Confessions of a Shopaholic
Sophie Kinsella
Bantam Dell
New York, New York
ISBN: 0440241413 $6.99 350 pages
Andrea Swanson
Reviewer
I thought I had a shopping problem. Then I read Confessions of a Shopaholic. Becky
Bloomwood,
the main character, takes shopping to a whole new level, namely addiction. Although I have
occasionally succumbed to the temptation of Prada handbags and Hermes scarves, I haven't nearly
bankrupted myself, at Becky has.
Becky is a financial journalist who hates her job and shops way beyond her means. The item
doesn't
matter, she buys it all, from luggage to picture frames to journals and cookbooks. As she gets
farther
and farther into debt, it depresses her, so she shops to cheer herself up. Even her efforts to earn
extra money end up costing her more than she makes. When everything crashes in around her,
Becky hides out at her parents' house, inventing a cover story so they won't think she is a failure.
But she has to come out of hiding to help a friend in need.
Sophie Kinsella has done an excellent job of creating a really likeable, honest, realistic heroine.
Becky makes friends easily at press launches and publicity events. She fibs a bit on her resume,
which comes back to haunt her. She never realizes quite how high her credit card bill is until she
opens it. She buys gifts for Guy from Accounting and others who are leaving for another job. And
the story is not just about shopping. There is also friendship: her co-worker Elly, her roommate
Suze, her parents' neighbors, and the lengths that friends would go to for each other.
The story was unique and hilarious. I found myself alternating between laughter, the feeling of
having been in Becky's shoes myself, and the desire to physically restrain her from spending any
more money. This book is definitely a must-read for any woman who covets Kate Spade shoes
and
owns five pairs of black pants. You're in good company. This book is also great for frivolous
summer reading on the beach or on an airplane.
Stargazing
Pater Hill
Vintage
ISBN: 1740512766 A$22.95 275 pages
Ann Skea, Reviewer
http://ann.skea.com
"Anything' for a quiet life, as the man said when he took the situation at the lighthouse"
Charles Dickens: The Pickwick Papers.
Stargazing is more than a book about romantic dreams of lighthouse keeping. Stargazing is what
Peter Hill used to do at night from the lighthouse tower - "playing join-the-dots with the
constellations...kept awake by the spray and the cold wind". And Stargazing is a book in which
Hill
joins-the-dots between bright points in his own memory to make nostalgic, very funny, very
entertaining pictures of youth, adventure, a variety of admirable, strong-minded, tough characters,
and a vanished profession. It is a delightful book.
Hill was nineteen in the early nineteen-seventies, when he landed a holiday job as student trainee
lighthouse keeper. Vietnam, Watergate, and Jefferson Airplane were matters of importance to him
and his art-student friends in Dundee. And, being an undomesticated, long-haired, poetry-loving,
laid-back sort of fellow, Hill was totally unprepared for the next few months of his life, much of
which was spent in close contact with total strangers in the confined spaces of isolated lighthouses
off the west coast of Scotland. It was a life totally occupied with shift-work, weather reports,
cooking, polishing, painting, gardening, road-building and whatever other odd jobs the
Commissioners of Northern Lights (in their warm, dry offices in Edinburgh) thought up to keep
their
lighthouse keepers awake.
So, how did he find it? "Being on a lighthouse", says Hill, "resembled nothing more than being on
a
spaceship. Perhaps one co-designed by NASA and the Goons". One can understand the spaceship
analogy, but the Goons? Hill was constantly busy, but he was also amazed and amused by the
characters of the men who manned the lights and by the stories they told. Over the weeks of night
watches (art-student Hill immediately christened these 'Rembrandts') he heard tales of mystery,
giant
storms, vanished keepers, madness and heroism. Crazy things happened - like sheep-shearing on
Pladda and learning to find the business end of sheep which, pre-shearing, "all look like roadies
for
Dr Hook" - and bird invasions. On Ailsa Craig, the doors had to kept shut at night to keep
hundreds
of swarming rats out. And on tiny Hyskeir, there were three goats which "decreed that we had to
walk in single file in a precise sequence of goat - human, goat - human", an order which was
always
strictly enforced by the mother goat. Apart form that, there were basking sharks, herring shoals,
sudden storms and a frightening near-death experience.
Hill's first lighthouse was on Pladda, off the coast of the isle of Arran. "Don't tell me they've sent
another fucking hippie!" was his greeting from the farmer who picked him up by tractor from a
remote field to deliver him to the rowing-boat which would take him to the lighthouse. Perhaps
the
greeting had something to do with the fact that Hill was standing on a wall reading a Langston
Hughes poem about a mighty river to a small Scottish stream. It was, however, a meeting of
romantic youth and dour Scottish elder which was typical of his first two weeks on the lighthouse.
There, the three, seasoned, older keepers inculcated him into the job, and into the art of living
together in a small space, and into the art of telling stories gripping enough to keep each other
awake on night shifts.
Story-telling is an art Hill has never lost. He has an artist's eye for colourful detail and poet's ear
for
accents and for the hypnotic rhythms and varied emotions of a good yarn, all of which make his
own
tales a delight. His serious descriptions of everyday life of lighthouse-keeping include fascinating
details about the light itself, and since this was before lighthouses were automated, there were
many
vital routines to be learned so that the light remained reliable and bright. And Hill's periods of
shore
leave and his reflection on his own teenage character and experiences also make funny and, often,
nostalgic reading.
Stargazing is also an enlightening book for anyone who ever dreamed that living in a lighthouse
might offer them a quiet place in which to read, write, paint, meditate or do anything which
requires
peace and isolation.
For example:
Not long before I read Stargazing, I saw the two cottages at the Douglas Head Lighthouse on the
Isle of Man, advertised for sale. "Enclosed garden. Superb location. Stunning views" the
advertisement said. And there was a photograph of the cottages, gleaming white in the sun, with
the
lighthouse towering above them into a cloudless blue sky.
The location is not as remote as any of Hill's lighthouses. You can walk round Douglas Head,
down
seventy-six concrete steps to a rocky beach and jetty, then up fifty-three stoney steps to the
cottage-garden wall. Or you can climb down (and up!) the hundred-or-so steps from the top of
the
cliff.
Postal deliveries might be a bit of a problem unless the postie is young and fit. More importantly,
though, the Isle of Man is more noted for its legendary mists than for clear, blue skies of the
Estate
Agent's photograph. So it's funny that the advertisement omitted to mention 'Moaning Minnie', the
foghorn on the cliff just below the cottages' garden walls. And, it's interesting to hear what Peter
Hill
has to say about foghorns. "Nothing", he writes, "had quite prepared me for the painfully loud
noise", or for the number of hours "turning into days" that the foghorn might have to blow. Hill's
account of conversations held in fifteen second bursts between deafening blast of sound is
hilarious,
but he certainly put paid to any romantic idea I might have had of buying a lighthouse
cottage.
Hill's book, however, did leave me with some intriguing stories about the Isle of Man to ponder.
Was it Douglas Lighthouse from which the keepers were once sacked for selling off the spare
stock
of mercury: stock which was needed in order to keep the light turning smoothly? And is there still
a
naked lighthouse keeper on Chicken Rock?
As you can tell, I enjoyed Stargazing with Peter Hill. And he certainly revealed some unexpected
and fascinating constellations.
Caught in the Net
Jessica Thomas
Bella Books
P.O. Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302
ISBN: 1931513546, $12.95, 224 pages
Arlene Germain
Reviewer
Alex Peres, a thirty-something private detective and part-time nature photographer living in
Provincetown, Massachusetts, is walking her black lab Fargo along the beach one late winter day.
Business is slow which has forced her to take a tail-the-hubby case. While pondering her state of
affairs, or rather her depressing lack of any, Fargo dashes toward her and deposits a sneaker at
her
feet. More flotsam left on the beach by last night's storm, or so she thinks, until she takes a closer
look and sees a human foot still inside that sneaker. Like it or not, it appears that Alex has a more
intriguing problem to solve now than spying on a cheating spouse.
So begins this first novel by newcomer Jessica Thomas. The author has created a rather
whimsical,
witty, and wary detective in Alex Peres. Surrounded by the denizens of the Wharf Rat Bar, her
police detective sergeant brother, and several other colorful characters living in Provincetown
during
the off-season, Alex's world is further turned upside down when Janet Meacham, a beautiful and
mysterious newcomer to town, walks into the Wharf Rat. After a rather inept attempt to
introduce
herself to Janet, her pick up line needs work, Alex strikes up a friendship with Janet and soon the
heat between these two independent women begins to intensify. They soon find themselves
involved
in murder and deceit as their feelings for each other deepen.
As first novels go, this one has several strong elements going for it. The first person narrative is
extremely well written. Both the internal and external dialogue flows seamlessly, carrying the
reader
along effortlessly, while divulging those traits and nuances which make some characters more
memorable for the reader than others. Another plus is the author's wry sense of humor. Whether
trying to impress the lady, solve the crime, catch the bad guys, or face some unpleasant truths,
Alex
views her little corner of the world as theater; the people whom she encounters are playing their
parts; some are just better at it than others.
Although the book is rather short and at times the plot becomes a bit static, the author
compensates
for it by creating a main character that is likable, sympathetic, and engaging. Now that the
groundwork has been laid, here's hoping that Jessica Thomas decides to continue to share the life
and times of Alex Peres with a lengthier, more developed sequel. This freshman novel certainly
has
"series" potential.
Manners That Sell: Adding The Polish That Builds Profits
Lydia Ramsey
Longfellow Press
P.O. Box 16545, Savannah, GA 31416, 912-598-9812
ISBN: 096700120X $19.95 188 pp.
Bonnie Jo Davis
Reviewer
This beautifully laid out trade paperback has a gorgeous and practical design both inside and
out.
I recommend you read this book with a highlighter and a pen and be ready to take copious notes
in
the blank pages thoughtfully provided between chapters.
Manners That Sell: Adding The Polish That Builds Profits should be required reading for high
school and college students and for anyone already in the business environment. Once upon a
time,
good manners were taught in school and at home, but that time has long since passed. This book
provides the perfect refresher course for those of us who were taught manners but no longer
remember the finer points of etiquette.
While reading this book I discovered that the author, Lydia Ramsey, covered every conceivable
point of etiquette including many that I'd never been taught. Each of the twelve chapters covers
one
main topic broken down into digestible bite sized chunks of rules and guidelines to enhance
credibility and professionalism. Topics include first impressions, greetings and introductions, the
art
of conversation, dressing for business, telephone courtesy, electronic etiquette, correspondence in
business, etiquette in the office, gift-giving in business, etiquette out of the office, dining for profit
and doing business internationally.
The author of this delightful book, Lydia Ramsey, is a business etiquette expert with over thirty
years of experience working with non-profits, corporations, colleges and universities. She is a
frequently published author who presents workshops, seminars and keynotes on all aspects of
business etiquette.
I recommend businesses buy this book in bulk and present one to every employee from the
frontline
up to the top management. In this ever changing world with so many consumer choices, the
bottom
line is often affected by the simple courtesies that can and should be afforded to customers. You
need this book if you want your employees to succeed and your business to thrive.
Sunshine Rider: The First Vegetarian Western
Ric Lynden Hardman
Delacorte Press
ISBN 0385325436 $15.95
Jean Carroll
Reviewer
Pick up this book and get ready for a fun trip as you ride along with young Wylie Jackson as he
starts out on a cattle drive from Odessa, Texas headed for Wichita Kansas. The ride will take
many a
detour as Wylie gets into one scrape after another.
Although Wylie wants to make it as a cowboy, several things stand in his way, one being his
promise
to Alice Beck to deliver Roselle, her pet cattalo (a cross between a long horn and a buffalo) to her
cousin in Enid, Okalahoma so Roselle won't end up on someone's dinner table.
Accompanied by Roselle, Wylie goes from one incongruous adventure to another. On occasion
his
escapades seem a bit contrived and coincidental, but the author's description of the predicaments
and
the means by which Wylie escapes to live and ride and blunder into yet another scrape is so
hilarious
that the contrivances and coincidences are forgiven.
Wylie tells his own story and, since his aunt Clara forced him to read Sir Walter Scott, Dickens,
Thackery and the like, his speech is not that of an ordinary cowpoke in the year 1881. He
describes
an incident where he wakes to find an Indian standing over him:
"Painful constriction occasioned by a mixture of terror, poorly digested breadroot, and gooseberry
tea ran through my interior. I wanted to rid myself of the whole mess, but all my ports were shut
tight."
Wylie's meeting with medicine man Tim-oo-leh starts him on his quest to become a doctor.
Later Wylie takes up with salesman Dr. Majul Majul Dadu Budge Budge Burns, inventor of the
Electric Belt. which has caused burns to many men. Majul Majul turns to a new source of income,
the sale of a burn remedy and hair restorer, with Wylie and Roselle as his sidekicks.
Warning: Each chapter begins with a recipe or two. For those who are animal lovers, vegetarians,
PETA members, or a bit squeamish, don't read the first recipe, and check the names of the ones
thereafter before reading.
Aside from the recipes, almost every page will make you laugh out loud. But the author has some
surprises in the final chapters and they hit hard.
I can't wait to read the sequel, MOONLIGHT RIDER, The Second Vegetarian.
All Around Me Peaceful
Kent Nelson
Dell Publishing
666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10103
0385297157, $19.00, 397pp
Coletta Ollerer
Reviewer
Neil Shanks is a young man who hails from Michigan where his family has a prosperous lumber
business which was financed by his great grandfather's Colorado mining efforts. Neil has always
been interested in his forebear and determines to go west to discover how he made his money. It
had
never been fully explained to anyone.
Neil starts working for a newspaper in the town of Gold Hill, Colorado, then opens a sandwich
shop, then a souvenier shop, all to keep himself sheltered and fed while he searches archives to
find
out about his great grandfather, Thomas Shanks.
He strikes up a friendship with Becky Carlsson, who finds him interesting because he is so
different
from other men she knows. He enjoys reading and lends her some books. She is entranced by the
new things she learns from this platonic relationship. She does not tell her husband, Finn, because
he
would not understand the friendship.
Hunting season starts in this mountainous area and nearly everyone in town sets out for their
hunting
camps including Finn and Becky. Snow begins to fall heavily and a few days later an exhausted
Finn
comes back into town, having arrived there by hanging onto the tail of his horse and walking
down
the mountain. He reports that Becky had been lost while they were hunting and he doesn't know
where she is. "`Becky,' Finn said. He opened his eyes again, but stared blankly, as if he couldn't
remember where he was or what he'd said. The usual tightness of his mouth was gone, and his lips
were slack." (p80)
Sheriff Ed Wainright sends Aurey Vallejos, a local experienced climber, to find her. Later groups
of
townspeople and volumteers go out in waves to search for the missing girl.
Neil gets a clue about his great grandfather from the Indian Museum and finally comes to
discovery.
"To whom could he explain what he knew? Who would listen? None of his family would want to
hear such a story. Thomas was a man of their own blood, a hero." (p361) He decides to return to
Michigan but stays to help search for Becky.
The Colorado Search and Rescue team spots something from the helicopter. Something red in the
snow seen at a distant and secluded part of the mountain. Ed sends Aurey to investigate. Aurey
reports back that it was a bloody ptarmigan apparently killed by a coyote.
The search continues but on more than one level. People find themselves looking inside while
searching outside. Some recognize the need for change and go forward, others are locked in
neutral.
Some see no need for change, and there are those who find reform forced upon them.
Millard Fillmore, Mon Amour: A Novel
John Blumenthal
St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 0312323689 $12.95 320 Pages
Jennifer Colt, Reviewer
www.jennifercolt.com
A Booksense76 pick for September 2004.
Plato G. Fussell is rich, handsome, and a complete mess, ensnarled in a web of compulsions that
have him doing everything from starching his argyle socks to speaking backwards. He keeps his
galoshes close, his Xanax closer. But Plato is a nut you can love (and frighteningly, identify
with).
The question is, can he break through his neuroses and take a chance on the ultimate human
experience a connection with another human being? Or will he forever be consigned to an
obsessively ordered bachelorhood, convinced that romantic love is but a practical joke played on
us
by our wily hormones?
Plato's last hopes of normality were dashed by a failed marriage eight years ago. The sale of his
Internet company left him with an impressive fortune and considerable free time: "twenty-four
hours
a day." So he dotes on his odd parents and his dachshund Isabella. He embarks on a lifelong quest
to
discover the true "Millard Fillmore," penning a ten volume biography of history's most forgettable
President. He also attends twice-weekly sessions with his psychiatrist, Dr. Alphonso K.
Wang.
But when he's hit in the head with a Frisbee at Dr. Wang's patient picnic, Plato starts to believe in
kismet. The culprit is a beautiful woman named Emily Thorndyke, who can match him neurosis
for
neurosis, and whose own slobbering mutt is providentially named Ferdinand.
Plato falls almost instantly for Emily (of course, they both need affidavits from each other's doctor
ensuring a clean bill of health, first). Taking this one brick from the wall of his emotional fortress
has
hilariously disastrous consequences, as every defense that kept Plato functioning as a "somewhat
quirky, pseudo-insane" person comes tumbling down around his ears.
Millard Fillmore, Mon Amour is romantic comedy of the highest order, a book so funny you will
think you're completely laughed out halfway through inured, by that time, to the witty dialog, the
devilishly clever story turns, the puns (never intended), and then
You're in convulsions all over again. It does not let up. It is relentless.
For those who have mourned the demise of Woody Allen, this is the good news: John Blumenthal
is
in the house. A storyteller of wit, warmth and charm he has picked up the Allen mantle and is out
there waving it around like a crazy man.
Millard Fillmore, Mon Amour. Read it and be very glad you did.
Also recommended: What's Wrong with Dorfman? By John Blumenthal
Tibetan Astrology
Philippe Cornu
Translated by Hamish Gregor
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Horticultural Hall, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
www.shambhala.com
ISBN: 1570629633 $16.95 294 pages
Rose Glavas
Reviewer
Tibet brings to my mind mystery. This immediately gets my interest because I love to delve into
just
about anything that explores the unknown.
Combine mystery with astrology and I couldn't wait to set time aside to explore this detailed book
on Tibetan Astrology. According to the back cover, this is the first detailed book on this subject.
It
was originally written in French, but was translated into English by Hamish Gregor.
Philippe Cornu has studied and practiced Tibetan Buddhism with Dudjom Rinpoche, Sogyal
Rinpoche, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, and other teachers of the Nyingma tradition. He is the
author
or translator (into French) of several books on the Nyingma school and Dzogchen.
Tibetan Astrology is quite complex and needs an understanding of the cultural and spiritual
history
of this mysterious country. This is covered in Part One - General Considerations where a concise
look as these topics has been prepared. Part Two - Practical Astrology goes into the technical
information needed to use this system of astrology - get ready for your brain to be boggled!
I have to be honest and say that I was a bit naive in starting my review on this book, I had no idea
that this topic would be so complicated! I enjoyed reading most of the background in Part One
but
when I got into the technical side of "Tibetan Astrology" I found it hard to take all of the
information in. Basically, this is a totally different way of using astrology to our Western version
and, I feel, needs more than a book to learn. "Tibetan Astrology" is certainly a book for the more
confident and experienced astrologer.
This is why I would recommend this book to be used as a reference in conjunction with some type
of
educational course. This is simply because of the complex nature of the topic.
The author has done exceptionally well in presenting the complicated Eastern theories to the
Western mindset and should be congratulated on this achievement. But again, I think it is too
complicated to learn from a book (or maybe I should just have another coffee to get my brain
moving along!).
In summary, if you are looking for a challenge in your quest for astrological knowledge you've hit
the jackpot!
Waltz With Me, Alaska
Donna Blasor-Bernhardt, JADA Press
Jacksonville, FL
http://www.JadaPress.com
ISBN: 0974750115, $19.95, 271 pp.
Jody Pryor
Reviewer
I met the author, Donna Blasor-Bernhardt a couple years ago on an Internet list. Through her
emails, and visiting her web site, she encompassed everything I associated with being Alaskan.
When
she announced the release of her book pertaining to the thirteen months Donna and her family
lived
in a tent, I knew it was one book I had to read.
Donna, Dick, and their two children left Anchorage in 1977 to find the Alaska Donna and Dick
remembered as kids. As summer drew to a close, they finally found their new home, in the last
place
they ever expected to live, Tok.
Blasor-Bernhardt takes the reader on a journey that will linger long after the last page has ended. I
found myself alternating between laughter and tears as she shared her life with me.
She takes the reader from the harsh reality of life in the tent during -70 degree weather, to the
beauty of Alaska flawlessly.
"After once again shoving a log into the stove, then squirting the roof (a chore they did constantly
to
keep the tent from catching on fire), I noticed the frost had moved higher up the inside of the tent
walls. I could almost see it moving. Knowing the temperature was dropping rapidly...I decided to
go
outside and check the thermometer.
"A spectacular night greeted me.... The sky...was filled with stars that fairly leaped from their
places
in space. They flickered like swarms of fireflies attracted to the North Star. Mountains glowed
beneath northern lights dancing gracefully to an unheard heavenly symphony. A full moon shown
over us all. Nearly bright as day, frost sparkled brightly on the tree boughs."
Waltz With Me, Alaska will appeal to any reader who wants to learn about Alaska. Not only the
beauty of the 49th state, but the harshness, and the people who call Alaska home.
As I read Ms. Blasor-Bernhardt's words, I felt as if I were sitting across the table from her,
listening
to her confide what she and her family had endured during those thirteen months. When they went
hungry, I felt their hunger. When the temperature dropped outside and inside their tent, I
shivered,
though it was summer outside. As they overcame each obstacle, I cheered for them.
This is a true story of the Bernhardt's rediscovery of their love for Alaska and their family. Donna
writes for the Tok newspaper, has been featured in countless newspapers and magazines,
including
Peter Jenkins book, Looking for Alaska. She has self-published five books of poetry, two short
historical books, two recipe books and a children's book. Donna is poet laureate for Tok and the
Alaska Highway.
A complete list of her other works, including her latest detailing the building of the Alaska
Highway,
Pioneer Road, can be found at http://www.alaska-wintercabin.com/
Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece
Debra Hamel
Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300094310 $26.00 200 pages
Medb
Reviewer
Trying Neaira is just what one would NOT expect an historical nonfiction book to be: witty and
easy
to read, with little bizarre bits that one just MUST read out loud! Furthermore, her writing style is
light and makes a normal dry subject (the ancient Athenian judicial system) interesting and
comprehensible.
Neaira was a prostitute in the 4th century, who grew up in Corinth and eventually found herself in
a
stable relationship as the long-time mistress of an influential Athenian, Stephanos. Unfortunately,
Stephanos had an equally influential enemy (or at least rival) Apollodoros. They battled back and
forth in the courts, and eventually Apollodoros hit on a different way to attack
Stephanos--through
Neaira.
Athenian laws were quite strict about foreigners and allowed no intermarriage. Apollodoros set
out
to prove that Neaira was living with Stephanos as his wife, instead of as his mistress, and that
their
children were being given the rights of Athenian citizens--which, as Neaira's children, they never
could be.
Using Apollodoros speech to the jury, Hamel recreates Neaira's life, while using other sources to
fill
out the story with interesting details about prostitution, jury duty, social customs and Athenian
law.*
Hamel approaches Neaira's life (via the speech) as a detective would, piecing together bits,
shifting
out obvious falsehoods, and in the end presenting a surprising full picture of one woman's
life.
This is an excellent book for anyone who is, or who is NOT, interested in ancient Athenian law. I,
myself, had not the least curiosity in said subject and yet found myself fascinated, all the while
being
constantly entertained by her sly wit and bizarre trivia. I learned enough from this book to become
quite interested in Athenian history and I feel it will have the same effect on any other casual
historian.
*to quote from the Preface:
Apollodoros' speech, inevitably hostile to Neaira, must be the principal source for her biography,
though we will need very often to question and reject the information he provides. Where what he
tells us is not inherently unlikely, however, or contradicted by other sources, and when lying
about
the issue under discussion would not have furthered the prosecution's case, we can feel reasonably
confident about accepting Apollodoros' testimony. Fleshing out Neaira's story, too, will require
frequent dips into other source material.
Screams From the Furnace
Marjaree Mayne
Writers Showcase
www.iuniverse.com
ISBN# 059515414X $15.95 303 pgs
Rick Mohr
Reviewer
I've been doing book reviews for quite a while now and have had the privilege of reading some
really
great work by a lot of authors you have never heard of but need to, as well as some that can only
ever aspire to mediocre. Every now and then, one will rise to the top and make me wonder why
there are not more people reading this why is this author languishing in relative obscurity, and
even
more so, why is this work not published by one of the major publishing houses? I am delighted to
say, that this is most assuredly the case with Screams From The Furnace by Marjaree Mayne. Her
writing is of such a quality, her characters and situations so real and electrifying, that I cannot
truly
begin to express the feeling I had while reading. I don't know how much research went into this; if
she dug into the minds of serial killers or if it is even based on a real case or not, but this story is
as
well told as anything published by one of the big houses, or the best episodes of C.S.I. (take your
pick which one), or Law and Order (again, pick which series you like).
Within the pages of this work, you see how some lives are harder than others. The homeless or
streeters, are at a much higher risk for violent crimes and the chances that any will even notice
their
absence is low. They are the perfect pray for a serial murderer.
In Screams From the Furnace, the streeters of Daytona Beach Florida are disappearing without a
trace. There is a man stalking them who strongly believes he is doing God's work and has to settle
an old score. Joanne Logan, a reporter assigned to live with the streeters, finds herself thrown
right
in the middle of the crisis, which becomes more personal each day as she grows to love not only
her
new friends but also the free lifestyle they lead. After the loss of a close friend to the killer, Joanne
and her new family of streeters, set out to do what the police can't -- or don't care enough to do --
to
catch and bring to justice the person who is stalking and killing the homeless.
As I was saying above, the characters and setting in this novel are so real that it could easily pass
as
true crime. The motives are clear and frightening. Besides, I live only about an hour's drive from
Daytona Beach, and I can verify that she has the look and feel of the town down cold. There is a
side of the 'World's Most Famous Beach' that the City Council does not want anyone to know
exists,
and her covering it brings to light the blight which no one wants to admit exist -- that there are
many
homeless which wander the streets. However, what Ms. Mayne does which I find so remarkable
and
commendable is that she does not simply portray them as unclean masses, but infuses each with
such
personality and depth that we, as readers, grow to not only know and care about each of them we
meet, but to also empathize with them and their situation.
Screams From The Furnace by Marjaree Mayne is the novel that other writers should turn to see
how it's done. I don't know if it is the perfect novel, but it is pretty darn close. This gets the
highest
recommendation I can give. The only thing I don't understand is why is this not out by one of the
major house -- this work and the author deserves, no, demands, to be seen by a wider audience. I
only hope with her next release she gets the recognition she is rightly due.
Semper Fi: Business Leadership the Marine Corps Way
Dan Carrison & Rod Walsh
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
ISBN 0814472729, $15.00, 1-800-250-5308, 226 pages
Roger Herman
Reviewer
Great Value at Twice the Price
Semper Fi is one of the best business books I've read in a long time. And that's a pretty strong
statement from an avid reader and reviewer with over three decades of experience as a
management
consultant and executive.
Somehow I missed this book when it was first released in 1999 in a hardcover edition. As the
authors point out in their introduction, the messages contained in the book are perhaps more
relevant today than they were in 1999. We face more challenges, different corporate and
operating
environments, and greater needs for strong leadership than ever before. Complicating this
condition
is the serious dearth of leadership in corporate America. Our playing field is no longer level now
more like shifting sands or shifting geology. Special leadership is needed in times of
earthquakes!
The United States Marine Corps builds leaders, and has for centuries. The application of
techniques
and values to make a Marine or a Marine officer are powerful and proven; they have stood the
test
of time. The authors, both former active duty Marines ("once a Marine, always a Marine"),
explain
the process and the foundation that makes each Marine and the Corps so well-respected and so
effective. These principles really resonated with me as I read page after page, in light of the role of
the Marines in the history that leaps out of our front pages every day.
Each chapter begins with some aspect of how the Marines do it, then relate the principles to
business
applications. The advice is solid, inspiring, and immediately useful. The content and the writing
style
held my rapt attention and made me want more. I was actually disappointed when the book
ended.
And I found myself wishing I had served my country as a Marine instead of a dedicated member
of
the US Army. Now understanding the difference, I am sorry I missed what Marines get. And, at
the
same time, I'm anxious to share the message of this book with clients and friends.
With a price tag of only $15 retail, corporate leaders can purchase copies of Semper Fi to give to
each of their executives and managers at least. Learn, appreciate, and apply the knowledge in
these
pages to change your organization into a high performance team. Idea: if your company is
fortunate
enough to have former Marines or reservists on the payroll, call on them to validate and explain
what being a Marine is all about and what the experience means to them today.
Gandhi: Behind the Mask of Divinity
G. B. Singh
Prometheus
ISBN 1573929980, $32.00 355 pp.
Xavier William
Reviewer
Mud is one of the most plentiful and cheapest of materials on earth and slinging it is one of the
easiest of pastimes. It has been said that the success of a man can be measured by the number of
his
enemies. It may safely be added that the greatness of a man or woman can be gauged by the
amount
of mud slung at him or her. The truth is that we humans have a propensity to make titans of
ordinary
men and women and then comes the equal and opposite reaction of tarring and feathering great
man
or woman. The mud slung at Gandhi by G.B.Singh only adds to the greatness of the Mahatma.
(Mahatma means large minded).
I was born into a Catholic family in Kerala on the SW coast of India hardly a month after India
gained independence and Godse assassinated Gandhi. The ecclesiastical establishment was not
happy
about the independence as the Christian community in India was mostly pro-British, pro-Christian
West. Gandhi was painted as a diabolic force by my community. Then the India Government
propaganda machinery began churning and Gandhi was painted as one of the greatest men of all
times, the Mahatma. According to that propaganda Gandhi lived with the untouchables and the
scavengers, used the same toilets as they did and even cleaned the toilets. According to the
government propaganda this cleaning of toilets was the cause of much friction between him and
his
wife Kasturba.
I am not a student of history and so am not in a position to give a real picture of Gandhi. But I
would like to lay before you some facts I know first hand that might belie much of what Singh has
described in his work.
By the time I was six I was put into a primary school run by nuns and subsequently into a high
school run by priests. Then I went to a college run by the diocese and last to an engineering
college
run by the government. All along I had Harijans as classmates. Harijan is a euphemism for the low
castes and untouchables and means people of god. This term was coined by Gandhi. They are also
called Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, as there is schedule of such castes and tribes of
formerly untouchables. The students belonging to the Scheduled castes and tribes do not have to
pay
any fees and have special reservation in colleges. Their hostel and food expenses are paid for by
the
government and they also get a monthly stipend. Once they are through with their education they
have special job reservations and get preferential treatment in promotions. All these privileges
were
there with independence and if Gandhi were casteist as Singh alleges, this would not have come
about.
I have also heard it said that before he died he forgave his assassin, Godse. That does not come
easy
for an ordinary human being. It may also be noted that Godse was a high caste Hindu and bore a
grudge against Gandhi for his secularism.
Gandhi could very well have chosen to become India's first ruler. Instead he gave way to Nehru
and
that too does not come easy for an ordinary human being. If Gandhi had chosen to lead the new
government he would have been well protected and he might in all probability have not been
assassinated. As a result India would have had Gandhi's grandsons and granddaughters-in-law
ruling
India instead of Nehru's. By the way, people in the West have the misconception that the Gandhis
ruling India today are descendents of the Mahatma Gandhi. Nothing could be farther from the
truth.
The ruling Gandhis of India are not even remotely related to the Mahatma.
I have read an essay or two by Mahatma Gandhi and there are two quotations attributed to him
that
I still remember after so many decades. One is 'If you take an eye for an eye, then the whole world
will finally go blind' and the second quotation is 'No one can insult you without your permission'
Then there are a series of advices attributed to him and displayed at many government offices and
businesses across India and these stress the necessity of serving the customers and the
people.
He had his faults. He advocated self sufficient villages. This was economic naivet‚ and a pointer
to
his total ignorance of macro and micro economics.
Khuswant Singh, a turbaned Sikh from the same community as G.B.Singh , has also written a
defamatory treatise on Gandhi. In his works he has alleged that the aged Gandhi slept with naked
girls on either side to test his self-control. Chairman Mao has also been accused of sleeping with
virgins every night. But then Mao had the absolute power to enforce every wish of his. Gandhi
had
no such power in pre-independent India and if there were even the inkling of such sexual
misdemeanor on the part of Gandhi, the English would have been the first to pounce on the
opportunity to denigrate Gandhi.
I have seen news reels of Gandhi leaning on the shoulders of young girls as he walked. In my own
society it is and was perceived as a misdemeanor. But then I am not in a position to judge Gandhi
by
the same yardstick, as he belonged a distant society and a distant period from mine. Even if there
were misdemeanors and shortcomings on his part they only serve to highlight the greatness of a
fallible man.
Alisa's Bookshelf
The Winter Oak
James A. Hetley
Ace
http://www.penguin.com
ISBN: 0441012019 $14.00 295 pp.
Camelot is long gone. Merlin was not the benevolent wizard nor was Arthur the true hero. Very
little about the legends are true except that a magical place exists called the Summer Country.
James Hetley has taken a modern fantasy tale and reminded us that happy endings never happen in
the real world. Winter Oak is a wonderful follow-up to the Summer Country.
At the conclusion of the Summer Country, Maureen had come into her own as a witch by killing
Dougal and defeating Fiona. Maureen rescued Brian from his half-sister Fiona's twisted binding
and
found a way to free her sister, Jo and David, Jo's boyfriend. Maureen suddenly finds herself in
possession of a castle with slaves, a boyfriend, a very pissed-off dragon, powers she is just
beginning
to understand, and benefactress of a forest with unknown delights and dangers.
Winter Oak starts with Jo and David's return to the real world and all its troubles. Time has
elapsed
and Jo and David cannot just return to their lives as if nothing has happened. Too much has
happened for all to be as it was. David and Jo must find a way to face all the changes and to
decide
if they do indeed love each other.
Childhood sexual abuse and other abuses have scarred Maureen and negatively effected Jo. Each
finds a sort of solace and succor in a bottle. Of course alcohol only provides temporary relief and
creates more problems. Jo is forced to reckon with her parent's relationship - the outcome of
which
will change everything for Jo and Maureen.
Maureen is haunted by all around her. She cannot accept Brian's love nor can she fathom why he
remains. The bottle provides a means to deaden all the pain in her mind. Luckily, Maureen has the
forest to support and love her unconditionally.
Brian finds himself thrust into a web of deceit and betrayal involving the Pendragons. He is
unwilling
forced to leave Maureen and in order to hang onto his own life. Much is revealed in his struggle
to
return to Maureen.
The wicked black witch Fiona lends a macabre presence in the Summer Country. Having
impregnated herself with her own half-brother, Brian, she plots to destroy Maureen and Jo. Fiona
crafts magic and science to bring ruin to those she feels threatened by. Fiona lies in wait, probing
for
weaknesses she can use to destroy Maureen, Jo, and Brian.
After reading Winter Oak, I was stunned by the depth of the continuing story started in the
Summer
Country. The dark, twisted, urban fantasy only expanded to another level while allowing us
readers
to enjoy the ride. Maureen is so burdened by all her problems that it is easy to understand how
hopeless she feels. The addition of alcohol makes the scene that much more depressing. Maureen's
descent into alcoholism is incredibly realistic and painful to read.
The realism of Jo and David's difficulties further validates James Hetley as not your average
fantasy
author. While most fantasy books rely on the fantastic to convey interesting stories, Hetley relies
on
the underbelly of what we all have come to believe in as real. Reality is gritty and has teeth. The
Winter Oak is earthy, dark, and yet redeeming all at once. Each character plays a part in their own
redemption. No one waves a wand or casts a spell that suddenly makes all their unhappiness and
pain go away. Instead, magic only enhances their abilities to survive and to heal.
Incubus Dreams
Laurell K. Hamilton
Berkley Publishing Group
http://www.penguin.com
ISBN: 0425198243 $23.95 658 pp.
Incubus Dreams is author Laurell K. Hamilton's latest installment in the Anita Blake, Vampire
Hunter series. After 11 books in this series, Hamilton still manages to surprise the reader with
new
material.
Incubus Dreams opens at a wedding Tammy and Larry's. This is not a church event as the
blushing
bride is not only a cop, but a witch as well. Not to mention that the groom raises the dead for a
living. It would seem a Halloween theme has been somehow made to fit for a wedding orange
bridesmaid dresses, orange and black decorations, and so on. Thankfully, Anita is on the groom's
side and allowed to wear a tux as a 'groomsman.' The Anita we know has been forced into many a
bridesmaid dress but the orange creations for this wedding are horrid in every way.
As with any event in Anita's life, a murder takes place and she is forced to leave the wedding to
fulfill her duties as a consultant to the Regional Preternatural Investigation Unit and a Federal
Marshal. The murder is almost tame after the murder scenes visited in Narcissus in Chains and
Cerulean Sins. Just a dead stripper. Only twist is that this stripper seems to have been drained dry
by
multiple vampires. While Anita is positive none of her lover and the vampire Master of the City
Jean-Claude's vampires would commit this crime, others are not convinced. Anita must face many
prejudices and find ways to fit into the cop mentality once again.
To add more spice to the murder storyline, Anita, Jean-Claude, and Richard - werewolf and
Ulfric,
enter into a new power level. This creates many conflicts within Anita's life. Not only must she
embrace Richard's beast and her own, but into this comes her 'vampire servant' Damian's
loneliness,
everyone's rage, Jean-Claude's blood lust and ardeur to round out the mix. Everything in Anita's
life
hinges on her ability to be flexible and accepting. These are not two characteristics that Anita has
been known to posses in the past.
Incubus Dreams delivers to more then just a die hard Hamilton fan. The mystery/murder is
interesting and allows us to experience the horror of the monsters. Anita has just enough friction
from her fellow investigators to remind us just how sexist and bigoted the old boy's school
mentality
can be. Her new powers enhance her skills in the investigation, but also hinder her with their
baggage. Nothing is every straight forward with Anita and her powers.
While many consider the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series to be nothing more than erotica,
they
are vastly underrating the series. Incubus Dreams does contain many explicit sexual encounters.
Some of these encounters are not pleasant to read nor do I think they are meant to be. The
powerful sexual incubus that Jean-Claude has inadvertently shared with Anita is not amiable. It is
a
driving force that she must feed or face the consequences. This dilemma gives rise to the sexual
acts.
The sexuality is not gratuitous in nature and has a purpose in the story arc of the entire
series.
Incubus Dreams allows the reader to see that Laurell K. Hamilton is still able to produce amazing
characters in mind-blowing situations. The story line of the mystery/murder and Anita's life is
continued, but more complete then any of the previous books. Hamilton has allowed herself to
write
until she has completed the story and it shows in the 658 pages of Incubus Dreams. I look
forward
to the next installment of Anita Blake.
Laurell K. Hamilton is the St. Louis author of twelve Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series books
and
three novels in the Meredith Gentry series. She has also published a number of short stories along
with another novel recently re-released, Nightseer.
Alisa McCune
Reviewer
Bethany's Bookshelf
Nobody's Perfect
Charlotte Chandler
Applause Theatre Books
c/o Hal Leonard Corporation
151 West 46th Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10036
1557836329 $17.95 1-800-637-2852
Nobody's Perfect: Billy Wilder by biographer Charlotte Chandler is the personal and engaging
story
of one of the great figures of 20th century movie-making -- the legendary Billy Wilder
(1906-2002).
The great director perhaps best known for classics such as "Some Like It Hot", "The Apartment",
"Sunset Boulevard", and many more, Billy Wilder narrates much of "Nobody's Perfect" in his own
words, rendering it as close to an autobiography as any story of his life can be. A filmography
complements this witty, insightful, life story of a creative visionary.
The Persian Blanket
Tim Chappell
Fremantle Arts Centre Press/ISBS, dist.
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
192073144X $22.50 1-800-944-6190 www.isbscatalog.com
The Persian Blanket: The Life Of Janina Milek by Tim Chappell is the true story of one woman's
determination and spirit. Born in Poland in 1921, Janina Milek and her family were sent to Siberia
in
the winter of 1940. She worked in labor camps for two years, then spent eight years as a refugee
in
camps in Uzbekistan, Persia, Northern Rhodesia and Tanganyika. At each stage of her journey,
members of her family left her - whether succumbing to death, left behind, or striking out on other
roads. In 1950, she came to Western Australia alone, and formed a connection with author Tim
Chappell. A heart-wrenching life experience, reflecting a stirring testimony to the strength of
human
will.
As Long As This Land Shall Last
Rene Fumoleau
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive, N.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
1552380637 $24.95 1-800-565-3770 www.uofcpress.com
Now in a new edition with an afterword by Joanne Barnaby that covers signficant cultural
developments since the first edition, As Long As This Land Shall Last: A History Of Treaty 8 and
Treaty 11, 1870-1939 by Canadian historian Rene Fumoleau examines two specific treaties
(Treaty
8 - 1899-1900 and Treaty 11 - 1921) between the Canadian government and the First Nations
peoples from northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. These treaties promised that the
native
peoples could live and hunt in freedom on their ancestral lands "as long as the sun rises from east
to
west, as long as the river flows downstream, as long as this land shall last." Black-and-white
photographs and plain-terms text clearly spell out history, expectations, and conflicts. A welcome
contribution to Native American history and reference shelves.
The Story Of V
Catherine Blackledge
Rutgers University Press
100 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8099
0813534550, $24.95 1-800-446-9323 http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu
The Story Of V: A Natural History Of Female Sexuality by science writer Catherine Blackledge is
a
methodical, meticulous discussion of female sexual organs and their role in sexual pleasure,
reproduction, and myth throughout history. Black-and-white illustrations are sparsely included;
the
text itself is straightforwardly clinical as it describes physical biology and representations of the
vagina in art and architecture in-depth. A serious and scholarly treatment of an oft-overlooked
portion of the human body.
Empowered Girls
Frances A. Karnes & Kristen R. Stephens
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
1593630050 $27.95 1-800-998-2208 www.prufrock.com
Empowered Girls: A Girl's Guide To Positive Activism, Volunteering, And Philanthropy by the
team
of Frances A. Karnes (Professor of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Educatonl, University of
Southern Mississippi) and Kristen R. Stephens (Support Services Coordinator, Duke University
Talent identification Program, and Adjunct Assistant Professor in Programs in Education, Duke
University) is a solid, practical, hands-on guide for young women seeking to become active in
their
school and community. Filled with strategies and methods for getting involved, whether in
activism,
volunteering, community service, or philanthropy, and offering the testimony of girls who
contributed and brought their inspiration, Empowered Girls is truly a soul-charging read and an
encouraging self-help guide to setting out and making the world a better place.
Complete Guide To Carb Counting
Hope S. Warshaw & Karmeen Kulkarni
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street , Alexandria, VA 22311
1580402038 $16.95 www.diabetes.org
In fulfillment of their mission to improve the lives and health of people affected by diabetes, the
American Diabetes Association has come out with a new instruction manual about counting
carbohydrates to assist in the planning of meals and management of glucose levels for men and
women who have to deal with diabetes in their daily lives. Now in an updated and expanded
second
edition, Complete Guide To Carb Counting by diabetes treatment experts Hope Warshaw and
Karmeen Kulkarni covers the basics of carb counting, as well as protein, fat, and alcohol counts,
how to figure and manage restaurant meals, blood glucose pattern management, common
questions
and answers, and much more. A no-nonsense, plain-terms guide, that walks the reader through
simple formulas that anyone can follow and adapt.
Remember The Distance That Divides Us
Marcia J. Heringa Mason, editor
Michigan State University Press
Suite 25, Manly Miles Building, 1405 South Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48823-5202
0870137131 $42.95 www.msupress.msu.edu
Compiled and edited by museum administrator Marcia Mason, Remember The Distance That
Divides Us: The Family Letters Of Philadelphia Quaker Abolitionist And Michigan Pioneer
Elizabeth
Margaret Chandler 1830-1842 is the true story of a middle-class woman who left behind privelege
in
her early 20's to head into the wilderness of Michigan Territory with her brother and aunt. She
became an enthusiastic abolitionist and activist for four years, until her unfortunate death four
years
later. Her literate and inspirational correspondence, most of which was written to family members
during her years in Michigan, has been straightforwardly transcribed and presented, along with a
smattering of letters from other family members concerning her life. Her tireless contribution to
the
abolitionist cause as well as her remarkable contributions has caused her to be viewed as a
precursor
to the more well-known Grimke sisters. A first-hand glimpse into a fascinating pioneer life.
Susan Bethany
Reviewer
Betsy's Bookshelf
All These Girls
Ellen Slezak
Theia
c/o Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
0786867426 $23.95 1-800-759-0190 www.HyperionBooks.com www.TheiaBooks.com
All These Girls by Ellen Slezak is the story of a bond between a young woman and aunts. Candy
Golden has lost her mother, and quit her high school basketball team in the wake of accusations of
having sex with her coach. Her Grandaunt Gloria struggles to help Candy straighten out and
reclaim
the energy to return to the basketball court, while her other, more distant aunt Elizabeth
reluctantly
comes along in what is meant to be a rejuvenating trip. Yet the travel goes off-course, and places
the
three of them in a remote locale, confronted by characters that will make them re-examine who
they
all are and what they are striving for in life. A story of emotional transformation, hope, and
forgiveness in troubled times.
The Mystery of Mary Surratt
Rebecca C. Jones
Tidewater Publishers
PO Box 456, Centreville, Maryland 21617
087033560X $9.95 1-800-638-7641
The Mystery of Mary Surratt is a straightforward treatment of a controversy in American history,
concerning the role of Mary Surratt in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Convicted and
hanged
in 1865 for conspiring to bring about his death, it remains a matter of debate whether she was a
criminal mastermind or an unwitting dupe who did a few favors for her friend John Wilkes Booth.
An aptly researched and presented account by accomplished reporter and journalism professor
Rebecca Jones, The Mystery of Mary Surratt is a head-on, no-nonsense, and engrossing look at
an
individual criminal justice case presented in plain terms for general readers of all ages.
Bound For Montana
Susan Badger Doyle
MontanaHistorical Society Press
PO Box 201201, Helena, MT 59620-1201
0917298985 $19.95 1-800-243-9900 www.montanahistoricalsociety.org
In Bound For Montana: Diaries From The Bozeman Trail, western historian Susan Badger Doyle
has compiled and annotated diaries and journals kept by men and women who traveled through
the
American west on the Bozeman Trail. The Bozeman Trail was a route from the Platte River Road
to
the goldfields of Montana; its experience through the eyes of seven different people, ranging from
a
new bride traveling with her husband to a prospector in search of wealth to a Civil War veteran, is
all recounted in the travellers' own words. A fascinating primary source, as useful for historians
and
period piece writers as it is entertaining to lay readers.
Faux and Decorative Painting
Christine E. Barnes
Sunset Publishing Corporation
80 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025-3691
0376014105 $16.95 1-800-643-8030 www.sunset.com
Faux and Decorative Painting is a no-nonsense guide to beautifully coloring one's walls with
water-based painting and glazing. Full color photographs and step-by-step instructions
demonstrate
37 quick and easy latex painting techniques, from simple solid colors to designing petroglyph wall
stencils. A superbly enjoyable home improvement resource, as fun to page through as it is to pick
out follow project ideas.
The Writer's Handbook 2005
Elfrieda Abbe, editor
The Writer Books
c/o Kalmbach Publishing Company
PO Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187
0871162121 $29.95 1-800-533-6644 www.kalmbach.com
Exhaustively compiled and adroitly edited by Elfrieda Abbe, The Writer's Handbook 2005
features
articles from top writers worldwide offering tips, tricks, and techniques for both the process of
writing and the difficulties of earning a living at the craft. Everything from screenplay writing to
novel writing to nonfiction, magazine subscriptions, and more, as well as names and address
listings
of publishers and annual awards accepting open submissions jam-pack this superbly informative,
"must-have" resource for aspiring professional writers everywhere. Whether one is just starting
out
or looking to hone's one craft or sell one's work, The Writer's Handbook 2005 is absolutely not to
be missed. The 69th edition for 2005 especially features a brand-new reference section with some
of
the best books and websites to be found on the internet, and copyright and contract basics.
Mommy Baby Body Builders
Lyda Liu & Lindy Shapiro
Lily Productions
411 Video Information (publicity)
PO Box 1067, Kiehei, HI 96753
VHS $19.95 www.lilypro.com
Also available in a DVD format, Mommy Baby Body Builders is the collaborative effort of
physical
therapist Lyda Liu and speech-language pathologist Lindy Shapiro. This 30 minute, full color, live
action "follow along" interactive, highly recommended instructional video offers the viewer a
practical and fun exercise regimen for baby and mother which combines patterns of behavior
germane to the daily tasks of motherhood and a baby's physical and mental growth. In addition to
post-natal exercise enabling a mother's body to strengthen, firm, and reshape after the physical
distortions and stresses of pregnancy and childbirth, these fun-filled, enjoyable exercises allow for
the natural increase in a healthy babies weight gain and physical maturation. Perhaps most
importantly, these mutual and interactive exercises enhance mother and baby bonding.
Chinese American Children & Families
Amy Lin Tan, Ph.D.
Association for Childhood Education International
17904 Georgia Ave., Ste. 215, Olney, MD 20832
0871731630 $18.50 www.acei.org
Chinese American Children & Families: A Guide for Educators & Service Providers is a
straightforward summary of Chinese beliefs and cultural practices that American educators, health
care workers and service providers need to know when working with the Chinese-American
community. Chapters address not only beliefs prevalent in mainland China, Hong Kong, and
Taiwan,
but also how living amidst American culture has influenced the traditional ways of doing things
especially for second and third-generation Chinese. Topics covered include cultural views of
disabilities and emotional or belief-system oriented impediments to seeking help for a disabled
child,
folk nutritional practices, attitudes toward education, child-rearing practices, family composition
and
structure, and more among Chinese-Americans. A plain-terms, easy-to-understand overview,
highly
recommended for anyone who needs to work with Chinese-American communities.
Betsy L. Hogan
Reviewer
Betty's Bookshelf
Emerald Sea
John Ringo
Baen Publishing Enerprises
P.O. Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com
0743488334 $25.00 441 p.
I was a bit confused by the title of the first book in this series. Ringo called it There Will Be
Dragons, and I expected it to have lots of dragons in it. Instead, to the best of my memory, the
only
dragon in it was Joanna Gramlich, a young lady who'd Changed into a dragon to attend a friend's
birthday party, and ended up stuck in that form when the power net went down and the Dying
Time
began. I should have read it prophetically, I guess; Joanna is introduced again in Emerald Sea,
along
with what is possibly the coolest idea I've ever read in a fantasy sci fi book, a dragon-carrier.
Dragons! Finally!
The United Free States is still at war with New Destiny, a Nazi-style dictatorship that considers
the
Changed as cannonfodder and the displaced family members of key personnel as legitimate
hostages,
with their safety and decent treatment dependent on what their family members do for ND in
return.
The USF now has a new weapon, the Bonhomme Richard, the first tall ship designed to carry a
wing
of dragons and their riders and launch them off its flight deck, in a manner similar to an aircraft
carrier. Comm. Gramlich's wing of wyverns (non-sentient dragons) and their riders, under the
command of Lieutenant Herrick, have been assigned to the Bonhomme as defense, so that their
diplomatic team can get across the ocean to the mer people, in the teeth of all-out attack by the
creatures and ships of New Destiny. But is there a spy on board?
If so, he (or she) is going to make it hard for the diplomatic team to reach the mer safely, let alone
forge an alliance between them and the people of the UFS. Meanwhile, if the ship's complement
wants to get there in one piece, they're going to have to find the spy and figure out how to use the
dragons' defensive abilities offensively. It won't be easy...
But the mer only want to be left alone - at least, until ND secretly sends a pod of Changed orcas
and
manta rays against them, threatening their entire race. Caught between their desire to be neutral
and
their need to survive, the mer must decide which to accept: the string-tied and insincere promises
of
ND? Or the freely-offered aid and friendship of the USF. And they must decide soon, before the
attacks succeed and it is all taken out of their hands.
This edge-of-your-seat book brought back all of my favorite characters from the first book: Duke
Edmund, the toughest Renn Faire reenactor ever; Herzer, once wasting away from illness and
now
Blood Lord Extraordinaire (like a Navy SEAL, only in armor); Rachel, Herzer's dream girl, who
loves him - like a sister; Bast, the wood elf, who loves him in a far different way; and the AI rabbit
cyborg, bunny from hell, who makes the Eveready bunny look like he's in suspended animation,
along with many others. And I now have a new favorite: Evan (the Ever-Efficient Engineer)
Mayerle, whose ability to come up with amazing answers to problems almost before they've been
brought to his attention reminds me of a cross between Scotty and McGyver.
You'll be cheering for the UFS all the way to the end, even though you may not have much doubt
as
to the outcome. After all, Herzer and his friends are on the UFS's side and he's a Blood Lord. And
Blood Lords fight until they die and drop. Hoo-ah!
Diary of a Worm
Doreen Cronin & Harry Bliss
Joanna Cotler Books
HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
http://www.harpercollins.com
006000150X $15.99 40 p.
Doreen Cronin, whose teamwork with Betsy Lewin produced the 2001 Caldecott Honor book
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, has teamed up with yet another talented illustrator (Harry
Bliss) to come up with Diary of a Worm, the side-splitting story of a young male earthworm, told
through his journal entries and upclose shots of his life.
At home, Worm gets scolded for telling his vain sister that, no matter how pretty she thinks she is,
her face will always look like her rear end, and is taught good manners by his grandfather.
At school, he gets in trouble for eating his homework, makes (and later eats) a macaroni necklace
in
art class, and attends a school dance, where he and friends do the Hokey Pokey - sort of.
After school, Worm plays with his friend Spider, fights with him about the importance of legs, and
makes him laugh so hard he falls off his tree. Other funny bits: Worm's choice of future career
(Secret Service), a nightmare he has, caused by eating too much garage before bed, and what he
likes and dislikes about being a worm. Also funny: "snapshots" of him and his family, friends, and
classmates, found on the flyleaf in both front and back.
There's more to this book than humor, though; it is also an ideal book for introducing the
importance of earthworms in the earth's ecosystem, using the serious comments that have been
slyly
tucked in alongside the fun.
Betty Winslow
Reviewer
Buhle's Bookshelf
Eloquent Witnesses
Mirjam M. Foot
Oak Knoll Press
310 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19720-5038
0712348271 (The British Library); 1-800-996-2556 www.amazon.com
1584561173 (Oak Knoll Press), $65.00 www.oakknoll.com
An impressive joint publishing project of the Bibliographical Society, The British Library, and
Oak
Knoll Press, Eloquent Witnesses: Bookbindings And Their History is a compilation of essays
knowledgably edited by Mirjam M. Foot and "must" reading for all dedicated bibliophiles. A
scattering of black-and-white illustrations and photographs and text printed on high-quality paper
enhance this in-depth study connecting minute aspects of bookbinding history, including tool
design,
manufacture and supply, the relationship of the bookbinder to the rest of the book trade and much
more. A scholarly treasure that explories the nuts and bolts of bookbinding through the ages in
minute detail.
The New Americans
Ruben Martinez
The New Press
38 Green Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10013
156584792X $29.95 1-800-233-4830 www.thenewpress.com
Written as a companion volume to the new PBS series available on television or video, The New
Americans by Emmy Award-winning journalist, poet, and performer Ruben Martinex (who is also
an
Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Houston) follows the stories of seven
new immigrant families from their roots in their home cultures to adapting to life in the United
States. An East Indian couple; a Mexican family, two families of Nigerian refugees; two L.A.
Dodgers prospects from the Dominican Republic; and a Palestinian American who brings his new
wife to Chicago, all have their stories told with an impeccable eye for the positives and negatives
of
forging a new life for oneself. A positive anthology of human determination and the capacity for
change and growth.
De Gaulle, Israel And The Jews
Raymond Aron
Transaction Publishers
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8042
0765809257 $24.95 1-888-999-6778 www.transactionpub.com
Enhanced with a new introduction by Michael Curtis (former professor of political science at
Rutgers University), De Gaulle, Israel And The Jews by the late political and social theorist of
post-World War II France Raymond Aron (1905-1983), continues to be germane to the
contemporary issues facing France with its five million muslims, Israel with its continuing tenous
relationship with the French government, and the Jewish population in France which has
experienced
a significant rise in antisemitic activies over the past few years. Expertly translated from the
original
French, De Gaulle, Israel, And The Jews studies de Gaulle's language and policies, including his
infamous 1967 press conference in which he characterized Jews as "an elite people, self-assured
and
domineering". Drawing upon a wealth of research and critical examination, De Gaulle, Israel, And
The Jews struggles to understand whether de Gaulle was truly anti-Semitic, what his real policies
and attitudes were toward Israel and how they connected with his Middle East policies, and his
legacy to modern-day France. An in-depth, technical analysis intended for students, scholars, and
historians, and a welcome contribution especially for students political science and Judaic
reference
shelves.
The Creation And Destruction Of Social Capital
Gunnar Lind Haase Svendsen & Gert Tinggaard Svendsen
Edward Elgar Publishing
136 West Street, Suite 202, Northampton, MA 01060-3711
1843766167 $90.00 1-800-390-3149 www.e-elgar.co.uk
The Creation And Destruction Of Social Capital: Entrepreneurship, Co-Operative Movements
And
Institutions by Gunnar and Gert Svendsen, applies the authors' scholarship in economics to
scrutinize social capital as the "forgotten" production factor, in addition to physical, financial and
human capital. Exploring how social capital is created and destroyed, in a combination of political
science, economics, anthropology, sociology, and history, The Creation And Destruction Of
Social
Capital delves into case studies and notes that some of the most brilliant entrepreneurs were as
motivated by social incentives as by the hunger for financial reward. A welcome contribution to
scholarly economic and public policy debates, The Creation And Destruction Of Social Capital is
written for advanced students yet offers insights critical to better understanding micro and macro
economics alike.
Il Dottore
Ron Felber
Barricade Books, Inc.
185 Bridge Plaza North, Suite 308-A, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
1569802785 $24.95 1-800-592-6657 www.barricadebooks.com
Il Dottore: The Double Life Of A Mafia Doctor by author and biographyer Ron Felber is the
startlingly true story of a physician at Mount Sinai Hospital who provided health care services for
Mafia kingpins including John Gotti and Joseph Bonanno. By day, he pursued a flourishing career
as
a respected cardiac surgeon; by night, he was a gambling and sex addict, drawn ever deeper into
the
high-stakes world of organized crime. His double life came to a head-on conflict in the mid 1980's
when the government's star witness, Ralph Scopo, lay on the operating table. Directed by John
Gotti
to "make sure that only one of you comes out of the operating room breathing" on one hand, yet
threatened with ruin by mayor Giuliani on the other, he had to make the choice of a lifetime
between
loyalty to La Cosa Nostra and adherence to the Hippocratic Oath. An exciting and suspenseful
true
story, more enthralling than fiction.
I Refuse To Die
Koigi wa Wamwere
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
158322615X $15.95 1-800-596-7437 www.sevenstories.com
The autobiography of Kenyan human rights activist and political exile Koigi wa Wamwere, I
Refuse
To Die: My Journey For Freedom is the intensely personal story of Kenya's blood-stained colonial
past as encapsulated in Wamwere's life. This is a story of racial oppression and domination of the
British, the role of religion in that exploitation, and the revelations Koigi experienced when he left
Kenya in 1971 to attend Cornell University in New York where he discovered black pride,
democracy, and freedom of speech. He returned to Kenya to fight for human rights and in 1979
won
a seat in the parliament where he represented the economically depressed Nakuru district for three
years. Koigi was targeted by the Kenyatta and Moi regimes and was framed for offenses he did
not
commit but for which he spent a total of thirteen years in prison where he was systematically
tortured. He was at one point even kidnaped in Uganda by Moi and brought back to detention in
Kenya. Koigi escaped execution only with the help of the Norwegian government and human
rights
organizations around the world, including Amnesty International. Today Koigi continues to work
for social change in Kenya and continues to inspire a new generation of Kenyans with his political
vision and personal strength. I Refuse To Die is informative, inspiring, and highly recommended
reading.
A Telescope On Society
James S. House, et al.
University of Michigan Press
PO Box 1104, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1104
0472068482 $27.95 1-800-621-2736 www.press.umich.edu
Collaboratively edited by the team of research academicians and collegues in the Survey Reserch
Center of the Institute for Social Reserch at the University of Michigan that includes James S.
House, F. Thomas Juster, Robert L. Kahn, Howard Schuman, and Eleanor Singer, A Telesocpe
On
Society: Survey Reserach & Social Science at The University of Michigan & Beyond examines
how
developments in survey research have influenced social science disciplines and interdisciplinary
areas. The effects of improved survey analysis on the studies of everything from political behavior
to
individual income dynamics, mental and physical health, aging issues, relationships, racial and
ethnic
diversity, and much more are all discussed in scholarly and scientific detail. A welcome addition to
social science studies shelves.
Artificial Intelligence For Computer Games
John David Fune
A. K. Peters Ltd.
888 Worcester Street, Suite 230, Wellesley, MA 02482
1568812086 $35.00 www.akpeters.com
Artificial Intelligence For Computer Games by John David Funge is a solid, straightforward
instructional text of basic artificial intelligence theory, the principles from which it derives, and
how
it is practically applied to program challenging and creative NPC behavior in popular computer
games. Black-and-white diagrams and boolean logic symbols help drive the precepts home,
though
Artificial Intelligence For Computer Games does not contain any computer code per se - this is a
manual of basic techniques that can generalize to any programming system. An absolute
must-read
for anyone striving to program or refine their own games.
Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer
Burroughs' Bookshelf
Experiences Of Depression
Sidney J. Blatt
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
1591470951 $49.95 1-800-368-5777 www.apa.org/books
Experiences Of Depression: Theoretical, Clincial, And Research Perspectives by psychiatrist and
academician Sidney J. Blatt draws upon the author's 30 years of clinical experience and research
into
the nature of depression and the life experiences that shape it. Case studies lead into an in-depth
dissection of the psychological dimensions of depression. Categorizing depression into anaclitic
depression, which comes from feelings of loneliness, and introjective depression, from feelings of
failure and worthlessness, Experienced Of Depression goes on to explore a widening range of
assessment and treatment tools and methods to help those in greatest need. A scholarly,
contemplative and clinical work researched in-depth and intended especially for advanced students
and experts in the field.
Treating Health Anxiety
Steven Taylor & Gordon Asmundson
Guilford Publications, Inc.
72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012
1572309989 $35.00 1-800-365-7006
The collaborative work of clinical psychologist Steven Taylor (Department of Psychiatry,
University
of British Columbia, Canada) and professor of psychiatry Gordon Asmundson (Research
Director,
Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina, Canada), Treating Health
Anxiety:
A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach is a solid, in-depth resource focusing especially on helping
those
people for whom fears of contracting a serious illness cause excessive, serious, and chronic
problems
with day-to-day life. Reviewing current knowledge about health anxiety disorders, stressing the
need
for continuing collaboration between Cognitive-Behavioral practitioners and primary care
physicians, outlining recent advances in the treatment of health anxieties, and much more,
Treating
Health Anxiety is a seminal contribution with emphasis on the practical and a welcome
contribution
to mental health reference shelves.
The Culture Of Profession In Late Renaissance Italy
George W. McClure
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 2W8
0802089704 $65.00 1-800-565-9523
The Culture Of Profession In Late Renaissance Italy by George W. McClure (Associate
Professor,
Department of History, University of Alabama) is a close study of themes concerning profession
and
livelihood in Renaissance Italian culture and society. Especially scrutinizing "Universal Piazza of
All
the Professions of the World", published in 1585 by the monk Tomaso Garzoni, The Culture Of
Profession In Late Renaissance Italy explores how various different vocations made their voice
heard, and the genesis of an intense debate concerning occupational choices and tha nature of
different tasks. Throughly researched with extensive notes, The Culture Of Profession In Late
Renaissance Italy is a fascinating and scholarly contribution to history, literature, and especially
Renaissance studies shelves.
From A Limestone Ledge
John Graves
Southern Methodist University Press
PO Box 750414, Dallas, TX 75275-0415
0870744852 $14.95 1-800-826-8911
Now in a new edition with a foreword by Bill Wittliff, From A Limestone Ledge: Some Essays
And
Other Ruminations About Country Life In Texas is a collection of the writings of Texas author
and
freelance writer John Graves. Enhanced for the reader with illustrations by Glenn Wolff, the
subjects
range from caring for animals such as cows, goats, bees, dogs, and chickens to growing grapes
and
making wine, smokeless tobacco ponderings, the day-to-day issues that face a countryman, and
much more. From A Limestone Ledge reverberates with the wholehearted appreciation for Texas
country life, and offers an open window into profound treasure of simple daily joys.
Developing The Curriculum
Peter F. Oliva
Allyn & Bacon
75 Arlington Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02116
0205412599 $101.00 ablongman.com
Now in a significantly expanded and updated sixth edition, Developing The Curriculum by
academician and education expert Peter F. Oliva takes the reader through a methodical,
comprehensive, step-by-step process of currciulum developing based upon a core of key models
and
basic concepts. Chapters address both the technical details and the human dimension of the art of
curriculum planning, the philosophy and aims of education, curriculum implementation strategies,
appropriately evaluating instruction, and much more. A seminal instructional, illustrating its
abstract
concepts with diagrams, discussion questions, supplementary exercises and exhaustive, in-depth
text.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Teach!
Lisa Funari Willever & Lisa Battinelli
Franklin Mason Press
PO Box 3808, Trenton, NJ 08629
0967922755 $13.95 1-609-291-5030 www.franklinmasonpress.com
In On Your Mark, Get Set, Teach!: The Must Have Guide For New Teachers, experienced
classroom teachers Lisa Funari Willever and Lisa Battinelli have collaborated to produce a perfect
introduction for anyone who aspires to make teaching children their life's career whether in a
private,
parochial, or public school setting. Written especially for novice urban or suburban teachers
preparing to make a difference in the lives of their students, chapters address the crucial
importance
of establishing relationships in the school community, acquainting oneself with one's curriculum,
keeping parent-teacher lines of communication open, determining whether or not to stay at the
end
of one's first year on the job, and much more. An absolute "must-have" guidebook and
introduction
to the ups and downs of a career in public education.
Recall!
Larry N. Gerston & Terry Christensen
M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
80 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504
076561457X $18.95 1-800-541-6563
Also available in a hardcover edition (0765614561, $45.95), Recall!: California's Political
Earthquake by San Jose State University political science professors Larry N. Gerston and Terry
Christensen is the true story of the 2003 election to recall California's sitting governor, Gray
Davis.
Detailing in precise economic, political, and sociological terms the events that led up to the vote
and
the election of bodybuilder turned actor turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, Recall! is a
superb addition to modern American history shelves, and unmatched in its acutely keen and
balanced
perspective of recent events.
Hard Cop, Soft Cop
Roger Hopkins Burke, editor
Willain Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
1843920476 $32.50 1-800-944-6190 www.isbscatalog.com
Compiled and edited by Roger Hopkins Burke (Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Nottingham
Trent
University), Hard Cop, Soft Cop: Dilemmas And Debates In Contemporary Policing is an
anthology
of essays by learned authors discussing policework in contemporary society. From reviews of
contemporary methodologies for reducing crime, to issues of democracy and human rights, as
balanced against community rights, to thorny issues of over-policing and under-policing and much
more, Hard Cop, Soft Cop is a gritty, serious discussion of the conflicting need for security versus
the need for civil and human rights. Examples cited range worldwide, including New York City,
Germany, British Asian communities, and more, but the central theme of Hard Cop, Soft Cop is
nothing less than universally human. Highly recommended.
Ugly Ducklings?
Viggo Hjornager Pedersen
University Press of Southern Denmark
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
8778388562 $37.50 1-800-944-6190 www.isbscatalog.com
In Ugly Ducklings?: Studies In The English Translations Of Hans Christian Andersen's Tales And
Stories, Viggo Pedersen carefully studies the major English translations of Hans Christian
Andersen's timeless stories, and of the people who created the translations. Working from the
assumption that the personality and background of the translator, as well as the literary climate of
the day, strongly affected the translations themselves, Ugly Duckings? superbly demonstrates how
different English translations have affected one another - especially given that many were made
with
little or no reference to the original Danish text. A thoroughly researched account that covers the
efforts of virtually every well-known translator of Andersen's work from 1846-1907,
contemporary
translations, and common translation problems such as pragmatics, syntax, vocabulary, and
phraseology, Ugly Ducklings? is a superb and thoughtful contribution to linguistics and literature
shelves, as well as a "must-read" for any interested in up-close study and literary analysis of
Andersen's classics.
Engaging India
Storbe Talbott
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-2188
0815783000 $27.95 1-800-275-1447 www.brookings.edu
Engaging India: Diplomacy, Democracy, And The Bomb by Strobe Talbott (President of the
Brookings Institute and the American Deputy Secretary of State from 1994 to 2001) is the
fascinating true story of diplomatic relations between United States, India, and Pakistan in 1998
and
1999 - a time marked by India's underground testing of nuclear weapons. Deputy Secretary of
State
Strobe Talbott and Minister of External Affairs Jaswant Singh met fourteen times, striving with
urgent issues of arms control and nonproliferation as well as visions for a U.S.-India relationship
and
the possibility of both economic and strategic cooperation between both nations. Even though
India
and Pakistan disputed the territory of Kashmir in the summer of 199, the conflict did not escalate
to
war or nuclear conflagration - perhaps due at least in part to the mediating influence of the U.S. A
true story with a positive message, Engaging India is a raply engrossing work and a welcome
addition to modern world history shelves.
John Buroughs
Reviewer
Carson's Bookshelf
River Time
John Firth
NeWest Press
#201, 8540-109 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 1E6
1896300669 $24.95 1-800-805-1083 www.newestpress.com
River Time: Racing The Ghosts Of The Klondike Rush is a chronicle of a Canadian backcountry
adventure undertaken by John Firth and his nephew in their determination to travel the miles of
rugged ground traversed by so many thousands of others back in the days of the Yukon Gold
Rush.
Combining historical record and modern-day adventure, as an uncle and nephew retrace the steps
their grandfather blazed during the Klondike Rush of 1897-98, River Time is a breathtaking
journey
that stunningly portrays beautiful natural scenery, the rough hardships of nature, and reflects upon
the reality of fierce human competition then and now. An absorbing travelogue, the next most
vivid
thing to embarking upon a Klondike gold rush recreation oneself.
High Noon For Natural Gas
Julian Darley
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120, White River Junction, VT 05001
1931498539 $18.00 1-800-639-4099 www.chelseagreen.com
Environmental researcher Julian Darley's High Noon For Natural Gas: The New Energy Crisis by
Julian Darley is a highly documented and timely expose of the natural gas industry, American
increasing dependency on natural gas, and the implications for environmental, political, and
economic issues. A sharp wake-up call to the environmental and economic dangers of increasing
dependence upon natural gas to generate electricity, High Noon For Natural Gas pulls no punches
in
its scrutiny of the history and future of national gas consumption. A chilling expose into a very
serious social problem, one with the potential to shake the nation's future more severely than its
dependence on oil. Highly recommended.
Find It Online
Alan M. Schlein
Facts On Demand Press
PO Box 27869, Tempe, AZ 85285
1889150452 $21.95 1-800-929-3811 www.brbpub.com
Now in a substantially revised, expanded, and updated fourth edition, Alan Schlein's Find It
Online:
The Complete Guide To Online Research is an award-winning reference collaboratively edited by
Peter Weber and J. J. Newby. Intended as a desktop companion for quick and thorough online
research, Find It Online includes tested search strategies, instructions for utilizing government
sites,
tips, tricks, and techniques for verifying found information, advice for guarding against spyware
and
making the most of popup blockers and spam killers, and much more. An accessible, easy-to-use
resource, championing more than 2,000 of the most reliable and informative reference websites to
be
found. Highly recommended.
America's Curious Botanist
Nancy E. Hoffmann & John C. Van Horne
American Philosophical Society
PO Box 40098, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3387
087169249X $40.00 1-800-821-7823 www.amphisoc.org
Collaboratively compiled and edited by Nancy E. Hoffmann and John C. Van Horne, America's
Curious Botanist: A Tercentennial Reappraisal Of John Bartram 1699-1777 is an anthology of
essays by learned authors, most of which were first presented to Philadelphia's Bartram
tercentenary
conference in May 1999, concerning the contributions John Bartram and his contemporaries made
to
18th-century botany and natural science. A scattering of black-and-white illustrations enhance this
scholarly compendium, which deftly explores the roots, flowering and fruitition of scientific
inquiry.
America's Curious Botanist is a welcome contribution to reference shelves concerning the history
of
science, and especially recommended for its insight into the life and works the determined and
ever-inquisitive John Bartram.
Naming Edmonton
Edmonton Historical Board
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1
088864423X $39.95 www.uap.ualberta.ca
Naming Edmonton From Ada To Zoie was compiled by the Historic Sites Committe of the
Edmonton Historical Board and presents background information on over 1300 sites in the city of
Edmonton, Alberta along with 300 photographs and detailed maps. Entries are arranged
alphabetically, each with a simple, straightforward vignette concerning how a given locale got its
name or the individual it was named after. As Edmonton now celebrates its 100th anniversary as a
city in 2004, Naming Edmonton From Ada To Zoie is a welcome and engaging contribution to
local
history and folklore.
Globalize Liberation
David Solnit, editor
City Lights Publishers
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
0872864200 $17.95 www.citylights.com
Enhanced for the reader with more than 180 black-and-white illustrations, Globalize Liberation:
How To Uproot The System And Build A Better World is an anthology of thirty-three essays by
an
immense variety of community organizers, edited by social activist David Solnit. The common
theme
of all the topics is how to contribute what one can to making the world a better place, especially
in
the postmodern era. From identifying global problems of class struggle, racism, discrimination,
and
extreme concentration of power, to putting ideas in action whether in America, Argentenia,
Scotland, or other nations around the world, Globalize Liberation offers a crucial glimpse into
what
is needed to shape the future of humanity for the better.
Misfits In America
Lawrence R. Velvel
University Press of America
Gulotta Communications (publicity)
4270 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706
0761826963 $40.00 www.univpress.com
Misfits In America is the first volume of a planned trilogy titled "Thine Alabaster Cities Gleam"
and
authored by journal editor, lawer, academician, and host of "Books of our Time" (an hour-long
television book review show seen throughout New England). The focus is the lives of two men
who
grew up in the 1950s. They are indoctrinated into the virtues extolled by the American Dream -
honesty, hard work, competence, social justice, and modesty. At the same time, they see their
generation misled, and that those who do seize success for their own are the ones who embody
the
opposite of the American dream - the liars, the lazy, the sycophants, the unjust. Embodying an era
of
the author's own life, during which he has labored as a pioneering lawyer who fought tooth and
nail
against the presidental war-mongering power that brought the Vietnam and Iraq wars, Misfits In
America is a bold, involving portrait of society itself, and the failings it needs to overcome to
move
into a future that can in any way aspires to the noble ideals of its foundation.
Gods, Genes, And Consciousness
Paul Von Ward
Hampton Roads Publishing Company
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
1571743790 $14.95 1-800-766-8009 www.hrpub.com
Gods, Genes, And Consciousness: Nonhuman Intervention In Human History by independent
scholar and author Paul Von Ward is a metaphysical call to pay attention to historical and
archaeological evidence that human evolution has been influenced by advanced nonhuman entities
-
whether they are called gods, angels, ETs, aliens, or spirits. Daring to address why modern
scientific
institutions do not want to deal with the question of whether and to what degree advanced beings
may have involved themselves in human biological and spiritual growth, as well as examining how
humanity reached the point where its leaders claim to speak for God in such radically conflicting
ways, Gods, Genes, And Consciousness is a fascinating treatment of an all-too-taboo subject.
Webster's New Explorer Dictonary Of Word Origins
Merriam-Webster
Federal Street Press
25-13 Old Kings Highway North, #277, Darien, CT 06820
1892859661 $9.98 1-877-886-2830 www.federalstreetpress.com
Created and published in cooperation with the Editors of Merriam-Webster, this bargain edition of
Webster's New Explorer Dictonary Of Word Origins features the histories of more than 1,500
English words. Presenting its alphabetically arranged entries in a down-to-earth, conversational
style, cross-referenced for easy lookup and supplemented with a brief history of the English
language, Webster's New Explorer Dictonary Of Word Origins is as amusing a resource as it is
useful, for students and bibliophiles alike. Especially recommended for anyone striving to enhance
their English vocabulary, since the background stories behind the words make for especially
interesting mnemonics and other means to keep their definitions in mind.
Michael J. Carson
Reviewer
Cindy Lynn's Bookshelf
The Mirror of Love
Alan Moore and Jose Villarrubia
Top Shelf
ISBN: 1891830457 $24.95 116 pages
It is one of the most beautiful love poems I've ever read. A beautifully wrought, emotional and
devastating, it tells the story of homosexual love, but anyone who has ever loved, or wanted love,
or
even dreamt of it despite themselves, will find tears in their eyes over these perfectly wrought
words
and thought provoking, elegant pictures.
Starting from the very beginning and ending with thoughts about the future, it is a love letter and
a
history, as the narrator addresses his or her words right to their beloved.
"And I marched
as I loved, my dear,
with thee,
always with thee."
The narrator mentions famous names and events, events of horror as well as hope. The people
mentioned are all listed in back, Alan Moore has included a wonderful set of appendixes that
definitely enhance the experience. The short historical snippets allow you to understand exactly
the
person he mentions place in history (Mata Hari, Michelangelo and The Ladies of Llangollen are
just
a few of those mentioned). The next appendix has the full text's of the poems he quotes from, one
line snippets that meld seamlessly into Moore's own work. Here we have poems from Sappho,
Michelangelo, Emily Dickinson and Wilfred Owen. The third appendix shows a very interesting
list
of suggested reading, and the fourth discusses Clause 28, an English law that attempted to deny
the
existence of homosexuality, and where the roots of this poem has it's place, as the work first
appeared in a comic (AARGH!) created in protest of this law.
Jose Villarrubia's photos, one next to each page of poem, are extraordinary and evocative. The
first
page, nothing but the beautiful, quiet blue of the sea, the next, a dark image of a painted face we
can
almost see symbolizes the emergence of man, the next, a close up of a lower part of a face, the
lips
stained with blood. The picture becomes even more disturbing when you read:
"The word
was law:
in Sumer,
women scorning men
had teeth crushed
with burned bricks."
You can feel your teeth hurt. The pain of that becomes real. And then, a few pages later,
"Spat blood
through powdered teeth,
staining each other
as we kissed.
Always we loved."
Reminds us of that pain of a few pages ago, but turns pain to a triumph of sorts, even through the
pain of broken teeth, even though the blood and fear of worse happening, they still loved.
The models Villarrubia uses are powerful, ethereal, perfect. The Spartan, helmed, blood covered,
is
no less perfect that the rose crowned women who lay side by side, each with an arm around the
other's head, their faces the definition of peace and content. The pictures and words alone could
each tell their own story, but together, they are magic and pain and hope.
In a perfect word, if one were searching for a quote on love, Alan Moore would be listed in
Bartlett's. I dare anyone to read this book and not be moved.
The Secret Sky
Jeanine Berry
Double Dragon Publishing
Trade Paper and Ebook
ISBN: 1554041155 $TBA 274 pages
Ever since he was a lad on his father's ship, Aren dreamed of being able to reach up into the secret
sky, but only those strong in the power of khi can become priests, and therefore receive the
training
that will allow them to communicate with their gods. When an accident nearly takes a lovely
young
woman's life, Aren uses never before realized khi to save her...and gain a wife. Now, at the
Temple,
Aren has trained long and hard to be able to become The Living Voice, the one member of the
Inner
Council who will be able to travel to visit the sky gods and discern their will. He fails the test, but
gains something greater. The Sky Gods have not communicated with the Voice for a time, and the
chief priest, Zevir, has shown Aren a stone artifact, one that no one has been able to unravel the
secrets to, but calls to Aren. He is forbidden to touch it, this Heart Stone, but may study it, see if
he
can learn something. Ten years pass, and during that time he has lost his beloved wife, and, now
that
plague has swept the land, destroying many, he also loses their son. Angry, desperate, this healer
who could not heal the two who mattered most, decides that if the Sky gods are going to abandon
their people, then they could all go rot.
He leaves to found a new house that will teach the healing powers of khi to all who wish to
learn...but realizes that though his love of the sky gods has disappeared, his faith, or at least desire
for it, has not. So he seeks new gods, sending out the power of his khi as a sort of call. What he
gets
are the S'haznons. He speaks to Shanasta, who tells him that they are not gods, but beings that
have
evolved beyond the point of needing bodies...and that they would like to help his people evolve,
as
well. But are these new creatures truly benevolent?
From the very beginning, this book sweeps the reader into a new realm. The wistful magic of the
opening scenes where Aren is looking up at the sky and dreaming is lovely, and Berry does an
amazing job of showing us his pain, his doubts, his anger. You feel terrible for his loses, and
understand completely why he's turned his backs on those who turned their backs on him. His
travels
and discussions with the S'hazonons are also fascinating, and you can feel his joy when they say,
early in the relationship, "We will not betray you like the sky gods did." And his journey shows us
more wonders, he gets his desire to see many of the secrets, and he wants to use these things he's
learned to make the world a better place, where everyone will be healthy and happy and free from
trouble and war. He makes a lot of sacrifices to this cause, and while you can't always agree with
his
decisions, you do agree that his heart...or should I say soul?...is in the right place.
An extremely thoughtful story, exploring much about our own faiths and dreams, and the
responsibility of the deities we worship. This first book of the Dayspring series brings much food
to
feed both our thoughts and our imaginations.
Cindy Lynn Speer
Reviewer
Debra's Bookshelf
Sleep No More
Greg Iles
Signet Books
ISBN: 0451208765 $7.99 480 pages
Petroleum geologist John Waters' life is far from perfect at the outset of Greg Iles' thriller Sleep
No
More. Waters' wife has been depressed for several years, following two miscarriages, and his
otherwise successful oil-drilling business is under investigation by the EPA and is threatened
besides
by the irresponsible personal behavior of his business partner and life-long friend Cole Smith.
Potentially devastating though these difficulties are, however, they will seem insignificant to
Waters
two weeks later, after he has been tempted into the first affair of his marriage by an aggressive
seductress, real estate agent Eve Sumner. Sumner, as it turns out, is not your average
cleavage-baring predator. She is willing to do anything necessary to wrest Waters from his wife,
and
she is armed with a peculiarly effective bait: intimate knowledge of Waters' relationship with his
college sweetheart, the sexually aggressive, frighteningly possessive--and verifiably
deceased--Mallory Candler. Waters' descent into infidelity leads him to question his sense of
reality.
Is he mad to consider transmigration of the soul as an explanation for Eve's uncanny likeness to
and
knowledge of Mallory? Or is Sumner part of a convoluted plot designed to unhinge our
hero?
The characters of Iles' Sleep No More inhabit the same world the author described in his novel
The
Quiet Game--Natchez, Mississippi, which Iles, a real-life inhabitant of the town, describes
eloquently. And it is peopled by some of the same characters: Penn Cage, the protagonist of Iles'
earlier novel, takes on a supporting role here. One need not be familiar with The Quiet Game,
however, to enjoy the author's more recent effort. But enjoy it you will. After a relatively
unhurried
introduction, readers will find themselves, perhaps a third of the way through the book, willing the
likeable Waters to somehow extricate himself from a relationship that threatens to destroy him.
But
saving himself and his family, we understand, cannot be a simple business. While Iles' novel ends
perhaps a bit too conveniently, it is otherwise well-written, and it is genuinely gripping. Sleep No
More is just the thing to keep readers from resting in peace themselves.
Posted to Death
Dean James
Kensington
ISBN: 1575668858 $22.00 242 pages
Dr. Simon Kirby-Jones, an American recently moved to the quaint English village of Snupperton
Mumsley, is a man of many secrets. A successful author of respected histories, Simon also churns
out best-selling historical romances and a popular series of mysteries, which he publishes
pseudonymously. He is also gay, which, if not exactly a secret, is a piece of information he
imagines
would alarm the straight-laced but nonetheless dishy local vicar. Most interesting, however, is the
fact that everything Simon does, from cranking out genre fiction to mooning over married clerics,
he
does posthumously: young Dr. Kirby-Jones, as it happens, is a vampire.
It being wise for vampires to cultivate good relations with their neighbors, Simon immerses
himself
upon his arrival in Snupperton Mumsley in various local civic projects. He joins the Church
Restoration Fund Committee, for example, and becomes interested in the Snupperton Mumsley
Amateur Dramatic Society's rancorous debate over the selection of a new play. These activities
allow Simon to become acquainted with the village's more civic-minded residents--the snobbish
aristocrat Lady Prunella Blitherington (nee Ragsbottom), for example, the Miss Marple-ish Jane
Hardwick, the poorly coiffed and abrasive postmistress Abigail Winterton.
It is less difficult than one might suppose for Simon to blend in with the locals, as medical
advances
have, in his world, taken the bite out of vampirism. The pills Simon takes twice daily mean that he
needn't avoid sunlight--though he is careful to wear sunglasses--or suck the blood of unwilling
donors for his daily sustenance. As a newly minted vampire, Simon has in fact never had to
engage
in traditional vampire activities, and he finds the whole blood-sucking,
burying-oneself-in-cemeteries
business a bit disgusting. Indeed, apart from a few small differences, Simon is indistinguishable
from
humans: his hearing is inhumanly acute, he cannot ingest garlic and live to tell about it, he can get
by
on very little sleep. The last of these is a boon as far as literary productivity goes, and it comes in
handy as well when Simon turns to late-night sleuthing after a Snupperton Mumsley-ite is
murdered.
Dean James' first Simon Kirby-Jones mystery is a delightful romp of a novel, but it is a
disappointment that the author has elected to effectively defang his protagonist. The book would
have been much more fun if Simon had had to satisfy his vampiric appetites at least occasionally,
fussily wiping the blood from his lips, perhaps, as he returns after the hunt to the drawing rooms
of
polite society. As it is, Simon's interests are informed less by his vampirism than by the more
mundane fact of his homosexuality. Nonetheless, James' clever cozy is definitely worth a
read.
Buzzwords
May R. Berenbaum
Joseph Henry Press
ISBN: 0309068355 $14.95 298 pages
It is clear from the prologue of May Berenbaum's Buzzwords that readers of the book are in for a
good time. The author's breezy, conversational description of the bug-related essays to
follow--most
of them written in the 1990s and reprinted, with minor revisions, from the author's column in
American Entomologist--culminates in her apologia for including in her otherwise user-friendly
prose the scientific names of the critters under discussion:
"But before you proceed, here's a word of warning. In these essays, you'll encounter scientific
names. For reasons I'm not entirely clear on, these seem to alarm people, even some biologists,
unnecessarily. These names, which are written in Latin and consist of two parts, the genus
followed
by the species, are used not to impress people with dazzling displays of arcane knowledge; I don't
know that I've ever won anyone's heart or stopped a fight or brought the world one step closer to
peace and tranquility by reeling off a scientific name at a critical juncture. They're used simply
because they're really very useful."
And we readers are hooked. There follow 42 brief, amusingly-titled essays divided into four broad
categories: how entomologists see insects, how the world sees insects, how entomologists see
themselves, and how an entomologist sees science.
While written initially for the amusement of entomologists, Berenbaum's essays are accessible to
the
general public, both those who are enamored of, or at least tolerant of, the beasties with whom
she
works and those more squeamish readers who believe that in a perfect world all bugs would
perish
from the face of the earth. (Not that I'm choosing sides here.) Moreover, though readers who are
not scientifically inclined will occasionally encounter passages in Berenbaum's essays that are
beyond
their ken, this should by no means dissuade them from reading the book: there is much here that
can
be appreciated by the ignorant layman.
Berenbaum's subject matter, if always bug-related, is otherwise varied. In a delightful discussion
of
flatulence ("Putting on airs"), for example, both human and insect, we learn that termites may be
responsible for a scandalous proportion of the earth's atmospheric methane levels. In the same
essay
Ms. Berenbaum further informs us that the manifold varieties of human flatulence are codified in
the
apparently otherwise stolid, doorstop-sized Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy (which
reports,
we are told, that the "open sphincter" type is "said to be of higher temperature and more
aromatic").
In "Ain't no bugs in me!" we read of the alarming tendency of insects to find their way into
various
of the human body's orifices. There is the case of the appearance of maggots in a Japanese girl's
urogenital tract as well as the infestation of a London man's nasal cavities with the sheep nasal bot
fly--an occurrence which is not, we are told, "all that uncommon in shepherds and in other people
who for whatever reason choose to spend a lot of time around sheep," but which is apparently
unusual indeed among sheepless Englishmen.
Berenbaum discusses sexual cannibalism among praying mantids in her essay "A prayer before
dining": decapitating the mantid male prior to intercourse, she reports, removes his inhibitions.
And
in "Entomological legwork" the author describes the disturbing circumstances under which she
reached "the profound realization that cockroaches are just not like us."
But it was with particular interest that I read Berenbaum's essay "Kids Pour Coffee on Fat Girl
Scouts," wherein she writes about the various mnemonic devices she's come across in her
academic
career--those for remembering the 12 spinal nerves ("On Old Olympus' Towering Tops / A Finn
and
German Viewed Some Hops") and the 10 classes of stars, for example ("Oh, Be A Fine Girl, Kiss
Me Right Now, Sweetheart"). The teaching assistants of her undergraduate geology class, she
remembers, taught an alternate version of the mnemonic usually used for rendering the Moh scale
of
hardness in minerals. It's traditionally rendered as "Texas Girls Can Flirt And Other Queer Types
Can Do," but, Berenbaum writes, "according to the version the teaching assistants taught us, the
Texas girls were considerably friendlier and had moved well beyond flirting."
Berenbaum is a very good and a very funny writer. she may not make readers who are hostile to
the
insect community any more forgiving of those hordes of roaches and carpenter ants and tsetse
flies
awaiting their chance to wrest from humanity the mantle of world dominance...but she sure makes
it
fun to read about them....
...But before I go I should say one more thing, by way of full disclosure: while I have never met
or
communicated with Ms. Berenbaum, and while she certainly can have no idea who I am, we do
enjoy a relationship of sorts. You know those foul-mouthed teaching assistants who, to extract
their
cheap pleasures from the business of education, corrupted a perfectly serviceable device for
remembering the Moh scale of hardness? Well, I'm ashamed to report that I'm married to one of
them.
The Piano Teacher
Lynn York
Plume
ISBN: 0452284775 $13.00 293 pages
Fifty-something Wilma Mabry lives an ordered life--apron donned when preparing dinner, linen
closet just so, and, always, the adoption of a supremely polite, even ostensibly indifferent exterior.
This brand of southern gentility and a reliance on the comforts of routine have sustained
Wilma--"Miss Wilma," the piano teacher of Lynn York's title--through marriage and motherhood
and fifteen years of loneliness after her husband's suicide. But the price of maintaining equanimity
has been a failure to communicate fully with the people closest to her. Wilma's relationship with
her
daughter Sarah, in particular, has suffered for it. During the course of the novel Wilma's ability to
move through life seemingly unaffected is tested by a string of dramatic events: the unexpected
attentions of a suitor, the murder of one of her Mayberry-sized town's policemen, and the
unannounced appearance on her front porch of Wilma's troubled daughter and
granddaughter.
Although its plot revolves in part around a nasty murder and its solution, Lynn York's The Piano
Teacher is a sweet, quiet novel. In it the relationships between Wilma and Sarah, and between
Sarah
and her husband, are explored and, while we're watching, subtly altered. The
characters--particularly
that of Wilma--are well drawn, and life in a small community in which non-conformity is checked
by
the threat of scandal is nicely evoked. The book gets off to a slow start in its initial chapter, but
readers who keep with the book will be rewarded.
The Little Women
Katharine Weber
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0374189595 $23.00 240 pages
The three Green sisters who are the little women of Katharine Weber's title--Meg, Joanne, and
Amy,
who were indeed named after the characters of Louisa May Alcott's classic--have, like their
literary
counterparts, lived an insular life centered on their family. They have in fact constituted, they
understand--together with their English professor mother and their inventor father--the perfect
family, the sort of nuclear unit other families aspire to be, a self-contained quintet of tall,
attractive,
intelligent people who pepper their discourse with literary allusions and entertain themselves with
ingenious made-up games. But when the girls discover that their mother has had an affair, and
when
their father refuses to join them in condemning her, the sisters become as disgusted with their
family's imperfection, with their parents' failure to live up to the family's moral standards, as they
had
been convinced of its superiority. The younger Greens choose to divorce themselves from their
parents, and they move out of their New York apartment to New Haven, where Meg is in her
third
year at Yale. Together the sisters face the logistical difficulties, unanticipated by them, of a life
lived
without parents.
Katharine Weber's The Little Women, which follows in broad strokes the plot laid down by
Alcott's
book, takes the form of an autobiographical novel written by middle sister Joanna and punctuated
with disapproving notes penned by her sisters. Meg and Amy complain throughout about,
alternately, Joanna's departures from the truth in her novelized portrayal of their exploits and her
too
intimate revelations about them. Their comments refer to events that occur outside the scope of
the
story Joanna tells, and thus supplement what we know about the Greens' lives while furthering
our
understanding of their characters.
Weber's novel tells an interesting story in an unusual way, and in sometimes very pleasing prose,
such as this description of Joanna's initial response to the lobby of their New Haven apartment:
"The
small lobby was disappointingly dingy, and Joanna privately hoped its faintly urinaceous
atmosphere
had arrived with them as a lingering memento of their taxi ride and wasn't going to be an olfactory
theme of their new lives." I do have some complaints with the book: Amy's tyrannical substitute
teacher in her public high school in New Haven seems too cruel to be believed, and a scene in
which
the girls' roommate Teddy, acquired at the beginning of the school year, expresses a romantic
interest in Joanna seems unprepared for. In the early part of the book the girls' dialogue
sometimes
struck me as unrealistic, but this fault may be attributable to the purported author of the
book--Joanna, about whose lack of facility in writing her sisters regularly complain--rather than to
Weber herself. It is noteworthy, at any rate, that my other complaints about the book were
answered, in a sense, by the book itself: just as I was becoming annoyed at Joanna's over-long
description of her family's perfection, for example, her sisters' scholia intruded to tell the author to
cut it out. And while I found it difficult to sympathize with the Green sisters' overreaction to their
parents' "faults"--sundering a happy home because they are unable to forgive their mother--I was
not
alone in my criticism of them: parentless, good guy Teddy was present to express his own
impatience with the girls.
Well-written, and interesting for its unusual form, Weber's book also appeals--to me, at least--for
its
accurate depiction of Yale life and New Haven landmarks. Readers familiar with Weber's earlier
work, too, will get a nice surprise in the appearance--in a sort of deus ex machina role--of
photographer Harriet Rose, the protagonist of the author's first novel, Objects in Mirror Are
Closer
Than They Appear.
Debra Hamel, Reviewer
http://www.tryingneaira.com
Duncan's Bookshelf
Saving Faith
David Baldacci
Warner Books
1271 Avenue of the Americas, Room 913, New York, NY 10020
ISBN#: 0446608890; $5.99 495 pages
"Lee paced the floor incessantly, hands shoved in his pockets, head down, talking to no one. He
had
said every prayer he could remember. He had made up some new ones. He was helpless to do
anything for [Faith], and that's what tore at him. Constantinople, that old, bulky sonofabitch, had
gotten that shot off? And him right beside the guy? And Faith, why had she taken the round?
Why?"
(page 442)
In the critical scene of the book, Faith throws herself in front of her boss. She saves the man who
could bring down the veteran CIA mastermind who plots to rebuild the CIA as it once was. He is
the 'bent and crooked' man who exercises his power with ruthless intensity. Shot in the chest,
Faith
undergoes surgery to repair damage to her heart and our hero, Lee realizes that he has fallen in
love
with her.
Saving Faith begins with Lee in the woods behind an isolated cabin. He is there to examine the
contents of the cabin. He discovers a state of the art electronics setup in a locked closet and
realizes
that Faith is being taped when she is interrogated by FBI agents. When he hears a car arriving, he
dashes back into the woods. He is watching Faith and an FBI agent exit their car when an assassin
shoots the FBI agent and narrowly misses Faith.
Faith has an exit strategy, a safe house. She and Lee travel to the beach in North Carolina where
they hide out. Assassins locate the house and Faith's trusted friend, FBI agent Constantinople
takes
out the assassins but is about to kill Faith's boss when he is killed by Lee, just after shooting
Faith.
Saving Faith is a mystery laced with the sharp arsenic of danger and the threat of power abused by
a
Washington veteran, the CIA mastermind. Saving Faith is also about a man's search for meaning
in
his 'essentially' empty life. There is a romantic angle and you will be surprised by how Baldacci
ends
the relationship of Lee and Faith.
Four Blind Mice
James Patterson
Little Brown & Co.
New York
ISBN#: 0316693006; $14.95 387 pages
A tragedy occurred in the An Lo valley of Vietnam when teams of ten killers were sent into the
jungle to wreak havoc among the Vietcong. Some of the men went berserk and killed entire
villages.
Twenty years later a team of hired killers, known as the Three Blind Mice are killing innocent
civilians and effectively framing Army veterans for murder. Worse yet, the evidence against these
veterans is enough to send them to the gas chamber.
Alex Cross (a D.C. detective) and his friend John Sampson set out to find the overlooked
evidence.
They find evidence that has been concealed by the Army. The Three Blind Mice are indeed vicious
killers without remorse and there is a fourth man, their controller. The plot meanders through a
series of plot twists that lead the reader to wonder if Alex Cross will survive a deadly shootout
with
the vicious killers. He has just seen his friend John Sampson shot. John is lying motionless in the
road. And three deadly killers are about to stalk Alex. They want to carve him up then kill
him.
The secondary plot involves a possible love angle (Jamilla, a detective in California) and a
grandmother who has been mother to Alex and his children. At 83, Nana Mama may have a
degenerative heart disease.
The blurb for Four Blind Mice promises suspense, explosive action and plot twists. Patterson's
book
delivers what the blurb promised. The kind of evil that is embodied in the vicious killers in this
book,
we can only hope, is purely fiction. As readers, we can also hope that people find love as do Alex
and John in Four Blind Mice.
Jester
James Patterson & Andrew Gross
Little Brown & Company
Boston & New York
ISBN#: 0316602051; $14.95; 388 pages
In the 'Acknowledgements' the author James Patterson wrote, "And to our kids, Kristen and Matt
and Nick and Jack, in the hope that the sound of laughter will never fail to be a guiding
companion
and a cherished friend in their lives." Patterson and Gross have written a novel in which laughter
plays no small part. In fact laughter saves the hero's life twice in the novel.
Hugh De Luc is a poor inn-keeper who leaves for the Crusades, sees the wanton death and rape
of
hundreds at Antioch and returns home a 'wiser' man. He returns to find his baby son dead and his
wife Sophie missing, raped and hauled away by a band of ignoble knights who live on the dark
side
of chivalry.
Hugh sets out to find Sophie and becomes the Jester who rallies the peasant farmers and
tradesmen
to stand up against nobility and arrogant aristocracy. The battles are gory, but enjoyable. The
twists
and turns in the tunnels under the castles are easily understood. The reader can enjoy himself
laughing at some of the minor characters.
Jester was an easy read, perfect for a lazy summer afternoon in the shade by a lake, listening to
the
laughter of gentle waves and the distant laughter of a raucous crow laughing at we puny
humans.
The Lake House
James Patterson
Little Brown & Company
Boston & New York
ISBN#: 0316603287; $14.95; 311 pages
The Lake House requires the reader to believe that children could be born with avian DNA and
wings and the strength to fly. Lake House is a story of six children who survive the cages and fear
that were part of the gruesome experiment in which they were created. Lake House is a story of
human relationships and the love between an FBI agent, a veterinarian and the six amazing
children.
Lake House is the story of genetic experiments and nasty bureaucrats and 'evil' judges who would
return these six children to their natural parents, who thought they were dead.
As an author myself, I have to salute Patterson. I love Science Fiction. I did not, however, like
this
book. Re-read the first sentence of this review. In the back of my mind I could not get over the
initial impression that the six kids, as beautiful as they were, as awe inspiring as they were, simply
could not be possible.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves. (Julius Caesar).
Marty Duncan, Reviewer
www.omagadh.com
Emanuel's Bookshelf
Black Eye: Escaping a Marriage, Writing a Life
Judith Strasser
www.judithstrasser.com
Terrace Books
ISBN 0299199304 $26.95 350 pp.
"My husband punched me in the eye." This powerful sentence begins an even more powerful
memoir
describing one woman's heartbreaking relationship with an abusive spouse. In "Black Eye," Judith
Strasser describes her rollercoaster ride of a relationship with her husband Stu. Stu, a mean and
surly
alcoholic who lives off his inheritance, is psychologically abusive throughout most of the couple's
marriage, even during and after her pregnancies and when she is going through chemotherapy for
cancer. He makes Archie Bunker look like Mickey Mouse.
"Black Eye" is an exquisitely written and deeply personal journey. The author takes you on a
world
wind tour of emotional and physical abuse, including actual journal entries from the time of the
events. This technique gives the reader a sense of being with the writer during every tongue
lashing,
every two-bit argument, and every smack and punch. When the author is faced with the dilemma
that many women dealing with domestic violence are faces with, she writes, "The problem now,
as I
see it, is that I have two alternatives. I can stick around, if Stu will change. But what most
provokes
his flight or fight reaction is my "using the stick," as he puts it, to make him change is behavior."
Later she continues, "Or I can leave. But what other prospects for intimacy do I have, forty-one
years old, with two children and a questionable health history?"
Though it sometimes fees like the story gets bogged down in the minutia of events, it is only
because
the reader is dying to know what happens next and how it will end. The autobiographical tale
offers
a fascinating view of the writer's life, which includes her political activism in the sixt
