uncategorized

While I am usually an ardent fan of Erik Larson's nonfiction, this book is not my favorite. Not because the subject matter is not compelling, but because you know how the story will end. It's like reading about the Titanic -- fascinating, but ultimately disappointing. We follow newly minted Ambassador Dodd and his family (wife, grown daughter and grown son) to Berlin in 1933, where they take up residence and work in central Berlin (Tiergarten district, the English translation of which lends itself to the title). Dodd is a frustrated academic who would like nothing more than to live frugally

One of the most interesting species available for study is the tween. Although it is not as much fun to actually be this age, the lives of these creatures are nevertheless instructive. And so it goes for Calpurnia Tate, who is nearly twelve years old in 1899. She's busy contemplating both the imminence of the new century and the infinitely changing landscape of her south Texas home. Although her family is well off, and Calpurnia is the only girl among seven children (which means a coveted private bedroom) readers get the feeling that something is missing. When Calpurnia gets up the courage

Mnookin's The Panic Virus is an amazing investigation into the culture of vaccinations, and the deadly effects of those too selfish and shortsighted to see how their choices affect others. Stories of young infants too young to yet receive vaccinations die because of young carriers whose parents have decided to "opt out," citing herd immunity as a justification for letting their offspring go unvaccinated. Cases such as this are only growing as more and more families are gripped by the powerful fear that somehow their children will "catch" autism or other afflictions due to vaccines. Mnookin

I am very excited to finally see WWII on the horizon in this series. I describe it as a "slow burn" to prospective readers because I need them to understand that Maisie isn't about action and adventure as much as she is about peeling away the layers of the people who lived through WWI.

Here, we see Maisie starting to separate from her own practice and begin to take orders from the Secret Service. She is nosing around a small college dedicated to the practice of peace but ...moreI am very excited to finally see WWII on the horizon in this series. I describe it as a "slow burn" to prospective

Ann Angel's entirely accessible and compelling biography of Janis Joplin is a marvel of a book and well deserving of the 2011 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction. Joplin's story is interwoven with period details about life and popular culture of the 50s and 60s, including pictures and descriptions for readers to use as they compare Joplin to her contemporaries. This approach is excellently executed, and walks a perfect line-- offering enough information for comprehension while enticing the reader to seek further resources on the era. I was particularly impressed by the book's layout.

Another great non-fiction book from one of my favorite authors.  The author grabs inquisitive readers’ attention from the beginning:  It starts by Bryson pondering why all of our dining tables display salt and pepper shakers rather than other equally common spices, where the expressions “sleep tight” and  “room and board” generated, and why does he have decorative buttons on the end of his jacket sleeves.  His curiosity is justified; according to his diaries, even Albert Einstein was more preoccupied with the places where he lived and where he vacationed rather than his research.

With the

This second in Todd’s Ian Rutledge mystery series, finds the Scotland Yard inspector investigating two apparent suicides and one accidental death of three siblings. The family and people of the Cornish village are satisfied with the coroner’s verdicts regarding the deaths and do not welcome Rutledge in their midst. However, a cousin of those who died wants to know more about what happened and why. Rutledge, a still recovering World War I veteran, has the continuous guidance of Hamish, the Scot he unwillingly executed on the battlefield. Rutledge soon becomes suspicious of three previous deaths

     This true crime fiction genre book covers “the case of the century”.  In the year 1909 a prominent Kansas City family because the center of investigation of a mysterious cases of mass poisoning.  A wealthy Mr. Swope, who donated his land to the city for Swope park, and several members of his family, the Hydes, died under suspicions circumstances.  The prime suspect was a new member of the Swope-Hyde family, Doctor Bennett Clark Hyde.  He was accused of trying to poison the extended family of his wife Frances Swope, to gain fortune of Colonel Thomas Hunton Swope, one of the richest men in

Buddha by Deepak Chopra

Once again, Chopra brings to life an historic figure of faith, giving us a view of the humanity, the struggles and the triumphs of Buddha. It is a fascinating story of Prince Siddhartha, who takes on the monk’s life as Gautama, and eventually becomes Buddha, the enlightened one. We become acquainted with the key individuals in Buddha’s life - his father, King Suddhodana; his wife, Yashodhara; their son, Rahula; his archenemy, Devadatta; and his close friend, Channa.

I enjoyed the story – was entertained and learned some things – what I love about historical fiction!

“If I only I opposable thumbs,” says Enzo, the narrator of this metaphor of life. Full of snippets of wisdom and insight, this is also the endearing story of a family in crisis. Enzo, a terrier-lab mix, is the soul-mate of Denny, an aspiring race car driver. Enzo and Denny became a pair when Denny is a bachelor, then a husband and father, a widower and accused felon. Enzo is more than a devoted companion and friend, he is a philosopher, guide and Denny’s biggest fan. “Your car goes where your eyes go” is Enzo’s mantra. Enzo enjoys watching television and has seen a documentary maintaining that

This is not a “sit back in your recliner and relax” kind of book. Grisham’s opposition to the death penalty is evident in his previous work, but in this one he brings the gavel down and spares the reader no detail. There is suspense and very edgy moments in this no-holds-barred opinion piece. The novel begins when Keith Schroder, a mild-mannered Lutheran pastor in Topeka, Kansas is visited for counsel by Travis Boyette, who has a history of multiple felony convictions that only scratches the surface of his evil. Travis tells the pastor that an execution scheduled within a few days in Texas

Patrick Hamilton is best remembered for his plays Rope and Gaslight which were made into well-known films. However, he also wrote a number of novels and due to a resurgence of interest in his work, they are now being re-issued. Set in London's Earl's Court before the outbreak of World War II, Hangover Square is about a shy, schizophrenic loner named George Harvey Bone who has a profound infatuation with small time actress, Netta Longdon. Netta and her friends are a cruel and dissipated lot who treat George with contempt and sponge off him. George tolerates these cruelties with the hope that

Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell Ree Dolly is only 16, yet is responsible for her 2 younger brothers and her “crazy” mother. Her father, has left, eluding the law because of charges of running a crystal meth lab. Ree sets out to find him in order to save the family home, which will be lost if he does not show in court. Ree’s perseverance is inspiring. Family loyalties are stronger than strong. Set in the Missouri Ozarks, Winter’s Bone is beautifully descriptive, while the subject matter is depressing. I appreciated the author’s style of writing, although I found the story to be a downer. The

This debut novel takes a slightly different look at plantation life at the turn of the 19th Century. At its onset, Lavinia, a seven-year-old orphaned Irish indentured servant, is taken to live with black slaves in the Kitchen House of a Virginia tobacco plantation. She is put under the care of Belle, the illegitimate daughter of the plantation owner. She embraces Belle and the other slaves as her family. Later she is accepted into the white world of the “big house,” and finds herself torn in her love and loyalties. The narration of the book alternates between Lavinia and Belle, providing

In this second book in The Father Tim series, Father Tim and Cynthia have traveled to a B & B in Ireland for some R & R and soon become involved with owner’s families and other guests. There is a bit of mystery with a break-in to Cynthia’s room and later a stolen painting. And there are various relationship issues going on. Another interesting element is the reading of a nineteenth century medical doctor’s journal, written by an ancestor of one of the B & B owners, which gives history of the place and intertwines with the present day story. I have read all of The Mitford series and Home to

Arguably the author’s best work to date, this dark and brooding mystery is set in a blue-collar Boston neighborhood where there are few secrets. In 1975 three boys – Jimmy, Sean and Dave - were playing on the street when two men, posing as policemen, abducted Dave. He escaped the abuse four days later. In 2000 these three, now adults, become intertwined in the aftermath of the murder of Jimmy’s 19-year-old daughter. Jimmy is a reformed felon, Sean a State Trooper investigating homicides, and Dave is unemployed with a wife and 12-year-old son. The mood of this well-crafted tale is dark and

About ten years ago around the holiday season, a paperback on sale in the bookstore, caught my attention. After reading the cover of The Eye of The World, I discovered it was the first book in a science fiction fantasy series, The Wheel Of Time. It was compared to Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings. Since Tolkien is one of my favorite authors I thought I would give it a try. I was not disappointed. I could not put the book down and read into the wee hours of several nights until I finished it. Eagerly I sought the next novel in the sequel, never growing tired of the series. Robert Jordan’s

The Bolter is a scandalous biography of Idina Sackville written by her great-granddaughter who is married to the finance minister of England. It begins in the flapper age and continues until World War II. Idina was a blue-eyed beauty, elegant and smart. She was born into a social class of irresponsible wealth, nightclubs, country clubs and weekends of wife-swapping, which was not unusual behavior for the aristocracy of England in the early twentieth century.
After the First World War, Osborne describes a world with too much money, too much death and too many parties. By 1922 nudity and

Carl Hiaasen's children's book, Scat is written in the traditional Hiaasen flavor which blends humor, suspense, action adventure and heroism all thrown together in the Florida swampland. All of us, at one time or another, have encountered scary teachers and found ourselves in unfair situations. Bunny Starch, the biology teacher, struck fear in the hearts of every student until one day on a biology field trip to the Black Vine Swamp, she mysteriously disappeared. Nick and Marta, two of Bunny's students, set out to solve the mystery. Ed Asner narrates this 9 hour and 18 minute CD Audio. Both

Need something light and fun to listen to that makes your heart go pitter patter? Try Suzanne Brockmann's The Kissing Game, narrated by Donna Rawlings. The setting is a small town in the Florida Keys where Frankie Paresky, private investigator, is hired to find the heir to an inheritance. Her life long friend Simon, who she grew up with, sets out to help her solve the mystery. Along the way they discover their true feelings for each other.

Two-time Rita Award winner Suzanne Brockmann wrote this book in 1996. It is a charming romance classic with a predictable plot and heartwarming characters

The story takes place in Berlin in 1945 when an accomplished, well educated and sophisticated journalist and editor found herself trapped in the Russian occupied sector for a period of eight weeks during the end of World War II. She kept a record of the events of her life and also daily events of the people in her apartment. The diary centered around two people in her apartment and the different Russian soldiers she is forced into contact with.With Berlin in ruins and mostly occupied by women and children, conventional morality did not exist. The Russians were in control of food, water and