my co-workers benefit because I bring them to the office).” —Laura
• “I’m going to give The Love That Dog Training Program to my mom, because she’s convinced that our old dog can’t learn new tricks.” —Avery
• “I got Cooking Jewish for my sister, who is constantly trying to expand her repertoire of Jewish recipes. Also, there’s a reason that Ad Hoc at Home comes wrapped in plastic. Do not open it! Or you will do what I did, which is decide that it was such a beautiful and enticing book, with such mouthwatering recipes, that, although my sister or father or best friend would have loved it, it was time I rewarded myself with a gift.” —Kathy

Hope that was helpful! And don’t forget to come back tomorrow morning for Part 3: Might-as-Well-Be-Family Friends.

The holidays are in full swing, but if you’re anything like me you’re probably still struggling to figure out what to get many of the people on your list. Well look no further, because Workman employees have very helpfully told me what they’re getting for their loved ones, and when I put it all together I got (drum-roll please) the 2010 Workman Holiday Gift Guide Extravaganzaaaa!

That’s right—it’s the ultimate gift-giving resource, divided into three easy parts. This morning’s installation is all about gifts for Kids and Kids-at-Heart. So go ahead: Consult the list to find the perfect gift for even your hardest-to-shop-for friends and relatives. Then stay tuned for part two, The Grown-Ups’ Table, and part three, Might-as-Well-Be-Family Friends, coming up later today and tomorrow morning.  Plus, if you’ve got any suggestions for other holiday present-shoppers, leave them in the comments!

For Kids and Kids-at-Heart:

• “I am giving my 1-year-old son Henry Indestructibles: Jungle Rumble! because in the past month he has become a messenger of mayhem. He especially loves ripping up paper, so I’m going to thwart him with this title. Winner: Mama!” —Camille
• “I’m giving Potato Chip Science to my cousins, because they learn best when they are hands-on!” —Cristina
• “My niece is getting Amazing Cows, because she swears by Sandra Boynton, and swears when she doesn’t get Sandra Boynton books.” —Randall
• “My 7-year-old daughter is obsessing over TV ads for the latest toy craze, “Teacup Piggies.” Santa can give her the trashy toy; I’m putting the Pocket Pigs calendar under the tree so she can have real-live cuteness long after the batteries die (and count for herself how many days it is until her birthday!).” —Page
• “My brother gets the Who Farted? Calendar. Yes, he’s in his late 50s, but he’s a pediatrician, so he said he’d put it in his examination room at the hospital and it would really break the ice with new patients.” —Beth
• “I’m giving Doodle: A Chalkboard Calendar to my daughter, to tell her how much I appreciate her goofy creativity. And I Will Teach You to Be Rich goes to my son, who’s just out of college and in a job that pays less than publishing … I’m a Ramit Sethi convert, and I think my son will worry about money less if he automates it more.” —Suzie
• “My youngest sister’s getting a copy of The Girls’ Guide to Rocking, because not much rocks harder than a girl drummer. My other sister will love playing all the ridiculous games in The Games Bible with her new college friends.” —Avery
• “I’ll give Generation T and Generation T: Beyond Fashion to my creative niece, who aspires to be a fashion designer. And thought I’d package it with a few blank T-shirts to get her started!” —Kathy
• “I’m giving Beautiful Oops! (not just for kids!) to an aged hippie grandmother friend who relentlessly “embraces” creativity wherever and however she finds it. Which is everywhere.

Keep your eye on this space for Part 2: The Grown-Ups’ Table, coming this afternoon!

Have you ever spied a chalkboard decal, or even a chalkboard door?

Tried setting a chalkboard table or sweeping a chalkboard floor?

Served blue or brie or Humboldt fog upon a chalkboard plate?

Spruced up with a chalkboard necktie to wear on your next hot date?

Or served a meal on chalkboard place mats to doodle while you eat?

Then stood up to find that you were sitting on a chalkboard seat?

Do you personalize a party with drinks on chalkboard coasters?

Or decorate all your bare walls with framed chalkboard posters?

If you’ve ever worn a chalkboard T-shirt to get down with chalkboard fashion…

Then you must try our chalkboard fun to complete your chalkboard passion.

We might be a wee bit biased, but we think it’s the best of all –

It’s the Doodle Chalkboard Calendar to hang up on your wall!

Dear readers, the long, cold winter months are nearly upon us. Perhaps you are looking for a gift for the person who has everything. Or perhaps you just want a nice book to curl up with, by the fire, with some hot chocolate, your pet snoozing at your feet, a peaceful glow radiating throughout the room…  Well, get out there and start chopping logs for the hearth, because you have happened upon the second edition of “Workman Reads.”After reading this post, you certainly won’t need to wonder about what spine to crack next! All you’ll need to do is start the fire.

And for those of you who hunger for more recommendations, be sure to pick up one of our Book Lover’s calendars for 2011. Many more books wait to be discovered therein!

First, from our reviewers, in their own words:

An Object of Beauty, Steve Martin

Steve will always have a place in my heart because of movies like The Jerk. The fact he can also write fiction so well is just inspiring. If you’ve read any of his other novels, or are just looking to see him in a different light, I highly recommend picking it up. – Randall

The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafon
A deliciously gothic novel set in post-war Barcelona, The Shadow of the Wind tells the story of a bookseller’s son who unravels the mystery of a one-of-a-kind novel he discovers in “The Cemetery of Forgotten Books.” This story is packed with dark corners, lost loves, murders, a haunted house, and a touch of humor. The perfect autumn read. –Andrea

Something for Nothing, David Anthony (coming in June 2011)

The last book I read that I raced to finish was Something for Nothing, by David Anthony, coming from Algonquin next June. The comparisons to such movies by the Coen brothers as Fargo and Blood Simple are accurate, which is saying a lot. But the really amazing thing about this novel is the way our sympathies build for an initially unsympathetic main character, until by the end we’re cheering heartily for his redemption. As our sympathies grow the plot picks up speed until the final pages move like lightning. A great noir read.—Bob

Skippy Dies, Paul Murray

I’m not even halfway through Paul Murray’s hefty (672 pages! available in a three-volume box set!!) sophomore novel Skippy Dies, and it’s already secured a place on my short list of all-time favorites. The narrative moves between the bizarre and complex lives of several students and staff members of Seabrook College, a fictional private boys’ school in contemporary Ireland. At once funnier and more tragic than anything I’ve read in a long time; it’s no wonder it was long-listed for the 2010 Booker Prize. –Avery

Pictures of You, Caroline Leavitt (soon to be in stores!—January 2011)

I gave this book, about a woman who falls in love with a man whose wife she killed in a car accident, to my roommate, who gave it to her boss, who sent it to her friend in Washington DC. It’s irresistible—like reading a highbrow Lifetime movie. –Emily P.

Revolution, Jennifer Donnelly

A Brooklyn high school student discovers a Parisian teenager’s journal from the French Revolution. Completely must-continue-reading-late-into-the-night addictive. –Krestyna

Second, The List:

Something for Nothing, David Anthony

The Music Instinct: How Music Works and Why We Can’t Do Without It, Philip Ball

The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

Worth Dying For¸ Lee Child

The Passage, Justin Cronin

Coltrane on Coltrane: The John Coltrane Interviews, edited by Chris DeVeto

Dancing in the Dark: A Cultural History of the Great Depression, Morris Dickstein

Revolution, Jennifer Donnelly

Room, Emma Donoghue

Look at Me, Jennifer Egan

Freedom, Jonathan Franzen

Frida, Hayden Herrera

We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson

The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver

The History of Love, Nicole Krauss

Pictures of You, Caroline Leavitt

The Ask, Sam Lipsyte (The reader would like to give it 10 stars.)

An Object of Beauty, Steve Martin

The Pursuit of Love, Nancy Mitford

A Gate at the Stairs, Lorrie Moore

Skippy Dies, Paul Murray

Coal Black Horse, Robert Olmstead

A Blessing on the Moon, Joseph Skibell

When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead

Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy

The Horror! The Horror! Comic Books the Government Didn’t Want You to Read! Selected, edited, and with commentary by Jim Trombetta

The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafon

–Liz, whose ardent love for Barbara Kingsolver grows with every page of The Lacuna.

“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn.” -David Russell

Okay, okay, maybe you don’t have 10 minutes to spare exactly (I know you’re busy), but surely you have the inclination to steal 10 minutes here or there to do something good for you. Think of it this way: You deserve it.

I was flipping through our catalog recently and came to the conclusion that, boy, do we have you more than covered when it comes to ways to exercise your brain, body, and creativity…in 10 minutes.

1. If you’re feeling playful, 10-Minute Bananagrams will test your brain with a series of anagram puzzles that will drive you bananas! (Based on that cute, bestselling game that comes in a banana-shaped pouch. I think you know what I’m talking about.)

2. Whether your 10 minutes comes in the form of a airport flight delay, waiting in line at the grocery checkout, slow restaurant service, a chorus of are-we-there-yets on the family vacation, or your typical weekend rainy day, 10-Minute Puppets has 30 characters for you and your child to create and play with. In this instance, the initial 10-minute investment of making the puppet will pay out in hours of play!

3. Ready to nerd out on some 10-Minute Crosswords from our friends at Mensa? Peel off the calendar page and take it with you so you can stay sharp during your train commute or intermission at your kid’s dance performance–or solve a puzzle during the commercial breaks from that mind-wilting TV show that you just can’t turn off!

4. Feeling antsy? 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough is the solution to that age-old excuse for not going to the gym: I don’t have time! Oh, but it turns out you do. You can change your entire fitness outlook with a series of 10-minute mini-workouts once a day. And you can do them anytime and anywhere that you might find yourself: in a hotel room on a business trick, at home watching TV, slogging away at your desk at the office, or of course, at the local health club.

According to my calculations, you could also make at least 6 new friends or close at least 6 business deals in those same 10 minutes.  So, how would YOU like to spend the next 10 minutes?

Appealing to every passion and interest under the sun, Page-A-Day Calendars are both the original and the gold standard. This year’s titles include perennial favorites like 365 Cats, 365 Dogs, and 365 Stupidest Things Ever Said as well as new additions to the lineup: Animal Crack-ups, Keep Calm and Carry On, and Pretty Good Jokes from A Prairie Home Companion. Scroll down to preview your favorite.

To view our full calendar selection for 2011, visit workman.com/calendars

	Preview 1000 Places to See Before You Die Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Golf Digest 365 Golf Holes Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview 365 Cats Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview 365 Dogs Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Bad Cat Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Bad Dog Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Mind Benders and Brainteasers Puzzles Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Bible Verses Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Diecut Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Keep Calm and Carry On Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Animal Crack-ups Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview 365 New Words Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Book Lover’s Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview For Women Who Do Too Much Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Mensa 365 Brain Puzzlers Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview The Original Sudoku Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview The 365 Stupidest Things Ever Said Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Smart Ass Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Angels on Earth Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview One-Minute Devotions Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview 365 Pretty Good Jokes Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview The Original Amazing Trivia Facts Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here
	Preview Zen Page-A-Day Calendar 2011 Buy it here

These Google doodlers probably have one of the sweetest jobs around. And while I don’t see “Google Doodler” popping up on my resume anytime soon, I like to fancy myself a part-time doodler…and now you can, too!

The Doodle calendar for 2011 includes 12 different “backgrounds” to creatively embellish…. In January, there’s a vacant city for you to breathe life into: Will there be gridlock? An alien invasion? Fire-breathing monsters? Or has there been an odd change in weather and it’s raining cats and dogs? Just grab your trusty chalk and doodle away. In February, a bare round head requests a new hairstyle — curly or straight, a spiky punk Mohawk or a spectacular mullet — what shear genius will you come up with? Fast forward to October, and a pumpkin awaits infinite jack-o-lantern expressions — will he be particularly wicked this year?

But better yet — check it out in action, with August’s “Design Your Favorite T-shirt” challenge: