Sacramento
Sept 09
Book Review FREE
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1
NEW AND OF INTEREST EWAND OF
Sacramento Public Library Presents
Expanded Science Fiction & Fantasy Section
THE SOLOIST
Pages 13 - 20
Design-Driven Innovations
Leave the competition wondering how it was you managed to redefine (and capture) their business Page 21
First Dogs Read the Book The Soloist is the true story of how Steve Lopez becomes an unlikely advocate and friend to a mentally-ill, homeless man (Nathaniel Ayres) who was once a musical prodigy. Lopez endures disappointments and setbacks ... acknowledging Nathaniel has taught him about courage and humanity. Lopez tells an inspiring story of heartbreak and hope. Meet the Author The One Book Sacramento project culminates this fall when Lopez will be the featured author at the Bee Book Club. Thursday, September 24, 6 p.m. Tsakopoulos Library Galleria Central Library, 828 I Street, Sacramento Admission is free. Doors open at 5:15 p.m.
American presidents and their best friends Page 25
Away We Go
By Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida Vintage, $14.00, 208 pages
From acclaimed novelists Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) and Vendela Vida (And Now You Can Go) comes a deceptively simple, original screenplay about a 30-something couple, Burt and Verona. Thrown for a loop, the long-time, devoted yet unmarried couple suddenly finds themselves thrust into adulthood by an unexpected pregnancy, overnight transitioning from coupledom to family. Abandoned by both sets of parents, Verona’s in death and Burt’s to Belgium, the couple feels adrift, cut off from close con-
nections. Verona and Burt decide to hit the road on a cross-country quest. They have two simple goals in mind: to find that one special place to call home and to answer the most important question of all - how exactly to be a family. Away we Go is an amazing complex story, teetering on the edge between touching and sickeningly sweet. Occasionally chucklesoftly-to-yourself-humorous, the dialogue is incredibly refreshingly and strangely real. Burt wonders somewhat fretfully what will See AWAY, page 23
The Corral Thief
Drench yourself in color, taste, texture & fragrance of the period Page 27
A Taste of Heaven Cookbook & travel guide meet monastic life Page 31
148 Reviews INSIDE!
Young Adult The Vanishing Sculptor By Donita K. Paul Waterbrook Press, 398 pages, $13.99 The Lord of the Rings meets The Chronicles of Narnia in this impish tale of a young emerlindian woman named Tipper who has unknowingly changed the course of fate for her missing father by selling his artwork to keep the rest of the family alive. She must set off on a quest with her friends to recoup the sculptures she’d sold. The Vanishing Sculptor takes you on a fantastical adventure of wildly imaginative creatures in another world. While the story is unique with many twists and unpredictable events, it bears a remarkable likeness to former literary works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. The characters, including dragons of all sizes, oversized parrots, tumanhofers and so much more, are easy to accept in this netherworld and identify with even in their nuances of logic and rhetoric. Donita K. Paul has written the DragonKeeper Chronicles series and does not disappoint with this sixth poignant tale. Reviewed by M Chris Johnson
Recipe for Disaster By Maureen Fergus Kids Can Press, 252 pages, $18.95 Francie Freewater has a dream. Someday she wants to turn her part-time job selling her baked goods in her parents’ café into a real business. She wants to be like Lorenzo LaRue, famous celebrity baker extraordinaire, with her own baking show, cookbooks, and merchandise. And everything is going great for Francie, until Darlene shows up. The new girl at school manages to wrap Francie’s best friend and crush around her little finger, and it’s all Francie can do to keep things together. But when Francie gets a chance to possibly meet Lorenzo, she’s going to get to that studio any way she can. Recipe for Disaster is your average read about a distressed teenager trying to make it through those awkward years. The baking element certainly makes the story more interesting. However, Francie comes off right away as being selfish and whiny, rather than a character to be pitied. It’s a cute read for those who are willing to stick it out. Reviewed by Alyssa Feller
Don’t Judge A Girl By Her Cover By Ally Carter Disney Hyperion, 263 pages, $16.99 Cammie, Bex, Liz, and Macey are about to have the craziest junior semester ever. Macey’s senator father is about to snag the nomination for Vice President. Cammie goes to meet Macey in Boston, but things go off track when both girls are caught in the middle of a kidnapping attempt. Once safely back at school, the four roommates have to figure out who would want to hurt Macey, and why. This third book in the series is the best so far. There’s just as much spy action as usual. This is a real danger from the outside world, and Macey begins to realize that being a spy isn’t always as easy as she thought. Macey also gets a lot more attention in this book, and readers have the chance to see past the tough spy exterior and get a glimpse at all four girls’ true personalities. A book that you won’t want to miss, with an ending that will leave readers salivating for the next installment. Reviewed by Alyssa Feller
Love, Aubrey By Suzanne LaFleur Wendy Lamb Books, 262 pages, $15.99 Love, Aubrey is a soulful book about a young girl whose life is shattered. Her father and sister have died in a tragic accident, and her mother has disappeared, due to the devastating situation. Aubrey’s only choice is to live with her grandmother and an unrelenting next door neighbor. She writes letters to ease the pain and to express her feelings of loneliness; that nothing can replace what she has left behind. Her emotions are very real, and the wild depression of such a loss is overwhelming. LaFleur’s book is a great accomplishment, mixing together the strange and awkward stumbling of adolescence with a heart-rending predicament, making Aubrey’s story willful and melancholy, keep ing readers turning the pages. This is one of the best first-novelist books I have read in a very, very long time. Aubrey’s stubbornness is crafted into a poignant story that illustrates many fine details that are missed in many other writings. Her companions are also very authentic. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a genuine, fresh, moving tale. Reviewed by A. Masri
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Sacramento
Book Review The Sacramento Book Review is published monthly by 1776 Productions. The opinions expressed in these pages are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sacramento Book Review or Sacramento Book Review advertisers. All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders. All words © 2009, 1776 Productions. September 09 print run - 10,000 copies. Printed by Gold Country Printing. Distributed by Sacramento Distribution Services.
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IN THIS ISSUE Cooking, Food & Wine....................................2 Relationships & Sex .......................................4 Horror............................................................4 Sports & Outdoors..........................................5 Man Booker Short List....................................6 Reference........................................................7 Historical Fiction...........................................7 Parenting & Families......................................8 Spirituality & Inspiration...............................8 Science & Nature............................................9 Poetry & Short Stories..................................10 Current Events & Politics.............................11 Humor-Nonfiction........................................12 Self-Help.......................................................13 Local Calendar..............................................13 Sequential Art.............................................. 14 Children’s Books...........................................16 Religion-Christian........................................ 17 Computers & Internet..................................19 Art, Architecture & Photography.................19 Business & Investing....................................20 Classics.........................................................22 Health & Fitness...........................................22 Mystery, Crime & Thrillers...........................23 Humor-Fiction..............................................23 Travel...........................................................25 Young Adult..................................................25 Popular Fiction.............................................25 Science Fiction & Fantasy.............................26 History.........................................................27 Modern Literature & Fiction........................28 Biographies & Memoirs................................31 Home & Garden............................................31 Romance.......................................................32
EDITOR’S NOTES Almost with surprise, we realized that it’s been a year since starting the Sacramento Book Review. And through that year, we’ve been constantly amazed and gratified with how readers have taken to the paper and how they now look for it at the beginning of each month. We started this as an experiment, wondering if there was a niche for a local book review, and found that not only was there a place for us, but that we very quickly became part of many thousands of people’s lives each month. We have to thank our many reviewers who, whether they review one book every month or are always turning in five or more reviews, really make this a much better paper. They give us help, suggestions, and really great reviews. And, hopefully, they point you to good books…or warn you off the bad ones. Speaking of reviews. We thought it would be fun to look back at how many reviews we published over the past year: 2,423!! This month caps off the Sacramento County Library’s One Book program with The Soloist author, Steve Lopez appearing as part of the Bee Book Club on Thursday, September 24, 6 pm at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria in the Downtown Library. We’ll be there meeting readers, some of our reviewers, and, hopefully, introducing new people to SBR. Come join us if you can. And, for us, to celebrate our one year anniversary, we’ve decided not to rest on our laurels. This month also marks the launch of the San Francisco Book Review in our nearby neighboring city. Turning out one Review was interesting enough. Doing two might redefine the word busy. Thanks again for taking the time to read the new issue. If we’ve helped you in finding books, please let your local store know that you read and enjoy SBR. Ross & Heidi
S B R Sept 09 3
Science & Nature The Age of Wonder By Richard Holmes Pantheon, 469 pages, $40.00 The Age of Wonder is a book filled with quite a bit of history and moments of wonder. It covers the fascinating overlap between science and artistic drive over the last 250 years, covering the exploits of four main characters: Joseph Banks, Humphry Davy and the Herschel siblings. William Herschel and Caroline Herschel are remembered today for their contributions to the field of astronomy, Cook for his contributions to natural observation and exploration and his collaboration with Captain Cook, and Davy for his contributions to the study of chemistry. At 469 pages (epilogue included), this book is not for the faint of heart. However, The Age of Wonder is intriguing and a highly detailed and interesting intertwining of the lives of a handful of Romantic era thinkers and dreamers, who flew solo, threw off the shackles of the time, and made their mark for centuries to come. Reviewed by Susie Kopecky Science Under Siege By Kendrick Frasier Prometheus Books, 370 pages, $21.99 Most of us, when asked, will say that we appreciate science and like scientific discussion. In the same breath, if asked about scientific inquiry and methods, we would probably show our ignorance. There is peril in this ignorance, Frazier argues. Among the 34 nations of the world, the U.S. ranks second to last in acceptance of evolution (Turkey is dead last). Climate change, stem cell research, and vaccination policy are examples of public debates that are skewed when science is dismissed, denied or denigrated. This book reminded me that as a critical thinker and advocate for the rational, I need to test ideas with scientific inquiry. “Science,” Frazier reminds us, “and scientific inquiry is the tool used to pursue the truth about nature.” When pseudo-science prevails, when scientific methods are misrepresented, our decisions are poorly informed and our democratic process distorted. Science under Siege addresses a wide range of important public issues that require a scientific appearance to inform rational discourse. Among my favorite essays were Carl Sagan’s final question and answer session on science, and almost
4 S B R Sept 09
as an echo, Ann Druyan’s essay “Science, Religion, Wonder and Awe” (one of her great ideas: “Why don’t we take over the planetaria of the country, of which there are hundreds, and turn them into places of worship…not worship of the science that we know of this moment but …of skepticism and wonder”). Another favorite was the landmark decision by Judge John E. Jones that Intelligent Design is not science and that including it in the science classroom is unconstitutional. There is a section entitled “Understanding Pseudoscience,” with essays covering claims of prayer power, magnet therapy, lessons of the fake moon flight, and others. This is an important book. I have looked at current affairs much differently since I read it. And although some of the articles are scientists talking to one another about details and nuances I could not catch, the overarching truth is compelling: social and political discourse in America today too often lacks a scientific foundation, and this places crucial aspects of our democratic society in jeopardy. Reviewed by Marcia Jo In the Land of Invented Languages: Esperanto Rock Stars, Klingon Poets, Loglan Lovers, and The Mad Dreamers Who Tried to Build a Perfect Language By Arika Okrent Random House/Spiegel and Grau, 342 pages, $26.00 Did you know that Klingon is one of the few consciously invented languages people actually speak? Or that J.R.R. Tolkien spent 40 years working on his various Elf languages and essentially wrote his Lord of the Rings trilogy to be able to “legitimize” what he called his “secret vice?” These are merely a smattering of surprising facts revealed by linguist Arika Okrent in her fascinating book. She explains clearly — and often humorously — the origins of and catalysts for a number of languages deliberately created from scratch by passionate inventors who usually were seeking to unite humankind. Okrent also makes clear the distinction between invented languages and natural ones, which have developed and evolved over time and through everyday use by different societies. Most entertaining are not only the personalities of the creators of these languages (of which there are at least 900 documented over the past 900 years or so), but also the ensuing unique “cultures” that have sprung up around the handful of them that have come to be spoken by a handful of people (Esperanto being a primary example). Okrent’s book can be enjoyed and appreciated by anyone, not just linguists — or Trekkies, for that matter. Reviewed by Cathy Carmode Lim
Weather’s Greatest Mysteries Solved! By Randy Cerveny Prometheus Books, 328 Pages, $26.98 If you relied on weather forecasts 50 years ago, you’d be laughed into oblivion. Times have changed! Randy Cerveny has composed a monumental work entitled Weather’s Greatest mysteries Solved! His work has addressed some of the most challenging mysteries on record, and endeavored to reconcile what appear to be miracles. In each of the 20 chapters of the book, he unravels the mystery that surrounds a unique historical event, starting with Chapter 1, where he raises the question, what is a weather mystery? He tries to ascribe certain meteorological events and climate changes as the basis for a weather mystery. In these pages, he asks questions including, Why did the Mayan civilization disappear? What created the Great American dust Bowl of the1930s? and many others. His answers? Weather. He explains that weather plays the major role in shaping conditions that trigger dynamic climatological events. In Chapter 22, the final chapter, he exposes seven solutions. His sense of organization and clarity are worth noting. In defining each historical event and carefully observing the facts, he deduces how a weather paradigm accounts for the bizarre chain of developments. He exploits a colorful and informative linguistic style, emphasizing the important role historical perspective plays. Reviewed by D. Wayne Dworsky The Nature of Technology By W. Brian Arthur Free Press/Simon & Schuster, 256 pages, $27.00 Arthur clarifies what is and what is not technology in his new book, The Nature of Technology. He orchestrates three definitions to help guide the reader through the maze of technological jibber. He cleverly shows these relationships with a deep understanding of the background in which technology is enmeshed, exploiting every available device that arises from the desire to improve upon existing technology to crystallize it as a functional unit of study. Striving to enlighten and stimulate our concerns by reminding us how the advance of technology directs society, the writer proposes inventiveness and shows how use of technology actually drives itself. The book calls for the need to study technology, setting it apart from other science
and maintaining its classification within a scientific framework. The author appreciates that technology operates under the veil of science and believes many think it is less important than science itself. Yet, we are plagued by our dependence every time we pick up a new gadget. Although the book is a little wordy, making the reader’s mind wander, Arthur’s extensive knowledge is right on target. We are reminded that we stand at the crossroads of a major milestone and will witness a worldchanging amalgamation of our interrelated technologies. Arthur has compiled a rich collection of components that justify his definitions to work in a changing world. Reviewed by D. Wayne Dworsky Notebooks from New Guinea By Vojtech Novotny (translated by David Short) Oxford University Press, 247 pages, $34.95 Notebooks from New Guinea: Field Notes of a Tropical Biology is both an informative and engrossing read. What is striking about Notebooks is how there is a perfect balance between the academic and the literary. This is a very intriguing book with thoughtful and intelligent analysis and conclusions, and yet one does not feel as though they are reading a stuffy academic publication. Czech author Vojtech Novotny (translated by David Short) has provided a very interesting tale of travels, broadening horizons and insight into the human condition. With a number of black and white illustrations peppered throughout, it is clear that this is a book that was put together lovingly after incredible travels. Reviewed by Susie Kopecky
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Popular Fiction Love Will Tear Us Apart By Sarah Rainone Three Rivers Press, 305 pages, $14.00 Love Will Tear us Apart tells the bittersweet tale of friends, all reminiscing to the DJ playlist at the wedding of their seemingly perfect high school friends Lea and Dan. The cast of Friends, it’s not. There’s cocaine-addicted Alex, still in love with the groom after all these years, hipster hippy Cortina, whose deadpan recount of her first experience leaves us heavyhearted, gay Shawn, who’s still struggling for his big break into the music industry, and best man Ben, whose musical taste lives in the past. Each chapter is narrated by a character and titled with a name of the song in their respective playlist. Written with sharp wit and biting emotion, the story has us empathizing with their recall of their carefree youth and feeling sorry for their dismal prospects for the future. Anyone who’s ever made a mix tape can relate to the inner ramblings that a song can evoke. Most of their sentiments return to a familiar theme: self-loathing, regret for past actions, and wistful longing for a simpler and more innocent time. After reading this book, one might want to dig up their own personal soundtrack and look at their past in 20/20 vision. Reviewed by Auey Santos Chemistry for Beginners By Anthony Strong Touchstone Books, 304 pages, $14.00 Anthony Strong’s Chemistry for Beginners is a delight of a book, a perfect mix of gentle satire, science, and modern romance. Oddly enough, it does for sex novels what Susanna Clarke’s Jonathon Strange & Mr. Norrell did for fantasy books – it takes what, to most readers, seems a slightly ridiculous genre and elevates it into a literary art. The story kicks off with the stuffy and slightly pedantic neurobiologist Dr. Steven J. Fisher relating his first meeting with Miss G, the 28th female subject to take part in Dr. Fisher’s study on the complications (or complexities, as Miss G would insist) of the female orgasm, or lack of it. Specifically, Dr. Fisher studies female sexual dysfunction. He thinks he’s found the cure to it – and his ticket to scientific fame and fortune – all within KXC79, a little pill that takes women from sexually unresponsive to quite the opposite. When Miss G joins the study, however, everything seems to go awry. Although she was an ideal candidate for the study – de-
spite being attractive (as Dr. Fisher notices in a purely scientific way), having a boyfriend, and engaging in sex, she couldn’t have orgasms – her results on the tests don’t seem to make sense. Why, wonders Dr. Fisher, would she claim not to be experiencing anything when all of his data shows that she is “cured?” Could she be the one woman KXC79 doesn’t work on? And why do his own feelings seem to be cropping up into the study in some highly irregular and unscientific ways? While the book is told through a combination of blog entries from Miss G and personal diaries and notes from other people involved in the research study, the finest parts are related through Dr. Fisher’s research notes, complete with little charts and diagrams. Dr. Fisher’s blissful lack of selfawareness and his rock-solid belief that everything – yes, even sexual attraction – can be explained away by nothing more than irreversible and uncontrollable chemical reactions is reminiscent of the butler, Stevens, in Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day: Dr. Fisher is completely blind to his own feelings. He literally can’t see the romance for the orgasms. Anyone even remotely familiar with the stilted prose of research scientists will adore Mr. Strong’s pitch-perfect sciencespeak; it manages to be deadly serious and coyly tongue-in-cheek at the same moment. And, of course, it isn’t really a novel about science unless there is at least one mention of Schrödinger’s cat (and, in this narrative, there are several). The idea that one of these days, not too far into the future, scientists will have mapped out the entire human genome and will hold a blueprint to the chemical cause for every reaction, thought, and behavior known to man is an enticing one. Chemistry for Beginners, however, humorously reminds us that there will always be some things that even an exhaustive knowledge of the mechanisms of biology will simply never be able to quantify and explain. Reviewed by Michelle Kerns Bought By Anna David Harper, 274 pages, $14.99 Anna David’s Bought takes readers into the heart of superficial Hollywood and delves into the world of the L.A. courtesan. Aspiring journalist Emma Swanson yearns to break away from her banal job of gathering stale, rehearsed quotes from B-List celebrities at movie premieres and award shows, and finally write a feature for the magazine Substance. Emma sees her chance when she notices Jessica, a high-class prostitute, with her exboyfriend. Inspired to write a story about the world of courtesans, Emma becomes close with Jessica and dives into her world.
Emma’s struggle for success ultimately leads to her learning some less-than-appealing truths about herself, the shallow world of Hollywood, and where she stands amongst her family and friends. Though Emma is a difficult character to feel sympathy for, her relationship with her family is relatable. And, at times, Emma’s actions are predictable and the story is dull. While it may not be a book worth rereading, Bought is a quick read and entertaining--perfect for a day at the beach. Reviewed by Jenifer Carter The Pretend Wife By Bridget Asher Bantam Books, 274 pages, $24.00 The Pretend Wife skips along in a lighthearted first person narrative from Gwen’s point of view. While Peter is off talking to someone from work, Gwen stands in line in an ice cream shop when Elliot Hull, an old peer from college, shows up. Gwen never sees it coming. Elliot begins to charm his way into her life, even inviting himself to her party in the presence of her husband on his return, with his approval. Then, she goes on to paint herself into a corner by letting Elliot fit right in. Motivated by guilt and shame, he begins to make claims that would ease the burden of a dying mother and fulfill the missing elements of his life. He persuades her to assume the most challenging and distasteful masquerade of her life. This little tale forces us to re-examine the roles that we play in our spousal relationships and helps us re-evaluate our lives and understand our predicaments. Although the author, Bridget Asher, takes desultory account of little details that drive this narrowly plotted yarn, she manages to find a way to weave a plot to a story that deserves to be told. I would not call this the great American novel, but it is certainly entertaining and worth reading. Reviewed by D. Wayne Dworsky Beach Trip By Cathy Holton A Ballantine Books Hardcover, 304 pages, $25.00 The story is enjoyable enough if you don’t mind reading a story that you have likely read in a hundred other books. The “mysteries” that are revealed at the end of the book won’t surprise you at all, unless you are new to reading. I may be overly critical because I was irritated immediately by the insipid descriptive detail of the variety that has always stuck me as pretentious and unnecessary. However, if you enjoy books that describe people’s faces as “like a Botticelli angel” or characterize a neighborhood by saying that
someone lives next door to -insert any famous person-, this is the book for you. With a name like Beach Trip, one would expect this to be the kind of fun story that you would take with you on vacation-relaxing and lighthearted; however, it is anything but that. The four main characters reunite 20 years after their college graduation and we trudge through much somber back-story to get to the point where they reveal to each other things that true friends would have shared a lot sooner. Still, I recommend adding it to your reading list. It should fall on your list somewhere below reading the fine print on your health insurance policy. Reviewed by Serena K. Snyder Alibi By Teri Woods Grand Central Publishing, 257 pages, $21.99 This book is of special interest because it is the new novel from Teri Woods. Woods went from being a self-published author, literally sleeping in her car while selling her book on the hard streets of the Big Apple, to New York Times bestselling author. That book was True to the Game. Here, the main character Daisy Fothergill is a victim of circumstance, much as her mother was before her. Woods spares no detail in describing the sordid life of a young African-American woman with few options in life in 1989. As we meet Daisy, she survives by working as a stripper and bar maid in Philadelphia. She elects to make some quick money by providing an alibi for a multiple murderer without realizing or considering what consequences will ensue. Clearly, Ms. Woods favors her famale characters, as their feelings, longings and betrayals are triggered by the actions of the males in this tale. Although this has touches of a morality play, it is a fastpaced read. While the first chapter seemed less-than-promising, the pace soon picked up. As Daisy runs from both the FBI and a cold-blooded killer, the action takes the reader from Philly all the way to Nashville and back. Teri Woods is quite a good writer. Be aware, though, that the language and some scenes are R-rated. Reviewed by Joseph Arellano
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Children’s Books Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli By Barbara Jean Hicks Knopf, $16.99, 15 pages Do you eat your broccoli? No? Well, neither do monsters. No, they prefer cars, trucks, wheels, and fishing boats to be sure. And when they go out on picnics, they like to eat trees! But broccoli, no they never eat broccoli. Or do they? Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli by Barbara Jean Hicks is a wonderfully written story about how our imaginations can make any food more enjoyable to eat. This well illustrated and creative story focuses on healthy food choices, and is full of rhyming and repetitive phrases that will be excellent for reading aloud, choral reading and even acting out. This story will have the young reader looking at food in an entirely new way! Reviewed by Kim Hudson Raffanelli Big Cat, Small Cat By Ami Rubinger Abbeville Kids, $13.95, 28 pages If there’s one thing I know, as an “80-yearold” and somewhat mature cat, it’s that children love felines. They like to call out to us (“Here, kitty!”), pet us, hold us, pick us up and even carry us around. Sometimes this results in bad consequences, but that’s a story for another day. The point is, what animal would be better to teach kids about new words and new ideas? (Quiet, you dogs.) In the words of humans, this book is full of “illustrations of cats, along with rhyming couplets about them which require the reader to fill in words demonstrating opposites, like tall and short, nice and mean, young and old.” Maybe they should have included furry and bald! Up and down? Anyway, this is a book meant to show the smaller humans - precisely those in the terrible 2 to loveable 5 age group - that some things are like other things and some things are different than other things. Ouch - that made my head hurt to think about it! Each page of the book shows all kinds of cats, including ones that look like friends of mine (nice) and ones that are my enemies (not so nice). All the cats were wonderfully drawn by someone named Ami Rubinger, who may be a big cat himself. Most little humans will love this book - I think - the way I love Purina’s Party Mix cat treats! And a lot of big humans, too. Don’t be surprised if this book turns your family into a bunch of Rhymin’ Simons! Oh, I’m supposed to say that this would make a purr-fectly excellent baby shower
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gift. I give this little big book a rating of four paws plus one tail. Or is that tale? I get confused. I know that one’s a story and one’s part of me that I use to balance my body with. One of them, I know, comes in handy when I’m climbing fences. Oh, sorry...I’m supposed to be giving you a New York Times Book Review-ish chat-up about the book. So I’ll pontificate long enough to say that this is one book as good as milk served with cream on top. Tell your friends but not the dogs... Yeowk! Reviewed by Munchy Arellano The Big Elephant in the Room By Lane Smith Disney - Hyperion Books, $16.99, 30 pages The Big Elephant in the Room provides a great opportunity for your child to learn about this expression when one highly imaginative, yet humorously guilt-ridden friend thinks he’s done something wrong when his more serious friend brings up the “big elephant” in the room. He confesses to eating the crunch-nut ice cream, borrowing a video game and picking his friend last for soccer…and baseball…and volleyball…and tiddlywinks. Chock full of humor in both words and pictures Caldecott Honor winner Lane Smith shows how a minor “misunderstanding” can get out of hand. Author/ illustrator Smith highlights the contrast between the characters when he dresses the serious friend in huge, bulging eyeglasses and a yellow, polka-dot bow tie, while the imaginative friend is in a cool looking jacket and t-shirt. In the end we find that there really is a big elephant in the room and we watch how the “confessor” has to backtrack and cover for his “crimes.” Children will love the art as much as the words and maybe, just maybe, they’ll learn to ask clarifying questions before they make assumptions. Reviewed by Susan L. Roberts The Grumpy Dump Truck By Brie Spangler Knopf, $15.99, 32 pages The Grumpy Dump Truck is a great book for children fascinated with building things. On the inside covers, author/illustrator Brie Spangler includes blueprint illustrations of construction site tools, trucks, and buildings, a perfect way to show the young ones what goes on at a construction site. Bertrand is a meanlooking dump truck that has a lousy attitude and complains about everything. He’s a real grump. One day, when he is grumping more than paying attention to his work, he nearly hits Tilly, the porcupine. Frightened out of his wits, Tilly shoots out quills in every direc-
tion. One lodges in Bertrand’s tire. Bertrand blames Tilly for future flat tires and mechanic problems, but Tilly is not taken in by Bertrand’s grumpiness. He plucks the quill from the tire. Getting up close to the tire, Tilly finds other tools lodged in it and tosses them out. Bertrand feels better and he helps the others make a garden. The Grumpy Dump Truck’s lessons are simple: don’t let yourself be bullied by others and sometimes there’s a reason why someone is grumpy and if you take away the reason, grumpiness goes away. Reviewed by Susan L. Roberts Me and You By Geneviève Côté Kids Can Press, $16.95, 29 pages Addressing the usual problem of “Why do I have to be me? That person’s so much better!” is the book Me and You by Geneviève Côté. With its fun, sweet illustrations depicting much-loved animals, it is a book perfect for the younger, simpler generation. Wishfully, two friends try and swap each other’s characteristics and likeness so that they might become the other. During this process they learn an important ending: that they are perfect the way they are. The paintings add beautiful character to the story, charming the reader through fun drawings on a color scheme of light pastels and soft outlines. Although Ms. Côté is a wonderful illustrator, the story line is so redundant and has been used so many times that I, hoping for individuality, was disheartened by the fact that so many writers keep tracing back along these lines. I had wanted to see, perhaps, a good twist in the plot line, leaving me satisfied, instead of two animals impersonating each other and then realizing that they are best when they are themselves. I see the book as an excuse to draw some cute animals, rather than being focused on the writing at all. I say, if you want a good moral, don’t go to the trouble of buying this book; just read Aesop’s Fables. If you are looking for some beautiful illustrations for your collection, then bring this book home with you. Reviewed by A. Masri Bugs in a Blanket By Beatrice Alemagna Phaidon Press, Inc, $12.95, 46 pages There’s an old blanket in the garden where a bunch of bugs have been living. Each bug has kept to his own space, and they have never met. Little Fat Bug has decided to have a birthday party and invite everybody over. He’s plugged in a record player and baked some blanket dust cakes (yuk!) for his guests. But when the guests start to arrive, Little Fat Bug notices that none of them are like him. Upset, he asks the little bug in front of him why he’s so skinny. The skinny
bug doesn’t know what to say, so Skinny asks another bug why he is yellow. The yellow bug asks another bug why his eyes are so big. And this goes on through another bug with long legs and another bug who is speckled. Finally someone asks the Little Fat Bug why he’s as fat as a hippopotamus. Bugs in a Blanket is a neat little story by Beatrice Alemagna. The illustrations might leave a little to be desired but the story is excellent, with the bugs mimicking what is often human behavior – being critical of what is different – and then realizing that it’s all right to be just the way they were born. Reviewed by Douglas McWilliams The Sesame Street Big Book Series By Sarah Albee; Maggie Swanson Candlewick Press, $19.99, 24 pages More than anything else, The Sesame Street Big Book Series effectively fosters nurture-filled reading with your little ones. These gigantic paperbacks filled with vibrant colors and illustrations from Maggie Swanson are a sight to behold. The easy-to-understand rhymes of Sarah Albee narrated by our dear feathered and furry friends make reading them out loud even more enjoyable. The mental picture of any adult who reads this with their little one is simply priceless because opening up this book will truly transport Mommy and Daddy back to their early period of leafing through big pages. The Sesame Street Big Book Series and shared reading times are vital and beloved elements in the classrooms of many of today’s dynamic preschool teachers as well. A well-chosen big book enhances the word recognition skills of emerging readers while enabling fluent readers to focus on such varied aspects of the story as rhyme, alliteration, repeated phrases and page design. In this series, there are three particular titles that are close to my heart, Elmo Loves You, Red or Blue, I Like You and Hooray For Our Heroes. These books have brought out many smiles and sighs of contentment from the kids I read it to. Perhaps it is because the main focus of the three books were topics like loving, caring, respect and appreciation of others. Children typically gravitate towards these feel-good emotions easier than in any other subject matter. Contributing to the intimacy of a family reading practice in a school setting, The Sesame Street Big Book Series help kindle a lifelong love of books and reading in children. Reviewed by Kaye Cloutman
Wiggens Learns His Manners at the Four Seasons Restaurant By Leslie McGuire and Alex von Bidder Candlewick Press, $16.99, 32 pages Wiggens is your typical puppy, or perhaps your typical young child. He hasn’t quite grasped the concept of manners, so his parents send him to the Four Seasons to meet with the Saint Bernard. There he learns how to say please and thank you, and to ask before taking something. He returns to his parents a well-mannered pup. Wiggens Learns His Manners at the Four Seasons Restaurant is a well written book by author Leslie McGuire. There are little thought bubbles on each page aside from the dialogue, as well as “Wiggens’ Lessons” at the bottom of some of the pages. Alex von Bidder’s illustrations are fun and cheerful. Manners can be a hard thing to teach a child, especially how to behave properly in places like restaurants. This book can teach a child those very important behaviors without seeming like you are preaching a concept they just can’t quite grasp. Through Wiggens, your child will be able to learn their manners without them even knowing it. This is an excellent tool for parents and their children. Reviewed by Jennifer LeBrun Into The Deep: The Life of Naturalist and Explorer William Beebe By David Sheldon Charlesbridge, $7.95, 48 pages People have long been entertained and educated by naturalists and explorers. Just look at the popularity of wildlife television series’ such as “Wild Kingdom” or the “Crocodile Hunter,” hosted by the late Steve Irwin. The shows combine a sense of adventure along with fast paced action to educate as well as entertain. Before the advent of television, scientists and adventurers wrote books or broadcast on the radio to accomplish the same thing. William Beebe was the crocodile hunter of his time, writing popular books and broadcasting live radio from one of his deep ocean bathysphere dives. To study the ocean and its inhabitants, Beebe enlisted the help of Otis Barton to design the pioneering bathysphere and dive deeper than anyone had before. Into the Deep is an engaging account of Beebe’s lifelong study of nature, and his endless curiosity. Author-artist David Sheldon’s drawings accurately depict the bathysphere as well as the details of many of the creatures studied by William Beebe. At $7.95, this richly illustrated paperback is a bargain, and children in the target age group of 5-8 years will find this adventure story highly entertaining while learning something at the same time. Reviewed by Laurie Racca
An Anaconda Ate My Homework! By By Alice Schertle, Illustrated by Aaron Renier Disney Hyperion, $15.99, 40 pages Meet Digby. The main character in An Anaconda Ate My Homework! is a pint-sized version of the resourceful television character MacGyver. No matter what situation he finds himself in, there is something hidden in his backpack that will help him out. Do you need something to fight off a gigantic repulsive raptor? It is in Digby’s backpack. How about something to distract a tiger? It is in Digby’s backpack. The backpack is a version of the clown car gag; it holds more items than is physically possible, including Digby’s ever-present yet-unnamed frog companion. The illustrations are colorful and filled with reallife details such as television satellite dishes on the exterior of buildings, and the gear worn by the fisherman that Digby encounters. With fanciful artwork, diverse characters and an outlandish story line, this book will delight children ages 4 through 8 who are beginning to learn that homework is a part of going to school. Reviewed by Laurie Racca If America Were a Village By David J Smith Kids Can Press, $18.95, 32 pages America is an awfully big country, and the sheer enormity of it can make it difficult for children to understand. Enter If America Were a Village. In this book, David Smith has compressed the entire population of our country down to a village of just 100 people, using statistics to show how many of those 100 are different races, practice different religions, have (or are) children, or go to school or work. Examining America on a much smaller scale makes it much easier to comprehend, and the author’s straightforward language makes all the information provided completely accessible. Shelagh Armstrong’s beautiful paintings accompany and accentuate the facts. This is a book that everyone can learn from, adults included, and it lends itself well to further education on the ways Americans are all different while remaining part of the same village. Reviewed by Holly Scudero Henry and the Crazed Chicken Pirates By Carolyn Crimi, Illustrated by John Manders Candlewick Press, $15.99, 33 pages Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies loved their life on an island. They spent their days having fun and doing as they pleased. One day, Henry stumbled over a bottle with a note in it warning of an impending attack. No one else seemed as worried about the note as Henry was. He decided to write a book, a manual of sorts, just in case the attack was real. He titled it Henry’s Plan for
Impending Danger from the Unknown Enemy Who Wrote the Scary Note. Black Ear, Henry’s father, thought he was wasting his time, but Henry kept writing and even tested his strategies. One morning Henry heard an alarming sound and noticed his fellow Buccaneer Bunnies had been captured by a gang of crazed chicken pirates. Henry knew just what to do with the help of his manual. He saved the Buccaneer Bunnies and captured all the crazed chicken pirates. Everyone was so proud of Henry. He decided to sit down and write a new book called Henry and the Crazed Chicken Pirates. Author Carolyn Crimi does an excellent job of making the characters come to life. Pirate lingo not only makes it more believable, but is fun to read also. John Manders’ illustrations are fantastic. Bright colors and toon-like characters fill each page with always something to look at. This would be a great addition to any child’s library or classroom. It’s a book your child will want to read over and over again. Reviewed by Jennifer LeBrun R Robot Saves Lunch By R. Nicholas Kuszyk Putnam, $16.99, 31 pages R Robot is not your typical robot. He takes a shower, brushes his teeth, puts on his shoes…all at the same time! R Robot’s job for the day at the robot factory is to find his missing friend. While doing so, Big Cooker Robot, the robot in charge of making lunch, seems to have a clog. R Robot enters his belly to try and fix the problem, and comes across his missing friend. Not only does he unclog Big Cooker Robot and save lunch, but he saves his friend as well. This book is full of eye-popping colored illustrations on every page. The wording is simple and great for a bedtime story or for the beginning reader. My only criticism is that it leaves you wanting to know more about R Robot. There just isn’t enough written to make this a fully satisfying story. Hopefully this turns into a series of books instead of just a single story. Nicholas Kuszyk is known for his paintings of robots, which have been featured on murals across the United States. You can visit his other robots at www.rrobots.com to check out more. Reviewed by Jennifer LeBrun Peeny Butter Fudge By Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison Paula Wiseman, $16.99, 32 pages Grandma doesn’t follow Mom’s rules when the grandkids come for the evening. Instead, in this colorful picture book with African-American characters for the youngest of book lovers, the children sing, tell stories, go on adventures, and eat biscuits, ham, and lemonade instead of Mom’s prescribed peas, carrots, and fish fingers. They
also dance, and finally, they make Nana’s special peanut butter fudge recipe. Instead of being angry when she arrives to pick up the children, Mom is brought back to when she was a kid, making Peeny Butter Fudge with her mother. Written with her son Slade Morrison, Peeny Butter Fudge is all fun, with no sign of the devastating themes that pervade Toni’s long adult works. This book is lyrically unlike Toni Morrison’s novels. The language is less original and the rhymes are more forced, but it is still a fun book for children, complete with fanciful illustrations by Joe Cepeda. Perhaps best of all is the delicious and easy recipe included on the last page—for Peeny Butter Fudge, of course. Reviewed by Robin Martin I’m Your Bus By Marilyn Singer Scholastic, $16.99, 32 pages I’m Your Bus is a great read for children, especially those who take the bus to school. In some instances, people take for granted how the role of this vehicle represents a vital part of our happy childhood school days when we didn’t have to worry about mortgage or car payments, monthly bills and making ends meet. I’m Your Bus pays homage to the joyous and safest means of transportation, which accompanies a child mostly through his/her journeys of learning, exploring and discovery. Ahhh the gold ole’ days indeed! I’m Your Bus is a wise addition to your child’s book collection, especially since another school year is about to start. Author Marilyn Singer gets winning points for the enjoyable rhyming sentences which give the school bus a more amiable and jovial personality. Reading I’m Your Bus to your child is a huge way to help assure that their dear school bus friend and bus driver will be there to always make sure they get to school on time and be there when they’re ready to head home. Reviewed by Kaye Cloutman
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Modern Literature Bufflehead Sisters By Patricia J DeLois Berkley Books, 357 pages, $15.00 For as long as she could remember, the only thing Janet wanted in life was a sister. Her dreams are met in kindergarten when she meets Sophie, an unusual girl with an unstable family life. They remain friends throughout school and beyond, as Sophie develops into a troubled yet free-spirited girl with a bad reputation. Janet’s parents initially welcome their daughter’s friend when the girls are young, but find themselves divided by her behavior throughout high school. The two girls themselves face rocky times over the years, culminating in the revelation of the one and only major secret Sophie ever kept from Janet. Bufflehead Sisters starts out slow, but DeLois writes intriguing characters that swiftly draw the reader in. Sophie is a fascinating person, vaguely familiar to many of us and yet completely different from the majority of society. Her friendship with Janet is beautiful; it’s clear to the reader that Janet is often the only grounding element of Sophie’s life, which is both a terrible burden and a sign of great trust. The plot is quite predictable at times, but that doesn’t detract from the intensity of the story at all. Fastmoving and hard to put down. Reviewed by Holly Scudero Two Years, No Rain By Shawn Klomparens Delta, 370 pages, $15.00 San Diego’s two-year drought serves as a metaphor for the life of the main character, Andy Dunne. Author Shawn Klomparens is a master at dialogue. He is able to delve into suppressed feelings and expectation through the exchanges between the characters that populate Andy’s world. An underlying theme of betrayal and loss is also woven throughout the fast-paced story. There are many types of love, friendship and respect that Andy demonstrates in his interactions with his sister Leigh Anne, niece Hannah, best friend Rich and most of all with Hillary Hsing, his two-year infatuation. The story takes place in the context of satellite radio weathercasts and a children’s cable TV show complete with a magic flying carpet. The book is nearly the male counterpart of Easy on the Eyes, the story of a TV news magazine host who is
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urged to undergo plastic surgery to keep her career alive. Redundacy and the economy rather than aging beauty provide the impetus that launches our hero on his quest to become New Andy, as Hillary calls him, or finally Real Andy, as he describes himself. The book is ideal for a vacation read with equal parts of humor and soul-searching. Reviewed by Joseph Arellano Voices of the Desert By Nélida Pion Knopf, 254, $24.95 After I finished reading Voices of the Desert, one of the first thoughts I had was “Maybe the translation just isn’t any good.” That thought was preceded by this one: “That was a terrible book.” I didn’t want it to be like this, though, as I had actively sought this book out—a retelling of the 1001 Arabian Nights from the point of view of the brave woman, Scheherazade. It seemed a perfect fit for me. Either I was wrong or the literary norms are different in Brazil than they are in the U.lS. Voices of the Desert is filled with beautiful imagery at times, but it is lacking everything else. There are no dialogue, no character development, no tension, and utterly no story. This book doesn’t seem to be anything more than the author attempting to use every increasingly obscure/ bizarre analogy to describe the five same scenes over and over again. The twist ending that the author, Nélida Pi?on, seemed to work so hard at hiding from the reader is apparent less than halfway through the book. Furthermore, her deviation from the traditional narrative outside the one central to 1001 Arabian Nights left me cold. Only lovers of creative descriptive language will find something to like in Voices of the Desert. Reviewed by Jonathon Howard The Walking People By Mary Beth Keane Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 392 pages, $25.00 2005 Pushcart Prize nominee Mary Beth Keane offers up a wonderful tale in her debut novel that spans fifty-one years and two continents. Young Greta Cahill, her older sister Johanna, and their family live in Ballyroan in western Ireland. By the mid-twentieth century, this small village has become more desolate as the other families emigrate. Greta’s family survives because her father and brothers illegally fish in the river. But when the owner of the water rights fires the local water bailiff and hires out-
siders, tragedy strikes. As Greta and Johanna help their mother Lily to keep the farm going, a young “traveler,” Michael Ward, reappears in their lives. Tired of the tinkering life, Michael hopes to settle down and offers to work in exchange for room and board, but his arrival sets impetuous Johanna on a scheme to leave Ireland with him, ignoring Greta’s pleas. Lily finds out and about Johanna’s plans and, worried about the girls’ futures, maneuvers to send them both to America. Greta surprises everyone but Michael by thriving in New York City while Johanna struggles, and the sisters end up becoming estranged for years. The story unfolds slowly with a confident, omniscient narrative voice. The Walking People is an absolute delight with beautifully rendered characters. Reviewed by Deb Jurmu A Gate at the Stairs By Lorrie Moore Knopf, $25.00, 322 pages A coming-of-age story set right after the events of 9/11, A Gate At The Stairs is an ambitious novel that at times overreaches and underachieves, but in the end reverberates with a quiet, lingering power that leaves the reader pondering the randomness of life and death, and the wisdom and futility of love. It is December 2001, and Tassie Keltjin, a twenty-year-old college student from a rural Midwestern town--best known for its claim to alien invasion fame--is looking for a job. Shy and quiet, with no real experience, she comes across an ad for a babysitter, applying for the position with an ambivalence that seems to haunt every character in the book. “I liked children – I did! – or, rather, I liked them OK,” Tassie tells us early on, setting the stage for the seemingly random choices that populate the book. “They were sometimes interesting.” She is hired by the Brink-Thornwood’s, a childless couple in the midst of adopting a baby. They eventually gain custody of an African-American girl named Mary Emma, paving the way for an extended series of diatribes on racism, religion, politics, and self-righteousness. Moore, a well-regarded writer hailed as one of this country’s most brilliant, possesses a talent with the English language that few authors achieve; each word feels carefully chosen, every metaphor beautifully original and full of color, giving the book literary flair and depth. Moore breathes life into the mundane; the moon, for instance, is a “tangerine shard – an orange peel stuck up there like the lunch garbage of God,” the trees in autumn, “yam- and ham-hued maples.” It’s no surprise that Moore is a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin; this is evident in nearly every sentence she crafts.
Lovely language alone isn’t enough to carry a novel, and despite a promising start, A Gate At The Stairs gets bogged down in the mundane about halfway through. Dinner party conversations overheard through ventilation shafts gobble up too many pages; every sentence reeks of cleverness – do people really talk this way? – and each idea drowns in its own self-importance. Moore ends up tackling too many subjects at once, seemingly because her characters are already on a rant (animal rights, for instance, is one of several unnecessary detours that throw the story off track). And just when Moore rights the ship, there is a scene late in the book that stretches the limits of credibility beyond the breaking point, making the preceding 300 pages feel more like a tall tale than a realistic slice of life. Despite this, A Gate At The Stairs is a very satisfying read thanks to an immensely likable protagonist. Tassie embodies not only the awkward innocence of girls on the verge of womanhood, but a country on the verge of war and in the grip of various types of change--climate, political, and moral. Often stunning, occasionally disappointing, it nonetheless makes a big statement in lyrically grand fashion. Reviewed by Mark Petruska The Thing Around Your Neck By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Knopf, $24.95, 218 pages The characters who populate the stories in this remarkable collection seem to have Nigeria in common, but their individual experiences in, views of, and interactions with that country couldn’t be more distinct. Violence, fear, and complicated family ties shadow these characters’ attempts to build their lives, whether those lives are in Nigeria or in various enclaves within the United States. No one escapes Adichie’s penetrating analysis, whether it’s a woman clinging to a straying husband, parents confronting a wayward son, strangers waiting out a riot, or a babysitter reveling in an unexpected attraction to her employer’s wife. Adichie’s stories are most successful when they explore the intersections of new lives and old, expectations and reality. In the title story, for example, a young woman from Lagos, expecting great things from America, instead finds herself pulled back home, her family loyalty trumping the complicated lessons she’s learned as a stranger in a small Connecticut town. In “The American Embassy,” a woman desperately seeking asylum to the United States finds herself reluctant to tell the truth about why she needs to escape. Adichie’s prose lacks sentimentality and reflection, to astounding effect—she allows her characters to struggle, and, in struggling, to live. Reviewed by Margo Orlando Littell
Skeleton Justice By Dr. Michael Baden and Linda Kenney Baden Knopf, 317 pages, $24.95 What does a serial killer and a highschool-prank-gone-wrong have in common? That’s what Jake Rosen and Manny Manfreda are trying to find out. Jake and Manny are given two seemingly separate cases. While Jake tries to solve the odd case of the serial killer who extracts blood from his victims, Manny works to prove Travis Heaton’s innocence in what has come to be known as the Preppy Terrorist case. Helping each other sift through the clues of each case cases, Jake and Manny discover a curious link between the two that can’t possibly just be coincidence. Michael and Linda Baden use their respective expertise in forensics and law to craft an intriguing mystery. Jake and Manny are obvious proxies for the Badens, and at times it is difficult to suspend belief in order to accept the bizarre mystery. However these faults don’t detract from the suspense and interest as Jake and Manny come closer to understanding the connection between their two cases. Anyone looking for an exciting and attention-grabbing mystery should pick up Skeleton Justice. Reviewed by Jenifer Carter The American Painter Emma Dial By Samantha Peale W.W. Norton & Company, 330 pages, $24.95 In her debut novel, Peale offers a glimpse of life behind the canvases of New York’s art world. The narrator, thirty-one year old Emma Dial, is the studio assistant and lover of Michael Freiburg, a celebrated painter. Michael conceives of ideas for his paintings, but the brushstrokes are executed by Emma. While the money she earns allows her to live in NYC, she neglects her studio and art. She dwells on her creative inactivity, fearing that she is a technician, not an artist. Her friends dispute this; however, Emma does not begin her own work again until a contemporary of Michael’s, Philip Cleary, pays attention to her. Unfortunately, the potential of the story becomes bogged down by the confines of the first-person narrative. Emma spends over three-quarters of the novel ruminating about her life. Most readers may not hang on long enough to experience the conclusion. Those who do will be rewarded as Peale handles the crisis point adeptly and avoids a predictable outcome. In particular, she brings a refreshing honesty to bear on the relationship of Emma and Irene, friends since art school, though this subplot is underdeveloped. A solid first novel of interest to readers who think about the creative process. Reviewed by Deb Jurmu
City of Strangers By Ian MacKenzie Penguin Books, 211 pages, $14.00 MacKenzie’s debut novel opens with an all-encompassing view of New York City. The protagonist, Paul Metzger, is not introduced until this scene is set, establishing a distance that is intrinsic to the story. Thirty-four year-old Paul is estranged from his older half-brother, still in love with his exwife, struggling with his writing career, and watching his infamous father die. In the midst of this, he stumbles upon a random act of violence, steps up to do the right thing, and takes a beating. The ramifications of this encounter lead to further unexpected violence between Paul and the assailant. While MacKenzie does a good job of setting the tone and emphasizing the alienation of people from one another, this sense of alienation extends to the reader. The occasional shifting of focus from Paul to his ex-wife or to his halfbrother makes the novel seem disjointed and hampers the full development of each character. The solid prose and sense of suspense as Paul is stalked by his assailant help propel the story, but many readers will be left wishing for something more to balance the bleakness. Reviewed by Deb Jurmu The Writing Class By Jincy Willett Picador, 326 pages, $14.00 Jincy Willett’s The Writing Class is a very literary novel. Not literary in the sense that the book exhibits “literary” attributes (which it doesn’t); but “literary” in its subject matter: the book follows a creative writing class (university extension) taught by a has-been novelist named Amy Gallup. Amy published a novel at twenty-two and, as the back of the book attests, “it was all downhill from there.” Of course, an entire book depicting critique sessions does not a novel make, and so a malevolent element comes into play: there’s a threatening phone call, a few obscene messages, and finally a murder, and it becomes clear that one of the students is responsible. Every student becomes a suspect as everyone tries to figure out who “The Sniper” is from deciphering the clues. This sounds great in theory, but Willett proves that the leap from theory to successful execution is tricky business. And this points to one of the biggest drawbacks of the novel: the slow plot. We are subject to Amy’s every trivial literary thought, which distracts from the plot rather than enhancing it. One hundred and twenty pages into the novel, the only things of intrigue are a cryptic phone call and a mean-spirited note—hardly enough to build suspense or even keep the reader reading. The other problem is the protagonist herself,
Amy Gallup. As a teacher, she lacks believability and is two-dimensional at best. She makes her authority over her students clear, yet she will read entire novels thrust upon her by her students, though she has only asked for a single short story—the equivalent of working for free, something teachers are not inclined to do; as soon as the class session is over, she has nothing better to do than immediately start poring over student stories; and she will spend entire mornings pondering her students personal quirks (and this is before any of them become murder suspects) and drafting defenses of her own use of masculine versus feminine pronouns, all prompted by a critical student comment. No experienced, confident teacher (which she emphatically is) would waste her time like this. The novel becomes more interesting after one of the students is murdered. The book then acquires a nice feel as Amy is fired and the class agrees to meet on its own, in the students’ homes. That Willett lacks any real comic gift is a disappointment only inasmuch as that comic gift is hyped as a big selling point of the novel. Overall, though, The Writing Class will probably please the average mystery reader—if he can get past those first one hundred and twenty pages. Reviewed by Aaron Stypes Strangers By Anita Brookner Random House, 235 pages, $26.00 Unable to form any lasting relationships in his youth, Paul Sturgis, now 74 years old, finds himself alone in a flat in the middle of London, enduring a self-inflicted isolation. Paul attempts to fill his loneliness with long walks and infrequent visits to his last remaining relative, Helena, with whom he was never close. And, most of all, he spends his time reflecting on the relationships he missed out on and dreaming of the life he wishes he could have. It isn’t until Paul meets Mrs. Vicky Gardener, who is 20 years his junior, that he attempts to forge new relationships and rekindle some from his past. Anita Brookner crafts an insightful story focusing on a man wholly dissatisfied with his life and himself, and who perceives the same unhappiness in those around him, the cause of which Brookner attributes to a lack of meaningful relationships, often, following the tangent of Paul’s monotonous dwelling on his own unhappiness and the fresh start he wishes to make is tiresome, but his situation is relatable. Paul’s reflections and desires are easy to sympathize with. While Strangers resonates with regret and dissatisfaction, the hope of moving on and starting anew shines through. Reviewed by Jenifer Carter
The Blue Notebook By James Levine M.D. Spiegel & Grau, 224 pages, $23.00 James Levine has penned a horrifyingly disturbing yet brilliantly written tale, designed to turn the spotlight on child exploitation. If you subscribe to the theory that the true purpose of storytelling is to expose all of the truths in the world, regardless of how comfortable they make us feel, then Levine has succeeded with amazing grace. The Blue Notebook is the personal account of Batuk Ramasdeen, a child prostitute living in the worst and lowest of all brothels on Common Street in Mumbai, India. Assigned a small celllike concrete room, Batuk lives in a small cage she refers to as her “nest.” Expected to entertain ten or more customers a day, a process she calls “baking sweet cakes,” Batuk escapes only through her mind by “will[ing] her soul away from her body.” Originally growing up in a small village near Bhopal, India with her beloved family living an idyllic childhood, Batuk spends most days playing by the river and catching lizards. At age nine, after recovering from a bout of tuberculosis, comely Batuk learns she is to travel to the city of Mumbai with her much-loved father. Excited Batuk has no idea her family has fallen on hard times and she is to be sold into child prostitution to Master Ghia for a tidy sum. At once Batuk’s childhood innocence is stolen as she is sold to the highest bidder. Eventually Batuk ends up in the care of Mamaki Briila, whom the children call “Hippopotamus,” a madam who prostitutes the children out on a daily basis. Levine describes some of the worst perversions of sex and violence perpetrated against children, made far worse by the firsthand account through the eyes and mind of a child. Heartbreaking, devastating, deeply disturbing, horrifying, yet beautifully written and strangely touching, the reader aches for the trials Batuk experiences. If not for exquisite prose and a delightful protagonist this book would be difficult, if not impossible, to get through, let alone enjoy. Levine does not pull his punches, instead describing in detail the atrocities perpetrated against those who should be protected most. Levine, a middle-aged white professor from the Mayo Clinic in the United States, is a world renowned scientist and researcher. He is donating all the U.S. royalties to the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Reviewed by Lanine Bradley
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Biographies & Memoirs The Dream By Harry Bernstein Ballantine Books, $14.00, 279 pages There seem to be two types of memoirs. In the first, the writer tells us things about his and his parent’s lives, about his children and his pets, about his view of the world, and so on and so on. These stories can be so overblown that we’re reluctantly dragged along, winding up being the worse for wear when we reach the end. Then, there are those memoirs like The Dream by nonagenarian Harry Bernstein. While this is the story of his life and his family, it feels more like listening to someone from our own family. His relatives’ stories all seem so true and so familiar that no time at all goes by before we’re at Page 279. Bernstein’s tale is that of a young Jewish male whose family leaves England via steamer from Liverpool in 1922, bound for America—a journey that was the dream of Bernstein’s mother. The virtually penniless family received the tickets for their trip from an unknown benefactor and arrived in Quebec before making their way by train to Chicago, which was then a growing, dirty, busy city where the smell of the well-known stockyards was constant—not quite the heaven on earth that Ma Bernstein expected to find. No, the past was not perfect, but the Bernstein family is beginning to acquire some money when the Great Depression hits in 1929. Harry searches for a job for a year before finding one as a “clerk” for a company engaging in dubious activities. The young Bernstein thinks he wants to be an architect, but after multiple years of study, he finds he has no skills. He also fails at jobs he really doesn’t want—one of the many experiences common to the young. Eventually, he moves to New York City where he meets the love of his life, Rose, to whom he is married for sixty-seven years. There, he falls into the career of a fledgling writer. What happens to his beloved mother, his father, his paternal grandparents, and his siblings is what the remainder of this book is about. It never fails to keep the reader’s interest. The world lost an architect but found an extremely talented writer in Mr. Bernstein. His newly released memoir, The Golden Willow, is all about his life with Rose Bernstein, and I can hardly wait to read it. Revieweed by Joseph Arellano
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Ted Kennedy By Edward Klein Crown, $26.00, 254 pages There’s nothing exactly wrong with this new biography of Ted Kennedy, released prior to the Senator’s forthcoming autobiography True Compass; there’s just nothing here that justifies a list price of $26.00. This reader has read everything on the Kennedys since P.T. 109 and Profiles in Courage, so I wondered what new material or perspective I would find here. The answer is nothing new and/or unique. Edward Klein does an adequate job of piecing together facts about the Senator that have been published before and he’s up-front about citing his sources, as when it comes to the earlier reporting on Chappaquiddick (“Leo Damore, whose 1988 book... is still considered the definitive account of the accident and its aftermath”). The problem is that this book, with 226 pages of actual content, reads like something a first-year college student could hammer together in a semester. There are no obvious inaccuracies in this biography, because it is simply a re-plowing of ground gone over by so many so often. Hoping to learn what made the Kennedy family unique? There are dozens of books that will supply the answer; this is not one of them. Underwhelming is the word that comes to mind. Reviewed by Joseph Arellano The Slippery Year By Melanie Gideon Knopf, $22.95, 209 pages Author Melanie Gideon has a gift for sharing the small occurrences that stop our hearts with joy or cause us to stumble just when we thought we were moving right along in the grown-up world. While not all readers will identify with all of Gideon’s musings about emergency plans, parenting and marriage, there are touchstones in Gideon’s book that help us to remember who we were before marriage and children. There is common ground. And there are wonderful occasions when Gideon just nails that feeling of wondering if we are experiencing all life has to offer and what happened to the person we used to be. There are also times when Gideon’s experience is so unique to her life that a reader might not relate to it. But whether readers identify with all of Gideon’s musings or not, they will find an unflinchingly honest and at times humorous and well-written account of the point at which her old life slipped away and the new,
whether it was all wonderful or not, slipped into its place. There are slippery places in each life, whether one is married or not. It can be good to know you are not alone. Authors who share their lives and risk being real give readers a great gift. Reviewed by Pat Cole Tattoo Machine: Tall Tales, True Stories and My Life in Ink By Jeff Johnson Spiegel & Grau, $25.00, 272 pages Jeff Johnson, this book’s author and a tattooist himself, dispels the stereotypes and stigmas associated with tattoos while writing from the multiple perspectives of artist, businessman, philosopher, and humanist. As proprietor of the Sea Tramp Tattoo Company in Portland, Oregon, he relays histories of various denizens of his establishment, as well as others of this particular subculture. He also includes a compendium of terms from the tattoo lexicon to better familiarize readers with his universe. Part expose, part memoir, part primer, Tatoo Machine conveys gritty truths through language as unique and colorful as the individual tattoos it discusses. Its honest, soul-baring, yet unapologetic voice communicates the daily business, patience, commitment, and compassion required to be successful in this field of art. Utilizing precise prose, Johnson expresses the carnival atmosphere environment of the tattoo parlor and shares gonzo tales that would fit comfortably into a Hunter S. Thompson novel. Instead of veering off into the ozone, however, this compelling firstperson account remains sufficiently focused to explore both the psyche of the tattoo artist and the evolution of a unique industry. Reviewed by Richard Mandrachio In the Valley of Mist: Kashmir: One Family in a Changing World By Justine Hardy Free Press, $25.00, 209 pages A lifetime of familiarity with the violenceridden Kashmir Valley positions journalist Justine Hardy well as author of In the Valley of Mist. Part travelogue, part reportage, part memoir, Hardy’s work presents a unique contemporary history of the region and its complexities—beauty and violence, family and fighting, religion and nature. Hardy’s obvious admiration of Kashmir hardly makes her an objective observer, but she paints a largely balanced picture, focusing primarily on one rather well-off family to relate the experiences that shape life
in the valley (although this may well not be indicative of the many peoples of Kashmir). At times the reporting seems disjointed, making it difficult to connect with Hardy, her subjects, or the region itself. The book shines when discussing the earthquake that devastated the region in 2005—killing tens of thousands and leaving millions displaced—and the humanitarian efforts undertaken to ease the suffering. Hardy provides an evocative first-hand account of how locals persevered through yet another calamity. But, although occasionally poetic, Hardy’s prose is rather too subtle, rendering both setting and characters somewhat anemic. Kashmir, at once beautiful and volatile, is a fascinating subject, but In the Valley of Mist leaves the reader wanting more. Reviewed by Kelli Christiansen The Morganza, 1967: Life in a Legendary Reform School By David E. Stuart University of New Mexico Press, $21.95, 256 pages In 1967, recent college graduate David E. Stuart got a job at the Youth Development Center in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Known by locals as the Morganza, the socalled rehabilitation center (which was, in reality, a detainment center for adolescents convicted of a variety of crimes, ranging from petty theft to murder) provided Stuart with an honest look at the unfair treatment given to many underprivileged children, as well as the true horror that can exist within the young. Through his dealings with inmates (called “students” by the liberal controllers of the establishment, who, through much of the book, Stuart ridicules), his coworkers, and the often corrupt and imbecilic people in control of the center. The book is, in some ways, a scathing indictment of the judicial justice system as it existed in the late 1960s--and, one feels, also of today-which often resulted in infirm, harmless kids being placed in the same institutions as, and in very close proximity to, their dangerous, psychotic/ sociopath peers without the slightest consideration for their safety and well-being-and is also a testament to the changes that have occurred over the last 40 years in the race relations of the United States. It is, unfortunately, also a testament to many of the things that have not changed, but need to. The Morganza, 1967 works best when it sticks to being a lightly fictionalized memoir of the author’s brief stint at the Morganza. Were there less awkward passages of dialogue and heavy-handed moral lessons, it would be a four-star book, no question. Reviewed by Ashley McCall
Tweens Hoaxed!: Fakes and Mistakes in the World of Science By Editors of YES Magazine Kids Can Press, 48 pages, $16.95 Do you believe in Bigfoot? UFOs? Aliens in Roswell? If so, then you might want to move onto another review. But if you’re a skeptic, then this is the book for you! As its name suggests Hoaxed is a book all about exploring famous mistakes in the history of science. From Piltdown Man to Cold Fusion, there are details of eleven different scientific “discoveries” that made plenty of people believers. You’ll find the background on each hoax, learn how scientific detectives exposed the truth, and how you can avoid being fooled in the future. The writing here doesn’t make any excuses for those responsible for scientific hoaxes, and it’s not shy about exposing the truth behind some of the world’s most famous urban legends. Kids will enjoy piecing together the clues about each case before the solution reveals just why these things don’t work. Filled with plenty of facts and lots of pictures, this book is perfect for those kids who are interested in either science, paranormal activity, or both. Reviewed by Alyssa Feller
Matisse on the Loose By Georgia Bragg Delacorte Press, 149 pages, $16.99 Matisse is a fairly normal 11-year-old boy. He gets annoyed by his 14-year-old sister and embarrassed by the eccentric antics of his parents. He has no idea why his best friend’s twin sister is always trying to embarrass him. On the other hand, he does stand out a bit from the crowd. His parents named him Matisse, after the painter Henri Matisse. His mom is head of security at an art museum, and his dad is a barbecue expert who’s always experimenting with new ways to roast pigs and other “dead meat.” Matisse is also a pretty talented artist. A fixture at the art museum, he practices by copying masterpieces. But then the museum hosts an exhibit of Henri Matisse’s work, and Matisse somehow manages to switch his (very good) copy of one of Henri’s paintings for the real thing. The heist gives Matisse an opportunity to ponder his talent, his feelings about his wacky family, and his own sources of inspiration. As Matisse struggles to find a way to return the piece, he learns some valuable lessons, and readers get to enjoy some good chuckles while learning just a little bit about art. Reviewed by Cathy Carmode Lim
Murder at Midnight By Avi Scholastic Press, 272 pages, $17.99 Murder at Midnight follows Fabrizio, an eager young servant boy devoted to his master Mangus the Magician in 1490s Pergamontio, Italy. When Mangus is accused by King Claudio of using magical means to stir up treason against the royal family, Fabrizio is determined to find a way of clearing his master, regardless of the danger it might bring to himself. The story manages to blend the history of the printing press and philosophy seamlessly into a fast-moving plot that builds to an unexpected and satisfying ending. Murder at Midnight is Avi’s 70th book, and his masterful touch with characters shines through. From the plucky, naïve Fabriozio, to the cranky Mangus, to the brave sidekick Fabriozio finds in a jail, Maria, to Agrippa, the witty and oddly appealing executioner, the characters and their dialogue are a joy. Young readers between the ages of 9 and 12 will find this an engaging and intelligent book. Reviewed by Michelle Kerns
The Dragons of Wayward Crescent: Gruffen By Chris D’Lacey Orchard Books, 112 pages, $9.99 Like many other nine year-olds, Lucy Pennykettle is afraid that monsters lurk in her room after dark. Unlike other girls her age, however, Lucy has a mother who can make very special clay dragons – dragons that, with a spark from a magical snowball, come to life. When Lucy’s mother fashions a guardian dragon named Gruffen to protect Lucy from her nighttime monsters, both Gruffen and Lucy find they have much to learn about the nature of “monsters” and how to guard against them. What this installment of The Dragons of Wayward of Crescent lacks in plot and wit, it makes up for with pure, unalloyed, innocence and charm. Lucy’s mother, Elizabeth, is the idealized mother most young girls would love to have – artistic, kind, patient, and caring. Gruffen is a great combination of earnestness and ineptness. While girls Lucy’s age might find the story too cutesy and insipid, young ladies between the ages of five and eight – particularly if they have a fondness for dragons – will adore it. Reviewed by Michelle Kerns
and gloves is apparently a national pastime. One finds out that knitting is so common an activity there (and necessary due to the extremely cold climate) that it is generally categorized alongside eating and sleeping. The self-proclaimed motives for Anfinnsen’s sudden interest in knitting hats encompass simple principles: something artistic to do with his hands while remaining in a state of mental rest. Catching on rather quickly to the art of making cozy hats, the author added yet another aspect...custom chapeaus for his friends, family and anyone else that wanted one, given away for free. Along with a collaborative photographer, Klaus Skrudland, Anfinnsen exuberantly knitted and displayed 200+ hats, each unique. Even the mayor of his town received a hat and wears it proudly. The faces pictured present a captivating montage of expressions. Readers are allowed into the author’s circle of friends, each wearing their hat above a few sentences about their personality.The one drawback of the book is that the majority of the inte-
rior photographs are black and white, so the writer’s allusions to various use of color are a bit lost. With 50 hat “patterns” and helpful tips for beginning knitters, this book makes an inspirational gift for folks of all ages. The author’s adventures in knitting remind us that a true hobby is one of selflessness as well as enthusiasm, and that artistic passion is no less expressed when the results are given away freely. Reviewed by Meredith Greene
Crafts & Hobbies Printmaking + Mixed Media: Simple Techniques and Projects for Paper and Fabric By Dorit Elisha Interweave Press LLC, $22.95, 115 pages Printmaking + Mixed Media is a superb multi-tasker, doing far better than a glancing survey of printmaking. Elisha takes you from basic definitions in printmaking to proper storage of the printed treasures you can produce with this fine study’s help. Printmaking + Mixed Media travels beyond block-cutting to thorough discussion of silkscreen, monograph, photo emulsion, and Thermal Imaging printing. Sun prints, collographs, relief prints and stencil prints are included and materials, print surfaces, paints, tints, tools and techniques are discussed clearly and illustrated well. There is an intriguing bibliography and resource list, and I am happy to say that the whole experience of reading Printmaking + Mixed Media excites the inner artist AND crafter. Speaking of crafting, this is where
this wonderful book really multi-tasks. Although the focus of the book is definitely serious art creation, it offers a number of true craft options for the “let’s head to the mud-sink and get crafty” crowd. One can invest in sophisticated equipment and eye a future gallery gig or get smokin’ with what can be scavenged from around any home. Another task this lovely volume can easily fulfill is sitting gorgeously on any coffee table, but trust me, it will be pressed into frequent service as a great creative reference. Buy this one for the artist, crafter, student, print collector, or coffee table owner! Beautifully illustrated and with clear and complete instructions, this is a worthy investment and an absolutely wonderful gift. Reviewed by Shelby Kopecky Hat Heads By Trond Anfinnsen Watson-Guptill, $22.95, 176 pages A guy with knitting needles… as an American reader this concept seems slightly odd. The Norwegian-sounding name incurs a bit of interest, however; reading the cheerful prologue alleviates any initial impression of the “peculiar.” In Norway, making sweaters and other woolen items, like hats, socks
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Local Calendar 5
1– 4pm - Borders Roseville, 2030 Douglas Blvd. Suite 9, Roseville George Petersen signing, author of Crazy Campsongs.
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10:30am - Tracy Branch Library, 20 E. Eaton Ave., Tracy All About Baby. This special storytime is designed for infants 0 - 2 years old and their caretakers.. 11:15am - Tracy Branch Library, 20 E. Eaton Ave., Tracy Prechool Storytime. This storytime is designed for toddlers and prekindergarten age children.
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6pm - Tracy Branch Library, 20 E. Eaton Ave., Tracy Family Bedtime Storytime.
10 6:30 - 7:30pm - Borders, 2030 Douglas Blvd. Suite 9, Roseville Gary Zukav & Linda Francis read and signing.
12 2pm - - Tracy Branch Library,
20 E. Eaton Ave., Tracy Rattlesnakes. This program will include safety issues with rattlesnakes, snakecatching techniques, and treatment of venomous bites. 2 - 3pm - Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 6111 Sunrise Blvd. Citrus Heights The Citrus Heights Area Poets.
14 2:30pm - Tracy Branch Library, 20 E. Eaton Ave., Tracy Beginning Chapter Book Club. We read and discuss a book each week. Geared towards students in 3rd-5th grade.
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10:30am - Tracy Branch Library, 20 E. Eaton Ave., Tracy All About Baby. 3 - 4pm - Rancho Cordova Library, 9845 Folsom Blvd, Sacramento The Mystery Book Club. This month’s book: Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger.
20 4 - 8pm
El Dorado County Library, 345 Fair Lane, Placerville, (530) 621-5540 www.eldoradolibrary.org Todd Borg, award-winning local author of the Owen McKenna mystery novels is the featured speaker at Wine For Words, a benefit for the El Dorado County Library. Tickets $50/person.
18 7 - 8pm -Borders, 2030 Douglas 22 Blvd. Suite 9, Roseville West Coast Songwriters.
19 1 – 4pm - Borders Roseville,
2030 Douglas Blvd. Suite 9, Roseville Roy Ele Presentation of Fraction Dice. Come and meet Roy Ele and he shows you how great his Fraction Dice are and how they can help teach your children all about fractions.
10:30am - Tracy Branch Library, 20 E. Eaton Ave., Tracy All About Baby.
26 1 - 4pm - Borders Roseville,
2030 Douglas Blvd. Suite 9, Roseville Bhavani Girar signing, author of We Are One.
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10:30am - Tracy Branch Library, 20 E. Eaton Ave., Tracy All About Baby.
If you would like your event covered in our monthly calendar, submit information to calendar@sacramentobookreview.com.
Spirituality Lessons for the Living By Stan Goldberg Trumpeter Books, 208 pages, $14.95 Lessons for the Living by Stan Goldberg is that rare self-help book that actually lives up to its title. Goldberg was living a highstress academic life in the Bay Area when he was found to have prostate cancer. While not immediately life threatening, the cancer diagnosis and treatment threw him completely off his game physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Following various failed attempts to regain his equilibrium, Goldberg found himself volunteering for hospice where by simply being present, listening, and doing whatever needed to be done, he helped others come to terms with the lives they would soon be leaving. In so doing, he also found himself coming back to life. Engaging and enlightening, but never pedantic, Goldberg imparts basic life lessons on the importance of giving, communicating, loving, and forgiving. It took a lethal disease and time spent as a hospice volun-
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teer caring for persons he came to know and love for Goldberg to learn these important truths. Unfortunately, many other persons do not learn them until the end of life approaches, if at all. Readers of Lessons for the Living are fortunate that Goldberg has learned and lived these lessons and can share them so ably. Reviewed by Doug Robins Live with Meaning. Die with Passion. By Fumitada Naoe One Peace Books, 160 pages, $19.95 Live with Meaning. Die with Passion. gives its readers the realization of how essential and vital every breathing second is in one’s life. Author Fumitada Naoe is a man who took himself from the depths of a Taiwanese shanty town’s poverty, to the bitter discrimination of a wholly homogenized society, to the heights of success in one of the world’s most economically powerful nations. His poetic and poignant essays combined with the emotionally charged images of photographer Takashi Owaki will inspire even the most desolate soul. In this book, Naoe puts emphasis on living a meaningful life with richness in spirit, love and passion and triumphantly conveys his prosaic message of empowerment and self-allegiance. The way we look at things will unquestionably affect the way our life unfolds before us and we need to be reminded of that constantly. Per-
sonally, this book resonates strongly with me because of my harrowing 2-1/2-year battle with mortality. This book will undoubtedly change a person’s life for the better because it is all about enabling oneself to properly handle any trial, setback and crisis. Chapter 26 gains much applaud from me as it expounds on the significance of time man agement. On my way to work the other morning I was thinking how our perceptions of time affect the actions we choose. In my experience and what I’ve been through, I truly understand how quickly time goes by and Naoe’s words of wisdom remind me to use my time effectively and wisely. One is prompted to grasp the concept of not throwing away opportunities, of taking power over one’s life to reject ill thoughts, emotions and actions for the very simple reason that they affect and dictate the way we spend our waking hours in a day; I realized too that I am never going to get back wasted time and in reading this book, so will other people. Finally, Naoe opens up this philosophy to his readers; to think about their time and how short it is if spent erroneously. He
makes us realize too how small people can feel about themselves and their lives but don’t realize that after we’re gone, our legacy will still be travelling through space… and all our thoughts and feelings leave an energy imprint on the universe that will still be there. Perhaps the entry below is the most powerful but don’t just take my word for it. Get a copy of this book and discover how to truly Live with Meaning and Die with Passion. “A life of being constantly afraid of some unidentifiable person, of never being able to gain a firm outlook, is meaningless. Escape from the lukewarm daily existence as soon as possible and start to think about “Why am I alive?” using your own head. Everyone dies. To live means, inevitably, to advance toward death. You may even die tomorrow. But by accepting death in this way, you will be filled with a stronger will to live and feel a resolve to become stronger and take better care of the present.” Reviewed by Kaye Cloutman
Sacramento
Sept 09
Book Review E X P A N D E D
S E C T I O N
Science Fiction & Fantasy Catching Fire
By Suzanne Collins Starscape, 320 pages, $15.99 Collins’ first book The Hunger Games introduced readers to Katniss Everdeen and the dystopian future she lived in. North America has become Panem, broken up into 12 Districts, all ruled by the Capitol City. Life is harsh, and to keep the districts in check, there is the annual Hunger Games, where each district sends lottery-selected children into a killer theme park to a death match, with the single winner getting a remaining life of luxury. Katniss and her partner, Peeta, survived by pretending a romance through the Game, winning over the audience’s hearts, and Capitol City let them win together to avoid potential rebellion from the television audience. Katniss’ minor acts of rebellion in Games haven’t been forgotten by Panem President Snow, nor by rebellious elements, who have taken her up as their Joan of Arc. The traditional Victory tour taken by the Game’s winner in the year between on Game and the next, takes on more significance, both from the government and their foes. Also the new upcoming annual Game is the seventy-fifth, a Quarter Quell, known for even more violent excesses than normal. And this year, previous year’s survivors are being brought back in an all-star death match. There is more to this story than just the violence of the Game. We learn more of Katniss and her home, more of the politics of Panem, and watch Katniss deal with her feeling for her childhood crush Gale, while still trying to maintain the pretense of her romance with Peeta. But the meat of the book is in the Game, and its Running Man-esque competition. The dangers are greater, the competition experienced, and the stakes are even higher than just Katniss’ life.
E X PA N DE D Stonewiser The Call of the Stone By Dora Machado Mermaid Press, 480 pages, $15.99 Machado’s first novel in the Stonewiser world (The Heart of the Stone) earned her a the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for debut fiction, and introduced readers to Sariah, a stonewiser - someone who can imprint knowledge into stones and read what has already been put there by others. This is a highly critical talent in a world with where everything is subject to the Rot, and stone is the only permanent medium. In Heart, Sariah has discovered that the history of the world as taught by her Guild is false, purposely mis-recorded and passed as truth. Call picks up the story at a sprinter’s pace; Sariah exiled to the Rotten Lands, captured and facing execution by her new adopted people, the New Blood. Her partner Kael, gets her a ninemonth stay, during which she needs to find a story among the stones that can unite all the peoples. Machado has created a complex world, without reusing generic fantasy elements, even while using the standard hero quest motif. One of the few Hispanic women writing in this genre, she brings a welcome change to “boy finds sword/dragon/gem and sets off with dwarves/dragon/wizard/elves to slay evil king/dragon/wizard” storylines. Reviewed by Ross The Stoneholding By James Anderson and Mark Sebanc Baen Books, 432 pages, $14.99 The Stoneholding, book one in the Legacy of the Harp series, begins with an enfeebled King Colurian lying on his deathbed, watched over by his Queen and infant son who are all captives of the Mindal, a power-hungry king’s counsel, which sees a chance to usurp power from the weakened monarch. After a failed attempt at rescue by the queen’s elite protectors, the Life Guardsmans, the entire royal family is spirited away and assumed to be dead. Years later, under the dark rule of an oppressive Mindal, the Sacred Fire is extinguished, a dire portent for the kingdom and its rulers. An ancient prophecy declares that only a scion of Ardiel’s original royal bloodline may reignite the Sacred Fire, but with the king and his young prince missing for many years, no one knows who can save the kingdom of Avron from disaster. A young apprentice, Kal, learns that Prince Starigan is alive, hidden away by the Mindal and its evil
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leader, Gawrnage, and that only he has the power to find him. If this storyline sounds familiar, that’s probably because it is. Avid readers of fantasy will recognize all the elements of traditional fantastic fiction: A young hero, magical swords, wise mysterious mages, and a quest racing through a magical world, trying to save it from evil. Although written in richly evocative language, the story never seems to be able to overcome its pedestrian roots. Characters are well-developed, but feel too familiar— the good guys are obviously good, the bad guys are bad, and difficult questions, motives, and actions that fall in the grey shaded middle are mostly ignored. That being said, readers looking to get lost in a light-weight Tolkien-esque novel will most likely finish this book satisfied and eager for future installments. Reviewed by Marcus Jones The Dame By R.A. Salvatore Tor Books, 400 pages, $25.99 The third book of the Saga of the First King finds the Highwayman, Bransen Garibon, caught between warring Lairds, think medieval Lords, fighting for control of the land of Honce. Bransen, using the magical soul stone, becomes an almost unbeatable warrior, and, in previous books, he used this power to defeat the vile ancient creature, Badden, while suffering the loss of many of his companions. The Dame begins with Bransen, emotionally scarred and eager to forget the battles in Vanguard, finding himself the pawn of the lairds Ethelbert and Delaval in the their struggle to control the south. Reunited with his friends, Cadayle and Callen, he begins a quest to settle conflicts that, no matter how hard he tries, cannot seem to avoid. Fans of the author should begin this series with book one, although sufficient clues are provided in this third installment to keep you from getting lost. Characters in this novel are complicated and have developed significantly throughout the series, so starting from the beginning allows the reader to fully grasp the history that drives this deeply flawed and fascinating, Bransen Garibond. Crisp dialog, vivid battles, ambiguous morality, and complex characters are all hallmarks of The Dame. Salvatore weaves politics, religion, sword, and sorcery with a level of skill few authors writing today can match. Reviewed by Marcus Jones
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Dawnthief By James Barclay Pyr, 406 pages, $16.00 The Raven are a legendary group of hired swordsmen who live by one code: Kill but never murder. But age has slowed the group down, and after the death of one member they decide to retire. But a war is brewing in Balaia after the Wytch Lords escape their prison, and only the power of a spell called the Dawnthief can stop them, and The Raven are hired to guard the only mage who can cast the spell. What The Raven do not know is that the spell could also destroy their whole world. Dawnthief is the first book in James Barclay’s series about The Raven, and it’s an uneven effort. An abundance of characters are immediately introduced and that makes the story hard to sort out initially. Many of the characters also seem created with the sole purpose of being killed, and therefore lack any development. Conversely, the magical system is well thought out, if a bit convoluted, and the presence of dragons, elves, familiars and alternate dimensions add some flair to a fantasy that would otherwise be very conventional. Dawnthief has potential and plenty of ideas, but doesn’t quite feel fully developed. Reviewed by Theresa Lucas The Puppet Masters By Robert A. Heinlein Baen, 307 pages, $14.00 A classic of science fiction that was philosophically formative for many of us. This timely reissue by Baen contains an introduction by William H. Patterson, Jr., and an afterword by Sarah A. Hoyt. Both did well, Ms. Hoyt especially grasping the essence of Mr. Heinlein’s teaching. The Puppet Masters has had its plot stolen repeatedly over the years, as in all the body snatcher movies, but the thieves took only the horror and not the incitement to dignity and the deathbefore-slavery messages. Those messages make this an essential read for young people. A saucer lands in mid-America and communications from the area become vague. Subsequent developments threaten not only the country but the human race. Members of a report-only-to-the-president agency investigate, and subsequently lead resistance that becomes a desperate struggle. There is a fraught love story in the middle of the battle.This has been a movie before, but I want to see it done again, with Clint Eastwood as the agency head, and Matt Damon as his son and successor.
SE C T ION Buy this book. Share it with your friends and give it to your children. Reviewed by David Lloyd Sutton The Kingdom Beyond the Waves By Stephen Hunt Tor Books, 556 pages, $25.99 Rejected in academia, archaeologist Amelia Harsh is approached by industrialist Abraham Quest, who offers to fund an expedition in pursuit of her obsession: Camlantis, an ancient utopia regarded by most as a myth. She must journey by river into the heart of a vast jungle, accompanied by Quest’s force of elite mercenaries. Her ship’s crew is untrustworthy, the jungle is ruled by a monstrous hive mind, and back home there are secret plots related to their expedition that could turn the discovery of Camlantis into a disaster for the entire world. Stephen Hunt’s world is a hybrid of fantasy and steampunk, where sorcery and ancient gods exist alongside airships, submarines, vast mechanical computing machines and living metal “steam men.” The Kingdom Beyond the Waves gives the reader intense action, political intrigue, and a setting extremely dense with imaginative ideas, and is strongly recommended for fans of fantasy, steampunk, or adventure stories. Reviewed by John Markley The Red Tree By Caitlin R. Kiernan Roc, 400 pages, $16.00 Sarah Crowe is a writer who mostly despises her own work. She leaves Atlanta after the death of her lover and takes up residence in an old house in Rhode Island to sort out her feelings, but also stumbles across a mystery. The house sits in the shadow of a Red Oak that is the subject of local legends. In the basement she finds an unfinished manuscript written by a man who committed suicide while investigating the mystery of the tree. Before long Sarah is haunted by dreams and unexplained incidents that bear a striking similarity to the myths she uncovers surrounding the history of the old building and the tree that casts such a long shadow. The Red Tree is about the uncertainty of a fragile and lonely mind. Sarah writes about her own descent and intertwines her story with that of the home’s previous occupant, though most of the story is spent with Sarah’s dialogue with herself. The book’s language is often frank, even brutal, but it flows honestly and realistically. The Red Tree is a book that lingers and begs for a second
E X PA N DE D reading, if only to decide what’s real and what isn’t. Reviewed by Theresa Lucas Lucan By Susan Kearney Grand Central Publishing, 352 pages, $6.99 In the not-too-distant future, the Earth is undergoing a pandemic that could very well spell extinction for mankind, and for Lucan Roarke this means an expedition to the distant moon of Pendragon. It is there that he hopes to find the last desperate hope for his planet: the Holy Grail. Unfortunately, the Earth man is not the only one out for this ancient relic. Lady Cael, high priestess of Pendragon, has her own frantic search in place, one that puts both her and Lucan at odds with the local military. Matters would be complicated enough without Lucan not only falling deeply in love with the woman but also discovering that she is a powerful and untouchable “dragonshaper,” absolutely forbidden fruit under the laws of her world. A smart bit of interstellar fantasy, this book’s relationship with the King Arthur mythology is quite engaging. Ignoring the
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occasional gratuitous love scene, this is a solid read full of powerful emotion, intriguing plot, and a creative mesh of magic and science fiction. As the first installment of the Pendragon Legacy trilogy, this book bears a fair promise for good things to come. Recommendable to fans of paranormal romance. Reviewed by Micah Kolding Monster Hunter International By Larry Correia Baen Publishing Enterprises, 713 pages, $7.99 Owen Z. Pitt is just trying to live a normal life, but when he’s attacked and almost killed by his werewolf boss, it becomes clear that “normal” is just not in the cards for Owen. Word travels fast in the monster hunting community and it doesn’t take long before Owen is offered a chance to hunt monsters professionally. Even weirder for Owen is the old man who visits him in his dreams warning him of an apocalyptic fate that only he can prevent. Larry Correia’s Monster Hunter International is an interesting book, though not without its flaws. Overall, it works just
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fine. The main character’s biting wit goes a long way towards moving things along between action scenes and will even have you laughing out loud in places. However, this book could certainly have used a more thorough editing. The book’s length stole from its momentum. A slimmer, sharper story would have gone a long way toward making this story even better. If you like books about werewolves, vampires, monsters and guns, you won’t be disappointed. Monster Hunter International is worth the read. In the end, it overcomes its faults to make for an enjoyable book. Reviewed by Albert Riehle The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrun By J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 377 pages, $26.00 This is a work that is less fantasy and more a study of old Norse sagas. While it is by the author of the Lord of the Rings series and edited, with notes, by his son, this work is definitely an examination of the sagas of the Norse and other Germanic peoples. J.R.R. Tolkien writes two sagas in the style of old Norse sagas, relying on source works and bringing them to-
SE C T ION gether in his own way. Christoper Tolkien gives the reader notes and commentary after each saga, to fill in the gaps and to provide analysis. We learn much about the ancient Norse and Germanic sagas, also called lays, as a storytelling device. The best part about this work are the actual lectures and notes from J.R.R. Tolkien himself at the beginning of this work; you learn a lot about ancient literature and how it almost did not survive into the modern period. After that the sagas can be a bit difficult to understand, but people that are familiar with Wagner’s Ring cycle will recognize what is going on, as it includes all the familiar names. Besides that the sagas would be difficult to understand with the great commentary at the end of each one. This might not be the best work for Tolkien fans, but definitely a work that provides insight into medieval literature. Reviewed by Kevin Winter Traitors’ Gate, Book Three of Crossroads By Kate Elliott A Tor Book, 574 pages, $27.95 The much-anticipated third book of the Crossroads series, Traitors’ Gate, does not disappoint. There are many plot twists and surprises in store for Kate Elliott fans. The first two books of the series, Spirit Gate and Shadow Gate, introduced the characters and immerse the reader in the culture and mythologies of the Hundred, a land torn apart
E X PA N DE D by chaos and war. In Traitors’ Gate, grand military strategies are layered with politics as well as royal family intrigue leading to a belated realization of the price exacted by the Qin militia for their service to the citizens of the Hundred. Kate Elliott has the unique gift of crafting detailed subplots without losing momentum in the main storyline. While the non-stop action in Traitors’ Gate drives the war to its conclusion, the internal struggles of each character as they choose how to respond to the events that are thrust upon them make this bookmemorable. Traitors’ Gate reveals hidden strengths, personal growth and a new awareness in some characters, while exposing unexpected weakness, rationalization and hidden motives in others. Overarching themes include tradition versus morality, individual sacrifice, resurrection, transcendence and renewal. Traitors’ Gate is a thrilling page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end. Reviewed by Laurie Racca Deltora Shadowlands By Emily Rodda Scholastic Inc., 373 pages, $14.99 The Shadow Lord has been driven out of the land of Deltora, but his evils have yet to become just a bad memory. His fellow minions continue to raid the kingdom, claiming entire populations of slaves and making deadly tries for the life of the young king, Lief. The citizenry grows restless at the apparent inaction of their newly appointed sovereign, little aware of his delicate and nearly hopeless aim to seek out the pieces of the Pirran Pipe, a fabled relic that may prove to be the one weapon the Shadow Lord fears. Collected in this single volume is the full trilogy that follows Lief and his friends through the strange and imaginative world that lies hidden beneath their own. Fairly typical of the high fantasy genre, but not without its own bit of ingenuity, this book is a fun and easy read for a fan of sword and sorcery. Though lacking in depth of character and originality of plot, the story has an intelligence to it that can engage the imagination. Much of the trilogy is occupied with a cheap, videogame-style fetch quest, but it climaxes with an antagonistic force horrifying enough to redeem the heroism of the characters. Reviewed by Micah Kolding
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Phantasm By Phaedra Weldon Ace, 368 pages, $15.00 In this third book following the adventures of Zoe Martinique, things have gone awry. Phantasm shows a different Zoe - one who has been stripped of her supernatural ability to “go Wraith” - that is, step out of her body and devour or free souls. Zoe’s power loss means she cannot save her mother’s soul, nor can she fight the dark Phantasm who desires to control the mortal plane. To top it off, her personal life is deteriorating, and it is up to Zoe to regain her abilities, to discover the mystery of her past, and to save the mortal realm. Wraith and Spectre introduced readers to the many planes of existence that shape Zoe Martinique’s fascinating world, and Phantasm continues to build on the danger established in the first two novels. Zoe is a tough heroine but also an endearing one because of the trauma she has suffered and her ability to deal with the obstacles thrown in her path. The continued biggest draw to the series, however, remains in Ms. Weldon’s world-building, rather than her characters. Phantasm is a fast-moving story and a solid new entry in this ongoing series. Reviewed by Thea James Zadayi Red By Caleb Fox Tor, 352 pages, $24.99 In this stunning retelling of a Cherokee myth, a powerful young medicine woman named Sunoya has a devastating vision that could mean the end of her people. She sees the Eagle Feather Cape, a gift from their ancestor Gods and an symbol of the Galayi tribe’s power, bloody and corrupted, and journeys to the realm of the Gods for help. Sunoya returns with a rare spirit guide and a mission - she lives to raise a son who may be the salvation of Galayi, an infant boy named Dahzi with the fourth and fifth fingers of his left hand webbed. But as Dahzi grows, he struggles to live up to the hopes of his mother and the tribe, and must choose his path - one of blood and revenge, or one that might save his people. Zadayi Red is a rare gem of a novel - not only does it have deeply engaging characters and a well-concieved plot, but it also breaks free from the European pantheon that so many fantasy novels cling to. This lushly written Cherokee fable is a poignant tale about destiny and choice, revenge and forgiveness, and love and hate. Absolutely recommended. Reviewed by Thea James
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A Princess of Landover By Terry Brooks Del Rey, 328 pages, $26.00 Mistaya Holiday is impetuous, stubborn and mischievous, all qualities that have her headed straight for trouble. Suspended from her school on Earth she returns, disgraced, to the Magic Kingdom of Landover to face her father, the king. When it doesn’t go well, Mistaya decides to run away to the last place he’d ever think to look for her—Libiris. All is not as it should be at Libiris though, Mistaya uncovers a magical plot to overthrow her father and usurp rule of Landover. If she and her rag-tag group of companions don’t act fast, it could spell the end of all she holds dear. Hounded by a froglike prince with bad intentions and aided by an enigmatic fairy-born feline, Mistaya must grow up fast or face consequences that are all too real. Terry Brooks’ long anticipated sixth book in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series is a thrilling and magical read. With colorful prose and rich characters, this book works both as a great jumping in point for new readers as well as a treat for long-time fans of the series. A Princess of Landover is an engaging and fun-filled read that is not to be missed! Reviewed by Albert Riehle Wireless By Charles Stross Ace, 365 pages, $24.95 From the author of the Hugo-nominated Saturn’s Children comes a collection of short stories featuring a number of novellas and one previously unpublished work. Wireless kicks off with the strongest in the collection in “Missile Gap”: its 1962 and the Cold War is in full sway with the Cuban Missile Crisis. And then something catastrophic happens. Somehow all the continents and oceans of planet Earth are transported across the universe to the Large Magellanic Cloud, where everything is situated on a giant flat disc that is greater than the landmass of a million Earths. The inhabitants of this new Earth now find themselves trapped there, the gravity too great to pass beyond the disc. And then there are the new continents beyond the known landmasses to be investigated. Meanwhile, the Cold War is still going on. One of the best science fiction stories I’ve ever read, leading into some very interesting works, including mobile farms that are a pest and a cyber adventure co written with Cory Doctorow. Wireless is a great col-
SE C T ION lection for those who know Stross well and are looking for more original material or for those looking to discover this author for the first time. Reviewed by Alex C. Telander The Enchantment Emporium By Tanya Huff Daw, 361 pages, $24.95 Tanya Huff is normally an excellent fantasy writer, but in her latest work she falls flat. Nothing works, and the overall story is difficult to follow, with few moments where it is actually readable. We follow a group of witches, for a lack of a better term, since we are never told quite what they are. As one young witch goes to Calgary to run her grandmother’s store, she gets caught up in the local dealings of the local magical community and must stop dragons from destroying the world. The problems are multi-fold with this book. First, the beginning moves really slowly. It does not pick up until about page 100, but you are ready to give up before then. Second, we are never told what these “aunties” are, exactly. Are they witches, druids, or something else? We are given a ton of names and expected to keep track of all the inner workings and how females choose, or men choose, based on some sort of magical feeling, which is never explained that well either. Tanya Huff has written better; this just does not work. Reviewed by Kevin Winter Wild Thyme, Green Magic By Jack Vance Subterranean Press, 360 pages, $40.00 In this wonderfully published collection of Jack Vance stories from Subterranean Press (which coincides with the release of a tribute collection to the great author), Songs of a Dying Earth gives us twelve stories covering Vance’s career of the sixties and seventies. Among the tales is his first ever published story, “The World-Thinker,” as well as many others like “Chateau D If,” “Green Magic,” and “The Seventeen Virgins.” Edited by Terry Dowling and Jonathan Strahan, along with occasional after-commentary from Vance himself and featured excerpts from a 1986 interview and some short biographies written by his wife Norma, Wild Thyme, Green Magic is the perfect introduction to those looking to read Jack Vance for the first time. Long time fans of the writer will want to have this beautiful edition on your shelf to peruse, skim, and voraciously read whenever you want. Reviewed by Alex C. Telander
The Edge of the World By Kevin J. Anderson Orbit, 608 pages, $14.99 With the completion of his Saga of the Seven Suns, Kevin J. Anderson returns with a brand new series, Terra Incognita and the first book in the series, The Edge of the World. This world consists of two great and vastly different empires: to the north lies Tierra; to the south is Uraba; and linking the two peoples is the melting pot of a city, Ishalem. The book begins with a formal and grandiose truce being made between the two cultures, but Ishalem is an old city, and as an accidental fire breaks out, the city is left to burned cinders. The Urabans believe it was a planned assault by the Tierrans, and war immediately breaks out, forcing the Tierrans to flee back to their lands for protection. With minor attempts being made to repair the damage and help avoid the ongoing war, the empires seek to explore the oceans around them with the hopes of discovering new worlds. While many of the characters are interesting and Anderson does a good job of exploring the different levels of society, the overall story just feels like a seemingly racist portrayal of two cultures, with the north being cultured and refined, while the south are darker skinned, wear funny clothing, and come off as inferior. It is akin to reading a World of Warcraft story involving the proud Alliance and the evil Horde. While this may be entertaining for some readers, it wasn’t my cup of tea. Reviewed by Alex C. Telander Son of Retro Pulp Tales By Joe R. Lansdale & Keith Lansdale Subterranean Press, 256 pages, $40.00 To write in the format of a bygone era is to be in direct opposition with the sophisticated mindset of modern readers. All things considered, this collection fares quite well. These stories in Son of Retro Pulp Tales vary from hardboiled noir to archeological exploration, from supernatural western to occult romance. Each has an introduction by its author citing influences and references. Joe Lansdale’s “The Crawling Sky,” with its creepy Lovecraftian tinge, launches the compilation. Two narratives have antiNazi themes appropriate for this period: James Grady’s “Border Town” is tight and hyper-paced; and Matt Venne’s “The Brown Bomber and the Nazi Werewolves of the S.S.” inventively incorporates past race issues. Another two are adventures a la Indiana Jones: Mike Resnick’s intentionally uproarious “The Forgotten Kingdom”; and
Stephen Mertz’s deliberately formulaic “The Lizard Men of Blood River.” Intermingled are unexpected charmers such as Christopher Golden’s hauntingly Serlingesque “Quiet Bullets,” about a fatherless ten-year who encounters a gunslinger’s ghost. Probably the best representation of Pulp’s sense of wonder is Harlan Ellison‘s twisted space fable, “The Toad Prince or, Sex Queen of the Martian Pleasure-Domes.” As a whole, these tales remain faithful to the roots of this particular genre and provide an enjoyable read. Reviewed by Richard Mandrachio Philip K. Dick: VALIS and Later Novels By Philip K. Dick Library of America, 864 pages, $35.00 In the way only Philip K. Dick can, psychology, reality, and the nature of human existence are examined through gritty and dystopian science fiction. Philip K. Dick: VALIS and Later Novels is a behemothian 864page tribute by Library of America and Jonathan Lethem (who edited it) that contains four of Dick’s later and more experimental (even for him) works, dealing with heavier themes of death, and strange ones of religion and the occult: A Maze of Death, VALIS, The Divine Invasion, and The Transmigration of Timothy Archer. A Maze of Death, perhaps one of Dick’s darkest novels, deals with the colonists of a world where conventional laws and ideas of reality seemingly do not exist. VALIS, from which excerpts of his own life are paraphrased and reworked, revolves around speculation of the coming Messiah and its connection to a supernatural satellite. The Divine Invasion involves an imperfect future Earth that the powerful alien being Yahweh is attempting to save, and finally The Transmigration of Timothy Archer centers around a Bishop James Pike-esque religious man on a more-than-physical pilgrimage. While this new edition, or iteration, or documentation of Dick’s work offers nothing new in of itself, it need not. Dick’s mastery at science fiction writing is such that, standalone and as-is, it creates for some of the most interesting fiction reading one can come across. Reviewed by Jordan Dacayanan Courage & Honour By Graham McNeill Black Library, 320 pages, $19.99 Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe is one of the most unique and compelling settings for science fiction, and the company’s publishing arm, Black Library, puts out a steady stream of pulp science fiction set in it. Courage and Honour continues that tradition, delivering a light, action packed adventure set in the “grim darkness of the far future.” Courage and Honour is the
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E X PA N DE D fourth book in the Ultramarine series, which follows the exploits of space marine Uriel Ventris, who has been reunited with his chapter, the Ultramarines, as they once again fight to save the world of Pavonis from a highly intelligent alien menace. McNeill knows how to write gripping action, and his latest delivers again and again. The market for pulp action is small, but if you’re looking for science fiction that focuses more on the latter, you’ll find an interesting take on dystopian futures herein. Courage and Honour isn’t going to challenge your intellect, but it might get your heart rate up. Reviewed by Jonathon Howard Wolfbreed By S.A. Swann Spectra, 400 pages, $15.00 S.A. Swann gives the reader a different take of the werewolf novel in Wolfbreed. It takes place in 1239, in Medieval Europe, when Christian knights are out taking over pagan populations and forcing them to convert. They are using children, who have the ability to become part wolf when they need to, to take out all the enemies of Christ. One of them, Lilly, develops feeling, and escapes and is found by Udolf. She learns human emotions and what it means to be in love. This is not your traditional werewolf novel. They do not need the full moon to become the animal; they can change back and forth at will. They can still be hurt by silver weapons. We do not learn the origins of these creatures and how they came to be this way; the strength of this work is in the storytelling and not necessarily in the details. His weakest point is his long descriptive paragraphs. These large blocks of text do little to move the story, and often they bog it down. While he uses these as character development, they work better when they are shorter. The story is fun to read and it is enjoyable. Reviewed by Kevin Winter Necroscope: Harry and the Pirates By Brian Lumley Tor, 208 pages, $23.95 Harry Keogh is a “Necroscope.” This means, despite the obvious etymological problems, that he is sensitive to the ethereal voices of the dead. In this book, the latest collection of a long line of stories, Harry once again uses his singular gift to pit his wits against a selection of supernatural
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mysteries. Investigating gruesome murders at the hands of an alien forest entity or answering to the pleas of a dubious dead pirate, such are the adventures of the Necroscope. Though a modestly engaging read, this book is written as if by a desperate high school student trying to reach the minimum word count for his English paper without letting on that he hasn’t read the material. With clumsy narrative, unnecessary reiteration, and run-on sentences that could seat a family of four, the author painstakingly conveys his story to us in the audience as if one of us isn’t thinking clearly. And the plots themselves are neither remarkable nor inspired, so much so that the hero lacks any personal connection to the conflict and largely feels like an auxiliary, incidental character in somebody else’s story. Worthy of a library checkout at best. Reviewed by Micah Kolding Santa Olivia By Jacqueline Carey Grand Central Publishing, 352 pages, $13.99 Loup Garron was named for the mysterious “wolfman” who fathered her. While living in Santa Olivia, an isolated military buffer zone between the United States and Mexico, Loup’s mother meets and falls in love with a man who was a genetically designed weapon. Loup grows up with a strange legacy and, in time, learns to harness her unique abilities and becomes determined to fight in the boxing matches between the townsmen and the military. But, in this fight, Loup must confront another of her kind to gain her freedom. In Santa Olivia, Loup takes on the persona of the town’s patron saint to commit acts of vigilantism to inspire hope among the villagers, but it’s really a book about boxing. And that may confound readers hoping for something different. Jacqueline Carey, known for writing lush fantasy fiction, goes for a dystopian feel with mixed success. The book is best when Loup and her friends try to inspire the town with acts of kindness and retribution, but that storyline is dropped too soon to act as the catalyst it was supposed to be. Sometimes good, but also flat, the book never quite reaches its potential. Reviewed by Theresa Lucas
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Of Berserkers, Swords & Vampires By Fred Saberhagen Baen, 278 pages, $23.00 The late Fred Saberhagen made his mark as a premier science-fiction author with his Berserker stories, later expanding to cover classical mythology and the Dracula myths. Of Berserkers, Swords & Vampires contains seldom-seen stories from each segment of Saberhagen’s professional career. In addition to several excellent stories, this book is unique from another respect: the person selecting the works is wife Joan Spicci Saberhagen. Berserkers are an ancient race of machines with one mission: to eradicate any and all forms of life. “Stone Place” is a shining example of Saberhagen’s style, showing a combination of good plotting and plenty of action while not ignoring the emotional aspects of people caught in a war for survival. “Blind Man’s Blade” looks at mythology from the standpoint of a game between the gods interrupted by a wily human. Can a human beat a god? Read it and find out. Instead of looking at vampires from the perspective of the victims, “The Dracula Tape” was one of the first stories to look at the genre from Dracula’s perspective. Other stories, such as “Planeteer” and “The Long Way Home,” cannot be missed. Long-time Saberhagen fans will enjoy these rare stories, while people new to his style will find topics to explore. Reviewed by David Reynolds Demons Not Included By Cheyenne McCray St. Martins, 322 pages, $7.99 Demons Not Included by best-selling author Cheyenne McCray shows her romance novelist background to a full frontal fashion extent, complete with spiked heels, big boobs and a swinging Dolce & Gabbana purse. Romance novel fans will likely eat this very light reading up quickly, like a light snack at Spago. Demons Not Included features Nyx, a very feminine half human, half dark elf. By day she’s a normal knockout human private investigator. By night, her elf side shows as her hair turns blue, her skin turns “not purple but amethyst” and she joins her fellow paranormals in tracking a pack of demons who have invaded New York City. The demons are targeting Trackers and their human liaisons for a nefarious end. Men tend to be cast as either villains (all the demons are males) or lovers, and there are two very graphic sex scenes in this novel. The female characters are strong yet soft and very emotional.Demons is a good way to
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On sale October 27 , 2009 th
The New York Times bestselling series The Wheel of Time® continues….
Book Twelve of ® The Wheel of Time
A MeMory of Light was partially written by robert Jordan before his untimely passing in 2007. Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn books, was chosen by Jordan’s editor—his wife, harriet McDougal— to complete the final book. the scope and size of the volume was such that it could not be contained in a single book, and so tor proudly presents The Gathering Storm, the first of three novels that will complete the struggle against the Shadow, bringing to a close a journey begun almost twenty years ago and marking the conclusion of the Wheel of time®, the preeminent fantasy epic of our era. In Hardcover 978-0-7653-0230-4 Limited Edition (leather) 978-0-7653-2416-0
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E X PA N DE D introduce women to the genre of fantasy action and men to romance novels. As a combination of both, though, it fails to fully deliver what fans of either type truly enjoy. Reviewed by David Reynolds The Sword of the Lady By S. M. Stirling ROC 496 pages, $25.95 It has been some time since the preceding tome, The Scourge of God, left us wondering how Rudy MacKenzie, Artos, Tanith of the clan MacKensie, could get himself and his friends out of the clutches of the murderously self-indulgent “Governor “ of Iowa. We need not have worried. Mr. Stirling has performed an adroit heel hook and twist. In the process he has extracted Rudy’s questing band from captivity and simultaneously restructured the wealthiest political entity on his post-change continent. I give nothing away; he had to do those things for the story to proceed. It is the sheer ingenuity of the path that is a reader’s delight. Just when one feared this tale would become tedious or end tritely, Stirling has taken his hinted trilogy and made it at least a four-book series. He has delineated three or four diverging societies and a band of disculturated survivors in the process, developed and intertwined characters we already knew, and added others of great singularity and interest. Of course, this is the hero/king accreting his future generals. It is also the accumulation of allies against the final conflict as the other world interpenetrates that of men. (The protagonist and his companions discuss the process lest the reader not get it automatically.) Aarghh! Trapped! We have to read the next one. . . Reviewed by David Lloyd Sutton Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours By Jim Butcher Pocket Books, 292 pages, $15.00 A heavenly match if ever there was one, the brain behind The Dresden Files has dipped his pen into Marvel ink to spin another chapter of the Spider-Man saga into novel form. With a plot that fits him like a glove and a character that resonates to his delightfully distinctive voice, Butcher throws his high-performance weight behind a high-performance name and comes up with yet another novel that can be read in one very long sitting. Peter Parker finds himself in another of those three-course helpings of crisis that seem to follow him around. He’s got work problems, he’s got domestic problems, and he’s got the Rhino tearing up his city. It
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would appear that the horned hooligan has been hired by some magnificently dangerous people. They’re rich, they’re unbreakable, they’ve been around for thousands of years, and they have a score to settle with Spider-Man. This book is a great choice for fans of the spidery superhero. Butcher’s wit scores big-time, and his talent for supernatural logic and engaging character development is a huge boon for the Marvel universe. For a fun bit of action that paints a cinematic blockbuster in your mind, check this book out right away. Reviewed by Micah Kolding Death’s Head: Day of the Damned By David Gunn Del Rey, 368 pages, $26.00 David Gunn brings us another book in his Death’s Head series, as we follow Sven as he tries to stay alive in a world where he can be cut down by former allies, and his friends, not to mention his enemies. In this novel, Sven is trying to stay alive to bring Vijay to his fiancée Aptitude. A mixture of political intrigue, otherworldly aliens, and allies becoming enemies and enemies becoming allies, this book is a blend of science fiction and action. With books like this, really a military action book set in a science fiction setting, you really have a focus on action, action, action--ignoring character and plot development, and often at times making the book enjoyable to read. This book will appeal to readers of the series and those that like military adventure/science fiction. But this is not the type of book that will change the face and nature of science fiction, or become one the classics. It is a middle of the road book, averagely written; in some scenes it is difficult to follow who is talking amongst a big cast, and with average plot development the story seems to drag, even though it is only 368 pages long. Reviewed by Kevin Winter The Lost Fleet: Relentless By Jack Campbell Ace, 320 pages, $7.99 The Lost Fleet: Relentless opens with Alliance Commander John Geary’s ship, Merlon, receiving devastating fire from Syndicate Worlds’ warships resulting in his order to abandon ship. Covering his crew’s escape, Commander Geary remains at the bridge, valiantly countering the Syndic attack with failing weapons and a dying ship until he, too, must depart after setting the Merlon self-destruct. Finding a damaged but functional escape pod, he ejects into cold space,
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sinking into survival sleep – a frozen state that preserves his body safely until the escape pod is recovered. Commander Geary’s final thoughts convey his confidence that his rescue will come soon. The battle and escape on the novel’s opening page foreshadows the confidence and conflict of the ensuing 320 pages. When Commander Geary opens his eyes, the reader finds he is now Captain Geary, promoted during his long survival sleep lasting nearly 100 years. His recovery heralds a mythic hero’s return to save the Alliance losing after a century of war with the Syndicate Worlds. After a disastrous plan wipes out the leadership, Geary finds himself the fleet commander and backed into a legend’s corner to assume the uncomfortable mantle of heroic historical figure expected to save the Alliance from itself, as well as the Syndicate and end the war. The fleet has suffered terrible losses and is behind enemy lines struggling to make it home intact. Captain Geary brings 100-year-old battle tactics to a war-worn force that has lost its proficiency, battles traitors within the fleet that seek their own power and glory, and denies his personal emotions and feelings about his resurrection, loss of everyone and everything he knew, and attraction to a highly competent and attractive subordinate. Jack Campbell spins a yarn full of naval battles believably set in space. His military characters are realistic and recognizable. The military culture is accurately portrayed, though at times a misogynistic representation of women in the military is distracting and stereotypical. The plot is ripe with twists and turns, and the author draws the tension out well, creating for the reader an enticing trail of adventure and questions regarding how the conflicts will resolve. Will the fleet make it home? Who are the traitors? Does the hero get the girl? This is fortunate, as some battle scenes are quite long, and the less military-inclined reader’s desire to know what happens next is stretched over pages of naval space-battle description. For readers familiar with Jack Campbell’s work, this is an excellent addition to the Lost Fleet series. For someone new to this work, the number of characters and occasional references to information that was undoubtedly introduced in earlier books can be confusing. The Lost Fleet: Relentless succeeds on its own merit, though, as an excellent example of military-based science fiction with a little bit of mystery for good measure. Reviewed by Vicki Hudson The Light of Burning Shadows: Book Two of the Iron Elves By Chris Evans Pocket Books, $26.00, 384 pages Moving outside standard fantasy, Evans creates a complex world by including well developed gunpowder weapons alongside
SE C T ION standard swords, magic, and questing. The titular characters are elves formerly associated with the evil Shadow Monarch, still bearing his sigil. In order to overcome their reputation, the Iron Elves are shock troops for the Calahrian Imperial Army against the Shadow Monarch and his minions. Book One introduced the world, the Iron Elves, and their commander, Konowa Swift Dragon, as they sought the Red Star to break their curse. They did find the Star, but Konowa ended up giving it to the Elfkynal instead of using it to help his men. Konowa also killed the Viceroy of Elfkyna, causing his exile and his troops’ disgrace. Now, in The Light of Burning Shadows, Konowa is called back to find his former command and track down a new Star on the outskirts of the Empire. His adventurous ocean sail to the Hasshugeb Expanse provides some diversion on the way to picking up the Iron Elves at their punishment outpost, coincidentally near the alleged Star, and they find themselves facing off against a new enemy, paralleling the original quest with less military action but more character development and world building. Dragons of the Hourglass Mage By Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman Wizards of the Coast, 352 pages, $25.95 In the twenty-fifth anniversary year of the original Dragonlance novel, Weis and Hickman return with another book in the Lost Chronicle series. This series is mostly being used to tell the untold stories of the original characters, or plot lines that have dangled unfinished for two and a half decades. Dragons of the Hourglass Mage is focused on Raistlin, the original amoral wizard, and the model for many thousands of D&D characters over the years. Raistlin has his black Robe, and has arrived at Neraka, to work for the Dark Queen. However, his possession of the Dragon Orb has alerted the Dark Queen to its existence in her city, though she doesn’t know who keeps it. So Raistlin must dodge her agents, while trying to come to terms with the changes that his Test in the Tower of High Sorcery had wrought in him. Add in the Dark Queen’s plan to seize power from the Gods of Magic, and Raistlin must protect himself, and the world, while not losing the balance he has achieved. Sure he’s one of the more amoral characters in the Dragonlance world; but even with that, he still maintains a connection to his old friends. Not the best written of the many (many, many) Dragonlance books, it is still worthwhile to old fans who want to fill in the gaps of the Dragons of Spring Dawning and Raistlin Chronicles (Soulforge and Brothers in Arms) storylines.
Technology Design-Driven Innovation: Changing the Rules of Competition by Radically Innovating What Things Mean By Roberto Verganti Harvard Business Press, 272 pages, $35.00 The topic of design, like branding and mission statements, may have worn out its welcome. But Roberto Verganti’s approach to design in Design-Driven Innovation: Changing the Rules of Competition by Radically Innovating What Things Mean may be just the right combination of new interpretations and fresh insights to reinvigorate the conversation. Filled with examples of successful companies and breakthrough products, he asks you to reconsider the idea of design, not as something applied to an object or as packaging or advertisement, (although all of these do play a role) but as a way of thinking about the product itself. Mr. Verganti views design as something that adds meaning to ordinary objects. It should not be an afterthought by the marketing department, but an integral part of the process inherent in the product from its inception, something that actually drives its development. Pretty and useful, of course. But also meaningful in an emotional, psychological and sociological way. While he uses many examples of manufacturers who have made a name for themselves using architects to “design” their products, he states that “interpreters” (individuals conducting research on how people give meaning to things) are the main players in a new ongoing design discourse. Building relationships with these interpreters is essential and networking to find them (“Interpreters are seldom insulated within the walls of a few company labs, but rather are diffused throughout many industries and contexts,”) is fundamental to your success. Unlike traditional approaches to design that use brainstorming, (Steve Jobs is quoted as saying, “...people don’t know what they want until you show it to them,”) and focus groups (which rarely result in innovation because, “people will search for what they already know,”) this new paradigm is based on research. It begins when top executives understand the concept, have a vision, and aren’t afraid to take risks. These leaders embrace collaboration, spend a great deal of their time listening, and grasp that such enterprises are long-term investments. They ask questions like, “What is the deepest reason people buy our product?” In fact, the over-riding theme of the book is “meaning,” because as humans we search for fulfillment even in a teakettle, something the author refers to as an adult “object/toy.” “There is no difference, at heart, between a coffee pot… and a teddy bear….” When you design products that are meaningful as well as utilitarian, you make
it difficult for your competitors to compete. While they may be able to copy your product’s form and function, “…they will never be able to imitate its real meaning, because that remains inextricably knotted to the brand.” If you follow Mr. Verganti’s advice, it may take a while, but your competition will be left wondering how it was you managed to redefine (and capture) their business. Reviewed by Bruce Genaro Using Google App Engine By Charles Severance O’Reilly/Google Press, 262 pages, $29.99 Google’s App Engine is a new web technology (appearing only last year) that provides an easy-to-use application framework with basic web tools. While the tutorial assumes experience as a professional developer, Charles Severance’s Using Google App Engine will help anyone get started with this platform. With this book, you’ll learn how to build complete, interactive applications and deploy them to the clouds using the same servers that power Google applications. You will get an overview of: the technologies necessary to use Google App Engine; learn how to use Python, HTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), HTTP, and DataStore, App Engine’s database; grasp the technical aspects necessary to create sophisticated, dynamic web applications; and understand what’s required to deploy your applications. Building web applications used to be for experts only, but with the Google App Engine and Charles Severance’s book, anyone can create a dynamic web presence. This is an excellent resource that’s not only for experienced programmers who want to acquire working knowledge on web technologies. This book is written for anyone with a need to learn about a new and exciting capability previously reserved for the technical elite. This book assumes no existing knowledge of programming or web technologies and is written in a way that is understandable to nonprogrammers. In fact, this book’s secret plan, co-published by O’Reilly Media and Google Press, is to transform someone from with no knowledge about web technologies into a firebreathing web application developer in less than a week. “Google App Engine removes the cost barrier from building and deploying software and data-backed websites and putting those sites into production. This book aims to make it easier for the average user to build and deploy basic websites using Google App Engine,” says author Charles Severance. “The hope is that literally millions of people from around the world will now be empowered to program on the Web. Who knows what creative applications will evolve in this new and exciting era?” Reviewed by Dominique James
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Mystery, Crime & Thrillers Angel’s Advocates By Mary Stanton Berkeley, 314 pages, $7.99 Since inheriting her uncle’s law firm in Savannah, Georgia, Brianna “Bree” Winston-Beaufort has been having some money troubles. But now she has a living, paying client, a spoiled teenager accused of stealing a Girl Scout’s cookie money. Looking for an answer to why her new client is so unconcerned by a possible prison sentence, Bree is contacted by the girl’s deceased father to help reduce his sentence in the afterlife. While dealing with her less than cooperative clients, Bree must also deal with the ghost of Josiah Pendergast, who has managed to cross the bridge between this world and the afterlife. Angel’s Advocates is the second book in the Beaufort & Company Mystery series. The book is an easy read, although it has a tendency to be a bit dry in the middle. Both this book and the previous don’t explain things that could leave the reader confused, such as the wind that comes from within Bree when she is enraged. The secrets of the angels in her company can make the reader want to scream with frustration, especially since the books are told from the third person and not from Bree’s point of view. There are several very entertaining moments in Angel’s Advocates, especially when the angels bicker amongst themselves, and when Bree must deal with her ex-boyfriend. The end of the book is a little disappointing, but the book will leave the reader wanting more. Reviewed by Katie Monson I Can See You By Karen Rose Central Grand Publishing, 496 pages, $18.99 Noah Webster is a member of the Hat Squad, an elite group of homicide detectives who are awarded a classic felt fedora hat by their colleagues after successfully solving their first case. Noah and his womanizing partner, Jack Phelps, may be elite, but they have their hands full when a serial killer goes on a sadistic murder spree with the intention of humiliating the Hat Squad. The killer targets lonely women obsessed with a virtual role-playing game, Shadowland, a game that the physically and emotionally scarred Eve Wilson is monitoring for a study. As Noah and Eve become closer, they are unaware that Eve has now become the killer’s new target.
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I Can See You has everything a suspense lover could want: a loathsome bad guy, stacks of dead bodies, gory – but not too gory – details, and a heroic detective. However, it’s everything else – namely, large sections dedicated to explaining the feelings of Noah and Eve – that drags the narrative down from excellent to pretty good. If you like romantic scenes to have equal time with suspense in a novel, you’ll adore I Can See You; if you don’t, however, you’ll wish it were a few hundred pages shorter. Reviewed by Michelle Kerns Total Immunity By Robert Ward Houghton Mifflin, Harcourt, 358 pages, $26.00 Four Los Angeles FBI agents are threatened with death after arresting a South African diamond smuggler. It’s just another day on the job, except someone starts murdering the agents. Meanwhile, the top cop claims the four stole evidence money from a bank robbery. And one of the agents—divorced but with a young girlfriend—is faced with a rebellious teenage son. And so starts Total Immunity from former “Hill Street Blues” and “Miami Vice” writer and producer Robert Ward. Set primarily in Los Angeles, Ward’s characters race around the southland seeking information as they try to solve several intertwined cases: Who is killing these cops? Who else is at risk? Who stole the bank robbery evidence money? How and why was the diamond smuggler given immunity from prosecution? Can Jack Harper keep his family and a key prosecution witness safe? Readers need to grab onto a roll bar and hang on for a wild ride, like a Porsche heading up Topanga Canyon. Ward’s novel reads like a top-notch action film. Total Immunity keeps viewers—and readers—at the edge of their seats. Grab the popcorn, a large soda and a box of Milk Duds and get ready for a one-sitting read. There are no intermissions. Reviewed by David Reynolds The Traffickers By W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV Putnam, 337 pages, $26.95 “Cops hold the line between civilized society and the barbarians forever. And that’s not going to change as long as there’re bad guys.” So ends W.E.B. Griffin’s latest Badge of Honor novel, The Traffickers. An explosion at a meth lab that injures
two friends brings Detective Sergeant Matt Payne back from his enforced leave. What happens next provides a close look at the all-too-human impact of smuggling illegal immigrants and narcotics from Mexico to Philadelphia by way of Dallas. El Gato— the man responsible for the meth lab and the one who also turns young female illegal immigrants into prostitutes—continues his heroin dealing, loudly killing anyone who complains. Payne, with the help of a Texas Ranger sent to find El Gato, must track down and stop El Gato before any more bodies end up on the streets of the City of Brotherly Love or in the quiet homes of Dallas. The Traffickers also gives a behind-thescenes look at the politicking taking place in a large metropolitan police department. Which detective gets what case may well depend on who has the best inter-departmental connections. This non-stop action thriller is the ninth book in the series and the fourth collaboration between father and son. Don’t miss it. Reviewed by David Reynolds Black Hills By Nora Roberts Putnam Adult, 472 pages, $26.95 Black Hills is a story centers around Cooper “Coop” Sullivan and Lillian “Lil” Chance, two friends who meet in the late 1980s when they are still children. The story skips along as the two main characters grow up. One of the problems with the romance novels is that format demands that the main characters become a couple. Roberts resolves this issue quickly, making Lil and Coop lovers in the first fourth of the book. The bulk of the story focuses on the two in their early thirties as they try to reconnect long after their initial romance failed. Roberts’ skill at developing distinct personalities is quite evident. A complicating factor for the two main protagonists is the presence of a serial killer, stalking Lil. Years before the two stumbled upon the dead body of a missing hiker. Now, the killer is back and is determined to make Lil his next victim. The threat creates tension, making it easier for Coop and Lil to overcome their lingering hard feelings over the end of their relationship. Roberts keeps the killer “off stage” and then slowly brings develops this character. The result is engrossing. Reviewed by Nicholas Evan Sarantakes The Sign By Raymond Khoury Dutton, 465 pages, $26.95 A television crew sent to capture an Antarctic ice shelf collapse is caught off-guard when a mysterious sphere of light suddenly appears. The sphere contains a symbol. The
symbol resonates with a group of Eastern Orthodox Christians and their well-respected monk, Father Jerome, who has been drawing the same symbol for seven months. Is this glowing airborne symbol a sign from God, as right-wing fundamentalist Christians believe? A hoax being foisted on Muslims by the Great Satan (America)? Or a sign from Mother Nature saying humans have royally screwed up her planet? Meanwhile, ex-con Matt Sherwood learns that his brother, Danny, presumed dead in a Mid-East copter crash, may have been murdered. Matt and his brother’s friend are kidnapped before he can learn the details, and the friend is brutally murdered. Can Matt Sherwood learn the truth about his brother’s fate before he too becomes a victim? So starts The Sign, the latest novel by Raymond Khoury, author of The Last Templar and The Sanctuary. The Sign is fast-paced, and like the Bullitt Mustang (from a Steve McQueen movie) featured early on, the gas pedal is glued to the floor for non-stop cover-to-cover action. Though set during the Christmas season, this is one hot novel that readers will not want to put down. Reviewed by David Reynolds The King of Thieves By Michael Jecks Trafalgar Square Publishing, 384 pages, $24.95 If you’re a sucker for a good mystery, then this is the book for you or, more excitingly, the series for you! The King of Thieves is the twenty-sixth tale in the Knights Templar series. Author Michael Jecks delivers a pristine account of the times in 1325 under the reign of King Charles IV of France and King Edward II of England. But it’s more than that. This is a murdermystery in its purest form, set in a time when there were no forensics labs, police procedures to follow or even an All Points Bulletin to post. Murder, thievery, deception and chivalry each play a role in this sentimental journey of various characters. Subplots and interrelated storylines keep you turning the pages at such a pace that you will torture yourself in not savoring the enchantment of it all. You will find yourself transported to 1325 in the descriptive writing of Jecks with perfect rhythm of the age even down to the dialects, smells and design of the landscapes. Take this penaltyfree journey into the Middle Ages for real entertainment. Reviewed by M Chris Johnson
Relationships & Sex Women are Crazy, Men are Stupid By Howard J. Morris & Jenny Lee Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 246 pages, $22.99 This hilarious contemporary relationship memoir set in urban Hollywood culture will fascinate many and annoy others. If a little neurosis goes a long way, this couple has a round-trip ticket to Alpha Centauri. Morris, a brilliant, witty screen writer, who calls the love of his life “crazy as a [outhouse] rat” in the first chapter, probably should be shopping for a gun permit before this book hits the shelves. Crazy Jenny, equally talented, will never be asked to star in “The Bachelorette” after this, either. Howard and Jenny bravely delve into many relationship pitfalls: Why men make women crazy--a historical perspective; empathy--how to get it and why would you want it; how to deal with crazy; and my favorite, the stupid defense. This read will make an excellent engagement/bachelor party present. It is chock full of sports analogies and raw language to keep guys interested and enough contemporary celebrity tidbits for the bride-to-be. In short, it is a brief lesson in couples therapy that is both funny and engaging. A great gift for any guy in love with a high-maintenance woman. Reviewed by Sheli Ellsworth
Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Ex* By Heather Belle and Michelle Fiordaliso Sourcebooks, Inc., 268 pages, $14.99 Who knew that once you said goodbye, you’d spend so much time getting over it? Songs have been written about it, moms promise personal vendettas over it, and, most likely in some form, you are wounded and badged because of it. Breaking up is hard to do, but the real challenge comes in the redefinement, in the work. Being one part of the all-encompassing couple can leave one feeling “exed” out of life as they knew it when the relationship ceases to exist. Heather Belle and Michelle Fiordaliso have teamed up to create a realistically informative and positive guide on letting go of the past, drawing boundaries, and inviting hope into your present circumstances in Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Ex*. This portable and hilarious narrative (so real it’s like talking with two best girlfriends on the sofa in your sweats) offers advice and stories from the trenches, including personal accounts from the authors’ own experiences. There is something for everyone, from dealing with the exes that you “have to keep” to dividing things accumulated in the relationship (including ugly coffee tables, friends, and hangout spots) to taking the quotes off of “just
friends.” Much like an ex, minus the regrets, this is a great book to read, love, learn from, and pass on. Reviewed by Sky Sanchez LOCAL AUTHOR 101 Things I Learned After My Divorce By Tomi Tuel StarJunction Books, $14.95, 230 pages Sacramento author Tomi Tuel was blindsided when her seemingly ideal marriage came to a crashing halt. In navigating the aftermath of her relationship, and having to move on with her life, Tuel learned many lessons, several of which she wished she’d learned prior to the divorce. Part of her own recovery involved figuring those lessons out, and writing a book to share them with others. 101 Things I Learned is written conversationally and with humor, using her experiences to guide other women (and men) through the ins and outs of surviving divorce and not letting destroy your sense of self. Most of her tips and suggestions fall under the category of common sense, but when someone is in the midst of emotional upheaval, they may not all that obvious. Potentially a helpful guide for someone, the book could use some minor editing for clarity and grammar when a new edition is printed.
AWAY WE GO, Cont’d from page 1 happen to Verona’s breasts after the birth of the baby. Verona worries about everything; specifically how ill-prepared they seem to be in comparison to others. “We went to the same college as these guys. How can they be so grown-up while we’re…” Bert responds, in utter sync with her, “Stunted? Confused? American?” The hapless couple travels from city to city, visiting odd yet interesting relatives and bizarre friends alike, gathering small gems of wisdom. Soon Burt and Verona realize the most important lesson of all; most people have no idea what they’re doing. Not adapted from a novel, Away we Go is written only as a screenplay and lacks the level of detail readers have come to expect through inner monologue or descriptive scene setting. Rather than being hand fed every thought and feeling of each character, the reader is left to discern motive by dialogue alone, leading to a much deeper, realistic connection. As a bonus feature, the authors include the original alternate ending. Less touchingly sweet as the current, the original would have also served as a more realistic yet not quite as satisfying conclusion. If nothing else, readers will find themselves itching to see the movie. Reviewed by Lanine Bradley
Pop-Culture A Better Pencil: Readers, Writers and the Digital Revolution By By Dennis Baron Oxford University Press, 272 pages, $24.95 If you want to know the timeline of writing technologies from the use of clay up until the era of typewriters and just before the dawn of the computer age, this book offers a sweeping, all-inclusive look at how writing technologies were invented, adopted, and overthrown. Based on well-established facts and accepted information and in a tone of voice that seems to be scornful of Luddites (with the aid of hindsight, of course), the book gives a dramatic and riveting arc on how the tides of writing technology ebbed and flowed. All is well and good—neat, fun, entertaining, and informative—until the part of the book about the era of computers. While the transition from the section about typewriters to the section about computers appears to be seamless, Baron dramatically
shifts in his tone of voice. While he wrote the previous chapters with the kind of authority that can only be based on definitive research with a lot of scholarly citations, this doesn’t seem to be the case when it comes to computer technology as today’s dominant tool for writers, on writing, and as a means of textual communication. As we are still somewhere in the middle of the rapidly evolving computer technology and without the benefit of hindsight, Baron’s views and the tone of his voice seems to falter. In this section of the book, it appears that the author himself has become the Luddite that he scorned in previous chapters. The information regarding the stature of Facebook (vis-à-vis, MySpace) in the book seems to be no longer valid in light of their current standing. Twitter, for instance, is the 140-character means of communication that has grown to be a significant reader/ writer aspect, and which has clearly exploded in recent months in terms of adoption and popularity, and its impact on political, international, economic, entertainment affairs; but Baron does not even give this iconic application its proper due. This is the same with his regard for the phenomenon of digi-
tal multimedia platforms such as YouTube and Flickr, both influential “communication tools” in the digital era. He gives several other internet phenomenon extraordinary emphasis, while others such as these, which are clearly significant today, appear to have been relegated into the background. Also, in light of the book’s thesis—an exploration of tools that allows humans to communicate and connect—the chapter covering digital tools is unnecessarily overdrawn in terms of intricacies. Readers on the lookout for threads connecting it to the thesis instead of just reading lengthy descriptions of the mechanics of the internet platforms (as opposed to the very cohesive flow of the earlier chapters which dealt with older technologies up to WordStar), will find only a dull extrapolation in regard to digital technology. In addition, it should be pointed out that there is a section where the author discusses text “authenticators” at length—the methods by which we come to trust the source, validity, and truthfulness of any written text. It is one of the most interesting topics in the book, but Baron stops short when it comes to authenticators in the digital
age, even though the discussion could have surely proven to be rich and enlightening. And finally, there is barely any mention of the technology of metadata and keywords in the search-and-retrieval section of the book. Because these matters are not amply addressed, Baron’s only recourse is to retreat to a position similar to that of a Luddite. Of course, as usually happens, when the book is updated in its next edition, the author will include new information and also hopefully update his position. Still, as it stands, Baron’s A Better Pencil can only be viewed as nothing more than an interesting starting point, rather than an end, to discussions and debates about the current and future trends of reading and writing. Reviewed by Dominique James
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Business & Investing Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy, Focusing Your Resources, and Taking Smart Action By Rich Horwath Greenleaf Book Group Press, $21.95, 224 pages The inability to set good strategy can sink a company, and a leader’s career. A recent Wall Street Journal study revealed that the number one most sought-after executive skill by organizations is strategic thinking, but few leaders have that skill set. This is particularly important because, in today’s faltering economy and tough markets, Harvard Business Review says that 85% of executive leadership teams spend less than one hour per month discussing their unit’s strategy, with 50% spending no time at all (Kaplan & Norton, 2005), and 80% of top management’s time is devoted to issues that account for less than 20% of a company’s long-term value (Mankins, 2004). In Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy, Focusing your Resources, and Taking Smart Action, author Rich Horwath dissects the three most important elements of strategic thinking, breaks them down into simple and attainable skills, and shows readers how to apply them every day. He provides managers with a clear path to mastery of three disciplines: the acumen to generate critical insights through a stepby-step evaluation of the business and its environment; the focused allocation of limited time, talent and money; and an action plan that implements a system to guarantee effective execution and communication of strategy throughout the organization. Deep Dive is based on new research with senior executives from more than 150 companies and Horwath’s own experience as president of Strategic Thinking Institute, a former chief strategy officer, and a professor of strategy. As a strategic consultant, he has worked with such giants as Adidas, Pfizer, Abbott Laboratories, and Amgen. He is the author of four books and more than fifty articles on strategic thinking and has been profiled in business publications around the world, including Investor’s Business Daily. Armed with knowledge from Deep Dive, every reader can learn to become an expert strategist and an invaluable member of his or her organization. Reviewed by Dominique James
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How Successful People Think: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life By John C. Maxwell Center Street, $9.99, 127 pages New York Times bestselling author John C. Maxwell opens the first chapter of his newest book, How Successful People Think: Change Your Thinking, Change your Life, with: “Where success is concerned, people are not measured in inches, or pounds, or college degrees, or family background; they are measured by the size of their thinking”— David Schawart. The subject, How Successful People Think, merits some questions. How does the author, John C. Maxwell, know? How many successful people has he interviewed? And who wants to hear from another talking head? In the introduction he explains: “I’ve studied successful people for forty years, and though the diversity you find among them is astounding, I’ve found that they are all alike in one way: how they think!...How successful people think can be learned. If you change your thinking, you can change your life!...Gold mines tap out. Stock markets crash...but a human mind with the ability to think well is like a diamond mind that never runs out. It’s priceless.” The author explains how to become a better thinker by use of eleven skills. Realistic thinking is always the key to those in trouble. Has he misled us? You can find the answers in How Successful People Think: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life and invest in the real thing—you. Reviewed by Vivian Dixon Sober
agement up and down almost all corporate headquarters. Keeping in mind that consulting is the most improbable business on earth, read what Matthew Stewart has to say not just about the management consulting firms and MBA holders, but also about the star management consultants or “gurus” such as Frederick Winslow Taylor, Elton Mayo, Douglas McGregor, Peter Drucker, Tom Peters, Gary Hamel, Michael Hammer, James Champy, Jim Collins, Stephen Covey, and even Norman Vincent Peale, Napoleon Hill, and Jack Welch, among others. It has become clear, Matthew Stewart asserts, that the market for inanities masquerading as profound insights knows no limits. This is why the next big thing so often turns out to be a last little mistake, why those sunny vacations so rarely live up to postcard hopes, and why four out of five books (at least!) that promise to deliver the secret of success aren’t worth the paper they are printed on. In the best case, they are maxims. Mostly, they boil down to tautologies. Such “principles” are unscientific not because they are false, but because they are so true. Scientific theories are interesting because they could be wrong. They are, in fact, bundles of nonfalsifiable truisms. The bottom line is, management is the art of getting things done through people, and we can learn how to do it. Often, it isn’t a science but a party trick. As Nietszche would have said, there are no facts; there are only interpretations. So, before you decide to buy another business book by a management guru, attend a conference on business management, or hire a consultant, it is best to peruse Matthew Stewart’s The Management Myth. It is worth reading; if not for fun, at least not for folly. Reviewed by Dominique James
The Management Myth: Why the Experts Keep Getting it Wrong By Matthew Stewart W. W. Norton, $27.95, 304 pages With the current financial crisis serving as a dramatic backdrop, we find ourselves asking how the captains of big businesses, the titans of industries, and the wizards of financial houses can make so much money while wreaking so much havoc on the economy. The management gurus, the shiny MBAs, the overpaid CEOs, and the highpriced consultants—weren’t they supposed to be too smart to screw up this badly? In a smart and acute analysis, former consultant Matthew Stewart brings us The Management Myth: Why the Experts Keep Getting it Wrong—a book that lifts the veil on what’s really going on. It challenges some of the firmly eschewed and generally well-regarded business management principles, shaking up the belief and practice of man-
Never Make The First Offer (and Other Wisdom No Dealmaker Should Be Without) By Donald Dell Portfolio, $25.95, 195 pages Never Make The First Offer (and Other Wisdom No Dealmaker Should Be Without) is a pleasantly subtle business how-to. What I liked about Never Make The First Offer is that author Donald Dell makes you feel as though you are present during the events Dell recalls. Dell imparts useful lessons through stories which illustrate his point without being too “preachy.” I enjoyed this book, as it is more than a cut-and-dry how-to for businessmen – both a memoir and something akin to a master imparting his lessons via reading osmosis. Dell is a clever writer, which, judging by his clever business exploits, is not at all surprising. This is a pleasant book to read
while relaxing and would make a fun summer read. Reviewed by Susie Kopecky The Everything Business Plan Book By Dan Ramsey; Stephen Windhaus Adams Media, $19.95, 320 pages There are many different business plan books out on the market, all coming with a CD to help you create just the right plan to make your business dreams a reality. The Everything Business Plan Book isn’t significantly different than many of the other ones published, but will just as easily walk you through the steps to think out your idea, plan your costs, find your niche and create a plan that brings it all together. The accompanying CD has 70 sample business plans in a variety of business opportunities, each of which can be customized for your personal use. They also encourage you to get even more sample business plans from a software partner, Palo Alto Software, but that will cost you another $100-$200. One would think with a title including the word “Everything,” it might include more than just a sample of plans and not bait-and-switch to another program costing at least five-times as much. The meat of the book is more than adequate for most first time business planers; people looking for more depth will find the simplicity limiting. LOCAL AUTHOR Successfully Sell Your Business By Andrew Rogerson Great Little Book Publishing Co, $29.95, 156 pages You’ve built your business from scratch, but want to do something different. Maybe retire, maybe start something new. When starting a business, very few people consider how they are going to end their business career. If you aren’t going to give it to your children or take it public, your primary option is to sell it, but selling a business is about as hard as starting one. Enter Andrew Rogerson, Certified Business Broker, and his Successfully Sell Your Business. Taking his experience in buying and selling his own businesses and what he’s learned as a business broker, he’s written a pretty comprehensive guide to selling a business with sample documents and worksheets to figure out when to sell, how much to value it at, and how to work with prospective buyers. Easy to read and with a lot of additional suggestions for help; the only thing really lacking is having the worksheets and checklists on CD or available for download.
History First Dogs By Roy Rowan & Brooke Janis Algonquin Books, 163 pages, $9.95 From stories dating back to Washington and John Quincy Adams, to this year’s newest Presidential canine Bo the Portuguese water dog, First Dogs takes us on a historical journey to meet the dogs of the White House. This book is filled with photographs, illustrations and paintings of presidential families dating back to our founding fathers. The historical account of these canine pals is quite astonishing to read about. Accounts of the roles they played in American history and the lives they led while standing by the side of our country’s leaders make this book a delightful read for dog lovers and history buffs alike. The reader is given a rare glimpse into the family life of the Kennedys, Johnsons and Fords to name only three, through stories and photographs from their personal libraries. First Dogs offers us an opportunity to see a snapshot of these First Families and their interaction with their best friends. To see Liberty, Gerald Ford’s Golden Retriever, taking a refreshing summer dip in the White House fountains or the Coolidge dogs in their Easter Bonnets reveals a personal and heartwarming side of these families that often is not shared publicly. First Dogs lets us venture into the private lives of these great families, who shared a common thread with the Americans who they served. To learn that Abraham Lincoln as a child rescued and raised an injured mutt named Honey says a great deal about the man’s character and the role he plays in our history. Laddie Boy, Harding’s dog, took the newspaper to the president every morning and never left his side. Harding threw a birthday party for Laddie Boy, inviting all the neighborhood dogs, but then he was accustomed to special treatment and had his own servant, Willie Jackson, who stayed on at the White House through the Coolidge administration, where he took on the official title of Master of the White House Hounds. First Dogs is presidential history unleashed, and these charming photos and appealing stories pay tribute to and appreciation of these presidential canines while giving a new light-hearted angle on the history of our leaders. This book is definitely worth barking about! Reviewed by Doreen Erhardt
The Candy Bombers: The Untold Story of the Berlin Airlift and America’s Finest Hour By Andrei Cherny Caliber, 624 pages, $18.00 Now in paperback, this highly acclaimed chronicle of the Soviet blockade of Berlin and the American-led airlift brings the post-War years to life. Author Andrei Cherney, editor of the journal Democracy, profiles the personalities, policies, and politics that swirled around war-torn Berlin in The Candy Bombers. This tightly written account reveals the struggle for the fate of Berlin as the accord between Britain, France, and America and Russia—former A l lies—dissolved into discord over the spread of Communism. There is much more to this book than just the story of American pilots who, during the year-long blockade, parachuted tons of bundles of candy over Berlin. In fact, a good two thirds of the book is spent setting the stage for “Operation Little Vittles,” which served not only to help feed Berlin’s starving children, but also restored morale and helped forge new, lasting bonds between America and Germany—and secured America’s role as a superpower. This fastpaced history reads like a well-written novel, although at times Cherney’s language is a little florid and heavy on the similes. Replete with information from recently unclassified documents, letters, diaries, and interviews, The Candy Bombers is an absorbing piece of history and colorful storytelling. Reviewed by Kelli Christiansen Dillinger’s Wild Ride: The Year that Made America’s Public Enemy Number One By Elliot J. Gorn Oxford University Press, 268 pages, $24.95 For a society that values law and order, the fact that America makes outlaws and bandits into folk heroes is an interesting phenomenon. Eliot J. Gorn sets out to examine why this happened with John Dillinger. Gorn argues in this short, but wide ranging biographical study that a lot of people wanted to make Dillinger a legend, including his enemies. The Dillinger that emerges from this study is a bit surprising, a bit not. Dillinger was no psychopath. He turned to a life of crime because it was easy and thrilling, and then later because he knew nothing else. There were a lot of other bank robbers at work at this time, and all of them developed something of a following. They, along with Dillinger, became famous during the Great
Depression because the public was frustrated with an economic system that seemed to betraying them. Dillinger was something of a rebel that the public could respect to a certain degree, even if they refused to emulate him. He was also charismatic and played to the media of his era. On the other hand, the Federal Bureau of Investigation also helped build up the legend of public enemy number one. According to the FBI version of events, the take-down of Dillinger showed scientific police work at its best. The fact that the Bureau was rather incompetent in its pursuit and eventually tracked him down using old-fashioned police methods, like snitches and bounties, is something that rarely got mentioned in the years since, but that Gorn takes notice of in this account. Reviewed by Nicholas Evan Sarantakes Treachery By Chapman Pincher Random House, 679 pages, $36.00 The Cold War was a time for spies at their mysterious best. Chapman Pincher gives the reader a tale of spies inside the highest levels of the British government as they gave state secrets to the Soviets, all the way up until the 1960s when the super spy Elli retired and the protection for the other spies was gone. The author covers from the 1930s through the 1960s in great and minute detail. His main focus is proving that Roger Hollis, one time head of MI5, was the super spy Elli. The subtitle of the book talks about espionage against both Great Britain and the United States, but the focus is on Great Britain. The United States is mentioned only in passing, and only for a few cases. Mr. Pincher is definitely an old school journalist, and he proves that with his writing style in this book--a style that hearkens back to the old school investigative reporting. His writing is crisp and to the point, and the chapters are short, probably none more than ten pages long, though he likes to reference the same event a couple of times in relation to other events happening to get his point across. That MI5 and MI6 had a high level mole, for instance. The main problem is that is only focuses on a few decades, quickly going over the years after 1963. Also the United States plays a bit role in this work. This is a book for those wanting to relive the bad old days of the Cold War, with spies and treachery. Reviewed by Kevin Winter
Lords of the Sea: The Epic Story of the Athenian Navy and the Birth of Democracy By John R. Hale Viking, 395 pages, $29.95 In this account, John R. Hale of the University of Louisville gives us an institutional history of the Athenian Navy. Hale’s central argument is that the success of the navy made Athens’s golden age and its democratic system of government possible. Hale has a persuasive and convincing case. The navy influenced Athenian society in profoundly basic ways. Much of the literature and architecture of this era was associated with success of the military. The navy itself was far more democratic in its structure than the Athenian Army with its hoplites and cavalry, because it had to be. This book is primarily about war, but given the point he is trying to make, Hale includes a good deal of description about the social, political, and intellectual life of Athens. Combat operations, though, are the central element of his account. Hale has a good topic and writes in an engaging fashion. Although some of the battles begin to blend together, one of the things that strikes the non-specialist is the amount of detail that the author has to offer his reader and that has survived for 2,000 years. Although Athens suffered defeat at the hands of Sparta in the Peloponnesian Wars, Hale continues his narrative for another eight decades. It was only with the rise of the Macedonians under the leadership of Philip II and later his son, Alexander the Great, that brought the reign of the world’s first great naval power to an end. Reviewed by Nicholas Evan Sarantakes
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Current Events & Politics The Waxman Report: How Congress Really Works By Henry Waxman (with Joshua Green) Twelve, $24.99, 224 pages The Waxman Report: How Congress Really Works is an inside look at the inner machinations of Congress, courtesy of California representative Henry Waxman. The Waxman Report is more akin to historical publications by politicians who may be seeking a broader audience and/or name recognition. Among others, President Kennedy also wrote a governmental-related and history-centric book, the fabulous Profiles In Courage. Waxman covers some landmark legislation, and the history of running bills through Congress. He also provides insight into his strategies and outcomes, and provides new details on what may have happened behind the scenes, and what repercussions occurred. This is an interesting read for those familiar with Waxman as a politician with a career spanning more than three decades, and want to know more about his experiences. Reviewed by Susie Kopecky In the Graveyard of Empires By Seth G. Jones Norton, $27.95, 432 pages In the Graveyard of Empires is less a book and more a reference work. Seth G. Jones has put together a meticulous (mostly, I’ll go into more detail later) overview of the United States “adventure” in this Middle Eastern country known for nothing more than its ability to resist foreign armies. Mr. Jones slowly introduces the reader to the history of invasion in this region of this world starting with the Alexander the Great, up to the British Empire, the Soviet Union and finally our own country’s entry, early success, and subsequent flailing in the country in the wake of the September 11 disaster. So detailed is Jones’ work that I often found myself lost amidst the sea of names, both foreign and domestic; military acronyms; and geography. The maps provided in the book are sorely lacking, though, and the absence of an index made recalling just who and what everything was made following the geo-political and internal machinations regarding the reshaping of modern Afghanistan almost impossible--I’d have been completely lost without Google and Wikipedia. The largest
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omission from the book is the Bush administration’s intentional misleading of the public and international community regarding the foray into Iraq, which was detrimental to stabilizing Afghanistan. Jones presents the administration’s arguments and reasons and accepts them at face value, when we know now that the public arguments for the war in Iraq were based on lies and distortions. I’m not asking for a biased or slanted view, but the simple truth would have been nice. Otherwise a good read for students of Afghanistan. Reviewed by Jonathon Howard The National Security Court System By Glenn Sulmasy Oxford University Press, $29.95, 237 pages The image of Guantanamo Bay is one of prisoners from the War on Terror awaiting their time for trial. In his new book, Glenn Sulmasy argues that the United States needs to set up a separate court system to put international terrorists on trial—a National Security Court System that would specialize in terrorist cases and finally bring those responsible for 9/11 and other terrorist acts against the United States to justice. Mr. Sulmasy makes many good points and supports his thesis with a wide variety of evidence. He makes a convincing point that it is worse to have these individuals locked up without a trail than to finally have a trial. He examines in great deal the history of military commissions used in the past, and this greatly supports his thesis. The only major problem is that he gets long winded at times. When a paragraph gets longer than a page, it needs to split up. By the time you get to the end of the paragraph, it is hard to remember what the paragraph was about. Besides that, the book is a great history of past military commissions and the commissions set up after 9/11 and how military justice has evolved over the years. Reviewed by Kevin Winter The Death of Conservatism By Sam Tanenhaus Random House, $17.00, 144 Mapping out what he perceives as the freeze of progress in conservative politics since the days of McCarthyism (explicitly pertaining to the Republican party), Sam Tanenhaus’ The Death of Conservatism is a comprehensive and relatively casually written short political book that makes its point deftly and effectively. With a myriad of historical examples, quotes from politicians, political thinkers, and other
SBR REVIEWER SPOTLIGHT
Susie Kopecky Ever since I could pick up a book, I’ve found no good reason to put it back down. I find reading not only to be pleasurable and rewarding, but also a wonderful and educational pastime. When not working full-time as a student and writer, I am… you guessed it: reading! Other activities I enjoy include swimming, traveling (even a walk to the park can be an adventure!), music and concocting delicious foodstuffs (the tasting is the best part!). A good story, when told effectively, can change the world. Writers from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, to Walt Disney, Harriet Beacher Stowe to Charles Darwin, Harper Lee to the epic scribes of the Torah and New Testament: their works have had monumental and history-shaping consequences on the history of human thought. Oh the pen…it is mighty! published works and no shortage of his own opinions, Tanenhaus strives to prove that what the conservative movement needs is not more of the same, but rather to adapt to changing times and political tides and to become a more fluid, in-touch organization. Too often appearing smug and condescending, Tanenhaus greatly reduces the power of his arguments regarding conservatism’s supposed stagnation, many of which are valid and thought-provoking. The book, like virtually all political treatises, assumes it is preaching to the choir, and an off-putting pejorative tone (as can be found in books from all sides of the political spectrum) emanates from far too many of its pages. Overall, however, Sam Tanenhaus provides a strong, simply written manifesto on what he feels is, as the title suggests, The Death of Conservatism in the United States. Sadly, it’s doubtful that many will listen. Reviewed by Ashley McCall Yes We Did! An Inside Look at How Social Media Built the Obama Brand By Rahaf Harfoush New Riders Press/ Peachpit, $24.99, 216 pages This book is exactly what the title implies; that is, it is an inside look at how social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace created a marketable brand for the campaign for Barack Obama’s presidency. While the book succeeds at drawing important lessons for manages and marketers and will be helpful for people trying to bring about change in whatever they’re doing, it reads a little too much like a narrative or diary, and also appears formatted a little bit like an instruction manual.
I’m sure Ms. Harfoush didn’t intend the book to turn out that way, but I have to be candid. The titles of the chapters in part two are mostly names of specific strategies or functions that were used as tools in the overall brand-building venture – email, text messaging, blogging, video, social networks, etc. Each of these chapters is summarized with lessons at the end and it thus ends up reading like a manual. The statistics appeal to my highly analytical side, but the stories are buried in numbers and lessons. The story of Barack’s election is wonderful anyway, so I’m sure many will find this book’s details and analysis enlightening and helpful; however, in its usefulness as entertainment I was a little disappointed. Reviewed by John Cloutman
Historical Fiction The Coral Thief By Rebecca Stott Spiegel and Grau, 280 pages, $25.00 Paris, 1815. A man on a train at night clutches a suitcase packed with the bones of a mammoth. A beautiful woman takes the neighboring seat. She is enchanting. They talk. He falls asleep. She disappears with his suitcase and the chase is on. Post-revolutionary France was a time of incubating ideas, festering power struggles, and the re-creation of national identity. We meet Lucienne Bernard, who moves in and out of shadow, luring Daniel O’Connor, who quickly seeks more than his suitcase. This is the fertile historical setting for Stott’s fascinating, memorable characters, and her story of suspense, drama, romance, and intrigue. Daniel O’Connor, the hero of the novel, is about to begin work with the illustrious Dr. Cuvier, who teaches the science and biology of the era: animal hierarchies are fi xed, and the earth is 3000 years old. These theories had been tested by science, approved by the Church, and reflected for centuries in the politics of monarchy. But Lucienne, a scientist herself, teaches Daniel a new science, one that was a precursor to the emerging science of evolution. Transformists theorized that creatures adapted to their habitats and changed over the course of their life. They may have grown longer necks, or lost the webbing in their feet and reproduced offspring with these new characteristics. The theory described natural life forms imbued with power to improvise, and strive toward perfection. This science was ideal for inspiring a political movement insisting on uprising against authority. Bringing down kings and priests could be argued a natural striving toward perfection. The story’s intrigue is carefully crafted. Lucienne is smart, vibrant, and iconoclastic, determined to reconstruct her grandmother’s coral collection that was stolen during the war. Passion for philosophy, science, social action and certain men animates Lucienne. In contrast, Daniel is introduced as a sheltered, rather timid young man of science. But intelligence, courage and curiosity soon compel him to question his most fundamental assumptions. Drenched in the color, taste, texture, fragrance of the period, this is fabulous literary fiction grounded in historical fact. Reviewed by Marcia Jo Tomato Rhapsody: A Fable of Love, Lust & Forbidden Fruit By Adam Schell Delacorte Press, 352 pages, $25.00 The first book from former college football player and professional cook turned author/ yoga teacher Adam Schell, Tomato Rhapsody is a witty, charming and intelligent novel fi lled with colorful, often endearing charac-
ters, and a love story that exists not just between a man and woman, but between people and hitherto-feared foods. The book tells the tell of Davido and his grandfather Nonno, Jewish farmers in a small Tuscan village, who, amongst other plants, grow tomatoes, an unknown fruit in Italy and feared by the common folk. With the help of the town’s new priest, known as the Good Padre, a giant of a man with a seemingly magical history and rare skin tone, Davido strives to garner community acceptance for both himself (for, as a Jew, or Ebreo, he is looked upon with mistrust) and his favorite crop-not without running in with the town’s cast of oft-charming and occasionally diabolical characters--and falling in love in the process. Tomato Rhapsody is full of charming historical fact and even references to a dramatic guidebook of sorts of antiquity, along with rhyming dialogue, a plot and characters in the Shakespearean tradition, and passionate descriptions of food that can only come from the hand of a true lover of ingestion. A fun, consuming read that ends all too quickly, Tomato Rhapsody is surely a herald of good things to come. Adam Schell, I’ve got my eye on you. Reviewed by Ashley McCall The Spies of Warsaw By Alan Furst Random House, 288 pages, $15.00 Alan Furst has written one of the most engaging and authentic spy novels published in recent years. Furst’s novels are usually set in the era of World War II. In this book, Lieutenant Colonel Jean-François Mercier is the military attaché at the French embassy in Warsaw. Mercier’s mission is to gain information on the German military that is rebuilding. One of Mercier’s key assets is a German engineer working at a munitions firm. When the Gestapo begins hunting him down, Mercier must intervene to save the life of his spy, and then find other ways to gain critical information about the German Army. Furst shows a real nuanced understanding of both time and place. The job of actual military attaches is developing relationships between militaries, and is more about bureaucratic routine than exploits of cloak and dagger daringdo. This nature comes through, but Furst has enough talent as a story teller to take fairly routine matters and presenting them in their most interesting light. His story is plausible and his char-
acters come alive as distinct personalities. The narrative is evocative of Poland during its brief period of true independence and the French Army when it still rivaled the Royal Navy as one of the most dominate militaries in Europe. Since this is a spy story set in the margins of history, it is easy to suspend disbelief, and read without any knowledge of where the story will end. Even readers familiar with the World War II era will find new material in this book and new perspectives. Reviewed by Nicholas Evan Sarantakes Girl in a Blue Dress By Gaynor Arnold Crown, 414 pages, $25.99 A charming and innocent young girl in Victorian England falls madly in love with a dashing and quirky young man. Against the hesitations of her parents, she holds onto her love and marries the man, cheers and supports him as he finds incredible fame and fortune and gains the vast power of celebrity status with the English people. She bears him ten children. Then he leaves her. And not quietly. He publicly claims that she is unfit for the duties of both wife and mother, and then domiciles her away from himself and their children. His fame and fortune increase beyond imagining and though he continues to support her, he takes up with
an actress half his age and is her companion for the remaining fifteen years of his life. This novel is inspired by the life and marriage of Charles Dickens. Through reflection and conversation we are invited into this story. Although we do glean fascinating details of Charles Dickens, his habits and personality, this is really a story of his wife. We witness her efforts to find and maintain a sense of self within the confines of a Victorian era marriage to a demanding, creative, and fameseeking husband--a husband who ultimately banishes her from the life she so painstakingly built. The death of her husband allows for the recollections and reconciliations not possible while he lived. She maintains an abiding love and good will toward her husband, reconciles with the children, and finally meets face to face with the woman she believed ruined her marriage and robbed her of her family, her self-respect and the routines of the only life she ever wanted. Arnold’s engaging prose, absorbing detail, and delicate compassion result in a very good reading experience. Reviewed by Marcia Jo
Romance The Scot and I By Elizabeth Thornton Berkley Sensation, $7.99, 308 pages Better books have been penned by veteran author Elizabeth Thornton, which is why The Scot and I ultimately disappoints. This is the second book in Thornton’s The Seers of Grampian series, but it seems to stand alone quite nicely. Combining elements of suspense and light paranormal with the traditional historical romance, The Scot and I appears to be an entertaining read, but once the story gets under way it reveals a surprising dryness and lack of innovation. There is a good measure of historical accuracy involved and Thornton’s descriptions of Scotland are colorful and breathtakingly detailed; however, the espionage plot on which the book hinges--the attempted assassination of Queen Victoria-falls flat. The protagonists, Alex and Mahri, are of the kind seen before in historical romance, and their characterization feels forced for the pair being rival spies, as though Thornton didn’t want to make them too unlikeable. The few twists in the plot are unseen, but the remainder of the book is extremely dull. Fans of Thornton and of Scottish historical romance may relish the book, but those unfamiliar with the author may feel frustrated by the triteness of the characters and the plot. Reviewed by Angela Tate
A Little Light Magic By Joy Nash Leisure Books, 323 pages, $7.99 Victoria Morgan, who reads tarot and flies through life with a free-flowing spirit, moves into a storefront house, inherited from her aunt Millie. She plans to open Destiny’s Gate, a new age store targeted for beachfront tourists, but needs a contractor to pass an inspection. No contractor is available for such a small job, until a friend of aunt Millie’s insists Nick Santangelo take the job. As free-spirited as Victoria is, Nick is conventional. But when he stops by, sparks fly. Each is unexpectedly attracted to the other, but neither wants another in their life. Knowing he’ll get himself into trouble otherwise, Nick leaves. Desperate to open by the summer solstice, Victoria casts a candle spell. Magically, Nick returns and agrees to do the job after hours. Victoria learns she must have surgery or have a baby now, if she ever wants to have a family. Despising hospitals, she arranges to have artificial insemination, but her attraction to Nick causes her to question her decision. What if…. Despite encounters with Nick’s teenage daughter, his buddingactor brother and Nonna, his kleptomaniac mother, Nick and Victoria continue to be attracted to one another, then crash headlong and skitter away. A light read, a fun read; good for a getaway. Reviewed by Susan Roberts
Laced with Magic By Barbara Bretton Berkley Books, 325 pages, $15.00 Life can be strange when you’re the one half of only one-and-a-half humans living in a secluded Vermont town of werewolves, vampires, and faeries, and things are about to get all the more complicated for sorceress Chloe Hobbs when she discovers that her full-blooded human boyfriend used to have a family. Not only that, but his ex-wife is back in town with a frantic story about their dead daughter calling her on her cell phone. What starts out as an uncomfortable plan to remove the poor woman from the xenophobic settlement blossoms into an emotional tidal wave of danger and conspiracy as an old enemy reemerges. Laced with Magic is a cute story, though there is unfortunately not much more to be said beyond that. What could have been an interesting slice of modern fantasy turns pedantic and annoying as the sea of supernatural characters with names you can’t remember putter in and out of the plot as token reminders of the magical setting. And while the climax may leave you emotionally satisfied, one should be prepared for some leaps of logic that will leave your eyebrow quirked. A decent book, but not great. Reviewed by Micah Kolding
Taste of Passion By Brenda Jackson St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 304 pages, $6.99 Attorney Mackenzie Stanfield has sworn off love. That is, until long-time friend, Lucas Madaris, is injured and needs a place to stay to recuperate. Lucas is a rising star in the rodeo ring for one reason only, his utter dedication to the craft--to the detriment of his romantic life. However, an intense attraction between Lucas and Mac proves stronger than their convictions, and they fall into each other’s arms. Although the premise sounds exciting, author Brenda Jackson chokes the life out of this tale with her mundane dialogue, extensive back-stories and uninteresting characters. Long-time fans of the prolific Jackson probably will appreciate this current installment in the Madaris family drama, as they are already familiar with the seemingly endless cast of supporting characters. As a new reader to the series, the non-stop reunion of secondary characters does little except to further muddy the already confusing tale. The gravest offense is Jackson’s anti-climatic wrap-up: for three quarters of the story. Taste of Passion is just that: a taste. This reader was left unfulfilled. Reviewed by Lanine Bradley
tributes to a woman’s lack of clarity revolving around the word and definition “affair” and instead relies solely on the truth of all knowledge, the Bible. In her journey, both personal and through research, she has created a profound and painfully honest look into restoring sexual integrity amongst women of God. Her narrative is neither condemning nor convicting, rather enlightening and triumphal. Ethridge approaches this “silent” relationship killer (with oneself, their partner, and God) as a patient and encouraging disciple. Since she has been challenged by her own sexual integrity, she is a wise companion to walk with, and be led by, should the reader choose to be freed from bondage and seek the life awaiting them. Reviewed by Sky Sanchez
Pocket Guide to the Bible - A Little Book About the Big Book By Jason Boyett Jossey-Bass, 193 pages, $12.95 The Bible. Nine out of ten people own one, but most of us don’t understand it. Pocket Guide to the Bible is an excellent source for the breakdown of the Bible. It includes a glossary for understanding terms that frequently pop up, including where you can find those terms right in the Book itself. A “Cast of Characters” section gives a mini bio of many of the people talked about in the Bible, including their significance and in what passages they appear. The section I found most interesting was the Timeline of the Bible itself-when folks were writing, when Gutenberg took it to press, and much more information I didn’t already know.
I attended Catholic school for thirteen years where religion was just as much a part of the curriculum as math and history. This book is an invaluable tool and I would highly recommend it as a textbook. Jason Boyett is hilarious; his writing style is witty and even comical at times. The Bible is a hard book to understand, written in a style many of us can’t relate to, but Boyett livens it up with today’s jargon--another reason I suggest it as a reference to the Bible in classrooms, and your home. Many people own a Bible because they think they should, but what’s the point if you don’t understand it or never read it? Pocket Guide to the Bible is worth way more than the $12.95 sticker price; you won’t be sorry you bought it. Reviewed by Jennifer LeBrun
Religion Every Woman’s Battle By Shannon Ethridge WaterBrook Press, 267 pages, $14.99 What constitutes an affair? The cloudy area of what is and is not an affair, it seems, is based on individual interpretation, most of which is loosely defined by what is permissible in society. Each person has their “idea” about what an affair actually is– a wish, a kiss, intercourse. But God has a clear definition and His Word says that it begins in the mind. Our thoughts have the ability to transform us from thinkers to doers. Infidelity covers a colorful, and a very bleak, array of betrayals. In Shannon Ethridge’s Every Woman’s Battle, companion to the best-selling Every Man’s Battle, she erases the Heroes and Philosophy that con-
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Art, Architecture & Photography Japanese Art and Design By Edited by Joe Earle V & A Publishing, $39.95, 236 pages A scrutinous examination of classical Japanese high culture through a massive variety of art and art forms, Japanese Art and Design, which was released for the Toshiba Japanese art gallery, is thorough in its endeavor to touch on and explain an assortment of different types of traditional Japanese art, from wood-block prints to armor crafting, and display the finest examples of those forms. Setting off right with a foundation in sculpture and ceramics (as the tea and many other dining ceremonies are pivotal in classical culture) Japanese Art and Design gives a clear idea of the periodical evolution and refinement of different types of sculpture, from ceramics and stone to wood, which sets the tone for the showcasing of the centuries-long fine-tuning of many other art forms from classical Japanese culture, including sword and armor craft, painting, printing, carving, sewing, embroidering, gilding, and ultimately living.
In-depth, thorough, somewhat daunting, and very lettered, Japanese Art and Design is a highly refined and erudite synopsis on traditional culture and the art that comes from it, and that it comes from. Simple, straightforward, studious, and still elegant, it is a fine and refined work. Reviewed by Jordan Dacayanan
esting, and the book also provides project instructions for crafty readers who want to undertake their own paper art using the pages within. Paper may usually be the medium in which art is produced or reproduced, but sometimes paper itself is the art. And here are plenty of examples. Reviewed by Ross
Paper: Tear, Fold, Rip, Crease, Cut By Edited by Paul Sloman Black Dog Publishing, $45.00, 199 pages Paper is one of those ubiquitous materials often used once and discarded, yet with a little inspiration and ingenuity, it can be used in so many different ways. Paper: Tear, Fold, Rip, Crease, Cut is an overview of unique paper usage from more than fifty artists—from origami and paper cutting to furniture design and paper installations. Sloman also provides a history of paper starting from its origins in ancient China to today’s current advancements. Even some of the many everyday uses of paper are overviewed, everything from the paper plates we use at our weekend barbecues to the pages of our favorite books. The art is thoughtprovoking and inter-
Tattoo Delirium By Eva Minguet Collins Design, $29.99, 192 pages If you truly appreciate art, you can appreciate all forms of it. Tattoos are no exception. I believe it is one of the most difficult mediums there are when it comes to art. If you have tattoos, like me, you know just how important it is to find a reputable shop and artist. This is a piece of art you can’t just get rid of once you’re sick of it...you’re stuck with it. Tattoo Delirium by Eva Minguet showcases about 30 artists from all over the world and their work. A short question and answer section precedes the artists’ amazing (and sometimes bizarre) work. Large, bright photo-
graphs cover 190 pages of the book. Though I’ll probably never get a full sleeve or a back piece, I am fascinated by the time and the amount of pain people are willing to go through for their masterpieces. Tattooing is not your typical form of expressing oneself through art, so reading how and why each artist started satisfies the curiosity. This is a great book for anyone with a tattoo, would make a great gift, and is a cool coffee table book. You won’t be sorry you bought it. Reviewed by Jennifer LeBrun
ONE BOOK
S A C RA M E NT O
Sacramento Public Library Presents
THE SOLOIST
Read the Book: The Soloist, the 2009 One Book Sacramento selection, is the true story of Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez who becomes an unlikely advocate and friend to a mentally-ill, homeless man, Nathaniel Ayers, once a musical prodigy. With self-effacing humor, fast-paced, yet elegant prose, and unsparing honesty, Mr. Lopez tells an inspiring story of heartbreak and hope. Meet the Author: Steve Lopez will be the featured author at the Bee Book Club event, 6 p.m., Thursday, September 24 (doors open at 5:15 p.m.) Tsakopoulos Library Galleria, Central Library, 828 I Street, Sacramento. The Soloist book sales and signing will follow the program. For One Book program listings visit saclibrary.org.
Self-Help Thanks, But This Isn’t For Us: A (Sort of) Compassionate Guide to Why Your Writing Is Being Rejected By Jessica Page Morrell Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 357 pages, $16.95 The main problem with Thanks, But This Isn’t For Us: A (Sort of) Compassionate Guide to Why Your Writing Is Being Rejected by Jessica Page Morrell is the deceptive title, which implies revision (of something rejected), while the text seems aimed at new work. Since no book can address why your particular manuscript has been rejected, what you are given instead is a how-to book on what constitutes good story-telling. But it’s not even “sort-of” compassionate when Ms. Morrell refers to one manuscript she’s read as “loathsome,” stating “while reading it…I would have preferred being eaten alive by mountain gorillas.” The book is littered with similarly condescending comments like “Someone pass a hankie” and “Wake me
Sports The Non-Cyclist’s Guide to the Century and Other Road Races By Dawn Dias Seal Press, 264 pages, $15.95 This comical guidebook has everything you ever wanted to know about cycling. For anyone who wants to try their hand at cycling, whether it’s for fun, exercise, or accomplishing a Century ride (a 100-mile race), but was unsure of where to start – this book is a gold mine. Dawn Dias, a self-proclaimed couch potato and procrastinator extraordinaire, plunged into the world of cycling (after a few months of letting her new bicycle gather dust) and has noted everything from how to choose the correct bike for you, to what it takes to complete the challenging 100-mile ride in one day. Dias consulted with many avid cyclists and trainers to gather every detail possible. This book covers everything from the basic supplies you’ll need, to how to fix your bike, how to train, and even a few good fundraising races for good causes. My only qualm with this book was that some things seemed a little redundant. While Dias does an excellent job at getting a plethora of information, some sections, such as what kind of music to listen to while riding, is quite unnecessary and felt like a space filler. Reviewed by Jackie Correa
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when it’s over,” and dismissive asides like “Pass the freakin’ popcorn.” While advising against using “over-the-top sentiments,” she employs them herself, writing “…after reading her tear-stained pages of prattle and selfimportance, I knew pain all too well,” and again with “I have had…days when I would rather have had a root canal than work on a manuscript….” And I took issue with her absolutes. “All stories must start with the artifacts of everyday life” and “…if you irritate or distract even one reader, you’ve gone too far.” Really? Even one reader? Or just her? Which is another reason I had difficulty with the text; it’s too personal, incorporating many of her particular “pet peeves.” But despite being offended by the author’s approach, I did find reading it worth the investment in time. Each chapter incorporates the following: Deal Breakers: “Cookie-Cutter Villains,” “Loose Threads,” and “Inconsistency.” Try This: Exercises on openings, plot lines, and character development. Resources: A list of books and web sites specific to the topics discussed. Quick and Dirty Tips: Bullet points to reinforce or expand on covered topics.
The Last of His Kind By David Roberts William Morrow, 334 pages, $25.99 “Throughout his life, he had never lost his quenchless, almost childlike sense of wonder about the world.” Thus writes David Roberts, a well-known if now retired mountain climber, about his mentor (and, one suspects, his idol) Bradford Washburn. The subtitle calls Washburn “America’s Greatest Mountaineer,” and he lived to be nearly 97 years old. This biography began as a eulogy that Roberts was asked to give at the memorial service for Washburn, and it rings out with the respect that the author had for the man who came to be his friend. It is a book that fans of mountaineering will want to add to their libraries; although it lacks the nail-biting suspense of The Climb by the late Anatoli Boukreev or the cool addictive style of Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air. This is more of a factual telling of Washington’s pioneering climbing career which began at age 11. There are, of course, tales of tragedy and heroism included but they are told in a calm and understated voice. The Last of His Kind does include a few secret gems for the reader to discover, such as the time that Washburn climbed with Robert Kennedy. Recommended. Reviewed by Joseph Arellano
I did like Ms. Morrell’s prose and I thought that, while not new, what she offers here are things that bear repeating, like “… begin with a moment of change…” and examples such as “…don’t lecture me about the horrors of war; instead, show me a child’s discarded shoe by the side of a road, then I’ll understand the horror.” As a writer it’s good to be reminded of the questions you should be asking about your process, and Ms. Morrell is very good at providing many of those prompts, albeit sarcastically. Reviewed by Bruce Genaro How to Meet a Man After Forty and Other Midlife Dilemmas Solved By Shane Watson Viking, 259 pages, $24.95 In spite of the title, Shane Watson doesn’t show women over forty how to meet the right man. Instead, she begins her novel by categorizing women who have had cosmetic surgery and those who have not. At this point in How to Meet a Man After Forty, the reader begins to realize Watson is a British author who is either quite shallow or unsuccessfully attempting her own version of Bridget Jones’ Diary. While Anglophiles love
clever British expressions and vernacular, Watson’s use of less common British slang is apt to lose readers. Halfway through the novel, Watson writes about undesirable men and why to avoid them but never discuses how to actually meet a desirable man. While she is preoccupied with appearances and doesn’t know how to do laundry or plan for her own financial future, Watson seems to think she’s a good catch for her perfect man, who turns up in her novel without much discussion about how she snagged him. Watson then moves right into the “marrying a man who has children” mode and dispenses advice about step-mothering. If Watson was trying to be clever and witty, she missed the boat; but then again, if she was trying to help interested readers meet the right man, that boat sailed too. Reviewed by Pat Cole
Travel The New Global Student By Maya Frost Three Rivers Press, 314 pages, $14.95 The New Global Student is an easy reading book for a select target audience. This book provides useful information and gives hopes to those crowds who feel they don’t fit into conventional academic structures, constraints, and demands, either financially or academically. Along with real-life experiences, the presentation of this book becomes quite easy to follow. I like the “Old School versus Bold School” comments at the end of each section. The content of this book gives awareness about international higher education, which is one of the main emphases. It encourages you to find your way out—out there, out of your turf, out in the open—with no certain time frame and almost aimless directions. Using your given instincts, you are to exercise self-discovery, creativity, and a lot of initiative. No one plans your trip or creates a solid roadmap. Do you dare to take the risk? Keep in mind that the suggestions for “global” education are for a select group, for some students whose future professions require a set of rigid academically trained skills may not fit into this category. Reviewed by Sophie M.
Frommer’s Scandinavia By Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince Wiley Publishing, Inc., 690 pages, $25.99 From fjords to mountain tops and rolling hills, Scandinavia offers a wide range of scenic wonders, in addition to some of the finest cities in Europe, including Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, and Helsinki. If you’ve got the time to explore the entire region, Frommer’s Scandinavia offers tips on the best of each country. This massive compilation provides a solid overview of the must-see spots in each. It also provides significant space to each of the country’s largest cities, while highlighting what they call “countryside” reviews. Whether you want to hit the town, or enjoy a canoe ride in one of area’s many bodies of water, you’ll find help here. Frommer’s guides tend toward the traveler interested in art, culture, fine cuisine, and quality accommodations. These guides aren’t geared toward the backpacker on a budget. You will find historic background on each country, restaurant menu suggestions, and the exact prices you can expect to pay. If this sounds like your type of travel, you’ll be well prepared with this guidebook. Reviewed by Amber K. Stott
The Frugal Foodie Cookbook By Lara Starr & Lynette Shirk Viva Editions, $15.95, 190 pages An alternate title for this book could well have been: “Things you used to know about thrift, but have forgotten.” As I read, my mother’s and grandmother’s advice kept re-occurring to me; my initial inkling was to quirk an eyebrow at the book and muse aloud: “Why write a book filled with things most people already know?” The answer: the flag of Frugality should be waved prominently, especially during a recession. Starr & Shirk manage to wave it well, without sounding pedantic or “elitist.” In the introduction Shirk admits that even as a chef--with gourmet in-
clinations--she employs cost-saving practices…and occasionally enjoys “Cheez Whiz.” Making meals stretch seems to be the overall theme; cooking in large batches, for instance, as well as making things one would normally buy at the store (i.e. pancake/biscuit “mix”). Sprinkled throughout are examples of just how much money can be saved by simply changing purchasing habits. Money is not the only thing saved; throughout the book there is an emphasis placed on using leftovers, thus minimizing waste. Despite the frugal tone, the authors do not advocate buying “cheap” ingredients; their advice focuses more on cutting costs while sustaining quality. The “naked quiches” section was most enjoyed by our family; the recipes are packed with flavor, yet simple to make and improve upon. Reviewed by Meredith Greene A Taste of Heaven: A Guide to Food and Drink Made by Nuns and Monks By Madeline Scherb Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, $15.95, 240 pages What a delightfully unique find! A Taste of Heaven is part cookbook, part travel guide, part historical text. If you enjoy any of these themes, grab this book, which is compiled around the topic of food and drink handcrafted by nuns and monks. You certainly don’t have to be Catholic to embrace the themes found here. Indeed, this book is for anyone who appreciates fine food made with local and organic ingredients. As you stroll through these pages, you’ll find recipes for gourmet treats such as “Quick Apple Cake with Ginger Preserves” and “Saint Lioba Beer and Mushroom Soup.” You’ll learn about the abbeys where the key ingredients are made and how to specialorder those products. You’ll learn why a vegetarian diet is part of monastic lifestyle, and so, too, the enjoyment of good wine and hearty ales. You’ll also learn monastery etiquette. By the end of the book, you’ll want to reserve your next trip to the sacred culinary hideaways of nuns and monks from Iowa to France in search of such delicacies as homemade fudge, cheeses, fruitcakes, and wines. If you love to travel, cook, and enjoy specialty foods, this is a book you’ll savor and share. Reviewed by Amber K. Stott
SAC RAME NTO
The Berghoff Cafe Cookbook: Berghoff Family Recipes for Simple, Satisfying Food By Carlyn Berghoff with Nancy Ross Ryan Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, $24.99, 176 pages Classic, comforting recipes abound in this cookbook based on the menu of Chicago’s famous Berghoff Café. Owner and culinary school graduate Carlyn Berghoff spreads bits of restaurant and culinary history throughout, making this a satisfying read as well as a very useable recipe collection. The recipes cover snacks, soups, salads, sandwiches, sides, mains, pizzas, and desserts. Each one is presented in an easy-tolearn fashion. Fresh Baked Pretzels, homemade salad dressings, and Turkey Meat Loaf jump off the page in appealing color photos accompanied by recipes any home cook can master with everyday ingredients. You’ll learn to make croutons and bread crumbs, as well as beer-braised onions, a must for a restaurant that brews its own beer. This is home cooking at its best with the nuances offered by a culinary master and the restaurant’s twists. For instance, classic onion soup gets dressed up with Granny Smith apples and Muenster cheese. Likewise, pizza gets an overhaul with sliced brats and sauerkraut. Equally pleasing are the historical bites scattered throughout. You’ll learn about the roots of pizza in America, and how a small café owner and beer brewer made it through Prohibition. This is a classic you’ll pass down for generations. Reviewed by Amber K. Stott
ONE BOOK
Cooking, Food & Wine
Sacramento Public Library Presents
THE SOLOIST
The New York Times bestseller The Soloist, is the Sacramento Public Library 2009 One Book Sacramento: Connecting Our Communities selection. Written by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, it is the true story of how Lopez becomes an unlikely advocate and friend to a mentallyill homeless man who was once a musical prodigy.
Meet the Author. Steve Lopez will be the featured Bee Book Club speaker at 6 p.m., Thursday, September 24, in the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria, Central Library, 828 I Street, Sacramento. Enjoy One Book Sacramento programs at these library branches! Adult Progams: Homeless in Sacramento. Hear a moderated panel discussion on current homeless and mental illness issues in the Sacramento community. Participating experts include Tim Brown, Sacramento Ending Chronic Homelessness Initiative director; Joan Burke, Loaves & Fishes director of advocacy; and Dr. Robert Hales, Mental Health Services County of Sacramento medical director. • September 17, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.: Central The Rollercoaster of Mental Illness: The Effect on Families. Author Janet Lee Carey discusses The Soloist which eloquently describes the difficulties relating to a uniquely talented family member struggling with mental illness. • September 15, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.: Arden-Dimick Ending Chronic Homelessness Initiative. What steps is the Sacramento community taking to address local homelessness? Learn about the city’s 10-year plan. • September 22, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.: Central Camellia Symphony Chamber Ensemble. Musicians will play musical works written by composers who inspired The Soloist’s central character, Nathaniel Ayers. • September 9, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.: ArdenDimick • September 10, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.: Central • September 13, Sunday, 2 p.m.: Carmichael • September 15, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.: Elk Grove • September 30, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.: Fair Oaks • October 3, Saturday, 2 p.m.: Belle Cooledge • October 7, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.: Franklin Community • October 8, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.: Valley Hi-North Laguna In Our Own Voice: Living with Mental Illness. This unique education program offers insight into the recovery now possible for people with mental illnesses. Presenters give personal testimony about their own journeys with mental illness. • September 29, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.: Carmichael • October 8, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.: Central From Runaway to MBA: Carissa Phelps grew up in a family of 11 children. Abandoned at age 12, she was sent to group homes and juvenile hall and eventually lived on the streets of Fresno. Despite her harsh circumstances, Carissa returned to high school, graduated from college, and recently earned a law degree and MBA from University of California, Los Angeles. Hear Carissa tell her compelling story. • September 29, Tuesday, 4 p.m.: North Sacramento-Hagginwood
The Soloist Book Discussions: Join a book discussion in your community: • September 2, Wednesday, 10 a.m., Belle Cooledge • September 12, Saturday, 10:30 a.m., North Highlands-Antelope • September 12, Saturday, 11 a.m., Arcade • October 3, Saturday, 1 p.m., Fair Oaks • October 10, Saturday, 10 a.m., Carmichael • October 14, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Ella K. McClatchy • October 17, Saturday, 10 a.m., Carmichael • October 24, Saturday, 11 a.m., Rancho Cordova Film Showings: See The Soloist (PG-13) and these related films featured at selected library branches: The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (G), The Pursuit of Happyness (PG-13), Benny & Joon (PG), Jupiter’s Wife (PG). Visit saclibrary.org for dates and locations. Family Programs: The Double Life of Zoe Flynn. Sixth-grader Zoe Flynn lies to conceal that her family is homeless. Author Janet Lee Carey presents the back story of The Double Life of Zoe Flynn while raising kids’ awareness about homeless families. • September 16, Wednesday, 10 a.m.: McKinley • September 16, Wednesday, 4 p.m.: North Sacramento-Hagginwood Random Acts of Kindness with ArtWorks. With storytelling, music, and visual art, discover the random acts of kindness and compassion that kids and families express every day. • September 10, Thursday, 4 p.m.: South Natomas • September 19, Saturday, 2 p.m.: Rio Linda • September 23, Wednesday, 5 p.m.: Del Paso Heights • September 29, Tuesday, 6 p.m.: Colonial Heights • October 15, Thursday, 4 p.m.: Arcade Living in Harmony with ArtWorks. People can be cruel to someone who isn’t just like them. Explore this issue through music and creating musical instruments. • September 16, Wednesday, 4 p.m.: Southgate • September 17, Thursday, 4 p.m.: North Natomas For more information and library locations visit saclibrary.org or call (916) 264-2920.
Sequential Art Ball Peen Hammer By Adam Rapp and George O’Connor First Second, 144 pages, $17.99 While the cover and title will certainly be misleading for some readers who look at this graphic novel for the first time, I recommend they read the inside flap for a description. It’s not about S&M and violent sex games, but in fact a world where a sickness has wiped out a considerable amount of the population. In the style of Children of Men, people are fighting to survive, fighting for food, and fighting to get a sample of the vaccine that will cure them of the lethal sickness. With a harsh, rough art style that lends greatly to the dark and doomed storyline, Rapp introduces a subplot on top of all the sadness with the murdering of innocent children. If the characters don’t comply, they will suffer for it, so what choice do they have? Rapp does introduce some happiness with the girl depicted on the cover searching for the musician whom she fell for, but Ball Peen Hammer ends before this is possibly reconciled, leaving the reader wondering if there’ll be more or is that the bleak end of it all? Reviewed by Alex C. Telander The Color of Heaven By Kim Dong Hwa First Second, 320 pages, $16.99 In this concluding volume to the Color trilogy, Kim Dong Hwa takes the relationship between Ehwa and her mother to a new level, for the little girl is now seventeen and a blossoming woman. The women find they have more in common than they thought, as they wait and yearn for their lovers who are far away, wondering when they will return. Nevertheless, Ehwa still has some crucial lessons to learn from her parent. But Hwa must bring the series to a close, and he does so with Ehwa’s betrothal to Duksam, and their beautiful wedding. Her mother says goodbye to the daughter she’s had in her home for so long, and while her lover now returns to her for good, she finds herself once again looking out from her home, waiting, this time for the return of her daughter who she now misses greatly. Hwa’s artwork and scenery continue to astound, while The Color of Heaven does an incredible job of revealing facets of Korean culture rendered in such a beautiful way. Reviewed by Alex C. Telander
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Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute By Jarrett J. Krosoczka Knopf Books for Young Readers, 96 pages, $5.99 Lunch Lady, a secret agent, is serving justice and lunch at the Thompson Brook School. Our heroine investigates the sudden and mysterious absence of a teacher and fights a robot disguised as a substitute who has other evil cyborg minions that plan to grab the Teacher of the Year award with their terrible and offensive plans. Lunch Lady partners with Betty, another lunch lady who works at the same school and acts as her side kick. Betty is in charge of creating gadgets and is wonderful at doing so, since they all look like regular kitchen utensils. I honestly wish I could have something like that in school. Lunch Lady and Betty have a secret hideout behind the refrigerator and that’s where they keep all their spy contraptions. They only go there when class is in session. Lunch Lady makes sure that she always wears her super hero costume to keep her identity a secret. As Lunch Lady and Betty fight evil subs and teachers, Hector, Dee and Terrence join and fight along with them. These three students are known as the Breakfast Bunch and they always get picked on by the school Bully, Milmoe, until Lunch Lady put a stop to it. Children who are into action and comics should read this book, because the pages are full of animated and exciting drawings. There is also a moral story in here about standing up for yourself when you are being bullied by other kids. I recommend this book because I enjoyed it very much and I don’t think I will ever look at our school Lunch Lady the same way again. Reviewed by Amber Guno Cloutman Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians By Jarrett J. Krosoczka Knopf Books for Young Readers, 96 pages, $5.99 In this book, Lunch Lady fights a league of librarians who plan to get rid of all the new game systems by destroying them. The librarians come from different libraries. Some are from schools, and some are from public libraries. The librarians want to destroy all the new game systems so that no one will be able to play video games and the children will have to read instead. The librarians want to stop kids from playing the video games for reasons like “it’s corrupting our children,” “rotting their minds,” and “enrollment in the ReadA-Thon is at an alltime low.” Well, video games aren’t always
good for children, but they will stop when necessary. They also need to read more for better education, but I’m pretty sure a lot of them read. Children who enjoyed the first graphic novel Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitutes should read this second installment because it is even more entertaining and exciting. I just learned that they will make a movie out of this book and I am so thrilled that they are looking at Amy Poehler to be the main character. I can’t wait to see her say Holy Guacamole and Great Tuna! Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians combines a battle of reading and playing video games. Read on to see which side wins! Reviewed by Amber Guno Cloutman World of Warcraft By Walter Simonson Wildstorm, 176 pages, $19.99 An amnesiac human is thrust into a dangerous and, literally, alien world when he ends up on the wrong continent, the Orcruled Kalimdor, with no prior memories or identity. Found to be a ferocious and cunning warrior, even for a human, he is recruited to take part in one of the deadliest combat contests in all of Azeroth, the Dire Maul Arena, by an ex-gladiator and current Shaman. Joined by the Shaman’s team of elves, this human takes a surreal journey to find out who he is and how he is going to survive the deadly games at Dire Maul in World of Warcraft by Walter Simonson. With a plot line that will surely intrigue any fans of both comics and World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft stays true to the fairly well developed story arcs that are associated with the name. While to an outsider of Warcraft lore there may be a few portions that seem droll and confusing, overall it is quite easy to follow the moderately interesting plot. The real savior of World of Warcraft is the vibrantly colored and exciting illustrations. They give a sense of the exciting combat and epic scale of events that are common within everything Warcraft related, and ultimately bring the piece, as a whole, just over the mark of mediocre. Reviewed by Jordan Dacayanan A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge By Josh Neufeld Pantheon, 208 pages, $24.95 Originally serialized in SMITH Magazine, A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld is a remarkable graphic novel that manages to capture the raw look of a city attacked by natural forces and also to reveal the emotions and reactions of people who remained in the city and those who watched from afar. The story is told from the viewpoints of six New Orleanians, each
experiencing Hurricane Katrina differently but ultimately suffering loss. There are Denise, who experiences the pandemonium at the Superdome; Abbas and his friend Mansell, who live out the storm first within the market that Abbas owns and runs, stuck on the roof as the water level rises; the toctor, who remains in the French Quarter throughout the hurricane, a haven for others, miraculously unscathed; Leo, a comic book collector, and Michelle who leave New Orleans in time, but lose everything they own; and finally, Kwame, a pastor’s son who leaves before the storm and has his life irrevocably changed. A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge is the next great graphic novel in a growing genre of journalistic and nonfiction graphic novels that combine words and art to tell incredible stories of real life and real happenings. Reviewed by Alex C. Telander
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