Maureen Burns

So, the other day I was chatting with a friend. He’s in his 30s. He was telling me that his dad had kind of lost his “filter” and was now saying things he would previously not have said. Then he said that his dad’s friend, about the same age, had recently talked to him and asked all kinds of things that he would never have asked before.

Today I sat in Mass in Grand Rapids. I knew no one there except my family. We sat about a third of the way toward the front. Church was full.

Remember the movie, “Footloose” and the song in it, “Holding Out for a Hero?” I’m thinking we may need a hero now. It’s a sad time in Hero World. It’s an even sadder time for fans of heroes. It seems each year we see more “heroes” fall from their pedestals. Splat, and a mess ensues!

Our friend, David, had an Aunt Dot visiting from England. She went to the local post office and when she returned, she was all excited and told them, “The postmaster said he was gonna knock me up.”

When we take our dear dogs on their last car ride, we drive them around the lake. They don’t know where they’re going. They’re just happy to be going — anywhere.

Isabella and Alexander, both 53, were born and raised in Moscow. They left Russia in 2010 with their two girls, who are now 19 and 24.

I get a lot of feedback from my readers and I always love it and am grateful! The other day I got a letter (yes, in the mail — do you remember “letters," boys and girls?).

As agentic AI transforms retail economics, industry leaders will compete for shoppers and agents alike.

Welcome to my 20th annual summer book reading list. This is the largest one to date — books from 70 people, near and far. We cover lots of genres and recommend a boatload of titles. If you don’t want to read some of these, check if you are breathing. I really want to read all but a couple!

We continue our list with historical fiction, humor, health, nature and social science. Ready, set, go!