TurtleCreekBooks's reviews from LibraryThing

Fire Underground: The Ongoing Tragedy of the Centralia Mine Fire by David DeKok

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 20:59:28 -0400

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Back in 1999 a friend of mine was playing a rather dark yet compelling video game called “Silent Hill”. I recall it being creepy, eerie, and surprisingly engaging. The genre of the game is called “Survival Horror” (how telling that this is actually a genre on its own, but that’s a whole other conversation). Not being very adept at video games, I only watched him play it and that was that. Or so I thought. Years later, in 2006, I found myself watching a movie, also called “Silent Hill”. Again, creepy, scary, and once more rather engaging. The DVD had an added feature on “The Making of Silent Hill” or some such title and I ended up watching that piece with even more interest. Briefly mentioned was that the story (and the original video game) had been inspired in part by a real tragedy that occurred in a Pennsylvania mining town in 1962. It was this back-story that led me to read this book. “Fire Underground” is the story of how a 1960s mining disaster made a ghost town of Centralia, Pennsylvania. The book relates the events that led up to the first underground fire in the anthracite coal mine that was the financial heart and soul of the region. It speaks of the actual fire starting, the attempts to contain the problem, the politicians and business people running for cover, the pointing of fingers, the botched attempts at containment, the parade of scientific personnel, ingenious laymen, professionals and everyone else – all of whom failed to stop the fire (which is STILL BURNING TODAY and may burn for decades still to come). But then the story really gets going. The denial of the government, the bizarre placement of poison detection systems in people’s homes, the refusal to compensate homeowners when they were forced to leave town, the pitting of neighbor against neighbor, family member against family member, in this horrific story of the slow death of a town. The author, David DeKok, possesses the rare ability to take non-fiction reportage and make it every bit a page-turner as a best-selling thriller. Once again, truth is much stranger than fiction, and in this case much better written."
Globe Pequot (2009), Edition: Revised edition, Paperback, 288 pages

The Graduate by Charles Webb

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 20:14:31 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Can you like a book yet hate the protagonist and everything he stands (or in this case, slouches) for? Let’s start with the positive. The book is a quick and easy read (yes, that can be a good thing) and is well written. We’re not talking Shakespeare well-written, but certainly engaging. Presented primarily in dialogue, the book reads almost like a play. Considered ground-breaking and seminal, The Graduate was written in 1963 and was called “brilliant, sardonic, ludicrously funny” by the New York Times. This was the first work of author Charles Webb, who went on to write other books of considerably less fame. Actually someone could write a fascinating book about Charles Webb – his life seems strange and quirky to say the least (check it out chez Wikipedia). So far, so good. Webb’s character, Benjamin Braddock, has just graduated college and he’s emotionally and spiritually lost. He’s also a spoiled rotten child of what was then the brave new world of suburbia, financially pampered, emotionally and materialistically indulged. He seems to want to project an air of edginess, modernity (at least in terms of modern angst), and wants to reject traditional values. So how does our hero go about this? He mopes around the house after graduating, lolls around in Mommy and Daddy’s swimming pool, drives about in the sports car given to him by Mommy and Daddy, and has a sordid and meaningless affair with the (much older) wife of a long-time friend of the family. Our hero is also breathtakingly misogynistic – so much so that I don’t even know where to start. His treatment of the object of his shallow affections, the famous Mrs. Robinson, is reprehensible. Mrs. Robinson, despite being an adulterous wife, is actually the more likeable of the pair. She is witty, relatively urbane, and is perhaps more pitiable for being forever trapped in her suburban prison. Mr. Robinson, unaware of the relationship between his wife and his best friend’s son, thinks it would be great to have Benjamin go on a date with his daughter, Elaine. Not having a good reason to reject this, Benjamin will go on ONE date with Elaine. Mrs. Robinson has only a single request – and a perfectly understandable one. She tells Benjamin that he must not continue dating her daughter (well, duh!). Of course our hero, apparently unused to being told not to do anything that might flit through his mind, decides that he must have a relationship with Elaine and stop seeing Mrs. Robinson. Regular dating begins and Benjamin is quite taken with Elaine – he has nothing in common with her but she’s young, pretty, smart, compliant … and forbidden. Anyway, Elaine discovers the truth about Benjamin’s affair with her mother, and naturally doesn’t want to have anything more to do with him. Elaine then moves on with her life, goes to college, meets another man and decides to marry someone who hasn't slept with her mother. Benjamin, still obsessed with Elaine, now begins stalking her and finally barges into the wedding ceremony. The author now has Elaine ditching her fiancée at the altar and running off with Benjamin on a city bus (the bus was a nice touch I think). Well, I despised Benjamin, disliked Elaine, and had a mild distaste for Benjamin’s parents. Neutral on Mr. Robinson. Rather liked Mrs. Robinson. So if the goal of a written work is to evoke an emotional response, this book scores high for me. But I really hated every engaging minute of it."
The New American Library (1963), Edition: Book Club (BCE/BOMC), Hardcover, 192 pages

The Bad Seed by William March by William March

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 22:33:25 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Is it nature or is it nurture? The author of this cult classic (book, then play, then 1955 movie) definitely believes it's nature all the way. Rhoda Penmark is the perfect child, lovely to look at, smart, quick, mature beyond her 8 years, dedicated to her studies - who couldn't love her? So why was she asked to leave her school? Why do the other children avoid her? Although the "demon child" has been done and redone, this early portrayal of a sociopath and a psychopathic killer is well done, suspenseful and has a few twists that still work. Some of the characters - in particular Mrs. Monica Breedlove - are a little over the top, but still serve to contrast how a psychopath can be seen by "normal" people and blend in exceedingly well. I think it would be interesting to read this quick novel and then have a go at The Corporation, a book and documentary written by a professor of Law at the University of British Columbia. The documentary examines the modern-day corporation, considering its legal status as a class of person and evaluating its behaviour towards society and the world at large as a psychiatrist might evaluate an ordinary person. The conclusion seems to be that the Corporation often has all the characteristics of a psychopath - and so Rhoda Penmark could be a CEO par excellence."
Dell (1967), Paperback

Virus by Graham Watkins

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 23:59:36 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "A much better book than I had expected it to be. The characters are believable, the story moves along quickly and the author was well ahead of his time. Although some of the computer references are quite dated, his vision of this distinct and unique internet-based virus is almost prophetic. Surprisingly good."
St. Martin's Press (1996), Mass Market Paperback, 438 pages

Lillian Hellman: Rebel Playwright by Ruth Turk

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 22:36:29 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "A nice general biography, but it would appear to be written for a youth audience. Contains a few photographs. Not terribly in depth, and given the complexity of Hellman's life it's a pity. A good introduction to Hellman, otherwise not very exciting."
Lerner Pub Group (L) (1995), Library Binding, 128 pages

Somebody to Love?: A Rock-and-Roll Memoir by Grace Slick

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:45:19 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Artist, singer, maybe-revolutionary .... not in this teeny bopper bio. Reads like the diary of a spoiled and over-sexed teen. I had so admired her singing, her longevity, her art - and so had reasonable hopes for this biography. Badly written, boring, trite, childish - even the sex (which dominates as a theme) portions read like some Cosmo tell-all article. Grace - still admire you, am so sorry that this book doesn't do you justice"
Grand Central Publishing (1999), Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages

Abandoned Ontario by Bruce R. Brigham

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 21:37:38 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Literally a haunting book. Evocative black and white images of abandoned buildings (homes, farms, barns, hotels, cottages and others) scattered throughout 4 counties in Ontario are pictured literally on every page of this unique book. Each photograph has a brief outline of what is seen and each section has a slightly lengthier write up of the general location and any points of interest, including some information on architectural details where known to the author. An unpretentious book, yet highly interesting. Unlike most photo essay books I've run across, this was one I actually read each and every word in the commentary, and felt drawn in to the pathos inherent in the images. The author (whom I've had the pleasure to meet) is unassuming, decent and completely respectful of the locales he has visited and photographed. I believe this is an important piece of local history and deserves attention."
Print Shop Collingwood (2009), Edition: First Edition, Paperback

Living from Your Soul (Elf Self Help) by Karen Katafiasz

Sun, 05 Dec 2010 19:20:32 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "A cute book. a happy book ....but.... not everything is as it seems...... there is something subtle and slightly off here (but in a good and happy way). Want to know the secret? Read the book and ask me!"
Abbey Press (1997), Paperback

Scars of Sweet Paradise: The Life and Times of Janis Joplin by Alice Echols

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 22:52:49 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Very well written, very scholarly, and also rather sedate and dry - which is a complete contrast with the life laid out here by Alice Echols. It's a calm walk alongside Janis' turbulent life, unlike other Janis bios that tend towards scandal and sensation. Echols reports her findings almost clinically and more like a historical journal. Almost the antithesis of the 60s.... and this seems to be where the strength lies in this book. Not your regular "sex drugs and rock and roll" scandal bio."
Metropolitan Books (1999), Edition: 1st, Hardcover, 408 pages

Jubilee Trail by Gwen Bristow

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 20:10:28 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Interesting historical romance with the emphasis on the historical rather than the romance. Have to admit that I rather enjoyed reading more about Garnet's (the main character) friend Florinda (the bad girl with a heart of gold type), and tended to admire the latter more than the former. The historial aspects of the novel are reasonably accurate, but what I do dislike about the book are the clearly negative racial images and negative stereotypes of the native Californians. They are portrayed as fat, lazy, dirty and generally as sub-human, with no clear or fair explanation of what dreadful persecutions these people had undergone. The sufferings and injustices plied upon the Californian tribes was unbelievably terrible, and what is more alarming is that the information is generally quite scanty. The author's views of the characters' circumstances are locked in the mindset of her times (written in 1950) and "manifest destiny" is still considered rational, appropriate and a source of pride. Despite what some readers may find distasteful today, it still is a ripping good yarn and keeps you interested from start to finish. The language is simple enough for a youth reader, rich enough for adults. The romantic scenes are tame and understated by today's standards, again making it a good choice for younger readers."
CROWELL, THOMAS Y CO, Hardcover

Solitude of Strength La Solitudine Della Forza (Paperback) by Leonard Cohen

Sun, 05 Dec 2010 21:31:54 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Sempre un piacere leggere le paroli agrodolci di Cohen, che sembrano quasi piu' belli in italiano. Avere l'inglese originale accanto al testo tradotto e' una cosa gradevole. Always a pleasure to read the bittersweet words of Cohen and having the original English next to the translation is enjoyable."
McArthur & Company (2008), Paperback, 212 pages

Vocabolario della Lingua Italiana - Decima Edizione by Nicola Zingarelli

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 23:18:08 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Un grande dizionario, ma e' labbondanza di chiari esempi d'uso delle varie parole che rende questo dizionario cosi' eccellente. A HUGE dictionary, but it's the abbundant number of clear examples of the uses of various works that makes this one so good. L'ho usato per anni in modo professionale come interprete, e sarei stata persa se non l'avessi avuto come aiuto. I've used it professionally as an interpreter for years and would have been lost without it."
Zanichelli (1971), Hardcover

Unitrade Specialized Catalogue of Canadian Stamps,1992 Edition

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 23:14:10 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Never mind the dollar values - no published catalog prices reflect the ever-changing reality of the collectables market. The good news with this edition is that the pictures are larger and better ordered than in the later editions. Granted, you won't get the stamps issued after 1990/1 but if you are trying to make sense of earlier stamps, this is a great general reference."
Unitrade Associates (1991), Paperback

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Sun, 05 Dec 2010 21:02:58 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Always a classic, interesting in terms of the history of the trials, the possible motivations behind them, people's nobility (or lack thereof), and simply well written drama. What is interesting to keep in mind is that (a) the number of girls involved in the "crying out" was drastically reduced for the play, (b) Abigail Williams was a very young girl (I think 12 years old), which in today's thinking makes the noble Proctor something of a pedophile, (c) the treatment and background of Tituba is largely omitted, as is the information on Tituba's husband (an interesting character himself), (d) the mercantile background of the preacher Parris. There are so many memorable lines from this play, but a favourite of mine is when Proctor tells his wife that her justice would "freeze beer". And where he says "I have not moved from here to there without thinking to please you, but an everlasting funeral marches in your heart". My goodness, but even the bickering is well written. There are even funny lines, and lines that Miller thought would be funny be where the audience is typically deadpan. One of those lines is where the inquisitor/lawyer/preacher Hale says "we must not look to superstition in this - the devil is very precise". Miller thought that would raise the roof with laughter, but the audience is always serious at that point. Please accept my apologies for any errors in the quotations - am providing them by memory here."
Bantam Books (1978), Mass Market Paperback, 145 pages

Mary Margaret McBride - Encyclopedia of Cooking - Deluxe Illustrated Edition - Complete 12 Section Set by Mary Margaret McBride

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 22:14:25 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "I have this set, inherited from my mother, who inherited it from her mother. And there is a good reason why this spattered encyclopedia gets passed down in the family. Despite the truly horrific illustrations in lurid colour (imagine incredibly pink pork chops festooned with vibrantly yellow pineapple slices, dotted with embassingly pink-ish red maraschino cherries---- eeeeyaaah!), this set has EVERYTHING in it. Do you have an exuberance of pears? Well, pull out the index, look up "pears" and you will find cobblers, pies, cakes, some weird pork chop or casserole and many other ideas. Do you remember making a wonderful apple crisp but are missing the oatmeal? Go to the crisps and cobblers and it will give you several variations and suggestions for alternative ways of preparing the dish. Not sure what to do with quinces or persimmons? Need to know the inner temperature of a well-done vs. rare roast? It's there. Measurements, seasonalities of fruits and vegetables, cooking techniques. Nothing uber-fancy, no Julia Child cuisine here - just the basics - but ALL the basics in one."
Homemakers Research Institute (1960), Edition: Deluxe Illustrated, Hardcover, 1536 pages

Puerto Rican Cuisine in America: Nuyorican and Bodega Recipes by Oswald Rivera

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 22:41:22 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Yes, finally, this is it! It has it all, with commonly found ingredients and it demystifies the omnipresent "soffrito" that you MUST HAVE in order to make a dish taste Puerto Rican. The recipes are simple, straightforward, everyday fare. Not that there seem to be a great many Puerto Rican cookbooks out there and certainly fewer New York Puerto Rican ones, so this I believe is the only one to have."
Running Press (2002), Edition: 2nd, Paperback, 320 pages

Authentic Norwegian Cooking by Astrid Karlsen Scott

Sun, 05 Dec 2010 21:39:48 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "And now for something completely different! What a great cookbook. Interesting dishes, presented in an authentic context, rather than a "north-americanized" treatment of the foods. The ingredients for the most part can be easily found in Canada and the United States, although a few may require some scouting about. From the recipes I've tried, they all seem to work and are not difficult to follow."
Nordic Adventures (2000), Edition: 1, Hardcover, 362 pages

Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:09:27 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "One of those groundbreaking works, not perfect, not earth-shattering, but iconic and pivotal nonetheless. Jong got my attention with the "Zipless F?@k" and so I stayed with her from there. The storyline is a little weak, but gives the author a platform to share her views, musings, questions and rant on the nature of the sexes, sexuality, relationships and feminism. A little tame perhaps by today's standards, but it's funny, witty, clever, insightful as well as confused and muddled (much like the main character drifting through the book). A good read."
NAL Trade (2003), Paperback, 480 pages

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Sun, 05 Dec 2010 21:04:05 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Always a recommended book. Despite the heavy editing and omission of what would be considered repetitive, uninformative or embarrassing, it remains a highly readable and personal account of a tragedy unfolding. I would encourage any young person to read this book - as history, as a protrayal of courage, as a symbol of how one's person can live on in the memories of others."
Pocket Cardinal (1963), Mass Market Paperback

Pentimento by Lillian Hellman

Sun, 05 Dec 2010 21:32:51 -0500

TurtleCreekBooks's review: "Wonderful collection of recollections written by the famous playright and screenwriter. Each story has a lazy, lyrical quality with characters drawn from her past, including long-time companion Dashiel Hammett (of Maltese Falcon fame). The stories begin in her youth migrating between New Orleans and New York City, and end up in Martha's Vineyard after the death of Hammett. The most famous story included in the collection if that of "Julia", which was later made into a move starring Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave (a very good movie too). The story recounts how Hellman, a Jew, was recruited by a wealthy (Christian) childhood friend to smuggle a large sum of money into Nazi-Germany to assist in saving Jewish and others from the Nazi regime. The story is a real nail-biter and makes Hellman into a heroine - almost a mini-Schindler. After the book was published, Mary McCarthy, another famous author who had many mutual associates of Hellman and whose most famously known work is entitled "The Group", publicly called Hellman a liar. McCarthy's position was that she knew the real women who was portrayed as the childhood friend in Hellman's memoir, and that this women said that she and Hellman did nothing of the sort. McCarthy rather famously stated that Hellman was a liar, and was always lying, and that every word she wrote was a lie "including the 'and' and 'the'". Hellman, not being one to take this sort of thing quietly, promptly sued McCarthy for defamation of character and the whole mess dragged on in court for a long period of time. I don't recall the final outcome, but I believe that it was inconclusive as McCarthy died before the final judgement was passed. Despite of the controversy, the book is beautifully and evocatively written."
Little Brown & Co (T) (1973), Edition: 1st, Hardcover, 297 pages