Patch Picks: Five Great Summer Reads

Spending a day on the beach or lying in a hammock with a good book can rival anyone's idea of a good time.

Summer is the perfect time to lay on the beach (or in your backyard) and read a trashy romance novel – or maybe something a little more substantial.  Either way, there are a ton of good books out right now that will distract and engross you in the wonderful world of fiction (or nonfiction, depending on what you like) until the hot sun goes down. Whether it's suspense, romance, comedy or crime, these Patch Picks could be just what you're looking for. Head to the Brentwood Borders before the liquidation sale is over - the store is having a huge sale right now. Patch Picks: Five Great Summer Reads

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Maplewood Motherhood: Notes from the Field

Abuse of Women in Media Must Stop

The abuse of women dates back to the book of Genesis in the Bible, and it continues with today's music videos. How can we teach our daughters that this is wrong?

While savoring the morning's coffee, I happen upon VH1 while surfing for news on TV. Eminem and Rihanna's music video is playing, and it contains shocking, interesting fire imagery, so of course I watch. I was thoroughly engrossed, like gazing into a campfire to watch a marshmallows bubble-black. It was entrancing, yet a little creepy. Then, like a sucker punch, the storyline sank in, and I became nauseated. Eminem and a gorgeous young girl were alternating between nuzzling, fighting, and having what appeared to be violent sex, while Rihanna's beautiful voice was warbling, "I love the way you lie." This video induced such melancholy. It was in one moment visually intriguing, but the storyline was (is) revolting. Glorification of domestic …

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