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'THE LIFE OF CHUCK'

Rated R for language.

What it’s about: A cosmic, philosophical extraordinary story about one ordinary life.

The kid attractor factor: While this is a life-affirming story that can appeal to a wide swath of audiences, it's more of an adult drama.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Live your life to the fullest — get out there ...Read more

If you are thinking about baby names you may want to make sure the names you have in mind are legal in your state.

Each state has its own naming laws and at least 11 names have been previously banned in the United States, according to USbirthcertificates.com. A list of guidelines and requirements rule out other possible names as well.

The ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A California city is the best place in the nation to raise a family, according to WalletHub.

The personal finance website recently released its list of the Best and Worst Places to Raise a Family in the United States in 2025, based on factors including housing costs, recreation opportunties and the quality of local schools...Read more

I find myself still pondering the surprise announcement from Warren Buffett, age 94 and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, that he is retiring because he was "beginning to feel his age."

I keep wanting the man to expand. Specifics on "feeling his age" would be helpful and greatly appreciated.

He did say he noticed he was operating at a different speed...Read more

Q. We are in co-parenting counseling and my ex will tell a story that is almost the exact opposite of what happened. She’s so wrong! I have the text messages to prove it! The counselor is our referee, and we have made no progress. How can two people have such vastly different perceptions of what went on? What’s good ex-etiquette?

A. I’m ...Read more

“There’s no being free on the outside without being free on the inside,” proclaims the Mighty Matthias in Venessa Vida Kelley’s lush and luminous debut novel, "When the Tides Held the Moon." The themes of freedom, agency, self-empowerment, community and resilience play out in a nostalgia-tinged kaleidoscope in this historic romantasy set...Read more

"Cold Burn" is the second book in A.J Landau’s National Parks Thriller series and — after finishing it — I’m rushing to read the first one. Wow! This is one action-packed, page-turning and yet sophisticated thriller where the stakes couldn’t be higher — no less than the future of the world and the fate of all mankind.

It grabs you ...Read more

"Grief and Managing This Inevitable Part of Life" by Michael Dow, beautifully presented through the voice of Nurse Dorothea, is a sensitive, heartfelt and empowering book that offers readers both understanding and tools for coping with one of life’s most difficult challenges — grief. As the second installment in the Nurse Dorothea series, ...Read more

'BRING HER BACK'

Rated R for strong disturbing bloody violent content, some grisly images, graphic nudity, underage drinking and language.

What it’s about: A pair of orphaned step-siblings end up in foster care with a terrifying guardian who has plans for a dark ritual involving them.

The kid attractor factor: This bleak horror movie doesn'...Read more

DETROIT — The Michigan parents of transgender minors who rely on gender-affirming health care, such as hormones and puberty blockers, said they are living with fear as the Trump administration targets what the president calls a "dangerous trend" and what defenders call "life-saving" care.

At least nine Michigan facilities now offer gender-...Read more

Q. My children’s father and I parent differently. He’s laid back, I like a schedule. He likes to eat in front of the TV, I make the kids eat at the table. He hired a helper to clean the house, I am trying to teach the kids responsibility, so they have age-appropriate chores. Our children are 11, 9, and 6. They are gravitating to dad’s ...Read more

I couldn't get into spring cleaning this year. I couldn't get into fall, winter or summer cleaning either.

My housekeeping may be slipping. There was a time when I cleaned the entire house from top to bottom every week. Now I just write "SEND HELP" in the dust on my desk.

When people come over, see that and ask if everything is all right, I ...Read more

In "The Lost Diary of Mary Magdalene," Johnny Teague brings to life the hidden thoughts and emotions of one of history’s most misunderstood figures.

The story begins with an archaeologist, Giuseppe Campise, stumbling upon a clay pot containing Mary Magdalene’s personal diary in the ruins of Magdala. What should have been a groundbreaking ...Read more

Mac Cheek's dad died of a heart attack at age 56. So as Mac neared that age, he took precautions.

He regularly saw a doctor in his hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina. He knew his cholesterol and blood pressure numbers and took medication to keep them in safe ranges. He enjoyed not only his 57th birthday but also his 60th and 65th.

Then ...Read more

Given their long gestation time, it’s stunning how some novels feel preordained to speak to the moment in which they’re published. "A Town with Half the Lights On" by Page Getz truly is one such book. Which is ironic given that it takes place in 2003, but the quirky, engaging and often maddening town portrayed in the book — Goodnight, ...Read more