Spell of Trouble (Silver Hollow Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) Kindle Edition —by Leighann Dobbs

Fiction: Paranormal, Cozy, Mystery, Brain Candy

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01K29O0WC

August 23, 2016

1585 KB / 353 pages

4 Stars

 

This is my first Leighann Dobbs book, it will not be my last. I enjoy a lighthearted murder now and then. Lots of magic, seems half the townsfolk are paranormal in one way or another. I especially enjoyed the ‘familiars’—a dog, a plant, a cat that seems to live his own life, and the little old lady witch who everyone loves, but her memory ain’t what it used to be.

 

This book will be filed under Brain Candy. In other words, it’s fun, won’t give you nightmares, nor will it add inches to your waist like that chocolate cake on your counter;-) A paper copy would be the perfect book to read in the hot tub.

 

Oh, I apologize. I misspoke in the above paragraph. The chocolate cake on your counter won’t add inches to your waist if you read this book while eating it. I’m terribly sorry for the mix-up. 

Thinking About Thinking -- not quite essays --by Margaret Randall

 Nonfiction: essays, philosophy, modern history

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1735151645

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1735151649

Casa Urraca Press

September 7, 2021

260 pages

5 stars

 

I saw Ms. Randall at her book-launch in Albuquerque. She was launching two books, and I promised myself I would buy one and only one. By the time the launch was over both books were on their way to me. The other is a book of poetry I’m still reading.

 

I absolutely loved these not quite essays. Mini essays? She told about her times in Latin America, about coming home to the States and facing deportation by our Government. Oddly, I remember being glued to the news at that time. I had no idea until I started reading the two women were really the one. I’m delighted she wasn’t deported. 

 

She taught me some interesting history I didn’t know, wasn’t sure about, and I looked it up—she was spot on. I’d love to take a history class from her.

 

She discusses anything and just about everything she might have a thought or opinion on. From Alan Turing and the Fear of Being Different to the Silliness Gene. She tells us about becoming Elizabeth Taylor to How We Feed Ourselves. Every piece was different, and every piece made me want more. Every not quite essay taught me something, and that, ladies and gentlemen, makes the book marvelous!

Their War: The Perspectives of the South Vietnamese Military in the Words of Veteran-Emigres --by Julie Pham, PhD

 Nonfiction: History, War, Military

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1696484243

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1696484244

Independently published

June 30, 2019

96 pages

5 Stars

 

I saw Dr. Pham on a zoom discussion talk about her book and ordered a copy before the end of the show. It is primarily interviews with South Vietnamese military veterans and their recollections about the war and American participation. I found it fascinating to get their side of the story.

 

The biggest surprise was the almost total lack of rancor against the American Advisors. Reading these memories, given to the Vietnamese daughter of one of their own, they were honest, sincere, and totally fascinating.

 

If you are at all interested in that history, I strongly suggest buying and reading this book. It is one to keep and refer to now and again.

Another book I read many years ago, and have just ordered to read again, gives a Korean POV of the Vietnam War, White Badge by Jungyho An. Stand by for my review of that book as I reread it.

Reparations Now! Poems --by Ashley M. Jones

 Nonfiction: Poetry

ISBN-10:  193823586X

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1938235863

Hub City Press

September 7, 2021

80 pages

5 Stars

 

 

I can see why Alabama has named Ashley M. Jones their Poet Laureate! These poems are powerful, not only in her choice of words, but in the way she places them on the page. How many ways can you read “Hymn of Our Jesus & the Holy Tow Truck” on page 3?  “The Hymn of the Dogwood Tree” on page 19 brought me up short, the hymn is not the one I learned, but I looked it up. She’s correct. And the format of the poem, oh, yes. She even brings Gladys Knight into her book. 

 

These are intelligent poems by an intelligent woman and deserve to be read. If I were a teacher, I would have copies in my classroom, and use some of them for teaching history as well as English. 

Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans --by Melanie Mitchell

 Nonfiction: Artificial Intelligence

Page numbers source ISBN : ‎ 1250758041

Farar, Straus and Giroux; Illustrated edition

October 15, 2019

338 pages

5 Stars

 

This is not a book I would normally have picked up to read; however, my book club voted for it, and it truly is one of the most important books I didn’t know I wanted to read.

 

I am not a numbers person, and I tend to equate computers with numbers (1 and 0 to be precise), and it took me a bit to get into the book—hooked half-way through Chapter 5, but once I did, I found it very interesting. No, I am not going to go forth and take a class in computer programming, but I have a much better understanding now of what AI is, and perhaps more importantly, isn’t.

 

If the thought of AI frightens you, or if you think you welcome it with open arms, or are somewhat ambivalent because you don’t understand it, I highly recommend this book. It is accessible, Mitchell has an engaging way of writing, she tells relevant stories, and even brings Star Trek in a time or two. 

 

Truly one of the best Nonfiction books I’ve read this year.