A Kansas Reader

The Red Queen's Daughter

2010-12-29T17:15:00.001-08:00

The Red Queen's Daughter by Jacqueline Kolosov

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Red Queen is Katherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VII, who survived him and later married and had a daughter Mary. The story is narrated by Mary and chronicles her (Mary's) training in white magic and then employment as a Lady-in-Waiting by Elizabeth I.

This interesting story moves slowly, because the author has packed it full of details about Elizabeth I's court, from the convoluted relationships of various courtiers to how the elaborate clothing was taken care of. I happen to enjoy that kind of book, but that's me.

The magic seems a little more iffy. Mostly, we are told "And she told me to figure it out for myself", and remarkably Mary jumps right in and, except for a case early on, has no problems.

Task 30.7 B

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Big Blue Book fulfills cover expectations

2010-07-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you like books set in England at the turn of the 20th Century that feature people with enough money to indulge their eccentricities you might like this one. There are lots of references to political and social movements of the period.
This book moved rather slowly and had lots of people drifting in and out. At one point I was going to stop reading it, but decided to keep at it just to see what happened to the characters. It makes you think that maybe all their quirks KEPT the characters from being happy.
This is not the happiest book I've ever read.

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An Alaskan Life and Lovin' It

2010-06-22T16:38:00.000-07:00

Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs: Family, Friends, and Faith in Small-Town Alaska by Heather Lende

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's not that death has no mysteries for someone who writes obituaries, it's that the writer has turned death' mystery into a way of meeting and celebrating life.
Lende survived a serious bike accident and went on to not just cope with life but to enjoy the good with the bad. Along the way she has written about her life in Haines, Alaska and her friends and neighbors--both the living and the dead. An Episcopalian, she draws on a great wealth of spiritual tradtion to tie life together.
I had enjoyed her first book If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name, which came out just before her accident, and I must say that I've enjoyed this one just as much.

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A Three Dog Life

2010-06-17T17:50:00.000-07:00

A Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is Abigail Thomas' account of her life after her husband Rich was hit by a car and suffered massive brain damage. Her life changed and she had to plan for the future, while her husband remained living in the ever-present now. In addition to Harry, the beagle who was with Rich at the time of the accident, she acquires Rosie (half whippet, half dachshund) and the beagle Carolina Bones.
I empathized with her, almost to the point of reliving my own years following my husband's long bout with a brain tumor. While there are some differences (as a neurologist was quick to point out), I still saw many of the same behavior in my husband.
The amazing thing is that I did not find this book to be depressing, nor was it full of Pollyanna-ish cheerfulness.

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GoodRead Seasonal Reads Summer Reading

2010-06-03T20:39:00.000-07:00

Once again I've been lured into the GoodReads Seasonal Reading Challenge.
This summer there are 56 tasks, with most of them requiring one book to be read for completion.

Of the several hundred people who have taken up the challenge, most don't plan to finish all the tasks--they have a life that revolves around work, family, recreation, and other things. They pick the tasks that dovetail with their list of books they want to read and get on with it.

Some of us create our list of books we want to read from the list of tasks. My actual TBR list never seems to have quite what's required for the challenge, but I've discovered some great books along the way. I'll be sprinkling those titles through here the next three months.

(And if you'd like to try GoodRead try here http://www.goodreads.com/. The Seasonal Challenge is under Groups. Tell them I sent you.

Knit one, Read one

2010-05-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously by Adrienne Martini

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
(So far, very funny but informative book. Author is trying to knit a pattern by a knitting designer who is known for vigorously defending her intellectual property rights, so there is information about that thorny issue.)
Martini has ably managed to encompass knitting, copywrite law, childrearing, yoga, knitting blogs, and friendship with humor and skill.
If you are a knitter you will probablly read this book and nod your head in places because you know the Sock Knitting Gods are not always on your side. If you are not a knitter you probably won't touch this book with a ten inch knitting needle, but you'll be missing a good read. This is not so much about the finished sweater as it is about the process of knitting...the way knitting makes your life different. Not necessarially better, but different.
And I want a bumper sticker that says " I knit so I don't kill people".

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2010-05-07T08:57:00.001-07:00

The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Chief Inspector Gamache and his team are recalled to the village of Three Pines (just outside Montreal) when the body of a stranger is found inside the bistro owned by Olivier. Villagers include Ruth, the rude poet with the ever-present duck; Myrna, the colorful bookstore owner; Olivier and his partner Gabriel; Old Mundin and The Wife, the Czech odd job man; Havoc Parra; and the newcomers who have taken over the house on the hill.
This is a mystery very much about the characters. We learn about the characters just like we make friends, learning a little more about them each time they appear.
I need to read the first ones of this series. Gamache has an interesting family life apart from his official duties.

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2010-03-09T07:57:00.001-08:00

The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring by Richard Preston

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
One year my daughter spent most of her summer vacation climbing in and hanging out in one of the ash trees on our lot. I thought of her as I read this book. Only the people in this book climb up and hang out, do research in and get married on the Giant Redwoods in the temperate rain forest of northern California.
Reading the second chapter, I had to close the book and take several deep breaths. Just reading about people swinging around at 150 feet in the air (in this case, without any climbing equipment at all) set off my acrophobia. But I had to keep reading to see what happened next.
What was next was and is a story of the the surprises that were found lurking in the crowns of the trees. There is an immense variety of life happening up there, both the same and very different from the canopy of a tropical rain forest.
They needn't worry about me disturbing the ecology of the Redwood; I'm not climbing anything that doesn't have a guard rail, but it was a great book.

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If you liked Water for Elephants, you might like this

2010-02-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

The Elephant Keeper LP by Christopher Nicholson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When two young half-dead elephants are landed to England in 1766, young Tom Page's master buys them and puts Tom in charge. Tom, who had been training under his father to take care of horses, becomes throughly entranced with the two great beasts and becomes nursemaid, teacher, and champion.
I would say this is an 18th Century English Water for Elephants, but that would be unfair to both books. Both books have their charms. This one is much more focused upon the elephants than on human interactions.

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Discworld is up to fun and games--or games for them and fun for the reader

2010-01-13T20:45:00.000-08:00

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sir Terry Pratchett has taken on football (that's soccer to us Americans), as practiced as both a sport and as a religion (works for either definition of football).
As is the case in a number of his other Discworld novels, we are also confronted with a member of a distasteful minority--in this case an Orc. There is also a brief side trip into the world of fashion and fame, but that could happen anywhere.
My favorite part of the book is quite possibily the discussion of the definition of "oral sex". I alway learn soooo much while reading Pratchett's books.
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Two individualistic narrators; two good stories

2009-11-15T14:21:00.000-08:00

The Anthologist by Nicholson Baker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Quirky little novel that delves into the meaning, form, and function of poetry in an almost absent-minded manner. Interspersed with tidbits of the narrator's life and habits, the story of writing an introduction to a poetry anthology sort of hitches along throwing facts and opinions right and left.
If you don't mind stories that sputter around and if you like poetry--well, actually even if you think you don't like poetry, this may be the book for you. (If you don't like poetry it may be because you got ahold of the wrong end of the poetry stick early in your life. Let it go and start fresh. This book will give you a whole 'nother view of iambic pentameter.)

< The Wet Nurse's Tale by Erica Eisdorfer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The voice of Victorian Susan Rose is just right if you like good gossipy novels with lots of detail.
Susan is a wet nurse for women above her in the social scale. She remains cheerful even while expecting (and often getting) the worst.
This is an enjoyable read if you like historical fiction.

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Fantasy short stories

2009-11-14T18:51:00.000-08:00

Firebirds: An Anthology of Original Fantasy and Science Fiction by Sharyn November

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Short stories by a number of really great award-winning authors, writing about magic, faerie, unreality in the face of the normal.
Although written for a YA audience, these stories will entertain and amuse adults.
My favorites were The Baby in the Night Deposit Boox by Megan Whalen Turner and Little Dot by Diana Wynne Jones, but others were fascinating too.

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Step into my garden, Maude

2009-11-13T09:17:00.001-08:00

Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities by Amy Stewart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Well, this book is enough to make you paranoid about any plant you see! It makes me glad that I manage to kill plants at 20 paces. Stewart writes lovingly of plants that stun, paralyze, and/or kill animals and humans. Makes you wonder what Mary, Mary Quite Contrary was up to.

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A rural way of life is not necessarily an innocent way of life

2009-11-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

Moonflower Vine by Jetta Carleton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
At the beginning of the book adult three sisters are back home on a farm in Missouri visiting their parents. We gradually get to know them, and the fourth sister. Remembered events in one chapter turn up in another, only with a different spin.
The action starts in the early 1950s and goes back mostly into the 1920s and 30s. It is a different way of life with no running water or electricity and a rather insular outlook on life.
Written just on the cusp of Women's Lib, The Moonflower Vine apparently was as shocker. Now it doesn't shock so much as speak to the emotions.

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Let me plug my favorite blog-turned-into-book

2009-11-05T14:24:00.001-08:00

Cake Wrecks: When Professional Cakes Go Hilariously Wrong by Jen Yates

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love the Cake Wrecks blog--the silliness, the ridiculousness, the very weirdness of it all. And now it's in my favorite medium--a book.

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Couple of Good ones

2009-11-02T21:29:00.001-08:00

Signing Their Lives Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence by Joseph D'Agnese

Two to five page summaries of the lives of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. A combination of setting the record straight (who were some of these guys?), debunking of popular myths, and some good old-fashioned gossip.
This would be a good bathroom book.

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Velva Jean Learns to Drive: A Novel by Jennifer Niven

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Growing up in 1930s Appalachia Velva Jean dreams of being a big-time singer in Nashville, even as she is bounded by a life restricted by the mountains of home.
But Velva Jean clings to her Momma's dying words to "live out ther in the great wide world" and uses them as a touchstone for discovery. Growing up is not always easy or straight forward, but it can and does make an interesting story.
Parts of this book reminded me a little of To Kill a Mockingbird.

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I've been busy reading

2009-10-28T10:51:00.001-07:00

Incontinent on the Continent: My Mother, Her Walker, and Our Grand Tour of Italy by Jane Christmas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm not too sure I would have the nerve to schedule a six week tour of Italy with someone that I had a slightly rocky relationship with, but it makes an interesting book. Christmas and her mother were on their own for a trip that would exasperate, annoy, and yet entertain the two of them. It was not a trip of their dreams--it rained, it froze, it snowed (This was in the spring), the food was not always good, the service was often not what they expected, but still it was an eye-opening experience.
I really enjoyed this book. Being of a certain age, I found myself relating to both the author and her mother. And I'd still like to go to Italy.

Neverland: J. M. Barrie, The Du Mauriers, and the Dark Side of Peter Pan by Piers Dudgeon

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Daphne du Maurier was a cousin to the Llewellyn-Davies family that was befriended by James Barrie. Barrie assumed a similiar role in her life following the death of her father Gerald.
Peter Dudgeon draws a parallel between the families with Barrie as a rather scary center, although the du Mauriers certainly had their moments even without him.
Like many during the late Victorian period George du Maurier, Barrie, and their friends were drawn to hypnotism, seances, and the parapsycholigical. Where it led may have been the ruin of the younger generation of the family.
The book was somewhat confusing with so many characters and would have been helped by a family tree.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Okay, I'm a sucker for books told in first person by dogs (starting with that oldie Beautiful Joe). But this one is really special.
I loved this dog, with his active mind, his wit, and his passionate regard for justice. And his deep conviction that when he dies he will come back as a man.
I'm glad I read this book. Take it home and read it aloud to your dog.

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Just in time for Halloween

2009-10-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

The Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
(I just wrote a remarkable review of this book and lost it. Come to think of it, that is a perfect description of this book.)
If you like fairy tales set in the real world, this may be your book.
Altagracia (or Grace) has a life customizing hot rods; she has friends, including her personal tattoo-er; she is also a mystery.
I've never been entirely clear on what mystical realism is, but what ever the technical definition is, this book qualifies in my mind. Charles de Lint has a firm grasp on the the edges of this world and the "Other".

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Just What Is a Normal Family?

2009-10-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

Un-Bridaled by Eileen Rendahl

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Chloe runs from the middle of her wedding, takes a temporary job at the local bar, and moves into a house that is undergoing massive remodeling. And she considers herself the normal one in her family.
This book is all about family and how to cope with it.
In some ways this reminds me of Jennifer Crusie's romances, but not quite so fluffy. I liked it 3.5 stars worth.

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Knit One, Funny Too

2009-10-18T19:30:00.001-07:00

Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A dedicated knitters take on life in the knitted lane--or at least life as it applies to knitting. Often very funny, although maybe only if you knit (never admit an interest in crochet in the presence of this book). Reads like a blog.

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A Ghost story for Halloween

2009-10-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

Spellbinder by Helen Stringer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Belladonna sees ghosts. She talks with ghosts. She lives with ghosts. Then one day all the ghosts have disappeared and Belladonna needs to find a way to bring them back. With the help for her schoolmate Steve she sets out to find the ghosts and bring them back.
This is a quick and interesting read.

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Historical fiction from women's point of View.

2009-10-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

Dreamers of the Day: A Novel by Mary Doria Russell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a great book about World War I, the 1918-19 flu epidemic, the Middle East during 1920s, Lawrence of Arabia, Gertrude Bell, and Winston Churchill, and any number of asides, told from a fictional character's view. I loved it.

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Homeland by Barbara Hambly.
I really liked this book (4.5 stars). It is told through letters between two women, one a young married woman living on an island in Maine, whose husband is in the Confederate army, and the other a young artist living (at least in the beginning) in Tennessee. They exchange ideas about everything from the war and family, slavery and freedom, the value of reading fiction, woman's "place" and women's daily reality. I think it would make a great reader's theater presentation.

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

2009-09-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-10T18:02:00.001-07:00

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

2009-09-07T07:34:00.001-07:00

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?

2009-09-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-04T16:29:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-09-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

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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Not about what I've Read, but what I plan to read

2009-08-31T05:57:00.000-07:00

Many of the books I've posted the last few weeks are ones that I read for the GoodReads Summer Challenge. The bad news is today is the last day for that.
The good news is that tomorrow starts the GR Fall Challenge. So for the next three months many of my book choices will be geared to the requirements for getting through the challenge. This is a many-options challenge, and a reader needs only to do those tasks that are interesting or that there is time for. I will try to finish all 45 tasks for a total of 58 books (some tasks require two books and one requires three).
Some tasks are geared around fall holidays such as Columbus Day (Read A Novel Where The Main Character Travels At Sea Or A Non-Fiction Book About Sea Travel.) or Halloween (Read A Novel That Has An Adjective In The Title That Relates To Halloween...I.E. Spooky, Creepy, Crawly, Scary etc.)
A whole section is geared to school--2. Rewriting History - Read an Alternative Historical Novel. Afterwards, Post A Review Where You State Whether You Think The World (Or A Particular) Country Would Be Better Today If The Author's Version Of History Is What Really Happened. Give Reasons Why. and 8. Geography Lessons - Read Two Books That Take Place Countries That Correspond To Your Initials. If Your First Or Last Initial Is A Letter That Has No Country (I Think This Would Be Only X Or W) Then You Could Substitute Your Middle Initial.
There are lots of other fun tasks. If you think you would be interested, GoodReads challenge is only a click away.
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/21757.The_Seasonal_Reading_Challenge
For readers who have trouble thinking of appropriate books to read or who have a book, but are not sure how to fit it in, there are places to post comments and questions.
I hope to see you on the boards.

A New Jayne Castle--Yay!

2009-08-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

Obsidian Prey by Jayne Castle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
WARNING: If you haven't read any of Jayne Castle's Harmony series, this plot will make NO sense.
Lyra Dore is an amber tune and independent prospector who made a spectatular finde of alien artifacts in the underground rain forest, but she was cheated out of them by the guy she was dating, the yummy CEO of Amber Inc, Cruz Sweetwater.
She is a specialist in tuning amber, especially amethyst, and he is one of the few who can work with obsidian amber. He knows they are truly soul mates; she's not so sure. Several murders later, things start to clear up.
But my favorite part is the dust bunny, Vincent. Dust bunnies are the true pets with personalities, and Vincent is a sweetie. I'd be tempted to be a pet owner if I could have Vincent. (Note to Jayne Ann Krentz aka Jayne Castle: Let's do a dust bunny romance.)

The Harmony series just gets more and more ridiculous--and I can't stop reading them! I bought this to read on the plane Friday, but when I got home from the store I found the new challenges up on Good Read so I was going to save this for the GR Fall Challenge, but it was in my house. So I thought, I'll just read the first 160 pages (less than half) and then save the rest for Sept 1. At the end of chapter 17 I put it down, I swear I did, but at 1:15 a.m. I read the last page (which included an excerpt for Fired Up) and now I have to find two new books--one for the plane and one for the Challenge.

And you think you have impossible relatives.

2009-08-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

Names My Sisters Call Me by Megan Crane

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ah, the dynamics of a family full of females. Courtney's getting married and wants her sister Raine to celebrate with her, but oldest sister Norah still harbors a great deal of resentment over the way Raine ruined her wedding six years previously. Courtney and her fiance Lucas go ahead with plans, but everything threatens to come unglued.
Made me glad I have a relatively normal family. It was a good book with some great lines and some interesting humor.

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Mayhem in the Middle Ages

2009-08-18T21:20:00.000-07:00

Grave Goods by Ariana Franklin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Adelia, Henry II of England's Mistress of the Art of Death, is again called for duty. Henry is looking for the body of King Arthur, hoping it will help him put down the rebellion of the Welsh. Adelia has bodies, but can't truthfully say it is Arthur. She also has a missing friend, a damaged Saracen, a burned-out abbey, and a serious case of the hots for the Bishop of Saint Albans--who just happens to be the father of her child.
This is probably the best book yet of the series.

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A Children's book with a message for all of us

2009-08-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Nine year-old Kim takes some lima beans to a vacant lot near her Cleveland home, scratches in the dirt, and plants them to grow for her dead father. A neighbor sees what is going on and clears a little more of the junk for his garden. Soon we meet eleven more people from the varied neighborhood who have a hand in planting and nurturing the gardens and the neighborhood.

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A Little Poetry--Haiku

2009-08-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

Haiku Mind: 108 Poems to Cultivate Awareness and Open Your Heart by Patricia Donegan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Each haiku is given two pages which contains the poem itself, a short meditation, and a few words about the poet.
Although the editor chose the themes for these haidu inspired by Buddhist tradition, they can be enjoyed by readers of any religion. They encourage the reader to slow down and reflect upon life, to take time to see what is, to come away from being self-absorbed.
This is a lovely little book, worthy of rereading.

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An Elizabethan murder and an Elven mystery

2009-08-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

Martyr: An Elizabethan Thriller by Rory Clements

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
John Shakespeare, William's brother, is an agent and investigator for Walshingham in this series. Much is made of, and indeed hinges on, the sharp tensions between Catholics and Protestants in Elizabethan England. In addition there is the constant tugging of family connections to court and the currying of royal favors. All this in a "simple" murder mystery.
If we had 1/2 stars I'd probably make it a 3 1/2.

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Finder by Emma Bull

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Orient is a young man living in Bordertown, the area between the World and Faerie. If asked to locate an item or a person he has the ability to take you to it. So he is asked to assist the police in finding the person dealing with a deadly new drug on the market.
I really liked the personalities in this book, both human and elven (elfish? elf?). The book reads like Gaiman, only a little more sociable.

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Oh, for the life of a Hero!

2009-08-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

Standard Hero Behavior by John David Anderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Mock heroic tale of the hero quest. Don't believe all the tales of epic deeds and mighty heroes.

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What's a body part or two

2009-07-31T19:04:00.000-07:00

Rag and Bone: A Journey Among the World's Holy Dead by Peter Manseau

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Manseau writes about what seems to be the need and fascination among many peoples and religions for religious relics. Even those religions which deny relics officially have some item or other that is venerated.
From the first chapter about the Catholic St. Francis Xavier's uncorrupted body in Goa, India to the Muslim hair from the beard of the Prophet in Kashmir to the tooth of the Buddha in Sr Lanka, we are told some of the stories, the background, and attitudes toward these relic.
This is a fine line between adoration of the articles and scoffing at the people who believe in them.

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A tale of riot, murder, and vengence

2009-07-30T19:46:00.000-07:00

The Revenge Of Captain Paine: A Pyke Mystery by Andrew Pepper

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is the second book of a series about Pyke, an ex-Bow Street Runner. The first dealt with his acquiring a wife and money. This one deals with his life as a banker and the early days of railroads in Great Briton. The book is gritty, fairly violent, and way too long.
We have a threat to Princess Victoria (this is two years before she comes to the throne) by her mother's secretary and the Duke of Cumberland. We have a threat to public safety with the rise of unions, and we have a threat to personal safety of Pyke's wife and son.
I generally enjoy historical mysteries, but this one was not my cup of tea. It took a while to get to the mystery, and then it unwound so very quickly in the last few pages.

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North River

2009-07-29T12:49:00.001-07:00

North River: A Novel by Pete Hamill

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Set in the middle of the Great Depression, North River draws a convincing picture of doctor James Delaney who lives and works in New York City among of mix of the laboring class.
He had survived the Great War of 1917-1919, but a a great cost to emotional health. Now he is dealing with the disappearance of his wife and the unexpected appearance of his three-year old grandson.
This is not a book to read in a hurry. The characters demand time to get to know them and in return reward you with a really interesting story.

A New Sally Gunning book

2009-07-27T22:46:00.001-07:00

Bound: A Novel by Sally Gunning. William Morrow, 2008. 307 pp.

Alice Cole is bound as an indentured servant for eleven years at age 7 when her father suffers from lack of funds upson coming to the American colonies. At first she is treated well, but at age 15 her contract is reassigned and life darkens. Each bit of happiness seems destined to be torn away.

We meet many of the characters from Gunning's earlier (and most excellent) book The Widow's War. Gunning once again examines the legalities of the mid 1700s and how it affects women. She adds to that the conditions of servitude in a country seeking to rid itself of servitude to England. (There is much talk here about the non-importation act and the Stamp Act.)

This is a really good historical fiction, even better than The Widow's War, which I really loved.

A Dream Vacation

2009-06-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

A Stopover in Venice by Kathryn Walker

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
This was a fairly annoying book about Venice, with the present leading to a mystery about the past. It is also a book about marriage and personhood. It can be difficult to follow--no quotation marks, so that I had to go back numerous times to follow the thread of who was talking. The art history was interesting, though. And I loved Leo and Lucy.

I was planning to read this book anyway, and then the Goodreads Summer Challenge had a challenge for Your dream vacation--read a book and make up an itinerary. In that way, this book did not disappoint. I found a number of places listed that could be visited if I could get to Venice. More than I could list for the challenge, in fact.

So, despite the fact that I found the main character Nel fairly annoying (why had she allowed herself to become such a doormat for her husband? why was she in such suspended animation for so much of the time? why were there no quotation marks?), it was an interesting book.

I started the Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge

2009-06-03T08:39:00.001-07:00

href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca">Love Lies Bleeding by href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca">Susan Wittig Albert

My

reviewrating: 3 of 5 stars
5.9 This Day in History-July 27.1858: First use of fingerprints as a means of idntification--Read a mystery or Crime fiction book.

This is the sixth of the China Bayles books set in the Texas Hill Country. China is having romantic problems even before she gets wound up in the murder of an ex-Texas Ranger. She seems pretty wishy-washy in this one for a former big-time lawyer.

Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones

My

review rating: 2 of 5 stars
Polly moves in a world filled with sorcery and intrigue, her fate mingled with Tom's. This seems a reworking of the Tam Lin story. Slower going than others of her books that I've read.
Summer Challenge 30.10 Rora--Read a Nominee or Winner of the Mythopoeic Fantsay Award from 1971-1991

View all my reviews.
View all my reviews.

I've been way too lax at posting!

2009-05-28T19:43:00.001-07:00

It's not that I haven't be reading, it's just that I haven't been posting what I've read. Sorry!

I was introduced to the Goodreads site and find lots to do there: http://www.goodreads.com/

I've been playing the Goodreads 2009 Spring Reading Challenge and it's been so much fun that come June 1, I'll start the Summer Challenge. You can, too. If you are already a member of Goodreads, go to this site: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/147386-official-summer-challenge-2009 and start in.

I'll be getting double duty from the books I read this summer, using them for Goodreads and for the Olathe Public Library Adult Summer Reading Program, which started last Tuesday.

I've already completed three books for the Library Summer Read:

J. Anthony Froude: The Last Undiscovered Great Victorian, by Julia Markus.

I must admit I would never have picked this up on my own. I'd never heard of Froude, but Lorie asked me to read the book. The first third of the book makes for wretched reading (for you fans of A Child Called It, it's right up your alley), and most of the remainder of the book is a reminder of how early abuse affects a person's life forever. Oh, and why was Froude so great? He pretty much set the standards for carefully researched biography.

Flinx Transcendent by Alan Dean Foster.

I've been reading Flinx and Pip books for years, following the orphan and his minidragon around the universe. I must admit, I'm glad this is supposed to be the last one. The last two or three have taken themselves way too seriously about Flinx being the only one who can save the universe from extinction. Midway through this one I was hoping it would whimper to a close in a hurry. A disappointment.

Perfect Soups by Anne Willan.

The layout and instruction in this book were really exceptional. A couple good sounding recipes.

Good Reads Summer Reading Challenge

2009-05-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

30.1 Biographical fiction and nonfiction
Character
John Brown Fic Raising Holy Hell—Olds Bio John Brown, Abolitionist— Reynolds

George Custer Fic The River & the Horseman -- Skimmin Bio Touched by Fire—Barnett

Thomas Jefferson Fic Sally Hemmings--Chase-Riboud Bio Jefferson’s Secrets—Bernstein

George Washington Fic Mount Vernon Love Story —Clark Bio An American Life--Brady

Anne Boleyn Fic Mademoiselle Boleyn —Maxwell Bio The Life & Death of Anne Boleyn—Ives

Charles II of England Fic A Royal Escape—Heyer Bio King Charles II –Fraser

Abigail Adams Fic Patriot Hearts—Hambly Bio Dearest Friend—Withey
Ned Kelly Fic A True History of the Kelly Gang: A novel--Carey Bio Ned Kelly: A short life--Jones

Marie Antoinette Fic The hidden diary of Marie Antoinette—Carolly Bio Marie Antoinette—Fraser

Frank Lloyd Wright Fic Loving Frank--Horan Bio Frank Lloyd Wright—Huxtable

Al Capone Fic Road to Perdition—Collins Bio Capone: The Man and the legend—Bergreen

Mata Hari Fic Signed, Mata Hari—Murphy Bio Femme Fatale—Shipman
Duke of Windsor Fic A Prince Among them—Lacy Bio A King’s story—Windsor

Wallace Simpson Fic Gone with the Windsors—Graham Bio The Duchess of Windsor—Higham

These are just suggestions, and are for books available at my own public library. I haven’t read all of these. For many of these people there are many other biographies available—feel free to choose another.

Special for Friday the 13th

2009-03-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

Dark Banquet: Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood Feeding_Creatures by Bill Schutt. Harmony, 2008.
My review rating: 4 of 5 stars
It seems appropriate that I read this book about vampire bats and other "blood sucking" creatures on Friday the 13th.
Bill Schutt writes a very readable book about the creepy, crawly creatures we shudder about, with little related side digressions in other scientific, historic, and cultural realms.
In addition to vampire bats, there are sections on leeches, and on bedbugs and other parasetic insects.
If you start this book expecting to be scared by the horror movie aspecs, forget it. This is an informative and engaging book. (And I mean that in a nice way--I am the last person in the world to read books in the horror genre.)

Biographical matters

2009-01-18T13:00:00.000-08:00

I've got three interesting biographies this time, and one that should have been good if the writing hadn't been so wretched.

Clever Maids: The Secret History of the Grimm Fairy Tales by Valerie Paradis. 2005, Basic Books. 222 pp Non-fiction
Everyone knows Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm wandered around Germany collecting fairy tales so they could be turned into Disney movies. Well, they did collect them, with the help of a group of women, who got very little credit for their efforts. The Tales were collected during the years of the Napoleonic Wars which did impact some of the lesser known stories. This background is about the Grimms, the women collectors, and the tales themselves.

Nothing to do but Stay: My Pioneer Mother by Carrie Young. 1991, Delta. 164 pp Biography
In 1904 Twenty-five year old CArrine Gafkjen moves from Minnesota to homestead in North Dakota. She buys a quarter section of land outright (and a few years later, another quarter section) and begins her life as a wheat farmer. Nine years later she marries a fellow Norwegian homesteader and together they raise six children during the dust bowl and depression years.

Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant. 1885/1999, Penguin Books. 674 pp Biography
Written during the last year of Grant's life, this is military memoir at perhaps its best. Although written during an age of often overblown writing styles, Grant writes a clear and lucid story of his days in the army, including the Mexican War, but most of the action is the Civil War. It is a great book even if you don't like war stories, just to enjoy the direct writing style.

The Royal Recluse: Memories of Ludwig II of Bavaria by Werner Bertram, translated by Margaret McDonough. 1936, Martin Herpich & Son. 266 pp Biography
Ludwig II was often referred to as "The Mad" King Ludwig. He certainly had his issues, starting with what sounds like a very unhappy childhood. He is best remembered for his championship of Richard Wagner and for the fairy-tale like castles he built, which bankrupted his state and led to his death. I couldn't decide if this book was poorly written or poorly translated or both.

Misc

2009-01-11T16:24:00.000-08:00

The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber. 2007, William Morrow. 466 pp Fiction

Jake Mishkin is an intellectual property lawyer, whose friendship with English professor Mickey Haas involves him in a literary puzzle featuring William Shakespeare, the rare book trade, and a cast of thousands. This thriller is a cross between The Da Vinci Code and a Garrison Keillor monologue. There is absolutely nothing straight-forward in the telling of this story, from the plot to the integrity of the characters.

Brave Men by Ernie Pyle. 1944/2001, University of Nebraska. 513 pp Non-fiction
Ernie Pyle recorded World War II on the day-to-day human level, from the standpoint of the citizen soldier. Brave Men is a collection of his columns for Scripps Howard Newspapers from the fighting in Europe during 1943-44. It gives an immediacy even now to the history of the war.

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice. 2006, Dutton. 352 pp Fiction
"I met Charlotte in London one afternoon while waity for a bus. Just look at that sentence! That in itself is the first extraordinary thing, as I took the bus as rarely as once or twice a year, and even then it was only for the novelty value of not traveling in a car or train. It was mid-November 1954, and as cold as I had ever known London." And so Penelope meets Charlotte, and her aunt Clare and cousin Harry, and gets to kiss Johnny Ray, and a host of other events. This is sort of chick lit set in the 1950s, a kinder, gentler, chick lit.

Pig Perfect: Encounters with Remarkable Swine and Some Great Ways to Cook Them by Peter Kaminsky. 2005, Hyperion. Non-fiction
Kaminsky is off in search of the perfect ham. It takes him from Kentucky, to Burgundy; from North Carolina to Andalusia. He does barbecue and soul food and French cuisine (and shares a few of the recipes. He rails against the pork agri-business in the United States--and extols the wonders of what is often called heritage pork. Just reading this makes one hungry.

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri. 2008, Alfred A. Knopf. 333 pp Short Stories
This book of eight stories is just terrific. As in her book Interpreter of Maladies, Lahiri's characters are often fish out of water, suspended between the familiar and the unknown or the uncomfortable. Even coping well with a new life doesn't always mean everything is well. There are many secrets here. I especially enjoyed the second story "Heaven-Hell".

There are some really good books out there.

2009-01-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

Bad Dirt: Wyoming Stories 2 by Annie Proulx. 2004, Scribner. 219 pp Short stories
Annie Proulx's stories are about people whose lives aren't quite under control through no fault of their own. The bittersweet in life, mixed with the all to human foibles of her characters can add up to some painfully amusing stories. Her turn of phrase and her choice of scenes is spot on.

The Eleventh Man by Ivan Doig. 2008, Harcourt. 406 pp Fiction
Take a college football team, undefeated in 1941, and place ten of it's starting lineup into various parts of the action around the world in World War II. The eleventh man is assigned the job of observing and reporting on them, and on their lives and deaths. This is a very readable book, with characters you will care about.

I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass. 2008, Pantheon . 287 pp Fiction

The story of two sisters, twisted apart by men and temperament, twisted together by birth and family. Louisa and Clement are nothing alike, and yet they share so many of the same things. Add to that a back story of a great-great-aunt and her sisters and you will find more ssisterly living than you know what to do with. If you have a sister you love, read this book. If you have a sister you hate, read this book. Another excellent book by the author of The Three Junes.

The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich. 2008, HarperCollins. 311 pp Fiction

Told in multiple voices, the old mystery of a North Dakota murder in a community with both whites and Ojibwe members. This book teases and pries at truths and injustices, leaving both in various states of exposure.

The Robber Bridegroom by Eudora Welty. 1942/1998 Library of America 87 pp Fiction
Take the Grimm's fairy tale, cross it with American folk lore, add more than a dash of Southern Comfort and you have a wonderful time. There is the twist of the alligator's tail to this story and a charming cadence to the language. A Hoot and a Holler for this oldie.

Love is in the Air

2009-01-07T10:38:00.000-08:00

Most of these paperback romances are not going to get much of a long review, but are just being entered as a reminder that I read them.

The Dangerous Duke by Christine Wells. 2008, Berkeley Sensation 308 pp Historical

The widow Lady Kate Fairchild keeps a steamy diary of fantasy affairs. Maxwell Brooke, Duke of Lyle kidnaps her and reads her diary. Real steam ensues.

The Edge of Desire by Stephanie Laurens. 2008, Avon. 450 pp Historical
Christian has loved Letitia for ages even though she is a married woman. Now she sends him an SOS to help rescue her brother and he responds quickly. Sexy romp of a Bastion Club novel.

The Horsemaster's Daughter by Susan Wiggs. 1999, Mira. 426 pp Historical

Widower Hunter Calhoun concentrates on his horses to the detriment of his children. Eliza Fylte is a horse whisperer who also "whispers" his children and loves the man back to life.

Never Romance a Rake by Liz Carlyle. 2008, Pocket Books. 436 pp Historical

Baron Rotherwell has a tormented past, so he thinks nothing of wagering on a hand of cards for the possession of the daughter of Comte de Valigny. But Camille has plans of her own, especially after she gets to know the Baron.

Rescued by the Magic of Christmas by Melissa McClone. 2008, Harlequin. 184 pp Romance
Carly Bishop's fiance is killed while performing a mountain rescue. What is she thinking six years later when she falls for another climber?

The Return of the Prodigal by Kasey Michaels. 2007, HQN. 378 pp Historical

Rian Becket loses his left arm and his heart in France. He returns home to his family to help save the family honor. Part of the Beckets of Romney Marsh series.

Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs. 2004, Mira. 411 pp Romance
Rosa has turned an old pizza parlor at the beach into an upscale restuartant while dealing with various family problems. Summer visitor Alexander comes back years after breaking her heart.

The Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky. 2004, Pocket Books. 491 pp Romance
Rescued from a sinking ferry by Noah, New Yorker Julia settles onto the Maine island to regroup and rethink her life. Noah is a divorced lobsterman who lost his father in the ferry crash, but he gains Julia, his son, and his life.

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn. 2004, Avon. 368 pp Historical

He has already inherited his cousin's homes and titles. NowMichael Stirling undergoes agonies --and malaria--while he wrestles with his feelings for his cousin's widow Francesca. Part of the Bridgerton series.

When the Duke Returns by Eloisa James. 2008, Avon. 375 pp Historical

Lady Isidore was married by proxy when a young girl while her husband is trotting around the world. Years later he returns to demand an annulment, since she is not the doormat he thinks he wants. Seduction follows. Part of James' Duchesses series.

A mixed bag of Oldies

2009-01-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

Sometime you have to go back and do some catching up on books you missed when they first came out. I read some older books this weekend that I enjoyed. Most of them have been on various lists of good books for years, but I'd always managed to miss them. It's a new book if you've never read it, no matter when it was published!

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. 1984, Vintage. 110 pp Fiction

Esperanza Cordero tells us about her home, her family, and her neighborhood in Chicago's Latino section. She can be funny, wise, and achingly hopeful. This is a deceptively simple book--short book, short chapters, short sentences. But there is a lot packed in here about growing up. The book has been on a number of high school reading lists for years, but I'm just now getting around to reading it.

The King's Brat by Constance Gluyas. 1972, Prentice-Hall. 363 pp Historical fiction
Set in England at the start of the reign of Charles II, we start in the slums of London with Angel Dawson, friend of Nellie Gwynne, being pick up and thrown in Newgate prison fore theft. While there she meets a young woman there with amnesia who recovers just before dying and asks Angel to tell her brother Nicholas what happened to her. Nicholas just happens to be Earl of Benbrook, the new King's best friend. He decides to clean the beautiful Angel up, educate her, and turn her into a lady. Can you say Pygmalion? He's been scarred by a promiscuous mother, so true love does not run smooth. Oh, and did I mention the Plague? And the amorous King? We miss the Great Fire in this one, but that's about all.

The Last English King by Julian Rathbone. 1999, St. Martin's Press. 381 pp Historical fiction
The events leading up to the Battle of Hastings is told in flashback by Walt, King Harold's only surviving bodyguard, who is suffering from remorse at being alive. The characters of Edward the Confessor (who really needed to), the Godwinson family, William, the Conqueror to be, and a cast of thousands make the few years leading up to 1066 really come alive. I can truthfully say that I have never read a book about these people that was quite so lively. Those Anglo Saxons were a rowdy bunch.

The Past Is Another Country by Lois Battle. 1990, Viking. 392 pp. Fiction
After the end of their schooling life is different for classmates Megan Hanlon and Greta Papandreou, but their lives still intertwine in unexpected ways. Megan works in film, Greta marries a surgeon. The third woman is one of the nuns who taught them. All three have issues with relationships that crisscross past and present, that probe who they were and who they are. A better book than I expected.

Your Blue Ain't Like Mine by Bebe Moore Campbell. 1992, Ballantine. 332 pp. Fiction
The ache of cultural change and chance encounters. The pain of growing up and being black. The agony of parenting in a world you can't control. The rawness of life where ever you go and learning to live in the skin you've been given. This book aches with the need to be read to the background of a low bluesy saxophones and a gravel-voiced singer.

A little fantasy, a little science fiction

2009-01-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

Aristoi by Walter Jon Williams. 1992, Tor. 448 pp
In a future world the Aristoi are the ones who, through genetic manipulation, control the worlds configured in reality and in simulation (think Second Life with tactile and odor added). The Aristoi are encouraged to call up their inner daemons (the more the merrier) and do whatever pleases them. This can and does lead to abuses. It can also lead to boredom and confusion on the part of the reader.

Dragonheart by Todd McCaffrey. 2008, Del Rey/Ballantine. 538 pp
Once again plague threatens Pern, this time its draconic denizens. But Weyerwoman Fiona (whom we first met as the very young daughter of Lord Bemin during the human plague in Dragon Harper) has a young queen dragon and is ready to try anything to save the wings. For the people who grew to love the Dragonriders of Pern, the passing of the author's torch from Anne McCaffrey to her son Todd was an anxious moment. It hasn't been a seamless match, but the torch is now a lot steadier. Todd has chosen to write his series in a time period unused by his mother. The characters are all his now, and if many of the plot elements are familiar, it is after all the same world.

Inside Straight edited by George R. R. Martin. 2008, Tor. 384 pp
I'm a little late coming to the Wild Cards books edited by Martin. If you like your superheroes drawn up by committee and outside the world of graphic novels, this may be the series for you. In this particular book the younger generation of super heroes compete on reality tv show American Hero, with the losers disappearing to help fight in the war against the rampant excesses of anti-American feelings in the middle East--more specifically, Egypt and some of its ancient gods. It's a graphic novel sort of book in straight literary form--no POW or WHAM inserted here, just good depictions of arms being ripped off and blood dripping. Not my cup of tea, but I know there is an audience out there.

The Iron Bridge by David Morse. 1998, Harcourt, Brace. 436 pp
Maggie travels back in time from her troubled world in 2043 to 1773 England oat the start of the beginning of the Industrial Age. She is attempting to influence the use of technology by sabotaging the building of the first iron bridge (over the Severn River at Coalbrookdale) in the hope of containing some of the worst problems in the future. I love her excuse that she gives for not knowing so many of the simple things necessary for life without "modern" conveniences, "I'm an American." This book draws heavily on the Quaker heritage of the mill owners and their struggles with conscience--to build cannons, to use and/or trade slaves, etc.--although it is not a preachy book. Although shelved in the library's Science Fiction section, it is more of a historical novel that starts with a bit of time travel.

The Well-Favored Man by Elizabeth Willey. 1993, Tor. 447 pp
The ruling family of Argylle is widely scattered, going about their own business. Father Gaston has been gone without an explanation and now his sorcerer brother in law Dewar is missing, too.
Prince Gwydion is ruling the country with some day to day help from his brother Walter and his outdoorsy sister Belphoebe, but the twins are off doing their own thing. But when a very large, intelligent blue dragon enters the kingdom, it's time for the family to pull together. This first novel is rather reminiscent of Zelanzy's Amber series.

Tying up the end of the year

2008-12-29T10:45:00.000-08:00

Alice in Sunderland: An Entertainment, by Bryan Talbot. 2007, Dark Horse. 319 pp Graphic Novel

A theatrical presentation of the history of the North and East of England, centering in Sunderland and its Empire Theatre. Sounds simple. Ha! Faces, places, dates, stories, stories of stories, all are thrown at the reader out of sequence, out of place, out of breath. Yes, think Alice in Wonderland, which has a very prominent place in this book from beginning to end. Also includes Harry Potter, William Shakespeare, Dracula, George Formby, cholera epidemics, several nasty murderers, and the Lambton Wyrm. This is the kind of thing that graphic novels do so well.

Dear American Airlines by Jonathan Miles. 2008, Houghton, Mifflin. 180 pp Fiction

Bennie Ford is travelling across country to his daughter's wedding, when his flight is cancelled. So he whips out his computer and starts a whiny message to American Airlines that gets out of hand. There has been a certain amount of hype about this little book, so I checked it out. I'm sorry! It is not the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's an okay read if there is absolutely nothing else in the house to read and you don't want to start on the cereal boxes, but I don't advise going out and buying multiple copies to give to all your friends.

The Heartsong of Charging Elk by James Welch. 2000, Doubleday. 440 pp Fiction

Inspired by the true story of the Oglala Sioux who travelled with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show when he became ill in France and was left behind. I will be frank here and tell you I didn't finish the book. The parts I read went on and on and on to the point I was forced to say "I can't take any more." The premise was great, the writing was boring.

Remarkable Reads, edited by J. Peder Zane. 2004, W, W. Norton 258 pp Nonfiction

Given the premise that they must each chose a book to write about--and pick one word to describe it, the thirty-four authors here have presented a remarkable variety of books. From Dr Seuss' Cat in the Hat to Stick and Rudder: An Explanation of the Art of Flying by Wolfgang Langewiesche, there are thoughtful essays on reading, on writing, on life, and on death. I picked up some good ideas for my own reading here, although I'll give some of these a pass. This is a good book for dipping into and savoring a little at a time.

A Time for Treason by Anne Newton Walther. 2000, Tapestries. 451 pp Historical fiction

The American colonies are on the brink of revolution and Eugenie de Beaumont is acting as an agent for the French to see what those colonists are up to. Not only do we get a lot of history thrown at us, but there's a lot of horse and ship stuff, too. Oh, and a little romance and politics. This is a nice, old fashioned (in a good way) straight forward historical fiction. There may be a few places where the historical elements are over explained, but it's a good read.

It's almost Christmas, so I need to get these out of my hair

2008-12-22T19:03:00.000-08:00

Christmas is fast approaching and I need to return most of my library books so I have room for my company. Sunday I went down to my sister's house and returned with a bagful of paperbacks, most of them belonging to her, so between Christmas and New Year's I'm going to have to turn off the phone and do some serious reading (not reading serious books, by any means). In the meantime, this is what I've recently read. Sorry, no pictures of covers on this one.

Diamonds Are Trouble by Scott Corbett. 1967, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. 96 pp Mystery

College student Jeff takes a last minute summer job at Ambrose Bunker's inn on Cape Cod, where he arrives late at night. He starts by tackling his new boss who is attempting to crawl into one of the windows of a guest cottage. The explanation leads to suspicion and distrust of guest Augustus V Wolfe who is possibly angling after the diamonds belonging to another guest, the wealthy Mrs. Walling. This is a short snappy mystery. I'm not sure exactly who the audience is here. Mr. Corbett is best known for his children's stories, but there's a lot of brandy floating around for that.

Family Linen by Lee Smith. 1985, G.P. Putnam's Sons. 272 pp. Fiction

I thought this looked like a Krantz book--with the glamour, sizzle, and sass. This particular copy has been rebound, so there was no blurb, but I took a chance after reading the first couple pages about Sybill and her trip to the hypnotist. Krantz it isn't, but it is a funny book about a family full of oddballs, pretentious idiots, and kooks. It reminded me in many ways of Lorna Ludvik's Patty Jane's House of Curl.

Firestorm at Peshtigo by Denise Gess and William Lutz. 2002, Henry Holt. 267 pp Nonfiction

Many people know that on October 8, 1871 a good share of Chicago burned down killing 300 people. Unless they live in Wisconsin, most people are not aware that on that same day more than 2,400 square miles of forest burned and between 1,500 and 2,500 people died. This book tells about the Wisconsin fire and its aftermath. In 1871 Peshtigo was a booming timber town with 100 or more people a week arriving to log or farm on the cheap land available. In fact, nobody knows exactly how many people were in the area, so nobody knows exactly how many people died.

A Gladiator Dies Only Once by Steven Saylor. 2005, St. Martin's Minotaur. 269 pp Mystery

Gordianus the Finder has been around since 1991. I'm just now discovering him. (Don't you just love browsing up and down the shelves of the library and finding "new" authors to read.) Set just a little earlier than my favorite Roman mysteries, Gordianus pulls in historical figures like Cicero, Lucullus, and Cato and makes them come alive, some of them more than others. This is a collection of short stories that cover some of the early years of Gordianus' cases, 77-64 BC. I'll be looking for the full length mysteries now.

What They Didn't Teach You About the Wild West by Mike Wright. 2000, Presido. 370 pp Nonfiction

Part of a series, this book loosely organizes topics of western lore (Cowboy, cattle barons, Native Americans, railroads, etc.) and presents items to amaze--sort of "And now, the rest of the story..." Many of the facts are pretty well known to people with even a minimal interest in history, but there is sure to be at least a nugget or two that you probably never knew.

Yarnplay at Home: Handknits for Colorful Living by Lisa Shobhana Mason. 2008, North Light. 127 pp Crafts

These attractive knitting projects are arranged in three levels of difficulty, from the easiest to more difficult (which would be suitable for most reasonably competent knitters). There is a nice range of projects from the simple knitted cotton dishcloth to a lacy mohair curtain, with suggestions for decorating ideas, alternate adaptations, or gift ideas in many cases. The directions are clear and easy to follow. The Serpentine dishcloth pattern is just difficult enough to keep me interested.

2008-12-20T07:41:00.000-08:00

Buckingham Palace Gardens by Anne Perry. 2008, Ballantine. 312 pp Mystery

The Prince of Wales was hosting a party at Buckingham Palace to set up funding for a transAfrican railroad, when the very bloody body of a prostitute was found in a palace linen closet. Thomas Pitt is called to quickly (before Queen Victoria comes home) and discretely (before the Queen comes home) solve the murder. Another of Perry's very competent mysteries.

History in Our Time by David Cannadin. 1998, Yale University. 308 pp Nonfiction

David Cannadin is an English historical essayist whose field of expertise is the 19th and 20th centuries. This book covers a wide range of subjects, but many of them have at least something to do with the 1980-1996 period, which means he covers the Margaret Thatcher years. A reader could easily get the impression that the author is not a fan of "The Iron Maiden. Each of the essays has some connection to at least one book as an authority on the subject, which Cannadin reviews and sometime reviles. This is a very interesting take on modern English history.

India In Word & Image, Photographs by Eric Meola. 2008, Welcome Books. 261 pp Nonfiction

I have never thought I'd want to visit India, not even after Buffy Maytag came to talk about her trip there and showed us how to wrap a sari. The gorgeous pictures in this book almost make me change my mind. Most of the writing is excerpts from authors who are either from India or who have spent a lot of time there. It's one of those coffee table sized books that beg to have people dip through it--just pick any page and you will be dazzled.

Just Jane by Nancy Moser. 2007, Bethany. 367 pp Historical Fiction

A fictionalized account of Jane Austen's life. Moser has taken the bare bones of her story and written an account that breathes a lot of life into Jane's world. I really enjoyed this one, as I did Moser's other historical fiction Mozart's Sister.

Killing Bridezilla by Laura Levine. 2008, Kensington. 247 pp Mystery

Freelance writer Jaine Austen gets a job writing wedding vows for former classmate Patti, whose husband to be is also a classmate. In fact, this whole book is littered with former classmates, in what seems to be a cross between Whose Wedding Is This and Revenge of the Nerds. When Patti plunges off her balcony to be impaled on a statuary Cupid's arrow, book characters and readers breathe a sigh of relief. One of the funnier scenes, at least to this librarian, is actually a side plot in which Jaine's father takes issue with a librarian over an $.18 fine. This is only for people who like very silly, improbably mysteries set in the world of snark.

My Sister, My Love by Joyce Carol Oates. 2008, HarperCollins. 562 pp Fiction

"Dysfunctional families are all alike. Ditto "Survivors". So says nineteen year old Skyler Rampart, who tells this story of his family. He considered himself a failure at age 9, his sister is a ice skating STAR at age 6. When Bliss is murdered and the killer never found, Skyler's shaky world really spins out of control. Readers of this book will certainly draw certain parallels with the Jon Benet Ramsey case, but this is a fantastic read, a more literary version of many of Jodi Picoult's popular books.

Wrapt in Crystal by Sharon Shinn. 1999, Ace. 324 pp Science Fiction

On a fairly minor planet in the far corners of the universe religion has been divided between the Triumphantes and the Fideles, who both worship the same goddess, but in different ways. A serial killer is stalking both sects, alternately killing a Triumphante and a Fidele sister. Interfed sends agent Cowan Drake to catch the killer. This is really more of a mystery set in an science fiction world. Or is it a romance set in a mystery set in a science fiction world. It moves a little slowly, but it is an entertaining book.

2008-12-17T06:45:00.000-08:00

Frankly My Dear, I'm Dead by Livia J. Washburn. 2008, Kensington. 217 pp. Mystery

Delilah has just opened a literary tour business in Atlanta, using family members as staff. Her very first "Gone With The Wind" tour just about blows away the business when murder occurs at Tara during their visit. So Delilah (who can't even remember to call to connect her phone for the first day of business) investigates the murder. I am willing to suspend a lot of belief while reading books, but this one defied that ability. To heck with the ideals of steel magnolias, let's just go with the silly... never mind, I should have known from the cover that it was not going to be one of the Southern Sisters mysteries by the late Anne George. Maybe tomorrow is another day.

A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich. Translated by Caroline Mustill. 2005, Yale University Press. 284 pp. Nonfiction
This book was written for children in 1935-36 by a young German art historian. It became very popular and was translated into a number of other languages, but not English until it was recently translated and updated. Unlike many books of its kind, A Little History of the World does cover more than just Europe and North America. Of necessity, there is a lot of detail left out, but it does cover much. That said, I found it rather patronizing in the "Dear little Reader" head-patting way. Maybe kids won't notice, or mind. I did.

The Night Bird by Catherine Asaro. 2008, Luna. 571 pp Fantasy

Allegro is one of the young women of Arondale who has a certain amount of magic, linked to music and geometric shape. While on her way to receive training, she is kidnapped and sold into slavery to the Jazid prince regent Markus, whose country will soon be at war with hers. From the first there is a cultural barrier between them that only sex, erm, love can conquer. Soon Allegro will do anything to avert both the war between their countries and their personal war. This is the second book in the Lost Continent Series. As with most of Asaro's books, she has a lot of characters with a lot of genealogy between them. I like her sexy fantasies with lots of action going on.

Secrets in Satin by Haywood Smith. 1997, St. Martin;s. 344 pp. Romance
Amidst the turmoil of the end of the reign of Charles I of England the Countess of Ravenwold and the Viscount Creighton meet and share a destiny. He thinks she's frigid, she thinks he is rogue, the King thinks they should wed. This is an okay read. The author at least seems to have the history down well and the characters are interesting, even if the plot is stale, stale, stale. For lovers of formula historical romance only.

Memoirs

2008-12-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

Epilogue by Anne Roiphe. 2008,HarperCollins. 214pp Biography
It's not easy being a widow after forty years of marriage. Some time after her husband's death Roiphe's daughters take out an ad in a literary magazine to ease her back into the "dating" scene. In this book, she muses on families, loneliness, grief, and other topics familiar to widows. This is certainly not a "how to cope with grief" book, but many of the emotions will be familiar to widows.

Outside Passage:A Memoir of an Alaskan Childhood by Julia Scully. 1998,Random. 219 pp. Biography
Julia's father committed suicide when she was seven. Her mother, a spunky immigrant from Poland, leaves Julia and her sister in an orphanage, and goes to Alaska to find work during the Great Depression. Four years later the family gets back together in Alaska. These are Julia's remembrances of growing up during the war years primarily in Alaska. The stories are a mixture of admiration and puzzlement for her mother's behavior. Most of the time they are told from the viewpoint of a young girl trying to make sense of the world.

The Summer of Ordinary Ways by Nicole Lea Helget. 2005, Borealis. 182 pp. Biography
Helget chronicles her life growing up the oldest in a family of six girls in rural Minnesota in the 1980s. Her father had played a couple seasons of major league baseball, before washing out and coming home to farm. The book bounces back and forth in time, but she clearly labels the time periods. For the people who like books of dysfunctional families. If you enjoyed The Glass Castle or A Child Called It, you will probably enjoy this one.

After reading these three books, I can see that it will be pointless for me to write the story of my childhood. My family, by these accounts, was entirely too happy and normal. We may not have had a lot materially, but we did have family (sometimes, even when we didn't particularly want or think we needed it). Guess I'll just have to write something else.

And winter is here, with the first cold of the season

2008-12-12T10:02:00.000-08:00

I've been home with a cold all week. Luckily, I'd been to the library just before I started this whole mess, so I've had plenty to read. And it's all been fun reads. I could only find little quibbles; I didn't have any reason to feel like heaving a book across the room.
Let the books begin:

The Bell at Sealey Head by Patricia A. McKillip. 2008, Ace. 277 pp. Fantasy
Sealey Head sits on the ocean, a small village in "once upon a time". Judd Cauley runs his father’s failing inn and fancies Gwyenth Blair. Then there is his rival for Gwyenth’s attentions, Raven Sproule; the mysterious visitor Ridley Dow; and the aged owner of the great house, Lady Eglantyne. And we mustn’t forget the unseen bell that rings every night at sundown. I love McKillip’s books. In this one the words delicately pick their way through the action in worlds both mundane and faerie to create a story to enchant us all.

The Body in the Gallery by Katherine Hall Page. 2008, William Morrow. 262 pp. Mystery
Faith Fairchild is a caterer in Aleford, MA who dabbles in solving mysteries on the side. Unlike many other such caterers, who have husbands involved in law enforcement, her husband is a minister. In this, the 17rh Faith Fairchild mystery, she takes on art fraud while dealing with such domestic issues as cyberbullying and a husband who suddenly seems to need a stay at home wife. As is common with culinary mysteries, there are a few recipes at the end. This is the first book I’ve read in this award winning series. While the husband is a minister and Faith is also a Preacher’s Kid, this is not what I would consider a Christian Fiction.

The French Admiral by Dewey Lambdin. 1990, Donald I. Fine. 414 pp. Fiction
For people who enjoy their 18th and 19th century naval fiction (Can you say Patrick O’Brien?), this book takes place during the final years of the American Revolution. It is told from the British naval viewpoint which gives a slightly different tang to the story. In the first book of the series, The King’s Coat (which I haven’t read), our hero Alan Lewrie is pressed into His Majesty’s Royal Navy at the behest of his father, where he acquitted himself well enough to win a second book. In this one he continues his winning ways, finding willing wenches, plenty of liquid refreshment, and lots of adventure. His participation in some of the action is certainly involuntary, but he manages.

The Frontiersman: The Real Life and The Many Legends of Davy Crockett by Mark Derr. 1993, William Morrow. 304 pp. Biography
If you grew up in the 1950s you probably could sing all twenty verses of Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier. But Walt Disney didn’t get it quite right (Surprise, surprise!).
Derr has attempted a biography of a man who a) lived in a time period when record keeping was a little looser, b) in a part of the country where record keeping was a little looser, and c) was a lot less likely to let his personal thoughts and feelings hang out. This means that Derr has to make some assumptions, which he is quick to point out and defend. This was an interesting and wide-ranging read, with stories of the politicians (Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, Martin Van Buren), Texans (Sam Houston, Stephen Austin), and others (Daniel Boone, Edgar Allan Poe) whose names we may or may not remember.

Save Weeping for the Night by Loula Grace Erdman. 1975, Dodd, Mead. 205 pp. Fiction
A fictionalize account of Bettie Shelby, wife of Confederate General Jo Shelby. This is a love story of a woman who "stands by her man". Bettie and her two children spent at least part of the war following the Confederate army with her husband. At the end of the war Shelby refused to surrender and took his like-minded men to Mexico. Bettie and children followed. Eventually, Shelby felt he could return with honor to the US and sent his wife and family too. This is a gentle read, a good historical fiction for people who want Civil War period books without the blood and grit.

The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer. 2008, Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 195 pp. Fiction
The early 1950s are often looked at with nostalgia as a kind of Golden Age of domestic relations in the US. Somehow the reality doesn’t always jibe. Story of a Marriage takes place in California after the close of World War II and shows us more of what life really held for many. Holland, Pearlie, and their boy Sonny, and Holland’s twin aunts live in San Francisco. Their world changes when the stranger enters with his offer of $10,000. This is an old fashioned novel, in the best meaning of those words, telling a story in a straightforward manner with honesty and dignity.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling. 2008, Scholastic. 111 pp Children's Fantasy
Five slight tales with commentary by the eminent Albus Dumbledore; translated from the ancient runes by Hermione Granger. The tales are common mundane fairy tale types, but with a magical twist, not the magic is the main focus of them. Dumbledore’s notes are rather puzzling; at times the remarks seems very cynical while in others they lean toward more helpful criticism. The profits from this book go toward Rowling’s charitiable foundation to aid children

Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Owl and His Girl by Stacey O’Brien. 2008, Free Press. 229 pp. Nonfiction
Okay, I was skeptical on this one, but I was willing to try it. After all, just two month ago I’d had an Australian barn owl sit on my knee for a few minutes at a raptor show on Kangaroo Island and he was adorable. But… most of the people who do these books tend to go way overboard. I’m glad to say I really enjoyed this book. Parts of it are not for the squeamish (oooh, owl spit, owl pellets, owl shit), parts of it are a little preachy (although not as much as I feared it might be), but other parts are downright hilarious and/or heartwarming. O’Brien does a nice job of showing why people should NOT try this at home; she’s a biologist specializing in animal behavior, and initially took Wesley as part of her job.

*** SPOILER:

I admit I cried at the end when Wesley died. Actually, I don’t know why it’s a spoiler; all good animal books end with the animal dying and at least this was of old age.***

Not too many books this time around.

2008-12-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

I;m sorry the photos of the book jackets went away. The technology curse has struck again and I'm just struggling today to get the typing in. I'll work on the picture angle for the next installment. But let's go on to the books...

A Book of Books, photographs by Abelardo Morell, preface by Nicholson Baker. 2002, Bulfinch Press/Little, Brown. 106 pp. Non-fiction

This is a nice coffeetable-sized book filled with black and white pictures of books. The only commentaries, other than the preface, are quotes about books and writing by various authors. It is too large and hefty to be a good bathroom book, but it is the kind of book to sip and savor your way through. No need to hurry or even "read" in any particular order. Most of the pictures are ones you can look at several times and see something new each time.

The Dressmaker by Elizabeth Birklund Oberbeck. 2006, Henry Holt. 306 pp.
Fiction

Claude is a French dressmaker like his father and grandfather before him. He crafts the most exquisite wedding dresses which leads him to a new client, Valentine, who gives him free rein with her gown. He falls in love with his ideal woman and his life changes forever. The endless descriptions of Valentine remind me of Audrey Hepburn, but she comes across as a curiously shadowy character. Claude’s wife is very one dimensional (can you say "social climber"?), but then, so are most of the other characters. This was a first novel. I’d say Oberbeck should write some more—her writing is interesting, even if the characters are a little uneven.

The Hours Before Dawn by Celia Fremlin. 1958/1987, Academy Chicago Publishers. 190 pp.
Suspense/Fiction

Louise Henderson has a baby that cries ALL the time and it is driving her crazy. She can’t sleep, her husband can’t sleep, the doctor is surprisingly unsympathetic, and Louise can’t take it. Miss Brandon comes to stay and everything starts skidding out of control. (Cue the ominous music.) This is a really good suspense novel. It’s been around for awhile but is well worth reading.

Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland. 2008, Touchstone/Simon & Schuster. 382 pp. Historical Fiction

Louise de la Vallière became the mistress of the Sun King, Louis XIV, whose life outshone so many in seventeenth century France. She was born into a poor family, too poor for her to even join the convent as she wished to. She was horse crazy, slightly lame, and religious, unlikely royal mistress material. Then her widowed mother married a marquise and thus began Louise’s introduction to court and her rise to fame and love. This is the ideal historical fiction…the pace moves on a slower scale, much like the times. Gulland attempted to recreate the sights, sounds, and smells of the time period. For people who are somewhat historically challenged there is a good genealogy chart at the beginning and a nice glossary at the end. This is well worth reading if you like historical fiction. Gulland is the author of the trilogy Josephine B.

Oneskein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit and Crochet by Leigh Radford. 2006, Interweave Press. 128 pp. Non-fiction

I’m always looking for projects to knit and preferrably ones that don’t take forever to do. There are several in here that I really want to try—after I finish knitting the second sock I just started. (Or maybe I should just find a one-legged friend to give the first sock to.)
Anyway, I like the looks of these projects. And no, the title is not a typo on my part, it’s all one word.

My friend RT reads a lot of political and current events nonfiction. He has offered this comment on a book he has been reading:

Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and Stick You with the Bill) by David Cay Johnston. 2007, Penguin. 323 pp. Non-fiction.

In exhaustively researched chapter after chapter, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter David Johnston explains how many of America’s wealthiest citizens have used tax laws and legislation to enlarge their bank accounts. Should taxpayers subsidize health care companies, golf courses, ballparks and sporting goods stores? This title offers a timely look at how we could reduce the federal budget and ensure that our taxes help every American live a better life, not just the wealthy.

Getting back in the Swim as A Reader

2008-12-05T06:29:00.000-08:00

After several months of not keeping track of what I've been reading, I'm back. I'll probably post just once or twice a week, depending on what else is going on in my life.

Life Skills by Katie Fforde. 1999, Random. 343 pp. Fiction

Julia quits her job, dumps her fiancé Oscar, and takes a job as a crewman on a canal boat. Just your average chick lit, but Fforde has a way with words that makes you want to know more about Julia, her new boss Suzy, Fergus, and even Julia’s bossy mother. The characters may be stereotypes--Suzy is the classic ditzy society girl, Oscar the dumb as a post fiance who refuses to stay dumped, but it all works. I don’t know how I managed to miss this one when it came out. Send me more Katie Fforde for when I just can't face another earnest book with a heavy handed message.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. 2008, Random. 270 pp. Fiction

Olive Kitteridge is the school teacher, wife, and mother who figures in these thirteen stories. Some of them she is one of the main figures; in others she has just a cameo role. We see her life from middle age onward as it moves through disappointments, small satisfactions, and grief. It is hard to be very sympathetic toward her most of the time, but the interest is in how she moves through her world. I found this a very satisfying read.

On Kingdom Mountain by Howard Frank Mosher. 2007, Houghton, Mifflin. 274 pp. Fiction

Miss Jane Hubbell Kinneson, lives on Kingdom Mountain in northern Vermont in the 1930s. She is a feisty fifty-year old who relies on her razor-sharp tongue, over-under shotgun, and a few drams of Who Shot Sam to aid her fight against the proposed highway across "her" mountain. Then she befriends stunt pilot weathermaker Henry Satterfield who is looking for a long lost stash of Confederate gold. I enjoyed this book a lot, although the story moves slowly. I think it could even be a fun movie if they could find someone like Katherine Hepburn to play the part of Miss Jane.

The Seven Sisters by Margaret Drabble. 2002, Harcourt. 307 pp. Fiction

Candida confides her story of rejection, divorce, and alienation to her computer. Her struggles with her health club, her problems with people nearly defeat her, but she keeps bobbing back. She reminds me in a way of A. A. Milne’s Eeyore. But this book is not depressing. Margaret Drabble’s books are not for the faint hearted. Not that they are filled with violence, smut, or foul language. Quite the opposite. Her books are very literate, often wry, and thought provoking. They are not quick reads with interchangeable plots and characters. Don’t let it put you off, though, because she is worth reading.

The War Against Miss Winter by Kathryn Miller Haines. 2007, HarperCollins 317 pp. Mystery

This "soft-boiled" mystery is set in 1940’s New York City. Miss Winter is an aspiring actress who lives in the George Bernard Shaw House "for wayward actresses", but her day job is filing at Jim McCain’s detective agency. Things get dicey when McCain is murdered and she becomes involved with police, society dames, mobsters, and fellow thespians. A good choice for people who don’t like their hard boiled mysteries too gory or gritty. A sequel, The Winter of Her Discontent, follows, but I haven’t read it yet.

The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig. 2006, Harcourt. 345 pp. Fiction

"Can’t cook, but doesn’t bite." What a great start to a position wanted ad and an adventure in living in 1909 Montana. Rose is an unexpected housekeeper for the three motherless Milliron boys and their father Oliver. She and her brother Morrie bring sunshine, life, and learning to the rural community. A paean to an earlier way of life, The Whistling Season reads fast and lively.