The Bookmouse

My 2009 reading list and resolutions

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:09:15 GMT

My reading list for 2009-- 93 books total:

1. Spyology
2. Return to Fairyopolis.
3. Brisingr, by Christopher Paolini.
4. Hatter M., by Frank Beddor.
5. Daughters of fire : heroines of the Bible, by Fran Manushkin and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz.
6. The diamond tree : Jewish tales from around the world. Selected and retold by Howard Schwartz and Barbara Rush ; illustrated by Uri Shulevitz.
7. A couple of boys have the best week ever, by Marla Frazee.
8. The house in the night, written by Susan Marie Swanson and illustrated by Beth Krommes.
9. A river of words : the story of William Carlos Williams, by Jen Bryant ; illustrated by Melissa Sweet.
10. How I Learned Geography, written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz.
11. Nation, by Terry Pratchett.
12. Fool, by Christopher Moore.
13. After Tupac and D Foster, by Jacqueline Woodson
14. Tender Morsels, by Margo Lanagan
15. Obstruction of Justice, by Perri O'Shaughnessy.
16. The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman.
17. Bogus to Bubbly, by Scott Westerfeld.
18. Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator, by Sarah C. Campbell, photographs by Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell.
19. Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum, by Robert Andrew Parker.
20. One Boy, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.
21. The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom, by Margarita Engle.
22. The Storyteller's Candle/La Velita de los Cuentos, by Lucia Gonzales, illustrated by Lulu Delacre.
23. So Yesterday, by Scott Westerfeld.
24. No Man's Land, by Susan Bartoletti.
25. One Boy from Kosovo, by Trish Marks, with photography by Cindy Karp.
26. Are You Ready to Play Outside? By Mo Willems.
27. Chicken Said, "Cluck!" by Judyann Ackerman Grant, with pictures by Sue Truesdell.
28. Stinky, written and illustrated by Eleanor Davis.
29. Just In Case, illustrated and written by Yuyi Morales.
30. "A Young Patriot: The American Revolution as Experienced by One Boy," by Jim Murphy.
31. Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta.
32. "What the World Eats," photographs by Peter Menzel, written by Faith D'Allusio.
33. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E. Lockhart.
34. My Name is America: The Journal of Finn Reardon, a Newsie, by Susan C. Bartoletti.
35. Kids on Strike! by Susan C. Bartoletti.
36. "Valley of the Golden Mummies," by Zahi Hawass.
37. "Ramses II and Egypt," by Olivier Tiano.
38. "The Murder of Tutankhamen," by Bob Brier.
39. "T4" by Ann Clare LeZotte.
40. Silent Music: A Story of Bagdad, by James Rumford.
41. Spellspam, by Alma Alexander.
42. The boy who dared, by Susan Campbell Bartoletti.
43. Dewey : the small-town library cat who touched the world, by Vicki Myron, with Bret Witter.
44. Bloody Jack : being an account of the curious adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy, by L.A. Meyer.
45. The History Buff's Guide to The Presidents, by Thomas R. Flagel.
46. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing Traitor to the Nation Volume Two: Kingdom on the Waves, by MT Anderson.
47. Tiger Moon, by Antonia Michaelis.
48. The Underneath, by Kathi Appelt. 2009 Newbery Honor Book.
49. Garmann's Summer, by Stian Hole.
50. Starclimber, by Kenneth Oppel.
51. Savvy, by Ingrid Law.
52. The Other victims : first-person stories of non-Jews persecuted by the Nazis, Ina R. Friedman.
53. What can you do with a rebozo? by Carmen Tafolia, illustrated by Amy Cordova.
54. Papa and Me, by Arthur Dorros, illustrations by Rudy Gutierrez.
55. What to do about Alice? by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham.
56. All Stations! Distress! by Don Brown.
57. Six Innings, by James Preller.
58.We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, by Kadir Nelson.
59. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.
60. Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, by Nahoko Uehashi.
61. Fifteen Books Amphigorey, by Edward Gorey.
62. Breaking Through, by Francisco Jimenez.
63. Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson.
64. Afghan Dreams: Young Voices of Afghanistan, by Tony O'Brien and Mike Sullivan.
65. Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past, by James M. Deem.
66. Waiting for Normal, by Leslie Connor.
67. Jerk, California, by Jonathan Friesen.
68. A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce.
69. City of Thieves, by David Benioff.
70. The Dragons of Babel, by Michael Swanwick.
71. Finding Nouf, by Zoe Ferraris.
72. The Good Thief, by Hannah Tinti.
73. Strange and Unusual Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes, by Wayne Louis Kadar.
74. Generation Dead, by Daniel Waters.
75. The Confederate States of America, by Roger L. Ransom.
76. Legends of the Dark Crystal, Vol. 1, by Barbara Randall Kesel, Heidi Arnhold and Max Kim.
77. The White Stag, by Kate Seredy.
78. Sadako and the thousand paper cranes, by Eleanor Coerr.
79. Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins.
80. Rashi's Daughters, Book III: Rachel, by Maggie Anton.
81. Kiss of Life, by Daniel Waters.
82. Dairy Queen, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.
83. Mudbound, by Hillary Jordan.
84. Sharp Teeth, by Toby Barlow.
85. The Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion to Dracula, by Mark Dawidziak.
86. Just After Sunset, by Stephen King.
87. Tallgrass, by Sandra Dallas
88. Bird, by Zetta Elliott ; illustrated by Shadra Strickland.
89. Peace, by Richard Bausch.
90. The Oxford Project, by Stephen G. Bloom and Peter Feldstein.
91. At Bertram's Hotel, by Agatha Christie.
92. Peril at End House, by Agatha Christie.
93. Cleveland's Greatest Disasters, by John Stark Bellamy II.

New Year's resolutions:
1. Start some original writings. I've found a good writing group, so that should help me actually meet this goal in 2010.
2. Keep going to the gym. I've been good since mid-October about going swimming 5-6 days a week.
3. Budget better and save more. This could be the biggest challenge : P

edit: Oh yes, and continue reading. At least 50 books.

Hope everyone had a great New Year!

Hope you all have a wonderful New Year!

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:30:51 GMT

It's less than 48 hours to New Years. Heck, it's less than 26 hours to 2010. Wow, this year has truly flown!

2009 I must say went far better than I thought. Yes, the economy tanked and all, and things are precarious but... I've also had a lot of fun this year. More fun than I have in ages, highlighted with a trip to South Carolina with a group of friends which was amazingly fun. There's already plans for a trip next year, yay!

Was laid up with a mild stomach bug yesterday, so I had some unexpected down time. So... three guesses as to what I did ; )

Book reviews (yep, got it in one). OK, actually, one I should have included in the last bunch.

92. Peril at End House, by Agatha Christie. I've seen the David Suchet video version of this story twice, so it was interesting reading the book and picking up on all the little clues along the way. Without giving away too many spoilers, there's even a clue Hastings picks up early on -- and Poirot disregards. Heh! Christie is the mistress of the surprise endings and red herrings and I admit I did not see the ending coming the first time I watched the video.
In this story, the famous detective Hercule Poirot is faced with an unusual task -- he has to prevent the murder of a young, naive woman who has had a few too many "accidents" of late. The Belgian detective finds his "little gray cells" going into overtime as he tries to figure out a motive behind the attacks and who is responsible.

93. Cleveland's Greatest Disasters, by John Stark Bellamy II. This is a collection of 16 disaster tales, told from Bellamy's other considerable books on famous (and infamous) Cleveland-area events. This is a noce collection for local history buffs to have on hand. Bellamy had a narrative writing style that is easy to follow, filled with a dry wit and a no-holds barred attitude when reflecting on what went wrong. That is the tragedy in so many of these cases -- isn't that usually the case though? There were usually hints that something bad could happen, and they could have been prevented. The hardest story to read was the 1908 Collinwood Fire tragedy, where 172 died in a schoolhouse fire. Another heartbreaker was the 1916 waterworks collapse, and the story of arguably the biggest hero, inventor Garrett A. Morgan, whose invention -- the gas mask -- allowed the possibility for any rescue at all.

Had a great Christmas

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:31:12 GMT

Christmas was nice -- spent it with family. Got spoiled, as usual. Two neat gifts were a pretty winter scarf with butterflies and a cool Santa hat purse -- both made by my aunt.

Can't believe this year is almost over. Wow, it just went way too quickly!

Saw Avatar yesterday -- and I want to see it again. It's a bit predictable at times, and I can understand reviewer comparisons with Dances With Wolves. But this was better than Dances With Wolves, a bit more complex. Oh, and the eye-candy! Beautiful landscapes, cool and different creatures. Did I mention that I really want to see this again?

Also saw SyFy's version of Alice in Wonderland. It wasn't perfect -- there were a couple things I would have tweaked -- but all in all I really enjoyed it. Very different, and just a haunting commentary on the trend of instant gratification. Also, a lot of neat nods and inside references to the novel.

Book reviews:

90. The Oxford Project, by Stephen G. Bloom and Peter Feldstein. If I absolutely had to pick a favorite book this year, this is it. The concept is so neat! The Oxford Project is a history record/time capsule of a small town in Iowa. In 1984, photographer Peter Feldstein decided to photograph the residents of Oxford. Nothing posed, just had them stand against a plain background. In 2005, he revisted this project, again taking pictures of as many of the residents he could (some had died, and some had moved). Stephen Bloom conducted interviews with the residents who wanted to be interviewed -- and many did. Their thoughts and insights encompass a wide spectrum of thought of living in a small town. They share their past, their dreams and their regrets. Throughout also are pictures of the town itself. This is a large book, a coffee table book, really. There are several pages which fold out. The people are organized by family, and you have several generations at times represented.

91. At Bertram's Hotel, by Agatha Christie. I had seen the television version with Geraldine McEwan, and that had been my favorite televised Miss Marple. I was startled how much the television episode differs from the original book. I enjoyed both, however. Miss Marple goes to the luxurious Bertram's Hotel for a nice holiday, but of course not everyone or everything is as they appear. A clever crime spree, a disappearance and a murder present themselves, and the lively spinster of course has some key pieces to the puzzle. One thing I really like was the character of Chief Inspector Davy. In a lot of detective series, the main character is often portrayed as the one with all the brains with the police and FBI (or equivalent) being window dressing or just plain incompetent. Davy and Marple make a pretty formidable duo.

Christmas scramble

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:46:07 GMT

Ugh. I just feel so behind this year. I think it's because Thanksgiving fell so late on the calendar. I'm pretty much done with shopping (now I'm just hoping everything I ordered via mail comes through : S ) I just need to pick up a couple small things and I am done. My cards are done, I just need to add stamps, which I plan to do tonight.

After a lovely, balmy November, it turned very cold this month. Nothing record-setting, but colder than I was used to. I got spoiled LOL.

Oh, on a sader note, Peep-Bo died last week : ( She had been sick for a while, was never really healthy. I only have one mouse left. Pitti Sing is slowing down, but seems in good health.

Books:

Don't know if I will make it to 100, but I can try.

87. Tallgrass, by Sandra Dallas (book on CD -- narrated by Lorelei King). ALA's 2009 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults. A provincial Colorado town is changed forever during World War II when a Japanese internment camp opens nearby. The murder of a young girl further fuels a tense situation. The events are seen through the eyes of 13-year-old Rennie Stroud. This story is a real treat all-around. While there is a lot of tense action and suspense, with the murder mystery and the backdrop of the war, there is a lot of warmth and humor to prevent the story from becoming too weighty and dark. Rennie is a charming and naive girl who is trying to understand and make sense of her changing world, and her reflections can be both humerous and profound by turns. I also enjoyed the dynamic of the Jolly Stitchers, a quilting club Rennie's mother is a part of. While there are times you want to roll your eyes and even detest some of its members, Rennie observes that when a woman in the town is in trouble, they come together as an efficient army, toting casseroles and words of comfort. I can imagine reading the book and enjoying it, but I loved the audio CD. I was familiar with King, the narrator, through Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels and knew when I checked out this book on CD I would be in for a treat. The narration did not disappoint. Lorelei King is definitely one of the better "book actresses" out there.

88. Bird, by Zetta Elliott ; illustrated by Shadra Strickland. 2009 John Steptoe Award. A touching picture book about Bird, who loves to draw what he sees around him. Through his drawings, and through his relationship with his grandfather (and later his grandfather's friend "Uncle Son) and his parents, Bird also learns to understand and cope with his brother's drug addiction. The illustrations are lovely, with the people done in full, warm color and the background very spare. Many of the backgrounds look as if they are Bird's work. This is a book that deals with some heavy topics though -- drug addiction and death -- so this book would be best read by an adult to a child, with discussion later. It's a bittersweet story, and I'm not sure what haunts me more: the story itself, or the realization that a lot of children are going to relate all too well with what Bird experiences.

89. Peace, by Richard Bausch. 2009 W.Y. Boyd award. A small army patrol in Italy has been charged with the task of scouting around and finding any straggling enemy soldiers towards the end of World War II. This is much harder than it seems. The fast-paced novel mostly follows three of the soldiers and their Italian guide, a 70-year-old man whose loyalties are unknown. The reader can feel the oppresive cold rain that pours for days, followed by the heavy mountain snow. The three soldiers suffer not just from the elements but their memories of home, their regrets and the war. The three main characters -- Cpl. Robert Marson, Joyner and Asch -- are well-developed, and change through the action of the book. The ending is open, and offers little sense of closure -- but then, the war is not over at that point. It fit the story. "Peace" is hard to read at times, for -- like with the soldiers -- there's little rest from the brutal environment except when they are recalling more pleasant times. But it's honest and well-paced.

Bracing for the holidays

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:58:12 GMT

Whew! The tree fest -- which went very well -- is now wrapped up for another year, and Thanksgiving was lovely. Did miss my cousin. Can't believe how fast my younger cousins are growing. Time goes by so quickly.

I'm almost done with Christmas shopping, just a few things left. Where did this year go?? It seems summer just gets here and now it's less than a month before Christmas. Yikes! I still need to do my Christmas cards. I have a design idea. Won't be as "personal" but I hope it's at least pretty.

Book review:

86. Just After Sunset, by Stephen King. Stephen King's latest compilation of short stories is a great read. Most of them are horror, and all have horrific elements, but there's a lot of variety. There's The Gingerbread Girl and A Very Tight Place, which have no supernatural elements but are probably the freakiest stories because there are no "unexplained phenomenon" -- just human nature at its worst. Mute is probably the closest to non-horror, but it does pose some interesting moral dilemnas. Some are bittersweet, like Willa, where a young couple finds a new life (literally) in an old honkytonk bar, and The Things They Left Behind, a haunting tribute to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates also falls in this category, when a recently widowed woman gets a phone call that gives her not only a chance at closure but later saves her life. The most frightening story in my opinion was "N." This reminded me in some ways of The Ring. Probably because of it's spooky repeating-pattern nature, if that makes any sense. All in all, very enjoyable.

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:48:39 GMT

It's the usual Thanksgiving chaos here. In the middle of Holiday Tree Festival busyness.

Also, just saw Wicked! Wooooow, what a fantastic -- no, FANTASTIC!!!! -- show! I'm listening to the soundtrack (again, for the .... oh I've lost count ... time.) I pick up on something or think of something every time I listen to it. The story just has such depth. I don't want to give out any spoilers, just suffice to say, if you like theater and have a chance to see it -- DO!

Also have some additions to my reading list (shock shock, I know ; ) )

82. Dairy Queen, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. 2008 Teen Buckeye Book Award, second place. Not just a charming coming-of-age story, but a pretty good look at how grueling and tough life on a farm can be. D.J., who lives on a dairy farm with her family, is reluctantly drafted by a coach and family friend to help train her rival school's quarterback. Their resulting interactions have their ups and downs: D.J. is quiet, preferring to work in the background, while Brian is used to getting his own way and is far more outspoken. Communication -- or lack thereof -- is a big issue in this story, with this silent family. The summer changes everything for D.J. as she slowly unpeels the various secrets and wishes of her family, discovers something about her best friend and realizes after all the training that she wants to try something for herself: try out for her school's football team. The story is told from D.J.'s point of view, and the readers get to meet a funny, smart girl who's a bit overwhelmed at times with what is expected of her.

83. Mudbound, by Hillary Jordan. 2009 Alex Award. It's hard to believe reading this that "Mudbound" is Jordan's first novel. It skillfully weaves an interesting story, told from several different points of view. From the very first chapter, we realize something bad has happened -- the not-so-accidental death of the father-in-law of a married couple. The rest of the story goes back in time, leading the reader through the events that lead to the murder. The cast of characters -- from Laura and her husband Henry, to Henry's brother Jamie, to the sharecroppers on the Mississippi farm -- are well rounded. All of them have their flaws -- some of them quite deep -- but all of them, even the bigoted father-in-law, have moments of redemtion and humanity. Although in the case of the father-in-law, those moments are very brief. The story is hard to read at times due to the overt rascism expressed, even by the more "tolerant" characters, but this seems reflective of the time: during and just after World War II. Trouble starts when Henry decides to buy a farm in Mississippi. His wife Laura, a city-bred genteel lady, struggles to adjust to living in a house that can be most kindly described as crudely provincial. Tensions heighten when Jaime and Ronsel, the oldest son of a black sharecropping family on the farm, return from overseas. Both of them had experienced the more tolerant Europe, and Ronsel especially has a hard time adjusting to the racism in his community, and his parents' attitude of just putting up with it. The friendship that develops between Jaime and Ronsel starts a chain of events which leads to tragedy.

84. Sharp Teeth, by Toby Barlow. 2009 Alex Award. A werewolf story, with a few twists. One, the story is written (very effectively) in free verse. This makes for a powerfully told and rapid-paced read. There are a lot of interlacing stories, along with an intriguing mystery. First, there's the gentle dogcatcher Anthony who befriends a girl -- who happens to be a werewolf. There is Lark, the leader of one pack of werewolves who is trying to discover -- through intrigue and a network of undercover spies -- how many other packs there are and how big a threat they are. Then there's the mysterious small man, who is accompanied by a larger guy who is often referred to as The Samoan. Peabody, a detective, is trying desperately to connect all the clues -- the strange things with the dog pound, the dog sightings and the list of deaths. This is a dark, grim story with, at best, a bittersweet ending.

85. The Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion to Dracula, by Mark Dawidziak. I love vampire lore, and this book was a lot of fun. It concentrates a lot on the various vampire movies, using Brahm Stoker's famous novel as the centerpoint. The book includes information on the author, the various movies and actors who have portrayed various incarnations of the blood-sucking count, comics, television and more. The writing style is very conversational and full of dry humor (not to mention the occassional pun, all in good humor). A great source for vampire fans.

Having a great month so far

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:54:53 GMT

So far, October has been great for me. Just got back not too long ago from a lovely trip in Charleston South Carolina, where I met up with several online friends.

Went on a haunted theater tour last night, which was fun. Took some pretty fall pictures yesterday and today, too. Well, OK -- decent fall pictures. We've had better years for color, but:

This was taken in my own back yard. I loved how my roses looked against the yellow-leafed tree.

I took this at a local park. It was by far the prettiest display of fall color I've seen this year.

Also (of course!) finished some more books. Three of the four are sequels to earlier works -- I did NOT do that intentionally, LOL:

78. Sadako and the thousand paper cranes, by Eleanor Coerr. Based on a true story of a young girl who was stricken with leukemia, most likely as a result of the atom bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima during World War II. While I think most people know the immediate destruction the atom bomb wrecked, it's easy to forget the aftermath. This is a beautiful story of courage and faith in the face of impossible odds. Sadako, once a bright, healthy girl who loves to run, is diagnosed with the "atom bomb sickness" and goes to the hospital. While there, she makes paper cranes, in the hopes that if she makes 1,000 she can make a wish, which would be to get better. Unfortunately, she dies before she can reach her goal, but her friends and family, in a tribute to her, finish the task. This is a beautiful story, for a teacher to read to a class of older grade schoolers and up, or a parent to read to a child.

79. Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins. This is the sequel to "The Hunger Games," and wow, what a follow-up! I got the impression at the end of Hunger Games that Katniss' troubles were just beginning at the end of the forced competition pitting children and teens from the various districts against each other. The sequel pretty much starts out with the president himself giving Katniss orders to help the Capital quell the resentments and uprising she has unwittingly ignited by her performance in the Games. Unfortunately, this is far easier said than done. Indeed, the growing anger at the Capital seems out of her hands. And in the end, Katniss isn't even sure she wants to stop the uprisings. The heroine really grows and matures in this book, going from a self-reliant teen who does what she needs to do to get by, to assuming more of a leadership position, realizing that things can change and maybe, just maybe, you can fight city hall --although at a cost. Katniss isn't perfect. The story is told solely from her perspective, and I found myself picking up on things well before Katniss does, which makes her more human. She is so suspicious (understandably so) and sometimes a bit dense, and has trouble picking up on the signs, and realizing who her allies are. I hope the third book comes out soon (yes, it looks very much like there will be a third installment!)

80. Rashi's Daughters, Book III: Rachel, by Maggie Anton. This book wraps up the trilogy on the three daughters of Salomon ben Issac, a revered Jewish scholar. The series is part story, part history lesson on what it was like in the early Medeival societies, particularly in France. In this one, Rachel, the youngest of Salomon's daughters, is looking to start a cloth-making business, where she would control the process from start to finish. She is an excellent businesswoman but there is another consideration as well: she wants to keep her husband Elizier at home in Troyes. Elizier, who travels across Europe as a tradesman and scholar, is finding the roads more perilous due to the increase of bandits and, among other things, the start of the Crusades. The first half of the book pretty much follows the patterns and day-to-day lives of Salomon's family -- births, deaths, making wine, prayer and more. But about halfway through, a lot begins to change. Whole Jewish towns in Germany are practically obliterated. Salomon ben Issac suffers a stroke. Rachel herself finds herself at odds with her husband, who wants to move to the comparative safety of Spain. The second part, while action-packed and tightly written, was at times hard to read as characters from previous novels suffer from the clashes between religions. The conclusion of the book and series does end on a hopeful note.

81. Kiss of Life, by Daniel Waters. This is the follow-up to "Generation Dead." I enjoyed this second installment (and it looks like there will be a third), although perhaps not quite as much as the first. One, I'm not the greatest proof-reader or speller in the world, but there were some editing mistakes that caught my attention. Also, personally I thought the "mystery" behind one of the crucial plot points was revealed far too soon. Another point is that two of the newer undead mentioned -- the ages weren't given but I got the impression they were preteens. Why this happened wasn't addressed. That said, I do like how much more layered this is becoming. Some characters that came across as villians may not be so, and others that were allies -- may not be so. Phoebe, the heroine of the story, is now conflicted between two guys -- Adam and Tommy. Who are both dead. Phoebe is flummoxed when Adam doesn't seem to "come back" as quickly as most of the other "differently biotic" teens. I really liked the chapters told from Adam's point of view -- it was neat seeing the progression in his speech, movement and thought patterns. Reminded me of "Flowers for Algernon." I do wonder how many books are planned -- there's a lot of unanwsered issues and mysteries, like how and why teens are coming back from the dead in the first place.

Incredible video!

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:23:08 GMT

This video can be found at

subvers

's blog. Her daughter and best friend wrote the song, and subvers created the video to go with it. It's a gem, especially for Snape fans. Enjoy!

Finished another book....

77. The White Stag, by Kate Seredy. As I said earlier, I remember looking at the book primarily for the lovely charcoal drawings but I never read the story. Well, about 23 years later, I finally get around to actually reading the story. Probably just as well. I might have liked the story, but I doubt I would have appreciated it all that much. This was an interesting tale. In a nutshell it's sort of a mythological take on a young Attila the Hun. Most books portray Attila and Huns in general as bloodthirsty, savage warloads. In "The White Stag," the are still sweeping conquerers, but Attila and his ancestors are cast in a kinder light. This story follows the line and journey of the sons, grandson and great-grandson of Nimrod to find the prophecied land where their people will claim and settle. The White Stag is a magical creature that appears every so often to lead their way. It reads very much like a classic myth, and I think older gradeschool and up would enjoy it, especially if they like fantasy and mythology.

Whew! Wrapping up September

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:07:46 GMT

The second weekend of Yankee Peddler was beautiful, like the first weekend. The third was mixed. Saturday the weather was bad, although last year was worse. Sunday started out dismal, but turned out to be lovely after 1. All in all, I did pretty well.

Have a busy weekend this weekend: two plays, a workshop and the Steve Vander Ark visit. As I say, no rest for the wicked!

Still found some time to read, of course! Also, heh, I was a bad girl. Very bad. I ordered some books I've been wanting for a long time. I reread them, and went down memory lane. Well, two of the three. I got The Mystical Beast by Alison Farthing -- one of my alltime favorite books in elementary school (I think I read it a dozen times). This was fun to reread so many years later. It was still enjoyable, although much of it was nostalgia. It's very imaginative, and you can't beat the first paragraph, which describes Lavinia, with her cabbage on her head, going into the bus. The descriptions are wonderful. But the story is a bit choppy and there are some leaps of faith required. Oh well, it was a lovely trip down memory lane. I was surprised how much I remembered.

Also ordered the novel version of The Dark Crystal. This was one of my favorie movies as a child, and I remember loving the novel for delving deeper in the story. Still love the novel. It amazes me how much thought Jim Henson put into this mythical world. More on this later.

I bought The White Stag as well, haven't read that one yet. I'm not sure I really read this one in grade school. I do remember the lovely charcoal drawings. Our school librarian showed me a copy of the book because I love to draw and was interested in working with charcoal at the time.

And... I bought several new paper doll books by Tom Tierny and Ming Ju-Sun. Hee hee!

OK, now on with the NEW books I've read:

75. The Confederate States of America, by Roger L. Ransom. Maybe I'm strange, but I love talking with my friends about the "what ifs" in history. What if Hitler would have stopped with Austria. What if Watergate was never uncovered. What if the Confederacy won the Civil War.
It's this last "what if" that makes up Ransom's interesting and very dense book. This isn't a novel you can sit down and read in one setting, but for history buffs who like to see a possible "alternate universe," this is a must-read. What's nice is this book goes through what really happened, for those of us who have been out of school for a while, before delving into what might have happened. It's one thing to debate what could have happened just at the country level, but it's another to look at the world impact -- the effect in international relations, the construction of the Panama canal. At the end, Ransom theorizes, the United States may very well have allied with Germany in World War I, while the Confederacy may have allied with Great Britain, and he explains why.

Speaking of Dark Crystal...

76. Legends of the Dark Crystal, Vol. 1, by Barbara Randall Kesel, Heidi Arnhold and Max Kim. I only recently found out that there were two graphic novels created as prequels to the Dark Crystal movie. This is well-drawn, and the story is well-created. I like the characters of Lahr and Neffi, and it's neat to see the Gelfings before the destruction. It was also neat to see the inner workings of the Skeksis, including the personality of the old emperor -- who was a sly, smart and vicious creature. I just love the little Gelfling children, they are so sweet. The overall feel is rather bittersweet for those who have seen the movie and know what will happen inevitably.

Now, if I could just find the second book . . .

Next up: The second Generation Dead book (Kiss of Life) and the third installment of Rashi's Daughters.

A fun few days, all in all

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:42:05 GMT

Keeping busy, of course!

Yankee Peddler so far has been great this year. Perfect weather opening weekend. Supposed to be nice this weekend too *crosses fingers*

Found out that Steve Vander Ark is coming to my neck of the woods. That should be an interesting event!

Still had time to read.... of course!

72. The Good Thief, by Hannah Tinti. 2009 Alex Award. This was a rather strange story, but enjoyable. The plot centers around Ren, a 12-year-old boy who is missing his left hand. He was abandoned at an orphanage as an infant, where he has lived until a young man named Benjamin Nab enters the scene claiming to be Ren's uncle. It becomes apparant soon after they leave the orphanage that Benjamin is full of secrets, and it's hard to tell which of his tales are true, which ones are lies and which ones are a mix of truth and lie. But the mysterious Nab has some reason for adopting Ren, who has, in the past, been described as "damaged" due to his missing hand -- and not just because Ren fits in and adapts easily to the thieving life Benjamin and his friend Tom make their profession. Tinti creates a harsh, gritty world for her characters. The orphanage Ren lives in is strict, although Ren sees several of the monks as mentors. During Ren's journeys with his newfound mentors, they meet several interesting characters, including a gruff landlady with a heart of gold and a slow but dangerous man the trio quite literally dig up in one of their quests for an easy buck.

73. Strange and Unusual Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes, by Wayne Louis Kadar. My parents bought this for me on their vacation. All in all, I really enjoyed this book -- local history and shipwrecks, two of my interests. Kadar has a nice narrative style that's easy to read, and the stories don't get bogged down by too many numbers. The more technical terms are ither explained in the article, or included in the glossary in the back. It also has decent maps and graphs throughout. Some of my favorite stories included the takes about the E.M. Ford (which met its misfortune, with more than 7,000 tons of dry cement mix in its cargo. Dry mix-- which got wet. You can take it from there); and the story about the Yacht Gunilda, where the millionaire owner's thick-headedness and tight-fistedness not only caused his expensive toy to wreck, but become unsalvagable. I found the tragic story of the SS Eastland to be interesting, but it made me angry -- sounds like the ship needed to be overhauled long before the fateful summer of 1915 incident which would claim the lives of more than 800 people. I have to say "incident" rather than "journey" because the ship never even left the dock before turning on its side. This disaster remains the worst Great Lakes ship disaster in terms of casualties.
There were some editing issues. For example, one mention of the Eastland (which is mentioned in the story about a WWI German sub, which it sank, under its new name the SS Wilmette), said 814 people died in the Eastland disaster; later in the book it's 815. Then I saw "sole" instead of "soul" and a cargo of "flower" instead of "flour." Also, while I understand there is no way a book can get all of the stories on every Great Lakes wreck, I found the omission of the tale of the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 a bit odd. This large steamship was lost during a particularly nasty storm in December 1909. All that was ever found was a lifeboat with nine of the crew, dead from the bitter cold. The ship itself has never been found, to date. This was not a tiny tugboat either. Don't recall the specs of the ship, but it was carrying train cars, among other cargo.

74. Generation Dead, by Daniel Waters. One hint about how much I enjoyed this story is the fact that I finished it this evening and have already ordered the sequel through the local library. While it's not perfect, it is interesting! The premise is that a few years ago, some American teens who had died came back to life, although changed. Of course, this brings up a whole slew of issues. Many people are terrified of the "living impaired," or the "differently biotic," and Waters touches on discrimination, political correctness, marketing and feelings in general. One of the main characters, Phoebe, and her best friend Margi recently lost their close friend Colette, who came back. They both struggle with how to deal with their now-changed friend. Phoebe also is curious about Tommy, a "living impaired" student at their high school. Is it a crush? Just fascination? Also, the reader begins to see divisions in the ranks of the differently biotic: some like Tommy advocate a path of peaceful but firm means of gaining acceptance, while others advocate for a more brutal solution to the discrimination they face. The ending leaves the reader with a bit of a cliffhanger, and there are several loose ends which I hope will be resolved in the next book. Such as, what is causing this phenomemon? What is the Hunter organization *really* up to? (I have my suspicions about that group). And... if the "living impaired" no longer can drive, have a license, have no rights, etc -- how are they allowed in school? OK, that last one might be more of a plot hole. But this book covers a lot of ground and brings up some interesting issues, at a level older preteens and teens can read and relate to. Another thing I liked was -- I could be wrong, but I think I see some digs on the Twilight series. The Wuthering Heights references can't just be coincidence.

September chaos

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:00:04 GMT

It's going to be a busy September, but that's really not too unusual.

My parents just got back from their vacation; I've been watching the fuzzy kids for the week. It was nice, and I miss the "kids" already. But... it is good to be home. I know my two mice and fish agree as well.

Did have some time for reading. Finished one book, and started and finished a second. I'm also currently reading a book my parents got for me in their travels on shipwrecks on the Great Lakes.

At any rate, on with the latest book reviews:

69. City of Thieves, by David Benioff. 2009 Alex Award. An interesting read, especially for those who like World War II topics and historical fiction, but it is NOT for the weak of stomach. 17-year-old Lev is arrested and imprisoned after he and his friends discover the dead body of a paratrooper and take things off it the body. He winds up being imprisoned with Kolya, who has been arrested for desertion. The two could not be more different. Lev is a younger, reserved and conservative teen while Kolya is a handsome, flamboyant playboy who loves to take risks. They find themselves having to work together after the ranking colonel, instead of sentencing them to death, sends them out to retreive a dozen eggs for his daughter's wedding cake. Their adventures across occupied Leningrad and beyond show them the worst -- and best -- of humanity. They also wind up getting involved in a larger mission: to kill the sadistic commander of the local occupying German forces. All in all, an enjoyable story with a very real feel to it. Some of the sex talk and scenes I thought were a bit excessive, but I loved the characters. It was neat watching Lev grow and change from an insecure teen to someone with more confidence. Kolya, despite his bravado and overactive libido, is impossible to hate. He is so good natured and under his swagger he has a good heart and a lot of patience in dealing with the taciturn, blunt Lev.

70. The Dragons of Babel, by Michael Swanwick. 2009 Alex Award. I can best describe this story as a Gotham City meets Dungeons and Dragons. You don't read a lot of fantasty stories that mention elves and haints in one chapter, then Blackberries and El trains in the next. When reading the first few chapters, I had the suspicion that the story seemed familiar. It was. "The Dragons of Babel" actually started out as a short story, "King Dragon," in "The Dragon Quintet," which I read a few years ago. The story centers on Will, who at the beginning is a boy raised by his aunt. His small, provincial village changes forever when a wounded drago ship -- part beast, part magical machine -- crash-lands and declares himself ruler. He takes young Will as his servant. Will is eventually able to break free but is forced into exile. His travels take him to the legendary city of Babel, where he and a con man make a living for themselves. This was a really neat story, with a lot of different twists and turns. I kind of saw part of the ending coming, but didn't get the whole puzzle right. There were a lot of neat ideas and concepts -- almost too much. There are so many creatures and so many ideas thrown in, there's little time devoted to any background or fleshing out. The "F-bomb" also gets dropped a lot. I don't mind a bit of language, but here it seemed distracting and out of place. This novel could almost be split into three or four different stories, and I wonder if it might have worked better as a trilogy. Swanwick does do a good job creating a very realistic and believable world, and Will, at least, is given a good deal of depth.

71. Finding Nouf, by Zoe Ferraris. 2009 Alex Award. A mystery set in Saudi Arabia. Nayir al-Sharqi is asked by his friend and associate Othman to investigate the disappearance, and later the death, of his younger sister Nouf. The case seems puzzling to Nayir, a conservative, even shy man. Why would Nouf run off? She was engaged to be married and seemed happy. But as he works with Katya, who works in the coroner's office, he slowly uncovers the secrets of Nouf's life, and the lives of her family. He also begins to understand the severe divisions and confining rules that women live under. The story alternates between Nayir and Katya. Some of the leaps in the discoveries I found a bit confusing but I liked the pace the story took, so we get a chance to meet and understand the main characters. I do wonder if we will meet Nayir and Katya again in future stories; the ending left that possibility open.

Summer rush

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:53:48 GMT

Been busy as usual, although perhaps more busy than usual.

Some sad news: one of my mice, Yum Yum, died :( Rather unexpected, too. One week, she was fine, then for a couple days she looked poorly, and then she was gone. Poor mousie!

Other two seem to be doing OK, even with the mini heat wave we've had. July spoiled us (well, me anyway). High 70s, occassionally low 80s. Must have been rotten for those who like to swim, but I thought it was lovely. Then August hit with a bit of a heat wave. Had to break out the fans after all. Supposed to improve again by tomorrow. OK, it's supposed to rain all week, but it is supposed to cool down.

Best of luck to all who are starting school!

Saw Julie and Julia a couple weeks ago. It was cute, rather charming, but a movie I'd highly recommend getting the video for because it is long. Or at least it felt long. That way, you could stop it halfway through, take a break (maybe enjoy some Julia Child-inspired snacks) and then watch the second half. Foodies will probably enjoy this. Me, my motto is "canned, convenience and carryout." Although I did do a bit of experimenting tonight with some scallops, wheat pasta, basil pesto and dried tomatoes that turned out quite nice. And no, I haven't keeled over from food poisoning yet :P

Book reviews:

Shame on me, should have done these some time ago; just didn't feel ambitious.

65. Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past, by James M. Deem. ALSC 2009 Notable Children's Books. Good for older grade schoolers and middle schoolers, especially those interested in history and forensics. Boys will probably like it for the "ick" factor: there are a lot of pictures of mummies in this graphics-heavy book. Two of the more fascinating stories included the finding of Otzi, a 5000+ year old mummy found in the Alps, completely by chance. The other was kind of sad, haunting. In the Andes, where there were ancient Incan settlements, they found children sacrifices preserved in caves. It's amazing what can be deduced from even the most mundane things with today's technology, such as using flower pollen samples to pinpoint the time of year the person may have died (sometimes even the month). NOT a book to read at the breakfast table, but a really neat look at another aspect of mummification many may not know about.

66. Waiting for Normal, by Leslie Connor. 2009 Schneider Family Book Award. There were many things to like about the book. The first is the heroine, 12-year-old Addie, a sweet, insecure girl who is living with her mother, hoping for a normal life despite the mother's personality. It's bittersweet in thiscoming-of-age tale when Addie realizes she has to more or less make her own sense of stability. She is dyslexic and feels that she doesn't have the love of learning. It takes a while for her to appreciate her own talents, especially in music. One thing that irritated me was the fact that the mother had custody of Addie in the first place -- not so much with the book, because this is, sadly, believable. In a sane world, it would have never happened. Addie manages to survive her life away from her stepdad, whom she loves, and her two half siblings with the help of a nearby store owner who gives her some semblance of stability. I do like the fact that the mother is not portrayed as a monster -- she has her good days and you can see why Addie loves and cares about her. But it's painfully obvious from the get-go that a "normal" life with Mommers is just not possible.

67. Jerk, California, by Jonathan Friesen. 2009 Schneider Family Book Award. When Sam, who has Tourette's Syndrome, graduates from high school, he also closes a painful chapter in his life, although he doesn't realize it at first. Same grew up, hating himself for his condition, hated by his stepfather and taunted in school. Sam is most bitter towards his desceased father, whom he inherited Tourette from, and died, according to his stepfather, as a worthless, no good bum. But after securing a job with an old man who turns out to be a good friend of his father's Sam slowly finds out the truth about his past. He winds up embarking on a road trip with Naomi, his crush, and finds out more about his father -- and himself. By the end, Sam -- or Jack -- comes to terms with who he is, and who his family is. I'm not familiar with Tourette, but the author describes in his bio as having it, so it's safe to assume that Jack's struggles and feelings with the condition are realistic.

68. A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce. 2009 Morris Award. I really loved this story, a mix of classic fairy tale and good old-fashioned mystery. Charlotte Miller struggles to save the town's wool processing mill -- and the town of Shearing itself -- after her father dies. But it seems like many things go against her -- from her conniving uncle, to sellers who want a monopoly and even from a supposed curse. When a mysterious man -- Jack Spinner -- comes along and offers to give her what she needs, the question becomes is he really so benevolant -- or is he the greatest danger of all? Charlotte is an interesting heroine who does not give up easily -- which is both a good thing and a bad thing at times. The story leaves readers guessing until the end as to what really is going on. While readers familiar with the Rumpelstiltskin story will know the general direction in which this story heads, there are still surprises. Bunce, who debuts with this book, steers away from stereotypes; even the uncle is occassionally sympathetic. Sort of. At any rate, some of the things about his past and motivations I guessed at -- but not everything. The town is full of tradition and easy to visualize. Charlotte's suitor is not the fairy-tale knight in shining armor, and their relationship has its realistic ups and downs. Fans of Orson Scott Card's "Enchanted" and other like books will enjoy this one.

Currently reading: City of Thieves: A Novel by David Benioff

More books!

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:28:25 GMT

Whew! What a busy week -- a special project at work, another video, face makeup... but it all came together, so I'm happy.

Books:

61. Fifteen Books Amphigorey, by Edward Gorey. This contains 15 of Edward Gorey's works, including The Gashlycrumb Tinies, which is probably the best known (A Is For Amy, who fell down the stairs, etc.) "Weird" is the first word to come to mind when I read this. "Weird," and written absurdism. Some of it was pretty clever; others seemed rather pointless (either it was commenting on things I knew nothing about and didn't get the joke, or perhaps the pointlessness was the point.) I loved the limricks, many of them were quite clever (although a few were in French, so I only got a very basic gist of what they meant).

62. Breaking Through, by Francisco Jimenez. This is actually a sequel to Jimenez's other autobiographical book "The Curcuit." However, this book, which covers the author's teen years, stands well on its own. It opens with his family caught by immigration services. They managed to, through time and work, to get back into the United States through the proper channels. It's a nice coming of age story, as Jimenez overcomes hurdles such as rascism and poverty to earn scholarships to go to college. His relationships with his family are portrayed in an honest way, and I think a lot of teens and preteens will be able to relate to the up and down relationship with his parents, especially his father. Jimenez also goes through a lot changes, such as the close relationship with his older brother. What's more, this book puts a face to the issue of immigration and illegal immigration; things to keep in mind as policies are debated.

63. Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson. Another great work of historical fiction, this one taking place right before and during the Revolutionary War. Isabel, after her former mistress dies, looks forward to being freed. However, through some shady dealing, Isabel and her younger sister Ruth are sold to cruel owners. Isabel is asked by another slave to spy on her new owners, known to be loyal to the King. But Isabel is torn when she hears that Britain may have plans to free the slaves as well. Who should she side with, and what is her best path to freedom, both for herself and her disabled sister? This is a good book for those who like the Octavian books. Oh, one warning: among the final words are "to be continued." So there is a follow-up. The appendix also has a nice Q&A with the author, who gives more information on the background of the era.

64. Afghan Dreams: Young Voices of Afghanistan, by Tony O'Brien and Mike Sullivan. The authors (with Sullivan's photography) take many impressive pictures and interview children and teens from Afghanistan. The two together make for a powerful story. The children come from different backgrounds, have different dreams and different ambitions. Some, most of the ones attending school, see themselves in professions, helping others. Others just hope to survive the week. I think one of the more telling stories was from a young boy who had just learned to be a pickpocket. He admits he will probably wind up in jail. The expressions on the childrens' faces say it all. Some of them have hope, but so many of them look so defeated. A couple of the teens looked like old men. A very moving book, good for schools studying current history.

Book list -- got this off a friend

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 05:22:56 GMT

Got this from a friend.

BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here. How do your reading habits stack up?

Instructions:
Copy this into your NOTES. Look at the list and put an 'X' after those you have read. Tag other book loving friends.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen-
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien -x
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte-
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling - X
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee-X
6 The Bible - (sections of it)
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte-
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell -
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman- (only the first one)
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens-X

Sub-total: 4

11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott - X
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy-
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller -
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare-
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier-x
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien - x
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk -
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger - x
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger -
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot-

Sub-total: 4

21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchel-x
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald - X
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens-
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy-
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams -
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh-
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky-
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck-X
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll - x
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame- x

Sub-total: 5

31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens- x
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis - X
34 Emma-Jane Austen-X
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen-
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - X
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hossein-X
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden-X
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne-X

Sub-total: 7

41 Animal Farm - George Orwell - x
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown -
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez-
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving-
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery - X
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy-
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood -
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding - X
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan

Sub-total: 3

51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel - X
52 Dune - Frank Herbert -
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons-
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen- x
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens - X
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley - x
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night - Mark Haddon - X
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Sub-total: 5

61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck-X
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov -
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt -
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold-X
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas -
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac -
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding -
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville -

Sub-total: 2

71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens- x
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker - X
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett-X
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson -
75 Ulysses - James Joyce-X
76 The Inferno – Dante - x
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackery-

Sub-total: 5

80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens- x
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker-
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro -
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert-
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White - X
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom -
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle- x
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

Sub-total: 3

91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad - x
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery- x
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams-x
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole -
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas -
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare - X
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl - X
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo-X

Sub-total: 6

Grand Total: 44

Ha! Take THAT, BBC!

Woohoo! Book 60!

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:11:16 GMT

Book review:

60. Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, by Nahoko Uehashi. 2009 Batchelder Award Winner. I wondered from the beginning of this book whether this was a series, for even from the first chapter you get the sense of this huge universe, where only the surface is scratched. It is, indeed, a series, with manga and even an anime. The heroine is Balsa, a 30-year-old woman who is a bodyguard for hire. Balsa is a wonderful character; she's incredibly tough without being cold. There is no question of her skill, but she also takes a lot of hits as well as gives. Balsa is traveling when she happens to rescue Chagum, the second prince of the Mikado. Suddenly, our heroine is hired to keep the prince safe. The child is unwittingly part of a 100-year cycle where, if things go wrong, the land will be plunged into a terrible drought. The question is -- what is Chagum's part? I love how the various myths and legends are told, retold, told from a different view and sometimes debunked. A lot of the story is trying to figure out exactly what is going on, and what to do about it. I love the layers and the backstories, such as the glimpse of history with the Yakoo, who initially had lived in that land but who fled, and whose citizens had key knowledge as to the legend behind the spirits. Knowledge which has largely been lost, in part to the assimilation of the Yakoo into other populations and in part of the variences of time on well-told stories -- stories which become legend, which become myth. I might have to check out more of this series.

Bizzy bizzy!

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:50:30 GMT

This has been an eventful week, in a fun way.

One, I've already seen "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" twice. All in all, I thought it was well done. Enjoyed it more the second time around. A good balance of character moments, suspense and action. This one was just the right length, too. I could nitpick, but all in all, I think this one so far may be the best film yet.

I've started taking video to go along with some of my stories/photo pages at work. Who would have thought 11+ years ago, that I would be taking and editing video -- and enjoying it?

Saw Chess In Concert not too long ago. WOW! It helps that it features Josh Groban and Idina Menzel, but the music is just spectacular. Now, wonder if I could put a bug in any theatrical ears around here to do this play, hee hee!

Poirot and Miss Marple fans: Watched "Taken at the Flood," "Ordeal by Innocence" and "At the Bertram Inn" this weekend. All three are excellent.

"Taken at the Flood" features perhaps one of the most evil, conniving villians I've seen. Basically, a young widow is being harrassed by the dead husband's family. Trouble really starts when allegations arise that the woman's first husband may still be alive.

"Ordeal by Innocence" is a brain pretzel, and interesting to watch (sort of "train wreck" interesting) as a family's life is uprooted when a bumbling professor tells them that their brother was falsely hanged for the death of his adoptive mother.

But "At the Bertram Inn" is probably my favorite. You have a couple stories going here, although that is not immediately apparant. This was good enough to go on the silver screen, it was so beautifully filmed. Miss Marple's vacation is interupted when it looks like either a wealthy noblewoman or her daugter are targeted by...someone. But why? And which one is the target?

Finally got to see The Green Mile with Tom Hanks the other day. Wow, just...wow. I heard this was really good, but it exceeded my high expectations. Easily the best movie based on a Stephen King story, easily. I just loved the balance of kindness and humanity, with most of the prison guards on The Green Mile.

Book reviews:

57. Six Innings, by James Preller. The setting of this story, told from multiple viewpoints, is at the Little League championship game. Intermixed are several interwoven stories about several of the players themselves. What I really liked is even the other team's players, including the feared pitcher, is treated with some respect and humanity. Also mixed in is the story of two best friends, Sam and Mike, and how the former's diagnosis of cancer has affected that friendship. A very sweet, balanced story that baseball fans and those who have played baseball will enjoy. My one quibble is that the story is told from too many points of view, and I know I had trouble keeping the characters straight. At the very least, there should have been dividers or something to designate the frequent view changes.

58.We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, by Kadir Nelson. Another good book for baseball fans, second grade and up (and yes, kids at heart). Nelson puts together a winner with this beautifully illustrated book on the Negro League. Told through a sort of "everyman" baseball player, the reader is introduced to the major players and people who made the league possible, from Rube Foster, who was instrumental for getting the teams organized in the 1920s; to the various players such as Oscar Charleston, Willie Foster and Josh Gibson. The book then goes through the history and eventual dissolvement, after Jackie Robinson went to the major leagues.

59. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. This story was somewhat reminiscent of Stephen King's stories, "The Running Man" and "The Long Walk." I remember reading "The Long Walk" and finding it chilling, but this is even more horrifying. In this distopic novel, Katniss is one of the tributes at the annual Hunger Games, which the ruling class at the capital sponsor. The games pit 24 children and teens, two from each of the 12 districts, in a battle to the death, where only one can survive. Katniss is forced to compromise the ideals she has to survive. This is a terrific, well-told story, and I get the impression there will be at least one follow up (the last words being "End of Book One," along with some unresolved issues, strikes me as a bit of a hint). In the first two pages, you get a sense of how harsh Katniss' world is. What makes this book good are the layers, though (and some of the not-so-subtle commentary on today's society). Katniss must not only use her skill and wit to win, but must learn how to work the system and gain audience favor (the games are broadcast). What Katniss does could be seen as questionable, but even the other tributes -- even the feared "Career" tributes -- are painted sympathetically. The blame is assigned soley to those in the Capital, whose depravity would make the last years of Ancient Rome seem civilized. I'm very curious as to where this story will go next, but I can hardly wait for the next installment.

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:09:34 GMT

I heard Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films) had a brush with the swine flu. Sounds like he's on the mend. Here's hoping he's 100 percent soon!

Books:

52. The Other victims : first-person stories of non-Jews persecuted by the Nazis, Ina R. Friedman. This book is a compilation of first-hand accounts of people who, for one reason or another, found themselves caught in Hitler's crosshairs. The stories themselves are good reference material for scholars and sobering reading: a young Roma teen forced into a concentration camp; a deaf teen forced to undergo sterilization; a Jehova's Witness family who refused to serve in the Nazi armies; and others. I had mixed feelings about this book. While the stories themselves are worth reading, I kept feeling what should have been a high school level book was "dumbed down" to elementary school-age. I can understand the first-persona accounts being a bit disjointed at times, but the intros to the chapters felt clunky. Another warning: This book is dated (it refers to East and West Germany).

53. What can you do with a rebozo? by Carmen Tafolia, illustrated by Amy Cordova. 2009 Belpre Illustrator Honor Award. This book conjures up images of the days where a blanket could be a superhero cape, wings, or (with a box or a table) a tent. Here, a young girl shows what a rebozo -- a woven Mexican shawl -- can do, from fanciful to practical. A nice addition are the questions students can answer in the back, on what they might be able to do with a rebozo. The illustrations, like the book, are colorful and fanciful, and the text is easy to read.

54. Papa and Me, by Arthur Dorros, illustrations by Rudy Gutierrez. 2009 Belpre Illustrator Honor Award. A very charming, father-son book, full of sweeping, active art. A young boy goes through a day with his papa. The book is mostly in English, but the Spanish words can easily be understood in the context of the story. A good way to incorperate the teaching of both languages.

55. What to do about Alice? by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. ALSC 2009 Notable Children's Books. Theadore Roosevelt has one problem -- his daughter Alice. This is pretty much the opening line and the overall theme of this cute book on the president's oldest child. Alice, as illustrated, was ahead of her time to say the least. Even her father, Teddy Roosevelt, gets exasperated with her antics, which includes dancing all night, attracting the press' attention, traveling the world and more. It's a sweet, amusing look, told so a child can understand and appreciate.

56. All Stations! Distress! by Don Brown. ALSC 2009 Notable Children's Books. This book, with illustrations, is geared towards older grade schoolers. It's easy to read and follow, and well-organized. However, I did catch one factual error; it states that all 52 children who perished were third class. Actually, one first class child, Helen Loraine Allison, 2, died. Also, I've seen different numbers of children from different sources. The book also states that Ismay went on a lifeboat because there were plenty of seats and no one else was getting in. From what I understand, the general consensus now is that he was ordered onto one of the lifeboats. I do like how snippets are given of some of the passengers and crew.

Mollie Sudgen, rest in peace!

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:30:56 GMT

Just found out about this today:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090702/people_nm/us_sugden_1

Was sad to see this. I love Are You Being Served. She was fantastic as Mrs. Slocombe. Also loved her in "My Husband and I," where she starred with her real-life husband William Moore (who passed away a few years ago).

Book reivew:

51. Savvy, by Ingrid Law. This was a very charming coming-of-age story, good for preteens. Mibs is anxiously awaiting her 13-birthday, when her "savvy," or special skill, is supposed to bloom. Will she have X-ray vision? Will she be able to turn invisible, or be able to shut the mouths of those who annoy her, like the two bratty girls from her school? Will it at least be as impressive as her two older brothers' savvys? But just before this landmark birthday, her father is involved in a terrible accident. Suddenly, super stregth isn't nearly as important as hoping for a talent that will save her beloved Poppa. On the day of her birthday, she sneaks aboard a bus she thinks is going to the town where her father is hospitalized. One of her older brothers and her younger brother, along with a boy from their church and his older sister, wind up going with her. The resulting trip is a growing experience for all of them.
The start of the story seems fairly typical, but then, like that bus ride, takes a few unexpected twists and turns. The story's bittersweet ending is not what I expected, but I liked "Savvy" all the better for the more realistic ending than I thought would materialize. Some of the minor characters are "stock" -- the two bratty, annoying girls from Mibs' school -- but the main characters are well fleshed out. What I really liked were the insights about talents: how one doesn't have to have a supernatural "savvy" to be special, and sometimes even a savvy doesn't help solve your problems.

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:11:27 GMT

Feeling accomplished...sort of

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:46:24 GMT

Heh, there were so many things I should have done this weekend, but between this that and the other... I needed a break. So, I read. And as of this evening, I have finished 50 books. Yay!

47. Tiger Moon, by Antonia Michaelis. 2009 Batchelder Award Honor Book. A really neat story, that did NOT end the way I thought it would. It's almost two stories in one, but it's hard to tell where the story ends and reality begins, which is part of the charm. Farhad, the unwitting and reluctant hero of the story, is charged with trying to rescue a princess from a demon. He is aided by a sacred white tiger, a tiger with a sarcastic tongue and issues of his own. Meanwhile, in a distant land, the young bride of a tyrannical, wealthy merchant keeps her spirits up by telling a story of rescue to a house servant. It's engaging to watch Farhad and the tiger Nitish race against time against seemingly impossible odds to rescue the princess. Both grow in confidence as the story progresses. At times, this reminded me of Arabian Nights in the storytelling, although the bride's tale is one continuous story, rather than many stories. Also enjoyed the symbolism, especially with the valuable but trecherous bloodstone, which tended to cut (literally and figuratively) the hands that possessed it.

48. The Underneath, by Kathi Appelt. 2009 Newbery Honor Book. Fans of books such as "Watership Down" and "Heavenly Horse of the Outermost West" and the like will enjoy this one. The narrative style is very conversational; indeed, I think this could be a fun book to read outloud to older gradeschoolers. Ranger, an old hound dog, befriends a calico cat. THe cat has two kittens, and their first and most important rule is to never, ever leave The Underneath, the sheltered space between the ground and the house above them. For Ranger's owner is the cruel, heartless Gar Face, who would use them as alligator bait. Of course, however, kittens will be kittens -- curious and playfull. One day, one of them does stray out of the safety of The Underneath, and sets of a chain of events, with entities going back more than a thousand years. This story leaps back and fourth in time, doling out the multiple stories in bits and pieces. But I personally found it very easy to follow and very engaging. I would save this for older gradeschoolers; one character dies, and Gar Face is truly a nasty, evil and cruel character.

49. Garmann's Summer, by Stian Hole. 2009 Batchelder Award Honor Book. Garmann is trying to enjoy his last days of summer, but he is worried about his first day of school. He knows school will start soon. His three elderly aunts have come to visit, and autumn is in the air. Garmann is also frustrated: he has not lost a single tooth yet. This sophisticated picture book packs a lot of themes -- life, death, changes, and fears -- between the pages. The artwork is fascinating, well done and layered. The thoughts come from a 6-year-old boy, but this is almost more for adults with its complexities. This may not be the best book for someone just starting school, not only because of the depth and complexity of the topics, but his fears never really get resolved. This might be a good book to share with second grade and up, who are facing something they fear, in a one-on-one, so the child and adult reader can talk.

50. Starclimber, by Kenneth Oppel. This is the third book in Oppel's "Airborn" series. This book was a fun read, but I thought the first two were superior. Fans of the fast-paced, near non-stop action of the first two might find the pacing slow. Personally, I thought the pacing was fine; it was slower and more deliberate, and got more into the relationships and interactions, especially between Matt and Kate. I also liked how some things which seemed inconsequential in the beginning turned out to be important at the end.
In this third installment, both Matt and Kate are invited to become astralnauts on the Starclimber, which will be the first vessel in space. Much of the first half of the book covers the training Matt goes through with the other potential candidates.
There are some good, laugh-out-loud moments, such as Sir Hugh's trying to upstage Kate during her lecture. The second half of the book has more action than the first half. The ending and resolution between Matt and Kate was a bit surprising. I guess the biggest stretch was the civilian crew. Some members (well, one in particular) should not have been on there, and it felt a bit contrived. But if you are willing to check that at the door, this story is a fun ride.

Go away, Murphy!!!

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:43:25 GMT

Ugh what a weekend! First I go to the theater Friday. On my way back to work, one of my tires blows out. Thankfully I have AAA (which I cannot recommend highly enough) and had it towed. Even more thankfully, my best friend was home and was able to drop me off at my place.

Actually that worked out in a way because best friend had "Chess: In Concert" featuring Josh Groban ('xcuse me while I squee a moment). So we listened to that and finished a puzzle.

Next day, Rach drove us around as we attended a free drawing workshop. Now THAT was FUN. We learned about birds of prey and drew from taxidermy animals. We hope to go back on Wednesday for another workshop, this time on flowers.

That evening, Rach, Kit and I were hoping to watch Chess: In Concert on PBS. There was one problem. One, I found different times in which it was supposed to be on. Two, the channel it was on I couldn't get : ( Darn digital changeover - -I used to get it. And no I am NOT getting cable -- I really don't watch enough television to make it worthwhile. Only reason I even bothered with the converter box is because my grandfather stays here when he's in town. So, we just played Upwards, chatted and had a late dinner (not in that order).

This morning, I finished an art project I'd been working for...probably about three weeks total from start to finish. It's for a contest. I'll post it up once the contest is over with. So that was a great feeling!

I was going to go back to the theater this afternoon -- I stepped outside to see my car muffler on the ground > : ( ARGGH! At least, it's easy to fix. Indeed, my dad (bless his heart!!!) came out and said all I need is a new bolt, old one had rusted away. So he's tying up my muffler as I type this then I'm heading over to my parents' house, where I hope to give dad a PROPER Father's Day gift and hug. I feel so bad for making him work on father's day.

OK, I also have two more book reviews:

45. The History Buff's Guide to The Presidents, by Thomas R. Flagel. This was a fun read! It's chock full of short, informative articles on the various leaders of our nation, their spouses, their relatives and other information. The book is organized in a series of top 10 lists: top 10 scandals, top 10 largest budgets, top 10 veto'ers, top 10...you get the picture. It's not unbiased, and the top 10 lists are, of course, subjective and debatable. But that's what makes this book fun and entertaining, and not some dry fact-spewing. What I also liked, however, is how it puts our history in perspective, and how many obstacles we faced as a country in preserving our sovereignty. It's tempting to wring our hands over today's woes, but scandal and bad times are not unknown. Who was it that said there is nothing new under the sun? At any rate, history buffs will want to get their hands on this one.

46. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing Traitor to the Nation Volume Two: Kingdom on the Waves, by MT Anderson. Wow. I have been looking forward to this sequel for a long time, and it did not disappoint.

If you have NOT read the first book, there WILL be spoilers here (otherwise writing a review will be nearly impossible).

We catch up with Octavian and Dr. Trefusis pretty much from where the first book ended, with their flight to Boston. From there, Octavian finds work as a violinist with a British orchestra. All too soon, war breaks out, and Octavian and his tutor flee to join Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian regiment after hearing that Great Britian will free the slaves who have enlisted to help the King. Of course, there are a couple of problems. One, we all know how the Revilutionary War played out, and who wins. Two, where Octavian is concerned, Lord Dunmore is woefully incompetent. Octavian learns bit by bit that Great Britain's promises for freedom are not at all based in good will, but are merely a strategic move. Dr. Trefusis says something early on about altruism being like a pie you conver with gravy and check carefully the kidney it has been stuffed with, and that seems ot be the overall theme. Octavian turns more and more bitter as his hopes die away.

This was a very thought-provoking story. You don't often read tales that paint the Patriots (here, the rebels) in less then glowing terms. Also makes you wonder: What if Great Britian would have won? We know the negative things that could have happened -- but could there have been some positive outcomes as well? The author's notes are an interesting read; he wonders, as do I, if the nation would have survived without slavery and the near-genocide of Native Americans. His conclusion is the same as mine: probably not.

"Octavian Nothing" is not a light, fluffy read to take to the beach. But for a meatier, substantial read that will leave you thinking and debating for hours, you don't get much better than this.

Man makes plans...

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:17:29 GMT

... and God laughs.

Ugh. Stuck at home again this weekend, with either what is the worst 24-hour stomach flu bug I have ever had or food poisoning. Not sure which. Feel better today, but still not 100 percent.

I guess the silver lining is now I have time to update my reading list : P

41. Spellspam, by Alma Alexander. We are all familiar with e-mail spam, that annoying componant of e-mail, where at best you are bombarded with ads for the latest pills, Rolex watches and...other things. Some of the nastier ones can carry viruses that wreck havoc with your computer. But what if there was a way to send magic spells via e-mail?
This isn't supposed to be possible, especially at the Wandless Academy, but as Thea watches, her classmates start feeling the effects of various and malicious spellspam. Thea and her friends have to figure out who is behind the spells and why -- and how to stop them.
I'm really liking this series, and can hardly wait to get my hands on the third book. The concept of spellspam is genius (if a bit scary). Same with the elemental house. Thea is beginning to come into her own, and is more comfortable in her own skin. I am a bit worried about Ben, and can't help wonder if his insecurities may be an issue in the next book.

42. The boy who dared, by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. This was every bit as good as I anticipated. Bartoletti takes one of the stories from her "Hitler Youth: Living in Hitler's Shadow" and expands on it. Young Helmuth Hubener had been considered an ideal young Nazi. He was smart, handsome and his mother's new husband, Helmuth's stepfather, was a ranking official with the Nazi party. But Helmuth grew discouraged and disgusted by the changes and loss of freedom he witnessed in the name of "patriotism." So, with the help of two other friends and an illegal radio, he started his own underground movement in distributing pamphlets about the truths of the war. He would later be caught and would pay with his life at age 17, but Helmuth's actions during the trials allowed his comrades to escape with comparitavely lighter sentences. Parts of the book, by necessity, are fictionalized, but Bartoletti provides a pretty thourough afterwards, along with a timeline and photos. She also had the opportunity to interview one of the friends and one of Helmuth's older brothers.

43. Dewey : the small-town library cat who touched the world, by Vicki Myron, with Bret Witter. A charming story. Library director Myron could not have know that in finding a weeks-old kitten in the drop box after a bitterly cold night in January, that her life would be changed and the town of Spencer, Iowa, would become known worldwide. Dewey Readmore Books found his home at the library, becoming a fixture among many of the library patrons for the next 19 years. Myron shares her memories and anecdotes about the famous library cat, both hilarious and bittersweet, as well as her own recollections about her life. Both stories are engaging, and I'm glad Myron interwove her own thoughts and life into the story of Dewey.
A note of caution: I'm glad the issue of allergies came up, and I guess for the most part things were OK. I know I'm very severely allergic to cats and could have never gone into that library. I couldn't help thinking that while things worked out in this case, that "library cats" don't become a fixture. I am glad that Myron pointed out that not all cats would have been suitable at the library.

44. Bloody Jack : being an account of the curious adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy, by L.A. Meyer. When Mary's family is wiped out by illness, she is forced to beg and steal on the streets with a band of urchins. But one day, at 13, she decides to disguise herself as a boy and manages to work her way onto a British war vessel commissioned to hunt pirates. "Jacky" must keep her identity a secret, as well as cope with growing up, her crush on another cabin boy and other adventures. The story is quick-paced and well-described. I listened to this one on CD, and the voice actress Katherine Kellgren did a commendable job with the large cast of characters.

Tried to read:

Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr. Got this one on CD too, and stopped after the first disc. This was just way too slow, and the conversation towards the end between the main character and her crush just stretched credibility to breaking point. I have a feeling this was written more for the "Twilight" crowd, which I didn't care for either.

Two more books!

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:52:08 GMT

Yes, I've finished two more books, and after having just posted yesterday. Before you look too shocked -- these were short. One was 105 pages, told in free verse, and the other was a picture book. I finished both in less than an hour.

However, just because they were quick reads doesn't mean they didn't have a profound impact. Both of these just left me stunned by the beauty and heartfelt emotion told through a few words.

39. "T4" by Ann Clare LeZotte. Tiergartenstrasse 4, or T4, was the edict handed down by the Nazi Party to remove disabled children from their homes to have them "evaluated" at local hospitals and institutions, and their quality of life "analyzed." That was the official story. Bluntly, this was part of Hitler's eugenics program. Many, if not all (I'm not sure on this point) sent to these places were euthanized, deemed "useless eaters," and "not fit to live." This novel is told in free verse from the point of view of a young teen who is deaf. Her life with her family is turned upside down in 1939, when T4 is announced. She is forced to go into hiding with a Catholic priest, where she goes from shelter to shelter until Hitler repeals the unpopular law a few years later. The book shows Paula's struggles to communicate and find acceptance in her neighborhood as a girl, and her growing understanding as a teen as to what the Nazis are doing. What is very profound is that many characters in the book preach against these actions, and wonder how something so horrible could take place. But when you read between the lines -- you see why. This is most poignantly told with the introduction of one character, who isn't as he seems. Anything more than that will spoil the story. Highly recommended for teens studying World War II. It's a fast read; even the more reluctant readers should find this easy to manage. But there's a lot of story told in these pages.

An interesting note is that the author herself is profoundly deaf, so it's little wonder Paula's thoughts and frustrations come across so believably. This is LeZotte's first novel; hopefully the first of many.

40. Silent Music: A Story of Bagdad, by James Rumford. A really neat story! Ali, a young boy who lives in Baghdad, is in many ways like most boys: he likes soccer, playing with his friends and "parent-rattling music" (that line made me laugh). But he also loves the art of calligraphy. Through the book, the reader sees various items from Iraq, in a sort of collage format. But the most interesting thing was the breakdown of some of the Arabic words. Another nice touch was how warm and vibrant the pages are when Ali is talking about his day-to-day activities, and how dark and subdued they are when he is talking about the war, which started in 2003. One of the most profound things was when Ali mentioned how easy the calligraphy was for "war," and how hard it was for him to write "peace," and he wonders how much he will have to practice to get that one correctly. Wow.

Book reviews -- Ancient Egypt special!

Mon, 18 May 2009 02:42:05 GMT

Greetings!

Completely over the strep bug -- yay!

Had a fairly light weekend. Watched two movies, read three books and did some cleaning, whee!

Movies:

X-Files: I want to Believe. Finally got around to seeing this one. In its heyday, I was a big fan of the television series. I have mixed feelings on this one. I watched the extended version (as opposed to the theatrical release). It felt a bit slow at times, although not unbearably. Part of it could have been looking at all that snow -- made me cold! I guess the stranges thing is it felt more like a 2+ hour episode rather than a movie. I think had I seen it on the big screen and paid admission, I would have been disappointed. This was a good fit on tv/DVD, though. I liked the internal struggles of the characters and the moral dilemnas throughout. But from the trailers... I was expecting something more along the lines of the first movie. So... I guess if you really liked the television series, you may like this.

Ran. A friend recommended this one after we were talking about King Lear. Think of "Ran" as a close parallel with King Lear, set in feudal Japan. This was different, but good. Rather violent, though. I must say, the battle scenes were pretty impressive, considering this was made in the days before CGI. With this story, you have three sons instead of three daughters, although the wife of one of the sons has a key role. The "Lear" of this story is definitely more ruthless, even in the current action. He does some pretty horrible things, so it's almost Karma that two of his sons turn out to be such monsters.

And on to the books -- the all Ancient Egypt Special! I checked these out after a great art lecture on Ancient Egypt at one of our local libraries.

36. "Valley of the Golden Mummies," by Zahi Hawass. The one drawback -- and it's a fairly minor one -- is that this was published in 2000. I'm sure a LOT has changed since Hawass wrote this. But then, that's the occupational hazard with history books. Otherwise, this is a great look at the discoveries made around that time, especially in Baharia Oasis, where numerous tombs containing hundreds of well-preserved mummies were found. The book has a number of amazing pictures from the site, as well as a lot of the authors anecdotes about making such a discovery. There are also chapters on the ancient gods and the funerary ceremonies. One thing I like is Hawass is very careful with the conclusions he draws -- he is aware that history is very much in the making. This could make a good reference book for older students and budding Egyptologists alike.

37. "Ramses II and Egypt," by Olivier Tiano.I had mixed reactions to this book. On one hand, the information seems to be pretty accurate, but it's rather scattered. I do like the "modern" tone given to it. There were sections that made me chuckle. My biggest problem is the font size of a lot of the text, which looks to be about 7 or 8 point. Having a lot of text at that size is bad enough. Having that size text on a busy background is just poor book design. This should have either been trimmed to be more about Ramses II, or expanded so the text could be bigger.

38. "The Murder of Tutankhamen," by Bob Brier. Heh, this shows the dangers of the book format when it comes to discoveries in progress. This was published in 1998; I think the popular theory now is that the boy king died in an accident. Nonetheless, this is an interesting read. Brier's writing style is very easy to follow, and very engaging. I would add, too, that the murder theory is not necessarily debunked as far as I can tell. Who knows what happened? He shares some very interesting information about the loving relationship between himself and his wife/half sister, Ankhesenamen. A very sweet, but sad story; she miscarried twice, and what happened to her after Tutankhamen's death is a mystery (my guess is she was probably murdered). Includes a nice timeline of the pharoahs. I like how each clue is dissected and a multitude of conclusions drawn, discussed and discarded (or fleshed out). Even though the young king may not have been murdered, this is still a good read.

Things have a funny way of working out

Fri, 08 May 2009 03:06:51 GMT

I hadn't planned this. Honest. But this just happened to work out so well.

I was looking up books and saw two by Susan C. Bartoletti that looked rather interesting. So, on a whim, I checked them both out, and wound up reading them back to back -- one of them fiction (historical fiction) and one nonfiction. They both cover about the same time period -- the turn of the last century. They both cover issues of child labor and the several children's strikes that occurred from 1899 to the early 1900s. Yes, you read correctly: child labor strikes.

For those working with older grade school, these two books would be great to pair together in a child issues unit.

34. My Name is America: The Journal of Finn Reardon, a Newsie, by Susan C. Bartoletti. Finn lives with his family in cramped quarters in New York City. He goes to school in the morning, but at evening and night, he works as a newsie. He buys newspapers, then takes them to the street corner to sell. This is written in journal format, and covers just less than a year. This is short, and pretty easy to read, and is more of a "slice of the life" of a boy who may have grown up in that period, rather than a streamlined narration. There were a couple loose ends I would have liked to have seen addressed, such as what happened with the grandfather and the snowshovelers. But the bits of history, such as the newsie strike, seem accurate. Most of the characters, like Finn's family, are fictional, but there are historical figures mentioned. There's a nice afterwards going more into the history, plus some good pictures, at the end.

35. Kids on Strike! by Susan C. Bartoletti. This is a really neat, well-laid out book on the various strikes held by children and teens -- sometimes with adults and sometimes on their own. It covers the newsie strike in 1899, the Lawrence strike and introduces readers to figures such as Mother Jones. This gives an eye-opening account on how awful child workers had it; the book not only tells the story of these children in clean, consise text but has many pictures throughout. Some of the stories are heartbreaking, such as the Lawrence strike and, of course, the tragedy of the Triangle fires. This book serves not only as a lesson on how well we have things now, but as a warning that things could slip back to these times if we are not careful. Readers will see the pitfalls and the problems with overcoming the top brass, the mistakes that were made -- and how some strikes were won.