Picasso and Minou
P. I. Maltbie
Pau Estrada, illustrator
Charlesbridge
85 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472
www.charlesbridge.com (617) 926-0329
ISBN: 1570916209, $15.95 32 pages
Angelique Tarbox, Reviewer
www.adtarbox.com
The first thing that grabbed my attention when I looked at PICASSO AND MINOU was the art. Illustrator Pau Estrada did a delightful job of duplicating Picasso's art, and illustrating the story, with just a dash of caricature, using pencil and watercolors. The author, P. I. Maltbie, has written a wonderful story that goes beyond art and the artist. This is her first children's book and it is well done. The story has a message about loving what you do and sticking with it, even when your paintings don't at first sell, as was the case of Picasso's early works as an artist. When Pablo Picasso was painting what is now called his "blue period" he painted these kind of pictures because he thought the world was a miserable place. "See what a hard, cruel world it is, Minou?" he said. "Is it any wonder I paint sad, blue pictures?" Picasso's paintings in the beginning were not selling, he was poor and a good friend of his had died. Minou was Pablo's cat and the story has Picasso often talking to him, telling him his feelings. This story is a great read aloud because adults will enjoy the story as much as the younger chidren and an older child reading it will like the pictures and learn a few interesting things about a very famous artist.
Telling Tales: a Collection of Short Stories Edited
Nadine Gordimer
Bloomsbury, Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 0747574308, A$22.95 303 pages
Ann Skea, Reviewer
www.ann.skea.com
There are short stories and there are tall stories and, as Alan Bennet once pointed out, there are also tall writers who stand head-and-shoulders above the others. All of the writers in Telling Tales are tall writers; and seldom does a collection of short stories include as many well-known names as are gathered here. Some tell tall stories, too; but all tell their tales briefly, enjoyably and with admirable skill.
Jose Saramago tells a tall tale in his myth of 'The Centaur', and it is so simply and beautifully told that the emotion I felt at its ending took me completely by surprise. Arthur Miller tells a realistic doggy tale in 'Bulldog', which is tale-telling of quite a different kind . And Salman Rushdie, in 'The Firebird's Nest', offers a beguiling blend of myth and reality, ancient and modern, a clash of American and Indian values, beliefs and expectations, and has an unexpected twist at the end of the tale.
Novelist Peter De Vries once said that a novel should have "a beginning, a muddle and an end". But short stories writers can be much more daring than that and may, as this collection shows, get away with anything but the "muddle". Paul Theroux and Michel Tournier both offer beginnings of a sort. Theroux's expectant couple inhabit a near-future world but seem destined for a strange and gruesome end. Tournier's two narrators, however, are ever present. They are unexpected chroniclers at a time when a most famous beginning is taking place; and, as he puts it, "the ass is a poet, a literary sort, a chatterbox. The ox, for his part, says nothing. He is meditative, taciturn, a ruminant. He says nothing but he thinks plenty".
There are all kinds of ends in Telling Tales, too. Coffins with strange and unpredictable cargoes in Es'kia Mphahlele's 'Down the Quiet Street'. The unfolding of a young man's steps towards his single, deadly, moment of glory in Amos Oz's tale. A Japanese funeral ceremony in Knzaburo Oe's curious story. And John Updike's realistic account of a man's unanticipated, intermittent involvement in the final months of a dying woman's life. Others, too, deal with life and death but are all middle (and definitely not muddle), in that they are told by individual, unique voices expressing immediate and personal responses to the world in which they find themselves.
In all the many voices in these stories, authors and their characters expresses thoughts, ideas, disparate ways of looking at life and death, and different ways of dealing with living and dying. Christa Wolfe's 'voice' meditates extensively on the colour blue; Claudio Magris's speaker argues plausibly for the pleasures and satisfactions which accompany "the modesty, the lightness of 'having been'", as opposed to "the presumption, the weight, the squalor, the dismay of being!". For this speaker "Every epilogue is happy, because it is an epilogue". It is an interesting point of view but not one shared, for instance, by Njabulo Ndebele's grieving mother who, having finally negotiated the personal and political minefields of getting her dead child's body returned to her after a shooting accident, ends with the thought that "all the trying events had prepared for us new beginnings. Shall we not prevail?".
Short stories, according to the prevailing view of publishers, are not popular. Why ever not? There is something uniquely satisfying about a well-written well constructed, short story. And Telling Tales is full of such satisfactions. Perhaps some authors, like Margaret Attwood and Nadine Gordimer, are regarded by their publishers as exceptions to the rule. Their short-story writing skills are well-know and the tales they tell here are, as usual, gripping and thought provoking. But there are many other familiar names, too, and many not-so-familiar names, each demonstrating their special ability to hold entertain and stir their readers. Together they offer glimpses of other worlds, other cultures, other ways of living, surviving, viewing the world: a taste of what we ourselves might have experienced had we been born at a different time, or in a different place.
Kofi Annan proposed and launched this book at the United Nations. All of the profits from the publication and sales of Telling Tales around the world will be donated to Treatment Action Campaign (TAC)," a non-profit organization whose funds are used for the treatment and support of people suffering from HIV and AIDS, and for the prevention of the disease, in the world's most afflicted region, South Africa". Further information about TAC can be found at www.tac.org.za.
Laura Joh Rowland is the daughter of Chinese and Korean immigrants. She lived in New Orleans with her husband and three cats. So you might expect her to be writing about the Big Easy. You would be dead wrong. Shinju as you can tell from the title is an exotic and fast paced story set in the heart of seventeenth century Japan. The novel opens in Tokyo, January 1689. A full moon illunimates a hooded horseman whose horse carries a mysterious bundle slung across her back. He dismounts, takes a boat south towards the city of Edo, stops at the end of a pier and dumps two bodies, joined in death by ropes and watches them sink into the water.
A sumurai (an elite body of highly trained and brave warriors whose dedication to justice and honor is sometimes problematic) named Sano Ichiro, who is Edo's newest senior police commander enters the city. Rowland's description of the city seen on sunny, clear winter morning, throngs of people streamed around him: porters carrying baskets of vegtables to and from market; water vendors with buckets suspended from their shoulders; shoppers and tradesmen bent low under the packages on their backs. The planks thundered with the steps of wood-soled feet; the air was bright with shouts, laughter, and chatter. Even the hallmarks of Sano's samurai status couldn't speed his passage (9), gives the reader the sights, sounds, and pace of seventeen century Edo. Rowland's point of view seems lifted right out of a Japanese print captures the claustrophobic culture of the Tokugawa period with a feeling of immediacy that puts us in the picture.
Her writing is cinematic in scope and has the sweeping range of an Akira Kurosawa samurai film. One thinks immediately of Seven Samurai, and Throne of Blood, as well as Rashomon with their complexity, display of pageantry and emphasis on spectacular processions. In the character of Sano, Rowland has created an exciting and fascinating detective who will doggedly pursue truth against all odd. /when he is fired from his job because he is snooping into matters that his superiors believe would be better left alone, he responds by saying, What have my shortcomings got to do with anything? I was dismissed not because I performed badly, but because I performed too well. I uncovered a murder that Magistrate Ogyu wanted to keep hidden. How can you expect me to give my loyalty to a man so corrupt that he would sentence an innocent man to death in order to perpetuate this cover-up(267)?
Sano is constantly transgressing accepted traditions and breaking laws in order to discover what really happened to the two murder victims. In this tightly drawn plot Rowland conveys the seemingly insurmountable hurdles that Sano has to jump in order to discover the horrifying truth behind the murders and in the process a plot that will shake the very roots of Japanese society and culture. The action is shot through with social themes and Rowland's hero has an integrity and thirst for justice and truth that we could use today.
I won't ruin the ending for you. Only to say that it is all the more tragic because of the way Rowland delivers this suspenseful thriller and reveals information on political interactions and personal choices that drive the fast-paced plot during this rich and exciting period in Japanese history.
Safe Harbor, second edition
Radclyffe
Bold Stroke Books, Inc.
314 Conestoga Road, Wayne, PA 19087
ISBN: 1933110139, $14.95 232 pages
Cheri Rosenberg
Reviewer
Award-winning writer Radclyffe lists among her bestselling novels Safe Harbor, in which Reese Conlon leaves a military career to become Provincetown's new Deputy Sheriff. Once there, she finds herself fighting homophobia, which is directed at P-Town's local youth. While upholding the law, Reese also discovers truths about herself when she meets and falls in love with Dr. Victoria (Tory) King.
Safe Harbor has a character driven plot and presents a diverse well-defined supporting cast with each having an integral contribution to the story. As the main character, Reese Conlon is easy to fall in love with.
An extremely private person, Reese has everyone curious to know more about their new deputy. "She's handsome, strong, sensitive, tender, and deeply passionate. And devoted - can't beat that," according to her creator Radclyffe; she turns more than a few heads. Comparable to a knight in shining armor, Reese is hard-working, decent, and honest. She upholds the law and takes her oath 'to serve and protect' very seriously. Her boss, Sheriff Nelson Parker, and other locals are in awe of this admirable woman.
Sheriff Parker has a lot more than crime to deal with when he learns his daughter Brianna is gay. Radclyffe does a commendable job of describing the anguish he feels as he works his way, hopefully, toward acceptance.
While out on patrol to check on a break in at the East End Health Clinic, Reese meets Dr. King. Tory has an "unanticipated visceral reaction" (p. 21) to the precise, professional, and truly stunning sheriff. Having endured a bad breakup and an accident that dashed her Olympic hopes to bits, Tory is leery of a gorgeous, self-assured woman, and she's unnerved that she's so taken with Reese. Trying not to fall for Reese's charm is a daunting task - especially when Reese says things like, "I saw you this morning - kayaking out on the bay. You were so much a part of the sea that you didn't even disturb the rhythm of the waves" (p. 31). Tory endears the reader with her professional manner while adeptly healing the sick in her care. Dr. King is a respected physician who puts other's needs before her own. In hopes of avoiding further heartache, she adamantly tries to deny love. Can she learn to trust Reese and more importantly, can she trust her own feelings?
Brianna (Bri) Parker, the sheriff's gay daughter, is a tough, troubled, and frightened youth who becomes the target of gay bashing. Although strong, Bri is no match for her attacker. Reese helps Brianna overcome obstacles that she and other gay teens face. Surprisingly, even the "gay Mecca" of P-town has its share of hatred. Reese helps not only Bri, but all the other gay kids in her jurisdiction to fight against homophobia.
Tory's sister, Cath, acts as Tory's conscience, playing devil's advocate as she wrestles with her heart and mind. When Tory thinks, "[Reese] has no idea what she's doing - she hasn't a clue to the effect she has on any lesbian with a heartbeat" (p. 111), in fact, Reese has no idea what she does to straight women and men either. Cath may be a straight, married, mother of two, but she empathizes with her sister and can fully appreciate how Tory feels about Reese.
Safe Harbor is a love story, a coming out story, and crime drama all rolled into one. When Reese was young, her mother left home, to be with her lover, Jean. She reconnects with her long lost mother Kate, not knowing what to expect. Reese also explores her sexuality for the first time when she falls in love with Tory. Now she has to deal with her father's reaction to the news that she's gay.
Caring deeply about an author's characters, yearning to find out what happens next, feeling like you're a part of the action, and hating for it to end, is what great novels are all about. Safe Harbor by Radclyffe is such a novel. From the beginning, Radclyffe uses mystery and foreshadowing to keep the reader interested, and there is never a dull moment. The fabulous setting is the perfect backdrop and makes the reader long for a trip to Provincetown, with its "Mardi Gras energy" (p. 90).
A great story, memorable characters, fresh dialogue, important issues, scenic descriptions, an engaging plot and meticulous editing makes Safe Harbor a five star novel that can be enjoyed by both a gay and straight audience. I highly recommend Safe Harbor and anything penned by award winning novelist Radclyffe, whose recent accolades include two 2005 Golden Crown Literary Awards for Fated Love and Justice in the Shadows.
When the Mississippi Ran Backwards
Empire, Intrigue, Murder and the New Madrid Earthquakes
Jay Feldman, Simon and Schuster, Inc
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020
ISBN: 0743242785, $27.00, 241 p.
Coletta Ollerer
Reviewer
A fascinating history of events surrounding the New Madrid earthquakes which took place during a period of nearly four months beginning in December 1811. "The New Madrid quakes . . . . were felt as far away as Mexico, Canada, Boston, New Orleans, and the Rocky Mountains" (p15) from the epicenter in present day southern Missouri.
We meet the movers and shakers of the time: Tecumseh, the Shawnee leader. William Henry Harrison, governor of the Indiana Territory and later president. James Wilkinson, one of the boldest scoundrels in early U. S History. George Morgan, founder of New Madrid. Nicholas and Lydia Roosevelt and their steamboat, New Orleans and the Lewis brothers from Virginia.
Tecumseh, strong man and leader of the Shawnees was traveling the area looking for disciples for his "pan-tribal confederation" against the white encroachment. Tecumseh is credited with knowledge of the impending quake when in a confrontation with Big Warrior, the Creek chief, who is not enthusiastic about the confederation, Tecumseh said, "You do not believe the Great Spirit has sent me. You shall know. I leave Tuckabatchee directly and shall go straight to Detroit. When I arrive there, I will stamp my foot on the ground and shake down every house in Tuckabatchee." (p9)
William Henry Harrison as governor of Indiana Territory was charged with dealing with Tecumseh and Indian unrest in general. The former was a hardnose unbending type determined to acquire as much Indian land as he could for Americans. He had no empathy for the Indians
James Wilkinson, a bold and unprincipled double-dealer who was described by one who knew him as "the only man he `ever saw who was from the bark to the very core a villain'" (p41) His scruples firmly set in the negative column, he did all he could to discredit Colonel Morgan with the Spanish authorities so that he might control river traffic to New Orleans rather than Morgan, all without success. Unfettered with regrets about his failures he went on to devise more schemes.
Colonel George Morgan of New Jersey, with the approval of the Spanish ambassador Don Diego de Gardoqui, led an expedition down the Mississippi to find a suitable site for a town in Spanish Louisiana (present day Missouri) on the west bank of the Mississippi. He laid out the town, called for settlers and had high expectations of wealth for himself and his sons as a consequence. "Morgan was ... endowed with tremendous physical energy and endurance . . . . .he had been a merchant, an Indian agent, and a scientific farmer." (p26)
Two important rivers to western expansion were the Ohio and the Mississippi. Downstream going was easy for the many types of vessels which transversed these rivers but the upriver trip took a great deal of time and effort. Enter the steamboat. The New Orleans, with a vertical wheel on either side of the body, was the invention of Nicholas Roosevelt. His wife, Lydia, was his staunch supporter.
The Lewis family was prominent in Virginia with connections to Meriwether Lewis and Thomas Jefferson. The mismanagement of their Virginia estates prompted Lilburne and Isham Lewis to try their luck in Kentucky. Their brutish ways were revealed dramatically when the earthquake hit.
These individual stories and others intertwine to make for history with the readability of a novel. We enter the lives of these early 19th century notables and non-notables during and after a dramatic and totally unexpected upheaval of their turf. An unforgetable read.
Usually when history's a mystery, it's because someone didn't read the assigned book. But in the case of Pamela Christie's THE KING'S LIZARD, history 's a mystery because she has designed a clever story. The history-loving author has mixed thorough research with a great sense of whodunit it, to create a murder mystery in 18th Century Santa Fe that will have even the most seasoned mystery reader on the edge of his or her seat, guessing who bad hombre is.
It's the 1770s in Santa Fe, the frontier outpost capitol of New Spain. Someone wants to undercut the governor's attempt to stop the endless warfare between Navajos, Hispanics, and Apaches. But who? The governor calls on THE KING'S LIZARD'S main character, Nando, to find out. "Be like a lizard on an adobe wall for me," the governor instructs. "Watch, but don't be noticed. Find the people you need to find."
Nando is perfectly suited for this task. Half Spanish and half Apache, and the son of a respected Spanish don, Nando slips easily between different segments of Santa Fe society. He understands how a Spanish gentleman dresses, and behaves in polite company. He knows how to live off the land, and slip silently through the woods. He can remember all he hears and sees. He can engage people in seemingly innocent conversation that reveals much about how they feel about the governor.
And what feelings abound in the city! The Franciscan priest who seems to despise Nando because he's half Indian, might hate the governor for his tolerance of other races. The son of one of the frontier's highest officials. might dislike the governor's war policies. That's because this young man is involved in the illegal trade of selling captured Indian children to Spanish Haciendas as slaves. He's making a lot of Spanish people, and tribal elders furious. That's not the way to end warfare.
Then again, the good Father and the cocky rich kid might be entirely innocent of any wrong doing, and hold no animosity toward the governor. The evidence against them is somewhat circumstantial.
Could Nando's own cousin have a hand in undercutting the peace process ? He's always out after a chunk of change. He'll align himself with anyone who will give him some, with no thought of the consequences to others. And what about the strange object Nando finds on the road? He has no idea what it is. But could it be the clue that leads him to the culprit(s), after he shows it to the governor?
Pamela Christie has the knack of letting the reader pose these questions and many more, as he or she goes through THE KING'S LIZARD. She also makes people think they know the answers--right up to the book's surprising, but utterly sensible ending, which is probably very different from what the reader thinks it will be.
Even more fun, Pamela Christie has thoroughly researched the appearance and layout of historic Santa Fe. Anyone familiar with the city will recognize downtown, San Francisco Street, the central plaza, and that wonderful 400-year-old building, The Palace of the Governors, which has been standing in use since the city's 1610 inception.
Best of all, Pamela Christie points out that the Spanish and Mexican people who settled New Mexico were as much pioneers as the people who made the trek west over the Oregon Trail. Spanish people fought for their survival as hard as anyone else in the new land. As a result, the descendants of men like Nando have lived in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and dozens of other New Mexico towns for 20 generations. That's a take on American history a lot of people back east don't get.
Pamela Christie presents her history lesson in a lucid style that's easy to follow. The reader can understand all the political maneuverings between all the factions Nando encounters in his search for the trouble maker. Pamela Christie fits THE KING'S LIZARD'S main and subplots together in a logical, but never predictable fashion. And yes-- there's even a touch of romance. Handsome Nando has a girl friend, who has a thing or two to add to his knowledge of what is going on.
THE KING'S LIZARD'S a good book to enjoy and to learn from. If there's somebody out there who's not quite turned on to reading that history assignment now that school's started again, THE KING'S LIZARD is a good way to hit his or her switch, and get that history book open, not just for this term, but for many to come.
The Lake, the River & the Other Lake: A Novel
Steve Amick
Pantheon
ISBN: 0375423508, $25.00 384 pages
J. Conrad Guest
Reviewer
Treading Water
The copyright page of Steve Amick's first novel The Lake, the River and the Other Lake identifies it as identity (psychology), while Publishers Weekly portrays the contents as a sort of Northern Exposure (the popular TV series of the mid-80s) with quirky characters living a soap opera in Weneshkeen, the fictional name given a small town on Lake Michigan's Gold Coast to perhaps protect the inhabitants from the outside world. As a fan of character-driven fiction I had high hopes for this novel; unfortunately I found Amick's novel failed on a number of levels.
I found all of the characters fell short of reality, shown as two-dimensional, caricatures that never really evolved. All of the male characters fare poorly, overshadowed by their female counterparts. Courtney, the teen who is obviously the victim of child abuse, in turn inflicts her own special brand of abuse, mercilessly manipulating and humiliating her young suitor, Mark, who seems powerless against his own sexual obsession of the object of his lust. Yet young Mark is a victim for whom little sympathy can be given in the face of his willingness to allow himself to be treated so poorly - in the end it is Courtney who fingers authority and not Mark himself who gives the finger to Courtney, losing her (not that she is a prize worthy of loss) only through circumstances, not by his own strength of character.
Brenda Vonbushberger is the voice of reason to her bigoted husband who goes through a Scrooge-like transformation mid-book with little character introspection as to his thought process. The reader is left to accept the catalyst for this change as reason enough, and so much of the drama is missing.
Roger Drinkwater, the Ojibwa/Polish local and Viet Nam vet who wages war against the seasonal jet skiers who inhabit the lake on which he lives vandalizes, in increasingly spectacular fashion, the property of others while Janey, his romantic interest and the local law enforcement officer, turns her head even as she fights her own battle against outsider Sheriff Hatchert who, as another male character, is depicted as a "jackass."
Kimmy, the young sixteen-year-old who tutors Gene, a recently widowed and retired reverend of the local church, on use of the Internet, is naive yet shows more wisdom than her father who, in his fight against his neighbor's lawsuit against him for cutting down a row of trees on his property line to improve his sightline of the lake, suddenly gives up his battle in the face of his own guilt for causing his neighbor's wife's allergic reaction to sausages he placed in her shopping cart at the local grocery. While Gene, the reverend, shows man at his worst. Initially depicted as a man of God who had a happy if somewhat mundane marriage, Gene too quickly becomes addicted to Internet teen porn and, as a result, becomes obsessed with his young tutor, Kimmy, who seems all too eager (or naive) to forgive his transgressions when she discovers that he has become a full-fledged pedophile. I shudder, perhaps in my own naivety, to think that her character is an accurate depiction of our youth today.
In short order The Lake touches upon vandalism, bigotry, teen sex and pedophilia. While I understand that, no, life's circumstances don't always end happily ever after, overall, The Lake fails to culminate in any real satisfactory conclusion. Indeed, the epilogue, which seems a half-hearted attempt, perhaps at the publisher's urging, to leave the reader on an upbeat note, only manages to belittle the tragic endings of several characters.
That's not to say that Amick is without skill as a writer; the book has its moments, but far too few, and I was left wondering of Amick's intent for writing such a book. A literary Northern Exposure? Hardly, as I found few of the characters likeable or sympathetic. An exploration of the human psyche? Again, no, for he failed to explore deep enough, in the manner of a Philip Roth, the angst behind these character's dark sides, nor show the light. An editorial of our society's decline? If so, where is the message, the warning? If one exists it is far too subtle to be noticed. Simple fiction, mere escapism, a fun summer read? No, for the subject matter is far too deep, far too disturbing, to be treated so lightly.
He's Just Not That Into You: The No-excuses Truth to Understanding Guys
Greg Behrendt & Liz Tuccillo
Simon Spotlight Entertainment
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN: 068987474X, $21.95 165 p.
Janet Krenn
Reviewer
When a guy doesn't call if he says he's going to, when he take you out to dinner but doesn't let you talk about yourself, when he's taking it slow or not all over you like white on rice, don't spend your time going through long excuses. It's not that he's busy. It's not that he's nervous. He's not sensitive or shy or hurt from a previous relationship. According to self-proclaimed relationship and guy-speak experts, the guy is just not that into you.
Sex in the City gurus Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo co-authored the aptly named He's just not that into you: The no-excuses truth to understanding guys . The book, which was modeled after a popular episode of the long-running series, is a quick and entertaining read, even if it doesn't bother to diverge much from its HBO predecessor.
The book is structured like a Q and A or compilation of Dear Abby columns. Every chapter is based around several letters-to-the-editor, written by presumably women, on topics such as: If he has to be drunk every time you're with him, he's just not that into you. Then the authors criticize the women who, despite all logic and common sense, try to stand up for a guy that is giving them all of the signs of just not being interested.
Behrendt, who takes on the majority of the critiquing, comes off as witty and sarcastic?. In short, he holds the tone of a pompous jerk, who we can forgive because not only has he written these hilarious letters to the editor, but he also wrote them in anticipation of just how to take down the 'writer.' Like an army drill sergeant, he spends the entire 165 pages of this book breaking down the emotions of seemingly ridiculous women and then building them up again as intelligent, beautiful and important.
I laughed at the idea that some women might not realize that: If he's sleeping with someone else, he's just not that into you. Or: If he doesn't find you attractive, he's just not that into you. But all in all, there must be some reason why this book, modeled after a popular television show, was destined to become a New York Times Best Seller. While real women might not defend their men to the extremes that the women in this book do, there is some truth in the idea that women are willing to forgive a guy, so long as she is interested in him or excited about being in a relationship.
If you're looking for a quick and fun read, without much else, He's just not that into you: The no-excuses truth to understanding guys is a good choice. Just be prepared to hear the same exact reply to every letter. Don't expect a plot, any sort of development, or realism. Pick it up looking for a superficial laugh, and you won't be disappointed.
It Just Gets Better With Time
Maseyree
Tongue Untied Publishing
P.O. Box 822, Jackson, GA 30233
ISBN: 0974578304, $12.95 311 pages
Kathleen Jackson
Reviewer
It Just Gets Better With Time is very realistic, and it makes you take a look at your own life. There is page after page of drama; divorce, drugs, prostitution and crime, to name a few. For me, this was a couldn't put down book! In my review, I'm not gonna go through everything that happens because I don't want to give everything away. Once you start It Just Gets Better With Time, I guarantee that you won't be able to put it down.
It Just Gets Better With Time is about two sisters, Caroline and Dorothy, and the trials and tribulations in each of their families. Caroline and her husband, Thomas, live comfortably in the suburbs raising their two daughters, Andrea and Taylor. Dorothy, whose husband, Devlin is in jail, has to struggle in public housing with her four children, Monet, Keisha, Tonya and Dwayne.
Caroline thinks she has the perfect fairy tale life and marriage; the devoted husband and the perfect children. But that illusion comes crashing down on her when she mistakenly thinks Thomas is having an affair with one of his co-workers and throws him out of their home without letting him explain. He goes to a bar to give each of them time to cool off, but there he quickly gets drunk and ends up sleeping with a woman he meets in the bar named Sheila. He awakens the next morning thinking he's in bed with Caroline, but when he discovers that it's Sheila, he becomes consumed with guilt.
After two days of Caroline and Thomas being apart, they reconcile as if nothing ever happened. But two months later, Thomas still can't get over the guilt he feels for being unfaithful to his wife, especially after Sheila tells him that she's having his baby. He finally breaks down and tells Caroline about his one night stand with Sheila and the upcoming baby. Caroline stays with Thomas, but realizes that her fairy tale marriage is over. Thomas suggests they see a marriage counselor to help with their marriage. While dealing with the problems in their marriage, they fail to see that their oldest daughter, Andrea, is changing and not for the better. Once she gets her first boyfriend, she begins skipping school and sneaking out late at night. She ends up at juvenile hall for shoplifting, which is a total embarrassment for Caroline.
Author, Maseyree takes you through Andrea's downfall, which starts with her shoplifting and ends with her being strung out on crack cocaine. No matter how many times her parents brought her home, she always leaves to be with Tim, her boyfriend. Once he gets locked up, Andrea suddenly has nowhere to turn. Maseyree shows you the real truth of what happens to a teenager when she's out on the streets alone and addicted to crack cocaine. She shows you the lengths someone will go through just to get a hit.
Andrea's world comes to a grinding halt when, after being taken to the hospital by friends because she's having constant pain in her stomach, she finds out that she's in premature labor. She gives birth to a crack addicted baby and ends up being arrested and charged with child cruelty and abuse along with a the felony probation violation. Do you think Andrea giving birth to a premature crack addicted baby and her arrest and sentence turned her life around?
Dorothy works hard every day on her job at Kentucky Fried Chicken as a manager to raise her four children by herself. She's been married to Devlin for fourteen years, but for eight of those years he's been locked up. Their oldest daughter, Monet, gets involved with a thug named Derrick, whom Dorothy can't stand. She forbids Monet from seeing Derrick, but she doesn't listen. When Dorothy moves her family from their old apartment to the other side of town, she hopes that Monet will forget about Derrick, which she doesn't. Eventually Monet finds herself pregnant by Derrick.
Meanwhile, Devlin finds out that he's getting an early release from prison, and when he tells Dorothy, she's overjoyed. She can't wait to hold her husband in her arms again. He promises Dorothy that he's a new man and that he's not longer messing with drugs, the thing that had gotten him locked up in the first place. She believes Devlin because outside of his drug use, before he got locked up he was a good husband. Upon his release from prison, Devlin goes to live with his sister. He gets a job and is doing right by Dorothy and their children. But all of that changes when, one night, he goes out with his friends and starts snorting cocaine again. After a while, Dorothy starts to suspect that Devlin is fooling with drugs again, and this time she refuses to accept it. She eventually files for a divorce.
Maseyree takes you through the ups and downs of Dorothy's life; her divorce from the man that she once loved and stood by while he was in jail, to her daughter's pregnancy. Maseyree shows you how Dorothy is determined to see that Monet doesn't give up her dreams because she's having a baby at sixteen. She stands by Money's side while she obtains her high school diploma and attends college.
Maseyree takes you on a roller coaster ride in It Just Gets Better With Time. She writes about every day family situations. She lets you know that even during your darkest times there is always hope.
If this is any example of her writing style, I can't wait to read her second novel.
How to Stop Backing Down & Start Talking Back
Lisa Frankfort, Ph.D., LMFT & Patrick Fanning
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
ISBN: 1572244178, $13.95 115 p.
Martha Robach
Reviewer
Being rather compliant by nature, I don't usually speak up when insulted or zapped with a stinging rebuke. But I grumble about it for days afterwards. So I wondered where I would stand in the authors' spectrum in their book How to Stop Backing Down & Start Talking Back. Am I an incurable wimp?
I was pleased to learn that being assertive, according to the authors, is not being a loudmouthed bully but a firm, rational, sensitive person who establishes eye contact with others, stands up straight and not too far away and listens in a sincere attempt to resolve any dispute that may arise.
Some techniques mentioned are the use of the word "I." Instead of saying, "You hurt my feelings," say "I felt insulted when you said I was unreliable." That way, you take responsibility for your own opinions instead of laying the blame on others. When asked to do something you don't want to do, "Never admit you have free time." This gives you the opportunity to give an appropriate response, which may be a gentle "Not Now, Not Next" but "Not Never." Also, listen to others attentively to grasp their real meaning and prevent misunderstandings. The three components of good, assertive communication are your thoughts, feelings and wants expressed in a reasonable, non-combative way.
How to take criticism? Here are some suggestions that will diffuse the situation and avoid conflict: Take the "Yeah. So?"approach, downplaying the importance of the criticism. You can agree in part, but only hypothetically; "Well, you may be right in certain instances." Other ways of deflecting criticism are to ask for more information or merely change the subject. Even though you agree in part with the criticism, end it decisively by having the last word. "Well, that's an interesting slant on things, but we'll have to wait to see what happens."
You say there are certain people, either family, friends or coworkers, who are hard to get along with? Because changing another person is next to impossible, pick your battles. Some techniques you can use are repeating your assertive request, while remaining clear and calm. "You can still be aggressive with a smile." Pause before responding, if you need time to collect your thoughts, and try to compromise. Sometimes not saying anything at all is the best tactic to take with a thorny individual. And, if all else fails, make a timely exit.
I found How to Stop Backing Down & Start Talking Back to be a realistic, workable approach to enhancing human communication. Using these principles could have far-reaching effects, even prevent a war! I can't think of a person who wouldn't be helped by reading this book. So don't back down and grumble, but talk back in a way that promotes friendship and understanding!
Pablo Neruda: A Passion for Life
Adam Feinstein
Bloomsbury USA
ISBN: 1582345945, $18.95 497 pages
Mary Sarko
Reviewer
Pablo Neruda died on September 23, 1973, twelve days after the brutal, CIA-sponsored coup that overthrew the government of Salvador Allende. Although the military had ransacked his home in Santiago, his widow, Matilde Urrutia, insisted that his body be brought there the next day so that dignitaries who came to pay their respects would see what the military had done. As the cortege carrying his body tried to enter his demolished home, a group of youths put their fists in the air and shouted: "Comrade Pablo Neruda! Present! Now and Forever." The next day, as his body was carried from his home to the Santiago cemetery, a member of the procession shouted, "Comrade Pablo Neruda!" and the rest of the throng, which grew to thousands, responded: "Present!" With the military surrounding them, the crowd began to sing "The Internationale, " and then at the cemetery, someone recited lines from "Spain in the Heart" and short eulogies were given by some who knew Neruda well and by others who had never met him.
At the moment of his death, Neruda's disembodied voice empowered the Chilean people to take their first stand against the junta, and as a result, his identity as the archetypal poet of the people was firmly established.
For the biographer though, writing about an icon like Neruda can be a formidable task. Not only does his legend invoke strong emotions but also his life includes more than 3,000 pages of poetry, a Nobel Prize, and careers as a diplomat, a senator, and a presidential candidate. He also married three times, traveled throughout the world, and was friends with many of the notable intellectuals and artists of the twentieth century.
Adam Feinstein, a British journalist and translator, has taken on the task of writing the first English language biography of Neruda. In his introduction, Feinstein acknowledges that Neruda's poetry has "enriched the lives of millions throughout the world. " He also contrasts Neruda's "joy" with Sartre's "nausea," and he emphasizes Neruda's courage and commitment to social justice. But Feinstein also makes it clear that he is not afraid to think critically about Neruda. According to Feinstein, the only other biography of Neruda, written in 1984 by Neruda's close friend Volodia Teitelboim, "glosses over the less attractive aspects of Neruda's character and political affiliations. " Feinstein does not gloss over what he conceives to be weaknesses, but for the most part his biography so objective that it succeeds best at demystifying the legend and giving an encyclopedic overview of the basic details of Neruda's life and works.
Pablo Neruda began his life as Ricardo Eliecer NeftalÃ? Reyes Basoalto. He was born in central in Parral, Chile on July 12, 1904. His mother died two months after he was born, and his father, a railroad worker, soon remarried. Neruda grew up mostly in Temuco, a frontier town marked by rain, forests, and the presence of the Mapuche Indians. Already in his childhood he was interested in poetry, but his father was opposed to his literary career, which led him to adopt the pen name Pablo Neruda in 1920.
After he moved to Santiago to attend college, he lived the life of the bohemian poet and produced two early books of poetryâ ""Book of Twilights" in 1923 and the well-known "Twenty Love Songs and a Song of Despair" in 1924, which is still the most widely reprinted book of Spanish poetry. "Twenty Love Songs" is of course best known for its frank eroticism, but in this book, sex is a source not only of pleasure and identity but also of moments of anguish and foreboding.
In 1927 Neruda began his career as a diplomat, and his first postings were in Rangoon and Ceylon. Lonely and isolated he wrote the first two volumes of the more tortured and chaotic, three-volume collection, "Residence on Earth" (1933, 1935, 1947). However, Neruda was posted in Madrid when the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, and the brutality of the war and the assassination of his close friend Federico Garcia Lorca led him to write his first book of political poetry, "Spain in the Heart," which was published in 1937 and included in the third volume of "Residence." In the poem "Let Me Explain a Few Things, " Neruda describes his transformation to a committed poet:
You will ask why his poetry
does not speak of dreams and leaves,
and of the great volcanoes of his birthplace?
Come and see the blood in the streets.
Come and see
the blood in the streets.
Come and see the blood
in the streets!
Neruda was dismissed from his diplomatic post in Madrid because of his outspoken support of the Loyalists, but after Franco's 1939 victory Neruda took charge and ensured that the ship the Winnipeg was able to carry 2,000 Spanish refugees to Chile. In his memoirs, Neruda said the Winnipeg was "the most important mission of my life."
After the war in Spain, Neruda continued his double life as poet and diplomat. His most significant book of post-war poetry is the 1950 epic "Canto General, " which includes a sweeping history of the Americas and also a rendition of Neruda's personal history. In 1954, Neruda published his "Elemental Odes," which according to Feinstein, show Neruda's "willingness to change and experiment, to enrich his poetry." However, the style of this poetry also reflects Neruda's desire to break with elitist styles of poetry and write for the people.
In 1945, Neruda was elected to the Chilean Senate, and he also joined the Communist Party. When the Communist Party was outlawed in Chile in 1948, an arrest warrant was issued for Neruda, and he eventually escaped the country by horseback through the Andes.
In 1969, Neruda campaigned for the presidency of Chile, but resigned to support Salvador Allende. After Allende's 1970 victory, he appointed Neruda to be the Chilean Ambassador to France, the position Neruda was holding when he won the Nobel Prize in 1971. In 1972, he returned to Chile suffering from cancer, but produced "Incitement to Nixoncide and Praise of the Chilean Revolution," as his contribution to the March 1973 parliamentary elections. He also had seven books of poetry completed that were to be published on his seventieth birthday in 1974, and he dictated the final words of his memoirs as he was dying in a Santiago hospital.
As Feinstein ably weaves together the massive details of Neruda's life, he offers one major criticism: Neruda's unwillingness to speak up against Soviet oppression. Unfortunately, at times Feinstein presents the issue as a red herring, and he continues to discuss it long after he has reported Neruda's admission that he was wrong in not believing the stories and not speaking out. Feinstein largely attributes Neruda's silence to party loyalty and admiration of the Soviet's battle against Fascism, but he does not fully analyze Neruda's ideological positions or his extreme animosity toward the forces that eventually helped ravage his country.
Feinstein does in fact mute much of Neruda's political passion, and he also fails to address some of the other criticisms leveled at Neruda. Gordon Brotherston, for example, has criticized "Canto General" for romanticizing the Indians of Latin America, and for also stating that the Conquest was necessary to bring the ideals of the Enlightenment to Latin America.
Feinstein has written a conventional biography that is critical only in the narrowest sense of the word. It is unfortunate that he chose to diminish Neruda's legendary status rather than interrogate it. The question of why Neruda could become a voice of political resistance in post-coup Chile is worth considering.
Feinstein's biography was written to coincide with the centennial of Neruda's birth, and such commemorations are of course full of symbolism. Javier Egana, who was in charge of Chile's official centennial celebrations, said that "Chile is recognizing a poetic hero, a hero of letters, a hero of humanity." But Egana, who also presided over an official reburial of Allende, also stated that the commemorations would be "an act of reparation."
In the afterward to his play "Death and the Maiden," Ariel Dorfman asks many questions about how to respond to the brutalities of dictatorship. He asks, "How does memory beguile and save us and guide us? How do we keep our innocence after we have tasted evil?" These questions could also be asked about Neruda: How does his memory both beguile and guide? How did he confront the evil forces that devastated so much of the world in his lifetime? And finally, it should be asked if Neruda can rest in peace at this moment in history.
A Heart for Any Fate, A Western Story
Suzanne Lyon
Five Star, an imprint of Gale
295 Kennedy Memorial Drive, Waterville, Maine 04901,
207-859-1000
ISBN: 1594143293, $25.95 295 p.
If fictionalizing the life stories of real people who lived in the past and making them come alive is an art, then Suzanne Lyon is an artist extraordinaire. In two previous novels, she depicted the life of Butch Cassidy (Bandit Invincible and El Desconocido), and with Lady Buckaroo, she recreated the world of rodeo riders, based on real-life female rodeo stars. In her new novel, A Heart for Any Fate (Five Star Westerns), she has done it again, creating a gripping tale based on the life of her great-great-great-great grandmother, Hannah Allison Cole, a Missouri pioneer, who was recently honored with a life-size statue "Breaking New Ground" in the center of Boonville, Missouri.
As the back cover of the book states: A Heart for Any Fate vividly recreates the life of Hannah Allison Cole from her wedding day [in 1790] in Southwest Virginia to her burial in Western Missouri [in 1843]. Lyon's uncle, William H. Lyon, who along with Eleanor Leiter Vallieres, did a lion's (no pun intended) share of research on the Cole, Allison and McClure families for the article "Boone's Lick Heritage" that appeared in the Boonslick Historical Society quarterly, encouraged his niece to take his research and write a novel about their ancestor. She did, and the result is a fascinating read, one of those books that is hard to put down. (All of Lyon's books are that way, incidentally). Using the device of a journal written by Hannah, the author inserts entries throughout the novel, which gives readers an illuminating look into Hannah's personal feelings. The journal is addressed to Dolley Madison (who became the wife of President James Madison), and who by several accounts was a cousin of Hannah's husband Temple. This provides an important look, not only into Hannah's mind, but also into what is going on in the fledgling United States.
The bulk of the novel is told in the third-person, with Hannah as the central viewpoint character. This is a pioneer story from a woman's point of view, and Lyon pulls no punches. Slavery was part of our national landscape and the Cole family owned slaves. Hannah's reflections about her slave, Lucy, will no doubt cause some consternation among "revisionists," as will Hannah's comments about "savage Indians," but they are authentic to the time period, and it is the duty of the historical novelist to depict reality - not what they wished was so, but what was so. And Lyon does this with aplomb. A sub-plot undergirding the main plotline of Hannah's travels with her husband and growing family to the West is a romantic attraction to her brother-in-law. I confess, I found this plotline fascinating, and one reason I kept turning the pages was to find out what was going to happen between them. But this is not a "romance" in the traditional sense of the word. It is a real-life depiction of the sometimes "messy" world we live in. Personal relationships are not tidy and do not always fit nicely into the scheme of things.
Hannah Cole was a pioneer, extraordinary in that she was one of the first women to travel West during a tumultuous time in our country's history. Lyon, her descendant, is also a pioneer of sorts. She has dedicated herself to unearthing the stories of those who lived long ago, of those whose stories are begging to be told. We can only hope she continues in her endeavors.
Primo Levi
Ian Thomson
Vintage
Random House UK Limited
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA
ISBN: 0099515210, 8.99 Brit. pounds 626 p.
Phil Brown
Reviewer
I stumbled across the name 'Primo Levi' completely unintentionally by perusing the history section in my local 'Waterstones' bookshop. I picked up a book entitled 'The Drowned and the Saved', and reading its reviews on the back I thought it would be an interesting read. Isn't it strange how you can see your naivete in retrospect but never at the time? I purchased the book for a little weekend reading; little did I know it would change my life from that point on.
Though this review is not of Primo Levi's work but that of one of his biographer's, it is important to say this: whenever Levi's name is mentioned or his work is referred to, those with an interest in humanity and its deeper meaning should heed the words. It is as such I searched the Amazon web site for 'Primo Levi' and came across his biography by Ian Thomson.
This book taught me many things, not least the futility of 'labels'. Levi can be named as an 'Auschwitz survivor', an 'Italian', or 'a Jew'; but none of these convenient labels comes close to encompassing the totality of what he was. All I can say of him was he was a man, and though in my heart I urge to tell you of all the wonders of humanity I believe he encompassed, this is a personal journey, and it's your decision to take it.
As for the biographer, Thomson's research was irreplaceable and having interviewed Levi personally before his death, I felt he radiated and effectively communicated the essence of what he was. Thomson describes 19th century Italy before Levi's birth and has an ongoing commentary through to the year of his death in 1987. All throughout he gives his relations to all the friends and family that would accompany him on his life's journey, not only giving opinions but reinforcing them with the written or spoken word from Levi himself, which is always a reassuring factor in any biography.
As with Levi's work; this biography, I will also say is 'essential' reading. It is not only for the history specialist, but its audience is found in anyone with an interest in human nature. I recommend reading some of Levi's own work before this biography as there are many references that may not be fully understood otherwise. This is not for the light-hearted, casual reader. This is for those who will look into the darkest recesses of mankind and not flinch when the truth is revealed.
Molly Lake
Samuel Endicott
Infinity
ISBN: 0741424207, $21.95 511 p.
Shirley Roe, Reviewer
www.allbooksreviews.com
1759 in North America, battles rage between the English and the French. Molly and her father Peter return to their cabin in upstate New York to find a dead child and Molly's mother, Marie missing. They bury the child and set out in search of Marie, however the countryside is crawling with savages, both Indian and French. Peter is nervous of taking Molly with him into the unknown.
Joining General Wolfe's navy seems the quickest way to reach Quebec where they are sure Marie has been taken. A naval ship hardly seems the best place for a young girl but Molly is courageous, stubborn and very determined to help her father find her mother. She blends in well being a hard worker, yet adds a sympathetic touch to an otherwise rugged and hard life. The seamen soon take her under their wing and she is the pet of the fleet. Ship life offers up many trials and tribulations, which Molly meets with great courage and stamina.
In New France she meets a handsome Frenchman and must put her priorities in order- romance or dedication to the cause? General Wolfe is about to confront General Montcalm, in a military event that could change the history of North America.
The in-depth historical research for this novel brings the time to life. Readers experience the brutality and harshness of life on board, the terror of being attacked by savages and the family closeness of the crew. Life in New France was both difficult for the poor and filled with opulence for the rich. The author does an excellent job of giving both points of view, taking sides with neither the English nor the French. I feel that this is important to readers of historical fiction- an unbiased view of historical events.
Samuel Endicott is an author whose colorful characters become familiar friends who stay with you long after the final page is read. Filled with action, human interaction and history, this book is highly recommended by Allbooks Reviews.
The Lake, the River & the Other Lake: A Novel
Steve Amick
Pantheon
ISBN: 0375423508, $25.00 384 pages
Zinta Aistars
Reviewer
One of the ways many readers judge a good book is by the degree of reluctance we feel in leaving it once the last page has been turned. I felt no reluctance at turning the last page of Amick's first novel, The Lake, The River & The Other Lake. Indeed, I couldn't wait to leave this fictional little Michigan town and all its inhabitants far behind.
I recently came across a quote by author Alice Walker: "If art doesn't make us better, then what on earth is it for." I do believe art, in any medium, is to bring to our greater awareness and understanding both the light and the shadow side of human nature. Indeed, anything less, anything focusing too heavily on either the light or the dark side, and a story sinks to something maudlin, loses touch with reality, and does little to enlighten us. Balance is key.
Amick's novel opens with skillful writing, soon capturing my interest with one, then another promisingly quirky character. I turned the first pages with enthusiasm and a sense of discovery. It didn't take too many pages, however, before my expectations were disappointed. As the long line of characters came on stage, each one seemed darker (if not more depraved) than his predecessor. Light playing with the shadows of the human psyche seemed to fast become increasingly shadows only, with now and then only a wan, stray beam of light, barely enough to keep me reading. Had I not received an invitation to attend an upcoming author's reading for this book, I am quite sure I would have given up without finishing it. How depressing to read about characters who seem to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever, not even enough to give them a believable struggle with their dark side. That Amick's skill as a writer was evident only increased my frustration at potential so unfulfilled.
The cast of characters includes: an Ojibwa man, Roger Drinkwater, who blows up jet skis and freaks out their noisy and inconsiderate owners (okay, on occasion, I actually liked this guy) by popping up out of the waves with war paint on his face; a 16-year-old boy, Mark, who, although he is otherwise presented as an appealingly sensitive and thoughtful young man, seems to have nothing but nothing on his mind other than having sex with 17-year-old Courtney and will put up with the most outrageous abuse from the girl; Courtney, who seems to have nothing but nothing on her mind but humiliating and debasing her young suitor in any manner possible, to ever increasing excess, just because she can; an Archie Bunker type bigot without Archie's charm who resents the marital choices of his children from other ethnic backgrounds but makes an unconvincing turnabout later; a 69-year-old minister, newly widowed from a marriage he cherished, suddenly lost in lust for a 16-year-old girl and in the throes of that lust, becoming addicted to Internet porn that focuses on teenage girls and within a two month span becoming a pedophile; a female cop who never quite develops much of a personality other than wanting to write comedy for David Letterman and developing a crush on Roger Drinkwater, and who looks the other way when his destruction of jet skis turns ever more explosive; and too many others. It was difficult at times to keep track of who is who, as the chapters often have little or no connection.
In general, the cast of characters all remained two-dimensional to me. They failed to involve me in their lives, failed to win my compassion, failed to make me believe they could be real. They remained caricatures rather than characters with counterparts in reality. Amick invites us to look through a peephole, offering a peephole-size insight into the scene before us, hints at what may or may not lie underneath, and moves on again to another character. The result is shock value with graphic descriptions and perverse scenarios with no real purpose other than, well, shock value. The author struck me as a wannabe Philip Roth (certainly not a Garrison Keillor, whose small town stories have often amused me with their well targeted mirroring of our society), offering explicit scenes of human depravity without yet the artistry to make us care what happens to these poor twits. He skims across surfaces, something of a jet ski that makes noise, rattling what lies beneath, but never submerging to find the treasure buried below.
My greatest value in reading this first novel was in the discussion it brought about with various writer friends about what it is that we seek in our fictional characters to infuse them with life and what it is that makes a book memorable. This first novel falls into the examples of writing that achieves neither. A chance to address and explore important themes with meaning was lost in these pages, remaining only at the level of sensationalism.
Alyice's Bookshelf
Marty The Martian Learns ABC
Valerie Laud
Illustrated By Dimitry Chaley
Ekadoo Publishing Group
Andrea Blain (publicity)
PO Box 2286, N. Redondo Beach, California 90278
ISBN: 0974738719, $16.99 24 pp.
Marty The Martian Learns ABC is filled with short sentences and vibrant, active illustrations, which makes this the perfect book for children under the age of 6. In Marty The Martian Learns ABC, Marty ventures to earth, learns the alphabet, and meets many interesting creatures along the way.
Each sentence uses words that begin with a specific letter of the alphabet. For instance, when it comes to the letter M, the page begins with an oversized letter M, followed by short sentences using the following words Mister, Marty, Martian, mushroom and mug. All M words are all bolded, which makes this is a great visual benefit as it allows parents to ask beginning readers to point out all the words that begin with the letter M.
Hidden Treasures Friends
Liz Ball
Illustrated By Liz Ball
Hidden Picture Publishing
P.O. Box 63, Tipp City, OH 45371
http://hiddenpicturepuzzles.com
ISBN: 0967815959, $5.99
Never before has a children's coloring book been so much fun! Ball has outdone herself with the detailed illustrations full of adventure and whimsical fun! The characters shine and evoke happiness with their facial expressions, and children are entertained for hours.
Parents can use the coloring book to entertain their children in various ways, such as:
Locating 1,300 hidden objects,
Learning to read by reading the names of each object that must be found,
Learning to color within the lines,
Imagining storylines to go along with each coloring page,
Framing final pieces of work with construction paper, to be hung in a relative's home, and
Gluing colored pages to construction paper and making large greeting cards.
If you've been looking for a way to successfully entertain your children while you cook dinner, talk on the phone, or balance your checkbook, you'll want to get a copy today.
Topsy Turvy Land
Donna Shepherd
Illustrated by Kevin Scott Collier
Hidden Picture Publishing
P.O. Box 63, Tipp City, OH 45371
http://hiddenpicturepuzzles.com
ISBN: 0967815967, $6.99
In a world filled with chaos and confusion, our children sometimes dream about a different world - one where the chaos and confusion makes sense and they're more in control. Our children pretend, and in pretending grow their imaginations and coping abilities.
Shepherd uses that innocence and playful nature in Topsy Turvy Land, but goes a step further by reminding our children, without preaching, that the world is a wonderful place, created by God, and nothing can compare to it.
Topsy Turvy Land is a pure delight! The short rhyming sentences hold the attention of both young and old. The illustrations are vibrant and make the story come to life. And it's entertaining as children are encouraged to locate the hidden heart on every page.
Family Time With Santa
Skyro Productions LC
4286 Adonis Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84124
$21.95, 801-638-1295
Have you ever wondered how Santa Claus spends his time? Ever wonder what Santa Claus values most in life? Ever wonder what Santa Claus finds interesting? In Family Time With Santa you'll not only learn the answers to these questions, but start a new family tradition with your children.
Family Time With Santa is a slow-paced video designed to help children wind-down from the excitement of the holidays while providing entertaining ways to instill important family values. Values such as, what love really looks like, why it's okay to "not" be perfect, how persistence and hard work makes dreams come true, and why volunteering changes lives.
In the video, children visit a toy and taffy factory, watch a young boy jump over five adults and then break a piece of board with his bare foot, listen to and watch still shots of story books, and learn about the importance of fire safety during the Christmas holidays.
This is the perfect holiday video for toddlers and their parents, too!
When my children were young, I'd often put them in their swings and turn on a Disney music video to stimulate their brains while I cooked dinner, folded laundry, or did some other menial cleaning task. The songs were catchy and kept my children entertained while they learned to sing along to the songs; thus helping them with their speech.
Today, parents are fortunate to receive an educational way to stimulate their children's brains, thanks to The Baby Society. Not only does this video stimulate speech and language skills, but it helps children recognize various, everyday objects. The music is soothing and relaxing as well as entertaining.
This is a must-have video for any parent looking for a fun way to entertain little ones who can't yet entertain themselves, while they perform menial cleaning duties.
Brainy Baby
Jingle Bells: Celebrating The Magic of Christmas
The Brainy Baby, LLC
1200 Alpha Drive, Suite B, Alpharetta, GA 30004
www.brainybaby.com 678-762-1100
ISBN: 193195948X, $16.95
Toddlers will love watching the brightly-colored images (ornaments, train cars, trees, etc.) and cheery children dance and play to the upbeat Christmas music. It's the perfect video to play while parents decorate the Christmas tree, make gingerbread houses, or bake cookies. Since the video only lasts thirty minutes, it's also the perfect video to put in right before nap-time, thus helping small children get out that last burst of energy.
Parents can turn Brainy Baby (R) Jingle Bells into an educational tool by asking their children to count or point to the different objects on the screen, thus reinforcing object recognition, or by pausing different segments and asking their children to repeat the name of each object, thus reinforcing language skills.
No More Diapers
Based on book by Bonnie Faber Wind
Consumer Vision, Inc.
66 Newtown Lane, East Hampton, NY 11937
www.consumervisiononline.com
ISBN: 73034672309, $12.95
Potty training is never an easy task, but thanks to No More Diapers it just got a whole lot easier! No More Diapers is a cute story about a little bear, named Glenn T. Bear, who decides he's ready to wear big boy underpants. The video explores Glenn T. Bear's process of going from diapers to using the toilet.
The video reinforces important key facts about potty training, such as the importance of being mentally ready, receiving proper help from parents, how to use both underpants and the toilet, and knowing when you have to go potty.
The story moves along at a nice pace and the songs encourage and reinforce the excitement children feel about accomplishing such a "big person" task. Each video comes with potty reward stickers and a downloadable training chart (via the website).
Time For Manners (tm) Volume 2 Table Time
Holly Beth Moncher
P.O. Box 2213, Birmingham, MI 48012
www.timeformanners.com 248-470-8109
$16.95
Tara and Tyler are twins who want to use good table manners, but don't know what good manners are. So with the help of their mom and Merlin Manners (tm) they're given short tips towards achieving their goal. But it's not all about dos and don'ts; the twins playfully discuss each tip and reinforce those tips with fun, short, upbeat songs.
In, Table Time, children learn to how to be polite by saying things like, "please" and "thank you." They also learn how to set a proper table, how to use silverware, why chewing with their mouths open is wrong, how to socialize during mealtime, and more!
Everything about this video is fun and entertaining. But what I am pleased most with is how the children discuss why table manners are important, instead of just giving children a list of rules to follow. Because the reality is, when children understand why something isn't acceptable they're more inclined to follow the rules.
Meet The Letters
Preschool Prep Co.
P.O.Box 1159, Danville, CA 94526
http://preschoolprepco.com 866-451-5600
ISBN: 0976700840, $14.99
Ages: 9 months to 5 years
Meet The Letters is a lively educational video designed to teach toddlers how to recognize and pronounce each letter of the alphabet, while they learn to speak.
The first part of the video breaks each letter of the alphabet up into short segments geared towards building visual recognition as well as language skills. For instance, the lower case letter "d" is shown using repetitive action as it moves across the screen while the narrator constantly repeats the name of the letter. In a few seconds, the letter becomes a fun character with a very short skit, and then the letter becomes an upper case "D."
The second part of the video allows parents to choose to continuously play the alphabet song or interact with them using the video flashcards.
Meet The Letters is sure to entertain your child for hours. In fact, he will have so much fun watching the video he won't even know he's learning something new! This is a definite must for every parent of a newborn.
Nursery Tap, Hip to Toe
Nursery Tap, LLC
4622 Holly Lane NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98335
www.nurserytap.com 888-855-0545
ISBN: 82534665429, $19.95
Nursery Tap, Hip to Toe is a delightful video designed to engage both the young and the young-at-heart. In Nursery Tap, Hip to Toe, children listen to thirty classic, Mother Goose, nursery rhymes while watching two dancers perform in bright costumes, and in front of colorful scenery, while they dance (tap, ballet, and hip hop) into the hearts of viewers everywhere.
But wait! There's a catch. While the theatrical-style performances are top-notch, viewers only see the performers from the waist down! This innovative style of filming allows children to concentrate on the footwork of the performers, as well as the rhymes. This is a great way to help children practice their language skills and work on their fine motor skills (movement), and it's also a fantastic way to introduce little ones to the performing arts.
Alyice Edrich, Reviewer
http://thedabblingmum.com
Arlene's Bookshelf
The Iron Girl
Ellen Hart
St. Martin's Minotaur
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010-7848
ISBN: 0312317492; $24.95; 352 Pages
The Iron Girl is Ellen Hart's thirteenth novel in her Jane Lawless mystery series. In this latest entry, Jane is finally ready to move forward with her life after years spent mourning the loss of her lover, real estate agent Christine Kane. As she scrutinizes Christine's belongings for the last time, Jane discovers in a briefcase a loaded derringer pistol with a carved ivory grip. Initially, she is shocked to find a weapon among Christine's business effects. However, as Jane reflects upon those final weeks just prior to Christine's death, she remembers that Christine's client at the time was the Simoneau family, and more importantly, Jane vividly recalls the infamous murder case which involved this rich and powerful Minnesota family. Could Christine have been connected in some way to this gruesome event?
Despite Jane's desire to expand her restaurant business by investing in a new venture, the Xanadu Club, and to pursue a new long-distance relationship with college professor Kenzie Mullroy, Jane "…knew in her gut that this was exactly the wrong direction to take, the wrong time to get sucked back into her dead partner's past, and yet she knew the gun represented a larger mystery she would feel compelled to unravel, wherever it might lead" (p.17-18).
Add to the mix the bizarre appearance of the mysterious Greta Hoffman who bears an uncanny and eerie resemblance to Christine, and the always amusing shenanigans of Jane's best friend Cordelia Thorn, and the reader is led into a fictional yet credible world of fidelity, betrayal, devotion, duplicity, and suspense - all of which make for an enthralling and intriguing mystery reading experience.
A common literary element often misused by too many authors is the flashback. There is a fine line between the hokey contrived insertion of past events and the clever craftily-written extension and expansion of the plotline. Hart achieves the latter with distinction. The way Hart's narrative seamlessly flows from past to present over the course of the novel serves the reader well. Hart presents two storylines that, at first glance, seem independent of one another, yet end up neatly tied together through the adroit and imaginative writing of mood, tone, and the precise incorporation of sensory words. The author's word choice is fluent, exact, and rhythmic. "As the room lost its solidity, Christine continued to stare into Jane's eyes. The deeper she looked, the clearer it became that they contained worlds within worlds, all connected" (p. 333).
The reader comprehends the complexities and convolutions of the plot and the nuances of the characters by Hart's synergy of tightly composed sentences, vivid imagery, multi-layered meaning, and wry humor. The sardonic humor of best friend Cordelia is also showcased with crisply ironic dialogue. At one point Cordelia and Jane drive to a section of Minneapolis to meet with a former employee of the Simoneau family. Cordelia explains, "Ah. The burbs, where the air is fresher, the grass is greener, the minds narrower" (p. 185).
In Hart's previous award-winning novel, An Intimate Ghost, Jane Lawless had begun to make specific life changes: letting go of the past, connecting with new people, and trying to experience her life with a new-found understanding and appreciation. The Iron Girl continues this development of attempting to come full circle by recognizing both the personal strengths and weaknesses, and at times, the foibles, of those one has loved and sadly lost. Throughout Jane's investigation, Hart manages to capture that discernment and perceptivity that only the inevitable passage of time can afford. Jane must delve into a component of Christine's life that, for better or worse, Christine chose to keep shrouded during their time together. The reader is subtly and skillfully asked that enigmatic question. How well do we really know the people we love?
The incisive characterization of Christine Kane and the development of the emotional backstory are hallmarks of this novel. The reader sees Christine from her own anguished perspective. The motivations for her actions are clearly delineated, and while one may question some of her decisions, Hart capably explains the rationale for Christine's behavior. At one point she succinctly explains it to Jane. "It was selfishness, Jane. Pure and simple. I admit it" (p. 275). The reader is given a more profound understanding of the dynamics of their relationship and the catalysts for its ostensible deterioration.
The Iron Girl is an exemplary model for the skillfully written mystery genre novel. Hart manages to create suspense without relying upon heavy-handed or gratuitously violent scenes. In much the same way as Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayres before her, Hart presents the subtlety of human malevolence and the banality of the deceitful. The Iron Girl is an absorbing and captivating reading experience. Hart's dual storyline, adroit narrative technique, clever pacing, and entertaining characters all contribute to a superlative novel that the reader will treasure.
Ginger's Fire
Maureen Brady
Alice Street Editions/Haworth Press Inc.
10 Alice St., Binghamton, NY 13904
ISBN: 156023444X; $14.95; 174 Pages
Maureen Brady's novel, Ginger's Fire, focuses upon the trials and tribulations of relationships and the arduous journey toward self-understanding and acceptance. Ginger and her partner of eight years, Nellie, have worked long and hard to restore an old farmhouse in upstate New York. Ironically, while they build their dream house, their relationship begins to crumble. Unfortunately, a devastating fire destroys countless hours of hard work and each must re-assess their lives and goals. This leads Ginger to strike off on her own and attempt to find again the inner spark of who she once was.
Ginger's journey of self-discovery is guided by a sympathetic therapist, Esther, and it is this woman's patient counseling which enables Ginger to explore her past and cope with the baggage that has fueled Ginger's alcoholism and dependency. Along the way she unlocks the secrets of her childhood, deals with issues of trust and infidelity, and begins to understand the meaning of Socrates' statement, "The unexamined life is not worth living for man."
Brady's characterization is quite delineated; the reader has a genuine understanding of Ginger's desire to comprehend the changes in her life and her attitudes. The secondary characters, Esther the therapist, Roxy the sexy gardener, and Nellie the equivocator, are developed and intrinsic to Ginger's discovery of self. At times one wants to shake a few of these characters for occasional lapses into complacency and self-pity. However, overall, the author has captured the dichotomous natures of these women.
The point of view of any novel is critical to both the storytelling and the comprehension of that story. Although some readers may find the use of the third person present to be more in the moment, this reader found it to be less desirable, and at times, off-putting. Brady has created an overall poignant tone and consistent mood. However, both appeared to lose their intensity somewhat when one was so aware of the present tense exposition.
Ginger's Fire is a novel whose title clearly presents the thematic content. Brady has managed to capture with clarity and honesty those most vulnerable of moments in a person's life, the crossroads of being held captive by the past and of being shown the way to personal redemption. As the protagonist so finitely displays, self-actualization can be so painfully uplifting. Although this novel is relatively short, one hundred and seventy-four pages, it succeeds in creating within the reader an empathy for Ginger and others who have reached this pivotal point in both their emotional as well as intellectual growth. Brady is also the author of Give Me Your Good Ear (1994) which this reviewer also highly recommends reading.
Murky Waters
Robin Alexander
Intaglio Publications
P O Box 357474, Gainesville, FL 32635-7474
ISBN: 1933113332; $17.95; 203 Pages
Claire Murray, her life fraught with uncertainty and trepidation, has relocated from Houston to Baton Rouge and begun her new job as the travel manager for the Valor Marine Corporation. She realizes that she has left behind some unresolved problems but, nonetheless, she is hoping to make a fresh start. Tristan Delacroix is the head of the Valor Marine personnel department, and although Claire and she do not hit it off well when first they meet, Claire is intrigued by the mysterious woman. Each has secrets and each has no desire to share them any time soon. Complicating the situation even more is the fact that Claire has unfortunately not escaped her most serious problem--a stalker has followed her to Louisiana.
Murky Waters is Robin Alexander's second published novel, the first being Gloria's Inn. The latter was a somewhat short yet irreverently humorous novel which was an entertaining light read. Murky Waters is a slightly longer novel but one with a distinct difference. The author has ventured into the darker realm of human behavior and interaction. There is a maturity to her writing, a more stylistically developed piece of fiction.
The characterization of both Claire and Tristan is a gradually evolved set of circumstances. The speech and actions appear to be more precisely drawn, and the thoughts and feelings of these women are more finitely developed. Both these women have unsettling baggage, and Alexander takes her time sharing this with the reader. The dialogue flows freely and rings true as spoken by these young women. With the abysmal prejudice of Mallory, Tristan's exasperating mother, to the cavalier comments of Ellen, Claire's friend, the reader becomes a part of the scene, and this ability to empathize with all the characters is a result of carefully crafted writing. It is apparent to this reader that greater care was taken with the editing of this novel, and the reader benefits from this.
Overall, Murky Waters is an engrossing reading experience. The plotting and characters keep the reader thoroughly involved and pleasantly entertained. There are themes here which will invariably lead to some lively discussions among those who have read this novel. The conclusion is certainly different and may even cause some to question its validity, but that doubt in itself is something the author has successfully achieved.
It is always encouraging to see an author apparently learn from previous work and improve in such a way as to enable her genuine talent to come forth. Despite being a relatively new author, Robin Alexander's latest release shows an inordinate amount of growth and promise. This reader enthusiastically awaits her next book.
Relationships Can Be Murder
Jane DiLucchio
New Victoria
PO Box 27, Norwich, VT 05055
ISBN: 1892281252; $12.95; 191 Pages
Dee DelValle once had a brief yet passionate fling with Los Angeles' top television newscaster, Sheila Shelbourne. All things considered, it now has become Dee's most monumental mistake. The dalliance broke up Dee's longtime relationship with her partner Evie, confounded her closest friends, and now has placed Dee on an administrative leave from her teaching position because she is the LAPD's prime suspect in Shelbourne's murder. With the police department's lead investigators, Gina Quinn and Alex Pierce, convinced of her guilt, Dee decides to enlist the aid of her three best friends, Tully, Felicia, and Jenny. Together they set about trying to clear Dee and find the real killer. Along the way, these women learn that some secrets cannot be kept buried, that friendships will be tested, and that the old cliche is true. Some things just are not what they seem, and this applies to people as well.
DiLucchio has created an intriguing and witty character in Dee DelValle, schoolteacher cum sleuth. The author has surrounded Dee with very likable and winning secondary characters as well. Tully, the extrovert of the group, approaches life with a no holds barred, in your face attitude which serves her well, except in matters of the heart. Felicia is an interesting character in that she connects the various suspects through her job at the television studio. Finally, there is Jenny, herself not above suspicion in the investigation. Jenny too has secrets known only to a few, but damning nonetheless. It is this coterie of friends which enables Dee to pursue every avenue in her attempt at clearing her name and getting her life back on track. Each character highlights disparate facets of Dee's personality, and DiLucchio writes humorously, and at times, poignantly to portray this aspect of her characterization.
Plotting and logical progression of events are key elements of any good novel, but they are especially important in the construction of a mystery genre work. DiLucchio has mastered both here. The suspension of disbelief is present and never falters; its reading flows in a most realistic manner. There are the various red herrings and expected twists and turns. However, DiLucchio's style of writing has such an ease and naturalness, and this definitely keeps the reader challenged, entertained, and completely engaged. The Prelude of the book is definitely an attention-grabber; yet it manages to convey through adept irony the overall tone one can expect to encounter in this novel. "The disarray would normally have perturbed the woman greatly. In fact, she would have been extremely uncomfortable to have anyone see the condo, or herself, in this condition. However, a deep concave dent on the back of her head had ended all her mundane concerns of embarrassment" (page 5).
Relationships Can Be Murder is an exemplary and captivating debut novel. It is written with such care for detail of character and plausibility of situation that one can both identify and empathize fully with its protagonist. DiLucchio successfully manages to avoid the pitfalls of so many formulaic mysteries which seem to flood the bookshelves these days. Forthright and endearing main characters, the allusion to violence, which often times is substantially more chilling, and the witty and wry dialogues all contribute to a genuinely rewarding reading experience. This reviewer eagerly awaits Jane DiLuccio's next novel. Whether it is a sequel or something entirely different, DiLucchio's dynamic and ebullient style is well worth the wait.
Erotic Interludes 2: Stolen Moments
Edited by Stacia Seaman and Radclyffe
Bold Strokes Books
1020 Livezey Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19119
ISBN: 1933110163; $15.95; 288 Pages
Erotic Interludes 2: Stolen Moments is an anthology of over thirty stories written by a vastly diverse group of women ranging from the novice writer to the established author. These stories revolve around a central theme, seizing that erotic stolen moment between women. As Radclyffe states in her Introduction, "Merely attempting to define the term 'erotic' usually leads to considerable debate. What may be erotic to one person may not be to another" (p.1). As this reviewer is in complete agreement with the latter statement, I will limit my literary critique to three stories which, for me, clearly stand apart from the rest and which demonstrate the adroitly proficient skills of artful composition.
"Ride" by J.C. Chen is barely four pages in length, but Chen has captured the very essence of the stolen moment. Her stylistically compressed writing relies upon and owes its success to two key elements - setting and imagery. The evocative description of a New Jersey bar's patrons is an example of superior writing. "It's predominantly a bridge-and-tunnel clientele, but the kind of B&T that can't quite get their acts together to actually make it over the bridges or through the tunnels to Manhattan, where the real action lies" (p.129). The reader recognizes this mundane microcosm of lack of fulfillment. The blaring repetition of a Springsteen song and the shabby felt on the lone pool table contribute to this sensory banality of most bars as the hours wear on. Chen has selected the exact word, composed the specific phrase, and created those memorable sentences with a virtually minimalist technique which crystallizes that fusion of connecting and scoring, of consensual longing and gratification. What distinguishes "Ride" from so many other attempts at erotic storytelling is the subtlety of the literary expression of the experience. Give special attention to Chen's last sentence for it is especially memorable in its ironic and wry finality. This story is an absolute gem!
"Sales Call" by Georgia Beers is an outstanding example of how a particularly consistent point of view is so intrinsically related to a reader's enjoyment of a story. This reviewer's immediate identification with Jamie vividly sets the scene for the inevitable sexual encounter. However, Beers has gone to great lengths to tease, torment, and titillate Jamie. Most readers will empathize with Jamie, her reactions, and her confusion. Beers has created a mood of haven't we all been there at one time? When it comes to instant attraction yet delayed consummation, the author has provided just enough back story to establish Jamie's as yet unrequited desire. The fact that Michelle, the client, assumes the dominant role contributes to the vulnerability and passion experienced by Jamie and the reader. "Sales Call" is an artfully well-developed and credible vignette. So often there is a fantasy aspect to erotica, but this reviewer prefers a kind of reality wherein the story could happen to anyone in similar circumstances. Beers delivers that expectation in a delightfully satisfying manner.
Radclyffe's "Standing Room Only" is an adept example of how an author is able to take command of the page by carefully developing a sequential storyline and driving it to a plausibly gratifying crescendo. The fluid ease of expression is a Radclyffe trademark, as is crisply nuanced dialogue which rings true with each telling. "If you can find something to smile about today," a molasses-thick voice drawled, "you simply must share" (p. 195). That is a definite come-on, but what a lovely way to say it. With "Standing Room Only" Radclyffe manages to create a snapshot of an experience; the reader is instantly engaged and the suspension of disbelief is immediately established. Her style of erotic composition appeals to this reader because this author does not settle for the nuts and bolts depiction of sexual activity, never utilizes the repetitive and unimaginative cataloguing of sexual words, and eschews the amateurish construction of sexy prose. For this reviewer, "Standing Room Only" is both a stimulating and arousing read; it is also a perfect example of intelligent and sensual erotica.
Erotic Interludes 2: Stolen Moments is well worth the time to read, enjoy, and savor. There is enough variety here to satisfy most readers' expectations. Also worthy of mention are Sylvie Avante's "Tour Guide," KI Thompson's "The Blue Line, and Ronica Black's "Ache." The scope and breadth of this erotica collection will afford the reader many avenues to explore until she finds her own personal gem.
Arlene Germain
Reviewer
Bethany's Bookshelf
If You Give A Girl A Bible
Andy Holmes
Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
0825455189 $10.99 1-800-733-2607 www.kregelpublications.com
Simply written and very nicely illustrated by Andy Holmes, If You Give A Girl A Bible is an entertaining picturebook that is as inspired as it is inspiring. When a young girl is given a Bible, she learns that it is a great source of ideas about helping others -- including pets as well as people! If You Give A Girl A Bible showcases great good humor with an enduring message for young readers ages 4 to 6 that God is watching over us when one else is there. But parents be forewarned -- reading this book may result in children asking for a Bible of their own!!
The Great Elephant
Nik Ranieri
Winepress Publishing
PO Box 428, Enumclaw, WA 98022
157921780X $19.95 1-800-326-4674 www.winepressub.com
Quinn is a mouse who faces danger and deception in the jungle. Quinn's adventures nicely serve as an brief and entertaining story teaching children to question ideas outside the truth of The bible and trust Jesus for help as they live through the days of their lives. Brilliantly written and superbly illustrated by Walt Disney animator Nik Ranieri, "The Great Elephant" is an attractive and engaging picturebook allegory that will help young readers prepare for living in a world that constantly teaches ideas that may go against their family's faith and beliefs.
Chocolate Cakes
Tom Phillips
New Holland Publishers (UK)
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
1843309785 $19.95 1-800-805-5489
The chocolate cake is an desert and celebratory icon. Chocolate Cakes: 20 Fabulously Indulgent Cakes by British confectionary expert Tom Philips showcases twenty superb chocolate cakes, each of which would make any special occasion truly memorable. After providing basic introduction information on chocolate, techniques of cake baking, cakes and sponges, fillings, coverings, and equipment, the fully illustrated, "kitchen cook friendly" recipes follow. The selected cakes comprising this outstanding and highly recommended compendium of specialized recipes includes: Praline Chequerboard Torte; Hedgehog; Chocolate Flower; Choc Cherry Fondant; Square Box of Chocolates; Ultimate Chocolate Truffle Cake; Chocolate Panel Cake; Bitter Fruity Ganache Cake; Round Chocolate Box; Valentine's Love Heart; Vertical Layer Torte; Yle Log; Christmas Tree; Floral Trail; White Wedding Dream; Fairy Cake Tower; Chocolate Croquembouche; Forever Frills; Easter Basket; and Tower of Flowers. Enhanced with templates, a list of suppliers, and an index, Chocolate Cakes is an elegant, mouth-watering, palate pleasing collection of truly tempting confections.
Slow Cooker Favorites Made Healthy
Better Homes and Gardens
Meredith Books
1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50336-0001
0696226839 $14.95 1-800-678-8091 www.meredithbooks.com
The slow cooker or crockpot is a busy time-stressed homemaker's best friend in the kitchen. Get up in the morning, put in the ingredients, turn on the heat, the walk away for the rest of the day until dinner time. Now even the most health conscious kitchen cook can take full advantage of the crockpot with the more than two hundred slow-cooker recipes comprising the new Better Homes and Gardens' Slow Cooker Favorites Made Healthy. From Five-Spice Chicken Wings; Slow-Cooked Beef Fajitas; Dijon Pork Chops; and Ginger-Tomato Chicken; to Pasta with Eggplant Sauce; Asian Turkey and Rice Soup; Mushroom Steak Diane Stew; and Savory Bread Pudding, the recipes are clearly laid out with ingredient lists, prep and cooking time estimates, number of servings, cooking directions, and even Slow Cooker Size. A very highly recommended addition to family kitchen cookbook collections, Slow Cooker Favorites Made Healthy comes with an exceptionally useful bonus chapter of outstanding recipes for small families using a one and one-half quart sized slow cooker.
Love Made Visible
Paul Brenner & Susan Wingate
Council Oak Books Ltd.
2105 East 15th Street, Suite B, Tulsa, OK 74104
1571781838 $19.95 1-800-247-8850 www.counciloakbooks.com
Obstetrician and psychotherapist Paul Brenner provides captions for Susan Wingate remarkable black-and-white photography to create an intimate, visual portrait of the spiritual process by which love between a man and a woman brings new life into the world through the procreative process. Comprised of fifty photographs (along with Dr. Brenner's eloquent narrative) readers are treated to a revelation of the emotional experiences and bonding of expectant families as reflected in the faces of fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters to the new baby that will become a part of their lives when born. Love Made Visible is especially recommended for anyone considering having a child and would make an especially elegant addition to community library photography and "Family Life" collections.
Susan Bethany
Reviewer
Buhle's Bookshelf
Deadly Dozen
Robert K. DeArment
University of Oklahoma Press
4100 28th Avenue, NW, Norman, OK 73069
080613559X $29.95 1-800-627-7377 www.oupress.com
Because of the movies and television shows, when it comes to gunslingers on either side of the law, we all know of the "headline stars" of the American frontier such as Wyatt Earp, Bill the Kid, and Doc Holliday. What western history expert Robert K. DeArment has done in Deadly Dozen: Twelve Forgotten Gunfighters Of The Old West is to present the lives and deeds of twelve gunman who were important in their day, but never had the enduring notoriety of their more famous colleagues, competitors, and contemporaries. Here are the stories of John Bull, Pat Desmond, Mart Duggan, Milt Yarberry, Dan Tucker, George Goodell, Bill Standifer, Charley Perry, Barney Riggs, Dan Bogan, Dave Kemp, and Jeff Kidder. DeArment's informed and informative text is enhanced with illustrations, and an "Afterword", along with notes, a bibliography, and an index. Deadly Dozen is a real treat for American frontier history buffs and a very highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library American Western History reference collections.
Positive Options For Colorectal Cancer
Carol Ann Larson
Hunter House Publishers
PO Box 2914, Alameda, CA 94501-2914
0897934466 $12.95 1-800-266-5592 www.hunterhouse.com
Endorsed by Advocates for Colorectal Education, Positive Options For Colorectal Cancer: Self-Help And Treatment is a straightforward repository of information about colorectal cancer - its symptoms, tests that can detect it, basic information for making decisions about treatment, including chemotherapy, surgery, and alternative treatments, possible complications, lessons learned by cancer survivors and more. An absolute "must-read" for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and family members who need to know more about what is going on, and a welcome supplement to help the reader understand one's doctor better.
Darwinism & Philosophy
Vittorio Hosle & Christian Illies, editors
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
0268030731 $35.00 1-800-621-2736 www.undpress.nd.edu
Collaboratively edited by Vittorio Hosle (Paul G. Kimball Chair of Arts and Letters, Department of German Languages and Literatures, University of Notre Dame) and Christian Illies (Lecturer, Technical University of Eindhoven, Netherlands), Darwinism & Philosophy offers an inherently fascinating series of essays by knowledgeable scholars on the significant and continuing philosophical potential of Charles Darwin's principles of evolutionary biology. Included are "Materialism, Actualism, and Science: What's Modern about Modern Science?" by Peter McLauglin (University of Heidelberg, Germany); "Evolution, Paleontology, and Metaphysics" by David Oldroyd (University of New South Wales, Australia); "Darwinism's Multiple Ontologies" by David Depew (University of Iowa, USA); "Darwinism: Neither Biologistic nor Metaphysical" by Bernd Graefrath (University of Essen, German), and thirteen other contributors organized into four general sections: "What Kind of Science is Darwinian Biology, and What Are Its Ontological Presuppositions"; "Is a Non-Naturalist Interpretation of Darwinism Possible?"; "What is the Epistemological Relevance of Darwinism?"; and "Darwinism and the Place of the Human". Also available in a hardcover edition (0268030723, $70.00), Darwinism & Philosophy is a seminal body of work that is an essential contribution to the fields of Evolutionary Studies and Philosophy.
Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer
Burroughs' Bookshelf
Surfing USA!
Ben Marcus
Voyageur Press
123 North Second Street, Stillwater MN 55082-0338
0896586901 $35.00 1-800-888-9653 www.voyageurpress.com
Surfing USA!: An Illustrated History Of The Coolest Sport Of All Time is the definitive history of surfing in America by Ben Marcus (past editor of publication "Surfer" for ten years and author of articles on surfing in 130 issues of that magazine). Having grown up adjacent to the surfing beaches of southern California in the 1970s, Marcus was present through all the big developments in the sport of surfing. His comprehensive and beautifully illustrated history shows how the sport developed, the science of "big waves", surfer personalities, the evolution of surf boards, and the creation of a surf culture from movies to rock 'n' roll to hot rodding. Of special note are the impressive photographs of surfing memorabilia, movie posters, album covers, and pop art thematically showcasing the sport of surfing. Surfing USA! is a strongly recommended contribution to school and community library American Popular History reference collections -- and a "must" for all surfing enthusiasts!
The Early Middle Ages
Philip Daileader
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
1565859154 $254.95 www.teach12.com
A four-time winner of the "Harvard University Certificate of Distinction in Teacher", Philip Daileader is an Associate Professor of History at The College of William and Mary. His 24-part lecture series, "The Early Middle Ages" is a superb, graduate level course of 30-minute lectures splendidly recorded on four DVD discs allowing the viewer to proceed at whatever pace of instruction suits them best. The DVDs are packaged two to a pair of sturdily packaged cases and are accompanied by two print volumes of the lecture's text. After an informed and orienting introduction ("Long Shadows and the Dark Ages"), Professor Daileader goest on to survey "Diocletian and the Crises of the Third Century"; "Constantine the Great--Christian Emperor"; "Pagans and Christians in the Fourth Century"; "Athletes of God"; a two-part lecture on Augustine; then "Barbarians at the Gate"; "Franks and Goths"; "Arthur's England"; "Justinian and the Byzantine Empire"; "The House of Islam"; followed by four lectures on the Carolingians (including Charlemagne); "Fury of the Northmen"; "Collapse of the Carolingian Empire"; "The Birth of France and Germany"; England in the Age of Alfred"; "Al-Andalus--Islamic Spain"; "Carolingian Europe--Gateway to the Middle Ages"; "Family Life--How Then Became Now"; and the concluding summary lecture, "Long Shadows and the Dark Ages Revisited". Professor Daileader is articulate, knowledgeable, and his presentations are provided with a flair for public speaking equal to his enthusiasm for his subject. "The Early Middle Ages" would make a superb addition to any History Department or academic library collection, as well as a popular addition to highschool honors curriculums in European History. This outstanding DVD/Textbook combination would also be quite appropriate for community library collections for their interested non-specialist general patrons with an interest in Medieval History.
Darwinism & Philosophy
Vittorio Hosle & Christian Illies, editors
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
0268030731 $35.00 1-800-621-2736 www.undpress.nd.edu
Collaboratively edited by Vittorio Hosle (Paul G. Kimball Chair of Arts and Letters, Department of German Languages and Literatures, University of Notre Dame) and Christian Illies (Lecturer, Technical University of Eindhoven, Netherlands), Darwinism & Philosophy offers an inherently fascinating series of essays by knowledgeable scholars on the significant and continuing philosophical potential of Charles Darwin's principles of evolutionary biology. Included are "Materialism, Actualism, and Science: What's Modern about Modern Science?" by Peter McLauglin (University of Heidelberg, Germany); "Evolution, Paleontology, and Metaphysics" by David Oldroyd (University of New South Wales, Australia); "Darwinism's Multiple Ontologies" by David Depew (University of Iowa, USA); "Darwinism: Neither Biologistic nor Metaphysical" by Bernd Graefrath (University of Essen, German), and thirteen other contributors organized into four general sections: "What Kind of Science is Darwinian Biology, and What Are Its Ontological Presuppositions"; "Is a Non-Naturalist Interpretation of Darwinism Possible?"; "What is the Epistemological Relevance of Darwinism?"; and "Darwinism and the Place of the Human". Also available in a hardcover edition (0268030723, $70.00), Darwinism & Philosophy is a seminal body of work that is an essential contribution to the fields of Evolutionary Studies and Philosophy.
John Burroughs
Reviewer
Christina's Bookshelf
My Book of Life, a Companion Piece: Letter to Maya Angelou (Pictures & Words)
Oluwadahunsi
Authorhouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, Indiana 47403
www.authorhouse.com (888)-728-8467
ISBN: 1420820486, $35.00 100 Pages
Looking for something different? Like words, quips, and thoughts to live by? This book is more than another for your collection. It's a state of mind. If you also like pictures of nature, you'll find those in this book breathtaking.
Oluwadahunsi composed eighty-eight sets of meditations that he hopes readers find challenging and edifying. He gave each a title and a special photograph, courtesy of 'The Fish and Wildlife Service.' Together they become reverent and poignant. Each message seems to suggest a way to view life and/or life's ironies.
Excerpt Preview:
A warm temperature is a freezing room
Thawing
The chambers of the heart were not made
For ice
Even the heavy won't feel heavy
If you touch them
The corners of the earth don't bend
They round everyone
A healthy start doesn't begin until all are
Well
Oluwadahunsi published a poem at the age of thirteen. In time he became a produced playwright, poet and author. He has three law degrees, including one from Harvard Law School. He attended Yale School of Drama, and has a Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting from the American Film Institute. He has taught and practiced law in both the private and public sectors.
This arrangement is more than words and pretty pictures. It's a reminder about the bigger picture, something many of us forget when caught up in the rat-race. Readers will find its mood thoughtful, encouraging, and enlightening.
Recommended for those seeking advice from a fascinating friend. Makes a nice gift for a friend, family member, or oneself. It's not for the simple-minded though. This book's messages go deep, not always poetically, but it still beats, after all, it's something different.
Stay Out of Court! The Small Business Guide to Preventing Disputes and Avoiding Lawsuit Hell
Andrew A. Caffey
Entrepreneur Press
2445 McCabe Way, Suite 400, Irvine, CA. 92614
www.entrepreneurpress.com 1-800-864-6864
ISBN: 1932531262, $17.95 187 pages
Let's face it, everybody seems sue happy these days. Notice the cost of insurance? Listen to how people with great ideas to providing a wonderful service or product, change their mind because they fear lawsuits. "Obviously something needs to be done because this fear is changing the way services are provided," says Caffey. He believes that until then, businesses need to take steps to protect themselves. His book compiles steps, tips, and solutions.
Practicing attorney, Andrew A Caffey, has written a brilliant tool for small business owners. He's represented some of the largest, best known companies in the world, as well as many small businesses across the United States and Canada.
The Book's Content Headings:
Part I. Welcome to Lawsuit Hell (Chapters 1-5)
Part II. Conflict Resolution Skills: Laying the Groundwork to Avoid Costly Disputes (Chapters 6-8)
Part III. The Court Avoidance Tools at Your Command (Chapters 9-12)
Part IV. Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Tools (Chapters 13-16)
Part V. The Mindset Key: Establishing an Ethic of accountability (Chapters 17-19)
Part VI. Making the Lawsuit Go Away (Chapters 20-25)
The book also contains:
Conclusion: The Perfect Storm
Bibliography
About the Author
Glossary
Index
An Excerpt from the book: Taken from Part V.
"So far, we have discussed two important legs of the stay out of court's stool: conflict management skills (such as negotiation) and tools (such as contract provisions and notices). The third leg of the stool, building an ethic of accountability, is an attitude, a state of mind, a corporate culture. It is at once the most important of the three and the hardest to master and to put into effect. The first step in building an ethic of accountability is to banish the victim's mindset from your organization."
My favorite chapter is 12, 'Controlling the Escalating Dispute'. First, Caffey gives an anatomy of a conflict, he then goes onto 6 stages that conflicts normally go through. Next, he goes on about how to handle the conflict before it escalates, how to intervene, and also provides sample letters to threatened litigation, and then how to deal with a meeting with the threatening person who may also have his attorney with him. He encourages the reader to strive toward a resolution out of court. Finally, Caffey ends the chapter by saying that sometimes there isn't much to be done except to fight the bully.
"Stay Out of Court!" The Small Business Guide to Preventing Disputes and Avoiding Lawsuit Hell" is an easy-to-read practical overview for small businesses on how to prevent disputes and avoid lawsuits. At a time when many businesses worry about being sued, and rightly so, Caffey offers a way to deal with this until something is done. The system needs revamping, that is for sure. I recommend this book for anyone with a small business or for someone who is starting one. It's instructive, helpful, and a "Must-Have" for the small business entrepreneur. It's like having a business advisor. A terrifically smart and savvy buy!
Christina Francine Whitcher, Reviewer
http://www.CFrancine.bizland.com
Christy's Bookshelf
Metro Girl
Janet Evanovich
Harper Collins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
ISBN: 0060584009, $26.95 296 pages
Alex Barnaby - Barney to family and friends - heads to Miami after receiving a frightening phone call from her little brother, Bill. When she arrives at Bill's apartment, it's been trashed and a man with a fake eye tries to kidnap her. If that isn't bad enough, it seems Bill has disappeared with NASCAR driver Sam Hooker's boat. And Hooker's not a happy camper. Hooker trails Alex as she tries to find out the whereabouts of her brother, intrigued by her rebuffs to his advances. Things turn serious when two men threaten to kill them if they don't stop. Which only encourages the dynamic duo to search far and wide for Wild Bill. Their adventure takes them into international waters, where they find a cache of gold bars and a mysterious container that creepy men from America and Cuba are anxious to get their hands on.
This is a wonderful read. Evanovich's witty sense of humor shines through to perfection. The characters are fun, the plot entertaining, and the dialogue/ situations zany. Highly recommended.
Dating Dead Men
Harley Jane Kozak
Doubleday
ISBN: 0385510187, $22.95 326 pages
Wollie Shelley has to date 40 men in 60 days as part of a research project for radio talk-show host and author Dr. Cookie, while desperately trying to pass inspection for an upgrade to her card shop from Wollie's Welcome! To Wollie's Wilkommen!
On her way to a state-run mental hospital to visit her brother, Wollie discovers a dead man in the roadway, is taken hostage by a man posing as a doctor, and ends up taking care of a ferret while dodging the mob and two Swedish men intent on killing her.
Wollie is a fun character - hope to see more with her - and the read one I thoroughly enjoyed. With plenty of offbeat characters, a good plot, and twisting mystery, you won't be disappointed.
Deadly Illusions: a Greg Mckenzie Mystery
Chester D. Campbell
Durban House Publishing Company, Inc.
7502 Greenville Avenue, Suite 500, Dallas, TX 75231
www.durbanhouse.com
ISBN: 1930754655, $12.95 261 pages
Chester Campbell has created a unique blend of sleuthing with the Greg McKenzie series. In this installment, McKenzie, retired from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and former investigator for the Nashville DA's office, has opened an investigative firm with his wife Jill. While investigating the disappearance of funds from a popular restaurant chain, they agree to take on a case for Molly Saint, who asks for a background check on her husband Damon. When Molly mysteriously disappears, Greg and Jill try to track her whereabouts, which leads to entanglement with a secret government agency and contract killers, all tied to the murder of the Chairman of the Federal Reserve.
The McKenzie duo is a fresh addition to the mystery genre. An older couple, Greg and Jill complement each other personally and professionally and make for good reading. Campbell writes in an engaging style, delivering a mystery that twists and turns throughout the book. A compelling read.
Trailer Trash from Tennessee
David Hunter
Tellico Books
Oak Ridge, TN
ISBN: 0916078760, $16.00 199 pages
David Hunter pens a wistful memoir of his childhood in the hills of East Tennessee (with a short stint in South Carolina). As a child, Hunter was precocious and imaginative - a boy who could make arrows out of reeds and bottle tops, turn an adding machine into the control board of a space ship, and transform any number of common household items into innovative toys. Always tagging along was his little brother, Larry, reminding this reviewer of a 20th century Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. The stories told are delivered with humor and wit, in an engaging style. Hidden within the text of each chapter is a subtle moral learned by the delightfully adroit David. Hunter has grown from an imaginative boy into an imaginative man, whose creativity as a writer brings pleasure to his host of fans, of which I am one. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it highly.
In 1947, at the age of 23, Kate accompanies her grandmother, Louise Dunbar Stanfield, on a train trip across the country to visit her dying friend, Mollie Brown. As the train travels over the landscape, Louise tells Kate of her life as a child on the Jersey Shore, in a city called Long Branch. It was here the wealthiest families built elaborate homes and whiled away the days and evenings at casinos and racetracks. As her grandmother's story continues, Kate learns that Mollie Brown is actually the daughter of President James Garfield, who served in office only three months before being shot and subsequently dying three months later. During his last days, Garfield was brought back to Long Branch, where it was hoped he would recuperate.
This is a lovely story about a continuing friendship between two young girls and the events that transpired during an important time in our nation's history. GARFIELD'S TRAIN is a compelling read, blooming with historical facts evolving around history makers of the late nineteenth century. Of interest is the political wrangling that went on before and after Garfield's nomination and subsequent election, and the country's reaction to his failing health after he was shot. An absolute must-read for history and political science lovers as well as anyone who enjoys spending time with a fascinating book. Highly recommended.
Christy Tillery French
Reviewer
Debra's Bookshelf
Edges: O Israel, O Palestine
Leora Skolkin-Smith
Glad Day Books
PO Box 699, Enfield, NH 03748
ISBN: 1930180144, $15.00 176 pages
Leora Skolkin-Smith's brief novel follows fourteen-year-old Liana Bialik on a trip to Israel with her mother and sister in 1963. The three women have left their Westchester home to attend the reburial of Leona's maternal uncle, whose grave is to be moved to the Israeli side of the country's border with Jordan. At the same time an extended visit with her birth family is intended as a comfort to Liana's mother after the recent death--by apparent suicide--of her husband. The tragic stories behind the deaths of these two men, Liana's father and uncle, though only hinted at in the book, form the backdrop to Liana's coming-of-age story.
Set amidst the barbed-wire borders of pre-1967 Jerusalem, Edges is more concerned with the figurative boundaries between Liana and her mother, whom Liana simultaneously loves and is repelled by. Certainly there is much in her mother, as Skolkin-Smith describes her, to send one screaming: "Her body was usually without undergarments which gave the sheets a hot, wettish odor. Her hair and face creams gave off a strong, fruity smell and tempered the raw coarse aromas that got loose from her flesh." In this and other passages the author paints Liana's mother as aesthetically odious--just the sort of way a girl of fourteen might view her mother. But reeking of sweat and other bodily fluids as she is, Liana's mother is not the only thing that smells in this book. Skolkin-Smith's Jerusalem is filled with the unappealing odors of food and people as well as of cocktail napkins, orgasms, and mirrors (which smell respectively like walnuts, curdled milk, and "sweat and old yarn").
We can view with sympathy Liana's desire to free herself from her mother's stifling, sweaty, noisome affection, if not the dramatic means by which she eventually makes good her escape. Her story becomes entwined with that of an American boy who's recently gone missing and whose disappearance has caused a national stir. Apparently the boy doesn't want to be found, but why this should be is never made clear.
Skolkin-Smith's Edges is a quiet novel filled with small moments. Much of the story is told in dialogue, the stilted English of Israelis conversing in an unfamiliar tongue. They pepper their speech with untranslated Hebrew, which may be off-putting to readers unfamiliar with that language. More problematic for my own appreciation of the novel is that the various characters often have fractured encounters with one another that don't quite make sense:
"Two small nuns in black bowed in front of some ruins, and a priest with a scarlet-red Russian turban was smoking a cigarette beside a church door. He saw us and crossed the vestibule.
'I am American. Christian. Does it matter?' my mother began, and he waved us along, away from him."
Skolkin-Smith's characters rarely express themselves fully, much falling between their words. (Liana, for example, runs off with the American boy without the two ever having a conversation to that effect beforehand.) This imperfect communication probably reflects real-life dialogue well, but it is difficult to follow on the page.
Readers who like their prose on the poetic side--and anyone interested in a story that evokes the sights and sentiments and indeed the smells of 1960's Jerusalem--should give Skolkin-Smith's novel a look.
Decorated to Death
Dean James
Kensington Books
ISBN: 0758204868, $5.99 255 pages
Simon Kirby-Jones, like any other amateur detective worth his or her salt, has the fortunate habit of being in the right place at the wrong time. In the few months since he's moved from Texas to the quaint English village of Snupperton-Mumsley, Simon has stumbled over at least as many corpses as Murder She Wrote's Jessica Fletcher encounters on an average book tour. And like that grand dame of polite cozies, Simon too is a prolific writer, the author of well-respected historical biographies as well as two series of books, romances and mysteries, which he publishes pseudonymously. Enticing as his secret life of letters is, Simon's forays into lower-brow literature are not his only secret: he also happens to be a vampire, a gay vampire, in a world in which, however, medical advances have taken away much of the unpleasantness associated with that condition. Simon does try to limit his exposure to sunlight, and garlic remains a no-no, but he neither requires nor desires the blood-quaffing that has given generations of vampires a bad reputation. Or, at least, Simon never used to have such cravings....
In this third installment* in Dean James' amusing series of vampire cozies, our gentlemanly undead protagonist finds himself in the uncomfortable position of gazing upon his acquaintances' pulsing neck veins with something approaching lust: the pills he takes thrice daily to ward off his vampiric impulses seem to be failing--a delicious development. There is also, of course, a murder: Zeke Harwood, the flamboyant host of the popular decorating show Tres Zeke, is bludgeoned to death while redoing the drawing room of nearby Blitherington Hall.
Decorated to Death offers readers another good mystery. For those coming to the series for the first time, the author does a good job for the most part of weaving the necessary background information into his narrative, though further explanation of the woman Simon refers to as his Nemesis would have served even repeat readers well. Fans of the series will find the book most interesting for Simon's unwilling flirtation with traditional vampirism, and for his more welcome flirtation with his personal assistant, young aristocrat Giles Blitherington.
The Practice of Deceit
Elizabeth Benedict
Houghton Mifflin
ISBN: 0618563717, $23.95 288 pages
We know almost from the outset of his story that Eric Lavender's marriage is in trouble. He is, after all, telling that story from a holding cell in the Scarsdale Police Department, and it's a complaint from Eric's wife that's landed him there. But only a few weeks earlier Eric had been obliviously happy in his three-and-a-half-year marriage to Colleen, a divorce attorney known to her colleagues--if not her husband--as a barracuda when it comes to extracting blood from her clients' exes. Colleen's opening shot in a battle Eric had only dimly been aware was brewing is the police report she's filed alleging that Eric sexually molested his stepdaughter, Colleen's four-year-old from a previous relationship. Sitting on the hard bench in his cell with time on his hands, Eric begins to explain how things fell apart for him, a tale whose roots go back to the day he met Colleen. Four years earlier, still recovering from the emotional trauma of being abandoned by her husband while she was pregnant, Colleen boldly took the lead in wooing and winning Eric. In less than a year he'd left behind his apartment and his psychotherapy practice in New York and moved into her Scarsdale home, where he set about talking the community's pampered scions through their relatively uninteresting problems.
The trouble in their marriage starts when the wife of one of Eric's patients hires Colleen as a divorce lawyer. Colleen's hostile behavior when confronted with the problem of this conflict of interest--she and Eric are now ranged on either side of a domestic dispute--prompts Eric to take a closer look at the enigmatic woman he's married to. He gradually uncovers evidence that suggests she has been less than truthful to him about her background. The story of Eric's relationship with Colleen becomes mesmerizing as he slowly peels back the layers of his wife's perfidy, discovering as he does that he hardly knows her, that he cannot trust the woman who, chillingly, is now, as he's telling the story, acting as sole parent to their daughters.
Elizabeth Benedict's The Practice of Deceit is one of those rare
books one is loath to see the end of. Smoothly written and well
plotted, the book manages to be both quiet and suspenseful. I would
have preferred that the final chapter of the book not be epistolary
in form, and there is one action taken by the protagonist that
continues to confuse me (his call to a client while in prison), but
these are minor quibbles about a very good book.
The Tulip and the Pope
Deborah Larsen
Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN: 037541360X, $24.00 265 pages
Anyone who ever attended Catholic school will understand why Deborah Larsen was so curious in her youth about convent life. Surely we girls all wondered, at least--we shapeless lumps in knee-highs and pleated skirts--what the nuns who taught us did behind closed doors, how their communal life was organized. That same curiosity is what will draw readers to Ms. Larsen's memoir, The Tulip and the Pope, an account of the nearly five years the author spent as a nun some forty years ago among the BVMs, the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To most of us the lifestyle Larsen and her fellow postulants to the order adopted upon "entering religion" would be anything but appeal
