The author, Dan Koeppel has certainly given us quite a ride with this work, To See Every Bird on Earth. Within the covers of this book we have a biography, autobiography, a study of a very dysfunctional family, an environmental history of different parts of the world, a cathartic work by a young man deeply troubled and hurt by parents who were not all that good at their job, a history of one Jewish family and their coming to the “new world,” a look at the psychology of the obsessive birder, i.e. what drives them; what motivates them and above all we receive quite an interesting lesson on birds and birding. To write such a book would be a daunting task, and I must say that Koeppel has pulled it off in grand style. We also get the added benefit of a very nice short history, mixed into the story, of the history of birding in America.
The author’s father, Richard Koeppel is a Big Lister; that is he is one of those individuals who has dedicated a good portion of his life to searching out, identifying and listing as many different bird species as possible. The total species world wide is probably around 10,000 right now, although this grand total changes quite frequently and will in all likelihood increase over the next several years until we have been able to wipe many of the species off the face of the earth. Richard Koeppel has identified more that 7,000 birds in his life time. This is of course is not an individual world records, but it certainly puts him in the top show more one percent of the Big Listers.

This is the story of Richard Koeppels life and his life long obsession, or quest, if you will. The author takes us back to his father’s childhood; the son of immigrant Jews who settle in New York. The story the author presents is a story of neglect on some levels and parental demands on another; happiness and extreme dissatisfaction. Richard Koeppel becomes a physician purely via pressure from his parents, marries as he is suppose to and follows a career in medicine that he really did not want any part of.

The author takes us through the failed marriage of his parents and his completely dysfunctional life with a mother who was really not cut out to be a mother and a father who, while his heart was in the right place, should never have sired children. The author had a rather rough time growing up in a very confusing world for a young child.

In seeking answers as to “why” the Dan Koeppel has told the story of his family, with the main focus being on his father. Linking everything thing together we have the world of birding, or to be more specific, the world of “listing,” which is quite different from the world of the average backyard hobbyist or casual birding who does it for pure pleasure. These people, the Big Listers are not like most people; they are completely obsessed and will go to about any lengths to identify just one more bird; to add one more check mark on their Life List.

This is the story of a son getting to know his father as well as he might possible get to know one. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, this was probably as much of a cathartic work for the author as anything else. He has obvious issues; justifiable issues and he want answers.

Again though, heavily woven throughout the work are birds; the central theme that holds the work together. I found the world of these obsessive people quite fascinating and loved reading their story. I have an obsessive personality myself (I have focused on birds from time to time, high mileage running and books, although nothing near the magnitude recorded on the pages of this book. For one thing I have never had the money to do so, nor a wife that is willing to put up with my “going over the edge again” which probably have been saving graces for me).

Do not expect a travel log type book here, although in a way it is one. I note from other reviews that some were disappointed that the author told so much of his family story; the good, the bad and the ugly. I personally had no problem with that as I took the time to read the dusk jacket and pretty well knew from that what to expect. I really do not feel that the obsession of this man, Richard Koeppel could possible be understood without knowing the personal histories of the family member the author has included in this book. Bottom line is that if you are looking for a pure Jungle Jim Birder book, one filled with deep dark birding tips and high adventure, then this probably is not for you. Goodness knows there are hundreds of wonderful works out there of that type to choose from. If you are looking for a very well written read addressing the life, the full life, of an individual, his family and his obsession, then you will be quiet happy with this one.

I do highly recommend this one. It was a very enjoyable and informative read for me. Again though, read the reviews, read the dust jacket and make your own mind up as to if it is your cup of tea. I do give this one five deserving stars. show less

Have you ever started a book, was captivated by the first page and then found it got better with each one you turned? Well this work by David Jerome falls into that category. The reader must remember while reading this book that it is a novel which, according to the author, is loosely based on his own experiences while visiting all of the lower 48 states.

Briefly, the premise of the “novel” is that a young man, nick-named Roastbeef, makes a promise to his father who is in end stage Alzheimer’s to have him ( his father) cremated and to sprinkle a few of his ashes in each and ever state. Now our young hero, whose collage career at that point is less that stellar, follows his father’s wishes and set out upon a journey which turns out to be quite remarkable. With very limited funds, a certain naivety, but determined attitude, along with a rather quirky outlook on life, Roastbeef hits the road. Little planning is involved here and the travel is by the seat of his pants and on a shoestring. In short, Roastbeef, our first person hero, is pretty much clueless. I will say that I had to admire his tenacity and devotion to his father’s wishes.
Now I am a big, big fan of road trip books and set at the feet of the Godfathers of road trip books such as William Least Heat Moon (Blue Highways) and John Steinbeck (Travels with Charlie). I simply cannot pass a book up in this genre. Mind you, I am not by any means placing or comparing this author with these two giants, but I will show more say for pure reading pleasure, Jerome certainly delivers.

This book is indeed fiction but the reader must constantly remind themselves of this fact. This is due to the fact that the author has an uncanny ability to describe the individuals our hero meets in his travels and has a wonderful ability to catch the essence of the places visited. I have been fortunate enough to have visited and passed through most of the areas and many of the Towns and burgs the author references and I can assure you he has them nailed perfectly. We are taken to places the average traveler never sees, but never-the-less exists; trust me! He has also conveyed a very insightful profile of each and every individual mentioned in the book. I did not find a character that I could not identify with a counter part or person from my own life and travels. As to the events, situations and messes Roastbeef finds himself, with the exception of two scenarios, e.g. the adventure with Uncle Spud in Mexico and the moped portion of the trip (I have ridden my share of mopeds and have traveled the route mention in the story several times, but certainly not via mope, it could be done I suppose, but….), I found all be to quite believable and logical, if viewed from a certain angle. Even the two events mention above; well I suppose they could be done and could have happened.

How to separate fact from fiction in this work is the question as I suspect much of this novel is at least a bit autobiographical. But to be honest, that is a rather moot endeavor when it comes to this type of work. Show me a travel book by any author (and this includes Moon and Steinbeck) that has not elaborated just a bit here and there, and used their literary license, and I will show you one boring book. At least with this work the author does present it as a novel and he does not take himself all that serious. I found that to be refreshing.

The bottom line here is that David Jerome is an excellent story teller. He is funny and has a very odd outlook on life and has given us a very readable work that is simply fun and a shear joy to read. His style is easy to follow and his characters are rather all endearing; even the not so nice ones. I do hope we, as the author sort of hints at, hear more of the adventures of Roastbeef and his most interesting new career! I know I will be the first in line to buy the books.

Recommend this one highly. It need to go to the top of your “to read” list! As and added note; I took a close look at the maps of the route followed by our young adventurer…my goodness, it is tempting!

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

There are several things I like in life; actually quite a few things, but two items which are at the top of my list are dogs and well written books, i.e. good literature. Just this Side of Heaven by Timothy Glass has added greatly to these two joys. I am much closer now to 70 than I am to 60 and with the exception of S.E. Asia, have had a companion animal, a dog, or dogs, all of my life. They have been and are a large part of what makes me, me. I do know dogs, if nothing else, and I can assure you that this author does know his subject.
This, in brief, is the story of Penny, a wonderful Beagle that shared the author’s life for eleven years. It is actually a love story, a story of devotion, happiness and fulfillment. From the time she was a puppy until her death, she was the constant companion of Mr. Glass and there is no doubt, after reading his book, that she enriched his life is so many ways. It is difficult for “non-dog” people to understand the bond that exists between a companion and friend such as Penny was, and her partner. You note that I use the word “partner,” as that is such a better description than owner or master. Penny shares the ups and downs of the author’s life and it is quite obvious that he learned much from her; not just about the dog, but about himself, the way to live life, attitude and complete acceptance for things the way they are.

While this is a very happy read, by all means, I do challenge the reader to make it through the final show more chapters with dry eyes. This is good though. When sadness through death comes for either people or for beloved pet animals, I always feel how much sadder and more tragic it would be if there were no sadness; how very awful it would be to have a companion that there would be no sadness, no feeling of emptiness, upon their departure. I know my current fur partner, Brodie, who has been my constant companion for the past 10 years and even goes to work with me and acts as a therapy dog in the nursing homes I consult for, is beginning to slow down now, and I know that, in the not so distant future, I will go through some horrid emotional trauma, I still would have not missed our relationship for anything. The reading of this work by Tim will be of comfort to me as his thoughts of the subject are quite identical to mine and it is always nice to know there are others out there that feel the same way I do.

This is a very well written book! Like dogs, I know good writing when I encounter it, and I truly enjoyed this work from one cover to the next. His simply, unpretentious prose is an absolute delight to the ear, eye and mind. He has more than proved the question as to just what dogs can teach us about life and he has obviously learned his lesson well, with Penny’s help of course. There are certain authors that have a knack for telling the story of dogs; they know their subject and can articulate it. Authors such as Terhune, Naylor, Kjelgaard, Kanter and Woollcott come to mind. If Glass continues his present course, his name will surly be listed among these.

This is a good book and should be in ever dog lovers library.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

First, I have to admit to being a complete travel book junkie. My wife and I, having done our share of traveling and trekking in our many years, are always interested in the experiences, adventures and observations of others. I will also admit that when I first scanned this work I did have some reservations as Brian Lawrenson has taken a somewhat different approach in that this journey he and his wife took spanned a twenty five year period. I had grave doubts. Fortunately I pushed on and found this to be an absolutely delightful read and the author actually made the documentation of the split journey work; and I must say work quite well! It fit seamlessly and actually enhanced their story in many ways.

The Lawrensons started their travels; roughly following some of the routes which have been documented in the travels of Marco Polo, and other travelers of the Silk Road throughout history, in the city of Venice and from there proceeded to Istanbul, Turkey by train where they began their adventuresome odyssey. It was at this point that I was completely hooked and it was at this point that all of the future observations and comments of the author were validated for me. My wife and I lived in and near Istanbul for a number of years; traveled extensively throughout the country of Turkey during that time; and literally lived with the Turkish people. The author completely nailed the essence of the country perfectly. His descriptions were completely accurate and he even got his show more history correct! I figured if he got this portion right, then the rest of the book must be just as good…it was!

Brian Lawrenson is obviously one of those individuals with a keen sense of observation and certainly is able to articulate those observations in an informative and accurate manner. I might state right now, that his description of the food in the different countries and lands they traveled through is worth the price of the book alone! Not only am I a travel book junkie, I am also a food junkie and the more exotic and different the food, the better I like it. His descriptions of Turkish vegetable dishes were as good as his descriptions of famous landmarks. The author had me drooling on the pages chapter after chapter.

As this couple traveled through various countries, Turkey, Syria, Iran, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, China and Tibet, just to name a few, the observations of the peoples and cultures flow from the author’s pen. Always rather nonjudgmental, something I appreciated, the author never the less was able to convey his general love off people; all people, and he and his wife’s love of travel. We also get little mini history lessons as this couple go from country to country, city to city and between. Granted, these are small survey type lessons, but they are of the type that should stimulate the reader to search out and read works that cover the subject at a greater depth. I consider these little facts thrown in here and there as “learning seeds,” and always hope they will grow within the reader leading them to further study and reading.

Now I do not recommend this be used as a travel guide for the current adventurer; after all, some of this trip took place over twenty years ago and the political climate in this part of the word has changed greatly, some for the better, some for the worse. So have travel conditions. I know that in our travels in Turkey and Iran, which took place at least fifteen years before the authors, where much different than the Lawrensons’ were and things have even changed even more since that time. Never the less, it is interesting to compare then to now and I actually loved this aspect of the work.

For a good, mellow and entertaining read, a read that will actually enlighten you and increase your knowledge, this is certainly one you should pick up and add to your library. I understand that the author and his wife have taken other extended trips to other parts of the world and it would certainly be nice if we had an account of those also.

The author has been kind enough to give us a very nice reading list at the end of the book for those who want to learn more of this fascinating area of the world.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

I read a lot of books covering a very wide range. Many of the books I read are of a serious nature, e.g. history, biography, travel, natural history and technical topics. Every so often I do read fiction and one of my favorite genres, along with fantasy, is the cozy mystery. For the most part these little mysteries are short easy reads and many of them become series. This allows me to get to know the characters, their locations and little quirks. These are my relaxation books and I truly love them.

Joanne Fluke has started a new series with this offering, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder and I was absolutely captivated after the first few pages. The setting is in a small town in Minnesota and the heroine, Hannah Swenson owns and operates a small coffee shop which specializes in cookies. Hannah, a bright young lady with a sharp tongue, inquisitive and bright mind finds herself with a dead body in a truck parked in the ally behind her store. Of course, as with most small towns, everyone knows everyone else and Hannah instantly recognized the local young man who delivers milk and dairy products. And so the hunt for the murder begins. It must be noted that Hannah Swenson is a person who has an over active curiosity and in fact is down right noisy; in a delightful way of course. If you want more of a plot outline, read some of the other review, or better yet, read the book jacket which has seemingly been done a couple of times here.

The author's style is quite readable and the show more story moves at a very nice pace. This particular work contains many of the features I enjoy; no, actually require in the cozies that I read. Great attention to detail, a cast of rather quirky and non-quirky characters, little blood and gore and a mystery solved through sheer brain power and observation are all a part of the mix I enjoy. I suppose this harks back to my reading of Christy, Doyle and their ilk. I also look for progressive and logical clues and absolutely hate it when the author, usually out of sheer desperation, throws in a ringer into the last chapter to "solve" the case. If I am not given progressive clues throughout the book, it holds little interest for me. On the other hand, if I am able to figure out who done it during the first couple of chapters, I never touch the author's books again. This writer and story teller has given me just what I want with this story, and given it in spades.

Now I must confess that I like food and I like animals. This novel provides much cookie lore, recipes and wonderful descriptions of their creation. Hannah has a loveable cat that she shares her life with and I must say that this author knows her cats. I also enjoy just a touch of romance thrown in, and again the author has delivered in this department. Hannah has a mother who is determined to get her married off as soon as possible and presents her with an unending selection of eligible men. Another cozy reading requirement, which while not absolutely necessary, but is nevertheless appreciated, is the inclusion of humor, and again, the author comes through. We get the added bonus of having some very nice cookie recipes sprinkled throughout the book. I know this is not an original ploy, but to be honest, a person can never have too many recipes for good eats. Cats, cookies, cute and smart girl, odd characters and a mystery...what more could you want?

This work was simply a fast and fun read. I see that there have been quite a number of books added to this series since this first one was published and I plan to go through each and every one of them. For those that enjoy this particular genre, you could do much worse. I suspect that we will be seeing more and more of this author in the coming years.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

With Wings like Eagles by Michael Korda is a thoughtful look at what is arguable one of the greatest air battles in history – the Battle of Britain. Every time I think that there simply cannot be anything else written about this particular battle, I am taken back in the fact that every few years someone comes out with a new work, with a little different slant on things. Some of these books are great, some not so great and some are absolutely horrid. This work by Korda falls into the first category.
This account of The Battle of Britain is not one of those “shoot-em-up bang, bang books” filled with the personal narratives and recollections of the pilots who took part in this battle; rather it is an overall view of the battle and the sequence of events, really starting before the fall of France and the evacuation at Dunkirk. This work concentrates more on the planning, preparation and mechanics of the battle than some past offerings by others, and it certainly does a wonderful job of examining and assessing the tremendous egos of the leaders of all countries involved (England, Germany and France, along with the supporting cast). I found the account of infighting on the British General Staff and German High Command as fascinating as the actually physical battle.

There are always reasons for everything, and the result of this battle certainly had many factors at play, some planned, some purely opportunistic and then there was the sheer luck involved. The author has given show more fare nods to all. This works takes a close look at the battle from both the British and the German perspective and has done quite a nice job of it. Now I cannot make the claim as some that “this is a well researched book,” as I simply do not know if it was or was not. I will say that what I read pretty well agrees with the many other accounts of the battle, and as far as I could tell the time line was quite accurate. When the author speculates, he goes to great pains in pointing this fact out. What I am trying to say is that I am far from an expert on this particular battle, but from what I do know of it (which is actually quite a lot for a pure armature reader of history) all seemed to be in order. I am quite sure that someone who has a more extensive background in this area could probably nit-pick the book to death…but to what ends?

The author does give us some food for thought in this work. The primary aspect of this battle is one that I had never considered. It is the author’s opinion that the appeasers, Chamberlain being the led dog in this pack, actually helped England in some rather unexpected ways. The author speculates had not these men gone through their appeasement process, England never would have had the time to ready themselves for a battle which was absolutely inevitable in one form or another. Now whether this was done on purpose (a fact I doubt), or whether it was foresight on the part of Chamberlain is indeed pure speculation.

This book of course strongly features Churchill, and rightfully so, but also includes the thoughts and actions of Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, the real architect of the English victory, and that of his opposite Goring. We also get an insightful look at the developers of the weapon platforms used; Williy Messerschmitt, R.J. Mitchell, Sidney Cam and the rest of the engineers involved. The author discusses the old argument that “the bomber will always get through’ verses the tactical and strategically use of the fighter type aircraft. This was of course the central augment of the time and the author has addressed this at length.

It is also gratifying to read an author who points out the fact that times were changing and that the ineptitude shown by both the British and German high commands during the First World War were starting to change somewhat even though many were still caught up in the entire Old World social class thing. Many of the fighters, junior officers and NCOs where from solid middle class stock, practical and well grounded, as well as educated, rather than the rather effete, and frankly who were completely drained, by this time, thanks to the First World War, drained upper classes.

This is a good solid piece of popular history and is a very welcome addition to my library. I do recommend it highly for those that have an interest in this area and do recommend it for those who want a nice, not too technical account of one of the more important battles in our time.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

Hannah is up to her knees in murder gain as she discovers another dead body and as with the other books in this series, she is up to her knees in cookies, coffee, other baked goods, two guys competing for her affections and the regular cast of Lake Eden.
This is one of those series that is simply fun to read. I will be honest here and admit to you that I do not take the mysteries in these books by Joanne Fluke all that serious, and I have the distinct feeling that the author does not either. I really don’t feel they are set up as traditional “who done its,” but rather pleasing little vehicles to describe the life in a small Minnesota town. As with the other books in this series, Hannah, et al are kind of caught in a time warp, especially Hannah who is thirty something, is not married, has rejected cell phones, computers and many of the techie stuff we are all surrounded with on a daily basis. Her attitude toward sex, excitement, game playing is right out of the 1950s. This in a strong way is quite refreshing. I rather admire the author for sticking to her guns.

In this story, Hannah is the baking judge at the annual town get-together, her younger sister is in the beauty contest, her mother is still trying to get Hanna married off and our heroine is still baking up a storm at her cookie shop and home while consuming mass quantities of coffee. I do not that in this offering that our young Miss in mentioned to have put on about twenty extra pounds…hmmm, I wonder why. show more Anyway, one of the ladies connected with the pageant is murdered, in a rather brutal way and guess what? Yup, Hannah finds the body. Furthermore, our nosey redhead immediately sets about the task of solving the murder.

These are simply written books and are quite predictable. If you are looking for something that will challenge your mind, leave you gasping in awe over the twisting turning plot, or are looking for some torrid love scenes, then you probably should look else where. These, as I stated, are simply fun books to read; good ones to kill (no pun intended) a rainy Saturday with. The author has again been kind enough to share in great detail, many of the recipes included in the book. I have, like in the past, tried some of these edible delights and the author has come up with some winners here.

For a good enjoyable read, one that will not tax you all that much, you could do worse. Now if you are looking for great literature, Greek tragedies, complex Victorian syntax, complicated plots or jaded romance, then there are literally thousand upon thousands of those lining your library shelves…go read them.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

This is a wonderful collection of 33 essays by author Michael C. Hurley which covers several years of wilderness canoe journeys. Least the reader be misled, it should be noted that these are not your typical canoe adventure stories, filled with danger, excitement, hardship, et al that we seem to have a plethora of these days. The high adventure type of books is fine; goodness knows I read enough of them and have enjoyed most that I have read. Every so often though (not often enough I’m feeling), we need a work that combines the privilege we have of being able to venture out into still relatively untamed areas, with what most of us do it for; that being peace.

The author has actually given us a collection of essays on life, as he sees and has experienced it along with his reflections and lessons learned. This is a mellow book; a book where a writer, an author, a rather average sort of fellow has chosen to share his feeling and opinions over a wide range of subjects with us, the reader. His writing style is pleasing and intimate and it is obvious that the writer of this work is quite familiar with the pen. It is a pure and simple joy to read his words.

Mr. Hurley is obviously a man of faith, of strong faith who is quite dedicated to his family and his passion which is canoeing. All of the essays here are based and pinned on various canoe trips he has taken, either alone, with friend, or best of all, with family. Some of the author’s observations are quite serious, others show more general in nature and many quite light hearted. I love the ending of one of his essays which addresses his relationship to the cell phone. I could identify with this perfectly.

Of course a big draw for me as to the work is the passion the author shows for the natural world around him. Some of his observations are absolutely delightful, while others rather disturbing yet thought provoking. Most of these deal with what mankind is doing to his natural environment and the price we are paying and will ultimately pay. Now I am an avowed “tree hugger,” something that many of our politicians, talk show bellowers and religious freaks have somehow turned into a horrid thing to be, but that is okay. It is nice to know that we have voices of reason out there, this author being one of them.

For a relaxing and well written work, one that is nice to have handy to read off and on and now and again, this is a wonderful choice. I do recommend this one highly. show less

This is a wonderful collection of 33 essays by author Michael C. Hurley which covers several years of wilderness canoe journeys. Least the reader be misled, it should be noted that these are not your typical canoe adventure stories, filled with danger, excitement, hardship, et al that we seem to have a plethora of these days. The high adventure type of books is fine; goodness knows I read enough of them and have enjoyed most that I have read. Every so often though (not often enough I’m feeling), we need a work that combines the privilege we have of being able to venture out into still relatively untamed areas, with what most of us do it for; that being peace.

The author has actually given us a collection of essays on life, as he sees and has experienced it along with his reflections and lessons learned. This is a mellow book; a book where a writer, an author, a rather average sort of fellow has chosen to share his feeling and opinions over a wide range of subjects with us, the reader. His writing style is pleasing and intimate and it is obvious that the writer of this work is quite familiar with the pen. It is a pure and simple joy to read his words.

Mr. Hurley is obviously a man of faith, of strong faith who is quite dedicated to his family and his passion which is canoeing. All of the essays here are based and pinned on various canoe trips he has taken, either alone, with friend, or best of all, with family. Some of the author’s observations are quite serious, others show more general in nature and many quite light hearted. I love the ending of one of his essays which addresses his relationship to the cell phone. I could identify with this perfectly.

Of course a big draw for me as to the work is the passion the author shows for the natural world around him. Some of his observations are absolutely delightful, while others rather disturbing yet thought provoking. Most of these deal with what mankind is doing to his natural environment and the price we are paying and will ultimately pay. Now I am an avowed “tree hugger,” something that many of our politicians, talk show bellowers and religious freaks have somehow turned into a horrid thing to be, but that is okay. It is nice to know that we have voices of reason out there, this author being one of them.

For a relaxing and well written work, one that is nice to have handy to read off and on and now and again, this is a wonderful choice. I do recommend this one highly. show less

The Shipwreck of a Nation by H. Peter Nennhaus is an attempt (and a very good attempt, I might add), to record the thoughts, feelings and, as his introduction informs us, the overall mindset of the average German citizen before, during and immediately post World War II. I was drawn to this work for two reasons. First is the fact that I belong to one of those families who was unfortunate enough to have had member fighting on both sides of this conflict; a father and number of uncles on the Allied side and a number of uncles and cousins fighting on the German. My second reason is the fact that I am a bit of a European History nut and will read anything that I think might add to my knowledge in this area. Now that being said…
Dr. Nennahaus was a young boy upon the outbreak of hostilities in Europe during this time frame. His family consisted of average German citizens, no more involved in politics than most, and leading rather solid, ordinary, middle class lives. All of this of course changed drastically. Now due to the fact that the old saying that “the winner gets to write the history books,” stories such as the one being presented here are few and far between and those that are written are usually not read by “the other side.”

The main thrust of this biography does not delve into the motivations behind the Nazi movement, but rather focuses upon what the average German citizen felt; what his or her perceptions were as to events as they unfolded. The author is very show more specific in his feelings as to his feelings in regard to the atrocities committed at that time. He goes to great lengths to note that he is not speaking to us through hindsight, but rather from a real time point of view. Of course he does address the issues as to the cause of the war, the development of the war and its conclusions. Again though, it must be remembered that we are seeing it through his eyes, a young German boy/man. There are two sides to every story and this is his side.

Now there are several things that need be kept in mind when reading this work. First, the reader must keep everything in historical context; in its proper sequence, and travel with the young writer as if the reader were actually there. That is, one must put themselves into the writer’s shoes for a bit. Secondly, the reader, as pointed out by another reviewer her, must have at least a working knowledge of European history going back to at least the mid 1800s. This is quite important. Some of the subjects the author addresses will be just a bit difficult to fully understand unless this history is known to the reader. Third and I feel very importantly, the reader must approach this work with an open mind. There are indeed statements in this book that might offend if not placed in the proper order and context. There are numerous statements made by the author that can (and I am sure will, as this work is read), be questioned and there is great potential for some heated debates here. That, as far as I am concerned, is a good thing. A good example of this would be the author’s statements as to the justification for the invasion of Poland. We get to see how the man on the street viewed pivotal event. The book will make you think.

One of the best parts of this work is when the author, Dr Nennhaus takes us inside his family and gives us glimpses of their private lives. The author does this through recounts drawn from his memory and via letters from friends and family. Many of these family scenes are quite touching and heartwarming. Actually I felt this was the best part of the book.

This is a well written biography; the author is a good writer and once you become acquainted with his syntax, the work becomes quite readable. Nennhaus is quite informed as to his history and explains things quite well. The author takes great pains to be as neutral as possible while telling his tale, something I feel would be quite a challenge under the circumstances.

The author does make some very good points, many of which I personally agree with. His feelings of what was done to Germany by the French and English at the Treaty of Versailles I pretty much agree with. The statements and his attitude toward the Soviet Union under the leadership of Uncle Jo are absolutely spot on as far as I am concerned. Other statements…well we could go on with that at length here, but that is not the purpose of this review.

All in all this is an excellent work and a highly informative, if not always enjoyable, read. War, any war, is the height of human stupidity and the author is quick to point this out. It is sometimes difficult to read about such things. Informative, yes, always enjoyable, no. This is a thoughtful read and certainly should be on your bookshelf.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

As those of you who read works in this particular genre know, after several books, most authors sort of wear out. They seem to lose the “thing” that made their series so good in the first place. This is an endless list, and it is not the intent to go into that with this review. Those who read “cozy” mysteries will know precisely what and whom I am talking about.
Well delight of delights! This sad little trait has not infected Rett MacPherson one little bit. This is number eleven in her Torie O’Ohea Mystery series and I do believe that Ms. MacPherson is actually getting better and better with each book. Those that are familiar with these particular novels know that they center around a small town in Eastern Missouri and that the main character, Torie O’Shea is the local town historian, owner of two museums, the town’s genealogist, mother of three children, owner of several animals, including horses, is involved in just about ever aspect of village life in the small community where she lives, knows most of the characters in the surrounding area and has a bad habit of getting involved with murder! This is one busy girl and if the reader is exhausted after reading one of the works in this series, then it is a good exhaustion and was well worth the effort.

Readers and fans will not be disappointed with this latest work. Torie becomes involved with birdwatchers, a rather wacky crew, right from the start, and good grief, she gets shot at and has a body thrown at show more her! She then becomes quite involved with a family who is a musical ledged in the area which lead her back to her own roots and a rather musical family. Mix this in with raising two teenage girls, a six year old son, solving the current murder while at the same time solving one that is 70 years old, along with her many civic and family responsibilities, and you have a very fast moving story that is absolutely hilarious at times. And oh, did I mention a mystery horse that shows up in their stable?

Due to the nature of this authors work, it is almost impossible to give a plot outline without throwing in spoilers in just about ever sentence. There are many twists and turns to this little book; each a bit of a mini-mystery within itself. Each of these many twists are quite logical and Ms. MacPherson is not one of those authors who, in desperation, throws in a last minute bit of information on the second to the last page to end her story. If you read, and read carefully, you may be able to figure out “who done it,” but then maybe not. That is one of the fun parts of reading this author’s books. I will say that the plot is more complex with this one than some of MacPherson’s past work, but that is a good thing and has certainly not increased to the point of being overwhelming, which as far as I am concerned, would take away one of the reasons I read these little mysteries.

It has been very interesting following the Torie O’Shea Mysteries as it has enable me to follow the growth and maturity of a very fine author and story teller. I always learn something from these books (genealogy), am entertained and in the end, want more. I do like these books and this author.

As a personal note, or notes: I was at first a bit offended at the author’s portrayal of birders (birdwatchers). You get the impression that these people are a bunch of rather eccentric individuals wondering around in the woods…ungraded. Being a birder for well over 50 years I suddenly did some self examination and had to admit that the author pretty well hit the nail on the head; indeed, we are a band of very strange critters, when all is said and done. Secondly; even though this story takes place near St Louis, Mo., it is in no way is about that city so the reader need not fear that. The setting is rather small town and rural.

This is a great little cozy mystery and I do home we have many more coming from this author in the future. Put this one on your “to read list,” as you will be in for a treat.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

At this point there are many reviews of this book and I have read most of them. It would be difficult for me to add any new insightful look into this review process; or should I call it an almost discussion. I do feel that Andrew, in this review of September 30, 2004, which was sometime ago, probably pretty well hit the nail on the head with this one. But reviews are reviews and I might as well put in my little bit.
I have to agree with many of the reviewers here that this is probably the best novel addressing running ever written. I have been aware of this work for a number of years now via friends and in fact have had several discussions now and then over different aspects of Parker’s work. This book was first published in the middle of my “running days” which lasted from the early 1960s through the early 1980s. (I still jog, but my days of competitive running are over, alas).

John L. Parker , Jr. has captured perfectly, and I might say almost poetically, the essence of running; no actually the obsession for running that many have. While never being able to compete at the level the main character in this book, I never the less was almost as driven as he was. Running can indeed become a central part of a person’s life and indeed, can at times, become the absolute most important thing. In some ways this is good, in some ways this is bad…it just depends on how you look at it. For me it was great but for my wife and family…well they have a different opinion.

This show more work is highly motivational. The story is rather low key to some extent and to be honest I think you would almost have to be a competitive runnier, or at least an extremely dedicated running to appreciate the full impact of this work. The weekend jogger can certainly enjoy it, don’t get me wrong, but to truly understand what the books is actually about, the reader must have “been there and done that.” This work might also be quite useful to all those “running widows” and ‘running widowers” who might have trouble understanding just what drives their somewhat irrational mate.

I love Parker’s writing style. It is clear and concise. He has the ability to capture the moment and has the ability to look into the soul of his characters. Reading the author’s own history it is easy to understand why his writing in relationship to running is so insightful; he has not only talked the talk, but he has walked the walk.

I must say that I enjoyed ever page, every word of this book and it is one that I will most assuredly give multiple reads. I may be to old now to do what I want in the area of running, but I am able to remember and dream. show less

It is tempting to compare this work to that of Brown's Da Vinci Code. To be quite frank though, David S. Brody has out Browned Brown with this one. Now that being said, I will be the first to admit that I am not a Brown fan and absolutely despised the Da Vinci Code. This book however, was an absolute delight and once started, was difficult to put down.

It is rather difficult to give a plot summation here as each and every chapter adds new twists and turns to this story, and it is almost impossible to discuss the plot without adding spoiler after spoiler. Briefly though, the story actually begins in 1399 with Henry Sinclair lands in the New World with a group of men comprised of warriors, craftsmen and men of the cloth. After established the landing, and after the death of James Gunn, Sinclair's second in command and his burial, the story jumps to the present time. A young lawyer and a young English girl become embroiled in a sinister plot by various secret organizations to try to foil the efforts of any who may uncover the secret carried to North America by Sinclair and his group of Scottish warriors. The body of the story takes place in New England as the author has his characters flitting here and there trying to unwind this complex mystery. The Church, Knight Templers, right wing South American Organizations and more are all included. The core, The Knight Templers has always been a fascination of mine.

This work is a mixture of historical fact, historical speculation show more and extreme skillful story telling on the part of the author. It is truly what I would call a "page turner." I will right now admit to being one of those individual who firmly believe that Columbus was a Johnny-come-lately to the New World and was quite likely preceded by the Norse, Japanese, Chinese, Phoenicians, and a rather large number of other cultures, some who have completely disappeared in the fog of history. I am quite familiar with the archeological sites mentioned in this particular work and have followed their progress for a number of years, along with other threads historians and archeologists have been following over the past several decades. It took only a small leap of my imagination to find validity in much of what the author has written. Now that does not mean I believe the fictional part of the story...hey, a good story is a good story, but I do feel that the author has used enough archeological evidence to make his fictional tale quiet believable

One of the techniques and ploys the writer has used in this work is photographs of each and every site and artifact (with the exception of two, which he admits to having made up), and wonderful maps. This adds an aspect of realism to the story not normally found in novels of this ilk. I read very little historical fiction, but when I do read it, I want it well researched and I want it based, even loosely, on documented facts. The author has more than adequately done this with this work.

Above all though, as to reading pleasure goes, David Brody is an absolute natural story teller and has been blessed with the skill to articulate his stories in the written word. This is becoming a rather rare phenomenon of late and it should be appreciated by anyone who enjoys a good, action pack and believable story. The author has given us a good mystery, plenty of action, believable characters, both likable and unlikeable, a bit of romance and as a plus, a very good lesson in history. The author has also been kind enough to give us some great resource notes for further reading and research of this fascinating subject.

I do have to recommend this one highly as I enjoyed each and every page. Bottom line: This is one fine read! show less

This is the first offering in what is turning into a very nice little series by author Cleo Coyle. The actual plot of this story has been quite well addressed by a vast number of reviewers here, so I will not linger on that aspect overly long. The setting for this cozy mystery is a historical coffee house in Greenwich Village, NYC. Our heroine has returned after a ten year absence to manage this establishment. She is given part ownership by the owner, a very colorful elderly lady, and more or less free reign. Her apartment is located over the store and is completely free. Since her daughter has left home and moved to New York, she will now be closer to her. There is a catch though. Her benefactress, who is also her ex mother-in-law, has made more or less the same arrangements with her son in an attempt to get the two back together again. Sharing an apartment and a business with an ex philandering husband adds odd wrinkles to the story line. Of course there is a slight case of murder thrown in along with a handsome police detective and a cast of rather colorful and interesting characters.
I suppose the big appeal for me with this series is that they are extremely relaxing to read. Also there is the coffee angle, which is the theme tying this story and the next novels together. I happen to be a coffee lover extreme! Having been drinking the stuff for over 50 years now, I thought I knew a bit about the subject. Not so! I have to admit that for page after page I found all show more kinds of different little gems concerning my favorite drink. Coffee beans, blends, techniques for making the stuff, techniques for serving, history and the list goes on. This book is like a mini-course for coffee lovers and coffee makers. I was absolutely amazed at what I did not know. Least the reader be skeptical, I did actually check on quite a number of facts and statements the author has made in this book and have yet to catch her in error. That is nice.

This story is well written, logical and fun. As with most good works in this genre, the author has developed key characters quite well, but has (thank goodness) not lingered on minor characters and has used them as furniture and décor to keep the story moving. And the story does move. Ms. Coyle is obviously a natural story teller and her writing shows. Please don’t get me wrong; we are not talking Jane Austin or William Shakespeare here. That is not the intent of this book. This is one of those works that is supposed to entertain and do so without a great amount of effort of the reader’s part. This is good. This is what I look for in a good cozy mystery. To my way of thinking, the author has done her job and done it well.

There were aspects of the book which I at first found annoying. Some of the character flaws the author has given her people sort of grate. The ex-husband certainly has a strong sleazy aspect, i.e. he is and was a chronic ladies man and quite unfaithful to his wife. The main character is a bit too forgiving as to her ex-husbands womanizing, the only daughter strikes me as sort of a mindless little thing and all the cat seems to be able to do is yowl and eat. On the other hand, when you think about it, who of us is perfect and without fault? I suppose the author was quite justified in not making her characters perfect. I certainly know I have a few flaws which can be extensively examined by talking to my wife. (Womanizing is not one of them by the way as attested to by the fact that I am one, still alive and two, still married.)

This is a nice read and a fast read and it was absolutely enjoyable. I will certainly be reading the other books in the series and when I catch up, am sure I will be anxiously awaiting the next offering. show less

It would be difficult to name a book that has brought me so much pure reading pleasure as this first offering by an author who we will be hearing more from; beyond a doubt! This was simply a pleasing, well crafted and enchanting book. The only complaint I have about the book is that it ended far too soon and I would dearly have loved to know more about Lillian, the main character who absolutely fascinated me.
Our main character in this book, Lillian, is a lady who can cook and cook well. She is an expert chief and owner of her own restraint. Each Monday night she closes the eating establishment and gives cooking lessons to small groups of people. This work blends the story of Lillian’s cooking lessons with Lillian’s lessons in life as conveyed through the dishes she helps her students to prepare. Each chapter is a presentation of a new meal and each chapter tells the story of one of the students in the class. Basically the author has given us a series of character sketches mixed with delightful thoughts of food and its preparation. Now this is not a cook book by any means. More attention is paid to the ingredients used in each recipe and how it reacts to the other ingredients to perform a bit of magic, both gastronomical and indeed, with life. Of course the author uses this to hang the premise that people, like a good meal, are actually a part of the whole; each interacting with others to make the perfect dish.

As has been pointed out by a couple of other reviewers, show more the author is quite liberal with her similes. While some did not seem to care for this, I personally loved it as each pretty well hit the nail on the head. As to character development (what ever that means), I found the author to be an absolute delight in this area. She is able to have you inside her character’s head within a few sentences whereas many authors take pages and pages, if not chapters to do so. In addition to these wonderful little stories about each of the individual inhabiting this work, we have the food! Oh my, if you like food and like cooking DO NOT read this work when you are hungry or have easy access to your kitchen. I was constantly tempted to drop the book and head for the oven and the spice cabinet. Ms. Bauermeister has an uncanny ability to actually describe taste to the extent you physically taste the ingredients she is talking about as you read her words. While on a certain level this book is simple and an easy read, on yet another level it is quite profound. For those that do not appreciate food, cooking and people, this probably is not the best choice of reads. For myself, I enjoyed every word the author wrote. Her syntax is quite out of the ordinary in this day and age which makes be suspicion that he very young, i.e. teens and the like, may not quite appreciate the skill that went into this work. I feel they may find it a bit overly flowery at times, but then when you consider what they are exposed to at this time, this is perfectly understandable.

As far as my personal taste goes, this is one of the better reads I have had in any genre for quite a long time now. It is one that will go on the shelf to be reread at a later date. It is also a work that makes me hope that this author is busy at her word processer as I write this, turning out more of the type of work we find with this wonderful little read.

I do highly recommend this one. It is a fast read and even if you don’t like the book I will guarantee it will make you hungry. As a side light, it certainly has caused me to pay much closer attention to what I am doing while cooking and has caused me to stop, pause and truly think about the ingredients I am using and just what effect they will have on my cooking and perhaps the people I am serving it to.

I do wish I could give this one more than just five stars. show less

Saturday Dogs and the Owners They Trained, by Susan Overfield is a wonderful read for any dog owner or dog lover. I have owned, lived with, trained and watched over and been watched over by these wonderful animals since a baby, very much over sixty years now. With the exception on a bit of time spent in S.E. Asia, I have never been without a companion dog or, in most cases dogs. I have spent hours in training, both obedience and field, and loved ever seconded of it. I share this information as sort of a testimonial in that when it comes to dogs, I did not just fall off the back of the turnip wagon.

Ms. Overfield has written a delightful book which is not only fun and an absolute hoot to read, it is also packed with good sound information and advice as to how to train, and indeed, live with your dog. The author’s approach to writing this work is rather nice and makes the book quite readable. Each chapter features one of the dogs she has trained over the years, that animal’s particular problems and what was done to correct these problems. Now this author has hit on the bed rock fact that ninety percent or more of any problems a dog may have, is actually the problem of, and was created by the owner. This I have found to be an absolute truth.

The Susan Overfield has a very nice writing style and is absolutely hilarious at times. There is no doubt after reading just a few pages that this lady knows what she is doing. Her keen sense of humor shines threw on almost ever page. show more I found myself chuckling to my self often and indeed laughing out loud several times. Not to say that this book does not have a serious side. The problems some of these animals and their owners have are quite serious. The author has the skill and knowledge, or I might say, sixth sense, to be able to cut to the hart of the matter quite quickly. She then has the knowledge of animal behavior and the developed, workable techniques to help the dog, and just as importantly, the owner. At the end of each chapter the author has provided a question and answer section which I found to be most helpful and educational.

If you love dogs and want to learn more of their behavior or if you have a “problem” companion that you dearly love but who has taken control of your life, I strongly recommend you give this work a read. Even on the off chance that you learn absolutely nothing, it is still a great read! Highly recommend this one. As a passing note, I would love for this woman to write a collection of just dog stories. Given the author’s skill as a writer and her deep knowledge of dogs, this would be quite a reading treat!

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

Every so often you are lucky enough to find a work that will grab you on the first page, almost force you to keep the pages turning until the last word, and then be nice enough to stick with you long after the read is over. This is one of those rare and wonderful works! The first requirement for such a book is that the author must be a natural story teller. The second, the author must have a story to tell, and the third; the story must be filled with believable characters, ones that allow you to feel what they feel, see what they see and react as they might act. Dorraine Darden has more than fulfilled these requirements with Jack Rabbit Moon.

Simply and briefly, this is a story of a young eleven year old girl who has just about everything going against her, but has been blessed with an unconquerable spirit and a very quirky outlook on life. Marnie Evans is a child who is basically without love, and is by just about any definition, an abused child. Her family is almost completely dysfunctional as are many of the adults around her. She lives is poverty and is more or less forced to fend for her self. Marnie’s struggle to escape her situation and find love is the frame the story hangs upon.

This entire story is told through the eyes of three people, Marnie, the main character, a park ranger, Rick, and the ranger’s wife, Claire. The author has used a rather fascinating first person technique where she gives us the story through the eyes and words of these three people. This show more novel is populated with a number of strong and interesting characters and Ms. Darden has had the ability to develop each of these characters in a way that you feel you have actually met them, and indeed, are apart of some of their lives. The back drop of the story is Garner State Park, located in Texas. The author possesses the ability and skill to describe wilderness and outdoor surroundings in a manner which causes the reader to shut their eyes for a second and actually be there. Lest you feel this is a grim read, fear not. You will actually find you self chuckling throughout the entire read and sometimes even laughing out loud. Some of the one liners coming out of Marnie’s mouth are absolutely priceless. This is one spunky little girl, who has had to grow up quite quickly, and as I said before, has a pretty quirky outlook on life. Like our real lives, there is some sadness, some happiness and most of the time a mixture of both. This has all been wonderfully captured in this work. Ms. Darden apparently has a wonderful sense of humor and it shows. I am not sure where this author learned or acquired her writing skills, and developed her craft, but I must say that this is some of the best writing I have read in several years now.

On a personal note, I cannot believe that this book has not been picked up by some major publishing house. Some evaluators, some readers, at some publishing house somewhere, have really ripped their knickers letting this one get buy. There is no doubt in my mind that we will be seeing and reading a lot from this author in the future.

Recommend you put this one at the top of your “to be read list” and also recommend you buy an extra copy because when you loan your personal copy to a friend, you probably won’t get it back.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

I first read this one in the early 80s. I picked if off my shelf again, a few days ago, and enjoyed it all over again. Being a student of the life of Charles Darwin, I have read the majority of the major biographies over the past twenty years. While this work is a fictionalized version of Darwin's life, and is certainly overly simplistic at times, there, nevertheless, is no doubt the author did his homework on this one. For a good simple read, and an understanding of the man Darwin (not his work), I highly recommend this one. Mr. Stone is certainly a master of his craft.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

I love this series of books and this first, Planet of the Dogs, sets the stage for those works that follow. The earth, during the time this story takes place, is taken from a time past. It would be difficult to nail the exact era in which the story takes place, but medieval would probably be the closest call. Anyway, the people of earth at that time were without dogs. The people at that time were loosing the ability to love and to be loyal. This of course is where the dogs come in. The dogs of Planet of the Dogs live in complete harmony. They do not lie, cheat, steal or have any of the other bad traits we humans have. The dogs become aware of the problems on Earth and decide to take action.
This story boarders between reality, a dream world, fantasy, fiction, reality and wonderful imagination. People here on Earth are in trouble with many of the evils they create for themselves, and as in real life, dogs are much brighter about such things than we are. The author has done a wonderful job of weaving this tale, making it a first rate fantasy read, while at the same time addressing quite real problems and indeed, how to fix those problems.

This book can be, and should be, read on several different levels. First, it is completely appropriate for children from about the age of eight and up. While not a beginning reader by any means, the story could be read to children of a younger age and I feel there would be complete understanding with little explanation of the reader’s show more part. Secondly, this book is quite sneaky about throwing in wonderful facts about dogs, such as their ability and method of communication, life style, temperament and abilities. Thirdly; this book makes some very insightful observations of the general human condition; not only in the setting of the story, but are just as applicable now as then. Fourthly; these books are excellent motivators, not only for reading, but for generally living life as it should be led. Finally, the entire work is almost irritable to dog lovers.

The nine illustrations included in this work are brilliantly done. The artist (and note that I do use the term “artist” rather than illustrator in this case), has given us soft, charcoal type drawings which are extremely detailed, while at the same time having a misty surreal quality about them that is absolutely charming. This is not an easy fete to pull off, I know, I’ve tried, and it is perfectly done with this work. Stella Mustanoja McCarty knows her dogs and captures them beautifully. She also captures the feeling of the story perfectly and you can see it in each line she draws.

Robert J. McCarty seems to have the ability to write in a way that is quite attractive to children and at the same time is able to write and tell a story that will not numb the mind of the adult whom is reading the work to or with the child. Each chapter of this book is short, the story moves right along, and the young reader quickly becomes completely engrossed with the story line. This is an ideal book to read to a group of children and an ideal work to be read either by the individual child or with a parent or loved one. There are so many good lessons to be learned here!

Young readers, who love fantasy, dogs, history and simply a good, fast moving story, will love this one. This is a book that belongs on their shelves.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

This is the second book in the Planet of the Dogs series and I must say I enjoyed it, cover to cover. This work can be read as a sequel to Planet of the Dogs, an ideal situation, but can also be read as a stand-alone with no loss to the flow of the story. This read is suitable for children of approximately eight years and up as a reader, or can well be read to children much younger. Adults will love this one also; I know I did, but then I have my fare share of kid still in me.
In the first book, we find that the world has forgotten how to love, how to be loyal, and indeed, how to be happy, several traits which dogs excel in. On the other side of the sun there is a planet inhabited by dogs. These dogs, through dreams, noted our situation and took steps to intervene and give us a sorely needed hand in getting back on track. In this work, after a year of complete peace and where mankind seems to be getting their act together, trouble starts brewing and war is about to break out amongst the Forrest People. Children are kidnapped, there is an attempt to “do away with” the new animals on earth, i.e. dogs, and things are going from bad to worse. Again, the dogs of Planet of the Dogs decide to take steps and make things right. These are wise and loving animals on the Planet of the Dogs, much like our own dogs here on earth.

As before, we have a very well written fantasy written for the young which includes a lot of good practical information and lots of goof food for thought. show more The time or era in which this takes place on earth is a bit difficult to pinpoint, but I would say it is during medieval times as life is still pretty primitive here on earth. This gives the author much flexibility and he uses it with great skill. A good fantasy needs enough realism to make it real, yet still have enough mimzy and whimsy in it to make it fun. The author excels in this.

The art work by Stella Mustanoja McCarty is of the same high quality that we found in the first book in this series (and we find in the sequel to this book also), and is a delight to the eye. These are a series of black and white drawing, probably enhanced by the use of charcoal, which fit the text perfectly. When you bring a skilled artist and writer together that know children and know their dogs, then you know you are in for a treat.

This book, like the others, is ideal for group reads. The paragraphs are short and concise and the story moves along quite well. There is plenty of action and as I said, plenty of food for thought buried here and there in the book. The books are soft back (the entire series, so far) and well constructed.

I might add that these books will be well received by any lover of animals and will be a welcome addition to any home, school or public library. I might also suggest that these would be ideal books for the home school folks as the author’s style is a bit different and I am absolutely certain that the success of any reading program for children must include as many different styles as possible.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

What a truly wonderful and unique Christmas story for the whole family. Snow Valley Heroes by Robert J. McCarty and illustrated by Stella Mustanoja McCarty is the third offering in series; “Plant of the Dogs.” What an imagination this team has! There is a planet, inhabited by dogs and from time to time, they intervene in our planets affairs. When we are in trouble, when we need love, understanding, loyalty and so many of the other attributes that dogs posses, and we more or less lack, they come to our rescue.
In this latest offering, it seems the wicked King of the North, who has been banished to The Ice Castle, wants revenge and figures the best way to do this is ruin Christmas for everyone. He plots and comes up with the idea of stealing two of Santa Clauses’ Reindeer, thereby putting and end to Christmas for good. The dogs of Dog Planet get word of this, and of course, take action! That, very briefly is the plot.

This Christmas story is quite well written. The paragraphs are nice, short and very crisp. Chapters follow a logical order, and are quite easy to follow, which makes this a very good book to read with your child. The author’s imagination is quite broad, but does not get into the realm of being silly, as so many works in this genre have a habit of seeming to sink into. While I grant you that this story is pure fantasy, it is logical fantasy and uses the story of Santa, his elves, real people, and of course the dogs of Planet of the Dogs quite effectively show more to make a charming and wonderful story. The portrayal of the personalities of the various animals is spot on; with personalities that will be quite familiar to anyone who has ever shared their life with a dog.

Dog lovers will appreciate every word of this little book. In addition to being an obvious natural story teller with the ability to write well, the author also, beyond a doubt, know dogs! I have been lucky enough to have had companion animals (dogs) since I was born, have raised dogs, trained dogs, hunted with dogs, lived with dogs, worked with dogs, loved dogs and shared my life with dogs for well over sixty years now. Actually, truth be told, I like dogs more than I like most people! Trust me…this author knows dogs!

The art work in this book, by Stella McCarty, is a marvel to they eye. Her soft black and white drawings capture the mood and essence of the story line perfectly. While being extremely detailed, they have a misty, mystical quality about them that make them a pleasure to look at. They are the type of drawing that would be wonderful to have framed an on display in your home. She is a very skilled artist indeed!

Now this is the third book in a series, but fear not! This book can be read and a stand alone. The author has been kind enough to add short summations of the first two books to the back of this one and the reader can be brought up to snuff quite quickly by giving these brief overviews a quick read.

Overall, this is a very good Christmas read; actually a read for anytime and it is an ideal book to snuggle up with the little ones on a cold winter night and simply enjoy. Recommend this one quite highly!

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

Died in the Wool by Rett MacPherson is further proof than an author can indeed start a series, create a number of works following the adventures and exploits of one individual, and still maintain the quality of the first book in said series. I have read eight Torie O’Shea Mysteries now, and to be honest, they just get better and better.

As with most of her other works, the setting is in a small river town, south of St. Louis. In this story, our heroine gets involved in a triple suicide that occurred shortly after the First World War. Three siblings, two brothers and a sister commit suicide within a very short time. Years later, as Torie plans to buy the wonderful old house and turn it into a quilting and fabric museum, she, as is her nature, comes across some very strange happenings, or coincidences as she accomplishes her genealogical research. Was it suicide, or was it murder? If you are a follower of this series, you will know that Torie just cannot leave a question, any question, unanswered. She may drive half a dozen people nuts, but she will find the answers she is looking for.

The Tories O’Shea Mysteries are cozy mysteries through and though. The author has certainly mastered this particular genre. In this work she has woven quilting, roses, genealogy, family, and the regular characters in her village into a nicely done little mystery that actually takes some thinking on the reader’s part. The author has stayed true to her characters as with the other books in show more this series. Her writing style, rather than getting sloppy, as we often see in “series books” has improved…she is getting better and better with each novel. This is impressive, as I thought her first effort was quite out of the ordinary for a new author. Obviously a lot of research and time has gone into creating this delightful story. I do wish that more of our first line authors stuck with quality writing, and well thought out stories as MacPherson has with all of her novels. We would all be much better off for it.

For a nice, interesting, humorous, informative, and well…cozy read, I cannot recommend this one highly enough. Do be warned though, this is one of those that once you read the first couple of pages, you will be hooked and will find the book difficult to put down.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

The Lobster Chronicles by Linda Greenlaw is just the sort of work that completely captivates me. For the most part, I find my life quite interesting, do find my life quite interesting and have been fortunate enough to do a lot of the things I wanted to do, and it is turning into a relatively long run, when all is said and done. One of the pleasures I get out of life is learning of other people, their experiences; both exciting, earth shaking, and yes, mundane. Hey, I know about me; I want to know about others. Ms. Greenlaw, by any standard is an interesting person! Her accomplishments are really a bit breath taking as told in the story of her time spent as professional fisherman in her work, The Hungry Ocean.

It this autobiographical work we see a more calm, less dangerous (well, sort of) aspect of here life as she introduces us to her native island, a small hunk of rock off the coast of Maine. She has stopped being a Captain of a commercial fishing boat and has taken up lobster trapping, usually with a crew of one, her father. We get a very nice insight to island life; the closeness, harshness, realities of a very hard way of making a living. We also get a close up view of a way of life that may not be with us much longer. Chronicles such as this are a wonderful way to preserve a history of life in these far reaches of our country. This is something that should not be lost to future generations, even if they can only read about them.

As far as I was concerned, this work show more was very well written. Granted, it does not have the polish of a “professional” writer, and granted, you may find a few flaws in grammar and syntax here and there, but who really cares? Her story is told in her own words, much as you would hear it if you sat and talked with her for a bit. I find this much more pleasing to the eye, ear and mind than many of the professionally written “autobiographies as told to.” Her small village is absolutely infested with interesting characters, she is quite good at descriptive writing and you get a true feel of what it is like at the place and time of which she writes. I take this work to be an oral history, if nothing more, but a wonderful history and quite well done. I cannot imagine anyone with an ounce of imagination, of curiosity of how others live, or wanting to know of things they have not done themselves, being bored with this work. I actually read it in one setting, and I am a pretty slow reader. I simply could not put the thing down.

All in all it was well done. We all have a tale to tell, each of us. Thank goodness there are individuals like Ms. Greenlaw who has the ability to tell theirs. Hope to hear more from this author in the future.

D. Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

I am one of those few readers in the known universe that is not overly fond of John Grisham’s legal thrillers. I do like the way the man writes though, and thoroughly love his novel, A Painted House. This work sort of falls into the category of “this is not a book I would seek out, but hey, I need something light to read.”

The basic premise of this story is a wear couple, a successful couple, which has just shed their only child to a stint working for the Peace Corps in some South American Country. Christmas is coming on, with all the usually frantic spending, party going, visiting, dinners and (I can relate to this) the pain of decorating. In short, Luther Crank decides to skip Christmas all together, and talks his wife into taking a cruise instead; not party, not cards, not gift giving, no donations and no decorating. Of course you know the old saying; “the best laid plans of mice and men….” Thereby hangs the tale.

This is a rather light read and should be read as the author intended, sort of tongue in cheek. It is a fast read, one that you do not have to think about all that much and is amusing, although I must say, shows quite a lot of insight in to our psychic and our forced interaction with community and family. Much of the silliness that surrounds Christmas, many of the little quirks of this holiday are rather exaggerated by the author; but this is simply good story telling. I will do feel though, that by overly exaggerating the situation, the author show more makes some pretty good points and certainly will give you some food for thought. The overall story moves along at a very nice pace. Some of the interaction with neighbors and business associates can be pretty funny, and I must say, pretty typical.

Overall, this is a fun little read but if you choose not to take in all that seriously, then it becomes even more fun. I like it when an author strays from his or her normal genre, even though it seems that many fans almost seem betrayed. Give Grisham a break…at least he makes the effort to write something other than his normal fare.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

This is yet another addition to one of my favorite series of cozy mysteries. As with her previous novels, Ms. MacPherson has proven once again that she is a master story teller and is able to give her readers much reading pleasure. This work was just a bit different that some of her previous works though. I found that not to be a bad thing, but did have to adjust my mood just a bit.

Torie is her busy self in this story and continues to have her fingers in just about ever in her small home town on the river. To be quite frank, her business and busybody ways reach almost a manic state in this one; between family, town projects, building a new house, running the village museum, dealing with children and pets, and of course her genealogy projects. Torie is asked to research the family background of the two men running for mayor. The first is her old enemy and neighbor, the current mayor, who hates Torie and hates her chickens. The second is her father-in-law, Sheriff Brooke, whose relationship with Torie is shaky, at best, at times. Colin has decided to hang his badge up and become major.

While digging into the current mayor’s past, Bill Castlereagh, she finds some disturbing facts…or are they facts? The more Mrs. O’Shea digs, the more the mystery deepens.

Three areas that I found to be a bit different in this one are that there was a bit more violence than is the norm for MacPherson’s books. This is not extreme violence, to be sure, but violence never-the-less. I also show more detected a slight change in Torie’s behavior. She has always been rather aggressive, but now I see signs of her using her money and position in the town to sort of push her weight around. Thirdly, there is a bit of marital strife, to the extent we have not seen before. Again, nothing big, but it is still there, like it or not.

Overall the book is well written, is a good story and a joy to read. Most of the old characters are still there and there are a few new ones thrown in for good measure. If you want a nice and relaxing read, then this is one you certainly should consider. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

I really dislike tell all books, and tell all books concerning politics in particular. After reading this one, my opinion of this genre has not changed all that much. I will state from the start though, that I am probably one of the most apolitical humans on the face of the earth. My only interest in our current political process, as opposed to our history in this area, is that I hold both the extreme right and the extreme left in extreme contempt. My opinions of George Bush, his administration, et al, are of little consequence here, and I certainly am not going to bore you with my pontifications in that area. That being said….
I did find this book interesting in that it gives a good view on one man’s view, and I emphasize, “one man” of the political process in our nations capital at this time. I found the workings of the Bush administration, congress, the press and all those associated with the entire process fascinating. There was interesting bits and pieces scattered throughout the book. I am certainly not going to summarize the happenings of this entire affair. If you don’t know what happened, and where it led, and is possibly leading, then you have probably been living under a rock. If you believe ever word McClellan has written, well then, you have a problem. On the other hand, I do get the feeling that the author tried his best to come across in a truthful manner, addressing the situation as he saw it. I feel he is sincere in his personal assessment of the show more situation.

The book is rather poorly crafted and is so repetitive throughout that it makes you want to scream at times. Scott McClellan portrays himself as misled Boy Scout, and perhaps he was. I find it difficult to fully believe that a man that can reach his high position was as blind and naïve as he claims. Perhaps this is true though. There again, on the other hand, he does not cast full blame on anyone but himself in this area. In some eyes he is certainly a little turn coat weasel, but I feel an honest weasel, never the less.

I actually enjoyed this read despite the poor writing, which does become rather boring at a certain point. Overall this is a pretty light weight read and I personally doubt if it is going to be used as a source document my many historians in the future when picking this particular era apart.

For a quick read of one man’s perceptions, for some political tidbits and some insight this is a good read. I of course feel in has to be countered with other works that are sure to come out in the near future, but fear that we will have to wait at least fifty years or so to be able to truly evaluate just “what happened. I am giving this one four stars because it did have some value as to information but knocking off at least one star due to poor quality of the writing. Where were this man’s editors?

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

Well, just about everything that can be said about this book, both positive and negative, has been said here, and I must say said over and over again. I suppose I will join in with my two cents worth. As you can see by the reviews, people either like this work and the series that spawned it, or they are less than thrilled. For the new reader: You must read both The Belgariad, which consists of five books, and The Malloreon, which consists of yet another five books to understand the book that is being reviewed here. All these ten previous books are one continuous story and must be read in order. Now that being said, the rest of the review will be addressed to those that have read the entire series.

Belgarath The Sorcerer is more or less Belgarath’s view and explanation of events which led up to the start of The Belgariad, which began with the book Pawn of Prophecy. The reader will find most of this story quite familiar in that Eddings has rehashed much of the information which was presented in the previously mentioned series. Granted, there are new twists and new detailed information, but the story is the same. Many of the characters in this new book are the very same characters we find with our original reading of the series. Now some have found this to be a bad thing. I personally rather enjoyed it. I make no bones about it, nor to I apologize for being a big fan of Eddings (and as we now know, Leigh Eddings, his wife). As I have mentioned in my previous reviews, these show more are comfort books for me. I read them for relaxation. The author has even used many of the tired old jokes, which are actually sort of funny, in this work as well as most of the settings and situations we have come to expect.

As mentioned before, with the first ten books I have been able to identify 233 errors the author made. With this work, I am able to add even more errors! While this may seem a bit compulsive/obsessive (which indeed, it probably is, well too bad…I enjoy it and plan to continue the hobby). We are not talking typos, punctuation and such; we are talking major errors in plot and facts. This is a wonderful game and I love it. For me it does not distract from the story one bit, and in fact makes it sort of charming.

This work, like the previous works from which it was taken, moves right along, and while quite predictable, for the most part, is still a very interesting read and great fun to just enjoy. The author can tell a good story and he does hold my interest. Again, this is not for every one. If you did not enjoy the first ten books of the series, then you will probably not enjoy this one. Actually, I cannot for the life of me figure out why someone who hated the previous books, forked out good money for more of the same…go figure.

If you are a fan of Belgarath and crew, then you will quite likely enjoy this read, if you are not……..

Don Blankenship
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First, I have to admit that I am not a comic book expert or collector. I do have a modest collection of Black Hawk (Blackhawk) comics, but only because they were my favorites when I was a kid. I really did not read this work due to any overwhelming interest in comics. I did read them growing up and well remember the hysteria surrounding them in the 1950s. I will admit though that I did read quite a number of them during that time period. My parents liked peace and quiet and found that giving me a comic would shut my never ending talk up for a bit. I did read this book though because I do have a great interest in censorship in any form, and I am interested in the particular era covered by this work.

The author has certainly done some wonderful research with this offering. He gives us a very nice discussion of the history of the comic book in America, which I found quite interesting. I am sure that most comic enthusiasts will be aware of this information, but I was not, so I enjoyed it and learned. After his history he goes into the, as I said, “hysteria” which showed its ugly head every so often as to the effect this particular art form had upon the youth of our nation. Particular attention is made to the period of the late 1940s and the 1950s when the real trouble began.

Post war America was in many ways, a rather scary place. For those of you not there at the time, you need to remember stories of The Red Scare, The Bomb, Eugene McCarthy, women asserting themselves in show more the work place, The Yellow Peril, population upheavals, transformation after a world wide depression…and the list goes on. Among the “evils,” or so it was thought, was an increase in juvenile crime. The term “Juvenile Delinquent” became a part of our everyday vocabulary. Naturally, people needed something to blame these problems on. If a communist was not handy, or jazz music was not being played on the radio, then something else had to do. It this case, the comic book was chosen. I suppose since the beginning of time, young folk have rebelled a bit against the system or their elders, and since the beginning to time the elders have sworn up and down that the young are going to hell in a hand basket. When you think about it, this process is still going on. This is the natural way of thing; always has been, always will be.

The author has given us a wonderful study of how a thought, a word, a picture, a story can be twisted and used by the powerful to meet their own needs and justify their own ends. In this case the PTA, politicians, preachers, the church, the Boy and Girl Scouts, schools, educators and the local village idiot all got in on the act. Priest, preachers, congressmen, psychiatrists, the news media, parents, George who worked at the local barber shop, all had an opinion. The author weaves a wonderful readable tale chronicling all of this. Now make no mistake; this is not what I would classify as an “easy read.” This is probably more of a scholarly work that a piece of popular history. It is easy to consume and teaches though, and holds the reader’s interest.

All in all, I found this to be a remarkable read. I learned new things and it certainly gave me much more food for thought. For history buffs, pop culture enthusiasts, comic collectors, and the generally curious, it would be hard to beat this one. Highly recommend this one.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

I have been reading Hemingway, indeed studying his work, sense well before his death. I have been collecting and reading Hemingway biographies for well over forty years now. You can imagine my delight when I heard about this work. Every bit of information I can collect adds something to my knowledge and adds to what my family refers to as my hobby. I was not disappointed with this work.
David Nuffer has spent quite a number of years now collecting the works of Hemingway, memorabilia, such as photographs and items of interest, and most importantly, seeking out and interviewing people who actually knew this complex writer and American icon. I received Nuffer’s book, sat down and read it from cover to cover nonstop. It was well worth the read!
The author has interviewed a number of characters that are often overlooked by his biographers, i.e. those common folk who knew him on a daily basis, worked, hunted, fished and socialized with him. These people are not the usual pack of literary giants, publishers, movie actors and actresses, etc. we normally find in such work; but rather, for the most part, just simply people. By recoding these conversations we are allowed a peek into the life of Earnest Hemingway that is not often seen nor even considered. The author has also spent years traveling the globe visiting the places Hemingway lived, traveled, played and worked.
I was particularly interested in several previously unpublished letters, which are actually pseudo-medical show more records, from the Mayo Clinic which I was unaware of. Having spent much of my professional life in medical risk management I have reviewed and analyzed literally thousands and thousands of medical records over the years and am able to smell a dead carp at five miles. These documents are important as they do shed some light on Hemingway’s ultimate tragic death. I only wish we had access to all the records. The letters this author does publish tell us much, in particular if we read between the lines.
This little book is well put together, written in a very articulate style and is full of unique pictures, some never published before.
Like many, even though I love Earnest Hemingway’s writing, I must admit to being even more fascinated with Hemingway the man even more than Hemingway the writer. This book is a wonderful addition to my collection and has added to my knowledge. The author has done some fine work here.
I do highly recommend this one. show less

Many, many years ago, my mother first introduced me to the little grayish creatures we called Roly-Polies. I literally spent hours as a little one searching these little creatures out and playing with them. You can imagine my delight when I received this truly remarkable little book for children on the subject of one of my childhood friends.

Ralphina, a Roly-Poly lives in a nice garden with her mother. She is lonely and wants to make friends with the little boy who lives in the house. This is a very simple little story of friendship and at the same time is a wonderful nature lesson for children, and I must admit, adults too. The book is targeted for children from 4 to 8 but with this particular work I should think that the age limit could be expanded somewhat in either direction.

This work has a lot going for it. Not only is the story delightfully sweet, it is well written and completely understandable. The art work is some of the best I have seen in this year’s crop of children’s books, with bright bold colors that are truly eye catching. You can tell by the quality and detail of the illustrations that the author certainly enjoys what she does, and this shows on every page throughout. The book is absolutely perfect for reading to a group of children as the pictures are bold and go with the text perfectly. They can be easily be seen at a distance. As a matter of fact, like all children’s books I review, this one was kid tested. I read it to a kindergarten class (a show more group of 23 very hardcore literary critics, I can tell you) and to a class of first graders who where even more sophisticated in their reading taste. I received rave reviews from both groups and in fact was asked for a second reading. This one would also make a perfect bed time read, or a read from grandma or grandpa’s lap, for that matter.

In addition, the author has been rather sneaky and has actually inserted many wonderful facts about these amazing little critters. The children are actually getting a very good natural history lesson and will come away from the experience much wiser in the ways of nature. I suspect that a lot of parents and teachers will too, even though they might not want to admit it.

So we have a book that teaches the children about friendship, about being ones own self and a story of gentleness and acceptance. We also have a very good biology lesson and the author has also slipped in a neat little lesson about the colors of the rainbow, which not only covers what a rainbow is, but gives a very nice little art lesson as to colors. While the book is 32 pages long, it is the type of story that you can read over and over and over again to your child without getting absolutely glassy eyed and sick of the thing. I noted that each time I went through it that I spied some new detail in the paintings that I had missed before. Really, what more could you want?

This is a hard covered book and the binding appears to be very good. The pages are of glossy paper. This is type of book that can stand up to rough handling and still be in good enough shape to pass on to the next generation.

I strongly suspect that we will be seeing much more from this author down the road. I do highly recommend this work. show less