It's Summer--Time to Chill Out a Little

We've already had 90 degree weather here, so it's time to start looking for books to cool off. Here's one for busy readers--it's short, it's entertaining, and it's even mildly educational. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you are looking for a factual history of times when the Thames froze over you'll need to use one of the books listed in the back of the book. But if you would like a short, chronological feel for reactions by the citizens across the centuries, this is a delightful way to experience the cold, the awe, and the wonder of a river iced over deep enough to work and play on it.


Each "chapter" is only a few pages long, more vingettes that short stories, but each has it's own voice. Although each instant is dated, you might want a reference handy as there are only a few references to the current ruler. (Unless you are a big history buff and have things like that memorized.)

I give this a 3.5 or even a 3.75.

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Books and Death and yet not depressing

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a special book. It is the story of an exclusive book club with just two members, Will and his mother--but it is so much more than that.

It's a tribute to a remarkable woman who cared about people, especially the voiceless people of the world, with a passion. It is a loving memory of the woman who spent the last two years of her life staying in touch with the people she loved with grace and dignity. It is a resounding vote of confidence in the lasting contribution of books to the well-being of the human spirit.

I wish I'd met Mary Ann Schwalbe. She sounds like she was of the good people. And I have several (many) books I wish we could have talked about together.



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