Seasons in Basilicata: A Year in a Southern Italian Hill Village
David Yeadon
Harper Collins
10 East 53rd Street New York, New York 10022
ISBN: 006053110X $25.95 463 pages
Andrew Martino
Reviewer
At what point does a tourist become a traveler?
Seasons in Basilicata: A Year in a Southern Italian Hill Village is a major new work from
seasoned
traveler and illustrator David Yeadon. The basic premise of the book is to spend all four seasons
in
places that are off the crowded tourist beat. Seasons in Basilicata is the first in a series of such
books. Yeadon's reasons for traveling to Basilicata are revealed to be as literary as they are
exploratory.
Yeadon (accompanied for most of the year by his wife, Anne) has done what all serious students
of
literature dream about: he has followed the trail of one of his favorite books, Christ Stopped at
Eboli
by Carlo Levi, to experience for himself the uncanniness of southern Italy, replete with its
superstition, poverty, ancient ways, curses, and the supernatural. "Levi's book on Basilicata was
our
first and most transforming inspiration. His descriptions were Siren calls to us" In a very Catholic
country, southern Italy has always suffered a kind of annexation-complex from the rest of the
nation.
Nonetheless, its allure for Yeadon and his wife is contagious as the reader navigates his or her
way
through the marvelous strangeness of southern Italy.
Yeadon's writing style is straight-forward and lyrical at the same time. His descriptions of food
preparation and consumption are not only informative, especially for those of us who enjoy our
food
wrapped in the sanitary plastic containers laid out in regimentary formation in supermarket isles,
they are celebrations of the art of living. The meals described throughout the book are social
events
which bring people together in order to talk. Yes talk. Absent are the meals on the run we have
become chained to in this velocity-determined culture in the United States. There are no mothers
driving minivans rushing to get their kids to soccer practice here. In fact, what Yeadon and his
wife
are continually rushing off to (sometimes to their dismay, it becomes impossible to refuse) are
meals
that turn into impromptu feasts
Seasons in Basilicata is a book that defies classification: part travel book, part history, part fiction
(so I'm told by a "reliable" source close to the Yeadons), part cook book, part literary criticism.
Seasons in Basilicata has an allure that pulls the reader in and reminds us just how unexplored our
world still is. More importantly it is a book in the most magnificent way. One does not have to be
familiar with the works of Carlo Levi in order to enjoy this meditation, but it helps. The reader
only
has to bring his or her imagination and willingness to turn himself or herself over completely to
what
is uncanny while traveling. Part of the travel experience, Yeadon reminds the reader continuously,
is
the willingness to encounter that which is not planned. The Yeadon's did not have an
excruciatingly
structured itinerary (which ruins all spontaneity while traveling); this was no ordinary family
"vacation." Seasons in Basilicata offers us a glimpse into the real lives of its citizens; citizens who
are for the most part poor and forgotten by the rest of Italy. The "southern question," as it has
been
called, still remains a fundamental stumbling block in the Italian collective identity. The
southerners
are often considered backwards, superstitious and uncivilized, while the northerners are
technologically advanced and civilized.
Seasons in Basilicata is an armchair feast for those who are unable or unwilling to leave behind
"responsibilities" for more than a week or two. David Yeadon is a traveler in the most resonant
sense. He travels to experience in order to understand. Although his writing is firmly planted in
the
19th century era of travel writing as a form of knowledge production, Yeadon, for the most part
(at
one point he loses patience in a store while an old woman checks out her purchases), is willing to
sacrifice the comforts of "civilization" (read velocity and convenience) and wade thoughtfully into
a
stream that is more calm, more serene.
The Secret Life of Bees
Sue Monk Kidd
Viking/Penguin Putnam
375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014
ISBN: 0670894605 $24.95 302 pp.
Anika Paaren-Sdano
Reviewer
In The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd describes with accuracy and warmth the journey of an
adolescent girl in search of familial love. Lily, our central character, leaves "home," a peach farm
in
South Carolina, with her African-American nanny, Rosaleen. Her leaving is not so much a running
away, as it is the beginning of her trek to find love. Her abusive father, T.Ray, whom she cannot
even bear to call Dad, and mysterious objects left by her deceased mother, lead Lily to flee the
peach
farm and find herself in the home of the Boatwright sisters. Along the way, Lily breaks the law
and
the unwritten societal rules of the Civil Rights Act era in the South.
Kidd realistically depicts the mixed swirl emotions experienced by the adolescent Lily as she
contemplates her mother's death, and her personal memories of her mother. As the story is written
in first person, the reader is keenly aware of Lily's innermost thoughts. She experiences great
conflict, internally seesaws between hatred and love, as she searches for the answer: did her
mother
desert her? Did she ever have the intention of coming back to get her? Lily, at times, shows the
stubbornness of an adolescent, the innocence and dependence of a child, and the rationality of an
adult.
Not only are the characters and story engaging and loveable, but Kidd's description of rural South
Carolina in the dead of summer charms a reader as well. She writes of the smells and sounds of
the
region, the affects of the stifling heat and humidity on human capability and last but certainly not
least, the natural process of bee-keeping. Bee-keeping is central to the story, as it is the
Boatwright
sister's livelihood, but it also serves as metaphor for Lily's search for her mother's love. The book
is
infused with scenes of nature and organic living. Readers can almost smell Lily's sweat as she
works
in the honey house, or the South Carolina jasmine in bloom.
In the genre of Southern fiction, especially that which is intended for a female audience, The
Secret
Life of Bees is a confident and insightful effort by the author. The story and setting are entrancing.
The book is nearly impossible to put down, even after a long day at work. The intriguing
characters
as well as the glimpse into the Southern summer, make for a highly enjoyable, yet intelligent,
read.
Dry, A Memoir
Augusten Burroughs
St Martin's Press
175 5th Avenue, New York, NY, 10010
0312272057, $24.95, 293 pp.
Coletta Ollerer
Reviewer
Augusten is a young advertising copywriter who is also gay. In his biography, he walks the reader
through the swamp of alcoholism leaving us both horrified and amused
We meet him as his devoted colleagues participate in an intervention where he reluctantly agrees
to
seek help for his drinking problem. He chooses a facility which caters to gay men called The
Proud
Institute "A rehab hospital run by fags will be hip. Plus there's the possibility of good music and
sex." (p23) After a time in detox he enters into the routine of institutional life: morning
affirmations
where one reminds onself of one's worth, group therapy, one on one therapy, evening
affirmations.
He becomes friendly with a Brit named Hayden. He misses his true love who goes by the name
Pighead, an AIDs patient and an investment banker.
His counselor at the Institute, Rae, assures him that Rehab is just the start. He will need
counseling
four times each week for six months, then AA meetings every day. Upon release he begins to see
another counselor and attends AA meetings daily. He struggles, "I miss alcohol. Like it's a person.
I
feel abandoned." (p117)
While attending an AA meeting he meets a dazzlingly handsome gay man, Foster, and finds
himself
falling in love. The feelings are returned and they embark on a relationship even though a
romantic
relationship with another alcoholic is strongly proscribed.
We get a glimpse of his heavy duty battle against the tentacles of inebriety when he agrees to meet
his friend, Jim, in a bar for the purpose of becoming acquainted with Jim's new girl friend. As he
enters the bar he notices that "colorful liquor bottles are lit from below like fine art. They look
breathtakingly beautiful. Seeing them, I am filled with longing. It's not an ordinary craving. It's a
romantic craving. Because I don't just drink alcohol. I actually love it." (p130) He exits as soon as
he
is able.
His relationship with Foster continues even though Foster has `slipped' back into his addiction to
crack and is on a downward spiral. Pighead is hospitalized. Things are beginning to become
uncontrollable and Augusten is sick of AA and is positive he can handle everything without the
aid
of meetings. He knows Foster is dragging him down and he can't bear the thought of the
impending
death of his beloved friend, Pighead. He finds himself inside of a bar. "I would like to conveniently
sidestep what is happening in my life at the moment." (258) He takes a drink. "An odd thing
happens. Instead of getting sloppy drunk I get focused drunk. . . I have the clarity of mind to
know
that the reason I am drunk and in a dark bar with a strange guy is because I am desperate to
control
something." (p259)
Since a fair amount of intemperence has appeared in my family, this reviewer appreciated
Augusten's
bio for the insight it offers into the mind of those who contend with the bottle. I read the book in
a
day and a half and found it both revealing and entertaining. Augusten is a funny guy in addition to
being very smart and gifted. I enjoyed getting to know him.
Deception Point
Dan Brown
Atria Books
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN#: 0743490304 $24.95 384 pp.
Marty Duncan, Reviewer
www.omagadh.com
Put on the coffee. Get a warm comforter to wrap around yourself. Tell your spouse that you are
busy for the next three days. Ignore food and water. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and sit down to
read Deception Point, Dan Brown's scientific thriller. It's a ride you will enjoy in the comfort of
your own easy chair.
Deception Point has all of the scientific gadgets that any reader could possibly want: satellites, cell
phones, new Army weapons, a gun that spits ice bullets, a nuclear submarine and the proof that
there
is life elsewhere in the universe. The action begins when a Special Ranger group of four grabs a
geologist, throws him in a plane and at 10,000 feet over a glacial rift shoves him out the door,
sans
parachute. We learn later that the geologist made a low frequency radio call to tell NASA that
there
was a large meteorite embedded in the Milne Ice Shelf. NASA responds after their PODS satellite
spots the meteorite.
Technologists and civilian specialists arrive on the ice shelf to verify the data that the President
will
announce. It's a discovery that is bound to bolster the President's chances of re-election. How
fortunate it was discovered two months before the election. Is it coincidence or careful planning
by a
senior White House aide?
Pull your comforter around you. You will enjoy the deception and the twists and even the final
little
slight of hand (in plain view of 30 cameras).
My Sister's Wedding
Hannah R. Goodman
iUniverse, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, Lincoln, NE 68512
www.iuniverse.com www.hannahgoodman.com
ISBN 0595312659 $10.95 108 pp.
Franci McMahon
Reviewer
Wish I'd read this book when I was a teen. Perhaps I'd have had a bit more insight into the
mysteries
of a family complicated by too much alcohol.
Hannah Goodman's ability to tell the tale of My Sister's Wedding is clear. This novel will appeal
to
all Young Adults, whether there is too much alcohol in their family or not. We all know someone
struggling with this particular affliction.
The story is told through the eyes of Madeline, or Maddie, who is a likeable teen who wants
answers. She gets her sister out of awful jams and covers for her screw-ups. Her life is coming
apart.
Maddie's two best friends, Peter and Susan, have dropped her, enmeshed in their own romance.
Her
average, quirky parents seem to wear blinders. Maddie's boy friend, Justin, is supposedly acting
out
the grief of the death of his father through drinking. For her sister Barbara is it normal growing
pains, or is there a larger problem? No one wants to talk about it, except Bubbie, a real life
Grandmother. She's a gem.
The central focus of Maddie's sister Barbara's wedding is where it all hits the fan. Maddie can not
tell herself anymore lies. She no longer makes excuses for her sister, or her boyfriend. Breaking
the
secrets is one of the hardest things to do when you grow up in a family clouded by alcohol.
For the most part the characters all do an excellent job of living the story, but occasionally
Maddie
wants to explain more than she needs to.
Ms. Goodman lives in Rhode Island and is a High School English teacher and counselor. This is
her
first novel. I look forward to her new novel about Maddie and her universal family. Ms. Goodman
does a great job writing an amusing, lively novel which takes the wool away from our eyes.
Goddess in the Grass: Serpentine Mythology and the Great Goddess
Linda Foubister
Ecco Nova Editions
Victoria BC
www.ecconova.com
ISBN: 0973164824 $19.95 204 pages
Rose Glavas
Reviewer
"The serpent - is it a symbol of evil and pernicious sex, or is it a form of the life-renewing great
Goddess?"
This quote is found on the back cover of this title.... the cover of which features the lovely 'Lilith'
by
John Collier. If you haven't seen it, the painting portrays a naked young woman with long hair
being
caressed and coiled by a large serpent from foot to shoulder. The imagery is naked and
erotic.
Before I got my copy of "Goddess in the Grass", I wasn't really sure what to expect... the title
sounded interesting in it's own right.
Once I received it, the described cover got my interest straight away... I couldn't wait to learn
more
about serpentine mythology and the great goddess. Part of this meant learning about the author -
Linda Foubister.
I looked through the title for information about Linda, but wasn't able to find anything about
her....
my next step was to search the net. I found the publisher's website at
http://www.eccenova.com/goddess_in_the_grass.htm where the author's background as a
biologist
who has studied snakes, and has combined this study with her interest in mythology is explained.
Linda lives in Victoria, B.C. in a grove of oak trees - lucky thing!
"Goddess in the Grass" is her first book. It has a depth and complexity that is well worth investing
in
particularly if you are interested in a female perspective of mythology through the various cultures
and historical periods of time. Linda has done a spectacular job in covering this complex subject in
easy to read language and logical layout so that the structure keeps relevant subjects easy to
navigate.
The chapters are set out as follows:
The Primordial Serpent Goddess
The Serpent Goddess Overthrown
The Renewing Serpent Goddess
The Fertile Serpent Goddess
The Prosperous Serpent Goddess
The Copulating Serpent Goddess
The Womb of the Serpent Goddess
The Deadly Serpent Goddess
The Two-Faced Serpent Goddess
The Contemporary Serpent Goddess
As can be seen, the various aspects of the serpentine mythology are thoroughly examined from a
number of viewpoints.
The dictionary of serpent goddesses is another section of this book I think is worthwhile - this is
approximately 50 pages long so is quite detailed. This alone is worth having, so is an added
bonus.
I would recommend "Goddess in the Grass" to anyone interested in mythology, women's issues
and/or the use of animals as symbols in history and contemporary times. This is an excellent
reference book and comparison of serpentine mythology from all parts of the world.
Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're
Over 50 (2005-2006)
Joan Rattner Heilman
McGraw-Hill
300 Water Street, Whitby, On
ISBN: 0071438297 $14.95 US $21.95 CAN
Norman Goldman, Reviewer
Bookpleasures.com
No age group represents such an enormous market of potential consumers than those over the
age
of fifty. According to author Joan Rather Heilman, author of Unbelievably Good Deals and Great
Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're Over 50 (2005-2006), more than a
quarter of the population of the United States is over 50, and by the 2020 it is expected to reach
one
third. It is little wonder why the business community actively courts this sector of the population
that controls most of the wealth of the USA.
If you are one of the lucky ones who have reached the "big five O," hold onto your wallets before
you fork out money for hotels, car rentals, tour packages, college courses, airfare, entrance
admission to parks, restaurants, buses, trains, sports activities, and even shopping. Heilman passes
out all kinds of "goodies," as if we are children in a candy shop, with hundreds of tips as to how
to
stretch your vacation dollars.
Dividing the book into twenty chapters, the author presents excellent insights pertaining to
various
value-added possibilities. However, as stated by the author, it is essential that if you are over fifty,
you must very often ask for these discounts. Most vendors and their representatives will not
voluntarily offer them to you.
Most of the book is devoted to savings the over fifty crowd can enjoy from the travel industry.
Realizing that this sector of the population is the most ardent travelers, it is only logical that the
travel industry would offer all kinds of price reductions. Heilman details the offerings of the
various
airlines with their names, phone numbers and web sites. Similarly, discounts pertaining to hotels,
motels, car rental companies are listed.
Are you looking for some alternative lodging? Did you know that Del Webb Sun Cities, the
largest
builder of active communities offers a Vacation Getaway program, where you can enjoy low-cost,
short vacation stays so that you can sample the lifestyle to see whether you would like to move
in?
Bear in mind, however, that in order to qualify one partner in a visiting couple must be over the
age
of 55.
In addition, the reader will discover all kinds of deals concerning trains, buses and boats
pertaining
to North America and elsewhere. Companies such as Amtrak, Via Rail in Canada, Greyhound
Lines,
train passes in Britain, France and other European countries offer some kind of a discounts,
although
requirements as to age may differ.
If you are a sports enthusiast, Heilman presents a comprehensive rundown of assorted clubs,
tours,
associations, and other institutions that offer different vacation possibilities as skiing, cycling,
walking, golfing, even softball, where special privileges and discounts are offered. Names, phone
numbers, and website addresses are included.
In addition to being a nifty addition to one's library, this reader friendly book would make a great
birthday gift for anyone celebrating his or her big five O.
The Warren Buffett Way
Robert G. Hagstrom
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
Wiley.com 800-762-2974
ISBN 0471648116 $24.95 245 pages
Peter Hupalo
Reviewer
The Warren Buffett Way by Robert G. Hagstrom provides insight into the investment principles
used by America's greatest investor, Warren Buffett.
In 1956, Buffett started his first investment partnership with $100. He cashed out after 13 years
with
$25 million, achieving a compounded rate of investment return of 29.5% for his investors. Today,
Buffett's net worth is about $43 billion.
We learn two different schools of investment thought influenced Buffett. Ben Graham taught
Buffett
to seek value. Philip Fisher and Buffett's investment partner Charlie Munger taught Buffett to
seek
quality companies with the potential to grow their earnings.
To determine a stock's value, Buffett examines the business behind the stock and evaluates the
company's worth by making an estimate of the future cash flows of the company and then
discounting these cash flows back to their present value. Buffett only purchases the company if
the
purchase price is below its discounted value. This provides Buffett a margin of safety.
Hagstrom explains that Buffett uses a focused approach to investing and often only holds a
handful
of stocks. And, Buffett invests within his "circle of competence" which usually involves traditional
companies Buffett understands. Buffett avoids high-tech investments in companies he doesn't
understand. Buffett prefers companies he could hold forever. He avoids businesses without a solid
track record or businesses lacking honest and competent management.
Quoting Buffett, Hagstrom writes: "In evaluating people, you look for three qualities: integrity,
intelligence, and energy. If you don't have the first, the other two will kill you."
The Warren Buffett Way shows how Buffett's investment criteria came into play for several major
companies he purchased, including GEICO (Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett's company, owns 100%
of
GEICO), Clayton Homes (mobile homes), The Pampered Chef (kitchenware sold direct at
in-house
parties), Gillette, and Coca-Cola. The book's appendix lists Berkshire's major stock holdings each
year from 1977 to 2003.
Buffett is most likely to purchase entire companies today. Smaller successful investments do little
to
grow Berkshire Hathaway.
So, can investors today benefit from Buffett's investment approach? Yes and no, argues
Hagstrom.
For example, Buffett spends a great deal of time reading annual reports to learn about a
company.
Hagstrom writes: "It must be said here, with sadness, that it is possible that the documents you
study
are filled with inflated numbers, half-truths, and deliberate obfuscations. We all know the names
of
the companies charged with doing this; they are a rogue's gallery of American businesses, and
some
of their leaders are finding themselves with lots of time in prison to rethink their actions.
Sometimes
the manipulations are so skillful that even forensic accountants are fooled; how then can you, an
investor without any special knowledge, fully understand what you are seeing? The regrettable
answer is, you cannot."
Hagstrom shares a few of Buffett's tips for spotting accounting problems and irregularities in
financial documents, such as looking for "unintelligible footnotes."
Also, today, the stock market is composed of many more companies. Hagstrom relates the story
of
Buffett's interview on the show Money World:
"Appearing on the PBS show Money World in 1993, Buffett was asked what investment advice
he
would give a money manager just starting out. 'I'd tell him to do exactly what I did 40-odd years
ago, which is to learn about every company in the United States that has publicly traded
securities.'
Moderator Adam Smith protested, 'But there's 27,000 public companies.'
'Well,' said Buffett, 'start with the A's.'"
Further, Hagstrom argues too many desirable investments are in the field of high technology. To
those investors wishing to follow Buffett's approach to investing, Hagstrom suggests: " expand
your circle of competence by studying intently the business models of the companies participating
in
the New Economy landscape " Investors who are less willing to spend time understanding
business
might want to consider indexing their money in a low-cost mutual fund instead.
If you want to understand the investment principles of Warren Buffett, I highly recommend The
Warren Buffett Way.
The Elf King-Part I
Jude Hatcher Bangs
Advocate House
an imprint of A Cappela Publishing
www.acappela.com http://www.elfkingbooks.com
ISBN: 0972497978 $14.95 192 pages
Jodi Grant, Reviewer
http://www.acappela.com
WHERE DO ELVES COME FROM?
If you've ever wondered why elves were created or who created them, find out, along with Kai,
an
orphaned boy who discovers that he is the son of The Elf King.
We follow Kai through exciting adventures as he searches for his heritage and undergoes many
trials
of character. He is beset by enemies in the form of dragons, trolls and humans. But he is protected
and befriended by unicorns, elves, white owls, ghosts and humans (not to mention his own
powerful
father, the Elf King.).
The Elven characters add an exotic element to this tale of a mythic quest, and the down-to-earth
qualities of the humans and half-humans balance the adventure with humor and practical
action.
This is a timeless tale. It will appeal to readers of all ages anyone who enjoys traveling to realms
beyond the ordinary. In addition to Kai's quest for his identity, there is a romantic sub-plot which
will delight and tantalize you; dragons and dungeons to get your heart pumping, and fearies and
unicorns to soothe your soul. A must-read for all!
To read an excerpt or find out more about this book, its sequels and the author, please visit
http://www.elfkingbooks.com
Suffer in Silence
David Reid
Virtualbookworm
P.O. Box 9949, College Station, TX 77842
1589396480, $16.00, 340 pages, www.davidreidbooks.com
Julie Merritt
Reviewer
Popular culture is saturated with references to Navy SEALs. These silent warriors are the focus of
dozens of books, documentaries, movies and video games. To make his mark in a crowded field,
new author David Reid needed to produce a truly memorable book. Luckily for us, that's exactly
what he did when he wrote Suffer in Silence.
Many authors have delved into the rigors of SEAL training. Thousands of pushups, endless
torture
in the freezing surf, 120 hours without a wink of sleep -- these are surely the elements of gripping
human drama. Nevertheless, I didn't truly appreciate both the horror and the beauty of Basic
Underwater Demolition/SEAL training until I found myself entangled in Reid's compelling
novel.
While struggling to survive the first few months of SEAL training, Ensign Mark Grey develops a
strong bond of friendship with Seaman Murray, an irascible sailor who constantly garners
unwanted
attention from the instructor staff. Convinced that a particularly fearsome instructor is determined
to
force him out of training, Murray opts to delve into blackmail in an attempt to save his career.
Despite his raunchy sense of humor and fatally flawed judgment, I found myself enthralled by
Murray's antics. Grey is an equally sympathetic character, and he brings an unusual sensitivity to
one
of the toughest places on earth. And as a Tennessee native, I was pleasantly surprised that Reid's
description of Seaman Jones (a.k.a. "the Tennessee Wonder") was spot-on.
The one weakness in Reid's novel is the skeletal nature of its plot. Although the central drama of
the
story unfolds slowly, I was so mesmerized by Reid's engaging characters and crisp descriptions of
training that I never lost interest. In a particularly vivid scene at the end of Hell Week, an officer
known for his ability to rattle off classical poetry stands high up on the diving platform while the
rest
of the class engages in a violent melee below. Reid juxtaposes stanzas of poetry with glimpses of
the
chaos unfolding in the pool. Wielded by a less skilled author, this ruse could easily have failed.
However, Reid manages to enhance the mystique of SEAL training by seamlessly melding the
sequence with the semi-lucid thoughts of the sleep-deprived students.
Suffer in Silence is not for the feint of heart. You may learn some things that disturb you: the
instructors' obsession with pornography and homosexuality is troubling, the students' injuries and
infections are gruesome, and a surprise visit by a drunk instructor in the middle of the night results
in
astounding abuse. Nevertheless, the author paints a fair picture of SEAL training. Despite the
endless litany of tortures the instructors employ with glee, the allure of joining ranks with our
nation's finest warriors shines through in Reid's novel.
Suffer in Silence is thoughtful, fearsomely honest, and expertly crafted -- a genuine triumph.
David
Reid is a rising talent, and he will have to create something remarkable to exceed my expectations
for his next effort.
The Colonel's Dream
Charles W. Chesnutt
Harlem Moon/Broadway Books
1745 Broadway, New York, New York 10019
http://harlemmoon.com 212-782-9000
Amazon Rating: 4 www.amazon.com
ISBN: 0767919513 $12.95 336 pages
Kim Anderson Ray, Reviewer
www.suburbansista.blogspot.com
To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required
Originally published in 1905 and re-released in 2005 with a new introduction by esteemed author,
editor, activist, MacArthur Fellow and professor, Ishmael Reed, THE COLONEL'S DREAM is a
fine example of turn of the century utopist literature. Charles Waddell Chesnutt was born during
slavery, but was a free person of color. He was a prolific writer, producing numerous works, but
never received the acclaim of similar writers of his time. Part of that reason may be because,
unlike
his contemporaries, he chose to write THE COLONEL'S DREAM from the perspective of a
white
Confederate officer, newly returned from the North as a successful businessman and enlightened
philanthropist. People, at that time, were uncomfortable with African-American writers exposing
the bigotry of America, only reluctantly accepting it from their own kind, and not even then, if
possible.
THE COLONEL'S DREAM takes place in the post-Reconstruction South, a period sometimes
referred to as Confederate Restoration or Southern Redemption. The widowed protagonist,
Colonel
French, returns to his hometown of Clarendon, North Carolina with his young son, Phil, to rest
and
recuperate following a period of illness in New York. The Colonel is struck by the apathy of the
town's residents, both white and black, and sets a plan in motion to restore economic progress to
the area. Although he has plenty of money to finance his endeavors, the greater challenge lies in
winning over hearts and minds. Surrounding himself with a few loyal followers who agree with
his
utopian view of what it will take to resurrect the town's economic base, he makes some progress
only to be set back numerous times by members of the former lower class of whites who have
now
risen to power as loan sharks, labor contractors, and political bosses.
The Colonel's nemesis, Bill Fetters, has a firm hold on the convict labor contracts created by this
new middle class to control the freed slaves. If a black person could not demonstrate steady
employment, which of course there was little of in the depressed South, he or she was arrested for
simple offenses like vagrancy, fined exorbitant sums (which they could not pay), then auctioned to
the bidder that would pay the fine in exchange for the shortest period of indentured service, i.e., a
"new" form of institutionalized slavery. In this manner, Fetters accumulated more and more
"workers" for his plantation, acquired great wealth, was elected to the legislature, and loaned
money
at such high rates that he held the mortgage, and thus the loyalty, of almost every former southern
aristocrat, businessman, politician, and judge in the area.
Dethroning Fetters becomes the Colonel's sole purpose in life and contributes to events that lead
to
personal tragedy and the end of his dream. Although anyone who is even remotely acquainted
with
American history could predict the outcome of this story, it is still a literary treat in its
examination
of southern culture and northern industrialism, the fall of the southern aristocracy and the rise of a
new middle class representing both lower class whites and independent black entrepreneurs. The
most striking example of the latter phenomenon in this novel is Nichols, the town's black barber,
who now lives in the Colonel's ancestral mansion and pays an impoverished southern aristocrat to
give his daughter piano and voice lessons.
THE COLONEL'S DREAM resurrects a time when our nation was recovering from one of the
bloodiest wars in history and struggling to regain its identity as a unified country. Colonel French,
although a former Confederate, has become enlightened and feels obligated to share his reformed
view of American society with his old friends and neighbors. Aided by his devoted servant and
freed
slave, Uncle Peter, the Colonel makes a life for himself and his young son in the town of
Clarendon
and works toward making it a prosperous place to live for both blacks and whites. Unfortunately,
everyone is not on his side and the powers-that-be are only interested in maintaining the status
quo.
It is the Colonel's valiant efforts to lay the foundation for a progressive community that moves the
action in this novel and provides the reader with a certain sense of ethos, humanity, and
encouragement to see this novel to its final conclusion.
Mysterious Ways
Terry Burns
River Oak
4050 Lee Vance View Colorado Springs, CO 80918
ISBN# 1589190270 $12.99 320 pages
Les Williams
Reviewer
Terry Burns is a 5th generation Irish story teller. Terry has published over 200 articles and short
stories as well as a small book of poetry and short stories entitled COWBOY'S DON'T READ
POETRY. Two of Terry's inspirational books are DON'T I KNOW YOU and TO KEEP A
PROMISE. Also coming out in 2005 is TRAILS OF THE DIME NOVEL.
Amos Turnbuckle spots what he feels will be the perfect disguise to use after his next robbery. So
he
takes a preaches black-frocked suit off a clothes line. Unknowing to Amos, this pilfering of a
preachers clothes will have a far reaching effect on Amos life that he ever imagined. With his new
disguise in his saddle bags, Turnbuckle stops the stage headed for Sweetwater, taking money
from
all the passengers except Judy Valentine.
Leaving the passengers and driver standing by the side of the road, Amos takes the coach further
up
the trail where he changes clothes and returns to begin his charade. Entering Sweetwater, Amos
as
expected, is mistaken for the new preacher. Now his life begins to get interesting. Turnbuckle
meets
Joseph Washington a blind black man, although educated, plays the part of an ignorant
ex-slave.
Joseph upon first meeting Amos, knows immediately that Turnbuckle is not a preacher, however,
Washington does see the Lord working through Amos in his disguise as a preacher. Amos after a
time decides he needs a road stake to get out of Sweetwater before he is discovered for who he
really is.
Amos schemes will come back to play an important part in his newly discovered faith in the Lord.
Terry Burns throw in some clever plot twists, in particular, Amos preaching on the book of Amos
along with the trial of Amos and the verdict handed down by the judge. MYSTERIOUS WAYS is
an excellent book worth reading.
Going Deeper: How to Make Sense of your Life When Your Life Makes No Sense
Jean-Claude Koven
Prism House Press
69115 Ramon Road, Suite 1386, Cathedral City, CA 92234
www.prismhouse.com 1-888-600-9689
ISBN: 0972395458 $24.95 436 pages
Mayra Calvani
Reviewer
Who am I?
What is my purpose?
What is the meaning of life?
If you are the type of person who often ask yourself these age-old questions, then this is a book
worth considering. In a simple, straight-forward style accompanied by light, fun dialogue,
Jean-Claude Koven explores profound metaphysical subjects and presents it in a manner any
intelligent reader can understand.
The story begins a week after 9/11, when Larry, a successful LA lawyer, ends up adopting a
puppy
in the strangest of circumstances. Important to point out is the restless state of Larry's mind at this
point, as it symbolizes how many people think and feel in these times:
"Little by little it was dawning on him [Larry] that reality doesn't lend itself to containment in tidy
packages. Certainty was receding, replaced by a newborn voice in his psyche that demanded
answers
to a host of unspoken questions. Despite all his education and apparent success, the life he'd
constructed for himself didn't quite make sense to him anymore. Something about it was a
complete
sham. Whatever he was doing now, whatever he had done in the past, no longer had much
relevance. And he had no answers."
One day Larry decides to make a "nature" trip to Joshua Tree National Park with his beloved, and
quite inseparable adopted dog, Zeus. On the way, Larry suddenly hears a voice talking to him.
Stunned, he realizes it comes from Zeus. Thus Larry's spiritual journey begins A journey that will
completely transformed him, heighten his level of awareness and change his old sense of illusion
vs.
reality.
Larry learns that he is, in fact, a Wanderer, an advance soul from a distant dimension come to
earth
in love and service to assist the transition into the next paradigm. Through the engrossing,
sometimes hilarious dialogues between Larry and Zeus, Larry and a racoon, Larry and a juniper
tree,
and Larry and stones, metaphysical concepts are explored, among these the Higher Self, Akashic
records, Levels of Awareness, densities, chakras, indigo children and reincarnation. Timeless
subjects such as religion, science, faith, free will and intuition are also discussed. At the end of the
book there is also a helpful and informative glossary with all the metaphysical terms.
This novel should not only be in the shelf of every metaphysical enthusiast, but also in the hands
of
anybody who desires to enrich his/her spiritual life. All throughout the novel you'll find
enlightening
words and quotes, like Einstein's "No problem can be solved from the same level of
Consciousness
that created it." Or "When caught in a fog bank, you can always see more clearly by moving
above
it." I specially like Zeus' advice at the beginning, when he tells Larry that human beings shouldn't
focus so much on the imagined destination and instead learn to enjoy the actual journey in getting
there.
Even for those of you who don't believe in concepts like Wanderers, Light Workers, Planetary
Servers, reincarnation or chakras, any open-minded, intelligent reader will be able to derive wise
tips
on how to become a better human being and live a better life.
Bindi Babes
Narinder Dhami
Delacorte Press Random House
1745 Broadway, NYC NY 10019
ISBN: 0385731779 $14.95
The narrative told by twelve year old Amber Dhillon opens at school: Coppergate Secondary
School
where the sisters are known to be too cool and too attractive and too chic. Amber regales her
friends with a description of the new trainers she is getting as soon as she persuades her dad to let
her get them, while older sister Geena, 14, is showing her new mobile phone to a group of friends.
Amber's sort of friend Kim needs help, again. Kim seems to need help a lot. This time she is
running
from George Botley who is trying to stuff a worm or something down her back. Jazz, aged 11,
takes
her classes at the lower school. It was just an average day until the girls arrived home after school
to
find their father was already there. Dad did not come home early. He had the most dreadful news:
his sister was come to live with the family.
Merchant Mr Attawal, disagreeable next door neighbor Mrs Macey, head of the lower school Mr
Grimwade, teachers Miss Thomas and Mr Agora, a clumsy newspaper boy, inspectors coming to
visit Coppergate, Ms Woods and a special assembly, sharing a room and of course Auntie all
figure
in this entertaining tale. The girls are determined to marry Auntie off, doesn't matter to whom.
Just
to get her out of the house and out of their hair becomes the main focus of life for the sisters.
That,
and the assembly and Kim and her problems, and the newsboy who sails his newspaper anywhere
but
on the porch. Before long the meddling aunt has set about to make friends with the disagreeable
neighbor, provide a listening ear to Kim and the newsboy and Mr Attawal and refused to be
married
off to anyone including the oh so cute school teacher. What are the girls going to do? Just when it
seems that Auntie has finally gotten a clue, their rude behavior has worked and Auntie will leave
the
girls find a most significant letter.
Narinder Dhami has set down a captivating, absorbing anecdote certain to enchant girls in the
target
audience of 11-15 year olds. The interaction among the sisters, their dealing with having their
lives
turned topsy turvy first by the demise of their mother and later with the introduction of an aunt
they
don't really know, don't trust, and don't want to like; is plausible. Conversation between the girls
moves the account along in satisfying fashion. The conspiracy and machination undertaken by the
girls in trying to marry their aunt off to someone, anyone at all, just to get her out of the house is
so
similar what might as a matter of fact take place in a comparable life situation.
Filled with generously contrived characters, anticipated strife appropriately determined, snappy
colloquy and a ingeniously interwoven tale 'Bindi Babes' is a well written anecdote. Author Dhami
dexterously captures the vitality of girls in the target age and composes a vibrating yarn which
grabs
reader appeal from the first lines and holds interest fast right to the last paragraphs as the Bindi
Babes come to perceive that life cannot always run precisely as we wish. Death, transformation,
expectancy and longing all play a part in what our lives were, are, and will be.
Banner, engaging work appropriate for the upper middle grades to high school library, the home
personal bookroom and home school library. Girls especially will delight in the publication.
Written
by a British woman Bindi Babes contains colloquialisms sure to fascinate the US American
reading
audience.
Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend.
Jerome and the Seraph
Robina Williams
Twilight Times Books
www.twilighttimesbooks.com www.amazon.com
ISBN: 1931201544 $15.50 171 pp.
Shirley Roe, Reviewer
www.allbooksreviews.com
Brother Jerome slips in the graveyard, hitting his head with a thud. Later he finds himself in a
rather
strange place accompanied by a dear old friend that he knows is deceased. The situation is most
abstruse as there are no cherubs, no angels, no fluffy clouds- none of his expectations of beyond;
he
soon accedes to his irreversible situation. His greatest surprise is the arrival of his beloved cat,
Leo
in the afterworld. Leo, who we learn is actually Quant, the cat/lion alter ego, it seems, can travel
at
will between the two worlds being both alive and dead.
Jerome's ingrained beliefs are challenged, as he learns the answers to life long spiritual questions.
He
comes face to face with the hound of Heaven as the trill of Pan's flute fills the air.
Brother Jerome and his cohorts, both living and dead are most enchanting characters. Full of
human
frailties and believable character flaws, they charm the reader with their humorous encounters and
escapades.
The author makes reference to several nineteenth century paintings including St. Jerome in the
Wilderness, adding a touch of refinement and artistic interest to the book. Amusing, entertaining
and
charming, Robina Williams has a winner with her bumbling friar and his amazing ginger.
The author lives in north- west England and has an M.A in Modern Languages. This book is the
first
in the Quantum cat series; she has finished her second book Angelos and is working on the
third.
Highly recommended, this reviewer looks forward to the next book in the series.
The 4 Hundred and 20 Assassins of Emir Abdullah-Harazins
Joseph DeMarco
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403
888.519.5121
1418441023 $12.95 148 Pages
Tyler Tradere
Reviewer
This is a well thought out and clever book about the American Drug culture. The author combines
a
fictional history of the assassin (The Hasan of Sabbah) into everyday comic book folklore, and the
result is The 4 Hundred and 20 Assassins of Emir Abdullah-Harazins. The story is a humorous
tale
that follows Anazasi (an assassin) on his quest for paradise into the dark jungles of Harazin's lair
to
look for a garden of unearthly beauty, filled with beautiful flowers, alluring animals, and a bunch
of
exotic naked women. The book is set a thousand years ago, but is really an introspective look at
the
mind of a 21st century pot smoker. Phish and Dead fans will identify with this quasi-myth about a
garden so beautiful and prince so infamous, his very name is synonymous with assassin.
The Big Questions: Paul Davies in Conversation with Phillip Adams
Paul C. W. Davies
Penguin Books Australia Ltd
http://www.abc.net.au/science/bigquestions/
ISBN: 0140259376 $TBA 159 pp.
Tzelee Low
Reviewer
A married couple went hiking in the mountains. In the middle of the night, the husband woke the
wife up. Pointing at the night skies, he asked the wife: "What do you think of this?" The wife
thought for a moment and answered: "I think that the multitude of stars is breathtakingly
beautiful,
and that our problems are really small and insignificant when compared to this... Why do you
ask?"
The husband answered: "Our tent has been blown away."
Reading this book reminded me of this famous joke. Some people look at the night skies and
wonder about the beauty and splendour of the stars. Others look at it and wonder: "How did it all
begin?"
I must confess that I belong firmly to the former camp. Questions like the beginning of the
universe,
the riddle of time, or the evolution of the earth never did bother me much. Yet, when I came
across
this book that promised to explain it all to me, I was immediately intrigued.
What made this book more attractive was the fact that it was adapted from a television series of
the
same name. In fact, it was a word for word record of the conversations that a popular Australian
broadcaster, Phillip Adams, had with world-reknowned physicist Paul Davies. If the content was
meant for consumption by average couch potatoes, how hard would it be to understand the
concepts
by reading them, with all the luxury of time to pause and chew on the difficult passages?
I was not disappointed by the book. While I underestimated the difficulty of the content - there
were
some places where no matter how long I paused, I did not fully understand what Davies was
expounding - the book was pitched at a level that people with an average knowledge of science
would be able to understand. In fact, I had many "ah" moments while reading the book. "Ah"
moments are what I call moments when the world suddenly became a little bigger when you are
able
to think about it from a totally new perspective.
What made the book even more interesting was the passion that Davies exhibited when explaining
the concepts. While reading this book, I was concurrently reading another book on cosmology
that
promised to introduce the concepts to beginners with humour, irreverence and wit. I found the
Davies book much more interesting, because you could really feel Davies' excitement when he
explained certain concepts that he believed in.
And cosmology is very much about belief. It is a special branch of science much scoffed off by
some
scientists because its theories are difficult to prove, and seem a lot like hocus-pocus to scientists
and
laymen alike. In fact, the term "big bang" was originally a pejorative - a joke - that a British
astronomer came up with while he was heaping scorn on the theory.
There is also a tension between cosmology, theology and philosophy that I found most
interesting.
These are three branches of human thoughts that entangle themselves like the buttress roots of a
tropical tree. What is intriguing is the fact that, contrary to what we would think, Paul Davies is a
scientist who believes in God. Instead, it was the broadcaster who was a staunch atheist. In one
chapter, they openly discussed the subject of science versus faith. From that chapter, I obtained a
fascinating glimpse of the plethora of beliefs that could be derived from these three schools of
thoughts.
Reading this book, you will feel like you are eavesdropping on the conversations of two very
intelligent human beings. While they are talking, you will be busy having conversations with
yourselves too, as their talk will stimulate you to think about things that you have never thought
about. That is the beauty of reading a book that inspires you to think.
I hate this man, Joe January. Hate him. Even as my respect for him grows, possibly even a
begrudging sort of affection. Who knows? Maybe someday we will see eye to eye and I will be
able
to say January, you're a helluva man, and I'm enriched to know you.
This is precisely what makes January's Paradigm such a remarkable book. I have read it once,
twice,
and will read it yet again. January and I have an ongoing relationship, and that's how alive, how
real,
how tantalizingly, aggravatingly vivid his author has made him.
J. Conrad Guest has created a kind of anti-hero, a Bogey sort of tough guy, a man's man who I
suspect, deep in his isolated, walled-in heart, would very much like to be understood, appreciated,
and oh shivers, but yes, loved. His motto in life is to move through it unscathed by petty emotion.
His relationships are not relationships at all they are brief physical encounters. He cheats on the
one woman who matters most in his life, and that is unforgiveable.
Or is it?
Because here is the intrigue of the book, here is Guest's sheer mastery of the art: he has created a
character who transcends boundaries of reality and fiction, who pops through the shell of the
author's skull and speaks to him, speaks from inside of him, and one man transforms the other and
is
then transformed himself in the process. He is the strength of a man as well as his most despicable
weakness. He is the muscle as well as the whimper. He is the beacon in the storm as much as he is
the shadow every man winces to find in himself if he is a man at all. If nothing else, January has
courage. The kind of courage necessary to face his own weakness, his own shadow, his inner
beast.
He has the courage to recognize his cowardice in seeking only the most shallow of encounters
with
the parade of women in his life. How many men can do so? For all his fist-fighting,
damsel-rescuing,
tough-talking bravado this is January's true gold. He can look in the mirror, and he is willing to
see.
Infidelity is a wound inflicted on so many of our relationships, yet it scarcely draws the attention
of
anyone, save those involved. So many marriages split at the seams, so many families are broken,
so
many lies told, so many temptations succumbed to for so little, if any, reward. But have we the
courage to understand why? Have we the courage of Joe January?
Society has taken a microscope to the suffering of women caused by infidelity. Women, after all,
are
the warm-hearted sex that speaks freely of emotional pain, and sheds tears in public forums.
Women's emotions are socially acceptable. Men, on the other hand, are encouraged from boyhood
to be tough and thick-skinned and to hide their softer emotions. Joe January is very much a man
society has created. If he is a man closed off from emotional intimacy, from the ability to love,
have
we the courage to acknowledge that we have required him to be this way? That we have made
this
sort of man our hero? While whining about the lack of sensitive men, have we indulged in
doubletalk, still stubbornly giving the nod of respect to the man who is mean and hard and
difficult
to pin down? Have we encouraged the warm-hearted man to wear his heart on his sleeve, while
secretly still pining for the bad boy?
J. Conrad Guest has written a novel that reveals this conflicting message society sends to its men.
He has created in January's Paradigm a hero who struggles with his emotional barriers. He writes
about a male perspective on infidelity. Yes, men hurt, too.
January's Paradigm is the first of a promised trilogy books that will, the author says, stand alone
but also show a continued evolution of this intriguing character, Joe January. I am most eager to
read the next one, One Hot January. I expect at some point I am going to be won over by this
tough
character. The process is well underway.
Alyice's Bookshelf
Small Business Taxes Made Easy
Eva Rosenberg
McGraw-Hill
http://taxmama.com
ISBN: 0071441689 $16.95
Eva Rosenberg has written a wonderful handbook for both new and veteran small businesses. She
covers everything from home office deductions to hiring employees. She warns you when
something
may cause an audit, and how to keep your papers organized so you not only have back-up to
prove
your deductions, but so you don't miss important tax deductions. She talks about the pros and
cons
of hiring family, and shares resources a plenty. But what I like best about her book, besides the
fact
that she steers clear of tax-break scams, is the fact that she writes in a conversational tone which
makes it easy to understand some of the more complex tax laws.
If you're worried you've forgotten to include something in your tax records, or not sure about
how
to get started with your recordkeeping, you'll want to pick up a copy of Small Business Taxes
Made
Easy, today.
Web Metrics
Jim Sterne
John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
605 Third Ave., New York, NY 10158-0012
http://targeting.com
ISBN: 0471220728 $30.00 212-580-6011
Whether you're a small business owner, a corporate manager, or someone just starting a business
venture, Web Metrics is a must-read. Written with a well-balanced mix of technical jargon and a
conversational tone, Sterne digs deep and gets to the heart of running, not just a successful
website,
but a profitable one.
For small and new business entrepreneurs who cannot afford a marketing department, Web
Metrics
gives an inside look into how experts in leading industries improve their online marketing
strategies.
As a small business owner, myself, I dutifully took several pages of notes all geared towards
improving customer-company relations, visitor stickiness, ad to buyer conversions, traffic and
revenue driven content, and finally, site design and navigation.
Advanced Email Marketing
Jim Sterne
Lyris Technologies, Inc.
2070 Allston Way, Ste 200, Berkley, CA 94704
http://targeting.com
ISBN: 0974439304 $19.95 800-768-2929
Advanced Email Marketing really should have been called, "Email Marketing Strategies for
Beginners." I don't say that to be a put down, it's quite the contrary.
This is a fantastic book on understanding the vital role email marketing plays in selling products
and/or services. Sterne breaks the concept of email marketing down into bite-size pieces, then
explains each piece in great detail using storytelling.
Each chapter advances the story a step further, thus leaving the reader with a more realistic
understanding of the whole process. Then to bring home his point, Sterne gives the reader a set of
questions to answer all geared towards solving email marketing issues within the reader's own
company.
If all business and/or technical books read like Sterne's we'd have a lot more small businesses
showing black instead of red.
If you plan to use any form of email to get the word out about your business, products, services,
or
promotions, you'll want to pick up a copy of Advanced Email Marketing.
The Complete Crockery Cookbook
Wendy Louise
Champion Press, Ltd.
4308 Blueberry Rd., Fredonia, WI 53021
http://www.championpress.com
1891400290 $16.00 262-692-3897
Finally! A crockery cookbook for real people! With the need to be different, unique, and on the
best
seller's list, many cookbooks include recipes for the more serious chef. Leaving the rest of us too
busy, or untalented chefs wishing we'd never bought the cookbook in the first place.
The recipes are truly easy to implement. They require staples and ingredients we already carry in
our
cupboards, and they truly save both time and money! You just prepare the ingredients, throw
everything into the crock pot, turn it on, and walk away. When you return at the end of the day,
you
have a delicious, great smelling meal waiting to be devoured by everyone in the home.
A Child's Missal
The Patmos Group
967 Bee Hollow Rd., Shohola, PA
http://www.patmos.us
ISBN: 0974174815 $17.95 570-685-5168
Not being a Catholic myself, I have often arrived at the church, with my in-laws, to find myself in
awe of the beauty of the Catholic ceremonies. The rituals always seemed to have deep meaning
and
the stained glass windows always stood out with such vibrancy. Yet, the symbolism and rich
culture
left me a bit bewildered. That is, until I read A Child's Missal. It is a beautifully illustrated book
showcasing the various stages of a Catholic Mass. It explains the different stages of the mass
through photographs, paintings, drawings, and short blurbs. In my humble opinion, this visual
prayer
book would make a great gift for anyone entering the Catholic church, graduating from
Catechism,
or getting baptized. Finally, it would make a nice conversational piece and/or coffee table book
for
devout Catholics.
Stop Bullying Bobby! Helping Children Cope with Teasing and Bullying
Dana Smith-Mansell
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
http://home.infionline.net/~stopbullyingbobby/
ISBN: 0882822535 $8.95
While I felt the story was "too grown up" to have been told by the seven-year-old narrator, I do
believe the story was very well thought out and offers a valuable lesson for both children and
adults,
alike.
Stop Bullying Bobby shows how verbal and physical abuse can stifle victims while instructing
children in healthy, safe ways to protect other children from bullies. It also reminds children that
it's
okay to be different and that in our differences, we're special and worthy of love and
acceptance.
Finally, the book ends with great, short, but concise tips to help parents and teachers stop bullying
in
their community as well as tips on helping bullied children find protection and safety.
Alyice Edrich, Reviewer
www.thedabblingmum.com
Ann's Bookshelf
The Master
Colm Toibin
Picador
ISBN: 0330364669 A$22.00 359 pages
"Sometime in the night he dreamed about the dead - familiar faces and the others, half-forgotten
ones, fleetingly summed up".
So Henry ponders, as this book begins. And in many waysThe Master is like a dream. There is a
mesmerizing languor to Toibin's prose; and Henry James, who is 'The Master' of the title, moves
amongst familiar faces, family, friends and "others, half-forgotten" in the four years through which
we follow him.
It is a strange undertaking for an author to try and resurrect the dead using the deceased one's
letters, notebooks and novels. Even with the letters of family and friends, and the pictures drawn
by
biographers, one can never be sure how genuinely life-like the restoration is. But Toibin is an
artist
and he has done his work superbly. He also has the grace to call his book a novel (not a
biography,
as others might), so, we are free to accept his Henry James as an imaginative creation and to
regard
these four years of his life as a story.
In fact, there is no need to know anything about the Henry James (1843 - 1916) of literary fame,
or
to have read any of his work, in order to enjoy The Master. Toibin's Henry is a fully realized,
sympathetic character. He is educated, sophisticated, well-travelled, but a bit of an enigma. Family
and friends, clearly, are important to him, but he guards his privacy and a certain solitude, not
fiercely (there seems to be little fire in his blood) but with meticulous care. Through his own
thoughts and actions, we come to see him as a person whose emotions are complex; as one who
enjoys the privileges of his status as a well-known writer, and can use this status to remain aloof
and
watchful; and as one who is sensitive to the undercurrents around him and aware, always, of the
narrative potential in any situation.
The life of Toibin's Henry follows the pattern of his literary namesake between January 1895,
when
his first play opens (disastrously) in London's West End, to May 1899, very shortly after the
suicide
in Venice of his close friend and colleague Constance Fenimore Woolson. He moves between
England and Italy; buys Lamb House in Rye as his permanent writing retreat; allows a society
friend,
Lady Wolseley, to furnish it with treasures for him; and employs the Scot, William McAlpine, as
his
stenographer. All the time he labours at his writing - looking for themes, planning and imagining
his
stories, and dictating them sentence-by-sentence to McAlpine. He is a prolific writer.
Yet it is through his thoughts and memories that we come to know him. he thinks often of his
family, especially of his dead sister, Alice, and his cousin, Minnie Temple, who also died young.
He
admires these women for their intelligence and idependence, much as he admires Constance
Fenimore Woolson. His thoughts about men, other than those of his close family, are more
guarded
but his respect for his young "treasure" of a servant, Burgess Noakes, is clear, as his admiration
for
Hendrik Andersen. It is consistent with Henry's own reticence and self-doubt that nothing about
his
sexuality is spelled out. We may speculate or guess, as did his friends and acquaintances, but
Toibin
declines to do this for us.
Toibin realistically recreates the atmosphere, social mores, gossip and style of the Victorian
society
within which Henry lives and thrives, and it is the curiosity of members of that society about
Henry's
sexuality which Toibin conveys. That sort of delicate, beautifully imagined and evoked
atmosphere
pervades The Master and, using all his skills, Toibin has managed to immerse himself in Henry
James's life and work until he feels he understands the man and can present him to us.
This is not biography, although Toibin's Henry may very well be as like the Henry James of
literature
as is actually possible to convey: but it is absorbing fiction. I don't now feel inclined to rush off
and
read everything Henry James wrote, but I did enjoy The Master, and I will happily read anything
else
that Colm Toibin's writes.
A Tomb in Seville
Norman Lewis
Picador
ISBN: 0330435388 A$25.00 150 pages
"Didn't you object to having to hold your hands up when you went for a stroll?"
"It was all right if you didn't have far to go. That is to say apart from crossing the Gran Via on
one's
hands and knees."
Madrid in October 1934 was in the throes of an armed insurrection and Norman Lewis and his
brother-in-law, Eugene, were caught in the middle of it. They had arrived in Spain that September
with the intention of visiting Seville, but the declaration of a State of Emergency closed the
railways
and made straightforward travel impossible. Being young and adventurous, however, and having
embarked on a "quasi-religious pilgrimage" funded by Eugene's Sicilian father, Ernesto Corvaja,
they
determined to stay.
Seville, long ago, had been the home of the Corvaja family. There was a Corvaja palace to be
found,
and the Corvaja tomb in Seville's cathedral to be visited. One of Ernesto's ancestors had,
apparently,
been part of the entourage of the viceroy Caracciolo, "sent from Spain to Sicily following its
conquest" and Ernesto wanted his children to study in Spain and maintain the family's Spanish
connections. His son, Eugene, was reluctant: and this visit to Seville was their compromise.
Norman Lewis first wrote of their journey in Spanish Adventure, which was his first published
book.
Decades later, shortly before his death in 2003 at the age of ninety-five, he wrote A Tomb in
Seville.
The two books see that journey through Spain in the months before the Spanish Civil War quite
differently. The first book was a young man's adventure story, written by a fledgling travel-writer.
The last, a re-casting of that journey by a mature writer whose position as "the father of modern
travel writing" is, as Julian Evans writes in the Introduction, "unassailable".
Lewis's skill, as Evans rightly notes, lay in "his sensuous and civilized descriptions, his
poker-faced
wit" and in his fluid, self-effacing style. Lewis was an old-fashioned travel writer in the sense that
there was no gimmickry in his story-telling, no conscious search for the exotic, no histrionics: just
fascination with the world and the people around him and a wry appreciation of odd situations
and
unusual characters.
A Tomb in Seville gives the reader a fine picture of Spain and (briefly) Portugal in those early
days
of civil unrest, when life went on much as usual for most people. The first part of the young mens'
journey took them on foot from the French/Spanish border, 110 miles through "old Spain" (as
Lewis
puts it) to the industrial city of Zaragoza, which was a Communist stronghold. Eugene Corvaja, as
a
card-carrying member of the Communist Party, made contacts there, and his engagement with the
country became rather different to Lewis's, but it gave them both a greater insight into the
unrest.
From Zaragoza, they took an "armoured train" to Madrid, arriving in the middle of a gun battle
between revolutionaries and infantrymen which stranded them in the station buffet. From that
insecure position, they watched people going about their daily business with hands raised or
crawling, depending on the frequency of gunfire. Eventually, they, too, hazarded a crossing of the
road to the nearest hotel. Most hotels, however, were closed for the emergency, so they find
lodgings in a working man's boarding hostel several miles from the station.
From their top-floor room in the hostel, the men had a birds-eye view of the effects of sniping on
the
streets below and watched machine-gun volleys rake the shops on the far side of their street. Later
that day they peered into a butcher's shop and discovered that the volley "had inflicted
posthumous
lesions on the porkers still suspended on their hooks". The Spanish people, however, seemed to
be
used to such situations. Buying a newspaper had become a dangerous business and "apart from
cafe-visiting there was very little [they] dared do" but rubbish was still being collected from the
streets and the trams were still running.
Eugene, keen to meet up with the Liberation Army in a local village, persuaded Lewis to
accompany
him. They survived an attack by the Assault Guards but Lewis tore his leg badly on barbed wire
and
needed hospital treatment. So, their stay in Madrid was prolonged and, as things quietened down,
they went to a bullfight in the old bullring. Lewis's description of this is as short as it is
fascinating:
but it is graphic, and one can well understand Lewis's revulsion and his avoidance of "such
spectacles" ever after.
Eventually, the two men left Madrid on a battered local bus bound for Salamanca. From there,
following local advice, they travelled to Portugal and, after a brief detour to a village where a
witch
had recently been burned, they made an illegal crossing of the border back into Spain and, finally,
reached Seville.
The final chapters of A Tomb in Seville sum up the results of the quest for family memorials and
describe the lasting effects which the journey had on Eugene Corvaja. He was "amongst the first
from England to enlist in the International Brigade" and participate in the Spanish Civil War and,
as
Lewis notes in a Postscript, although he escaped injury, "ill-health through periods of
semi-starvation throughout the campaign...abruptly shortened his life".
The effect on the journey on Lewis, too, was significant. His marriage to Ernesto Corvaja's
daughter
did not last, but his love affair with Spain did. A Tomb in Seville is a fine expression of Lewis's
life-long fascination with Spain.
Ann Skea, Reviewer
http://ann.skea.com
Arlene's Bookshelf
Fall Guy
Claire McNab
Bella Books
PO Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302
ISBN: 1594930007, $12.95, 173 Pages
Claire McNab's sixteenth addition to the Detective Carol Ashton Mystery series, Fall Guy, finds
the
Detective Inspector at yet another scene of the crime. However, the victim was neither shot,
strangled, poisoned, nor stabbed. Mega-millionaire, wily entrepreneur, and practical joker
extraordinaire, Milton Ryce has plummeted to his untimely death when both his main and reserve
parachutes fail to open. An expert skydiver who maintained his own equipment, Ryce realizes all
too
late that his last joke will unfortunately, if not deservedly, be at his own expense. His last
conscious
thought falling through the clouds was, "This couldn't be happening to him!" [Page 2]
Ashton and her right-hand man, Detective Sergeant Mark Bourke, have been summoned from
Sydney to take charge of another high-profile case. Enduring a three-hour car ride to Hash's
Creek,
they are met by a rather irritating and ineffective Sergeant Huffner, whose lack of proper police
procedure does not bode well for a speedy resolution of the case. The investigation is further
complicated by a variety of suspects: a drug-addled daughter, a wanna be like Dad son, a
mysterious
wife, a scheming mistress, a few questionable business partners, and a foppish gossip columnist,
just
to mention a few.
As the story progresses, various motives surface, additional suspects are added to the list, and
new
witnesses come forth. Ashton and Bourke work diligently both to shorten their stay in the
scorching
Australian backcountry and to bring to justice any and all who may be guilty. Add to this scenario,
the facts that Ashton's latest love interest, Leota Woolfe of the FBI, has concluded her
counter-terrorism assignment and returned to the States, alone, and her elderly environmental
activist aunt has "volunteered" Ashton's home for a small gathering of a few hundred sister
protesters. As always, the good Detective Inspector has more to handle than just a little thing
called
murder.
McNab has created a worthwhile addition to her long-running Ashton series. The plotting is deft
and
the events flow naturally and seamlessly. There are enough plausible twists, turns, and surprises to
keep the reader guessing and engaged throughout the course of the novel. The prose is tightly
constructed and retains the flavor of previous books in the series. Conflicts are astutely created
and
satisfyingly resolved. Those readers who have enjoyed McNab's previous entries will be especially
pleased with the last few scenes.
Carol Ashton appears more comfortable with herself in the midpoint of her life with this latest
installment. After ascertaining some information from the recalcitrant Sergeant Huffner, she
responds to Bourke's teasing comment with, "I'm aging fast, Mark. Have to wring every little
advantage out of my blond charm while I've still got it." [Page 7] She is still the efficiently calm
investigator and competently deliberate interrogator, but the author has exposed and softened
some
of the emotional edges of this career woman which allows the reader to more fully comprehend
the
character. Her tendency toward the terse response and sardonic retort still display that Aussie
charm
and wit. However, McNab has created an intriguing sub-plot involving more of Ashton's personal
struggle and her realization that making truthful life-changing decisions may terminate one
episode
while enabling her to re-visit another.
Fall Guy is an appealing and satisfying mystery experience. The reader is fully engaged from the
intensely suspenseful prologue to the reasonable yet unexpected conclusion. McNab has
succeeded
in expanding her enormously likable major character and again has included those recurring
secondary characters that are part of her professional and personal life. At the same time, the
reader
is introduced to another cabal of the most loathsome and repugnant people which befits the
mystery
genre. After having read Fall Guy, the reader will be as anxiously awaiting the release of the
seventeenth installment in this outstanding series as this reviewer.
Love Letters in the Sand
Sharon Stone
Alyson Books
P.O. Box 4371, Los Angeles, CA 90078-4371
ISBN: 1555838529, $13.95, 221 Pages
Sharon Stone's first novel, Love Letters in the Sand, opens with L.C. Hackett, a Grammy
Award-winning rock star, sitting at the bar in the Bel-Air mansion of her best friend and sister
rocker, Mandy Gilbert. Drifting in and out of the spacious rooms are many on the A-list of
talented
women in the entertainment world. While bemoaning the state of her recent haircut, L.C. first
hears
and then meets Sydney Sanders, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who has just sung a snippet from
one of L.C.'s past hits. After a fleeting moment together, Sydney is lost in the sea of revelers. By
the
end of the evening the two women meet again, have a brief conversation, and L.C. offers Sydney
a
place to stay instead of her hotel. From this moment on, the lives and aspirations of these women
will intertwine, and they will discover that their personal values and priorities may never be the
same
again.
As these women begin a friendship, it becomes obvious that the seemingly-straight Sydney and
the
womanizing openly-gay L.C. are destined to have more than a merely uncomplicated platonic
relationship. Consequently, as is too often the case, life seldom moves forward without those
unexpected and often painful complications. An unscrupulous record producer, a jealous backup
singer, dark family secrets, and some startling sexual revelations all conspire to thwart whatever
happiness L.C. and Sydney hope to share.
Stone began her career working in Hollywood as a screenwriter, and in several respects, this
novel
reflects that script style of writing. The two main characters, for the most part, are likable, but
appear too superficially developed, too hastily drawn to create any real connection between
themselves and this reader. They often seem too self-absorbed, too lacking in insight to fully
comprehend the events affecting them and their own reactions to those events. Had the author
created a more extensive and meaningful narrative, a more realistic plotline could have been
achieved, and this in turn could have provided this reader with a more compelling and significant
story. Good editing is a must when preparing for publication. Perhaps a stronger editorial role
would
have avoided some of the shortcomings found in this book.
Well crafted dialogue in a novel enhances those who speak it; it imbues those characters with a
degree of realism that most readers crave. Much of what Sydney Sanders has to say is either quite
trite or embarrassingly na‹ve, and this is surprising considering the level of accomplishment
Sydney
has supposedly attained. For the most part, L.C. Hackett believably manages to talk the talk of a
once popular rock star. However, at times, her speeches, too, seem to lack credibility; they are
rather glib and void of believable emotion, both of which produce a degree of boredom for this
reader.
Thematically, Stone's novel attempts to deal with several important issues: abusive partners, fame
at
all costs, and the realization of love's power to transcend all obstacles. These are complex issues
worthy of careful exploration. This novel, however, tends to gloss over these points in its attempt
to
be clever and contemporary. If there had been a more substantive treatment of this material, it
would
most certainly have been a more worthwhile reading experience.
Love Letters in the Sand, is a book which provides a few hours of escapist entertainment. It's easy
and light reading which presents a brief glimpse into the often petty world of show business and
provides an introduction to a few of the characters who operate in that world. Despite the
weaknesses found in this freshman novel, Stone does appear to be a writer with potential. This
reader looks forward to her next novel which, hopefully, will reflect a more fully-developed
narrative style and a more skillfully woven storyline.
Arlene Germain
Reviewer
Bethany's Bookshelf
Our Hearts' True Home
Virginia Nieuwsma, editor
Conciliar Press
PO Box 76, Ben Lomond, CA 95005-0076
1888212020 $12.95 1-800-967-7377 www.conciliarpress.com
Our Hearts' True Home is an anthology of inspirational stories written by fourteen different
women
who learned to embrace the Orthodox Christian faith. Each woman's struggle has been uniquely
different, yet all share a common experience with God's love and mercy. Black-and-white
photographs of the authors intersperse this heartfelt, passionate, and devoted anthology, which
awakens compassion and spiritual empathy in the reader.
Beautiful Places, Spiritual Spaces
Sharon Hanby-Robie & Deb Strubel
Northfield Publishing
215 West Locust Street, Chicago, IL 60610
1881273180 $12.99 www.amazon.com
Interior designer Sharon Hanby-Roby is the resident home-decor expert for QVC Home Shopping
Network. Deb Strubel is the Director of Foundation Relations for the Institute of American
Values.
Together, this two experts present Beautiful Places, Spiritual Spaces: The Art Of Stress Free
Interior Design, a combination interior design guide and Christian devotional that can show
readers
just how to create a beautiful and spiritually serene living environment for themselves and their
loved
ones. Enhanced with a section of color photography, this superbly presented guidebook to
stress-free decorating will show women with busy lives and family obligations how to conquer
clutter, combine patterns with confidence, gain five minutes of peace, make big changes on a
small
budget, discover true color personality, and nurture their spiritual needs. Beautiful Places,
Spiritual
Spaces is especially commended to non-specialist general readers throughout the Christian
community who would like to order their living spaces to reflect their efforts to enhance and
maintain their spiritual values.
Guilt-Free Motherhood
Julianna Slattery
Faith Communications
c/o Creative Media Resources
PO Box 1865, Sandpoint, ID 83864
0757302262 $12.95 1-800-858-9388
Parenting Without Guilt: How Mothers Can Break Free From Feelings Of Inadequacy by
Christian
psychologist, public speaker, wife and mother Julianna Slattery directly addresses the all to
common
pangs of guilt that plague even the most conscientious mother when it comes to raising children in
today's secular values dominated culture -- including the necessity for most mothers to be out of
the
home earning wages from employment. Julianna Slattery believes that guilt is a natural produce of
a
mother's God-given influence over her children -- a kind of gentle reminder of her stewardship
responsibility over the well-being of her children. Guilt-Free Motherhood offers the whole picture
of
godly wisdom arising from a significantly different approach to motherhood. With sound
experienced-based advice, Julianna Slattery will help mothers to keep their faithfulness and focus
on
the modern challenges of motherhood, and offers practical, applicable tools for replacing guilt
with
positive action. Enhanced with questions for personal reflection and a 12-week study guide,
Guilt-Free Motherhood is especially recommended to the attention of single mothers, working
mothers, mothers of children with a physical or mental handicap, mothers having to cope with the
illness or even death of a child, and mothers with concerns for their adult children.
Ordinary Losses
Elisa Stanford
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
1557254036 $14.95 1-508-255-4685 www.paracletepress.com
In Ordinary Losses: Naming The Graces That Shape Us, Elisa Fryling Stanford (non-fiction editor
for Shaw Books at WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House) deftly explores the losses
that
are the common experience of young adulthood, with an especial focus upon the healing that
comes
through naming the losses that accompany each transition from childhood to adult responsibilities.
Drawing upon her own life for illustration, Stanford reveals the major life changes presented by
marriage, career, and parenthood. Sharing personal stories of her losses and how they shaped her
character and views, Stanford shares how the recognition of loss brought her hope and the
possibility of redemption. Specific chapters cogently address a range of issues including home,
relationships, courage, and identity. Ordinary Losses is welcome and recommended reading for
anyone within a Christian community seeking to see "the pattern of God" in the workings of their
own personal life history.
Find It In The Bible
Bob Phillips
Howard Publishing Company
3117 North 7th Street, West Monroe, LA 71291-2227
1582293988 $12.99 www.howardpublishing.com
Compiled by marriage and family counselor Bob Phillips, Find It In The bible: Lists, Lists And
More
Lists is a compendium of listed items drawn from the Old and New Testaments that range from
theology and biblical personalities, to wisdom and humor. Ranging from 33 contrasts between
Christ
and the antichrist; to 59 titles of Christ; to 25 animals in God's "special zoo"; to the 43 kings of
Israel and Judah; to 125 counseling helps from the Bible; to 5 major ways God reveals Himself,
this
244-page compendium is a great resource and reference which is enthusiastically recommended
for
ministerial sermons and Sunday School discussions.
Pilgrim's Progress
Tim Dowley, author
Steve Smallman, illustrator
Candle Books
c/o Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
0825472741 $16.99 1-800-733-2607
Pilgrim's Progress is a picturebook retelling of John Bunyan's classic narrative, intended for
younger
readers yet powerful for all ages. John Bunyan was a Baptist pastor who started to write the
original
tale when he was jailed in Bedford, England for preaching. Since then his story has become a
widely
beloved, metaphorical saga of a pilgrim named Christian in search of the Celestial City. Many
monsters seek to lead him astray or devour him along his quest - the wicked Judge Hate-good, the
giants of Doubting Castle, the diguesed and deceptive Flatterer, and even the Athiest strives to
convince him that the Celestial City does not exist. Yet Christian also makes steadfast friends,
such
as Faithful, who speaks out against unjust laws at the cost of his life, and Hopeful, who keeps
Christian's head above the darkest waters. Colorful, slightly cartoony illustrations decorate a story
that despite its elements of whimsy, is at its heart a profoundly powerful parable of the many
hardships encountered on the road the faithful walk. Highly recommended.
Easy Homeschooling Techniques
Lorraine Curry
God's Gardner
PO Box 95, Boelus, NE 68820
0970996527 $18.95 1-308-996-4497 www.easyhomeschooling.com
Now in an updated third edition, Easy Homeschooling Techniques is a no-nonsense resource by
mother and homeschooler Lorraine Curry. Chapters address how to set realistic educational goals,
keep high school credits, train homemaking skills, guide young people into careers, and more.
Easy
Homeschooling Techniques emphasizes the importance of faith in God, and how homeschooling
can
be used to reinforce God's teachings as well as techniques for worldly survival in young people. A
wealth of lists, including classic authors and poets, recommended courses of study through
twelfth
grade, a sample class schedule planner, lists of useful resources, and much more round out this
excellent guide recommended for Christian homeschoolers to consult for a master plan before
they
purchase costly materials.
Susan Bethany
Reviewer
Betsy's Bookshelf
Sandcastle In A Box
Ted Siebert
Running Press
125 South Twenty-Second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4399
0762418370 $12.95 1-215-567-5080 www.perseusbooks.com
Containing everything anyone would ever need to craft sandcastles on the beach or in a
playground
sandbox, Sandcastle In A Box: Tools And Tips For Building Classic Sand Sculptures by sand
sculpting champion Ted Siebert (who has set a total of six world records in the "Guinness Book
of
World Records) comes with a mold for making sand cylinders; a window template; a small cone
for
tower tops; a palette knife; a brush for clearing loose sand; a straw for carving; decorative flag;
plastic tool bag; and a 64-page book of simple, easy-to-follow instructions, expert tips,
illustrations
for building towers, windows, stairs, moats, and other sandcastle features. Also included are
informative chapters on the history of sand sculpting; American sandcastle building competitions;
sandcastle jargon, and more. From 6 to 66, all you will need for a day's fun-in-the-sun is a pile of
sand and Ted Siebert's Sandcastle In A Box!
Easy Does It Dating Guide
Mary Faulkner
Hazelden
PO Box 11, Center City, Minnesota 55012-0011
1592851002 $12.95 1-800-328-0094 www.hazelden.org
Mary Faulkner is a therapist working with people in recovery from addictions and abuse. Owner
and
director of the Institute of Integrated Healing Arts in Nashville, Tennessee and founding editor of
"Recovering Magazine", she draws upon her many years of experience and expertise in Easy Does
It
Dating Guide to guide the reader through the "traps, triggers, and traumas" of recovering from
romantic involvements -- especially the ones that end badly because of alcoholism or addiction.
Readers will learn how to know when they are once again ready to start dating; whether it is wise
to
date other alcoholics and/or addicts in recovery; what happens if they are attracted to a problem
drinker or drug users; how much information should be shared about their past; and what's
realistic
to expect (or not expect) from relationships. The Easy Does It Dating Guide is a powerful and
effective tool for getting over relationship fears, getting past roadblocks to intimacy; dealing with
false romantic fantasies, and more. If you are in recovery (or dating someone who is), then give
Mary Faulkner's Easy Does It Dating Guide a careful reading from cover to cover.
The California Poem
Eleni Sikelianos
Coffee House Press
27 North Fourth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401
1566891620 $16.00 1-800-283-3572
The California Poem is a book-length epic poem, sparsely illustrated with black-and-white
photographs of the California landscape, that spans the time, science, history, and scenery of the
Golden State. The sweeping lyrics, evocative of the resilience and beauty of nature, distinguish
this
breathtaking celebration of California in free verse. "My goal is to relate the descriptions to living
animals / Who is truly flea-bitten here? on hills hanging over beaches thatched / with reticent
brush,
the yellow intensities shining on cliffs, and below, it's / riffled with blue. Which animal?"
The Keepsake Storm
Gina Franco
University of Arizona Press
355 South Euclid Avenue, Suite 103, Tucson, AZ 85719-6654
0816523290 $15.95 1-800-426-3797 www.uapress.arizona.edu
Strongly recommended reading from first page to last, The Keepsake Storm showcases the lyrical
talents of academician and poet Gina Franco who draws upon an impressive tradition of
storytelling
in Latino literature to explore the transformative power of compassion. Dealing with such diverse
themes as cultural alienation, lost family roots, the ambiguous nature of the self, Gina Franco uses
her poetry to reaffirm the power of self-awareness, history, and places. Everything Goes Down a
Changeling: A great cloud of tiny insects--ingenious,/the summer light sifted through all those
wings/like that, like a thought shifting/over a bog veined in bright water./The air was coming
down/with an imminent rain--I could feel it./And you were there, shaking your head,/smiling at
the
camera though I felt slighted./Everything goes down a changeling, you said./You've got to have it
how you can./So it was hopeless already when I noticed/that my legs were running/with blood,
with
mosquitos thickly drowning,/when you turned from me saying,/well, it's what you wanted.
Voluntary Servitude
Mark Wunderlich
Graywolf Press
2402 University Avenue, Suite 203, St. Paul, MN 55114
1555974082 $14.00 www.graywolfpress.org
Voluntary Servitude is a compilation of the impressively original poetry of Mark Wunderlich
(Professor of Literature, Bennington College, Vermont). Hallmarked verse that is a once
implacably
honest and deftly scripted with a memorable rhetoric, this is a body of work that will linger in the
mind long after this slim, 64-page volume has been set back upon the shelf to be read again
another
day. Lamb: Inside the sheep's hot center, lambs tangle,/soft joints press a tender twin.//I am
brought
to the barn, soap my arm in a sink./Orion stabs the sky with his arrow of ice.//I unwrap one sister
from her awakening sister,/carefully, for the flesh is tender and this is an animal will.//Hand in the
cave where blood shapes into an other,/I will bring them forth, bleating into January.//Good
shepherd, I will shelter them from fangs,/chase stray dogs with a gun, turn them onto grass in
spring.//They will come when I call, press against woven wire/even though I call them to the
gleaming hook.
Expert homeschooling curriculum consultant Cathy Duffy presents 100 Top Picks for
Homeschool
Curriculum: Choosing the Right Curriculum and Approach for Your Child's Learning Style, a
thorough guidebook to designing the proper educational program for one's child. Approaching the
topic from a Christian worldview, 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum is nonetheless
useful
for any homeschooling family regardless of faith. The first portion of 100 Top Picks for
Homeschool
Curriculum discusses different types of learning styles, and how to know when one's child should
learn what. The bulk of 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum focuses upon individual texts,
study guides, and CD-ROM software ideal for giving one's child a firm grounding in phonics,
literature, mathematics, history, science, foreign language, and much more. The pros, cons, and
unique features of each study aid is discussed in depth, in this superb catalog of the best of the
best
educational resources.
The American Sign Language Handshape Puzzle Book
Linda Lascelle Hillebrand
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
1563683105 $19.95 1-800-621-2736
The American Sign Language Handshape Puzzle Book is a supplementary resource for classroom
or
self-teaching American Sign Language. It consists of 54 different puzzles featuring 899 ASL
signs,
to help students review and strengthen their signing vocabulary. Simple diagrams of signs
illustrate
the words that belong in the crossword, word search, and four other types of puzzles, all divided
into three different skill levels. A complete answer key for every puzzle is included, in this clever
and
captivating educational tool.
Betsy L. Hogan
Reviewer
Betty's Bookshelf
Guardians of the Flame: To Home and Ehvenor
Joel Rosenberg
Baen Books
P.O. Box 1403, Riverdale, NY, 10471
http://www.baen.com
074348858X $24.00 499 p.
Originally, The Road to Ehvenor (1991) and The Road Home (1995) were two separate books.
Here, the lucky reader has them both in his sweaty little hands, to be read one after the other,
eschewing sleep, regular meals, and social activities until the last page is turned. Seriously, they're
that good.
I discovered the Guardians of the Flame series several years ago and devoured each book in the
series as quickly as possible, eager to answer the question, "Now what??" Normally, books that
contain a lot of violence turn me off, but somehow, Rosenberg's series grabbed me by the scruff
of
the neck, pushed me into a chair, and wouldn't let me up until I was done with it.
It was wonderful. From the neat trick of taking a bunch of sword-and-sorcery gamers and
trapping
them in their made-up identities in another world, to the characters Rosenberg developed them
into
and the adventures he dragged them through, I was hooked. And finding this double book on the
shelf last week made my day (and stole a good number of my hours of sleep and
productivity...)
It starts out with Walter Slovotsky's nightmare (which repeats throughout): he's caught in a
crowd
of people he knows and loves as they flee from hell through open gates, with demon hoards right
behind them. As his loved one escape, one by one, familiar heroes step forward to stem the flow
of
evil. Copernicus, George Patton, Joan of Arc, Cincinattus... And then, they need one more to
close
up the ranks, and Walter's second-best friend (on both This Side and The Other Side, Emperor
Karl
Cullinane) reaches out to Walter to ask for his help... and before he can decide what he will do,
Walter wakes up. Again.
Not getting a good night's sleep is getting old. But then, so is Walter. Of course, the rest of the
original group is, too (except poor Jason Parker, who didn't even make it 24 hours on The Other
Side, and Karl, now missing and presumed dead), but Doria and Andrea (Karl's wife) still look
hot,
Louis Ricetti is doing fine (engineers don't care how old they get, as long as they can still make
things), and James Michael (AKA Ahira) is aging gracefully. Dwarves do, you know.
Walter, though - his reflexes aren't what they were, his sneakiness has lost a bit of its edge, and it
takes him more effort to win a fight... and longer to recover from it. His wife will no longer let
him
touch her (due to old nightmares of her own) and Aeia, the woman he has his eye on, is not only
Karl's adopted daughter, she's being courted by a younger and more attractive baron. His sex life
pretty much doesn't exist anymore.
And Karl, the guy that everything and everyone depended on, is gone. Andrea has driven herself
almost to the point of madness using magic to try and find him, and his son, Jason, is a bit too
young
to fill the hole Karl left. He has a bit of growing up and maturing to do before he can come close
to
filling his dad's shoes, but it's possible that the Slavers' Guild and the rest of his family's enemies
won't let him live that long.
And there's Walter, struggling with getting old,and surrounded on every side by danger, evil, and
changing circumstances. Does he still have what it takes to protect his loved ones and the world
that
has become his home? One way or another, he'll do it. Giving up isn't in his nature. A novel about
midlife crisis, set in a world totally unlike ours... who'd have thought it would be so good? (Be
sure
not to miss the words of wisdom that start each chapter, one from a famous person in history and
one from Walter Slovotsky himself. They'll make you think, they'll make you laugh, they may even
make you head for a pen and a scrap of paper.) Again, Rosenberg has turned out a real
grabber.
LightLand
H.L. McCutchen
Orchard Books
c/o Scholastic, Inc.
557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
ISBN# 0439395658 $16.95 144 p.
When Lottie Cook's dad makes her a magical StoryBox from the cherry tree her mother planted
before she was born, he tells her to keep her memories in it. Instead, Lottie and her best friend,
Lewis Weaver, discover it is actually a doorway to another realm, when they're taken through it
by a
rainbow-colored bird named Umber.
Umber and his friends explain to the children that the people of LightLand, who are made up of
real-world memories, are slowly dying. Their memories are being stolen, bit by bit, by the evil
Nightking. No one in LightLand seems to know who he is, but if he is allowed to steal the last
memory, LightLand and its people will cease to exist. Everyone is convinced that Lottie and
Lewis
have been sent to break the Nightking's power over the land, but no one is quite sure how, and
time
is running out. Can they figure out what to do before the Nightking steals their memories, too?
And
will it help that they know who the Nightking really is?
Betty Winslow
Reviewer
Buhle's Bookshelf
Legacies of the Turf: A Century of Great Thoroughbred Breeders, Volume 2
Edward L. Bown
Eclipse Press c/o Blood-Horse Publications
National Book Network (dist.)
3101 Beaumont Centre Circle, Lexington, KY 40513
158150117X $29.95 www.amazon.com
Award-winning author Edward L. Bown continues his chronicle of the most skilled, wise, and
successful racehorse breeders in Legacies of the Turf: A Century of Great Thoroughbred
Breeders,
volume 2. Picking up where volume 1 left off, Legacies of the Turf covers the last fifty years and
traces both equine and human family lines with exacting precision. Black-and-white photographs
illustrate the meticulous narration; all equine geneaology material is heavily researched and
condenced in tree form at the close of the book. A "must-have" for horse enthusiasts avidly
interested in following and learning from generations of human and animal legends.
The Complete Guide To Zoning
Dwight H. Merriam, FAICP, CRE
The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
0071443797 $21.95 1-877-833-5524 www.books.mcgraw-hill.com
The Complete Guide To Zoning: How Real Estate Owners and Developers Can Create and
Preserve
Property Value is a no-nonsense guide to understanding what zoning is and how to use it to
protect
one's property rights and interests. Zoning and Land-Use Law controls what can be done with
land
and how it can be developed; The Complete Guide To Zoning offers the lay reader a very short
course in the law, the importance of knowing what one has, what one wants, and how to get it,
the
value of creating and leveraging relationships, when to reach out for support, preparing winning
applications and making successful presentations, strategies for winning zoning battles, and much
more. Chapters give equal focus to pursuing one's desire to develop land commercially, or the
desire
to see that adjoining lands to one's residential area are not developed commercially. Written in
plain
terms, The Complete Guide To Zoning is highly accessible regardless of the reader's legal
background, and a "must-read" for property owners everywhere.
Balinese Dance, Drama and Music
I. Wayan Dibia and Rucina Ballinger, authors; Barbara Anello, illustrator
Periplus c/o Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
9625931953 $35.00 www.tuttlepublishing.com
Extensively illustrated with over 200 full-color photographs, Balinese Dance, Drama and Music:
A
Guide to the Performing Arts of Bali takes the reader on a captivating tour of the history, style,
and
function of Balinese gamelan music, dance, drama, and puppetry. Suitable for all ages, Balinese
Dance, Drama and Music covers how performing arts are learned in Bali, the principal Balinese
values that artistic media passes on, and discussion of individual forms of performing arts, such as
Gameland Gong Kebyar, Lgong Keraton, Baris, Wayang Kulit, and the relatively recent
phenomenon of women's and children's performing groups. A bibliography and discography round
out this superbly captivating survey, written by expert dancers and choreographers.
Incubation of Reptile Eggs
Gunther Kohler
Krieger Publishing Company
PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
www.krieger-publishing.com
1575241935 $38.50 1-800-724-0025
Incubation of Reptile Eggs is a scientific account that collects available information and
experience
from a wealth of experts concerning the proper incubation of reptile eggs, knowledge that is vital
to
the success of captive breeding programs that are one defense against species extinction. Charts,
full-color photographs, and technical details spell out the crucial importance of temperature,
humidity, and special care that must be taken for various species (for example, monitor lizards eat
their own eggs). A superb, in-depth resource especially for herpetologists and reptile
caretakers.
The Encyclopedia of Restaurant Training
Lora Arduser and Douglas Robert Brown
Atlantic Publishing Group
1210 S.W. 23rd Place, Ocala, FL 34474-7014
www.atlantic-pub.com
0910627347 $79.95 1-800-541-1336
The Encyclopedia of Restaurant Training is a no-nonsense, thorough resource covering the
necessary training for all positions in the food service industry, from professional chef to maitre d
to
bartender and much more. Written in clear, easy-to-understand terms and charts spelling out
explicit
training instructions, and illustrated with some diagrams (such as a picture of how to properly set
a
formal table), The Encyclopedia of Restaurant Training spares no effort to be as understandable
as
possible. No background knowledge in any trade is needed to grasp explicit instructions ranging
from a step-by-step breakdown of the hostess' job to the proper order of service for a luncheon
handout to how one can go about creating a memorable presentation to food service employees,
and
much more. A CD-ROM accompanies this absolute must-have for anyone preparing for a career
in
food service, or charged with the responsibility of training food service recruits.
In The Path Of Hizbullah
Ahmad Nizar Hamzeh
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210
0815630530 $24.95 1-800-365-8929 www.SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu
Associate professor of political science Ahmad Nizar Hamzeh presents In The Path Of Hizbullah,
a
thorough examination of the history and present-day situation of the Islamist group known as
Hizbullah, or the Party of God. Consisting of mainly Lebanese Shiite Muslims, Hizbullah is well
known for using both militant and moderate tactics to pursue its goals. Indeed its changing back
and
forth between extremes has puzzled those who would study it or those who are forced to confront
it. In The Path Of Hizbullah details the crises that led to Hizbullah's emergence, its clerical
leadership
and hierarchical structure, and examines its shifts between militancy and gradualist pragmatism.
Research, statistics, and tables flesh out the close scrutiny of Hizbullah's activities, in this unbiased
examination of all that Hizbullah is and speculation upon what Hizbullah will become. A welcome
contribution to contemporary Middle Eastern studies shelves.
Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer
Burroughs' Bookshelf
That Toddlin' Town
Charles A. Sengstock, Jr.
University of Illinois Press
1325 South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820-6975
0252029542 $35.00 1-800-545-4703 www.press.uillinois.edu
The latest volume in the "Music in American Life" series, That Toddlin' Town: Chicago's White
Dance Bands and Orchestras, 1900-1950 is an economic history the band business of Chicago
prior
to World War II. Written by an experienced jazz and dance band researcher, That Toddlin' Town
covers big names such as Edgar Benson, Jules Stein and James Petrillo, and more, as well as the
endeavors of dance bands, the role of early dance halls, ice rinks, and beer gardens, how dance
bands earned popular respect, the impact of the Great Depression, and much more. A thoroughly
researched account, featuring an extensive bibliography and index, That Toddlin' Town is a
"must-have" for jazz and dance band historians.
Parting Ways
Stephen F. Szabo
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-2188
0815782446 $24.95 1-800-275-1447
Parting Ways: The Crisis in German-American Relations is the first in-depth examination of the
German-American relationship written since the recent invasion of Iraq. While America's tensions
with France over the war has held a higher profile, America's relationship with Germany suffered
severe deterioration. Professor of European studies Stephen F. Szabo suggests that the clash
between Germany and the U.S. regarding policy in Iraq reflects even greater changes shaping the
relationships between the two nations, as the U.S.-German relationship loses strategic importance
in
the post-cold war era, a new German identity rises within Germany, and the U.S. foreign policy
serves the will of what is arguably the most ideological administration since the mid-twentieth
century. A meticulous, in-depth study of the cutting-edge political climate, paying special
attention
to the legacies of the Holocaust on the German psyche - both the older and the younger
generations.
A "must-read" for anyone closely researching German-American relations, written in detail yet
using
terminology highly accessible to the lay reader.
Echoes from the Smithsonian
John McCollister, Ph.D.
Spotlight Press c/o Sports Publishing
804 North Neil St., Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
1582612455 $19.95 1-877-424-2665 www.SportsPublishingLLC.com
Echoes from the Smithsonian: America's History Brought To Life is an engaging anthology of
vignettes of American history connected to historical artifacts on display in the Smithsonian
museum. Short stories about amazing turning points in the nation and in the lives of its most
famous
and notable figures, and a handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate such priceless items
as
the allegedly cursed Hope Diamond, a portrait of President William Henry Harrison (whose
determination to brave below-freezing temperatures to give a long inaugural speech led to his
contraction of pneumonia and untimely death one month after taking office), to a photograph of
the
doctor who revolutionized the method of saving lives with blood transfusions, and much more fill
this entertaining compilation that can be read all at once or savored a bit at a time. An enjoyable
way
to skim highlights of America's grand history.
The Ultimate Dimension
Thich Nhat Hanh
Sounds True Audio
413 South Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027
1591791952 $69.95 1-800-333-9185 www.soundstrue.com
Written by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, nominated for the 1967 Nobel Peace Prize by Martin
Luther King Jr., The Ultimate Dimension is an audio book on CD that examines two classical
Buddhist texts, the Avatamsaka Sutra and the Lotus Sutra. From essential Buddhist principles to
wondrous interconnection of all that exists, to the "ultimate dimension" that is the infinite realm
beyond birth and death, The Ultimate Dimension reminds listeners of the Lotus Sutra's promise -
that regardless of one's traditions or background, all beings share the potential to become
enlightened. A compassionate, profound audiobook with a quintessential Buddhist message of
wisdom, understanding, and learning to open oneself to a higher way.
Irish Secrets
Mark M. Hull
Irish Academic Press/ISBS, dist.
920 NE 58th AVenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
071652807X $29.50 www.isbs.com
Irish Secrets: German Espionage In Wartime Ireland 1939-01945 by Mark M. Hull (Assistant
Professor of History, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri) is a 383-page exploration of
why
World War II German intelligence basically failed in the Irish State, and offers the documented
view
that the german effort represented a genuine menace to the Allies (including Northern Ireland) as
well as the wartime neutrality of the Irish Republic. So much more than a stodgy historical study,
Professor Hull offers the reader a truly gripping and comprehensive account of the intelligence
war
in Ireland and showcases the story of a brilliant, creative, and ultimately successful Irish Military
Intelligence in waging a counter-espionage campaign that would overwhelm the German
intelligence
operations. Strongly recommended for personal and academic World War II Military Studies
collections, Trust Yourself To Transform Your Body draws upon newly released intelligence files
in
several countries, in-depth interviews Professor Hull was able to conduct with surviving
participants,
and other previously unpublished primary sources.
The Designed Self
Carolo Strenger
The Analytic Press
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, dist.
101 West Street, Hillsdale, NJ 07642
0881634190 $39.95 www.erlbaum.com www.analyticpress.com
Volume 27 in the "Relational Perspective Book Series" from The Analytical Press, The Designed
Self: Psychoanalysis & Contemporary Identities by Carlo Strenger (Senior Lecturer in the
Department of Psychology, Tel Aviv University) chronicles academician and psychotherapist
Strenger's therapeutic encounters with five extraordinarily gifted young adults caught up in a
compulsory web of experimentation in defining themselves. These perpetual self-experiments
were
constantly reinforced by the media and ranged from career choice to hair color to body shape to
gender identity. These case studies reveal that factors in the drive for self-creating empowerment
include the absence of a clearly felt authority, issues of sexual attractiveness, personal finances,
demands based upon ethnic identity, and more. The Designed Self is a meticulously presented
scholarly study which is especially recommended to the attention of academic library Psychology
Studies reference collections and adolescent/young adult psychotherapy supplemental reading
lists.
John Burroughs
Reviewer
Carson's Bookshelf
Summer Of The Red Wolf
Morris West
Bolinda Publishing
PO Box 307, Shelton, CT 06484
1740935357 $64.00 1-888-235-2019 usa@bolinda.com www.bolinda.com
Dramatically narrated by Stanley McGeagh, Summer Of The Red Wolf by Morris West is the
riveting story of one man who struggled to deal with and ultimately overcome the complexities
and
torments of his everyday life. Traveling to Scotland to fight his own inner demons, he discovers
love, honor, and himself along the way. Morris West is an experienced and accomplished novelist
whose books have been translated into 27 languages. Summer Of The Red Wolf, which brilliantly
showcases those feelings of restlessness and yearnings for self-discovery which so hallmarks
contemporary life, is another of his masterfully written, reader engaging novels which tend to
linger
on the mind long after they are read and put back upon the shelf. Also available in an
audiocassette
format (1740935233, $64.00, 8 cassettes), this 8 CD Bolinda library edition is a superbly
recorded,
complete and unabridged production which is confidently recommended for library audiobook
collections.
The Longest Winter
Alex Kershaw
Da Capo Press
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
0306813041 $25.00 www.perseusbooks.com
It was freezing on the morning of December 16, 1944 when the Intelligence and Reconnaissance
Platoon of the 394th Infantry, 99th Infantry Division found itself desperately holding up a brutal
German attack at a small town called Lanzareth, the point of the main thrust of Hitler's massive
and
last ditch military offense. By nightfall the men of this beleaguered American platoon had killed
over
500 elite German troops while defending a strategically vital hill without reinforcement or artillery
support. Outnumbered almost 40 to 1, yet told to "hold at all costs", these valiant American
soldiers
repulsed three German assaults in a day-long battle. Only when the men had run out of
ammunition
did they surrender at gun-point -- after which they were taken to German prisoner-of-war camps.
There Lt. Bouck and his men (who were eventually separated from their officer) began an ordeal
far
worse than combat -- surviving the last days of the Third Reich when brutal guards were
increasingly trigger happy, Allied bombers raided almost daily, and thin soup was the only
sustenance. When Bouck was finally liberated from the prison camp, his entry weight of 180
pounds
had dropped to 112 pounds. A gripping true life saga and one that belongs in every World War II
Military History collection, The Longest Winter: The Battle Of The Bulge And The Epic Story Of
World War II's Most Decorated Platoon is an impressively written military history by author Alex
Kershaw, and published on the 60th anniversary of that famous and infamous battle.
Guardians Of The Holy Grail
Mark Amaru Pinkham
Adventures Unlimited Press
PO Box 74, Kempton, IL 60946
1931882282 $16.95 1-815-253-6390 www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com
In Guardians Of The Holy Grail: The Knights Templar, John The Baptist, And The Water Of Life,
author and spiritual instructor Mark Amaru Pinkham lays out the history of the Knights Templar
and
the legendary Holy Grail. During their one hundred year presence in the Middle East, the
Templars
received the Holy Grail from a lineage of Holy Grail Guardians that had already been in existence
for
many thousands of years. Originating on Sri Lanka (the island paradise recognized within the
Arab
world as the true location of the fabled Garden of Eden), this ancient Grail lineage included John
the
Baptist, Jesus Christ, and John the Apostle. Readers will learn of the relationship of John the
Baptist
and the Mandean from Sri Lanka; the mystery of Baphomet (the Templar "Demon"); the gnostic
and
sexual tantric rites practiced by the Knights Templar; the alchemy and mystery of the Black
Madonna; secrets of the Rosslyn Chapel and the Sinclairs of Scotland; the mysteries of the
Freemasons and Johannites; and the Knight Templars of today. Also very highly recommended
from
Adventures Unlimited Press are two earlier books about the Knight Templars: Charles G.
Addison's
The History Of The Knights Templars (HKT, $16.95) and Francine Bernier's Templars' Legacy In
Montreal (TLIM, $21.95).
Strength Band Training
Todd S. Ellenbecker
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736054936 $17.95 1-217-351-5076 www.HumanKinetics.com
Strength Band Training is co-authored by sports and orthopedic physical therapist Phillip Page
(Manager of Clinical education and research for Thera-Band Products) and licensed physical
therapist Todd Ellenbecker (Clinic Director at the Physiotherapy Associates Scottsdale Sport
Clinic
in Scottsdale, Arizona, and who draws upon his 18 years of professional experience as a sports
clinical specialist and an orthopedic clinical specialist) and offer health and enthusiasts more than
one
hundred physical exercises employing resistive bands and tubing. Resistance bands and tubing
allows
fitness training in minimal time, at very little cost, and can be practiced in virtually any setting, on
the
road or at home. Individual chapters cover "Strength Training with Elastic Resistance";
"Shoulders
and Arms"; "Chest and Upper Back"; Abs and Lower Back"; Hips and Thighs"; Lower Legs and
Ankles"; "Combination and Circuit Training"; Power, Agility, and Speed Exercises" "Stretching
Exercises"; Functional Training Programs"; and "Training on the Road". Enhanced with a
bibliography for further reading, Strength Band Training is highly recommended reading,
especially
for fitness enthusiasts, professional athletes, fitness trainers and professionals, physical therapists,
and non-specialist general readers seeking an inexpensive, versatile, and mobile training regime for
their own personal health and physical well-being.
Michael J. Carson
Reviewer
Christina's Bookshelf
Roadworks
Gerard Readett
Writer's Exchange
P.O. Box 372, Atherton OLD 4883 Australia PB 204
ISBN 1876962771 $13.99
Roadworks is about a city from the future that's thrown into gridlock. An African terrorist finds a
way to bring the smooth-running city to a halt. Either the greatest humanitarian aid package in
history goes to Africa, or he'll kill all Western nation's leaders. Hugh Ryan is an ordinary guy and
a
transport authority controller. He rises above the chaos created by this narrow-minded terrorist.
Order is gone. There are citywide traffic jams, stranded motorists, exploding buildings and
malfunctioning parking terminals. Lives are lost, and multitudes threatened. Ryan, the main
character, puts his life on the line trying to right the situation. His bravery surprises even himself.
The atmosphere is vivid, with tight-wire action and absorbing characters that keep pages
turning.
The year is 2022 in Brussels, Belgium. Ryan and his co-workers monitor transport inside the city.
They pull up the problem-reporting system, displayed on a massive 5x7 meter flat LCD color
screen.
On it, is an outline of the city, a graphical representation of their jurisdiction that is their area of
responsibility. From this, Hugh and his co-workers see when a train stops, when there is a lot or a
little traffic and when air inside the city reaches the allowable pollution percentage if it does, they
direct motorists go to P&R (Park and Ride) terminals immediately.
Ryan feels responsible when the system falls apart, even though it's not his fault. He works to
enable
motorists again, to save them from chemical spills, and exploding buildings. He's an ordinary
person,
yet begins a series of unordinary heroics. His injuries keep adding up though, and the next one
could
kill him.
The fact that something like Readett's energized story could happen, adds special interest.
Technology is growing at break-neck speed, along with the population. It's only a matter of time
before a better way to help city traffic go smoother is planned. This author supplies readers with
food for thought, as well as non-stop excitement. Readett's story dares question humankind's
reckless urge to use progress to gain power, even if intentions are good.
Readers with a taste for high-action and in the future settings will love this book. More than a
first-rate techno thriller. Entertaining. Oh, and it would make a terrific movie.
Doomstalker
Gary Brandner
Fawcett
The Ballantine Publishing Group
1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036 PB 234
ISBN 0449145778 $3.95
Six-year-old Brian secretly watched and listened to his father, Reverend Harlan Kettering, argue
with the large, dark, unearthly form. Moments later, he watched as he died. It was the first in a
chain
of unspeakable events for Brian, his sister, and mother that would forever twist and haunt their
lives.
Time eventually brought a better way of life for forty three year old Detective Sergeant Brian
Kettering. He was a damn good cop, married to a woman who took care of herself and her family,
and he had a seventeen-year-old son. Then, the dreams and headaches were back. Brian wondered
how his luck had all changed. Suddenly, he found his life crumbling around him. His wife, Mavis,
of
eighteen years began to see another woman, and they weren't quilting together. His son, Trevor,
whom he'd never been close to, began to work at a nightclub that soon drew him into a cult.
Granted, his family wasn't perfect like the ones on some television sit-coms, but whose was? If
that
wasn't enough, things became even worse. The unearthly, dark form came back. It showed up
everywhere Brian went, murdered his friend, and went after his wife. Somehow he knew it wanted
something from him, but what? How could he fix things between he and his family, and save them
from the demon dating back to the Egyptian era until he found out?
Doomstalker is tightly written. Even if the supernatural element weren't in the story, it would still
be
a good work of fiction. Because of this, I've read the book a couple of times. There is little slash
and
gore, and every page will not put you on the edge of your seat, but that is okay because the plot is
strong and the characters especially believable. This story is about an imperfect man in an
imperfect
situation who attempts to salvage the relationship between himself and his family first.
Christina Francine Whitcher, Reviewer
http://www.CFrancine.bizland.com
Debra's Bookshelf
Journo's Diary
Chris Thomas
Metropolis Ink
5629 Windstone, Cave Creek, Arizona 85331
ISBN: 0957952880 $15.95 266 pages
Twenty-three-year-old Rick Hughes's troubles begin five days before he starts his new job as a
journalist (he is the "journo" of the book's title) at an Australian weekend paper, the Weekend
Star.
His drunken sexual encounter with a 40-something "nice Valkyrie-type called Helga" leaves him
walletless and plagued, for months thereafter, by his own stupidity: his "Helga" is in fact a certain
Heidi Delsminka, wanted throughout Australia for credit card fraud and armed robbery. Over the
next year, while struggling in his job, eating poorly, and vaguely looking for sex, Rick chronicles
the
problems that ensue from his interlude with Heidi in daily entries in his diary. At the same time he
details for readers the minutiae of his life: his argument with a fast food place over the availability
of
Diet Coke in bottles in the restaurant; evidence that his roommate George may be having sex with
chickens on the sly; his vague efforts to determine the identity of the "phantom pant scrubber,"
someone who spends an inordinate amount of time in the men's bathroom at work apparently
scrubbing his underwear with steel wool. ("What the hell is wrong with his arse?" Rick writes.)
There is much crude talk of bowel movements and their ilk in the book and a fair number of
post-Heidi drunken interludes that do not, however, end with Rick pantsless and broke. Rick also
includes in his diary the text of the articles he writes for the paper, with increasing competence, on
usually uninteresting small-town issues.
Journo's Diary, as its name suggests, is written in the form of a diary, and the book stops when
the
pages in Rick's diary run out. The book is chapterless, but its organization into journal entries
segment it into bite-sized chunks. The book itself is a quick and sometimes funny read, though its
pace is slowed by the inclusion of the text of Rick's newspaper articles. These do contribute to
our
understanding of Rick's life as a disillusioned first-year journalist, but they are not interesting of
themselves. Detailing as it does a twenty-something lifestyle--Rick's life is at least more raucous
than
mine has ever been (though that's not saying much)--Journo's Diary will appeal in particular to the
younger crowd, and to anyone who's ever worked as a journalist.
The Finishing School
Muriel Spark
Doubleday
ISBN: 0385512821 $16.95 181 pages
Rowland and Nina Mahler run an itinerant finishing school, College Sunrise, located for the time
being in Lausanne, Switzerland. Rowland, an aspiring novelist, teaches the school's nine students
creative writing, while Nina--whose fondest desire, strangely enough, is to be married to a
scholar--instructs them in etiquette. ("There's no need to jump to your feet if one of your friend's
parents comes into the room, far less your own. It looks too well trained.") Problems develop
during
the year described in Muriel Sparks' The Finishing School when Rowland conceives a powerful
jealousy of 17-year-old student Chris Wiley. Chris is at the school to work on his own book, a
historical novel about the murder of Lord Darnley, husband of Mary Queen of Scots, that takes
jealo
