State of Terror --by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny

Fiction / Political Thriller

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08VJL9Z5X

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 198217367X

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1982173678

Simon & Schuster / St. Martin’s Press

October 12, 2021

512 pages

5 Stars

 

If you’re a fan of Louise Penny’s books, be sure to read this one. This is one of the best collaborations I’ve ever read. They hit the decks running and don’t stop till it’s over, and even then, you just know there is going to be a sequel—just not soon enough!

 

Political Thriller’s aren’t my usual read, and though I’d planned on reading this one eventually, once the price came down to something reasonable, it was the first book chosen by my book club for January discussion. Which meant I had to read it in December. The book is fiction. Remember that, but you just know a lot of it is based in actuality. Maybe not the scene, but how things are handled.

 

Ellen Adams is the Secretary of State, she ran for office against the man who won, and though they are political opponents he picked her. Think Clinton/Obama at your risk. They are brand new in their respective offices, after the past President, Eric Dunn lost an election. Mr. Dunn was sure he’d been elected King and could not, cannot believe he was not re-elected.

 

Bashir Shaw is the Terrorists Terrorist and an old nemesis of Secretary Adams. He is safely under house arrest in Pakistan. Isn’t he? There are more turns and twist than in a Bimini Twist Knot. I strongly recommend you commence reading this book in the morning when you have nothing more pressing to do than drink that pot of coffee you just made. It is not an easy book to put down. 

 

Betsy Jameson is the best friend of the protagonist and has a vocabulary to put Marines to shame. She looks like Mrs. Cleaver, of Leave it to Beaver fame, and was often thought of by that name. “…Mrs. Cleaver…combined and conjugated words that should never, really, have conjugal relations. The ensuing progeny was both grotesque and hilarious, as she turned nouns into verbs, and verbs into something else entirely…” Betsey Jameson supplies comic relief throughout the book, especially with her vocabulary which is only described, not used. But, oh, the descriptions!

 

And, joy of joys, Ruth Zardo gets a mention, and her slim book of poetry called I’m F.I.N.E., not to mention a few other inhabitants of the village of Three Pines. This book is a bit faster paced and grittier than Ms. Penny’s regular books. It is well crafted (you expected otherwise?), and a hard to put down read. Even once I found the mistrake, I still loved the book. And, no, I am not telling you where the mistrake is, or what it is, but I did check it out with subject matter experts.

  

Humans of Climate Change: A Cultural Journey to Explore Climate-Change Impacts, Solutions, and Hope —by Kaden Hogan

 Nonfiction / Environmental Policy / Environmental Science / Climatology 

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09BB8DLWP

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 173990804X

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1739908041

Independently published

July 24, 2021

183 Pages

5 Stars

 

I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this book, so went into the book with an open mind. The research Kaden Hogan did is amazing, and using personal stories instead of numbers and stats, etc., made the book extremely readable. Climate change will affect different peoples and cultures in different ways. In rigid patriarchal cultures, it will affect women and children the hardest. “Empowering the powerless or neglected—Indigenous peoples, women, youth, small nations, poor farmers, and slum-dwellers—leads to imaginative and effective solutions.” (Emphasis the reviewers.)

 

Hogan takes the reader on a world tour from the Arctic to the Mekong Delta, to India and Kenya, and all places in between. Some of the most interesting interviews/essays were on California: Fire as Friend, Fire as Foe and Kenya: the Old and the New. 

 

The book is written in three parts of four chapters each, followed by Thinking Points for each part. I found the Thinking Points thoughtful, important, and something we can all participate in. Some have been around for quite a while, but seeing them in new words makes them seem, once again, important. 

 

If you are a human and live on Planet Earth, I strongly urge you to buy a copy of this book. It is so easy to think to yourself there is nothing you, as an individual can really do, beyond take your own reusable bags to the grocery store, but I assure you, after reading this book, you will rethink that mindset. If we are going to save our planet and the humans on it, there are things all of us can do. It only takes 100 pennies to make a dollar. Or 10 dimes. Become a penny, become a dime. 

 

Buy this book and read it. Buy copies of this book and give to friends and family. As Hogan says in his conclusion, “…climate change is not about saving Earth. // Earth will carry on—with or without human beings.” It is about saving humans and their cultures.

Out of Violence into Poetry --by Margaret Randall

Nonfiction: Poetry 

ISBN: 978-1-60940-619-6

Wings Press 

September 1, 2021

132 pages

5 Stars

 

This book was my introduction to Randall’s poetry, it will not be my last of her books I will read. These poems were written from 2018 and 2021. She writes about anything—from Today Was a Good Day, “I woke up this morning / and was able to get out of bed…” to her times in Latin America, including Cuba, to the current Covid pandemic. In Pristine in Exotic Memory she takes us from nuclear bomb tests on atolls in the South Pacific to “..Trayvon, Watchful Bear, Maria,…”

 

She is a fearless poet, not hesitant to write about any subject that affects her, that is painful, that is joyful. She writes about her recurring nightmares, and I’m grateful they are hers, not mine.

 

Because Randall does not fear death, she has not been afraid to live. This is a woman I would love to meet, to sit down and share an afternoon coffee with both her and her wife, to one day call them Friends. 

The Light on Fisnos --by Barbara Quick

Nonfiction: Poetry Chapbook

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1421836971

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1421836973

Blue Light Press

April 14, 2021

34 pages

5 Stars

 

I have just returned from a trip to Greece! A marvelous escape from the cold of another Covid Winter. Thanks to the marvelous poetry of Ms. Quick, I have exchanged greetings with the natives, swum in the cerulean seas, indulged in the foods of the island. In short, I had a very sensual mini vacation through these well-crafted poems.  

Sin is Due to Open in a Room Above Kitty’s —Poetry by Morag Anderson

 Nonfiction: Poetry Chapbook

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1913211592

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913211592

Fly on the Wall Poetry

August 20, 2021

38 pages

4 Stars

 

I saw Ms. Anderson read a week or so ago (via Zoom) and was enthralled with her poetry. She writes about life, and does not sugar-coat it. These poems are honest, confessional, and it is very difficult to read just one.

 

From Paterfamilias  “may your daughters labour with language, / give birth to books that punctuate / the end of your line.” As for The Last Supper with Sarah, all I can say is, Sarah should count her blessings she’s still alive and walking. 

 

I truly wish the book was longer. I will go back to this book time and time again.

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.

Swimmer in the Secret Sea --by William Kotzwinkle

 Fiction: The Circle of Life

ISBN: 0-380-00342-2

 Avon Books a division of

The Hearst Corporation

September 19975

91 pages

5 stars

 

This novella is a quick read, a perfect story. There is not one word too many, not one word superfluous. It is a sad story but treated with such respect. I can’t help but wonder if it might not be autobiographical.

 

I recommend this book to anyone who has lost a child, especially at or before birth. It is sad, but not maudlin. It is beautiful. How Laski goes through his wife’s labor, and the birth of their first child, a son. How Laski comes to the realization that death is part of life. How he makes the casket with care and love. How he buries the baby on their woodland property.

 

Although it is a fairly modern story, I kept thinking back to the pioneers, and that time, and birth and death and life. 

Peace of Music (Book 1 of 3) --by Denise Kahn

 Fiction: Historical / Ancient China / Modern Egypt / Modern Greece

ASIN: B00OTRRLZC

4Agapi

October 22, 2014

2462 KB

5 Stars

 

This is a story of a vase created by a blind potter in 13^th century China, as told through the eyes of people who come into its possession. Music is an undying theme that weaves through this story as people discover their talents through the vase. 

 

Ms. Kahn has a good knowledge of the different times and cultures she writes about, making the people and stories believable. I was sucked in at the very beginning.

 

In a word, this novel is: Beautiful. It is beautifully written, the stories are beautiful, and I can hardly wait to get Book #2. 

A Day Like This: A Novel --by Kelley McNeil

 Fiction: Contemporary Women Fiction

Lake Union Publishing

November 1, 2021

ASIN: B08ZWPKZG1 

5284 KB

5 Stars

 

I believe I should state, right at the beginning, DO NOT START THIS BOOK AT NIGHT! No, it won’t give your nightmares, but you won’t want to put it down once started. It’s that engrossing. And pay attention to chapter headings/dates.

 

Like many reviewers, this book was a one-sit read! I’m still shaking my head over it. I loved it. I’m not going to go over the plot, that’s been covered by several, so no spoilers here. But I admit I am in awe of the way Ms. McNeil wrote this book. She grabbed me on page one, and didn’t let go till page end. Actually, I’m not sure she let go then, either. ;-)

 

Read this book. It’s wonderful. It will make you think. You will love the characters. You will enjoy this book, start to finish.

The Glass Constellation, New and Collected Poems --by Arthur Sze

Nonfiction / Poetry

Copper Canyon Press 

April 13, 2021

ISBN-13: 978-1556596219

560 pages

5 Stars

 

This book covers 50 years of Sze’s poetry. I saw him (via Zoom) give a reading when it was first released, and became so enthralled, I ordered a copy before the reading finished. Every poem in this book sings, some melodies reached out and grabbed me, others gently washed over and through me. He has several long poems, with each section numbered, and each section in a different format. He plays with words; he plays with format. 

 

I consider a book to be superb when the author sends me to the dictionary at least once. I have no idea how many times Mr. Sze sent me to the dictionary. I gave up trying to remember after 10. 

 

He takes us from China (Ancient and Modern) to the Pacific Northwest, from Santa Fe to the desert of Sahara, with stops at any and all places in between and around the globe. He made me laugh, he made me cry, but mostly he held me in thrall. I am in literary lust!

 

If you are a lover of contemporary poetry, I heartily recommend this book. If you aren’t sure about it, get the book anyhow. It’s a thing of beauty and a collection of pearls of great price.

 

Relax and Enjoy Your Food: Save your money, your health, and your sanity by separating fact from flapdoodle —by Craig Good.

 Nonfiction / Nutrition

Very Good Books 

September 2021

ISBN: 13: 978-1-64062-119-0

ASIN: B09CN4CTFS

127 Pages / 3939 KB

5 Stars

 

 

This book packs an enormous amount of information inside its 127 pages about food—eating food, what food to buy, and what not to buy, and all the reasons for making those decisions.  He writes in a very relaxed, conversational style, uses humor to make his points, and tells it like it is. Or at least, should be. 

 

His advice on anorexia nervosa is spot on. I ran it by a friend of mine, a retired pediatric neurologist and he agreed. Mr. Good covers it all in this book. This is one to buy copies of to give away as gifts. There, I just helped you with your Winter Gift List! A one-size-fits-all kind of gift.

 

If I tell you this is the book on nutrition you need to read, I’m afraid I’ll scare you off. But it is. Mr. Good tells us the good, the bad, and the ugly of supplements, of organic vs. non-organic foods, the myths of food and how they became imbedded in our psyche, and the facts we need to make good, flavorful, and healthy decisions. Oh, and save oodles of money while doing it. That makes it worth the price of admission, yes?

 

Under $10.00. For the price of two lattes, you’ll have an enjoyable read, get smarter, and have several good laughs. Oh, be sure to read it cover-to-cover, there are notes in the beginning that will make your read more enjoyable. Good advice from a master instructor.

Bayna Bayna --by Zeina Azzam

 Nonfiction / Poetry

The Poetry Box

2021, Chapbook

52 pages

5 stars

 

This impressive book takes us from her childhood in Palestine and war to adulthood in the US. She writes beautifully of loss—loss of friends, loss of home, loss of culture, loss of marriage. And yet these poems also give us hope, “may you wake up to goodness…” (Khayr, page 22.)

 

The title poem, Bayna Bayna, In-Between tells of living “…in the canyon / between a mother language / and an adopted tongue,” and that is the book. In between here and there. Between a marriage and a divorce, between one home and the second. Between one heart beat and the next.

 

Beautiful writing, highly recommend buying and reading this little book.

Slaughterhouse Five or The Children’s Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death —by Kurt Vonnegut

 Fiction / Historical (WWII bombing of Dresden)

A Laurel Book Published by Dell Publishing

1969, Mass Paperback

84 pages

3 Stars

 

The story of Billy Pilgrim, a lad of simplicity finds himself caught up in the German front, becomes a POW, and to help him escape from the horrors of war, and the military, he time travels to another place, perhaps even another planet. He seems quite content to live in his imagination and let other people tell him what to do, when to do it, and how. 

 

I’m wondering if this book isn’t one of the first of the “anti-hero” books to come out? I have no

idea how I missed this book when it came out, but thankfully, I did. His stock phrase, which shows up on just about every page, “So it goes” kicked me out of the story every time I read it, then I had to fight to get back inside. Normally, I would not have finished it, but it’s the book we’re reading this month for Book Group. 

 

If you’re a glutton for punishment, you’ll love it. I’m not that masochistic. Unfortunately, I can’t say to read any of his other books. I haven’t, and don’t think I will as several people have stated to start with this book. 

Mother Country --poems by Elana Bell

 Nonfiction / poetry

BOA Editions, Ltd

2020, First Edition

Paperback, 84 pages

5 Stars

 

This is a perfect gift for mothers, and daughters of mothers. Elana Bell describes wanting and miscarrying children, and finally, carrying and birthing a beautiful child. She tells about her mother, and the web of life holding them together. How they interacted. These poems are by turns sad, funny, and every emotion in between. And the last poem, After Birth—how many mothers have sung that same song? I don’t think the words have changed all that much, either.

 

There are poems in this book worth reading over and over again. If you have lost an unborn child, you will find understanding in this book, these words. If you have birthed a healthy child, you will find sympathy in this book for she truly understands how your life has been turned upside down and pulled inside out as no one but another mother can truly understand.

The Father --poems by Sharon Olds

 Nonfiction / poetry

Alfred A. Knopf, A Borzoi Book

1992, First Edition

Paperback, 96 pages

5 Stars

 

This book won’t be for everyone, but for those it speaks to, it is a full symphony of words. It is about her time as a daughter, a caregiver, to her dying father. If you have not lost a close person to death, you may not be able to relate, but if you’ve lost people you love to a debilitating illness, this book will give you permission to weep, to laugh, to cry, to mourn. I know, that sounds so depressing, but it isn’t. It’s healing. It’s beauty in being human, in loving people who have their own foibles, in recognizing that part of the circle of life is birth, and part is death. 

 

This is a book of great beauty, and Olds is a gift to all of us. Buy this book. Read this book. Many times.

American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin --by Terrance Hayes

 Nonfiction / Poetry

Penguin Books; 1^st Edition

June 19, 2018

112 pages

5 Stars

 

The back cover tells us these 70 poems were written during the first 200 days of the immediate past president’s tenure in office. They will grab you, shake you, turn you upside down, and possibly inside out, and you’ll love every minute of it.

 

Every sonnet has the same title as the book. Every sonnet is different. The poem on the back cover begins, “I lock you in an American sonnet that is part prison, / Part panic closet, a little room in a house set aflame. /” He does, eventually, unlock the door and let you out, but you’ll want to go back in to see what’s next.

 

I must read more of this young man’s work. It is, in a word, Amazing!

These Tangled Vines --by Juliane MacLean

 Fiction / Contemporary Women’s 

302 pages / 7246 KB

5 Stars

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I would put it in the category of mindless brain-candy that was fun and contained no hip-hugging calories. Was it predictable? Mostly. Was it a romance? Sorta. Did I escape my reality for a few hours? You betcha! And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I read fiction.

I’m not going to reveal the story, that’s what other reviewers have done. There is, however, one thing I wish the author had done. At the end of the chapters or the end of the book, she could have put the recipes in for the food she talked about! Paired with the proper wine. 

 

  

After reading one reviewer’s negative comments on another review site about the author and her book, I feel obligated to correct her (the reviewer, not the author). True, Tallahassee is NOT on the coast. The author never said it was. However, there are several lakes in or near Tallahassee, they often have beaches, and white caps are caused by winds and can appear on any water—lake, river, ocean. And Tallahassee is the largest city in the Panhandle. 

 

Defiled: The Sequel to Nailed Featuring John Tall Wolf (A Ron Ketchum Mystery, Book 2)-- by Joseph Flynn

 Fiction / Thriller

281 pages / 2898 KB

5 Stars

 

As I mentioned in my review of Nailed, I would have this book loaded on my eReader before the review was posted. It was. I did, however, have to wait a short while before I could read it. I knew once I started, I would not want to set it down. My suggestion? Make a pot of coffee and set yourself down early in the morning. I leave it to you how to handle kids and spouse. Perhaps you would be better off checking into a hotel with room service? For a much-needed break? Yes. There you go.

 

Indeed, John Tall Wolf returned, and helped solve the mystery of the death of a rich and not overly loved developer in Goldstrike, and the dirty bomb set to detonate and ruin the pristine lake for years and years. 

 

I don’t know that you need to read Nailed first, but, if possible, I suggest you do as it sets the tone, introduces the main characters, etc. Great story, marvelous read. Perfect escape. Oh, and I read somewhere that this is where John Tall Wolf was introduced. THAT explains why I missed someone. I’d already read the series!

four-legged girl --by Diane Seuss

 Nonfiction / Poetry

88 pages

5 Stars

 

This is the third Seuss book I have read. While I really liked this one, her use of language is superior, I also wasn’t as fond of this book as the other two. Her writing is dark, edgy, accessible, honest. It is powerful, with both laughter and pain.

 

You will note, even though it wasn’t my favorite of her books I’ve read, it’s still a 5-star book! She is truly one of the top poets of our day, and her words should be read, especially by others who write, or want to write, poetry.

Magnified --by Minnie Bruce Pratt

 I had the opportunity to attend an electronic reading of Minnie Bruce Pratt where she read some of the poems from this book. I knew what I was getting when I ordered it. These are poems she wrote as the love of her life was dying.

 

I knew they would be beautiful, and I knew they would be sad, but I was totally unprepared for the depth of emotion they brought forth. I laughed, I cried, and at times a deep primal scream of heartfelt pain escaped from my lips.

 

As an aside, Ms. Pratt is lesbian, as was her true love. I mention it because she did both at the reading and in the book. This is not, in my opinion a “queer lit” book. It is about a woman deeply in love, who cared for, nursed, held, loved another being until the very end. It is a book of loss. Anyone who is truly alive, anyone who has ever lost a lover or a friend, will be blessed by reading this book and know they have never truly been alone.

Nailed (A Ron Ketchum Mystery Book 1) —by Joseph Flynn

 Fiction / Mystery

342 Pages / 2173 KB

5 Stars

 

As I’ve stated on several reviews, I read fiction for the escape and to feel better when I put the book down than when I picked it up. Mr. Flynn has yet to let me down.

 

My favorite series of his, to date, has been the John Tall Wolf series. Ron Ketchum is running a mighty close, photo-finish second. (And I see where the next Ron Ketchum book features John Tall Wolf in it! It will be loaded on my reader before this review is posted. Honest. Trust me.)

 

This book has a mountain lion out hunting humans, a racist killer nailing a black minister to a black, charred tree. A town mayor “for life” who is a high-rolling movie star. Killers, scammers, and down-home boys trying to do their jobs and maintain the peace. 

 

The only think about this book I didn’t like was it was too short, and I reached the end. Fortunately, (and I just checked my reader) Defiled is downloaded and ready to read. Alas, it will be my carrot. When chores are finished, I have a date with John Tall Wolf AND Ron Ketchum.

Choose Me --by Tess Gerritsen and Gary Braver

 Fiction / Who Done It?

290 pages / 4375 KB

3 Stars

 

Alas, I didn’t appreciate the constant movement “Before” and “After” format. It felt, I dunno, contrived. I know it’s becoming the “in” way to write, but somehow it seemed a tad overdone. Maybe I’m old and too linear in my thinking?

 

It was an OK story, I finished it. I finished it, three stars. It was not, for me a page burner. In fact, I read other books while completing this one. It held me enough to read it to find out if my suspicions were correct as to the killer (they were not), but that’s about it. 

Still Life with two dead Peacocks and a Girl --by Diane Seuss

 Nonfiction / Poetry

120 pages

5 Stars

 

If you make a list of all the superlatives you can think of, you will still run short to define this book. It is beautiful, it is terrifying. This book is lullaby soft and hard as granite. Do you cry or get angry? Perhaps both. And maybe even laugh. Depends, I suppose on how often you read the poem, the book, on what you bring to the table in this free-for-all called life. 

 

As one cannot step into the river in the same place twice, one will not read these poems in the same voice twice.

 

From writing about losing her baby blanket, to writing her Self-Portrait with Amy (Creation Myth) and all those poems in between and on either side, the reader in in for a treat. The more often read, the bigger and better the treat!

Atomic Paradise --by Jules Nyquist

 Nonfiction / Poetry 

119 pages

5 Stars

 

I love historical poetry, and this book did not let me down. Nyquist takes us from the parties of the Oppenheimers to the concentration camps of fellow Americans, from Los Alamos to the bombs, and everything in between and after. I hope this book is picked up and taught in American History Classes. And don’t think you’ll only read one or two poems at a time. You won’t. You’ll read several, if not the whole book. Yes, they are that good.

Binti: The Complete Trilogy --by Nnedi Okorafor

 Fiction / Science Fiction Fantasy

366 pages / 3758 KB

5 Stars (x4) 

 

Wow! Where to start? The world building was wonderful. I had no trouble finding my way through the worlds. I had some questions, the answers to which were not important to the story, so when they weren’t answered, I was okay with that.

 

Being a math phobe since forever, I wasn’t sure how I would get along with the protagonist being a math genius who did math to relax, fortunately, the wee bit we read was just enough to know she was way beyond me, but not enough to toss me out of the story. In other words, for me, the amount of math was perfect.

 

I became enthralled with the main characters, and hope the author revisits the planets and people again at a later date. I’d like to know what comes next. There were some interesting hints dropped at the end that could be at least one more book. If not, I’ll be happy for the opportunity to read Binti, and look forward to more of Ms. Okorafor’s books.

 

Loved the story, the worlds, the characters.

Pacific Northwest Foraging for Beginners: A 3 Step…Field Guide —by Paul Macy

 Nonfiction / Food Gathering

153 pages / 9249 KB

4 Stars

 

Though I haven’t foraged in night on to 70 years, this book has ignited a spark to once again head for the hills, or at least the flats, and see what can be found. This book is easy to read and understand. Mr. Macy uses actual photos of the plants and fine drawings. I would not hesitate to take his book and forage.

 

I did find the recipes at the end difficult to read, as the brown seemed to bleed into the white letters, but not impossible. And I would have liked, since this is a book on the Pacific Northwest to have seen a few more plants mentioned, e.g., Chamomile, Devil’s Club, Fir Trees, Russian Olive, Miner’s Lettuce, and one found in Eastern Oregon and Washington, Datura. I don’t think we have enough Pine Trees to make them worth the mention, though I could be wrong.

 

I appreciated how Mr. Mace stressed sustainable harvesting, not just when to harvest, but how. I thought his ideas on cooking, serving, or saving/preserving were quite well done and appreciated. I would add one more item to my foraging kit: brand name hand sanitizer. I’ve found it works well on bites and blisters to cut the sting and burn, as well as cleaning hands.

 

If you’ve ever considered foraging for food, fun, or profit, this is the book for you. Nicely done.

 

Deaf Republic: Poems --by Ilia Kaminsky

 Nonfiction / Poetry

80 pages

5 Stars

 

 

I am blown away. Never have I read a book like this. It is a long poem made up of several small poems; it is a play in two acts. It is the beauty of love and survival juxtaposed against the nightmare of war and its cruelty. It is humor, it is tears. It is the most unique book I’ve ever read. Stunning. As someone said, it is something akin to grasping the live wire of poetry and feeling the current traverse your hand, your body, your brain. If you never read another book of poetry, read Deaf Republic.

An Insomniac's Slumber Party with Marilyn Monroe --by Heidi Seaborn

 Nonfiction / Poetry

84 pages

5 Stars

 

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to have been Norma Jean/Marilyn? Well, wonder no more! Heidi Seaborn did a fantastic job of researching and imagining and then putting all those imaginings into poems.

 

If you plan on your own slumber party with Marilyn, put on your sexiest and go to bed early, because once you start these poems, you will resent having to put the book down before you are finished reading. 

 

I very seldom suggest you read a book of poetry straight through, but these just naturally lead one to the other and you just naturally have to go to the next, the next, the next, the…

 

I laughed. I became intimate with anger. I cried. And when the book was finished, I started over again!

All the Wild and Holy: A Life of Eunice Williams 1696-1785 --by Gayle Lauradunn

 Nonfiction / Poetry

100 pages

5 Stars

 

Like many European girls and women, Eunice Williams found a life worth living with the Indians who abducted her and refused to return to the strangled life of a female in colonial America. The amount of research Ms. Lauradunn accomplished shows in this collection of chronological poems as told by Eunice beautifully imagined by Lauradunn. 

 

We are taken from the horrific abduction to the realization that the Natives not only allowed, but encouraged, singing and dancing and joy in all its manifestations; that women were respected and the head of the family. As an Indian she was a woman of means with a loving husband. As a European woman in the colonies, she would be little more than a drudge in a world of drudge. 

 

When, as an adult, she returned to her family to visit, they could not understand why she wouldn’t stay. Here, in her own words as imagined by Lauradunn, you will understand.

 

I’ve read this book more than once and will read it several times in the future. I have read other books about Eunice Williams with this book being at the top of my favored stack. If you enjoy good writing, history, poetry, this is a must read.

The Philosopher’s Daughter —by Lori Desrosiers

 Nonfiction / Poetry

98 pages / 286 KB

5 Stars

 

I have a bad habit—if I’m truly enjoying a book, I read fast. Poetry should be read slowly, each poem savored. The feel of it in the mouth as you read it aloud, the taste of the spice, the texture of the meat and the vegetables, the subtlety of the dessert—all should be given their own time to be enjoyed. But sometimes when I’m starving, I just want more, more. I did try to slow down in reading this book, but the mouth feel was too good, I wanted more, and I didn’t want to wait.

 

I have a second bad habit—I love good poetry, and I’m book poor. Fortunately, I own my own copy of The Philosopher’s Daughter, and will go back to enjoy the poems, individually, and give them, each and every one, the reverence they are due.

 

My third bad habit—I dog ear pages of the books I own. The bottom corners. When a poem speaks to me, grabs me, evokes laughter or tears, is one I know I want to read again and again, I dog-ear the bottom corner. About a third of the poems in this book are dog-eared. There isn’t a poem in this book I didn’t like, but so many reached out and touched me—from “Conducting in Thin Air” to “Night Writing.” 

 

These poems are about family, about life, and even to someone not “into” poetry, I think they will be accessible and enjoyable. 

Sometimes I Hear the Clock Speak —by Lori Desrosiers

 Nonfiction / Poetry

68 pages

5 Stars

 

In many respects, reading this collection of poems was a trip down memory lane for me although we were raised on opposite sides of the country many of our childhood memories are very close.

 

We both learned of reveille and taps at summer camp, we both played violin. Well, she played, I tried. I haven’t a musical bone in my body.

 

We each have a best friend in our life by the same name. Her first poem is after a sculpture by Isamu Noguchi. There are sculptures in Seattle by him. 

 

There is a poem in the book I didn’t find beautiful, but my favorites are mostly in the second part, Echoes and Voices. At least my favorites the first time I read the book. When I read it again, those will change because I will change.

 

As another reviewer says, these poems are “quiet and delicate, but can soar like violins and waxwings.” Nothing more needs to be said.

Case of the One-Eyed Tiger (Corgi Case Files Book 1) —by Jeffrey Poole

 One of the funnest books I’ve read in a while. I laughed out loud in several places. The writing style was fun, and it’s a delight to find a cozy with a male protagonist. The corgi stole the show. Realistic? I don’t know, and frankly, my dear... I read fiction for escape, and this was a fantastic escape.

 

Zack Anderson is a writer, newly widowed, and inherits his wife’s aunt’s winery. Zack doesn’t like wine. He also doesn’t care much for art or cell phones. He arrives in a small town (suspiciously like Jacksonville, OR) and immediately ends up meeting an old friend, acquires a dog, and gets arrested for murder. All before spending the first night in his new home!

 

A fun and delightful book. Looking forward to book 2.

Dead Heat (Alpha & Omega Book 4) —Patricia Briggs

 Fiction / Urban Fantasy

1350 KB

5 Stars

 

Living forever isn’t always easy. There are a lot of goodbyes to be said when your non-were friends and family grow old and die. But that’s one of the prices one pays to live forever—you have more time, and more goodbyes to be dealt with. And Anna must help Charles deal with his best human friend dying. As well as deal with a witch who is raising havoc with the human family of the local pack. 

 

People often say they’d like to live forever, but would they really? This book brings that conundrum to light. Joseph, the BFF of Charles, is dying. Charles can save him. Joseph’s father can save him. Except for one small thing, and if either of them do it, they will have the Marrock to deal with—Joseph doesn’t want to be saved! 

 

Boy Howdy! Make sure your cinch is tight, ‘cause you’re goin’ for a ride with this one.

For other reviews of Patricia Briggs' books, go here: http://lenoragood.blogspot.com/search?q=patricia+briggs 

The Woman and the War Baby --by Bill Ransom

 Nonfiction / poetry / memoir

160 pages

5 Stars

 

Perfection. Pure. Simple. Not one word too many, not word missing. Memories of childhood, or adulthood, of war, of peace. Images seared into your eyes, your brain, by the sheer beauty of a master wielding his pen.

 

Want to know what it feels like being in a war? Instructions on page 142. Or what four-wheel drive really is? Page 127. Love in a fish camp? Page 81. The beauty of dawn on Lake Kapowsin? Page 50. I won’t say these poems will answer all your questions on life, but these poems will give you a better understanding of what it means to be fully alive in the human form.

frank: sonnets --by diane seuss

 Nonfiction / poetry

152 pages 

5 Stars

 

I have never cared to have

an affair with the sonnet—

too much form, too much rhyme, 

too much all the same same. 

Are these truly

sonnets? I dunno, but I do 

know I love them. The ones

with humor, the ones so

hard to read I cried, 

forgot to breathe,

the ones that taught me

my life has been easy. It is

time for me to reconsider

and embrace these Seussian sonnets.

 

My apologies to Ms. Suess. Her book is fantastic. Buy it. Read it.

Golden Poppies: A Novel —by Laila Ibrahim

 Fiction / Historical

297 pages / 2710 KB

5 stars

 

I read another of Ms. Ibrahim’s novels, Paper Wife, and loved it. Serendipity came with Golden Poppies. I had recently read Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. and this novel fit right in with that book. I had not gone many pages before I realized this was the third book of a series. Having read the previous two first might have given me more back story, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I will pick up the other two books and read them, but I didn’t find them necessary to enjoy this book. 

 

The story takes place primarily in Oakland CA in the 1890s about two families, one African American one European American. Prior to the Civil War, the white family owned the black family, the matriarch of the white family was raised by the matriarch of the black family and a strong bond developed between them, which was passed down to their families. I found this story engrossing and enjoyable. It offered me hope for our future, that all may yet discover we are connected by the web of life.

 

This book is not an apology for slavery, it does not paint a romantic picture of it. The white woman was a child, raised by the black ‘mammy’ and loved her more than she loved her own mother. She had not yet been taught to see black people as other than black people.

 

Highly recommend this book.

Don't Come Back: A Molly Donovan Suspense Novel --by Tower Lowe

 Fiction / Suspense

214 pages / 611 KB

5 Stars

 

 

This book is a solid 5 stars. There were a couple of typos, and a shaky spot or two, but I read fiction for the escape, for the characters, for the story, and once again, Ms. Lowe has delivered.

 

Ms. Lowe has a knack of writing her female protagonists to be less than perfect. You know, like real people, people I can relate to. They are all differently abled, and Molly Donovan is no different. She suffered a trauma as a teen and one of her arms is crippled well. But she overcame that and went on to become a top notch insurance investigator. She now finds herself in Santa Fe area of New Mexico, working for a private investigation firm that is wonderful.

 

In the first book, we met her new boyfriend, Miguel, a recovering addict and nephew to her boss. In this book, we discover he’s not the hero we would want for Molly. Or is he? We also meet Ray Yazee, a newly arrived FBI agent who is half Navajo and has never met his native family. He, too, has issues. 

 

They work together as a team looking for the kidnap victim, an elderly grandma who needs dialysis or she’ll die. I thoroughly love the characters of this series and can hardly wait for the next book. I hope Ray and Miguel both show up again, but especially Ray. I have a softer spot for him than Miguel, but who knows what Molly thinks.

I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life —by Ed Yong

 Nonfiction / Science / Microbiology

368 pages 

5 Stars

 

From a purely non-scientific viewpoint, which is really the only one I have, unless you count high-school biology enough science for a background, I found this book to be a relative page burner. It appeared to be written for the lay person to read and gain some knowledge of a complex topic. I have seen Mr. Yong being interviewed on his book and found them highly interesting.

 

If you are looking for mathematics, equations, formulas, and or proofs, I fear you’ll be disappointed. If you’re looking for an easily read and understood book about microbes from the deepest trenches of the ocean to your very own gut, then this is the book for you. 

 

Microbes, like the rest of nature, just are. They are neither as a whole good or bad. Many are symbionts and provide goodness to their host. If the host becomes unbalanced, they may no longer be beneficial. Like life itself, it’s all a dance. Some partners do well together, others no so much.

 

If you want something to read this summer that offers more than fluffy brain-candy, get a copy of this book and read it.