**spoiler alert** Great little book, for the interesting nature facts, the sweet woodcuts, and definitely the beauty and precision of the language. Ev**spoiler alert** Great little book, for the interesting nature facts, the sweet woodcuts, and definitely the beauty and precision of the language. Every entry is a prose poem of sorts, but also illuminating the inner lives--including their biology and behavior--of these somewhat ordinary animals, especially as it relates to their adaptations to winter. Amazing that these creatures have adapted in so many different ways, though they may be similar and share the same Midwestern landscape. Animals that I figured I knew about--squirrel, vole, chipmunk, raccoon, etc.-- all find different ways to survive and thrive. And the adaptations of the non-mammals, such as garter snakes and frogs, can be surprising. Easy to read in a sitting, you might still want to spread this out over the whole advent season, just to continue your enjoyment of Boss's lovely prose....more
Kaplan's broad understanding of the world is on full display here, along with/including the depth of his historical knowledge. Stylistically a little Kaplan's broad understanding of the world is on full display here, along with/including the depth of his historical knowledge. Stylistically a little difficult, but just full of interesting observations of the ways geography determines the fates of nations. My own knowledge of ancient history was repeatedly challenged, as Kaplan in one swipe can reference medieval Venice, Imperial Rome, and Ming Dynasty China to make a point about American foreign policy. Reading this ten years after its first publication, one can see some of the ways these predictions have gone astray, but plenty of Kaplan's predictions have come to pass, and many are still in the works. Everything he writes about America's immigration policy and relations with Mexico still reverberate. All the sections on China and the Middle East are still relevant. THe one surprise, of course, is Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Kaplan somes short of predicting. Like most of us, he just didn't think Putin would go that far. Now here we are....more
Sort of a fun book--a retelling of RLS's Treasure Island, but relocated to Niven's Known Space universe of the alien rat-cats the Kzin. Interesting toSort of a fun book--a retelling of RLS's Treasure Island, but relocated to Niven's Known Space universe of the alien rat-cats the Kzin. Interesting to see how the author created the parallels, from the obvious plot points to the characters. Always been a big fan of the Kzin, among Niven's semi-humorous creations. Followers have probably done more with the Kzin and their world/history than Niven ever did--but that's a testimonial to how well he sketched them out in the first place, leaving so much to work with. IN this case, Colebatch doesn't disappoint. I was also pleased to see how the author brings in that other nifty Niven creation, the "transfer discs". Colebatch also did plenty of his own science homework (probably more than was necessary) to justify the workings of his plot. ...more
The Sentence takes us inside the lives of Native American characters in the modern setting of Minneapolis, describing their responses to the COVID panThe Sentence takes us inside the lives of Native American characters in the modern setting of Minneapolis, describing their responses to the COVID pandemic and the riots over racial injustice after the George Floyd killing. As usual, Erdrich gives us interesting characters we come to care deeply for. IN this case, the narrator is Tookie, an indigenous woman from a troubled childhood, who emerges from prison to create a new life as a bookseller in the city. It's no small coincidence that she works in the very bookstore run by the author, who does a cameo in the novel. The reader will be fascinated by Tookie as she deals with friendship, marriage, and family relationships. But the biggest question is how will she deal with the ghosts in her life, particularly the restless spirit of a former customer who haunts the stacks of the bookstore. Another winner from one of my favorite authors....more
Here's another great Snoopypuss Mystery from Georgann Prochaska. If you like your mysteries cozy and your stiffs wrapped in plastic, you'll enjoy thisHere's another great Snoopypuss Mystery from Georgann Prochaska. If you like your mysteries cozy and your stiffs wrapped in plastic, you'll enjoy this one. The Old Codger in question has passed on before the narrative's beginning, but the reclusive old hoarder has left behind a trio of contentious heirs, an old farmhouse full of junk, and a certain...um, odor. Which is sure to be scented by the bloodhound Audrey, loyal companion of the widow Alice Tricklebank, an amateur sleuth. Alice and her incorrigible friend Lena have been tasked with cleaning out the dead man's house, keeping a sharp eye open for clues to his suspicious death. And boy, do they find clues! The house literally reeks of mysterious goings-on, and the neighbors of the little Newbattle are quick to furnish more clues and riddles than one small Midwestern town can contain. Great characters in an excellent whodunit! ...more
Outstanding book about the wolves of Yellowstone and the people who devote much of their lives to studying them. This skillfully written book capturesOutstanding book about the wolves of Yellowstone and the people who devote much of their lives to studying them. This skillfully written book captures the land in all its brutal beauty, as it follows the lineage of one particular pack of wolves introduced to the national park from Canada. The focus tightens on the Alpha Female designated 0-6 by the identification system used by the wildlife managers. We see close-up -- through the lenses of the official and unofficial observers- the brutal and dangerous lives of these animals from one generation to the next....more
Just a delightful book. Low-key, easy-going look at the bookseller's life in this small Scottish town. Bythell records a full year in diary fashion, rJust a delightful book. Low-key, easy-going look at the bookseller's life in this small Scottish town. Bythell records a full year in diary fashion, recording the events of each day in the shop, along with number of orders filled, number of customers, and amound of money in the till. WHo would have thought that his day-to-dealings with customers and employees would make for such interesting reading. Bythell bitches, in his sardonic way, about the weather, Amazon, unhappy book buyers and disappointed sellers, rebellious employees and bureaucratic officials. Occasional snippets if dialog from customers, verbatim, offer plenty of humor. You'd think nothing is happening, but the literary reader can still imagine the fun of the Wigtown Book Festival and other events, and the raucous parties at various holiday times. Meet some unforgettable characters along the way: Granny, his volunteer helper from Italy, whose English is rudimentary at best; guests who kick off their shoes and empty his refrigerator; the Mole Man who spends hours in the store but never speaks; and Bum Bag who buys plenty of books but engages the owner with endless anecdotes and discussion. THings do happen -- repairs of the collapsing chimney, remodeling to add a guest bedroom. BUt it's the everyday description of the small shop and its customers that offers a full year of charm....more
A really good book, fun and interesting to read. Full of history, character, and local color through the (sometimes) understated and witty prose of exA really good book, fun and interesting to read. Full of history, character, and local color through the (sometimes) understated and witty prose of expatriate Englishman THorpe. I feel well-prepared for my trip to the Cevennes, and many misconceptions squared away in advance. I want to go to there....more
A fairly satisfying addition to the “Expanse” series by the author duo known as S. A Corey. This 8th and penultimate book finds the crewmates of formeA fairly satisfying addition to the “Expanse” series by the author duo known as S. A Corey. This 8th and penultimate book finds the crewmates of former Martian gunship Rocinante scattered around known space. Their onetime leader James Holden is a captive of the evolving mega-ruler of the "League of WOrlds". Winston Duarte in his palace on the planet Laconia; Holden doesn’t know it but his indominatable yet unpredictable soldier Amos Burton is hiding nearby with a “pocket nuke” waiting to strike. Aging pilot Alex Kamal and the ex-Martian Marine Bobbie command a stolen Laconian warship on occasional raids of opportunity against the formidable might of the Empire. And fighter and engineer Naomi Nagata runs operations of the underground, barely eluding capture as she slips from one system to another. The tale is told from the shifting points of view of these characters, plus two others who reveal what’s going on inside the enemy fortress: Theresa Duarte, the 15-year old daughter and heir-apparent of the tyrant leader, and Elvi Okoye, a scientist tasked with study of the alien technology that created the “protomolecule” which has transformed human space. When Duarte provokes a response from the unseen aliens, Naomi, Bobbie, and the underground find the opportunity to strike back at Laconia itself. The result is high drama and great space action where lots of stuff blows up. Meanwhile, fans of the books will enjoy seeing their favorite characters develop with age. They haven’t solved all the problems of the universe, but they have influenced the course of human history at every turn as we’ve known them and it’s nice to give them some resolution. They don’t all get out alive, but who does? Meanwhile, Winston Duarte is turning into some god-like super-something, and the Laconians are still a force seeking to control all human worlds. Oh, and don't forget the alien power is still out there, with the aim of mankind's total destruction. Can't wait to see how this ends. ...more
As usual, I enjoy the historical context of these Time-Life books as much as I do the info about the artists and their work. Turner was definitely aheAs usual, I enjoy the historical context of these Time-Life books as much as I do the info about the artists and their work. Turner was definitely ahead of his time. A transition....more
Here’s the question: Is the world ready for a another wise-cracking, noir-ish Chicago P.I. with crime-solving instincts but a fatal flaw? Or is one suHere’s the question: Is the world ready for a another wise-cracking, noir-ish Chicago P.I. with crime-solving instincts but a fatal flaw? Or is one such too many? Never mind. If that one is Johnny Lupul, the hero of Wayne Turmel’s new series, the answer is a resounding yes. Even if you don’t remember the question, it’s yes. Johnny Lycan and the Anubis Disk came off the presses via Black Rose Writing in 2020, and though I’ve been a fan of Turmel’s writing for some time, I admit I was skeptical of the subject and the genre. But I’m here to tell you, folks, this book is worth stretching to reach the “Supernatural/Occult” shelf. In case you haven’t figured it out, Johnny Lycan’s secret is… (Spoiler Alert!) he’s a werewolf. (Honestly, readers will discover this in the first chapter, so sue me for ruining the surprise!) Whether you’re into this kind of thing or not, this book checks all the boxes as far as characterization, plot, action, mystery, and good old-fashioned story-telling. Johnny is a good-hearted young guy grown out of a troubled childhood, and he is just learning some disturbing things about himself. He has the smarts and the even temperament to be a good investigator, but the raging monster inside him is a curse—still, one that might have its uses. IN this first book of a series, Johnny is hired to find the Anubis Disk, an Egyptian relic with strange powers. The impoverished P.I. faces a range of villains, from a suave Middle Eastern oligarch to a nasty Russian assassin. But even a motivated hero can use some help sometimes. To that end, Turmel surrounds Johnny with a supporting cast of questionable value: a gay, disabled accountant; his Romany grandma and landlady; and a troubled teen-age chick coming off a drug problem. Honestly, there’s a wealth of material here, with allusions to Johnny’s history, plus the grand stage of the Chicago area, to mine for many books to come, and we can only hope Turmel keeps going after Book Two: Johnny Lycan and the Vegas Berserker. (See what I mean?) As mentioned, I’ve read Wayne Turmel’s other books—his historical novels—of which Count of the Sahara is a favorite. But I have to say, Johnny Lycan has set loose the author’s creative voice in a new way. Like never before, his wit and humor emerge here, even around bloody scenes of horror and violence. Turmel deftly balances the gritty darkness of this world with the playful, somewhat impish humanity of Johnny Lycan. ...more
The Education of Henry Adams. This autobiography won a Pulitzer Prize (posthumously) for its author, the grandson and great-grandson of two American pThe Education of Henry Adams. This autobiography won a Pulitzer Prize (posthumously) for its author, the grandson and great-grandson of two American presidents. Born in 1838, Adams lived 80 years through a dynamic period for America, Europe, and--well, the whole world. The narrative, such as it is, chronologically written, holds to its stated goals—to examine the “education” of the author throughout his years, influenced by the changing times, and quite an influential figure himself. Though he never held public office, he lived in the capital and associated with politicians, including several presidents, and many congressmen, ministers and diplomats. He served as private secretary to his father who was a Congressman and minister to England during the Civil War. Among Adams’ closest associates were the most prominent statesmen, scientists, architects, artists, writers and “influencers” of his age. He made many lasting relationships from Harvard, where he was a student and a professor of history. In later years he was particularly close to the geologist Clarence King, and to Theodore Roosevelt’s Secretary of State John Hay and his wife, with whom he shared adjoining houses on Lafayette Square in Washington D.C. Adams was born into the age of the steamship, and he took full advantage, traveling the world---to Egypt, the Balkans, Japan, Polynesia, Ceylon, Russia, and across America and Mexico. He spent a good part of his life in Europe, particularly England and France. He saw most of North America, joining a survey expedition in the West, and made several trips to Mexico. Everywhere he went, he sought to enlarge his education. In his lifetime he saw the advent of steam power, railroads, the telegraph, and photography. Besides the American Civil War he witnessed the height of Western colonialism, the Boer War, Russo-Japanese War, Spanish-American War, and the transformation of Europe by numerous conflicts, including WWI. He knew three U.S. Presidents who were assassinated. Adams spent weeks studying the dynamos in Chicago at the Columbian Exposition, spent a summer at the Paris World Fair in 1900, and continued his education at the St. Louis Fair of 1904. In his early years dabbling at journalism, his main writing accomplishments were a novel, essays, histories, and biographies. This “Education” is probably his best-known work. Not only does it chronicle the remarkable breadth of his experience, but it stands as a completely original autobiographical attempt to understand the nature of identity and one’s place in the world. I found it a slow and difficult read, with its old-fashioned sentence structure and Adams’ strict adherence to the 3rd person throughout. If the reader is of a scholarly bent, he or she will spend a lot of time chasing the many references and reading the explanatory notes of the Oxford World’s Classics edition (1999). But it’s worth it for your education. - RGZ ...more
Atlas of a Lost World doesn’t have anywhere near enough maps, but that’s just me thinking an atlas ought to be full of maps. That being said, Craig ChAtlas of a Lost World doesn’t have anywhere near enough maps, but that’s just me thinking an atlas ought to be full of maps. That being said, Craig Childs doesn’t disappoint when you consider the subtitle: Travels in Ice Age America. Because there’s plenty of travel, if not technically time travel. Childs’ special approach to research into the natural world is typically full immersion. He will hike, paddle, climb, swim, or in any way endeavor to put his bodily self into the situation being described. In the past I’ve read his work on the desert landscapes (Secret Knowledge of Water) , the Southwest of the ancient Puebloans (House of Rain )and the present-day plight of humans world-wide as we face environmental catastrophe (Apocalyptic Planet). Here again is Childs describing his personal encounters with nature, as close as he can get. You can’t backpack across Berringia, of course—the land bridge traversed by the first pioneers of the New World from Asia is deep under the waters of the Arctic and Bering Seas. But Childs describes his hikes through the Alaskan tundra, his prudent avoidance of bears on desolate islands, and his meandering paddle down the braiding channels of the Yukon. You can’t face the Laurentide icesheet that once covered all of Canada, but Childs clambers up and around the glaciers he does find. You can’t track wooly mammoths or mastodons, but Childs visits their graves in ancient lakebeds. He also examines the remains in museum collections and gets plenty of expert opinions from academics and field researchers. His resources are many, and the conclusions drawn by them can be quite amazing. So this book has something for the science reader and plenty for readers of creative non-fiction who will enjoy these adventures vicariously. Childs organizes the book from the oldest periods of ice-age habitation in the Americas (25,000 years?) to the most recent at the end of the age (11,000?), with some discussion of what we call it now, the Anthropocene or Holocene, or what? With some humor, the writer and his crew trek the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, contemplating the end of the Ice Age and the great proliferation of technologies, customs, and languages that flowered in America. They are heading to Burning Man, that artificial city on the plains, in some ways more ephemeral than the hidden gathering places of early man in that lost world. ...more
This is a good reference for any time you might want a quotation that references dogs. It's even broken down into chapters or subheadings. If you loveThis is a good reference for any time you might want a quotation that references dogs. It's even broken down into chapters or subheadings. If you love dogs, go for it....more
My first book of 2023 was Children of the Revolution by award-winning author Joanne Zienty. Since I had enjoyed her literary first novel The Things WeMy first book of 2023 was Children of the Revolution by award-winning author Joanne Zienty. Since I had enjoyed her literary first novel The Things We Save, I was looking forward to this venture by Zienty into a different direction. This new imaginative work also visits the South Side of Chicago, but things are a little different this time. If you believe Chicago is the “City That Works”, you may be upset to see how things turn out in Zienty’s futuristic dystopia. If you are a critic of Chicago and the state of Illinois, you won’t be surprised at the broken-down world portrayed here. Several generations in the future, Midwesterners toil under a repressive government, controlled through electronic monitoring and brute force. Every aspect of their lives is dictated by corporate overlords. Births are allowed only to the elite, and the majority of young people have been chemically reduced to androgynous “worker bees.” The work is a hopeless struggle in a world devastated by climate change and the collapse of infrastructure. Society such as it is only marginally exists because of the bounty of the Great Lakes, its water doled out by the government, as long as it lasts, and according to their whims. Teen-aged Merit has avoided the forced injections and developed into a rebellious girl. Resourceful and skilled, she survives in a marginal doomed agricultural sector in the former downstate Illinois. She comes to understand that she has been groomed by her adoptive parents for a greater purpose, one she eventually embraces with wonder. She will join the revolution and change the world. Merit sets about doing this in a thrilling trek across a feral landscape, meeting allies and enemies, pursued relentlessly by her nemesis Tanner, the leader of brutal government thugs. Along the way, she discovers untamed nature’s beauty, elegantly drawn in Zienty’s descriptive prose. And faced with death, she discovers her own true nature as well, the depths of her strength and her drive to accomplish her goal on the edge of Lake Michigan. Zienty has done a remarkable job with action and adventure here, but the most moving sections go into the mind of the character as she comes of age in the age of apocalypse....more
"Science Discovery Files" offers ten stories of science successes, related in a straightforward style that will engage middle grade readers and might "Science Discovery Files" offers ten stories of science successes, related in a straightforward style that will engage middle grade readers and might just surprise more mature students as well. I know I learned something new in every chapter, even if I was familiar with some of the subjects. The author, science teacher Diane Lincoln, uses evocative biographical sketches to remind us of the sense of wonder that draws people to the sciences in the first place. She also demonstrates a knack for making the science clear and finally reminds the reader of the importance of the discoveries included. Lincoln covers earth sciences, chemistry and medicine. Examples run from the impact of Florence Nightingale’s work on the advancement of nursing, to high-end physics topics like the discovery of radioactivity. Readers of all ages will be captivated by this compact but worthwhile book....more
A memoir by Doug Carlson, our trusted veterinarian, now retired. This was an enjoyable read, related with the warmth and good sense we've learned to exA memoir by Doug Carlson, our trusted veterinarian, now retired. This was an enjoyable read, related with the warmth and good sense we've learned to expect from the good doctor. Particularly interesting were the early chapters describing Carlson's childhood and youth on the family's Iowa farm. Obviously at vet plays an important role in farm communities, where people have such close ties to the animals they raise. I also enjoyed the vivid depiction of small town life--it was easy to picture the young Doug Carlson climbing around in the town square, picking out penny candy in the general store, and listening to the stories told a the local pool hall. We find out how Carlson chose his career path and then managed his grades and struggled to get into veterinary school. The last part of the book recounts a number of experiences with his patients and their owners which made an impression on the Doc and which he thought noteworthy. Dr. Carlson's practice, now run by his daughter Dr. Amanda Healey, remains an important part of our pets' lives....more
There's so much to love about this book. Makkai has created some great characters and placed them in the unforgettable setting of a "haunted" house wiThere's so much to love about this book. Makkai has created some great characters and placed them in the unforgettable setting of a "haunted" house with its attic full of mysteries, coachhouse of hidden compartments, the grounds and outbuildings all harboring the secrets of those who came before. And then we meet those people too, the compelling "ancestors" with their own secret identities; followed by a shotgun Part 3 that introduces us to the colorful creatives who inhabited the house during its decades as an artists' colony. Makkai skillfully answers the questions of the first part with new questions in the third act. She dives deep into the lives and minds of the characters, but somehow less is more--read carefully or you might miss something important. But please, read....more
As a born-and-bred south sider, I've been wanting to read this take on segregation in my old neighborhood. Moore describes her own childhood experiencAs a born-and-bred south sider, I've been wanting to read this take on segregation in my old neighborhood. Moore describes her own childhood experiences in Chathan and later in Beverly. Of course, as she is quite a bit younger than me--and Black--her experience has been a little different from mine. But that's why I learned so much from this book. Moore's take, supplemented by her research, does square with the way I remembered the changing neighborhoods in the 60s. THough facts and figures and the learned opinions of some of her academic sources can't really stand in for the trauma of those times. The statistics on race, on economics, crime, housing, etc. all are important supplements, though, and support my understanding of how the south side changed in those days. I'm most familiar with Chicago Lawn/Marquette Park, where Martin Luther King marched for fair housing practices, and where Lithuanian and other immigrants faced the spectacle of neo-Nazis doing a goosestep around the Monument. I became one of the Moore's statistics as my family joined the "white flight" to the suburbs. I'm familiar with Beverly, and from a white perspective, it seems more like a neighborhood struggling to survive as a White enclave than as a marginally integrated area. I once looked to Hyde Park as an example of how integration might work, and I lived in Oak Park, where housing practices have at least kept the city from falling into the same traps. And I'm familiar with Englewood, having worked there with my father when he tried to save his old neighborhood as a landlord on homes he knew well, some of them built by his own grandfather more than a hundred years ago. Moore's book gives a good explanation of the housing practices, the politics and racism that have made the south side of Chicago what it is today. She tries to bring up some solutions to the desegregation issue. But I wish I felt more optimism, finally, for the south side to ever overcome the problems....more
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