One Good Life: My Tips, My Wisdom, My Story

Blogging pays, as Utah journalist and broadcaster Nystul demonstrates in this bland but frank account of her entrepreneurial success with Onegoodthing by Jillee. A California girl raised in a large, close-knit Latter Day Saints family, Nystul pursued a career in broadcasting, primarily in chilly Bismarck, N.D., before marrying a coworker, Dave, and eventually settling down in Utah with their four children. The crux of her personal life involves a stint in a Utah rehabilitation center in her mid-40s after she plunged into alcoholism to alleviate her postpartum anxiety—which she recounts alongside sensible homespun advice, such as keeping the family happy and occupied with tasks like removing stains on kitchen pots. Nystul’s appeal evidently lies in her ability to connect with many of her blog readers on a range of topics: her love for her parents, her nurturing of her children (especially the second-to-youngest, Kell, who was diagnosed with diabetes in infancy), and her honesty about her drinking. With her whole family pulling for her, she replaced the bad habits with good ones—copiously described here—and developed the DIY spirit that helped her master the art of blogging. While the health and marriage advice and food tips in the first part of the book are all a bit platitudinous (with one exception: Frozen Yogurt Dots are positively inspired), the second half of her work imparts solid wisdom for the eager new blogger. [em](May) [/em]