Portland Book Review June Issue 0513

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A Fantastic Resource for Starting Plants from Seeds

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 June–August 2013

HIGHLIGHTS Interview with John Parker Stewart page 6

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Sequential Art page 12-13 Polly Campbell’s Imperfect Spirituality page 17

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An unpretentious book fair 40 book dealers . Thousands of used and rare books prints, ephemera

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R

7th Annual

Used Book Fair

By Barbara Ellis Storey Publishing, $8.95, 121 pages

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77 REVIEWS!

Gardening and growing one’s own food at home has become increasingly popular of late. However, knowledge that was once handed down from skillful family members now often must be learned from other sources. Thank goodness then for books such as Starting Seeds.

This book, part of the Storey Basics series, contains a treasure trove of information about starting plants from seeds in a book that is small enough to fit in a pocket. Topics include: how to determine if old seeds remain viable; how to make your own germinating mix; how to make

newspaper pots, soil blocks, and humidity covers; how to create a sowing schedule; the best way to collect and store seeds; how to pre-germinate seeds; which plants are easier to start indoors and which are easier to start outdoors; and the benefits of such things as nursery beds. Starting Seeds will prove a valuable resource for any novice or experienced gardener who would like to save the expense of buying established plants or would enjoy the challenge of propagating his or her own seedlings.

Annie Peters

June 14-15 Fri 2-8 and Sat 10-5 1000 NE Multnomah $2 Admission or $1 plus a can of food

www.pauba.org

Modern Literature The Norfolk Mace Jerry Hooper Amazon Digital Services, $2.99, 332 pages

Like his main character, Ciro, Jerry Hooper’s language balances and eases the reader between two worlds; between the fragrant and viscerally fantastic and a harsh, familiar yet sterile modernity.

Rather than forcing his audience into a new world, Hooper maintains an inviting hold on both the uncanny, the odd, and the things we know.

Amidst florid, rich language there is the ordinary – just there, in our view and never out of place, the things we take for granted, the things we know and rely on – but buried and surrounded by Hooper’s language. There were moments when I became lost in Hooper’s delicious use of words – lapping up the prose like honeysuckle – but never for the detriment of plot or character. At the crux of The Norfolk Mace is a character caught tenuously between what he knows and must discover; so too is the reader caught between what we know and what we could see, between a fantastical sense of detail, in the delicate use of language to call one’s attention viscerally to the details another author would have ignored or described clumsily, and the harsh realities that Ciro’s story tells. There is something in his descriptions that evoke a sense of timelessness and the ancient simultaneously. It has been a long while since a novel evoked my imagination and sense of wonder as much as this did. I wish I could carry in my pocket someone to narrate my own, mundane world with such a sense of wonder and exoticism.

Hooper’s novel is filled to the brim with cultural references and an eye for the mythical. In one scene, the narration refers to Gilgamesh and Enkidu (two of my favorite epic heroes from ancient traditions), in another Hercules is slyly mentioned. Along with his prose, Hooper’s narrative refers time and again to the Ancient, the Epic, the Heroic, always placing his own characters among the Great and Powerful. In another novel, this move would seem brash and inelegant, the author stroking his own ego, not so in this case. These shrewd and slippery references to the mythical only add to the general sense of wonder and the exotic in the narrative, while also rewarding the reader aware of the images these references will evoke – adding but never detracting or distracting from the full and interesting characters.

Definitely a novel I will recommend – to those whom I know share my sense of wonder and love of words.

Sponsored Review Kelsey Campbell

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June–August 2013

The Tragedy of Mr. Morn Vladimir Nabokov, Translated by Thomas Karshan & Anastasia Tolstoy Alfred A. Knopf, $26.00, 144 pages

Although The Tragedy of Mr. Morn was Vladamir Nabokov’s first major work, written in 1923 and 1924, it was never performed or published in his lifetime. It was published posthumously in Russia in 1997. This is the first English translation of the play by Thomas Kashan and Anastasia Tolstoy.

Heavily influenced by Shakespeare’s tragedies, The Tragedy of Mister Morn is written in iambic pentameter, includes allusions to the former writer’s plays, long soliloquies, ironies caused by mistaken identities, and political commentary on the Russian Revolution. Great care has been taken by both Nabokov and the translators to emulate Shakespeare’s register and rhythm while retaining the imagery and symbolism.

Also similar to Shakespearean plays, the characters are satires of real-life political figures and the plot is swift and straightforward. Yet, through vivid conjectures, wonderfully flawed characters, amusing scenes, and philosophical musings, Nabokov questions themes such as happiness, loyalty, idealism, romanticism, and courage.

Unfortunately, a few lines toward the end are missing in the original Russian. Still, this is a must-read for Shakespeare and Russianliterature fans.

Sarah Hutchins

The Death of Bees Lisa O’Donnell Harper, $25.99, 310 pages

The Death of Bees is a novel that stays around long after reading. Marnie and Nelly —her little sister—must figure out how to care for each other after the fortunate death of their druggy, selfish parents. Not wanting to end up in foster care, the sisters bury their parents in the backyard under the cover of darkness. But even with their best efforts they attract the attention of their next door neighbor Lenny, and their interned parents attract the attention of his dog. Lenny takes them in, cooking them meals and offering them a place to stay.

Each of them offer something to the other: the girls rid Lenny’s loneliness, while Nelly is given a place where she can be herself without being

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ostracized for her oddities and Marnie gets a glimpse of what it would be like to have a true father figure in her life.

This novel is darkly humorous and lonely, leaving you with memories of the characters that feel strangely familiar. It is a story simply told, with a clear understanding of human nature. It is a story that gets under the skin and stays there. Lisa O’Donnell’s cadence takes a little while to get used to, but the rhythm will sink in and will be appreciated in the end.

Nicole Green

Capital: A Novel John Lanchester Norton, $15.95, 527 pages

This novel by British journalist and author John Lanchester begins in the late fall of 2007, just months before the worldwide financial crisis that devastated so many lives across the globe. For the residents of Pepys Road, London, the impending and then resulting crash is a backdrop to their own unraveling lives. For each of the main and supporting characters who live or work on this street in Southwest London, the uncertainty of the times is further compounded by the arrival of postcards, then DVDs, and finally blog postings, all with the same message: We Want What You Have. Although no laws have yet been broken, escalating complaints from the targeted residents bring in the Metropolitan Police to find the source of the harassment. What started as a nuisance becomes increasingly more ominous as financial markets continue to plummet.

From start to finish, this is a terrific book.

It ticks all the boxes: a timely and suspenseful plot, compelling characters, interesting setting, and masterful language, pacing and structure. Here, all are in top form throughout. Lanchester’s writing style is both literate and funny but also journalistically accurate and eminently readable. Top of the pops, two thumbs up, highly recommended.

Linda Frederiksen

As Sweet as Honey Indira Ganesan Alfred A. Knopf, $25.95, 270 pages

As Sweet as Honey, by Indira Ganesan, is narrated by Mina, a young girl who is from the small Island of Pi off of the coast of India.

Mina tells us the story of her favorite Aunt Meterling, who is widowed within minutes of being married and left pregnant and heartbroken.

The story unfolds as Meterling learns to cope with her loss as she deals with the scorn of neighbors who gossip about her marriage outside of her race and caste as well as her conception of a child out of wedlock. The neighbors get more to gossip about as Meterling falls in love with her late husband’s cousin.

Ganesan’s writing style is simple and sweet, much like honey. She hops from vignette to vignette, painting us a picture of childhood and love. This is a strong example of good women’s fiction. Each woman Ganesan portrays is resilient and full of life. Each of them has to face their own future, and each must defy custom in some way in order to build a stronger future for themselves and for those who will come later. This is a simply beautiful novel and a must-read. Ganesan’s writing is memorable and drips with lovely Indian words and names, placing you firmly in her world.

Nicole Green

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Axie Barclay

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in this issue Modern Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

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Editor In Chief M. Chris Johnson chris.johnson@portlandbookreview.com 503.701.6761

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copy editors Andrea Franke Drew Lazzara Elizabeth Franklin

Popular Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4–5 Historical Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Business & Investing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6–7 Current Events & Politics . . . . . . . . . . . 7–8 Young Adult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Mystery, Crime & Thriller / Horror . . . . 9 Poetry & Short Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Emily Gravlin Jordan Anderson Kathryn Franklin

Music & Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Kathryn Harms Ben Shane Rory Kilcullen

Sequential Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12–13

Sonia Ali Michael Weingartner Kurt Spickerman

Science Fiction & Fantasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Lindy Gervin Melissa Gifford Whitney Smyth

Column coordinator for “Writers on writing” and “The reader’s Perspective” Joseph Arellano

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Hundreds of reviews in a variety of additional categories are available at www. portlandbookreview.com

FROM THE EDITOR Ahh, to be Young Again….

I remember when I was a young’un and read an exhilarating superhero or fantasy book or saw a great movie and then wanted to act out certain scenes with the neighbor kids. There was so much excitement and anticipation in setting up the scene in the backyard, playing it out and fighting over how it should end or which way the story should go.

We lived in the outskirts of Boise, Idaho where neighbors were a couple acres apart, there were lots of trees and open fields to play in, and nothing, I mean nothing, but imagination just waiting to go wild. Kids have this blessed way of finding fun anywhere in anything. They see a filthy irrigation ditch as a grand rapid begging to be tamed or the mighty ‘ol Mississipp or a part of the Amazonian Rain Forest or the Nile cutting through a blazing desert. The possibilities were truly endless and kids always have the time to stop and picture it all. If the weather kept me indoors I would turn to books for future inspiration then make a cave out of old blankets flung over chairs and search for hidden treasure with my brothers.

As children, our eyes are wide open. We see everything as new, fresh and full of wonder. We actually look for new experiences in everyday things like a squirrel in a tree or flowers in a field or maybe even an old beat-up car in someone’s yard. Nothing is lost on a kid’s imagination. The anticipation of what could happen next with no fear of the repercussions that responsibility teaches us. At some point we begin to see the realities of life, our mind’s eye dims and, ever so slowly, it robs us of our imagination – we become adults.

I miss being a kid. I miss pretending, living in a world not like my own and it changing on me whenever I dreamed it to. We certainly can’t go back and I most assuredly don’t want to relive certain times of my youth but it’s still fun to slip back into that pretend mode through a good book and relive the excitement of our younger days.

Let’s escape back to those irresponsible days and take time to read a book and really live it. It’s how I want to spend a part of every day; simply being free to dream!

Readers Unite!

M. Chris Johnson Editor In Chief

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June–August 2013

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Popular Fiction Wreck of the Nymph Don Flood Don Flood, $2.99, 82 pages

It has been seven years since the last treasure hunter died in the coastal resort town of Blackpool, Delaware. That record is about to be broken as the body of a young man washes up on the sandy shore of the moonlit beach.

Chief of police Simpson guesses that the dead man likely perished while searching for the HMS Nymph, a British warship that sunk off the Delaware coast, allegedly loaded with five hundred million dollars world of gold coins. Wreck of the Nymph, by Don Flood, is a fast-paced thriller that takes readers on an exciting hunt for an old shipwreck and its treasure. Blackpool newspaper reporters Amanda and Kyle view finding the treasure as the solution to many of their problems - Amanda will finally be rich and famous and Kyle can achieve his dream of doing something newsworthy and possibly win Amanda’s heart. But when Amanda invites two suspicious guys to help with the treasure hunt, the plan for a fun, safe search turns into a deadly deal with professional criminals, including a stone cold killer. What would a share in a multi-million dollar treasure cause someone to do? It is interesting to discover how each character responds to this dilemma. For a chance at a future with Amanda and no financial worries, what will Kyle do? Will he agree to be an accessory to murder? Will he cover up the biggest historical shipwreck discovery in 150 years? Flood has an artistic way of writing dialogue and the verbal interactions between his characters nicely flow from scene to scene. The book’s only drawback is that it is too short!

Flood is an excellent writer and it seems as if he rushed the end of Wreck of the Nymph.

Perhaps he wanted the story to have the feel of a novella versus a full novel. Regardless of his motive for writing a shorter story (82 pages), the ebook’s $2.99 price is more than fair. While the last 20 pages could have been fleshed out with a greater detail, it is clear that Flood is very capable of writing engaging dialogue and exciting action scenes.

Elizabeth Franklin

The Woman Upstairs Claire Messud Alfred A. Knopf, $25.95, 272 pages

Claire Messud’s The Woman Upstairs introduces the reader to Nora Eldridge. Nora narrates the story and portrays herself as an angry and disappointed almost-fortysomething. She dreamed of being a successful artist and instead finds herself as a never-married, third grade teacher with little excitement in her life. She then gains a new student in her classroom, Reza Shadid and his parents Skandar and Sirena. Nora almost instantly sees Reza as her son and his parents

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June–August 2013

as her family/potential lovers. She believes she is in love with each of them and becomes hungry for what they have: Reza, a beautiful boy, Sirena, an Italian artist and Skandar, a Harvard academic. Nora’s false reality causes her to distance herself from her friends and sick father. She becomes ferocious with a lust for life, and rediscovers the artist within herself. Unfortunately, her dream reality is shattered when the ultimate betrayal happens. Messud’s book is hypnotic, she writes with emotion and a storyline full of metaphors. This reader could feel the passion and anger of Messud’s characters. Messud’s skillful writing, coupled with a compelling story that hinted of disaster at the end, kept this reviewer reading late into the night.

Seniye Groff

The Smart One Jennifer Close Alfred A. Knopf, $24.95, 352 pages

Weezy and Will are looking forward to having an empty nest after the departures of three almost-grown children; however, their world changes when all the children return to their childhood home within a short span.

The children—Claire, Martha, and Max—are all facing challenges in their own lives and realize that solace can only come in the form of their childhood home and their parents.

And that is the story of Jennifer Close’s The Smart One, her second novel.

As I was reading, it was hard for me to follow which character Smart was referring to.

Was it Weezy? Was it Clarie? Who was it? This led me to another question: are there more to these characters than meets the eye?

Throughout the story, I felt that each character—especially Weezy, who needed too much involvement with her children—was making mountains out of molehills. Yes, people return home after living independently. They leave their careers, they have babies while in college—it’s called life, and it’s unexpected. These choices can put a family on edge and force them to reexamine themselves.

Maybe if Weezy had used her energy elsewhere and focused on career of some kind I would have more sympathy for her. I did like Will, who was able to focus on classes and at the same time understand that his children needed to stand on their own two feet.

These characters left me saying, “Eh…ok,” and not feeling fulfilled as a reader, which made me look forward to next my story even more. I was wanting more.

Annie Hicks

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The Bunco Club Karen DeWitt Frame Masters, $15.50, 412 pages

The eight women who make up The Bunco Club play the “no-talent” dice game just once a month, but their lives are constantly intertwining. Each woman must face her own struggle; an ex-boyfriend returning, a compulsion for hoarding, deeply guarded secrets, a troubled teen, and the discovery of treasure in an old family trunk. The women in the club rely on each other, as they work together and support one another through these struggles. The Bunco Club is similar to the novel Friday Night Knitting Club, as both use themes of strong friendship, empowerment of women, and family values.

Karen De Witt’s novel, The Bunco Club is not just a book - it’s an experience. In addition to the diverse tales, DeWitt includes carefully planned discussion questions for book clubs, a collection of recipes pulled from each character, and even a few variations on the game of Bunco. Together, these extras are sure to make for a fun evening with the ladies.

One area where the book suffers is in length. Some descriptive passages are longwinded, and have seemingly unnecessary detail. The 412-page story drags periodically and would benefit from time lapse to carry from one scene to another instead of a strictly chronological order with clunky transitions.

Sophie Sestero

Texas Jack is a good book. Hopkins’ writing style is very conversational, and the reader is able to easily imagine they are part of the scene. The conversations flow easily, and with familiar terminology added in, the reader feels he is truly witnessing a dialogue between longtime friends.

Hopkins also portrays emotions well.

There are many moments in Texas Jack when it would have been easy to gloss over what the characters are thinking and feeling in favor of quickly propelling the story along. Instead, Hopkins dives deep into the thoughts of the characters, explaining in detail their emotions and feelings about what is happening around them. Through this emotional exposition the reader is able to gain insight into how the characters are responding to the myriad situations happening around them.

Author Bart Hopkins has crafted a lovely piece of family drama, and tackles the subject of alcoholism and its effect on families with respect. With just a couple of titles under his belt, Hopkins is still a young writer – but one already on his way to becoming a talented and capable author.

Andrew Keyser

Freak Story: 1967-1969 Jim Musgrave CreateSpace, $7.95, 154 pages

Exploring the world of the late 1960s can be a great experience. Buddy Hartman lives through Freak Story: 1967-1969, exploring the life and times of the Sixties Revolution. He is looking for just two things: his mother, who happens to be a conjoined twin who starred in the movie “Freaks”, and a way to make

Texas Jack Bart Hopkins CreateSpace, $12.00 , 204 pages

Texas Jack, by author Bart Hopkins, tells the story of Jack Leonard: Austin, Texas businessman, loving husband and proud father – all miraculous traits considering his family and upbringing. His mother was distant, his father a high-functioning alcoholic who nearly burned the house down and gave 16-year-olds beer on the weekends. Jack gets into his fair share of trouble but when he meets a young woman at a Nirvana concert everything changes.

Soon they are married and have a beautiful son. With the perfect woman in his life, Jack can forget about his alcoholic father. But after years of repressing his true feelings for his father, Jack’s son almost drowns while his father is passed out and the family must finally face the years of neglect and abuse.

Sometimes it takes a tragedy to enact true change.

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Continued on page 5

Popular Fiction it rich. He believes that the best path to both is through meeting his mother and exploiting her. Along the way he meets some of the greatest heroes of the 1960s, and uses those connections to start a life.

Although this is a fine book, it feels like there is something missing.

The various personalities are portrayed fine, as are the events themselves. However, some anachronistic moments, such as a mention of REM sleep versus deep sleep, and a prophetic LSD dream at the end that describes the future in chilling detail, take the reader out of the book. Buddy himself has some interesting relationship issues, such as filming his mother for potential blackmail material,

as well as a personality that he escapes into occasionally to allow him to do some things that he normally wouldn’t. That there feels like something is missing given that there is everything, including a kitchen sink or two, somewhere in the book gives it a weird feel.

That said there are a number of redeeming features. The theme that we are all freaks on some level is handled well and developed rather nicely. The cast is very genial, even allowing for some interesting character issues, such the lascivious dwarf and Buddy’s need for money. If a few characters and some extraneous details had been weeded out and the plot built up a little bit more, this would have been a great book. Otherwise, this is quick entertainment for someone looking for an afternoon read.

Jamais Jochim

Don’t Go Lisa Scottoline St Martin’s Press, $27.99, 376 pages

twenty novels. She has 30 million copies of her books in print in the U.S. and has been published in thirty-five countries.

She lives in the Philadelphia area with an array of disobedient pets. Previously writing from a woman’s viewpoint, this is her first novel written from a male perspective.

We have all heard about war veterans’ difficulties in returning to civilian life. This emotionally charged story illuminates the adjustments they face. It is a compelling and thrilling ride through war and crime, and the emotional turmoil of family.

Fran Byram

The effect Shadows & Wings can have on the reader is probably its greatest strength.

Through its wonderful descriptions and complex characterization Shadows & Wings is a book that can make a reader reflect on their influence and their understanding of the world. This book is recommended for any reader who is curious about the generational impact one action can have and the subsequent personal growth that can sparked from it.

D. Ann Williams

All the Light There Was Nancy Kricorian Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $24.00, 288 pages

Called upon to serve his country, Dr. Michael Scanlon toiled with fellow surgeons to treat wounded military personnel in a field hospital in Afghanistan. Notified of the death of his wife, Chloe, he was given leave to return to the U.S. to bury her. His wife’s sister and her husband had been caring for Mike and Chloe’s baby, Emily. They expressed delight in the idea of continuing to keep her when Mike returned for a second year in the war zone. When he was wounded, he was sent home and quickly became overwhelmed with new problems, including family disputes, addiction, mystery and murder.

Lisa Scottoline is a New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of

Historical Fiction The Revenge of the Ninth Armando Roggero Lulu, $5.99, 291 pages

Ancient Rome is a great place to put a Jane Austen story. Revenge of the Ninth is the story of how Hadrianus Domitius Marius got his start, taking advantage of a few lucky breaks to start his path down the glory road. He joins the Legionnaires, following his boyhood dream, and despite a few bumps at the beginning eventually becomes one of the finest of their number. He just needs to win a war in order to marry his love, and that way, do a little more than even he is ready to do.

The biggest handicap this book has to overcome is its archaic style, where the point of view is just a step too far on the side of objectivity and dashes rather than quotes separate what is being said from what is being done. Although not a bad style for a more pensive tale, this is one where the action of its characters needed to be highlighted rather than their thoughts; the style tends to drag the story more than it should.

Combined with the possible overuse of the Roman words and the reader is quickly bogged down.

However, if the reader can muddle through it, the story is actually worth it.

There is a love story at its heart, and Hadrianus and Cornelia are definitely lovers worth following. The style gives it a nice Austenian polish, making for an interesting take on the normal blood and sandals stories that have been coming out of Ancient Rome lately, acting almost as an exploration of the Darcy and Elizabeth romance as told against a Roman backdrop and from Darcy’s perspective. If you like Jane Austen then you will probably enjoy this tale.

Jamais Jochim

Shadows & Wings Niki Tulk Small House Press, $14.95, 396 pages

Two parts melancholy, with a mix of fear and anger, the lives of Lara and her Opa, Tomas, intertwine in a captivating tale that leaves the reader wondering about their own family history. Shadows & Wings draws the reader in from the first page, creating a bond between these two characters that transcends time, while setting up the stage for Lara’s trip to Germany to understand her grandfather’s past. Both characters are on a journey of discovery and understanding and have to come to terms with the harsh realities of growing up and setting childhood dreams aside.

Tulk does an amazing job of weaving personality and character growth in the smallest of sections. Tomas’s segments in the middle of the book were enthralling. His pre-war chapters will help the reader understand and emphasize with him, but it was the post-war sections, short interludes that detail the effect the war had on him, that make the book. Like snapshots, these sections give the reader a small glimpse into the emotional upheaval that Tomas undergoes.

The reader will be able to feel his worldweariness and his grief from the war but also his hope that Australia will be a better place.

As for Lara, she matures immensely from a small child reeling from her first introduction to Nazi Germany, to a young woman whose world is set adrift by her grandfather’s tokens. Through her investigation the reader gets to see how the stories have come full circle. Her sections show the reader that no matter what decade it is people are always struggling with their sense of their place in the world.

Manuscript Found in Accra Paulo Coelho Alfred A. Knopf, $22.00, 190 pages

Manuscript Found in Accra is set in Jerusalem of 1099 where a mysterious man known as the Copt addresses the townspeople awaiting the arrival of the Crusaders. In the preface, Coehlo writes of the Nag Hammadi texts then goes on to describe one that originated in Accra so Egyptian authorities didn’t care what happened to it or who had it. From that beginning, the story continues in small bite-sized chapters which begin with a briefly described character asking a question or making a statement or request; the remainder of the chapter is the Copt’s response. The remarks vary from “Love has always passed me by.” to “Why are some people luckier than others?” to “And what about enemies?” The Copt’s responses speak of greater truths, a voice of wisdom for the ages. Coelho masterfully presents his points wrapped in the distancing yet familiar guise of an ancient story.

Mary-Lynne Monroe

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All the Light There Was, by Nancy Kricorian, takes on a common topic (the Nazi occupation of Paris) but with the unique twist of representing the Armenian immigrant experience.

In this novel the reader meets Maral Pegorian, an innocent 14-year-old girl living in 1940s Paris. Maral lives in a cramped apartment with her family, like many Armenians and Jews in her neighborhood. She soon loses school friends and neighbors as the Jews are rounded up. Those left in the neighborhood are fearful and hungry, but not too scared to fight back in their own little ways – by hiding a Jewish child, spreading pamphlets or showing up for rallies. Maral experiences death firsthand, as well as her first love. When the boy she loves, Zaven, is imprisoned with his brother, Maral is distraught as the families grieve. When World War II is over, those who have survived have their own losses to deal with as they try to resume “normal” life.

Kricorian’s tale is based on real history and gives the reader a glimpse of the Armenian experience in 1940s Paris. As you read this descriptive tale, your stomach will ache with hunger and you will be convinced that Maral’s nightmares are your own. This reviewer could not put this book down. Once she started reading, the story was immersive as quicksand!

Seniye Groff

June–August 2013

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business & Investing Lead Now!: A Personal Leadership Coaching Guide for Results-Driven Leaders John Parker Stewart, Daniel J. Stewart Leadership Excellence, $29.95, 244 pages

John Parker Stewart is an internationally recognized leadership coach with 35 years of experience in executive development, team performance and leadership coaching. Stewart created a leadership tool named LEAD NOW! Leadership Development Model. This book is co-authored with his son Daniel J. Stewart, who is an organizational development consultant and coach. The model was created to provide a simple and comprehensive framework for leaders to use as they lead their teams.

This book dissects and explains Stewart’s 21 Dimensions of leadership. There are six chapters which include: How to use LEAD NOW!, the LEAD NOW! Model, 21 Leadership Dimensions, Assessments, Leadership Exercises and Action Planning. The four main components to the model are four perspectives for leaders: their people, their business, their marketplace and their organization.

The four quadrants are color coded for easy recognition. It also contains note pages where the reader can write down ideas as he reads.

The book begins with a self-assessment for the four quadrants and then breaks down the dimensions listed under each quadrant.

There is also a self-assessment for each dimension. As is typical with Stewart’s books, there is a place for reflection and specific questions to ponder. The book then explains

each dimension such as; effective communication, problem solving or time management and offers tips for each criterion.

Each dimension also includes references, a self-assessment, action planning notes and several questions to answer. Chapter Five covers five leadership exercises which help a leader with additional tools for the various situations he might face as he leads his team. Chapter Six is all about action plans and includes an example of a completed action plan, as well as, blank action plans for the reader to complete.

LEAD NOW! is not a book to be read quickly, but instead a book to be viewed like a conversation with a mentor or personal coach. This book demands reflection and thoughtful introspection but will reward the reader with a wealth of knowledge, insight and growth that typically takes years to develop. Keep this book close to you, visit it often and give it the time and reflection it deserves, if you truly want to develop your leadership skills.

Seniye Groff

52 Leadership Gems: Practical and Quick Insights for Leading Others John Parker Stewart Leadership Excellence, $29.95, 228 pages

John Parker Stewart is an internationally recognized leadership coach with 35 years of experience in executive development, team performance and leadership coaching. Mr. Stewart created a leadership tool named LEAD NOW! Leadership Development Model and 52 Leadership Gemssupports this tool. This book is practical and insightful. I found myself nodding and smiling a lot as I was reading the gems. When Mr. Stewart wanted to make a key point during a training or coaching session, he did so with a “gem” or core mes-

sage. Often his learners would write them down, share them and even post them at their desks. Some of the gems are Stewart’s creation but most came from a variety of sources. They serve as an effective, daily reminder for key leadership ideas.

Each gem in the book is presented within a colorful box and is tied to leadership dimensions of Stewart’s LEAD NOW! model.

Since the model’s dimensions are colorcoded, they are also brilliantly color-coded back to the gem. Following this information is an overview and explanation of the gem. The next two sections are what really make this book an effective tool: application and reflection. For example, Gem #39 reads, “Change is bad until it succeeds.” This gem ties to the leadership dimensions of customer focus, focusing on results, change management, innovation, inspiring commitment and organizational savvy. Following that is an overview of how people often resist change. In the application section, Stewart offers three successful techniques when implementing change. Finally, in the reflection section, Stewart lists five questions to reflect upon as a leader is working through change with his or her team. The index ties each gem to the 21 leadership dimensions so it is very easy to find gems based on the topic one wants to address.

The beauty of this book is its simplicity in thought and organization. New leaders, as well as tenured ones, will find a practical, useful tool as they manage their teams successfully.

Leaders will refer to this book often for the perfect quote, an insightful question or just to be inspired themselves.

Seniye Groff

52 Leadership Lessons: Timeless Stories for the Modern Leader John Parker Stewart Leadership Excellence, $29.95, 228 pages

John Parker Stewart is an internationally recognized leadership coach with 35 years of experience in executive development, team performance and leadership coaching.

Stewart created a leadership tool named LEAD NOW! Leadership Development Model and 52 Leadership Lessons supports this tool. This book is organized by 52 leadership lessons with catchy names such as Baboons and Impalas, Two Friends and a Giant, A Spider in Space and The Farmer and the Rock, to name a few. The titles will peak your interest, the stories will keep you engaged. Many of the stories read similar to an Aesop’s Fable. Each lesson is in a highlighted, colored box and is followed by the corresponding leadership dimensions (color-coded once again).

A story trails with an explanation. The final section to each lesson is the application.

The application sets this book apart from most leadership books because often leadership books extol a methodology but never really engage the reader to actually try to apply the concept. This book does. Finally, the section ends with another highlighted, colored box with a summary statement that makes the lesson memorable.

For example, Lesson #3 states, “Employees are like Turtles.” This lesson aligns with the leadership dimensions of delegating, focusing on results, coaching, team building and inspiring a commitment. A story follows which reminds the reader that a turtle, when Continued on page 7

Interview: John Parker Stewart 1. What is the most creative use of a gem that you have seen?

I worked with a team of senior executives in Hong Kong that integrated the GEMS into their everyday conversation. Each week, they incorporated and emphasized one GEM into daily decisions and problem solving. The GEMS integrated in their minds to such a degree that a team member would merely call out the GEM number and the entire team knew to exactly what they were referring. The GEMS became an integral part of their culture and vernacular, and this team personified Gem #48: “Culture is defined and re-defined every day.”

2. What are the most valuable skills needed of a leader, in your opinion?

The most valuable skill a leader can develop is the ability to gain and maintain the trust of those they lead. If nobody trusts you, then they will not really care what you say, do, or implement. I am not just talking about the general trust that you are a decent human being (e.g., you will not steal from them or stab them in the back), although that is a start; the trust to which I refer is a deep inner-core trust that people can genuinely rely on. Gem #41 reinforces this premise: “You can buy hands and feet, but you must earn the heart.” When you have earned their heart, you not only get their best efforts from their hands and feet, but you also gain their full commitment.

3. How did you come up with some of the titles in the 52 Leadership Lessons book?

Titles were a fun part of the development process. I hoped that the titles would ignite a spark of interest in the stories to both entice the reader to want to read more, and retain the valuable lessons of an aspect of leadership. Titles, such as “Chains and Ribbons,” “Lobsters and Egos,” and “Blinded by an Egg,” highlight unconventional pairings of subjects within the story, while other titles highlight a question, such as “Can You See It?” or “Only One Winner?” Each presents a unique situation that leaves a lasting impression on the readers, which will help them recall and apply the lesson when needed.

Visit www.portlandbookreview.com for the rest of this interview.

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June–August 2013

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business & Investing scared, shrinks back into its shell for safety.

In other words, if an employee is afraid of making a mistake, she will hide in her shell and never really meet her full potential.

Productivity and morale suffer as a consequence. Following the story, there are four questions in the application section and the lesson ends with a key point, “Give your employees the opportunity to stick their necks out without getting ‘whacked.’”.

Leaders will be inspired, regardless of the experience level or tenure. The lessons are simple and straight forward but also logical and practical. If more leaders reached for Stewart’s book, I can only imagine what teams could accomplish!

Seniye Groff

Forget the Resume: The Serious Job Finder’s Playbook John Lee LeeCore Publishing, $20.95, 106 pages

Forget the Resume: The Serious Job Finder’s Playbook by John Lee targets two groups: newly graduated students and down-sized or underemployed professionals. This is a workbook-style publication intended to be written on, dog-eared and referred to as a

tool for finding employment. There is a sixweek structure to the book and lots of supporting information such as what doesn’t work anymore, a template for what does work and tons of real-life examples. This colorful book is full of graphics and charts.

The highlighted boxes titled, “Reality Check” offer good insights.

Forget the Resume concludes with ten plus exhibits of specific examples that Lee refers to in the book.

Lee has created a targeted approach to identifying companies to work for. He provides structure and worksheets to keep the job seeker focused on the task at hand— finding a job in a very tough, competitive market. If you are seeking employment, this is a tool that should be part of your employment strategy.

Seniye Groff

Creative Intelligence: Harnessing the Power to Create, Connect, and Inspire Bruce Nussbaum Harper Business, $28.99, 368 pages

Bruce Nussbaum’s background as an editor at Business Week and an instructor at Parsons The New School for Design provide him with a unique perspective. Creative Intelligence progresses nicely from descriptions of what creativity is to how it develops and can be reinforced or discouraged. His utilization of stories of people with familiar names or drawn from familiar places eases us into not only his topic but also his point of view on the importance of creativity as well as its prevalence. As he discusses the competencies of creative intelligence, we get glimpses of our own use of each of them; and he encourages that. The wrap up section of the book is about the economic value of

creativity and how the current economic theories have left us bereft and diminished our economic return as well as been the base of the recession. Though the topic may lend itself to boredom, Nussbaum keeps the pace lively enough to make the book enjoyable.

Mary-Lynne Monroe

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Current Events & Politics The One-State Condition: Occupation and Democracy in Israel/Palestine (Stanford Studies in Middle Eastern and I) Ariella Azoulay & Adi Ophir Stanford University Press, $24.95, 318 pages

Have you ever heard the word “intractable” used to describe the conflict in Israel and Palestine? It has been used as a stand-in for a new or creative analysis, and fortunately The One-State Condition: Occupation and Democracy in Israel/Palestine never even uses the word. The book presumes that the conflict can and should be understood, and proceeds to describe the morphing and maneuvering that Israel undertook, especially since the 1967 war, that transformed it into a full-fledged occupying power in the Palestinian Territories – even as it aspires to democracy for its Jewish citizens.

Legally, the two groups – citizen and noncitizen – are governed by the same state but under different laws. By applying the existing concept of the “democratic backyard,” authors Azoulay and Ophir demonstrate the interlinked but uneven economic development in Palestine and Israel. The authors define their concepts and arguments clearly, and convincingly build the case that Israel

as a regime is reliant or contingent upon its occupying activities. The One-State Condition is a must-have aid, not just for navigating the reality of the Israel-Palestine conflict as it occurs on the ground, but for reading between the lines of other news sources.

Sarah Alibabaie

The Impending Monetary Revolution, the Dollar and Gold Edmund Contoski American Liberty Publishers, $15.30, 214 pages

This book is very detailed in its content but the author has a tendency to wonder about his subject. The stated premise is the suggestion that the United States should return to gold-backed dollars but within the 214 pages we are subject to a dissertation on the history of trade and barter and the development of coinage and eventually paper money. Contoski spends a great deal of time talking about the European monetary crisis of the past five years and in particular the economic problems with Greece. His point is that any country that practices poor monetary policies will eventually fall into crisis. Gold-backed securities would keep these countries from falling into default. The author also discusses the collapse in real estate values contending that speculation is a major culprit of today’s problems, singling out Ireland, stating “Ire-

land’s banks are today probably insolvent”.

In August 1971 President Nixon took the nation off the gold standard. The premise Mr. Contoski is trying to make is that we, as a nation, need to re-link the dollar to gold at a set value. The author states that as of May 2012 the United States held the most metric tons of gold in the world and refers to gold as a “store of value.” The concern by this reviewer is that the value of gold continues to fluctuate. From the time this book was published the value of gold has decreased by 26%. At the end of the book the author compares the collapse of the Soviet Union and the impending collapse of the dollar and therefore the United States. This reviewer finds this comparison a bit absurd. The Soviets had and still have a closed society and the Unites States has always been an open society of free thinkers with the power to grow and expand.

This book was an interesting read but had the feel of an author that had an axe to grind about today’s political environment and the current presidential economic policies.

Brian Taylor

The Disaster Survival Bible Edited by Junius Podrug Forge, $24.99, 270 pages

When we do not experience disasters happening to us or see them in our neighborhoods, we forget to prepare for them.

Yet preparedness can make the difference

between staying alive and perishing. Junius Podrug pleads with his readers to take possible disasters seriously and take preparedness action. His book The Disaster Survival Bible is very thorough and covers in great detail every aspect of potential disasters.

In the first 22 pages he attempts to motivate us to act and act now. Then he briefly covers four potential disasters: biological and chemical agents and radiological and nuclear hazards.

The information here is common knowledge for anyone who can read and who keeps up to date. Podrug mainly gives examples and describes their consequences and what to do to escape and remain safe.

The remaining two-thirds of the book describes federal security guides in extreme detail. The checklists and precautions are exhaustive in length, many of them totally unnecessary, and readers could take weeks and weeks to really go through them. He quotes numerous websites, all general (e.g. www.fema.gov). Repetition and empty filler is common in this thick volume, and much of the information is available online. What’s missing is a general index.

George Erdosh Continued on page 8

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Current Events & Politics I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy Lori Andrews Free Press, $15.99, 253 pages Lori Andrews’ novel is one of the scariest books you will read. Addressing her readers as “Facebook Nation,” Andrews argues that the rise of social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have challenged the very notion of individual privacy.

Without any legal consensus on what constitutes fair use of the Internet, with billions of advertising dollars at stake and software that can intercept literally every keystroke we make, is there such a thing

as Internet privacy? Should there be?

The legal issues are complex. The law protects a criminal suspect from search and seizure without probable cause. Should that suspect’s posts on Facebook, even his Web searches, be protected from scrutiny? What if his Facebook “friend” passes information to the prosecuting lawyer? Or what if a recently divorced parent posts a suggestive photo, hoping to restart her social life? Is that valid evidence against her fitness as a parent?

Andrews argues for a Social Network Constitution to establish basic rights and restrictions on the legal use of social net-

Juliette’s arrival at Omega Point – a refuge for people with special powers – has not given her the happiness she anticipated.

Plagued by fear of others and, most of all, fear of herself, she keeps to herself and stays away from the people she needs the most.

With a battle on the horizon between the rebels and the Reestablishment, Juliette must decide whether to continue hiding or to embrace her true power and take up her own place in the fight.

Unravel Me is the stunning second novel in the Juliette trilogy. The story, told from Juliette’s perspective, follows her as she struggles with fears that others hate her, her love triangle between good boy Adam and bad boy Warner.

Additionally, it shows her growth in both her power, confidence and decisions about who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be.

The blend of a dystopian world with superhero-style characters is entertaining and original. Readers should definitely start with the first novel but fans of fantasy and young adult books will definitely want to check out this new addition to the field.

Barbara Cothern

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Young Adult Unravel Me Tahereh Mafi Harper, $17.99, 480 pages

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working sites. Although some information and arguments are repeated across chapters, the book reads easily and quickly. Everyone with a digital “second self” will find this book revealing – and sobering.

Daniel Hobbs

The Magician’s Doll M. L. Roble M. L. Roble, $9.99, 315 pages

In a land where people with power are forced to hide in order to avoid a fate worse than death, Natalie finds the The Magician’s Doll. Natalie is discovering that her own powers are coming into their own, and that she is one of the next to be targeted. She needs to quickly find out how to control her powers or she could lose the family that she has just found out was all around her. She faces a fate worse than the others as the malevolent force seeking her out wants more than just her power.

My issue with the book is that there are way too many Mary Sue elements.

The girl is not just the most powerful person in the story, but apparently one of the most powerful of her race, and she is an obvious outcast yet, she must bring everyone together in order to defeat the Big Bad. Thankfully, there is more to the book than just Natalie’s problems, and once the story gets rolling it’s actually pretty fun. The mystery of Louisa is solved in its own time, and the exploration of how Phillip’s power works is nicely done.

There is a lot to explore, and the possibility of a sequel is welcomed, as the mystery of Phillip’s father looks to be an interesting one, and one can only hope that one character reappears. Although the escape of the villain is probably the weakest part of what is otherwise a pretty strong book; it just feels a chintzy way of doing it. Regardless, Natalie’s growth throughout the story, Phillip’s rather nifty power, and Louisa’s characterization

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make for a powerful magic by themselves, and definitely whet the appetite for a sequel.

Jamais Jochim

Life After Theft Aprilynne Pike Harper Teen, $17.99, 352 pages

Written from the perspective of a guy named Jeff Clayson, this novel tackles several interesting issues. New to Whitestone Academy, Jeff is experiencing the emotional turmoil that comes with joining a school halfway through the year. He finds solace in both the hot girls he meets on his first day, but his silver lining is quickly engulfed by the fact that one of the girls won’t leave him alone.

Kimberlee is a ghost in need of redemption and Jeff seems to be the only one who can help. Cue the other hot girl and Jeff has a hectic schedule filled with returning a kleptomaniac’s stash to society and unearthing why his new love interest hates Kimberlee.

Pike manages to channel the male perspective, but there are a few instances where the boys are slightly flat. Kimberlee is full of sass and was the mean girl in her former life. Her perspective will likely keep the reader wondering who the real villains are. Plenty of humor balances out the seriousness of Kimberlee’s predicament and the pain she inflicted on others when alive. A story of addiction, broken friendships and new beginnings, Life After Theft is a realistic portrayal of the teen spirit.

Isabel Hernandez

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Don’t miss “The Reader’s Perspective” at www. portlandbookreview.com

Mystery, Crime & Thriller/horror The Llama of Death: A Gunn Zoo Mystery Betty Webb Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95, 270 pages

Readers will fall in love with Alejandro, an adult-hating, emotionrelating, spitting llama that moonlights by giving rides to children at the Renaissance Faire once a year. Alejandro and his handler, Teddy, discover that the Faire chaplain has been murdered in Alejandro’s pen during the night. The bumbling Acting Sheriff Dade is contaminating the crime scene and doing everything wrong in the investigation.

After Teddy’s mom, Caro, is arrested for the murder, Teddy decides to take matters into her own hands and solve the murder herself.

Author Betty Webb pens a third in her animal mystery series. She keeps the story light-hearted enough to put a smile on your face as you follow Teddy’s quest to find the killer in The Llama of Death.

This book is an unpredictably enjoyable read for a mystery tale. Webb obviously has an extensive knowledge of all things zoological. She takes readers on a labyrinth of superb little side stories within the zoo and the Renaissance Faire as a nice reprieve from the murder investigation. Most tangents in murder thrillers are distracting, even annoying, but Webb weaves these digressions beautifully into this book. This story would have played better as a Young Adult novel, but either way, it’s a fun, spirited and pleasurable read for all ages!

M. Chris Johnson

Sleeping in Eden Nicole Baart Howard Books, $16.00, 352 pages

Lucas Hudson is not happy with his life. He and his wife live as roommates and divorce seems inevitable. Throwing himself into his work, Lucas agrees to act as temporary coroner when a local man commits suicide.

When a second body is discovered, Lucas is convinced that it is Angela Sparks, a local girl who was close to his wife, who went missing eight years prior. Despite warnings from the police, Lucas starts investigating and unraveling the threads of the past, hoping to find resolution.

Sleeping in Eden is a highly read-

able book and a wonderful look into the effects that grief and silence have upon people. Lucas is a great main character and is at once endearing and frustrating as he tries harder with each chapter to hold onto his wife and get things back to the way they were. The mystery aspect of the book is told as a parallel story and is equally as interesting as the main storyline. The writing is beautiful and instantly draws the reader in and envelopes them in the story. This is a book that the reader will finish with regret (because it is over) and will remember for days afterward.

Barbara Cothern

Shattered (Alaskan Courage) Dani Pettrey Bethany House, $14.99, 364 pages

Reef McKenna has just been accused of gruesomely murdering a fellow snowboarder and former flame. Piper McKenna fully believes in her brother’s innocence despite his reckless past. Piper sets out to prove Reef’s innocence, and longtime friend Deputy Landon Grainger steps in to help even though he is skeptical. Landon and Piper set off on a wild goose chase following clues that take them to Canada, Por tland and back to Alaska.

During the perilous journey, Landon and Piper begin to reveal their feelings for one another. Solving Reef’s case means more than justice; it also opens the door for love.

Dani Pettrey is a wonderful new addition to the Christian fiction and suspense genres.

Her debut novel, Submerged, was a smashing success, and Shattered is even better.

The characters are passionate while revealing a profound faith that makes their love even more true and powerful. Shattered has the elements of suspense that will appeal to mystery lovers, but also enough romance to satisfy the romance readers. The character development keeps readers hooked and eagerly awaiting the next novel in the series.

Lindy Gervin

the fate of a missing physicist and the advanced technology he created which falls into the hands of terrorists.

Thornton knows how to successfully write a thrilling scene. He teases his audience just enough to keep them reading to find out more. His chapters are very short and switch between charac ters, locations, chases, fights and conversations. There is little chance that a reader will get bored.

Thornton’s detailed descriptions of the physical attributes of his characters are excessive and distracting. It is clear that he wants readers to know that his main characters are African American. But his mention of nearly every person’s weight (i.e. “an overweight white trooper with a paunch twice as large…and a couple of chins”) doesn’t enhance the plot in any way and becomes tedious and repetitive. ||Readers who can overlook these passages are in for a treat.

Thornton’s book is one part FBI vs. terrorist thriller, one part quantum mechanics sci-fi, one part romance and an overall captivating read until the last page.

Elizabeth Franklin

Fatal Impact Robert Thornton CreateSpace, $14.95, 402 pages

Just ten minutes after takeoff, Jared Burch’s plane crashes. Although there are no survivors, Jared’s remains are missing from the crash site. But is Jared really dead?

When his wife Marion hears his voice on her answering machine asking for help, she sets out on a life changing journey to discover answers. So begins Fatal Impact, Robert Thornton’s new eBook. Fans of science fiction and thrillers will enjoy this story about

Read the “Authors Spotlight” column at www. portlandbookreview.com

“A glimpse into the world proves that horror is nothing other than reality.”

Alfred Hitchcock

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June–August 2013

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Poetry & Short Stories Vampires in the Lemon Grove Karen Russell Alfred A. Knopf, $24.95, 243 pages

Vampires in the Lemon Grove is Karen Russell’s second collection of short stories, coming on the tail of her Pulitzer Prize nominated Swamplandia!. Collected in just under 250 pages are eight magical stories involving characters any reader would love to get to know.

In the title story, “Vampires in the Lemon Grove” two vampires have traveled the world attempting to stay under the radar of humanity. The story finds them in Italy, living inside a lemon grove, drinking the juice to satiate their thirst for blood. There is also the tale of a young man who must carry the only glass window in his community from house to house so each family can finally make just claim to their land.

The best story in the collection though, in this reviewer’s opinion, is “Reeling for the Empire.” Young women are sold from their families to reel silk. Instead, the girls are slowly turned into giant silkworms, and forced to produce their own silk. When they get fed up, a revolution is planned, and they young women take their lives back by force.

All of the stories collected in Vampires in the Lemon Grove are exceptional. Many writers attempt magical realism, but few succeed the way Karen Russell can. Her writing is tight, her characters instantly lovable, and, most importantly, her stories are believable.

Andrew Keyser

The Stroboscopic Life of Blake Winkler And Other Stories Stefanie Fife Lemon Jam Inc., $5.99, 112 pages

The Stroboscopic Life of Blake Winkler by Stephanie Fife is a surprisingly entertaining compilation of short stories. Each story is uniquely diverse, leaving you affected in some way – uplifted, depressed, shocked and especially reflective of your own plight and relationships.

From the touching story of a celloplaying soldier to the hilarious romp of a church picnic run amok, Fife is a writer to watch.

She deftly weaves America’s most common tragic tales into beautiful, almost poetic, individual yarns, leaving you wanting so much more. Each one could easily be a complete

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novel and you’d still want more. She is able to suck the reader in with the strength of her characters. Fife expertly portrays who they are and how they think. You know each one of them; you have a friend or acquaintance you can compare to them. This is what ties these stories together. You only get to live in the lives of these poor souls for just a few pages, but they will impact who you are and how you view your own world.

This ebook is worth the download and is something you will want to read again and again.

M. Chris Johnson

Sandcastle and Other Stories Justin Bog Green Darner Press, $14.95, 226 pages

Sandcastle and Other Stories is a collection of short stories for the emotional voyeur.

This collection contains a thread to tie one story to another, subtly, but enough to bring the reader along and have an immediate desire to dive right in to the next story. Justin Bog tells ten stories— stories of love, loss, fear, and champion. Each narrator brings something new to the table that not only allows the reader to immediately engage and mentally explore the setting, but reveals a certain element of the author as well. Bog writes in his introduction that he is a twin, and twins are featured in more than one of his stories. By bringing himself to the table, the reader is able to feel comfortable becoming more engaged in the story, falling in to the pages and getting lost in the emotion.

“There it was. The answer, out loud, pathetic, so ridiculous.”

Part of what makes these stories so engaging is Bog’s willingness to be entirely honest with his writing and not shy away from the darker parts of the human psyche.

We are naturally curious about others but are often hesitant to openly admit that we enjoy a good rumor or that we have stopped reading our book to listen to the next table over’s conversation. Bog brings these feelings, internal and external, to the forefront, and uses them as the crux of his story. Each story starts with elements of the familiar— the birth of a child, reading a book, tending a garden, until a darker, unexplored feeling is exposed. These hidden feelings become visible and pave the way for psychology to help explain why we act the way we do.

Rachel J. Richards

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Mundo Cruel: Stories Luis Negron Translated by Suzanne Jill Levine Seven Stories Press, $13.95, 91 pages

At the simplest level, Luis Negrón’s collection, Mundo Cruel, joins nine stories that examine homosexuality in Puerto Rico. But within a mere 91 pages, Negrón – and Suzanne Jill Levine, through her b eauti ful translation work – proves his mastery of both the subject matter and written narrative by using many contrasting approaches: maximizing stylistic forms through his use of the short story, the monologue, letter-writing and even scene study; examining family dynamics from the perspectives of son, brother, mother and sister; blatantly partaking in the parading of gay culture as well as intimately exposing the underground scene; and arousing reader sympathy with the disgusting injustice and discrimination suffered by the gay community while also admitting the double standards that create problematic relationships with the straight community. Negrón trusts his readers and their desire for an expanded worldview, and he delivers on this trust by showing incredible attention to detail and by compelling each voice within his stories to speak to readers’ capacity for compassion and critical thought.

Kaylan Isenberg

Congress of Strange People: Poems Stephanie Lenox Airlie Press, $15.00, 80 pages

In the first section of Congress of Strange People, Stephanie Lenox gives us a glimpse into childhood, slowly exploring the facets of the different relationships that make up our yo u n g years: motherdaughter, parent-marriage, sibling-sibling.

The poems weave in and out, presenting us with images of a shorn doll’s head, Hawaii, a deck of cards. The next two sections are a parade of the strange, starting with tales of people who have made it into books like the Guinness Book of World Records and ending with a more personal exhibition of strange ego.

This collection of poems is a testament to everyday life and the strangeness of it all. It

takes a little while to get into, but each poem is a step and each step takes the reader further into the voice and rhythm of the poetry.

The majority of the book is written in first person as Lenox slips in and out of the different stories and lives of real people. The last section of the book particularly resonates; it’s more personal and intimate, and she continues in first person, but this time she’s seemingly speaking as herself, bringing us closer. Definitely worth reading.

Nicole Green

Beat Poetry Larry Beckett Beatdom Books, $16.00, 149 pages

Beat Poetry by Larry Beckett is an intriguing exploration of the history of Beats and their poetry. The reader is likely to gain a deeper understanding of these poets who made more references and allusions than some may have known or been able to identify. The book is not an anthology or collection, but rather documenta tion of some of the styles and m oti v atio ns of the poets assembled.

Famous poets like Ferlinghetti, Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Corso have their ow n chapters, but the story does not end with them. There are also chapters of lesser known poets and those who followed the very famous ones.

The beat has gone on and one will also learn about and read Weiners, McClure, Lamantia, Snyder, Whalen, Welch, Meltzer and Kaufman in this book. Beat Poetry provides you with insight and explanation rather than making available all of the famous works.

There is only Part 1 of Howl presented for example, but Beckett has taken you under the surface to understand why these poets wrote the way they did and sometimes what they were trying to achieve. The story continues since the 50s and 60s which brought this movement to light.

Ryder Miller

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Music & Movies Where Film Meets Philosophy: Godard, Resnais, and Experiments in Cinematic Thinking Hunter Vaughan Columbia University Press, $29.50, 244 pages

Sometimes a great idea can get obscured by the language. Where Film Meets Philosophy explores a number of philosophical questions raised by the nature of film itself and seeks to unravel them. It specifically looks at the spectrum of schools created by the polar extremes of Godard’s subjectivity, where the camera was used to make a point about life, versus that of Resnais’s more objective school, where the camera essentially reported what it saw, and how they make discussing philosophy more interesting.

Although there are a lot of great points raised, such as how a known artifice can make valid points about reality and the degree to which it influences thinkers, Vaughan tends to chew up the dictionary. A lot of great points get lost because he persists in using the most obtuse phrasing possible; too many great pieces of analysis are obscured by the verbiage. Not only does he use far too many big words, but he also flits from idea to idea like a butterfly in park. For those willing to really slow down and digest what they are reading, this is a great book, but for most it is probably going to be too verbose.

Jamais Jochim

Streets of Fire: Bruce Springsteen in Photographs and Lyrics 1977-1979 Eric Meola It Books, $30.00, 128 pages

As a collection, the photos presented in Eric Meola’s Streets of Fire: Bruce Springsteen in Photographs and Lyrics, 1977-1979 provide an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at a musician on the verge of stardom. With each intense gaze Bruce seems to be challenging his audience to take his songs seriously, while at the same time he’s obviously having fun in the process. Rock ’n’ roll photography enthusiasts will be delighted by the iconic poses, the high-wasted jeans and the barechested, motorcycle machismo of the ‘70s.

But the inherent sense of drama and the darkness of each shot, driven by lyrics from songs like “The Promised Land” and “Streets of Fire,” establish the serious tone of Bruce and his music at the time.

Eric Meola is meticulous in capturing the backstory of each shot, including details such as what Bruce was wearing and

the conversations they shared. The result is a well-thought-out and reflective account of an artist before the massive surge of stardom. Having just produced Born to Run and about to release Darkness on the Edge of Town, Bruce is playing the rock star in the beautiful photographs in Streets of Fire. Like a Rorschach test, the photographs in this collection will produce a different meaning for each viewer; some will see cliché rock poses, others will see a man intent on meeting his destiny as The Boss.

Julie Scott

I Do and I Don’t: A History of Marriage in the Movies Jeannie Basinger Alfred A. Knopf, $30.00, 432 pages

Unlike any other genre of film, the “marriage movie” connects with almost every adult audience member watching the screen. A personal relationship, or one witnessed between parents or close friends, can result in “happily ever after” or a break up or divorce … or even tragedy, and this is mirrored in film. We can all relate in some way.

In her book I Do and I Don’t: A History of Marriage in the Movies, Jeanine Basinger, one of the film industry’s leading historians, examines the “marriage movie” and what these films tell us about movies in general and ourselves specifically. Basinger divides her book into three parts: The Silent Era, Defining the Marriage Movie in the Studio System and The Modern Era. She uses plain language to describe what the average person saw and heard at the movie theater during the above time periods. The author discusses stars, stories and business strategies, and how movies tell the marriage story.

Basinger doesn’t focus on psychoanalytical, sociological or philosophical theory. This is a book for people who like movies and want to join a deeper conversation about a fascinating topic. It quickly becomes clear that Basinger completed a tremendous amount of research to create and complete this book, and it is all the better for it. The only drawback is that, in discussing the movies, Basinger reveals entire plot lines. If you want to explore the meaning of the “marriage movie” genre (the good, the bad and the ugly), Basinger invites you to join the conversation.

Elizabeth Franklin

God’s Mind in That Music: Theological Explorations through the Music of John Coltrane Jamie Howison Cascade Books, $28.00, 250 pages

John Coltrane’s spiritual journey was at the heart of his music, especially in his later compositions. In God’s Mind in That Music, Jamie

Howison traces that journey by examining a handful of pivotal works, their structure, performance history, critical reception, and theological roots and resonances. “A Love Supreme” is there, of course, but so are “Ascension” and “Attaining,” works that pushed the boundaries of how jazz was understood at that time.

Howison covers an amazing amount of ground, here: Coltrane’s personal history; the roots of jazz in black gospel music, spirituals, and the blues; the complex relations between black music and black American history; and the tension between constraint and freedom – between chord structure and improvisation – that is the very heart of jazz.

Yet he is never superficial. He is extremely well-informed, and has listened long and deeply to the music. Like the voices in a jazz combo, topics surface and resurface, revealing fresh connections each time. His many quotations from other writers, critics and musicians – including some who played with Coltrane – give the reader a balanced, nondogmatic view of the man and his music.

Both aficionados and beginning listeners will find this book engaging and insightful.

Daniel Hobbs

Batmobile: The Complete History Mark Cotta Vaz Insight Editions, $35.00, 142 pages

Action!: Professor Know-It-All’s Illustrated Guide to Film & Video Making Bill Brown Microcosm Publishing, $11.95, 160 pages

We can all use a quick refresher in how to make movies, especially with the ubiquity of video. Action!: Professor Know-It-All’s Illustrated Guide to Film & Video Making looks at the basics of taking pictures and filming.

Combined with puzzles to help you remember the various terms, the book is designed to make sure that someone interested in making movies, no matter how short, is well prepared for the task.

This is the kind of book you get for someone who is just beginning to get into film and has a lot of questions. This book will answer most basic questions but should be considered just the entry point; Brown only looks at the very basics and has some fun introducing them to a new crowd. The book is written in a simple format that’s easy to read and will enable even the rankest novice to quickly learn how to take pictures and make great film on his own. With this book and a good basic camera, someone could easily get going in a few hours. For anyone tired of taking all the wrong shots or just trying to figure things out, this is a great learner’s permit.

Jamais Jochim

In all of literature, television, video games, toys, comics and film, few forms of transportation stand out as much as the Batmobile.

When Batman and the vehicle arrive to save the day, it’s crime fighting at its best. In Christopher Nolan’s successful Dark Knight trilogy, the Batmobile is given even more unique capabilities and fantastic qualities.

Batmobile: The Complete History, by Mark Cotta Vaz, takes auto and superhero fans on a high-speed journey through the evolution of this iconic and incomparable machine, examining each version and adaptation over the years. As technology has evolved, so has the car’s design. Learn about the changes by studying original blueprints, concept sketches, movie and television stills, artist renditions and patent drawings. As the curator of “The Art of the Dark Knight,” a 50th anniversary exhibition of original Batman comic art, Vaz is certainly one of the foremost experts on the subject. He nicely balances excellent writing and spectacular photographs. Vaz’s book is a stunning tribute to the artistry that has gone into creating such an iconic vehicle.

Elizabeth Franklin

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June–August 2013

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Sequential art The James Bond Omnibus 004 Ian Fleming Titan Books, $19.95, 288 pages

If you are a fan of James Bond and comic strips, you will love the fourth installment of The James Bond Omnibus 004. This collection of nine missions is sure to entertain you with its thrilling and dangerous story lines. The stories are just as action-packed as the movies and include titles such as “Trouble Spot”, “The Girl Machine”, “Beware of Butterflies”, “Die With My Boots On”, and “The Phoenix Project”.

The comic strips are detailed and drawn in black and white. The stories follow Bond and he searches for the bad guy and, of course, cavorts with several ladies along the way.

As James Bond fans would expect, there are weapons, fighting and intrigue. I would have liked the pictures to be a bit larger and some color would have been nice, too. But for the true James Bond aficionado, nine action-packed stories will entertain, thrill and engage the reader for hours.

Seniye Groff

The Hound of the Baskervilles Martin Powell & Jamie Chase, based on the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Dark Horse Comics, $14.99, 63 pages

The world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, has been given yet another wonderful book—this time repeating a classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle tale in comic book form. The Hound of the Baskervilles, originally published with illustrations by Sidney Paget in The Strand Magazine in March of 1902, has been re-illustrated by Martin Powell and Jamie Chase with amazing color and illustrations that honor many of the original characters’ looks, which Paget created over a century ago when she first began illustrating Doyle’s masterpiece in 1891.

Staying true to the original story throughout, the classic-mysteryturned-sequentialart begins on a dark night. A man is walking on the path in front of his house when out of the mist leaps a gigantic phantom hound with a ferocious growl.

The next morning a man comes to Holmes and his trusty comrade Dr. Watson with the frightening story that ends in the death of an innocent man by the bite of a hound. Will this mystery be intriguing enough for Holmes to take on, or will he dismiss his first mystery with a supernatural twist?

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This book is great for both those who have read the original Doyle classic and those who have not. Whether you are a young reader or an adult, you will not be disappointed.

Andrea Franke

Terra Tempo, Book 2: The Four Corners of Time David R. Shapiro & Erica Melville, Illustrated by Christopher Herndon Craigmore Creations, $17.99, 253 pages

In the first Terra Tempo graphic novel, Ice Age Cataclysm!, twins Jenna and Caleb and their know-it-all friend Ari find themselves, with the aid of a special map owned by their adventurous naturalist uncle, time traveling into the Ice Age of 15,000 years ago. They came across prehistoric mammals and witnessed the grand Missoula Flood, caused when a gigantic ice dam burst and Glacial Lake Missoula (in Montana) drained, its gushing torrent flowing west and sculpting the channeled scablands of the Pacific Northwest. The trio saw that the flood’s waters had covered their home – present day Portland, Oregon. Author David Shapiro, illustrator Christopher Herndon, and colorist Erica Melville continue the time traveling adventures in The Four Corners of Time, bringing the kids through several older time periods represented throughout the American southwest.

They pass out in the Cambrian because of low oxygen levels, meet early tetrapods in the Devonian, get chased in the Carboniferous by humans, dodge pre-dinosaur reptiles in the Triassic, and face the tyrant lizard king in the Cretaceous. Those humans, by the way, are men out to abuse time traveling for profit, seeking to steal the maps the kids possess.

A lesson in geology and paleontology, the Terra Tempo series so far has proved that learning science does not have to be boring. It can be – and perhaps should be – an adventure!

Michael Barton

Survival of the Filthiest: A Get Fuzzy Collection Darby Conley Andrews McMeel Publishing, $12.99, 128 pages

Survival of the Filthiest: A Get Fuzzy Collection is another collection presented by Darby Conley, featuring the lovable Satchel and the abrasive Bucky. Rob Wilco is your average bachelor, kept company by his faithful pets.

Satchel is Rob’s ever-loving dog; wrinkly and simple. Satchel brings a unique perspective that is his simplified view of the world. To contrast Sachel’s purity of spirit, Rob also owns a one-fanged cat named Bucky. Bucky is filled with malice, spite, and cynicism. His

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continued efforts to dominate and put-down Rob results in hilarity.

Get Fuzzy is a comic for the reader who enjoys dry and sarcastic humor based on the suffering of others. Bucky creates delightful conflict between the three with his hair-brained ideas and demands, while Satchel just calls it like he sees it. Rob acts as the mediator and keeps the two civil.

Darby Conely is a wonderful comic artist who masters the facial expressions and is not afraid to shy away from any topic. He brings a great sense of humor for those who enjoy a bit more adult humor.

Rachel J. Richards

Journalism Joe Sacco Metropolitan Books, $22.00, 208 pages

Joe Sacco is a journalist who attempts to report on world conflict and then tell those stories in the form of comics. Journalism by Sacco is a collection of his comics-as-journalism, reporting on Bosnia War to the Iraq War, from genocide to mistreatment of prisoners.

Be warned: These stories are presented as comics, but they are not to be taken lightly.

Journalism reads as a graphic novel, complete with dialogue bubbles, bright colors, black and white illustrations depicting vast landscapes, broken-down cities, military convoys, individuals under great stress, and scenes of brutal violence. The reader may find the illustrations distracting at first, but they provide a visual to the story that enhances the experience, especially during the more chilling moments. For example, this reviewer read no further than the second page of the first story before he had to put the book down and cover his mouth due to the horror he just read.

Joe Sacco has turned journalism into an interpretive art with Journalism. He reports the facts simply and concise, but providing illustrations to highlight the poignancy and raw energy of war, military training, and human struggle. A great addition to any adult’s library.

Gregory A. Young

You Haven’t Read the News Like This!

Grimm Fairy Tales: Tales From Neverland #1 Al Rio et al.

Zenescope Entertainment, $12.99, 128 pages

We all know the peaceful and beautiful realm known as Neverland, where children don’t grow up and where there are entertaining skirmishes between the pirates, the Indians, and the Lost Boys. Grimm Fairy Tales: Tales from Neverland #1 twists this story into a horror-comic in which a beautiful fairy princess has been murdered and there is only one suspect.

Upon being banished, Tinker Belle meets Pan. The story goes on to tell the story of Tiger Lily - the fiercest Indian princess. Despite doing whatever it takes to win, the title of strongest warrior is given to her weaker male opponent. Tiger Lily is instead left to protect the ever-living child. When Pan tricks Tiger Lily and steals the essence of the ever-living child, Tiger Lily vows revenge. Pan then goes on to trick the pirate captain out of his treasure, using him as bait against the evil crocodile.

Follow the adventure and misfortune of Pan in the world of Neverland! The beautiful artwork and twisting plot will keep you turning the pages, asking for more. Follow this dark story along the pages as you are welcomed in to the world of Neverland.

Rachel J. Richards

Flash Gordon: The Tyrant of Mongo (The Complete Flash Gordon Library, 1937-41) Alex Raymond Titan Books, $39.95, 176 pages

Flash Gordon and Dale Arden seriously need to seek couples counseling. In Flash Gordon: Tyrant of Mongo, we find Flash enjoying his hard-earned vacation. Events quickly conspire to throw him and Ming back at each other’s throats. Flash runs from Ming’s forces and ends up in the Northlands, where an ambitious count sets Dale against Flash.

Although they get back together soon enough, Dale’s kidnapping forces Flash to deal with Ming.

The last installment ends with Flash in the crosshairs of an assassin.

This book has aged fairly well. Although it’s still far more descriptive than a modern

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Sequential art comic, and there is quite a bit of covert sexism (most of the problems are caused

by Dale and another woman getting into some sort of jealous fight over Flash), the writing is still pretty incredible. The graphics are done with an eye toward detail, and Mongo looks more like a 1930s serial than the Roman pastiche. Surprisingly, each of the comic’s installments flow rather nicely into each other, making for an extended story.

Combined with the gorgeous cover, this a book any comic book fan would die to have on his shelf.

Jamais Jochim

Dragon Age: Those Who Speak David Gaider & Alexander Freed, Illustrated by Chad Hardin Dark Horse Comics, $14.99, 63 pages

Continuing the story started in the video game series, Dragon Age, the second graphic novel of the series by lead author David Gaider, starts with a familiar cast of characters. The premise is that King Alistair is searching for his father, King Maric, who may not be dead after all. Coming along for the ride is the pirate captain Isabella and crossbow wielding dwarf Varric.

The book follows the trio to Tevinter, a dangerous land with mages, slaves and (of course) many enemies and through their eventual imprisonment by the Qunari.

There are hijinks galore throughout the book, as would be expected with someone like Isabella along for the ride and a few surprises and new alliances built throughout the book. The graphics are nicely done and create a good sense of atmosphere throughout the various places the characters visit.

Fans of the game and the other novels will enjoy this addition to the series.

Barba ra Coth ern

Criminal Macabre: The Iron Spirit Steve Niles, Illustrated by Scott Morse Dark Horse Comics, $19.99, 34 pages

Cal McDonald is a different kind of detective. He may possess a gruff personality and penchant for alcohol like other hardboiled private eyes, but McDonald is actually dead. So, he spends his afterlife solving supernatural cases, and in The Iron Spirit, the newest Steve Niles Criminal Macabre mystery, McDonald assists a retired

Air Force captain in putting the tortured souls of some unfortunate soldiers to rest.

The Iron Spirit is a wonderfully told detective story with a cast of characters rich in personality. The interactions McDonald shares with his military client are blunt and brimming with humor. Additionally, the access the reader has to McDonald’s thoughts aids in cementing the noir atmosphere of this tale. Speaking of atmosphere, one would be remiss not to acknowledge the importance of the art to the story. Illustrator Scott Morse rebukes traditional comic panel layout in favor of full page spreads. The rough and raw scenes he composes, accentuated by watercolors, succeed in visually representing the haunting tone of the narrative. Newcomers to the Criminal Macabre series will be glad to know that prior knowledge of the series is not required to enjoy this tale, making it a perfect introduction.

Michael Albani

Calling Dr. Laura: A Graphic Memoir Nicole J. Georges Mariner Books, $16.95, 260 pages

What if everything you believed about your family was revealed to be a lie? That’s what happens to Nicole on her 23rd birthday, when she visits a psychic who insists her father – whom she believes died of colon cancer decades ago – is in fact alive. What ensues is Nicole’s haunting story of finding the truth about her father and making peace with the relationships in her life. Calling Dr. Laura is the debut graphic memoir from Portland ’zine icon Nicole J. Georges, in which she shares her own coming-of-age story in her striking, signature comic style with a poignancy that is both heartbreaking and sweet.

It’s hard not to root for Nicole from page one. Her life working as a karaoke jockey with her motley gang of dogs and chickens exudes charm. As Nicole struggles to cope with her dysfunctional family and her own identity, it is impossible not to empathize with her – even as she dials the number to Dr. Laura’s infamous radio talk show to find clarity and a way to move forward. While the ending can feel a bit open-ended, the book’s honesty about relationships rings true. Calling Dr. Laura is a telling account of how deception and lies in relationships can harm those we love the most, and this book is a must-read for anyone who has had to figure out the truth for themselves, loves the Portland ’zine scene or simply appreciates the beauty of a well-crafted graphic novel.

Kristin Leigh

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8, Volume 3 (Library Edition) Joss Whedon, Jane Espenson, Steven S. DeKnight and Drew Z. Greenberg Dark Horse Comics $29.99, 304 pages

Buffy and the Scooby gang are back in the latest season of the comic book series

by Dark Horse comics. The series follows the Whedon tradition of presenting both a minor and a major baddie for the group to deal with. The series initially focuses on everyone’s favorite ditzy vamp, Harmony, and her new reality series, Harmony Bites.

The series – and the positive light in which it casts vampires – creates a public relations backlash for the slayers, who are soon vilified as evil murderers of the undead.

Backing out of the spotlight, the slayers go underground and try to focus on their other problem, a new nemesis called Twilight. The library version of the series, which is gorgeous thanks to drawings and graphics by Georges Jenty and writing by Joss Whedon, Brian K Vaughan and Jane Espenson, continues to be exciting, inventive and, as always, funny.

Fans of the comics or the series will enjoy this latest season.

Barbara Cothern

Alice in Wonderland Adapted and Illustrated by Rod Espinosa Dark Horse Comics, $19.99, 128 pages

Dark Horse Comics’ version of Alice in Wonderland is clearly not Walt Disney’s version of the tale. The graphics convey a darker tone with language that is clearly closer to Lewis Carroll. Alice appears as a wide-eyed dreamer, curious more than fearful of her new experiences.

Her trip down the rabbit hole is fascinating with dark faces and furniture in the passing. The White Rabbit bears blank yet expressive eyes with exclamation points to register shock, upset and fear. As Alice finds her way through a menacingly dark forest, the smiling Cheshire Cat is cat-like and wise rolled into one. The smile that remains then fades is also far more like a cat than the wide toothy human grin of the Disney Cheshire Cat. Overall, the graphics are wonderful yet the storyline itself is shallow, without much feeling. Most disturbing is the big-chinned Mad Hatter whose appearance echoes too closely caricatures of Jay Leno.

Mary-Lynne Monroe

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June–August 2013

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SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY The Crossing (Blood of the Lamb: Book One) Mandy Hager Pyr, $16.95, 272 pages

The inhabitants of the small island, Onewere are considered special, blessed and chosen by God to serve church leaders however they can. Maryam is excited when it is finally her turn to leave her childhood behind and move to the Holy City. When she arrives, however, she finds that nothing is what it seems and that the Apostles, rather than being holy, are evil and use the sisters for their own pleasure. Maryam must find her own strength to try to escape before it is too late for her and those she cares about.

The Crossing is a riveting story of how power corrupts even those with good intentions.

The author deftly shows how the focus of the people on this island becomes solely about following the leaders in the belief that they will be rewarded both on earth and in heaven. The writing nicely shows Maryam’s change from a fearful girl to a strong young woman. She is a great character: smart, questioning and resourceful. There are disturbing scenes depicted in the book but they aren’t overtly graphic and would be appropriate for older teens. The story is gripping and hard to put down.

Barbara Cothern

The Birr Elixir (The Legend of the Gamesmen, Book 1) Jo Sparkes Sparkes Productions, $0.99, 164 pages

When Prince Tryst embarks on his journey, a coming-of-age quest, he expects the typical journey of his ancestors. Instead he awakes in a foreign land, 10 months from the day he left, thanks to the talents of a young herbalist named Marra. She is in the employ of Drail, a gamesman, whose team is traveling across the continent to attend the biggest sporting event of the year. When they arrive in Port Leet, the largest town on the continent, the team must face treachery, tricks and dirty play if they are going to win - and a little help from the magical birr elixir won’t hurt either.

Author Jo Sparkes proves to be an outstanding author with this light-hearted fantasy tale. She makes creating a believable, likeable world look easy. By slowly revealing informa-

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tion about the world the characters live in, Sparkes avoids the pitfall many fantasy authors fall into: information overload.

The most interesting part of The Birr Elixir is the sport the story centers around. The game of Comet pits four teams against each other, each trying to score points in a central basket. There are few rules, which keeps the game moving swiftly while still keeping it interesting. It is easy to picture the games as they happen, and soon readers will find themselves rooting for their team to win.

Although the story starts a bit unbelievably - a group of strangers taking an abused shop girl away from her home and job - the characters quickly become best friends. It is fun to see their friendship develop, and it feels like the reader is making friends right along with the characters.

Weighing in at just under 200 pages, The Birr Elixir is a quick read but one well worth experiencing. For a fun story with an imaginative world and an exciting sport, look no further than Jo Sparkes’ book The Birr Elixir.

Andrew Keyser

Shield of Sea and Space (The Chaos Knight, Book 3) Jake Elliot, Illustrated

by Dawne Dominique Pyr, $18.00, 307 pages

Vidarian Rulorat hoped that his safety at the court of Calphille would last. However, the war with the Alorean Import Company is becoming more widespread and deadly.

Vidarian, his partner Ariadel and their infant daughter must leave if the court is to find allies in the war and bring peace to the world.

With an ever-increasing sense of dread and destiny, Vidarian must learn the secret plan of the company and the elementals before it is too late.

Shield of Sea and Space is the muchanticipated conclusion in author Erin Hoffman’s Chaos Knight trilogy, and it is a fitting end for the characters that readers have come to love. Gryphons Altair and Khalesh are back, of course, and it is particularly poignant to experience Altair’s crisis of faith about his goddess. The air fights and battles with the company and nemeses Ruby and Justinian are exciting and thrilling. Overall, this final installment ends the story exactly how it should: with bravery, passion and a few tears. This is a wonderful trilogy and sci-fi fans who haven’t yet read it are definitely missing out.

Barbara Cothern

A Fitting End to a Wonderful Trilogy |

Oddities & Entities Roland Allnach All Things That Matter, $16.99, 256 pages

Roland Allnach’s Oddities & Entities is an engrossing collection of sci-fi and horror short stories. The collection itself is relatively short at 256 pages, and few, if any, of the stories come in at over 40 pages, making this a great choice for commuters or others who are reading for short snatches of time. This book is strongly recommended for horror fans, as each one of these stories is deeply creepy in its own way, although readers looking for blood and guts will find relatively little of that here. Allnach specializes in creating a world that is similar to our own, but with something that is just off about it, or with some kind of largely hidden horror lurking. This book is from a small press, and it doesn’t look as slick as volumes from larger presses, but the effort of seeking it out will be well worth it if you’re looking for stories that truly make you think twice about the world around you.

Katie Richards

Crossing Mother’s Grave (Book 2) Jake Elliot Damnation Books, $21.99, 255 pages

Author Jake Elliot is proving to be incredibly talented. His first book, The Wrong Way Down introduced readers to Popalia, a priestess on a mission to recover her order’s prized relic. Her bodyguard, Wynkkur, accompanies her on the quest, leading them across the lands to the capital city. There they catch up with the thief who stole the artifact so many days before; and the story ends leaving readers on a cliffhanger. Crossing Mother’s Grave picks up immediately after the first book ends, continuing the story of Popalia, Wynkkur, and their new partners Seth and Raenyl.

Pursuing the trading caravan with whom the thief escaped their grasp, the adventurers are attacked by a group of orcs. With officers bent on their arrest behind them, and all out attack in front, they choose to stop and fight. Instead of an isolated battle, the fight is a catalyst, leading them deep into the heart of the earth where many more join their ranks, and they struggle to regain their freedom.

The Wrong Way Down is a good book, putting forth an entertaining story. It is with Crossing Mother’s Grave though that Elliot shows his true gift for storytelling. One of the best aspects of stories is the ability for the reader to get inside the characters and

feel like they are a part of the action. Adding to the qualities that made The Wrong Way Down great is the outstanding characterization the author achieves. In the first book, all the players were introduced. In this second installment their full character is revealed.

Foul-mouthed highwaymen, pious and indignant priestesses, and culturally oblivious elves comprise a truly unique crew. The author has a way of sticking relatively close to genre-defined characteristics, then playing around inside them so none of the characters come across as stuffy or like have been read a thousand times before.

From start to finish, Crossing Mother’s Grave never slows down. The laborious descriptions and pointless conversations that plague so much writing on the market right now is no where to be found. Instead, what is left is a tight, well thought out story that is a pleasure to read. For those thinking they need to read Elliot’s first book before this one, don’t worry about it, Crossing Mother’s Grave stands just as strong on its own; though it wouldn’t hurt to discover all the great writing this author has to offer.

Andrew Keyser

Between Two Thorns (Split Worlds, Book 1) Emma Newman Angry Robot, $14.99, 396 pages

Emma Newman’s Between Two Thorns tells the story of Cathy, a young woman of the Split Worlds, where select humans live in the Nether - a world between the everyday world - and Exilium, a land where the Fae have been imprisoned to keep them from meddling in the world. The humans of the Nether do not age while they live there, and their society is approximately 300 years behind the modern world. Cathy longs to escape the Nether, where as a woman, she has no say in her life or future and her family is ruthlessly obsessed with social climbing.

The novel itself is a delight, part Jane Austen novel of manners mixed with a contemporary fantasy novel.

Newman doesn’t give the reader much back story or explanation of the world, instead leaving the reader to come to a gradual understanding as the story progresses. The story itself is compelling, and the secondary and primary characters are fully developed and have nuanced reactions to the events of the story.

The level of the book would be appropriate for older YA readers, it might be slightly scary for younger readers, but was also enjoyable for an adult reader. Also, the book is the first in a series, so the ending does not tie up all the loose ends, but leaves the door wide open for the second book.

Katie Richards

Don’t miss “The Reader’s Perspective” at www. portlandbookreview.com

SELF-HELP Walking Portland: 30 Tours of Stumptown’s Funky Neighborhoods, Historic Landmarks, Park Trails, Farmers Markets, and Brewpubs Becky Ohlsen Wilderness Press, $18.95, 256 pages

As anyone who lives here knows, Portland is a great city for walking. Urban trails, pretty gardens, hidden parks, historic and quirky neighborhoods, plentiful food carts and beverage options, a relatively flat terrain, and a good public transportation system to get home by when rain or sore feet take precedence all speak in its favor. From centrally located Chinatown to farther afield Multnomah Village, local author Ohlsen describes 30 of her favorite routes around town, each ranging in length from one to five miles, with options to extend, and in difficulty level from easy to moderate. Each section has a good map, parking and transportation options, a bulleted list of directions with helpful commentary, sites to see along the way, and a route summary. Appendices include a compilation of walks by theme and points of interest. Want to take a Rivers and Bridges walk? Try Walk #29. How about something that goes by the 24-Hour Church of Elvis? Start at Union Station and follow Walk #1. Or choose pieces of each. This is a nicely designed and written book that natives and visitors alike will enjoy.

Linda Frederiksen

Make Your Story a Movie: Adapting Your Book or Idea for Hollywood John Robert Marlow St. Matin’s Griffin, $15.99, 308 pages

While John Robert Marlow, author of Make Your Story a Movie, makes it clear that strong film industry connections are needed to give you that leading edge (to transforming your book into the next talked-about, successful big-screen movie), there are still those lucky few creative souls who do succeed despite the odds, those who happen to be present precisely when the heavens become perfectly aligned. (Think Diablo Cody, original screenwriter of the Oscarwinning film Juno.)

Although the dynamics of timing may be up to the moon and the stars, success is still reachable by those who possess not only incredible talent but also the desire, discipline and determination to study and follow the advice given in this frank and informative book. Staying lean and mean with the 13 things Hollywood is looking for in a storyline (chapter 4), for instance, may just put you ahead of the pack. Maneuvering through the minefield of rules, regulations, and legalities

of Hollywood (see the “No Fly List” on page 21) will become much more manageable with this guide.

The Hollywood film industry is first and foremost a business. As such there is a certain protocol that must be followed to gain entry through those pearly Paramount Studio gates. While Hollywood is as of late more into the blockbuster/action-packed feature film and most likely to bank on a known franchise (an almost sure thing on the moneymaking front, as is thinking globally in terms of distribution), it doesn’t mean that – with the proper pitch and packaging – your script or story can’t be the next Little Miss Sunshine (“indie” turned major studio hit).

But don’t think you won’t need the King Kong of agents or managers leading your way, because you will. Just don’t be discouraged when Marlow states that finding a good agent or manager is “akin to, say, a journey to the moon” or “a mission to Mars,” for there is always chapter 28 to guide you along the way.

Those discouraged by the fact that their little story will most likely never make it to the big time (not to mention a little paranoid about the whole take-my-story-to-thechopping-block adaptation process) can still be thoroughly entertained by this book. It is sprinkled with interviews and stories drawn from those whose names we know through their works (such as Titanic/Avatar’s James Cameron or Harry Potter’s J.K. Rowling). I wish there were more of them, but guess that’s where the author’s website comes into play.

While it is unlikely that your story or book, or you, will be discovered sitting at the counter of that now-infamous soda fountain on the corner of Sunset and Vine, the mystique of Hollywood is still alive – and, all told, that ongoing fascination with the cinema makes this book worth its modest price.

Kathleen Godwin

Five Stages of Grief Olivia Glass Fleshbot Fiction, $1.99, 18 pages

Adrian is not your average bride. While planning for her winter wedding, she gives strict instructions that there will be no balloons, flowers, glitter or confetti—Just sacred, feminine fruit. Lucy and Caroline, two of her most serious lovers, are helping with the event. Caroline can’t believe she’s agreed to work with Lucy, whose heart Adrian once broke so she could be with Caroline. It’s a recipe for disaster. Now, with Adrian getting married, Lucy and Caroline must deal with the reality of this loss. But is everything truly lost? In her erotic novella //Five Stages of Grief//, author Olivia Glass takes readers on an emotional journey as three women learn to live and love again after heartbreak.

Caroline, the story’s narrator, alternates between the past and the present, revealing details about how she met both Adrian and Lucy and how their respective relationships evolved and dissolved. The novella’s title

refers to a series of emotional stages people proceed through when learning how to live with loss. The story’s five sections are each given a name of one of the stages - denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. The nice twist here is that while Caroline and Lucy are initially the ones to experience the loss of a shared love, it is manipulative Adrian who ultimately must pay the consequences for the hurt she has caused. The piece of erotic fiction features both lesbian and bi-sexual encounters and fantasies. Glass’ ebook is a bargain at $1.99. There are plenty of short sex scenes and several long erotic passages packed into 18 pages. Readers looking for lots of descriptive, extended erotic scenes won’t find many here simply because of the story’s length, yet there is absolutely no doubt that Glass is capable of writing these types of scenes. Readers who enjoy her writing style should also look for her work under the name Carmen Maria Machado. kathryn Franklin

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642 Things To Write About San Francisco Writers’ Grotto, Introduction by Po Bronson Chronicle Books, $16.95, 304 pages

This is a book “written in single day,” as the author to the introduction Po Bronson informs us. When an editor emailed Bronson with the request to put together a book about 642 things to write about, Bronson emailed colleagues at an organization called the San Francisco Writer’s Grotto, requesting ideas. The ideas poured in, and by the next day Bronson had delivered the manuscript.

The book, while professionally done—free of errors, bound well, professionally published—still retains somewhat of a “homemade” feel, as if it came out of a small writer’s group or a class. But that is its appeal. This is like a reference book—not meant to be read end-to-end but selectively, for specific information. However, it has none of the intimidation that a thesaurus, for example, might hold because of this homey feel. It is meant to be opened at random and savored, as in this selection: “Write about a time someone completely screwed you over. Endeavor to convince the reader that you were completely blameless in the events.” Most writers can think of a number of approaches to this, both nonfiction and fiction. And the idea, having universal appeal—who hasn’t been screwed over?—can be used and reused. This is a great book if your creative juices are running dry.

Stacia Levy

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“A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man’s mind can get both provocation and privacy.”

Edward P. Morgan

June–August 2013

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SCIENCE & NATURE ZooBorns, The Next Generation: Newer, Cuter, More Exotic Animals from the World’s Zoos and Aquariums Andrew Bleiman & Chris Eastland Simon & Schuster, $9.99, 148 pages

We thought it couldn’t get any cuter.

We thought we had seen every adorable baby animal on the planet. We were wrong.

Zooborns, The Next Generation brings us a collection of allnew baby photos of the most exotic animals born in zoos across the world. Who knew pygmy hippos could be so cute?

Who even knew that dholes and a bongos existed, let alone how utterly adorable their babies could be? Interspersed with the beautiful pictures are facts about the animal pictured or the story of the specific baby on the page, adding to the reader’s knowledge of these rare animals and the zoos fostering them.

This book is a perfect gift for animal lovers and a welcome addition to the home. Nothing cures a bad mood like looking at pictures of bright-eyed arctic fox kits cuddling together or tiger cubs playing with each other.

A portion of the book’s sales also go to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Conservation Endowment Fund, so don’t hesitate to get more darling “zooborns” in your life.

Meg Gibbs

Vistas of Many Worlds: A Journey Through Space and Time Erik Anderson Ashland Astronomy Studio, $29.95, 128 pages

Vista of Many Worlds: A Journey Through Space and Time by Erik Anderson is an excellent book for those passionate about astronomy. Highly informational, Anderson does an excellent job of brilliantly illustrating the Galaxy for those of us who find it hard to imagine with our own minds, yet staying accurate to all aspects. This book is useful not only for advanced astronomers, but for the novice, too, who are just beginning their education. Anderson creates an atmosphere easy for those to follow who are new to the terms and specifics of this broad genre of study.

Anderson expertly guides us through the stars, relating to us the specifics of each aspect in an entirely understandable way that is easily grasped by even the most novice of astronomers. With each breath-taking illustration, the reader is taken to a new level of understanding the vast concepts of our

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universal systems. Some are vivid of theoretical life, showing what the star may look like from an inhabitant’s view. All are hypothetical in their assumptions of life. However, every star is entirely real. Anderson brilliantly bases his ideas through his work.

On the accurate side of things, Anderson is highly detailed in his descriptions of each star as we know them to be. Throughout the book, he displays ten stars and their planets within twenty light years, such as the stars; Altair, or Alpha Centauri. His illustrations are magnificent and imaginative, bringing us closer to the idea of each star’s vibrant existence. His extensive detailing of each star’s history is also a perfect addition to this book.

Mixed with his theoretical ideas of planets, the book comes to a perfect combination of imagination and information for all readers to enjoy.

If you are an astronomer or even an astronomer at heart, this is the book for you.

Taylor Pittman

The Quick Guide to Wild Edible Plants: Easy to Pick, Easy to Prepare Lytton John Musselman & Harold J. Wiggins Johns Hopkins University Press, $24.95, 133 pages

Remember the dire warning about eating wild mushrooms? And you thought it was an old wives tale? Think again. In this guide, you will learn that mushrooms top the list of no-no’s. “Never, ever even try to eat a mushroom that you haven’t properly identified,” say authors Lytton John Musselman and Harold J. Wiggins. As longtime botanists, they advise enthusiasts foraging for edibles in field and forest to wash their harvest for fear of herbicides and pesticides, and be aware of all natural toxins. Over a hundred full color images preclude the risk of choosing dangerous look-alike species.

After the basic information comes the recipes. Musselman and Wiggins emphasize ‘palatable’ rather than ‘delicious’ in the dishes (many adapted from Native American originals) concocted from the leaves, roots, rhizomes, seeds or fruit found in the Mid Atlantic and Northeastern states. Even the invasive kudzu finds new space as a fritter accompanying nettle omelet, and red spruce twigs steeped in vodka make a mean aperitif.

The book is witty and full of commonsense, a jolly good read for anyone, not only back-to-nature wannabes.

Jane Manaster

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The Miracle of Trees Olavi Huikari Walker & Company, $12.00, 58 pages

The Miracle of Trees is a fascinating introduction and primer on the natural history of trees. Professor Olavi Huikari, who heads the Department of Forestry at Helsinki University, Finland, shares the wonder and glory of our leaf bearing botanical co-habitants on the planet. The work was translated from Finnish by Matti Pohjonen with the assistance of FILI, the Finnish Literary Exchange. The book is slim, only 58 pages, but it covers a lot of territory.

The strongest element of the book is the many beautiful drawings that accompany the text. The engravings show a remarkable amount of detail. Some are beautiful black and white drawings; others are diagrams to accompany the text. The book is somewhat easy to follow and also contains a glossary for those who do not have a botany background.

The title is surely an attention grabber and the book may not have done as well with a title like The Wonder of Trees. The book, however, is not theological. It does share the wonder of being peppered with all sorts of amazing facts. Trees evolved through natural selection which is luck filtered through competition and survivability. The text, which will not act as a field guide, does underscore our need understand and take care of our botanical neighbors which will help us with global warming.

Ryder Miller

Successful Farming: A Ready Reference on All Phases of Agriculture for Farmers Frank D. Gardner Skyhorse Publishing, $16.95, 1108 pages

This massive volume of more than 1,100 pages was originally published as a hardcover book in 1916, and became the bible of American farmers both small and large.

Successful Farming was reprinted (under a slightly different title), unchanged from the original version except for the soft cover.

Author Frank D. Gardner included everything farmers needed to know and illustrated his book with small black-and-white photos and sketches. By today’s standards, these illustrations are of very poor quality.

Chances are the book was on most farmers’ kitchen shelf, a ready reference no matter what kind of information was needed.

The volume is divided into nine books and each has several chapters according to subject matter. The tenth book is made up of 21 reference tables and charts. Naturally, such an old volume is now very out of date and of mainly historic interest. Why it was reprinted is a mystery, yet small farmers and gardeners may find useful information in it, like sheep pasturing on hilly land not suitable for agriculture or extensive chapters on weed eradication and hog pasturing. Index is thorough and very good.

George Erdosh

Bug Music: How Insects Gave Us Rhythm and Noise David Rothenberg St. Martin’s Press, $26.99, 278 pages

Bug Music is a very unusual book, combining entomology and music. Author David Rothenberg is a musician and philosopher, and his rather extensive book is not meant to be light reading. In fact much of the text is difficult to read and follow, jumping from subject to subject, often interspersed with poetry and many lengthy quotations, strange graphs and scientific illustrations not easy to decipher, musical lines, and even recipes (how to cook cicadas). Rothenberg’s concept presents insect sounds and their musical possibilities as integrated in human music. More than 200,000 insect species emit sounds and some of these may have had influence on musical compositions.

He even discusses Tibetan ritual harmonic singing and other throat singing. The research goes further: demonstrating how human singing influences cricket and katydid chirping. This book is an entomological scientific study, possibly a good reference book on entomologists’ book shelf and contemporary composers may be interested in the author’s ideas. He also suggests mathematical codes to explain the mysteries of insect sounds. An interesting concept is fighting the highly destructive wood-boring bark beetles by disrupting their chirpings with sounds. Unfortunately the writing is not very good, and is not easy to concentrate on.

George Erdosh

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spirituality & Inspiration Imperfect Spirituality Polly Campbell Viva Editions, $15.95, 282 pages

Polly Campbell is creator of the blog Imperfect Spirituality, a successful freelance writer and public speaker, wife, and mother of 6 year old daughter. Her writing has also appeared in the Huffington Post, and the Daily Om. For over 25 years, Campbell’s work has focused primarily on personal development, specifically in showing readers how to integrate everyday moments with traditional spiritual techniques to increase their personal growth and well-being. Campbell’s own well being has never been something she has been able to take for granted; at age two, she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and has lived with pain every day of her life.

Imperfect Spirituality is filled with practical tips and dozens of examples that will encourage readers to boost their optimism, live free of worry, and embrace their authentic selves, with the goal of reaching true enlightenment. Campbell believes that for people in the western world, the largest obstacle to enlightenment is an obsession with perfection, inherited from their Calvinistic forbears. This obsession prevents them from achieving enlightenment and their full potential. Imperfect Spirituality posits that the path to enlightenment begins exactly where you are right now - every moment of our lives is a sacred opportunity to be present and to increase our capacity to give and receive love. Opening this book at any page will provide readers with stories and practical tips that illuminate a path to enlightenment.

“Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”

Oscar Wilde

Read the “From the Editors” column at www. portlandbookreview.com

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June–August 2013

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