Back in September when I attended the Mighty Summit and made a commitment to take a photography class (sometime between then and an unspecified point in the future), Karen Walrond took pity on me when I asked desperately if she'd mind sharing a few pointers. This is her book, The Beauty of Different, and it is simply exquisite, a huge affirmation that anything and everything about us that makes us different, however uncomfortable, is also what make us beautiful. It's filled to brimming with examples of individuals who have come to accept that their own glaring imperfections are almost always positive attributes. And also, all her beautiful photography. Disclosure: I count her as one of my friends, and I could not be more proud of her for this.