From Dog-Rearing to Miracles, JCPL Has Everything You Need in New Nonfiction!

President Obama has made good on one campaign promise so far. He has fulfilled the dream of his little girls by purchasing a pet. A Portuguese Water Dog named Bo is the lucky Whitehouse canine. The President has nothing on my family, however, as we also have a dog named Bo. Our Bo is far from the furry, non-allergenic White House pooch, though. Our Bo has more hair than any living creature needs, and has more stamina than the description of the Portuguese Water Dog breed, which is "lively and needs lots of exercise." Our version of Bo could be described as "lively" if you consider acting as a wrecking ball to everything within his reach "lively," knocking things over with a tail that doesn't know it's own strength, and digging his way to China in every soft spot he can find outdoors.

I could have used Ali Canova's "Agility Training for You and Your Dog: From Backyard Fun to High Performance Training" when Bo came along. This new nonfiction title at the Jasper County Public Library offers a step by step approach for agility training methods that will improve and maintain your pooch's fitness, as well as behavior, providing fun for you and your pet. It also comes complete with diagrams, course illustrations, and color photographs. Read on for more great, new nonfiction titles!

In "In Lincoln's Hand: His Original Manuscripts," leading Lincoln scholars, Harold Holzer and Joshua Shenk feature President Lincoln from a fresh and intimate perspective by offering an unprecedented look at the late President's handwritten letters, speeches, and childhood notebooks, bringing a new perspective to our thoughts on a man who so profoundly affected American history.

Get an inside look at Madonna in "Madonna Confessions" by Guy Oseary. This 224 page book, written by Madonna's manager, showcases one of the most famous women in the world with color photographs of Madonna's live performances and the highlights of her career, as well as including previously undisclosed information about the queen of Pop.

Recognizing the gifts of everyday life doesn't always come easily when you find yourself or a loved one battling an incurable or debilitating illness. With heartwarming humor, wit and the wisdom of a man who has gone the distance to be a beacon of light to others, Michael J. Fox shares his personal philosophy on beating the odds and staving off depression in "Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist."

Is your mind open to the possibility that miracles exist in this day and age? Do you sometimes need the inspiration that can only come from the feeling that there is a higher power, or the possibility of divine intervention? "God Stories: Inspiring Encounters With the Divine" by Jennifer Skiff is a collection of stories of the extraordinary experiences of people who have felt the power of God's presence in their lives. This book will make you look back at some of your own experiences and wonder; have you been touched by a miracle?

The Jasper County Public Library's mission statement promises to "inform, enrich, and empower our diverse community." Stop in your local branch of JCPL, check out a new nonfiction title or two and you'll find that it's true; a promise is a promise.