The Gardening Year is winding down, but here's a book to dream on

The Elements of Organic Gardening by Charles, Prince of Wales


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An overview of the organic gardening practices that Prince Charles has undertaken on his properties of Highgrove, Clarence House, and Birkhall.
I am so envious of English gardens, and these are wonderful.
Read for task 25.2

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Oldie, but Goodie

A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Jean Paget, a young English woman, was trapped in Malaya in 1942 when the Japanese invaded and with 34 other women and children was subjected to a "death March" to a mythical prison camp. Along the way she met an Aussie prisoner of war who helped them out to his own detriment. Several years after the war, she becomes wealthy and goes back to Malaya to help those who helped her--and thus begins an adventure.
I loved this book and can hardly wait for the DVD to come in.
Read for Task 15.8 Australia

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A couple of things I've read recently

The Fixer Upper: A Novel by Mary Kay Andrews


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Dempsey's lobbyist boss leaves her holding the bag in a bribery case. Without a job, she takes over flipping the old family house in GA that her father has inherited. I started out really disliking Dempsey, but as the book went on she started improving and growing. She learns a lot of home maintenence skills that I wish I knew how to do.
3 stars for task 25.9

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Museum of Human Beings by Colin Sargent


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Fictional account of Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, son of Sacagawea and his quest to find his place in life. It was interesting, but I can't say I really loved it.

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Can a Kelly girl substitute for Steffie Plum?

Candy Apple Red by Nancy Bush


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Jane Kelly works as a process server/PI/whatever. She came to Oregon to be with a boy friend, who is now long gone over a difference of opinion about his best friend who killed his family and disappeared. Now the boy friend's back and Jane has been asked by a lawyer to delve into the mystery of the missing Bobby, who also happens to be the son of the richest guy in town.
There are close parallels here with Steffie Plum, although instead of Rex the hamster we have a pug named Binky. Go with the hamster.
This is listed as a fiction in my library, but it has at least as much of a mystery as any Steffie Plum book which are listed as mystery, so take your pick.
5.2

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Texas Oil town story means reader bonaza

Honor at Daybreak by Elmer Kelton


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sheriff Dave Buckalew tries to keep oil boomtown Caprock safe from the predations of Boss Daughtry's gang. Young Slim McIntyre comes into town looking for cowboy work, but he too gets caught up in the search for oil. Set in dusty 1920's Texas, Kelton's book is very true to life.
15.3 a

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It's a Sailor's Life for Me! Well...

The Captain's Wife by Douglas Kelley


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
In 1856 Captain Joshua Patten takes his young wife Mary with him on his clipper ship as he sails from New York to San Fransisco. This is her second voyage with him. They are sailing with a good crew, but an unreliable first mate and an inexperienced second mate.
Trouble looms before they reach Cape Horn. The first mate has a fight with the captain and is arrested. Patten apparently suffers from his head wound or an undetirmined illness, but spends much of the rest of the time unconscious.
Mary is the only one on the crew who can use the sexton to find their location and plot their course unless they are willing to release the first mate.
This is a novel based on a real life event.
Task 5.3 2009 GoodReads Fall Challenge

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