All There Is

Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived more than 40,000 interviews from more than 70,000 participants, each week airing one of NPR's Morning Edition. Love is perhaps StoryCorp's greatest theme, present in almost every interview and All There Is focuses on romantic love, collecting stories from around the country into three broad categories: Love Found, Love Lost, and Love Found At Last.

The touching personal narratives cover the widest range of couples - lifelong partners and newlyweds, long-distance relationships forged by e-mails and letters, and love stories that reach across wars, illness, and even death. Here are some of the stories you will find within the covers of All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps by Dave Isay:

Michael Fazio and Sonya Baker in Murray, Kentucky. Michael was a toll collector when he caught Sonya's eye during her regular commute. One day she asked Michael out to dinner, and they've traveled through life together ever since.

Leroy Morgan remembers his late wife, Vivian and they time they read a sign that said Successful Marrige that neither would ever forget that would contain six points to always to say to your wife or husband. Their marriage lasted fifty-three years, two months and five days and if he's able to enter into the pearly gates of heaven, Leroy will walk all over God's heaven until he finds Vivian. The first thing he plans on doing is asking her to marry him all over again.

My all time favorite was a story from Beverly Eckert, 55 who remembers her husband Sean Rooney and that last phone call she shared with him as he remained in the South Tower on the morning of September 11th, trapped on the 105th floor and tried in vain to escape but was not able. It would be a phone call she would never forget and also her life would be claimed as well in a plane crash in 2009.

If you are a romantic at heart or simply love great love stories that show love can outlast even death, then this is simply the collection of stories for you. I received this book compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review and fell in love over and over again. There were stories simply too good that once I finished them, I had to read them out loud to my husband. Those were the "Ah moments in our day." I can't recommend this book enough as a great collection for hopeful romantics, and a great anniversary or wedding gift. With that I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author or where to purchase this book, please click on the links below:

All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps by Dave Isay

You can also view and listen to stories online at StoryCorps website by clicking here.

You can also find out more on Facebook by clicking here.

Mom: A Celebration of Mother's From StoryCorps Giveaway and Review

Just in time for Mother's day comes an inspired collection of true stories from people all over the world, different age groups, races, and unique relationships that deal with remembering the treasured moments with moms.

StoryCorps launched in October 23, 2003, in Grand Central Terminal in New York CIty. It was admittedly something of a crazy idea: to put a recording booth in the middle of one of the busiest train stations in the world, then invite pairs of people to come in and interview each other about the most important moments in their lives. These are just a sampling of the stories that they have collected dealing with our treasured and precious memories of our moms.

Here is a snapshot of one of my favorite stories between Gabrielle Hall, 29 talking to his sister Danielle Hall, 27 about their mother, Martha Hall:

Danielle Hall: She taught me things about relationships that I still use. She told me when you fight, you have to decide how much it really matters to you. If it's not worth getting upset about, let it go. And if it is worth getting upset about, you have to be brave enough to bring it up with the other person. And if you're not brave enough to do that, you have to let it go. Once you've discussed it, it's over and you never bring it up again.

Gabrielle: She was such a fighter - we knew for fourteen years that she had cancer and that she was dying, but she believed in the essence of her that she was not going to die.

Danielle: I feel blessed that we had fourteen years. Before she died, I told her that I thought she had been a wonderful mother, that she taught us how to be strong and independent and smart and capable of doing anything, that I loved her, and that we would be okay. But she really wanted to know that you would be okay. (pg 59).

This is just a sample of the beautiful and heartwarming stories that are shared in this beautiful book, Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps by Dave Isay. This collection is guaranteed to make you remember just how special your own mother is. There is even a section at the conclusion of the book to help you create a legacy of stories between you and your mom. This would make the perfect gift this Mother's Day.

I received this book compliments of TLC Book Tours for my honest review and LOVED it. I can't wait to begin collecting the stories from my mom but also stories I hope to pass on down to my children as well. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars. This book is available in hardcover and eBook formats.

For more information about this book and where you can get a copy of this book, click on the link below:

Mom: A Celebration of Mothers From StoryCorps by Dave Isay

Thanks to the generous folks at TLC Book Tours, they are offering a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of this blog. Here are your guidelines:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. Like my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart by clicking here.

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. No P.O. Boxes please.

4. Please include your email address with your comment. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols and let me know why you would love to win a copy. The giveaway will end on May 9th and I will notify the winner by email.