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What are You Reading / Reviews - February 2016
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Leah
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Feb 01, 2016 11:26AM
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Daddy, Stop Talking!: And Other Things My Kids Want But Won’t Be Getting by Adam Carolla (★★★)
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
Finders Keepers by Stephen King
Ghetto Klown by John Leguizamo (★★★★)
The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard Holmes
Currently reading:Two Graves
Content: Selected Essays on Technology, Creativity, Copyright, and the Future of the Future
The Grapes of Wrath
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
Completed:
More or Less: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity
Death's Driver: The Life of a Body Transporter
Necessary Endings: The Employees, Businesses, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward
Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon
Boone: A Biography
The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar: Solving the Oak Island Mystery
The Paleo Cardiologist: The Natural Way to Heart Health
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy O by Sharyn McCrumb.
4 stars
Another winner for Sharyn McCrumb. This is the first book in her Ballad series. Having already read the 3rd book, it was fun to see some of the same characters prior to what I'd learned about them by reading out of order. In this story, a folk singer from the 60's has moved to Hamelin, Tennessee trying to regroup and come up with some new music to possibly revive her career. Meanwhile, a few of the series regulars from this small Appalachian town are discussing the possibility of having a 20th high school reunion. All in all, there are many memories recalled and not all of them are pleasant. Sheriff Arrowood's older brother Cal died in Veit Nam and neither he nor his parents have entirely worked through their loss. Joe LeDonne, a police officer, has horrible dreams relating to his time spent in Veit Nam and his less than approachable personality is a way to protect himself from getting too close to others. As the party planning continues, bringing more aging classmates to town, the new neighbor in town. the previously mentioned folk singer, starts getting postcards with ominous warnings--all written in the lyrics of her songs and they appear to be from her previous singing partner who died in Viet Nam. I thought this was another well written mystery that did a great job of keeping me intrigued and throwing a surprise ending at me.
Currently reading:The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward
Turn Coat by Jim Butcher
I'm gonna' see how many of these I can get to!AUDIO
✔The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah, 3***s, 2-2-16
✔Silent Spring - Rachel Carson, 4****s, 2-10-16
✔People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks, 4****s, 2-22-16
✔The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax - Dorothy Gilman (re-read for Book Club), 4****s, 2-9-16
✔The Housekeeper and The Professor - Yoko Ogawa, 5*****s, 2-14-16
(Middlemarch - Eliot)
PRINT:
Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
✔Fates and Furies - Lauren Groff, 3***s, 2-2-16
✔Abandon - Blake Crouch, 4****s, 2-17-16
Mary Lincoln - Stacy Pratt McDermott
✔Be Frank With Me - Julia Claiborne Johnson, 4****s, 2-12-16
✔Food Whore - Jessica Tom, 3***s, 2-23-16
✔A Streetcar Named Desire - Tennessee Williams, 4****s, 2-26-16
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff, 3***sThe story of a married couple: the first half was what you thought was happening, and the second half was what really happened -- at least that was my take. It was a pretty "different" book!
And the writing style was very unusual. Part of the time (not all), you might read a whole paragraph which didn't contain any complete sentences, almost like reading a list. It was really very "different"!
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, 3***sSet during WWII in occupied France, this story is the tale of two sisters in the French resistance movement and how the war affects them and their relationship.
I liked it fine, but I've read so many books set in WWII (and some of them were very good). Maybe I'm just showing my age. I talked to a 25-yr-old woman yesterday who said "Oh, I just couldn't put it down!" And I understand why she would like it, it just didn't hold any surprises for me. It's just what you know happened during WWII. Again, just me -- try it for yourself & see :)
Mod
Ghetto Klown by John Leguizamo 189 pages
★★★★
I’m not a huge fan of John Leguizamo, but have nothing against him. When I saw this memoir at the library I thought the fact that it was in graphic novel form was fun so I checked it out. I’m glad I did. It was actually quite interesting. Leguizamo was open and raw about his experiences. It was a quick, yet informative read. There are a lot of expletives in this one, so if that isn’t your thing, probably best to stay away. But I found this book surprising, better than I had expected. The illustrations are also nice.
Well this book gave me more than I had expected. This book starts out showing how the author realizes some of the excesses he has in his own life. He puts himself on the line when he befriends a homeless man. And realizes that he has a closet full of clothes while his friend Clarence sleeps on his porch when it rains and takes his old clothes. The rest of the book is all on how people all over the place are taking excesses and helping the needy with it, from billboard banners turned into bags, to gift card remainder rounded up to buy things for needy people.
Shinabarger's writing style is very flowing and keeps in engaged while challenging you to examine your own excesses
Currently reading:The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The Abomination by Jonathan Holt
Odd Thomas - Dean Koontz
Rating 3.25
Larson talks of his years picking up dead bodies. Some of the stories are really short, some really grotesque, and some are quite humorous. He tries to keep his stories as informative as possible, and takes great care to fully respect the dead. Whether picking up an elderly person, accident victim, or suicide victim he talks of the professionalism that must be issued, and how he found people who made jokes about the dead offensive.
This is a short little book that gives you a brief view of what it would be like to pick up dead bodies for a living.
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott
4 stars
Fascinating story about 4 women, a socialite, a farm girl, an abolitionist, and a widow, who all took a great part--whether as spies or actual combatants--in the Civil War. My favorite of the 4 women was Emma Edmonds, who cut her hair and took on the guise of "Frank Thompson" so that she could enlist as a private in the Union army and fight alongside the men. She ended up fighting in the deadliest battles of the Civil War. There was also Belle Boyd who was a spy for the Confederate army and tempted lovers from both sides of the battle. Rose Greenhow was a widow with a young daughter, Rosie, who gathered intelligence for the Confederacy by sleeping with Northern politicians and learning vital information through "pillow talk". At one point, she is imprisoned, along with her daughter and she is still able to pass information along by handing Rosie (through a loose floorboard) down to the cell below with messages that were then passed along by prisoners that were not being watched as closely as she was. Elizabeth Van Lew, was an extremely wealthy southern lady and abolitionist, who managed to keep a busy espionage ring running in spite of the Rebel sympathizers who kept a close eye on her. The book alternately follows the lives and exploits of these 4 woman throughout the war, including much additional information about the war itself and the important personages from that time (i.e. Stonewall Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and Edgar Allen Poe to name a few) There is also an extended epilogue that carefully details the remaining life of these women after the war ended. I thought the book was well researched and very well written. Additionally, the reader, Karen White, did an excellent job of narration.
Evalyn Gates,
Einstein's Telescope: The Hunt for Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe
[2009] 305 pagesA very clear and simple introduction to the idea of gravitational lenses and the uses to which they are being put in observational astronomy. One of the most important questions in astrophysics and cosmology today is the question of what the universe is made of; the dark matter and dark energy which seem to make up the vast majority of the mass of the universe (unless our understanding of gravity needs to be revised), about which we know virtually nothing. Gates explains very well in popular, non-mathematical language the current state of the science and how gravitational lensing is being used to investigate the structure of the universe at large scales and try to provide some observational constraints on the theories. Up to date as of about seven years ago.
Beverly wrote: "Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott
4 stars
Fascinating..."
Thanks for the review, Beverly. I got this book for Christmas and now I really can't wait to read it.
Triple Witch (Home Repair is Homicide, #2) - Sara Graves (4 stars) 2/4/16 Jacobia "Jake" Triptree, former Wall Street money expert, and her friend Ellie come upon the washed up body of an old flame of Ellie's while walking the beach in Eastport, ME. Jake has left NYC with her son for a less stressful life in Maine, but instead of enjoying her fixer-upper and her new boyfriend she finds herself involved in helping her friend find out who killed Ken and the sudden rash of additional bodies. Things get more complicated when her ex arrives, and she finds that a former financier she helped send to prison has established a llama farm (?) in the next town.
I love this town and its characters, seeing Jacobia grow as a person and out of her ex's controlling mindset, her relationship with her son and her boyfriend and the solving of a good mystery.
Mod
Theft: A Love Story
– Peter Carey Book on CD narrated by Simon Vance
3***
Michael “Butcher” Boone used to be a famous painter. Now, following a messy divorce and a jail term and thanks to the largess of a former patron, he’s living on a remote estate with his developmentally delayed brother, Hugh. One rainy day a beautiful young woman appears at their door in a downpour. Marlene is smart and driven, and also the daughter-in-law of the late Jacques Leibowitz, a painter of world renown, and one of Michael’s early influences. She’s nice and develops a rapport with Hugh – not an easy fete – and departs on her 3-inch Manolo Blahnik heels just as quickly as she appeared. But Marlene’s connection to the Boone brothers isn’t over. Like a bad penny she reappears and continues to wreak havoc.
The novel is told by the two brothers in alternating chapters. Butcher is pretty straightforward in his narration, if a little slow to catch on to what Marlene is up to. Hugh, given his mental deficiencies, seemingly rambles, but has insights unique to his perspective. Regardless, the two are drawn into Marlene’s schemes, like moths to a flame, and the reader can only watch the train wreck.
The plot is convoluted and intricate, as befits a psychological thriller, but I didn’t find it a grippingly fast read. I was interested but puzzled about where this was going for a good third of the novel. Part of this, of course, is the dual narration, especially given Hugh’s limited information. However, once Butcher and Marlene begin their international adventure – going first to Japan and then New York – I was completely engrossed. And just when I thought I had it figured out, Carey had another surprise in store for me. I’ve finished the book and I’m still waiting for the next twist …
Simon Vance is superb as the narrator of the audio version. He gives each brother a unique voice, which makes it easy to tell who is narrating.
Mod
The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop
– Lewis Buzbee3***
The subtitle is: A Memoir, a History. That pretty much describes this book. Buzbee has been in the book business virtually his whole life, starting as a part-time clerk when he was a teen. He’s worked at the counter, in the back room and on the road (as a publisher’s rep). And he’s also visited bookshops around the world on his own – he can’t help himself.
I am a big fan of independent bookstores and have been a loyal customer of several in my city. It was one of those indies that first brought this book to my attention and I’ve wanted to read it for a long time. I think I must have built it up in my mind and my expectations were too high. As a result I feel a little disappointed.
What I liked most about the book were his stories about bookshops from his personal experience, i.e. the memoir sections. But Buzbee also gives the reader a history of books – from clay tablets to scrolls to paper – and book-selling. And those sections I found less engaging. Yes they were somewhat interesting (I learned the derivation of “sheepskin” for diploma), but they were dry and lacked the personal connection of the memoir.
Still, there are several sections that I’m very glad I read. One of those is Buzbee’s argument to those who say that a book is too expensive; he’s specifically addressing the $25.00 price tag of a hardcover new release.
Today a San Francisco movie ticket will set you back $10.00. Two hours later, give or take, and poof, that money is nothing but your memory, at least until you pony up another $20.00 for the DVD. A 400-page novel will probably take at least 8 hours to read. Once you buy a book, it’s yours, and you can mark and look up at your leisure that one terrific paragraph that keeps floating through your head.
The technology of the book is much more flexible than film, more user friendly. The reader can dip into the book at will, without electricity, and is always aware of where she is in the book, halfway through, a third of the way, mere pages from the end, her fingers helping to measure the excitement of coming to the conclusion. Watching a scene from a film in slow motion is possible, but there’s an unreal air to it; reading a passage from a book slowly does nothing to rob the words of their power.
5 stars
Jane Elder is Married to Richard Pinsky and they have a Son named Michael. Michael loves animals and has always wanted a dog but his parents were reluctant to let him have one for various reasons. When Jane was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer she decided Michael needed a dog to help with dealing with her illness. Michael decides he wants a poodle and on Thanksgiving weekend Huck a red haired toy poodle comes into their lives and changes them forever.
Story will send you on a roller coaster of emotions. Highly recommend.
Melissa wrote: "Beverly wrote: "Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott
4 st..."
I hope you enjoy it, Melissa!
As Night Falls by Jenny Milchman
3 stars
I'm had a very difficult time deciding how to rate this book. When I first started reading, it seemed like the hints/foreshadowings were so broad that no one could possibly miss them, even me who is notorious for overlooking major clues along the way. I think there was only one major reveal that I hadn't figured out really early on but still before it happened. But on the flip side of that, I couldn't put the book down. I guess that it was because in spite of the fact that I knew where things were going, there was enough "wait" time before it got there that it kept me turning the pages just in case it didn't turn out the way I suspected. Sandra and her daughter, Ivy, have reached a point in their relationship ((as most mothers and teenage daughters) where they are just not as close as they used to be. Sandra is still clinging to the hope that Ivy will revert to her childhood ways but it seems that any attempts on her part to reestablish the feelings just seems to drive the wedge deeper between them. They live in a newly built, lavish home in the Adirondacks, way off the beaten path. On this particular evening, as Sandra fixes dinner for her husband, who earns a living by providing wilderness trips for those that can afford them, and Ivy, if she even decides to come down to dinner, a heavy snow storm is predicted. Sandra and her family had no idea that at the same time, 2 escaped convicts are headed their direction and that the resulting home invasion that occurs will reveal forgotten memories and change all of their lives forever.
Frederick Copleston, S.J.,
A History of Philosophy: Volume IV, Descartes to Leibniz
[1958] 370 pagesI finally got started with this again, going forward into the early modern period. Copleston divided the pre-Kantian period into two volumes; this, the first, deals with the Continental “Rationalist” tradition, the next will deal with the British Empiricists. Actually, this is less a complete history than a study of three important figures, Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz, each of whom gets four or five chapters, supplemented by three shorter chapters on Pascal, Malebranche, and the minor Cartesians. The Catholic bias was less noticeable in this volume, probably because the question of agreement with Catholic theology was actually an important question to at least Descartes, Pascal, Malbranche, and the other Catholics, and relevant to the acceptance or non-acceptance of Leibniz and Spinoza as well, so it doesn’t seem so much Father Copleston’s personal opinionizing. The presentation of the actual philosophies was of course very thorough for a general history. There was very little in the way of the social background of the philosophy, but one wouldn’t expect that from a writer of this perspective.
Rating 2.75
This book is keyed toward businesses or managers that may need to be making changes in their organization. The book starts pretty strong but repeats the same line of thought over and over throughout the book. I thought it became a little redundant and most of his examples were hard to relate
THE REVENANT by MICHAEL PUNKE
4 stars
After my husband and I went to see The Revenant a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to read the book that inspired the movie: 1. To see if the book was better than, which is so often the case and 2. To try and determine how historically accurate the information seemed. The movie, to me, was difficult to watch because of the extraordinarily harsh conditions and the violence, but I expected that knowing the difficulty that the intrepid settlers of our country had in their moving westward. But my husband and I both enjoyed it, feeling like the acting was believable and the settings certainly matched what we believed would belong to that era. After reading the book, my feelings about the movie changed a bit because although the basic story of a wilderness man being attacked by a grizzly and left to die and then his undertaking of an arduous journey to seek revenge are the main threads of both the movie and the book, there is a great deal of difference in the book's content. I don't want to go into any detail because I don't want to ruin the read for anyone else, but Hollywood certainly took it's liberties. The author of the book added a historical note at the end stating what parts of the book he "made up" but states that he tried to remain as true to the actual history as possible and lists a number of sources that the reader can use to continue their interest in this particular story and it's cast of characters. I would say, see the movie and enjoy it for what it is, but don't believe that's it's historically accurate.
Lord William Taylour,
The Mycenaeans
[revised ed. 1983] 180 pagesFollowing up on my last year's rereading of the Iliad, I checked out this short summary of what is known about the Mycenaean culture. Taylour is an expert who was responsible for much excavation at the sites he discusses, so the book is presumably very reliable. It is now about 35 years old, but since it is mainly description of what has been found with very little speculative analysis, there's not much to become outdated. The main problem is that it was so short (perhaps because of the series it was part of), and much of that space was taken up by the (very well chosen) illustrations.
A Dash of Death (A Hemlock Falls Mystery, #2) - Claudia Bishop (3.5 stars) 2/7/16 Sarah and Meg Quilliam own an Inn in Hemlock Falls and are having a cash flow problem. When Helena Houndswood, a celebrity lifestyle maven, arrives incognito and then indicates that she will be filming a show there in 3 weeks to award a million dollar prize to a local contest winner, things begin to look up. That is before 4 of the 5 contest winners begin disappearing or are found dead. The sisters do some sleuthing into the paint company where they all work and into the celebrity's questionable actions when she finds out that these women are rather déclassé . There are some humorous moments with the celebrity out of her element and with the sheriff trying to sidetrack all the amateur detectives.
It is set in a fictional town near where I live so it is interesting to note the local touches. Like book one, it is OK. I probably wouldn't pursue except for the local connection.
Mod
TEXT –
Hail to the Chef / Julie HyzyAUDIO in the car -
All the Light We Cannot See / Anthony DoerrPortable AUDIO -
The Girl on the Train / Paula Hawkins
THE SWEETGUM KNIT LIT SOCIETY by BETH PATTILLO
4 stars
The book club that I attended all of the last year while we read the entire set of Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache novels has become a knitting book group. This is quite a change since I loved the series set in Three Pines; loved the characters, loved the mysteries and loved the setting. But, in spite of my reservations, so far (2 books in) I have enjoyed the first two offerings. I expected some saccharine prattling with undeveloped characters and little to no plot other than a lot of talk about yarn and patterns. Instead I have found some very flawed but interesting characters who come together, not only to share their love of creativity, but also to bolster one another in spite of their widely varied personalities. I'm not saying this month's book was entirely unpredictable, but there were certainly some unusual life events and personality quirks thrown in to keep the book from being just a cookie cutter story of a bunch of women coming together to knit and discuss books. Eugenie is the librarian for the Sweetgum Library and also the leader of the Knit Lit Society. She selects one book a month for her group to read and also asks them to knit an item that would be helpful or appropriate for one of the characters in the book. One afternoon she sees a young girl in the library who is poorly dressed, poorly groomed and has torn some pages containing a knitting pattern out of one of her library books. Eugenie tells Hannah that she must pay to have the book replaced. When Hannah says that she has no money Eugenie insists that she begin working in the library every afternoon to pay off the debt. Sensing that this youngster could use some attention and guidance (although Hannah would disagree), she also insists that she join the Knit Lit Club. Also, discovering that Hannah has never read any classic children's literature, she changes the reading schedule so that the group reads Little Women, Heidi, The Wizard of Oz and other books that she thinks may draw Hannah in. What Eugenie doesn't realize is that the discussion of these books will ultimately end up being beneficial for all of the group members since they lead to discussions of more basic morals and beliefs. There is a neatly "wrapped with a bow" ending and some life changes come a little more quickly than I think is believable but I really became interested in the lives of these disparate women and enjoyed their journey. Maybe I have more need for sweet, happy endings than I think.
Linda C wrote: "A Dash of Death (A Hemlock Falls Mystery, #2) - Claudia Bishop (3.5 stars) 2/7/16 Sarah and Meg Quilliam own an Inn in Hemlock Falls and are having a cash flow problem. When Helena Houndswood, a ..."
Beverly, let me know about All the Light We Cannot See. I've read so many books set during WWII and I don't know if I need to read another one unless it's "wonderful" so I'm counting on you to let me know ;)
I just finished The Nightingale and it was alright but nothing I didn't already know. I'll watch for your review :)
Mod
The Astronaut Wives Club – Lily Koppel
Book on CD narrated by Orlagh Cassidy.
4****
In 1959 the U.S. announced the first seven Mercury Astronauts. They were instant American Heroes, profiled in Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff. But their wives, who had just as much of “the right stuff” were relegated to (and restricted by) the role assigned to them – happy homemakers showcased in Life magazine, asked what breakfast they sent their men off with each morning, and followed to the beauty parlor and grocery store.
Lily Koppel felt these women – and the wives of the astronauts in the Gemini and Apollo missions - deserved their own book. While some of the women did not consent to be profiled, Koppel conducted extensive interviews with some of the women.
Not all their stories ended happily. Most divorced their astronaut husbands. Some succumbed to alcohol, pills or depression. Some forged new careers. Koppel reveals their strengths, their weaknesses, their fears and joys, their stumbles and triumphs. These were some STRONG women, and it’s about time they were recognized.
Orlagh Cassidy does a marvelous job narrating the audio book. Her pace is good, and she has enough skill as a voice artist to give the women sufficiently distinct voices (most of the time), so there is little confusion. Of course if you listen, you should also get a copy of the text version, so you don’t miss the photographs.
SATURDAY by IAN McEWAN
4 stars
An especially well written "slice of life" story. Saturday follows the life of neurosurgeon, Henry Perowne, through one extraordinary day and shows the reader just how quickly the flow of your life can change in a matter of moments. Henry is married with 2 grown children and a wife that he loves. This particular Saturday begins very early with Henry feeling unsettled due to the state of the world after the 9/11 attacks and the threat of war in Iraq. He heads to the hospital for his morning rounds and we are there as he undertakes his surgeries for the morning. His next item for the day is attending a game of squash with a friend. His journey to the court is hampered by thousands of anti-war protestors in the streets and he becomes involved in a minor accident with a young man, Baxter, and his two associates who all appear to be high-strung and bordering on the edge of some very aggressive behavior. Ever the doctor, Henry believes that Baxter shows symptoms of some type of brain dysfunction. When Henry mentions this to Baxter, he is rewarded with a terrific punch to his chest. They part ways and Henry continues with the rest of his day and the reader goes along for the ride. The squash game seemed to go on forever but after that he visits with his grandmother who is suffering from Alzheimer's, goes to see his son's band practice, has a political argument with his daughter and decides to make fish stew for dinner. All in all, a fairly normal but busy day, until the backlash from the earlier car accident turns the day on its ear. Perceptions and beliefs of how safe we are at our most intimate times suddenly seem much more important to Henry than the vague unease of the world's future.
Rating 4.25Morgan tackles the man the the myth the legend of Daniel Boone. Morgan tries to show us all sides of Boone, from a man who loves to hunt, to the man who loved the wilderness. The man who fought Native Americans to the man who was loved by Native Americans. Morgan talks of how some people regardless of how much we really know about them through letters, accounts, or biographies we are still left feeling like we do no know about a person. Boone is one of those people. A life of disagreeing perspectives. Boone loved Western expansion, but at the same time loved the wilderness that the expansion did away with. He loved hunting, but at the same time, killed in a way that was not sustainable. Morgan gives many examples of how Boone was a bad businessman. He just didn't care to file paperwork. He just wanted to do the things he loved and didn't really care much about anything else.
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, 4****s
This is an amazing book about what dangerous things we are doing to our environment and how all these poisons are affecting us. The most wonderful thing is that this book was published in 1962 and is still apropos today. I think Rachel Carson was one of the first to wave the flag of environmental and health concerns. Very interesting -- however, it is truly like reading a science book! She talks a lot about molecules and cells, with many chemicals added in. So...it is not an easy read but is very informative and I'm glad to have finally read it!
Daniel Kennefick,
Traveling at the Speed of Thought: Einstein and the Quest for Gravitational Waves
[2007] 319 pagesA semi-popular history of the concept of gravitational waves from the origins of General Relativity through the various disputes to the observational confirmation by the discovery of binary pulsars, and the beginnings of the search to detect the waves themselves. (I finished the book last night; this afternoon, the BBC News had the report that they have just been detected for the first time.) I call the book semi-popular because, while aimed at a lay audience and without being highly mathematical, it does require for example knowing what tensors are and what invariance and covariance under transformations of coordinates mean and why this is important. In short, it isn't a book for absolute beginners. The author is particularly interested in using the history of general relativity and gravitational wave studies to present his meditations on the philosophy of science, which not everyone will be interested in (I was, as a former philosophy student). The book is occasionally repetitious, especially in discussing individual scientists and their personalities.
The Dark Child by Camara Laye
5 stars
I really enjoyed this lovely quick read. Being autobiographical just made all the emotions of this young man's journey to adulthood that much more poignant. As a reader I could just feel Camara's terror as he and the other boys heard the lions roaring at them during the ceremony for the society of the uninitiated and the frenzied exhaustion of the long days of dancing prior to their entrance into manhood. I felt as if his coming of age story really occurred in two very distinct ways--both within the confines of his family and village--where so much tradition was honored--and in a much more worldly fashion as he started experiencing the world by following his dream to a higher education. One of my favorites, so far, on the 1001 list.
Rating 3.5This is the account of the fires that tormented the Eastern Minnesota Railroad. When Holmes and Watson are brought to America to find out why there are fire popping up at the railroad and the mysterious letters. As Holmes and Watson try to solve the case. They are late to figure out the Red Demon and most of the town burns. This case Sherlock calls the biggest failure of his career. The story has some slow parts but as most Sherlock novels wraps up nicely in the end.
I have listened to many audiobooks. I must say that Steve Hendrickson does a great job. In this story he performs as multiple English voices, Americans, Scottish, and females.
Mod
Hail to the Chef – Julie Hyzy
3***
The second in a series of cozy mysteries featuring White House Executive Chef Ollie Paras begins at Thanksgiving and takes the reader through preparations to decorate the White House for Christmas. But the discovery of a fake bomb hidden in the building complex puts everyone on edge. Clearly it was planted by an insider, for who else would have access? Was this someone’s idea of a practical joke? Or is someone seriously trying to harm the President?
This was fairly entertaining, but I guessed what was going on FAR ahead of Ollie, and even, apparently, the Secret Service Agent in Charge! I didn’t even have the benefit of an intense one-on-one hours-long training session with said AiC, the way Ollie did, to get the message. Yet time and again Ollie ignored the warning signs that I felt were as obvious as the largest Las Vegas neon sign. Oh well … all’s well that ends well.
It’s a cozy mystery and I read this genre for the escape from reality. And this certainly fills that bill.
Grasshopper Summer by Ann Turner
3 stars
I picked this book up at our library resale shop specifically because it had the word grasshopper in the title and I needed a book to fill a challenge where the title included an insect. This turned out to be an extremely quick read. After finishing and while reading about the author I found out that she has earned a reputation for her handling of historical material in the children's book field. That certainly gave me a new slant on my feelings about the book. This tells the story of a family whose farm in Kentucky was partially seized during the Civil War. What's left of it is poor and barely fertile enough to sustain crops. Mr. and Mrs. White, along with their 2 young sons, Sam and Billy, are joining the move west and they are headed for Dakota Territory. The book is written in a plain, to the point story line as seen from the perspective of the 2 boys--one who is excited for the change and one who is not. They make friends on the journey, they encounter folks who approach things differently than their family would and they try to remain positive along the way. When they finally get to their destination, the whole family works together to accomplish setting up a new homestead. There are trials to be faced but again, the characters each do their part to help shore up the others. I think that's what I liked best about the book, that a young person who is wanting to read about a pioneer family moving west could read about it in this book without a lot of tragedy and tension but still see that sometimes we suffer set backs. It's teaching history in a very positive manner.
Turn Coat by Jim Butcher
The Dresden Files #11
4 ★
When it comes to the magical ruling body known as the White Council, Harry keeps his nose clean and his head down. For years, the Council has held a death mark over Harry's head. He's still thought of as a black sheep by some and as a sacrificial lamb by others. But none regard him with more suspicion and disdain than Morgan, a veteran Warden with a grudge against anyone who bends the rules.
Like Harry.
So when Morgan turns up asking for help, Harry isn't exactly eager to leap into action. Morgan has been accused of treason against the White Council, and there's only one final punishment for that crime. He's on the run, he wants his name cleared, and he needs someone with a knack for backing the underdog.
Like Harry.
Now Harry must uncover a traitor within the Council, keep a less than agreeable Morgan under wraps, and avoid coming under scrutiny himself. And a single mistake may cost someone his head.
Like Harry...
My Thoughts:
Jim Butcher doesn't waste any time getting to the action. I like that. Things start off with a bang for Harry and it doesn't stop. Harry is approached by his White Counsel nemesis, Donald Morgan, who asks for help. He is being accused of a murder that he didn't commit. He asks Harry to risk his own life to help find out who is framing him. Of course, Harry agrees. Harry's werewolf friend, Will and Georgia, are back to help. Thomas and Molly as well. Detective Murphy makes a couple of appearances as well, but is absent from most of the book. I missed her and am hopping she makes more of an appearance in he next book. We are introduced to some very interesting creatures and Harry's magical abilities increase. I'm excited to see where it goes. The identity of the turn coat is kept secret well. I had no clue. There are a few disturbing outcomes to the whole ordeal, but I believe there is a reason for it all. Looking forward to the next book.
Capitol Dames: The Civil War and the Women of Washington, 1848-1868 - Cokie Roberts (3 stars) 2/10/16
Similar to her Founding Mothers, Roberts follows a group of women before, during, and after the Civil War. The women are wives and daughters of politicians and military men, movers in Society, and professional women who contributed to and lived through a major time in our history. Some names are familiar, ie Clara Barton, Dorothea Dix, Mary Todd Lincoln and Dolly Madison; some have familiar surnames, ie, Chase, Adams, Davis, and Fremont; and some were new to me. I enjoyed learning about them and what they experienced and tried to influence. Each book I read about this period presents different perspectives on the trials and events of that time, broadening my own understanding.
However, I found this book slightly disjointed. I think I would rather have had fewer main 'characters' telling the story. I often felt I had lost contact with some as they left the city and were dropped, then becoming a sort of footnote. There is a short summary on many of the women at the end telling what happened to them later, but I felt the book left me dissatisfied. I hope to read something more on some of these women at a later time.
A Pinch of Poison (A Hemlock Falls Mystery, #3) - Claudia Bishop (4 stars) 2/11/16
The Quilliam sisters' Inn is suffering under two different problems. Sarah has allowed Axminster Stoker, a long term guest, to apply his TQM principles to evaluating the running of the Inn with disastrous results. And Hedrick Conway, his mother and sister have bought the town newspaper and turned it into a scandal sheet, exposing secrets and implying corruption effecting everyone in town.
Into this bedlam arrives the Kipling Society. When first Hedrick's mother and then sister are murdered there is no lack of suspects. We also have problems in the sister's romantic relations to add to the mix. I found this a more satisfying mystery then the previous 2 and am looking forward to the next installment.
Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson, 4****s
This is the story of Mimi Banning, "reclusive literary legend," who, because of the loss of her savings to a Ponzi scheme, needs to write another book for income to support herself and her son. Her New York publishing company sends her an assistant to monitor her progress and help around the house so that she can get her book finished in a timely manner. When the assistant, Alice, arrives, she finds that she is to be the housekeeper, chef, and mainly, babysitter/companion to Mimi's eccentric 9-year-old son, Frank, who "has the wit of Noel Coward, the wardrobe of a 1930s movie star, and very little in common with his fellow four graders." With several interesting incidents and a couple of extra fascinating characters thrown in, the story moves along at a nice pace with quite a bit of humor and lightness to "sweeten the pot." It all makes for a light, fun read that I would recommend to all :)
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman, 4****s
Mrs. Pollifax, a gentlelady in her mid-60s, goes to Langley, VA to offer her services as a spy, for no other reason than that she needs some purpose and excitement in her life -- and does she get excitement!! A light, fun read, of which there are 13 others in the series -- so, many more thrills to come ;)
This was a re-read for me, and I enjoyed it just as much the second time around!!
The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar: Solving the Oak Island MysteryRating 2.25
Well this has little to do with Oak Island. This book connects Norse families to the Templars and connects David and Solomon and Jesus to the Templar lineage also. Sora references Holy Blood, Holy Grail so much that I felt that I should have read that instead. The book seemed well researched but was not put together well. Most of the writing was chronologically but then would just back up then jump ahead. Overall seemed a little scattered.
The Paleo Cardiologist: The Natural Way to Heart HealthRating 2.75
Wolfson covers a great topic in this book. If you eat healthily, exercise adequately, and avoid harmful chemicals it can lead to a healthier life. In his word "Go Paleo, eat organic, and avoid chemicals". The book overgeneralizes quite a few topics. Some of the topics he discusses are not the most practical. Wolfson discusses how for all the test we run and all the pills that are prescribed most people aren't getting healthier. He talks of the millions of pills that are taken and may only save 1 life. I also believe that pills and tests can be overdone. But most people want a quick fix without having to partake in a life change.
This book came across as one long essay on if you live just like I do, you can be healthy just like I am. Do things just like me and your life will be better.
Mod
Wolfson covers a great topic in this book. If you eat healthily, exercise adequately, and avoid harmful chemicals it can lead to a healthier life. In his word "Go Paleo, eat organic, an..."
Warren - can you please put the link to the book or the title/author at the TOP of your review. It's easy to miss it when it's at the bottom.
Eleanor's Story: An American Girl In Hitler's Germany - Eleanor Ramrath Garner (4 stars) 2/14/16
Eleanor was 9 in 1939 when her father made the worst decision of his life. He accepted a 2 year commitment to a German engineering company. Her parents had immigrated to the US in the 20s and were hit by the Depression badly. In 1932 her mother returned with the children to Germany and left her and her brother with their grandparents, one to each set for 2 years. They returned, at 4 and 6, in the care of a cabin steward. Now in 39 the family sought economic security, despite the foreboding of friends.
They had second thoughts when Germany invaded Poland and war was declared by England and France during the crossing but since return passage could only be paid for in US dollars and they had converted their money to marks they were stuck. Determined to make the best of things they took the job in Berlin and tried to adjust. The family is fairly lucky during the early years; working, schooling, making friends and visiting their extended families. They live in a suburb of Berlin, but as rationing increases the children get sent for extensive periods to relatives in the country. After 2 years when they apply to return to the US they find that Father and the children can go but not the Mother who never got her US citizenship while in the US and she is pregnant.
The Father has a few run ins with the Gestapo for unrestrained comments, but again they are lucky. American citizenship saves them at other points. A second child is born. As bombing increases the family is again split and all but Father moves out of Berlin. When Russian advances threaten they return to Berlin. In 46 the Father and 2 older children return to the US and spend a year getting funds to bring the Mother and younger children to the US.
The story tells of hardship, death, horrifying experiences and a lot of luck. But for a few incidents involving Jews and prisoners of war they seem to have little understanding of that underlying agenda. Despite being involved in the Hitler Youth and moving from place to place by train they seemed oblivious and were shocked when the camps were revealed.
It was interesting to see how a family could live day to day facing immediate hardships and not be aware of the big picture, just keep your head down! The story was well told and written after Eleanor has retired. She changed some names and makes an attempt to tell what happened to many of the people mentioned. I liked that it gave her true understanding of things at the time and didn't superimpose ideas, foreshadow events, or try to justify incidents. Good memoir.
THE CROSS COUNTRY QUILTERS by JENNIFER CHIAVERINI
4 stars
I've challenged myself to go back and fill in the gaps in the Elm Creek Quilts series. I have finished #3 today and found it to be just as cozy and emotional as the others I've read. I guess I'm just going to have to admit that I have a weak side for groups of women coming together to do needlework sorts of things. I've always wanted to quilt, have tried and failed miserably but every time I read one of these novels I think...maybe I could try again. Anyway--in this particular adventure, an aging actress, Julia, has been offered a part in a new movie based on the life of a pioneer woman, who turns quilting into a money making venture after her husband dies and leaves her and their children alone. Julia has never quilted in her life and her agent gets her a spot in one of the week long quilting camps at Elm Creek Manor. Hoping to remain low profile lasts a little longer than a day but soon she is accepting help from some of the more experienced women at the camp and, against all odds, making friends. Each of the 5 women are battling some type of problem back at home that is causing them concern. At the end of this week, Julia and the 4 women she has befriended, vow to go home and as soon as they can come up with some plan to correct what is going wrong in their lives, start a quilt block that represents the problem and its solution. When they all meet at camp the next year, they will put their blocks together to form a beautiful new quilt--the Cross Country Quilt. Just a quick, cozy read that was so enjoyable and if you know how to quilt, it would be even better. My favorite part is when they met at the Quilt Show in Paducah, Kentucky because I've been there several times and I could picture it all so clearly.
Mod
The Girl on the Train – Paula Hawkins
Book on CD narrated by Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey and India Fisher.
4****
Rachel rides the same train each day from her flat in a suburb of London into the city for her job, and back again. As she passes one particular suburban neighborhood she becomes fixated on a couple she sees having breakfast on their deck. She gives them names – Jason and Jess – and invents perfectly happy lives for them. One day she sees the couple kissing … but it’s not Jason, it’s another man with Jess. A few days later Rachel reads a news report about a missing woman; the picture of Megan Hipwell is “Jess.”
What a wild ride – gripping and fascinating. The novel is told in alternating points of view, and moving back and forth in time. We have three distinct narrators: Rachel, Megan and Anna whose lives converge around the two men: Tom (Rachel’s ex, and Anna’s current husband), and Scot (Megan’s husband).
We learn early about Rachel’s alcoholic fugues and black-outs, her inability to remember, her warped thought processes. Clearly she is an unreliable narrator. But as we hear from Megan and Anna, and their secrets, we begin to doubt whether any of the characters can be trusted to tell the truth.
I was guessing right up to the reveal, and the ending is nothing short of chilling.
The audio is capably narrated by three voice artists: Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey and India Fisher. But I have no way of knowing who voices which character. Frankly, they sound very much alike to me and if Hawkins hadn’t started each chapter with the narrating character’s name, and the voice artists hadn’t read those chapter titles, I think I would have been completely lost. Still the pace of the narration was good.
The Housekeeper and The Professor by Yoko Ogawa, 5*****s
This is a simply lovely story, set in Japan, of a housekeeper tending to an elderly gentleman who has been in an accident. And because of this accident he can only remember things for 80 minutes before his mind resets. The only things he remembers are from 1975 and before -- before the accident. He wears notes on his suit to remind himself of certain things like that he has a housekeeper and that she has a 10-year-old son that he is very attached to. He is also a math genius and relates everything to numbers. He teaches the housekeeper many things about the world of numbers, and as hard as it may be to believe -- it is absolutely beautiful! It is a short book, but so very touching because of how the relationship between the professor and the housekeeper and her son blossoms and how much they come to care for the professor. I listened to the audio book and the reader, Cassandra Campbell, did a wonderful, sensitive job of reading this marvelous book. I know it might not be for everyone, but I simply loved it!
Paging All Bookworms!
Books mentioned in this topic
All the Light We Cannot See (other topics)Just Shy of Harmony (other topics)
All the Light We Cannot See (other topics)
Dream When You're Feeling Blue (other topics)
Just Shy of Harmony (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Anthony Doerr (other topics)Julie Hyzy (other topics)
Anthony Doerr (other topics)
Paula Hawkins (other topics)
Markus Zusak (other topics)
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