richardderus's nineteenth 2025 thread

This is a continuation of the topic richardderus's eighteenth 2025 thread.

This topic was continued by richardderus's twentieth 2025 thread.

Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2025

Join LibraryThing to post.

1richardderus
Edited: Nov 29, 2025, 9:15 am

Yuletide joys for All! Happy #Booksgiving!

2richardderus
Edited: Dec 11, 2025, 8:56 am

3richardderus
Edited: Nov 29, 2025, 9:22 am

All previous Pearl Rule reviews linked here.

THIS THREAD'S PEARL RULE REVIEWS:

#033

4richardderus
Edited: Nov 29, 2025, 9:23 am

All previous Burgoine reviews linked here.

THIS THREAD:
#087

5richardderus
Edited: Nov 29, 2025, 9:24 am

Seriously...not a great venue for normies here.
My 2024 goals are here, for reference.

2025 GOALS
I wrote an unprecedented 413 reviews in 2024, though certainly not all those books were read in 2024! I'm not counting books read, but reviews written. Decades of pilf from the review aggregators never got a real review written, just some notes on my computer. This year I went back to all my old computers and vacuumed notes onto a data stick. It's my purpose now to write at least a Burgoine review from those notes, post it here and on the DRC aggregator's site, and that will be my annual count.

For those who think I should follow the "books read in 2025" model, that's very interesting, and thank you for sharing your judgment with me. I will, however, be using the site the way I want to not how you think I should.

Numerical goals aren't really the point for me. I've shown I can meet or exceed them often enough now to think they're just unnecessary, and a little show-offy, for me. I will focus my efforts on getting my unwritten-review count down, and on focusing my efforts on reviewing #ReadingIsResistance titles.
☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂
1Q25 was a suckass time to be alive. The Felonious Yam and Muskolini came out swingin' and enshittified a lot of lives. It was a time of terrible stress and serious immiseration, and I myownself could not possibly hate it more.

I wrote eighty-three reviews of all types. Two reads stood out in excellence: Rio Muerto and The Case of Cem. Several were bad, but only one made me angry because it was so effing lazy: Conclave, whose movie actually won an Oscar!!! The apotheosis of blah, bland thinking and writing in both media, and directing of a film.
2Q25 was a rollicking success. The first five months of the year saw 139,334 blog views; this month, not over yet, almost matches that total! I was fully satisfied, pleased even, with those first-half totals so this month is mind-blowing to me. For the first half of 2025, my thirteen-year odyssey writing over 3700 reviews and achieving over 1,000,000 blog-views has been satisfying, exciting, and deeply enriching.

The second quarter's most satisfying read was The Surge, Adam Kovac's war story told in laconic warrior-appropriate prose. It exemplifies an experience I do not think soldiers will ever have again as AI and automation turn war into a weirdly impersonal industrial slaughterhouse.
3Q25 was *astoundingly* productive...one thing positive, the ONLY thing positive, I'll say for the felonious yam and the kakistocracy he trails like wet farts is I get a turbocharge of energy to burn off writing because I hate them all so very, very much,that I wrote ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO REVIEWS. In 90 (ninety) days.
Holy carp.
That's more than I wrote for my blog in eight (8) of the past thirteen years I've been blogging. If that's not a win, I don't know what is. I'm really lemonadeing them lemons!
The best book of the quarter was, unquestionably, The Remembered Soldier...it's very likely to be the 6*-of-five read for 2025 though this quarter had several very, very good reads that might unseat it if they keep growing in my memory, eg We Were the Universe, Soft Burial, maybe The Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City, 1986-1990...but none are more likely to unseat my dote than The Rain Heron. Arnott's talent impressed as always. I'm still prepared to be wowed and overwhelmed in Q4, but it'll be tough....
4Q25

6richardderus
Edited: Nov 30, 2025, 8:59 pm

See >5 richardderus: for 2024 achievements & 2025 goals, and quarterly wrap-ups. Special hashtag events in >6 richardderus:.
Monthly wrap-up posts are linked below.
JANUARY 2025 here.
FEBRUARY 2025 here.
MARCH 2025 here.
APRIL 2025 here.
MAY 2025 here.
JUNE 2025 here.
JULY 2025 here.
AUGUST 2025 here.
SEPTEMBER 2025 here.
OCTOBER 2025 here.
NOVEMBER 2025 here.

7richardderus
Edited: Nov 29, 2025, 9:26 am

8richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 8:58 am

Okay, this one's yours. Whoever's first: It'll be a while before I post your crown.

9jessibud2
Edited: Nov 29, 2025, 9:01 am

Three in a row! In Canada, that's called a hat-trick! (a toque will do ;-)

10richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 9:43 am

346 Princess of India: An Ancient Tale (30th Anniversary Edition) by Aaron Shepard (Illus. Vera Rosenberry)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: The ancient tale of one of bravest, cleverest heroines of all time.

Beauty and intelligence were the princess Savitri's, and eyes that shone like the sun. So splendid was she that people thought her a goddess. When at last she found a man worthy to wed her, no one could sway her from her heart's path—not even the god of death.

This lovely retelling, now in a 30th Anniversary Edition, presents a classic tale of devotion, courage, wit, and will from India's national epic, the Mahabharata. (Original picture book title: "Savitri: A Tale of Ancient India.")

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Lovely, simplified but not dumbed-down kid-friendly retelling of a small part of the Mahabharata: the life of Princess Savitri.

Savitri herself

A woman whose entire will is bent to achieving a goal can overcome her father's resistance, can even defeat the God of Death...her power is formidable. So how does she use it?

To keep her husband from being taken from her.

he seems nice

There are relatively few ideas in this book, except focus, clarity, and a cool head will help you achieve your goals:

focus even when facing a god

After adventures are had, you can keep your prize:

Is it beautiful? yes; do I like its gender politics? not a lot. All this effort and all she gets is a man? There's lots of those. It felt to me as though I was being overcritical all the way through. I'm pleased the pricess saves the boy, but this doesn't make me think we ought to put this on the minds of second-graders somehow.

But that's some stunning artwork! You'll get happy smiles from the art-lovin' youth and parents.

11richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 10:03 am

347 The Sea King's Daughter: A Russian Legend (15th Anniversary Edition) by Aaron Shepard ( illus. Gennady Spirin)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Sadko the musician loved his city of Novgorod, the richest and most free in all Russia.

With its great feasts, its white stone churches, its merchant visitors from many lands, Sadko felt there was no better place to be. Yet he was lonely too, for the rich young ladies who danced to his music would never favor anyone so poor.

One night he takes his twelve-string gusli and goes alone to play by the River Volkhov. Suddenly from the water rises the Sea King, who invites the astonished musician to play at his underwater palace. But how will Sadko get there? And how will he get back? And will he want to return at all, when he meets the Sea King's lovely daughter?

One of the most popular legends of Russia, Sadko's story is found in medieval epic ballads, as well as in a popular opera by Rimsky-Korsakov. It is retold here in elegant prose, complemented by the entrancing illustrations of a modern Russian master.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Poignant tale of love that cannot ever be, of being separated from one's love by things outside our control, and living on as well as one can. It's a sad story, but longing is a human emotion children resonate with. A tale with long, long cultural roots in the Russophone world for a very good reason...now brought quite stunningly to life with some of the most spectacular illustrations I've seen yet.

how we're greeted

As expected from Author Shepard, the language is lovely, lyrical, and ideal for that still-alert six-year-old who gets to lap-read it at naptime, down to a truly little one who needs it read at bedtime. This artwork makes it a great coffee-table book, one I'd display very prominently and proudly. Look:

Sadko; by the river; the storm

the Sea King; with daughter Volkhova

I am more than a little in love with this style of illustration. It is transporting to the world of the story. It gives us a real, visceral sense of the Otherness and impossinility of Sadko in his situation:

In common with all legends, this one is well-populated with interesting folk. This spread is the one I'd spend the longest staring at:

...possibly because Sadko looks very, um, provocative down in that corner.

Not inappropriate, invisible to kids, but makes me wonder what this message really is....

Something I think any parent with a lap-reader would thank you for giving to their kid. Grand, aunts, uncles all duly encouraged!

12richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 10:19 am

348 The Crystal Heart: A Vietnamese Legend (25th Anniversary Edition) by Aaron Shepard (illus. Joseph Daniel Fiedler)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: As the daughter of a great mandarin, Mi Nuong leads a sheltered life. But one day, sitting in her tower, a song floats to her from a distant fishing boat on the river.

"My love is like a blossom in the breeze.
My love is like a moonbeam on the waves."

The voice is so beautiful, she knows the singer must be young and handsome—perhaps even a mandarin's son in disguise. Could it be that the song is for her? She longs to meet him, but how? And what will she find if she does?

In this poignant legend, a young lady discovers that appearances can deceive, but the heart speaks true.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A folktale about self-deception and how easy it is to leave it to externalities to guide us. Being careful what you ask for, lest you get it, is a lesson that can never be repeated often enough.

where we are

We're with a ranking official, a man of substance in his community whose marriageable daughter harrbors romantic illusions as she contemplates beginning her life:

father and daughter

As time passes and impending marriage occupies her mind more and more, she hears a beautiful song in her tower fastness, a song of piercing musical and lyrical beauty, again and again. It obsesses her, consumes her, as thoughts of her marriage to a mandarin's son...quite a step up...meld with the beautiful voice. She consults oracles to see if she will marry a man with beauty like that she hears.

Omens must always be interpreted...so of course, we know what happens.

Does it all work out?

Yes; and no.

Nothing on this Earth is forever; no ending is not also a beginning.

Excellent lessons for young girls most especially in this culture that orders them to consider men their dreams, or their paths to getting dreams in reality. It's not like that, but it's not all bad.

13richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 10:22 am

>9 jessibud2: It's unprecedented! You get the most original of All the crowns:

14richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 10:47 am

349 The Legend of Slappy Hooper: An American Tall Tale (30th Anniversary Edition) by Aaron Shepard (illus. Toni Goffe)

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: WINNER OF THE 2024 AESOP PRIZE FROM THE AMERICAN FOLKLORE SOCIETY

You'd better believe Slappy Hooper was the world's biggest, fastest, bestest sign painter. He was bestest because no one else ever made pictures so true to life. But some folks said they were too good when the pictures started coming alive!

Will Slappy have to give up sign painting for good? Or will a couple of timely jobs from the Heavenly Sign Company let him climb to even greater heights? Find out in this delightful tall tale from mid-20th-century Chicago.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Charming, slight tale about an extraordinary guy who impresses everyone with his skills.

Honestly, it's a tale for lap-readers and story hour at the library. I don't care for the art too much. The spreads are well designed to go with the text, and the images aren't outside the realm of reason the way comic-book images can be:

a good example of what's in store

...I'm just not feelin' it. I'll show you some more:

the bulk of the narrative looks like this

But there are exceptions to the sameyness:

this one's a stunner in context

...and there's a lovely payoff to end us up right. I liked the story fine, think your preschool nibling or grand will too, and the parents won't hate it.

Quite the farewell!

15MickyFine
Nov 29, 2025, 11:00 am

Dropping off weekend smooches amidst the flurry of reviews. Hope you're keeping warm and cozy.

16Ameise1
Nov 29, 2025, 11:23 am

Before you make the next one: happy new thread. I met Connie in Maastricht today. We had a great time. I'm sure you remember her. She's now in the ROOT group.

17richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 11:50 am

>15 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! weekend *smooches* back.

18richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 11:51 am

>16 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara! I'm glad you and Connie, another one of our departees, had a good visit. Sending hugs over the sea, up the mountains, and straight to you.

19katiekrug
Nov 29, 2025, 12:09 pm

Happy new one, RD!

20richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 12:31 pm

>19 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

21richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 12:37 pm

350 The Floofs Brave the Wild by Penelope O'Neill

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Join the Floofs on a wild day out in nature, where every mishap becomes a mini adventure. The Floofs Brave the Wild is full of laughs, heart, and outdoor fun—perfect for readers just starting to explore books on their own.

The Floofs are back—and this time, they’re heading into the wild. Join this lovable group of friends as they set off on new adventures filled with fun, friendship, and plenty of surprises. The Floofs Brave the Wild is the second book in the full-color graphic novel series made for young readers ready to explore something new.

From forest hikes and snowy slopes to secret places hidden in nature, the Floofs never shy away from a challenge. Whether they’re outrunning avalanches, helping a very special giant, or learning to open up about big feelings, they always face the wild together.

With three short, standalone stories, this is the perfect read for children building confidence—or anyone who loves dipping into a world full of heart, humor, and a little bit of magic.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A lovely set of stories, all standing alone, for your first or second grader...say a very bright six-year-old through maybe eight or so...to get used to the way stories are told, gain confidence comprehending vocabulary word in context, and getting a charming dose of reassurance and confidence in the natural world. The Floofs manage all the events that come their way. It's a message your newly-hatched social being, the school-age world being what it is, could really use a little reassurance about.

Because there are three separate stories, this is a terrific tool to get the lap-reader to transition into independent reading comfortably...adult reading one story, then kid reading one to adult, then kid left to read the third...because the characters stay the same, the messages are all supportive and positive in framing, and nothing more complicated happens in one than in the others.

Terrific also for the kid who's got some anxiety about The Great Outdoors, since everything takes place there. Lots of good support for confident problem-solving, too.

Well worth it, gifting party! I'm not the biggest fan of the art, though....

22LizzieD
Nov 29, 2025, 12:51 pm

Lovely art; fun art! I want to get them all to put in elementary schools around here, but I guess I won't get any except my former student's book about a Lumbee boy moving from his Baltimore home back to his family's home here in RobCo : Whoz Ya People?

Santa as the Green Man??? *smooch* for the thread and for the day!

23Storeetllr
Nov 29, 2025, 1:32 pm

Happy new thread, Richard! Glad to be getting my greeting in before your thread gets too unwieldy for my cheap laptop to handle.

Love the Green Man image in >1 richardderus:. And love all the beautiful illustrations you've been posting.

24richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 1:38 pm

351 The Day Moon and Earth Had an Argument by David Duff (illus. Noemi Vola)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Embark on an astronomical adventure through the solar system with this whimsical picture book that begins with a little rift in one of the most celebrated relationships in the universe.

All friends have disagreements. But when the friends are the Moon and planet Earth, the consequences are pretty cosmic!

After 4.5 billion years together, Moon has had enough of Earth. So, she packs her things and sets off to see what the solar system has to offer. On her galactic tour, Moon sweeps young readers along on a delightful and educational journey.

From scorching Venus to giant Jupiter, Moon encounters the oddities and charms of all the other planets on her journey. But as she reaches the cold and lonely edge of the solar system, she begins to wonder whether Earth is really so bad after all . . .

With vibrant illustrations, a dash of humor, and heartfelt explorations of emotions like anger and empathy, this children’s book about friendship beautifully conveys the value of connection and the invaluable lesson that sometimes what we’re looking for is closer than we think.

Offering a fun and practical review of the planets and their characteristics throughout, The Day Moon and Earth Had an Argument also includes two full spreads at the back of the book filled with fascinating facts about our solar system, information about gravity, how the moon was formed, and more.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I just can't with this book! It's so completely, beguilingly adorable. I love the art, which of course is utterly subjective. I'm also a big fan of sneaking two kinds of message into one story...astronomy lessons, emotional guidance, and the commonsensical way they're framed together. The farther away from each other Earth and Moon get, the less things are familiar, and that's scientifically accurate as well as a good thing to reinforce about friendship in this very young (four or so on the lap-reader end, maybe six or a slower seven independently reading) target group.

close neighbor or not Venus is no Earth!

In offering sneaky factual lessons while addressing a very real emotional problem lots of kids will face as they move outside the family circle. Friendship is a skill, one we're all wise to maintain with care. Anger, feeling hurt, not understanding what just happened or knowing what to do about it...all those things are dealt with (while sneaking in astronomy lessons).

all the way out, and still no one's like Earth

Making things right is hard, but it can be done, and it's a big accomplishment when it's done. Wonderful little tale delivering a big message (and sneaking in cool facts in its pretty illustrations).

25SilverWolf28
Nov 29, 2025, 4:32 pm

Happy New Thread! 🧵

26Ameise1
Nov 29, 2025, 4:50 pm

>18 richardderus: I won't be back home that quickly. Tomorrow we're travelling on to Luxembourg, where we'll be staying for four nights. Then we're off to Colmar (France) and only then will we be heading home.

27richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 5:33 pm

>25 SilverWolf28: Thank you, dear lady!

28richardderus
Edited: Nov 29, 2025, 5:36 pm

>26 Ameise1: Oh myyy, as Takei would say...Colmar in Alsace? Is it time for the wine festival?

29richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 7:15 pm

352 Golemcrafters by Emi Watanabe Cohen

Solid middle-grade fantasy with some historical violence discussed. Fascinating blend of ethnicities!

30richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 7:21 pm

>22 LizzieD: Santa, the Green Man...old fat guys with too much wintertime fun on their plates. Like me.

I'm glad they accepted that one, at least. Have you ever hooked any local kids up to Miss Dolly Parton's Imagination Library? I love her for doing this! *smooch*

31richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 7:23 pm

>23 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary! I'll be breaking this thread when it gets to two hundred posts to avoid that very problem. 'Tis the season to love beautiful art unashamedly! *smooch*

32richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 7:37 pm

353 Chris Hoy (Little People, BIG DREAMS) by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (illus. Edita Hajdu)

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Discover the life of Sir Chris Hoy, the cycling champion who became an inspiration to millions.

Little Chris grew up in Scotland with a passion for bikes and adventure. He loved riding his BMX, dreaming of becoming a racing champion. But school wasn’t always easy—Chris had dyslexia, which made reading and writing a challenge. However, he never let it hold him back.

With determination and hard work, Chris became one of the greatest track cyclists of all time. He won six Olympic gold medals and became a sporting hero for Great Britain. After retiring from competitive cycling, he continued to inspire others, writing books for children and encouraging young athletes to follow their dreams.

In 2024, Chris shared his personal battle with cancer, showing the same courage and resilience that made him a champion. His story is one of perseverance, strength, and never giving up—on or off the track.

This inspiring book features lively illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of Chris’s incredible achievements. His story shows that with passion and perseverance, anything is possible.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: In a slightly different timeline this'd be about Lance Armstrong. Not much would change apart from names and locations.

I've reviewed four of these to date. I like the overall messaging, focus plus drive can lead to success; I'm less excited about the athlete focused entries, but that's personal to me.

Sir Chris Hoy's name was unknown to me until Paul Hollywood mentioned him in season eleven of The Great British Bake Off, when eventual winner Peter Sawkins made a Chris Hoy cake-bust (that Hoy liked and complimented Peter on). I've desultorily poked about to see what is the what about him, and found him a strikingly decent human being.

So more than my usual slightly grudging three athlete-stars to this entry in a series I can see kids really liking...if it's a subject or a person they're already interested in.

Almost all the art for this publisher, Frances Lincoln Ltd. across all its publishing areas, is very high-quality to my eye. It's the case here, too:

To my eye, the spreads are all quite kinetic, quite full of vigor, as is appropriate for a biking world leader. I was not ever bored by this entry, unlike an earlier one on David Beckham. That half-star was as much as I could make my uneasy-about-athletics self do...too much permanent damage incurred while using one's body to entertain others.

YMMV, of course, and best to get kids things they're interested in and will enjoy while saving the adult worries for later.

I think....

33richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 7:42 pm

354 Steven Spielberg (Little People, BIG DREAMS) by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (illus. Keith Negley)

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Director, writer, editor, producer . . . Steven Spielberg is the person behind some of the most celebrated films ever made. Little People, BIG DREAMS Steven Spielberg is an empowering testament to believing in yourself and following your childhood dream.

Little Steven was six when he first went to the cinema. Although he didn't understand the story, he was captivated by the beauty of the moving pictures on screen. Soon after, he picked up his Dad's film camera and began experimenting. By his teens he was making short films—carefully crafting every part of the process, from writing the scripts to directing the shots.

Filmmaking was a refuge for Steven, who faced bullying and anti-semitism at school. With his camera, editing machine and notebook he could create a world he felt safe in. As he grew, he found somewhere else he felt at home: Universal Studios. He first visited the company's lot during a studio tour, and was later hired after impressing executives with a short films. Within a few years, Steven went from making TV movies to cinematic blockbusters. Audiences fell in love with his heartwarming adventures, like ET and Jurassic Park, and were deeply moved by his film about the Holocaust, Schindler's List.

After a lifetime of accolades and awards, Steven remains happiest behind a camera--telling stories that encourage us to open our hearts and minds.

Little People, BIG DREAMS: Steven Spielberg features quirky and stylish illustrations; a biographical timeline, complete with historical photos and a detailed profile; recommendations for further reading.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Many of y'all literally grew up watching "old" films of Spielberg's, like Jaws, on your TVs after picking them up at Blockbuster...I saw it on the big screen, first run. I have still never gone back into the ocean. And I won't.

This is the power of the images Spielberg's created. A lifetime later, I still marvel at how his imagination has formed mine, and the generations after me; I'm sure all y'all have a Spielberg-film memory. So when I saw these:

...I was barely whelmed, not a bit overwhelmed, verging on underwhelmed, by their (to me) low charisma choices of subject. The execution is fine, as expected, but it never gets deeper than red-carpet photos do.

I'm criticizing this because the artist is making these to show a master of visual storytelling's life...this does not feel like the best possible execution of that brief.

It's nice art, the story's the story, and for your young auteur-to-be, it will make a lovely gift bundled with ET or Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I myownself get wistful dreaming of more....

34PaulCranswick
Nov 29, 2025, 8:09 pm

Salutations on thread #19, RD.

35Familyhistorian
Nov 29, 2025, 8:26 pm

Happy new thread, Richard. I enjoyed your in Death reviews on your last thread and was surprised to see that I recognized one of your booksgiving reviews. I added Dark London to my stacks recently but your review got me to hunt for it and, hopefully, read it.

36richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 8:27 pm

>34 PaulCranswick: Thank you, PC!

37richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 8:28 pm

>35 Familyhistorian: Oh, how cool, Meg! I'm glad I inspired the upward movement of something on the TBR.

38Familyhistorian
Nov 29, 2025, 8:34 pm

>37 richardderus: There are so many stacks in the TBR that anything inspiring upward movement is a boon. Thanks Richard!

39atozgrl
Nov 29, 2025, 10:28 pm

Happy new thread, RD! I can see that your reading is treating you well these days.

40bell7
Nov 29, 2025, 10:28 pm

Happy new one, Richard. I'm over a hundred messages behind, so just drawing a line in the sand here __________________

Hope your weekend is off to a lovely start!

41richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 10:41 pm

>38 Familyhistorian: Most welcome, of course.

42richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 10:43 pm

>39 atozgrl: My writing has been really consuming my energy...thank goodness, otherwise I'd go bonkers. Thanks for coming by!

43richardderus
Nov 29, 2025, 10:44 pm

>40 bell7: Thanks, Mary! It's been just fine, so I hope it stays that way.

Thanks for visiting.

44richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 7:55 am

355 The Nixie of the mill-pond and other European stories: A cautionary fables & fairytales book by various artists

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: "Wait until the full moon rises, sit at the bank and play a beautiful tune. Then you will see what happens."
Giant beanstalks, trickster cats, magic pipers, royal werewolves, marauding trolls, and wooden battle spoons? You may think you know where these are going but take another look; your favorite European folktales are refreshed, rebooted, and totally reimagined in this high-spirited and hilarious comics collection!

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A collection of folktales, some familiar and some not (I myownself had never heard of the title tale "Tatterhood and the Nixie of the Mill-Pond"), some on a more humorous retelling and others chilling, so there's truly something for every graphic novel palate in these nine tales.

I wasn't as drawn (!) to this iteration of "Rapunzel" or the editor's contribution, "Bisclavret" (an ancient French werewolf tale), so I shaved off a star. I think the intended ten and up audience will find the mix of familiar and unfamiliar, comedic and serious, retellings very much to their liking. The art is uniformly good to look at ("Pied Piper" provided):

"Jack and the Beanstalk" from the publisher's website:

All the stories offer something extra from their older modes of telling/retelling thanks to the artists' contributions. A book that delights art-loving, story-loving, and folklore-fancying readers.

45msf59
Nov 30, 2025, 8:14 am

Morning, Richard. Glad you are enjoying these illustrated books. For a moment there I thought I was on Linda's thread. 😜

As promised, it snowed all day yesterday, dumping nearly 7" of snow on us. I guess that is better than the 9-10" they were projecting. I think this may be heading east, so good luck there.

46richardderus
Edited: Nov 30, 2025, 9:45 am

356 Odd Birds & Fat Cats (an urban bestiary) by Peter Wortsman (illus. Aurélie Bernard Wortsman)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Ravens in Berlin . . . Parakeets in Brooklyn . . . Chickens in Tel Aviv . . . Spiders in Cognac. City creatures spark the imagination and intellect in words and art by this father-daughter team.

Odd Birds & Fat Cats (An Urban Bestiary) is an illustrated collection of brief observations on city creatures. Inspired by the tradition of the medieval bestiary, bestiarum vocabulum, a 12th-century bestselling genre that chronicled animals and beings both real and fantastical, the book features pithy impressions of birds and animals that delight, confound, and edify, written by Peter Wortsman, coupled with detailed naturalist artwork by his daughter, Aurélie Bernard Wortsman.

Featured creatures include:

Pigeons: “When, finally, it takes flight . . . this asphalt-colored bird is like a piece of the pavement which by some fluke of gravity broke loose and is foolishly falling upward by mistake."

Seagulls: “Fallen splinters of eternity, they hang overhead with the equanimity and mild disdain of angels in a medieval altarpiece, and unlike pigeons, refuse any direct contact with man."

Ants: “Micro-managers in three-piece bodies, ants parody human antics to a tee. Or is it the other way around?"

Dust mites: “Every time you scratch yourself or comb your hair, you are feeding the tiny intruders with the detritus of self."

With four-color images throughout, printed in a beautiful hardbound edition, this one-of-a-kind volume will please the discerning animal lover, traveler, art lover, iconoclast, and literati on your gift list—and, of course, also you!

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: The world is changing around us at huge speed. A bestiary such as this will stand as a record as change accelerates, making these creatures either obsolete or altered. It's a great gift item for your environmentalist giftee, of any age after fourteen. It's gorgeous, informative, not in the least bit dry; this is a gift item pure and simple.

contents page

In studying the urban world, the father/daughter team decided we should feature as much as the other animals..after all no us, no cities:

Of course, the creatures around us are as prominent as they are to our quotidian notice...maybe moreso:

And, I must say, I found the humor, and the observations of beauty, both equally delightful as I browsed the book.

Something for a discerning special late teen, young adult, or friend who loves to look at the world through beautiful glasses.

47richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 9:45 am

>45 msf59: SEVEN INCHES!! I hope that's not heading East...yuck. That's January weather! I'd best get out and do the one or two things I need from the real world. Yuck...cold and grey out there...but better than a snow-slog.

I've got more illustrated books All day today, so come back tomorrow and shop around!

48karenmarie
Nov 30, 2025, 10:41 am

‘Morning, RDear! Between your last thread and this new one, there are 60 new messages. Happy New Thread, Happy Sunday!!

>1 richardderus: Good yet disturbing…

>21 richardderus: I laughed at this title, because one of our nicknames for our ginger you-know-what is Floof.

>22 LizzieD: Drive-by BB adjacent, Peggy – The Lumbee Indians: An American Struggle by Malinda Maynor Lowery was available on Kindle for $0.00.

Successful avoidance of BBs, joy at looking at the illustrations posted.

*smooch*

49richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 11:16 am

>48 karenmarie: *sigh* Well a ricochet book-bullet's better than none, though my self esteem takes a terrible beating when I'm not emptying your coffers into an author's pilf-pile....

But the pretties are very pretty indeed, no? *smooch*

50richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 11:21 am

357 The antifa comic book by Gord Hill

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: With fascism in our midst, Indigenous artist Gord Hill revises and expands his brilliant graphic history of fascism and anti-fascist movements

When it was first published in 2018, Gord Hill's The Antifa Comic Book was heralded for its searing imagery documenting the history of fascism and anti-fascist movements over the last century. In the years since its publication, the term "antifa" has been co-opted by the right to falsely describe far-left political extremism and even terrorism. But the role played by antifa movements in fighting fascism and racism around the world remains as relevant and important as ever.

For this expanded edition, Gord Hill adds new material depicting more recent flashpoints of fascist activity, including the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack, the murderous spree by Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik, the infamous 2022 Canadian convoy protests, and Islamophobic and anti-migrant sentiment in a growing number of fascist governments in Europe. At the same time, Hill depicts the important work being done by anti-fascist individuals and organizations to combat this worrisome trend, made all the more crucial by Donald Trump's return to the White House.

Powerful and inspiring, The Antifa Comic Book is an important reminder of fascism in our midst and what can be done to stop it.

The book includes a new foreword by Mark Bray, historian and author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: If you're wondering why this graphic novel's appearing here, welcome! You must be a first-time visitor. This is not a safe space for fascists or their silent supporters. You will be offended, and not accidentally. Do not complain, you've been warned, and have the option...nay, encouragement...to leave any time. More than your kind offer to the decent people you're victimizing for whatever it is you hate so much.

So, everyone else, this is a graphic novel/history of the horrors the fucking fascists enact in pursuit of their disgusting, evil goal of immiserating people their tiny brains and smaller souls hate with fury and passion. It is meant to summon the answering, opposite...oppositional...fury and passion in you.

What's the point of this, I can hear people in my circle ask. It is easy to get numbed by the onslaught of awful these scum are unleashing. "They", to use the paranoid tense, are busy undoing generations of progress as fast and as hard as they can. Court orders say cease and desist? Ignore them! People hate your agenda? So what, do it anyway, we've got the Army.

In a coup, there is no neutrality. Yes, it's hard. It's scary. It's not fair. Your other option is silent, supine submission.

If that's not okay with you, you'll need some emotional support. Sometimes the best way to get that is to read...even read outside your usual genre or medium preferences. I was heartened by reading this book because it got past my text-reader's prejudices. my "I can handle anything words can say" conviction by putting it in images.

It's a valuable thing to have, to give to someone you know who's flagging...support is a wonderful gift to give and to receive.

51richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 12:48 pm

358 Bios in search of Zoe : an ecological graphic novel by Assia Crawford

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: In her groundbreaking new publication, Dr. Assia Crawford takes readers on a captivating journey at the intersection of architecture, science, and critical theory.

A distinguished Assistant Professor in Technology with a Ph.D. in Architecture, Crawford pioneers a visionary exploration of bio-design practices, experimental bio-fabrication methods, and the ethical considerations surrounding the manipulation of living organisms. This unique work emerges from Crawford’s creative practice research, which is deeply rooted in the development of biological material alternatives and digital fabrication practices tailored for a post-Anthropocene era. The ecological graphic novel format serves as a dynamic medium for conveying complex ideas about the symbiotic relationship between human and non-human entities, pushing the boundaries of traditional academic discourse.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I am unendingly amazed at the deeply creative minds hiding behind the label "scientist." I shouldn't be; engineers and scientists are all kids who never got the memo that grown-ups don't ask "why" as often as kids do.

why?

The other bit of asking "why?" is not accepting the answer "because I said so." At least those who end up pushing the boundaries don't...and the institutionalization and specialization rampant in today's world militate against boundary-pushers. "What of you're wrong? look how much it cost! we can't reuse any of this!"

It's hogwash; sometimes wrong is only temporary. Look at the Miller-Urey experiment. A failure in 1952...reanalyzed in 2007, much more discovered than technology could record in 1952.

Author Crawford's speculations, or warnings, or predictions...really all three...are not dumbed down for a popular audience. The illustrations do the heavy lifting of explaining hard ideas. I don't think this is one for just everybody. I'm recommending it for your youthful, still flexible-of-mind bioscience nerd.

It's a pricey item so it's going to be for the very special recipient. I still feel it offers enough to think about, enough information and explanation to chew on, to be a really good gift for someone still learning about bioscience and the technology it's going to spawn, to make a clever high-schooler fire up with excited curiosity.

What better gift is there, for them as well as us?

52drneutron
Nov 30, 2025, 1:18 pm

Happy new one, Richard!

53richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 1:41 pm

>52 drneutron: Thank you most kindly, Doc!

54richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 1:58 pm

359 Monsters of the South: Stories of Swamp Creatures, Aliens, and Other Legendary Beasts by Jessica Freeburg & Natalie Fowler

Adventure Publishing's Hauntings, Horrors & Scary Ghost Stories series.

55richardderus
Edited: Nov 30, 2025, 2:00 pm

360 Monsters of the Pacific Northwest: Stories About Bigfoot, Sea Serpents, and Other Legendary Creatures by Jessica Freeburg & Natalie Fowler

Adventure Publishing's Hauntings, Horrors & Scary Ghost Stories series.

56richardderus
Edited: Nov 30, 2025, 3:11 pm

362 Don't Call Me Dirty by Gorou Kanbe

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: After some time in a long distance sort-of-relationship with his crush, Shouji is crestfallen when weeks of getting ghosted finally result in a confession: his boyfriend just isn't gay.

Having struggled with his sexuality for years, Shouji throws himself into his work to distract himself from the rejection—but when a young homeless man called Hama shows up at the shop, Shouji finds himself curious to learn more about him and, hopefully, befriend him. Attempting to make their way in a society that labels each of them as 'outcasts' and 'dirty,' the two men grow closer.

Together, they begin to find they have more in common than either of them could have anticipated.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: When you're Other in your very bones, you know it early. Othering either becomes your ugly secret, your curse to bear, or your identity. The way some people are Othered for external things over which they have no, or little, control might be crueler...hard to say. In this tale of Othered men coming together in large part because of their shared Otherness, they each learn a wonderful lesson about authenticity.

Becoming your real self is the project of post-adolescent adulthood. Many stay in the imposed selves, accept identities that aren't a great fit because they lack the resources of identity-example to alter what isn't working.

Stories like this one might hit hardest in Japan, although homelessness in the US is pretty marginalized. When Hama receives Shouji's overtures of friendly connection, he's stunned...he's homeless! He's like a stray pet, afraid every caress will turn into a kick. Shouji's need not to be rejected is pretty easy for Hama to meet, albeit with trepidation. Can this turn into more?

Not rushing into powerful emotions, not having sex right away, not following The Tropes℠ of romantic fiction, are all very appealing ways to build a story between Othered people who each crave similar connections. The artwork is standard manga:

...so you like it already, or you don't. Me, I'm lukewarm. I got past my impatience with sequential-art storytelling because I very much like the story, and the narrative mode, used here. I know this begins a series. I hope you'll think about it for your young manga-reading queer kid. The message is genuinely positive, without the hypersexualization of many, if not most queer stories.

57richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 3:04 pm

361 Ghosts of the Wild West by Jessica Freeburg & Natalie Fowler

Adventure Publishing's Hauntings, Horrors & Scary Ghost Stories series.

58richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 3:26 pm

363 The Awl, Vol. 1 by Gyu-Seok Choi (tr. Lynn Eskow)

Rating: 3.75* of five

The Publisher Says: The Awl is a story of ordinary folks struggling to be treated as humans.

Set in the latter half of the 2000s, against the backdrop of “Pureumi”, a fictional superstore chain in South Korea, the work unfolds with a focus on two protagonists: Yi Su-in, who has been instructed by the corporation to dismiss workers unjustly; and Gu Go-sin, a labor activist.

A man of principles, Su-in is someone who cannot restrain outspoken criticism and is constantly at odds with the world. Though he has quit a career in the armed forces to live quietly and chosen an ordinary job, he once again clashes against the world because the company has ordered him to drive out employees by force.

Aiding Su-in is Go-sin, a cool-headed and deft labor activist who runs a labor counseling center near the Pureumi chain. Unlike Su-in, who has difficulty getting along with people and sternly sticks to rules, he approaches others without hesitation and even resorts to extreme measures at times to accomplish goals.

Together, Su-in and Go-sin will oppose the manipulation and moral harassment to which the employees are cynically subjected. The process through which these two figures remind ordinary, diligent workers of their rights and bring change together will fire up readers.

Remarkable in mastery and brilliance, author Choi Gyu-seok (The Hellbound) depicts with finesse all the adventures of this shock of two worlds, and at the same time offers an amazing portrait of a complex Korean society, crossed by multiple tensions.

Proof that popular works can also be created based on social topics, The Awl has left an indelible mark on South Korean comics. Entertaining and moving at the same time, The Awl remains a monumental work in the nation’s comics, consummate in its artistry, while conveying an important social message.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I'm the target audience for this story. I had a hard time following it because my sequential-art skills are pretty poor. I'm working to get myself past that barrier, but this story challenged my determination hard. I can't get to a full four stars because if I, fully on the side of these union guys, can't keep focused, what's the less-convinced reader going to do?

It seems odd to provide the US-market reviewers with Korean language artwork.

Nonetheless, I found the story of a man in corporate slavery, I mean work, with a functional conscience and a powerful moral compass, refreshing; I appreciated the PoV of the street-tough union organizer being humanized, as well.

It's not for everyone, but the ones it's for should know it exists.

59richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 6:28 pm

364 Apsara engine by Bishakh Som

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: By turns fantastical and familiar, this graphic short story collection with South Asian roots is immersed in questions of gender, the body, and existential conformity.

Winner of the 2020 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Graphic Novel/Comics

Winner of the 2021 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Comics

Finalist for the 2021 Ferro-Grumley Literary Award for LGBTQ Fiction

The eight delightfully eerie stories in Apsara Engine are a subtle intervention into everyday reality. A woman drowns herself in a past affair, a tourist chases another guest into an unforeseen past, and a nonbinary academic researches postcolonial cartography. Imagining diverse futures and rewriting old mythologies, these comics delve into strange architectures, fetishism, and heartbreak.

Painted in rich, sepia-toned watercolors, Apsara Engine is Bishakh Som's highly anticipated debut work of fiction. Showcasing a series of fraught, darkly humorous, and seemingly alien worlds—which ring all too familiar—Som captures the weight of twenty-first-century life as we hurl ourselves forward into the unknown.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A beautiful work of South Asian-set and -themed mostly queer stories. All take place in elegantly, cleanly rendered spaces, involve women in transitional times and relationships, and stress the pleasures and/or complexities of being in the midst of Life.

these are the spreads provided for publicity use

The author's website contains much more varied artwork from the book. It is very much worth you time to view.
The stories themselves are not really interlinked, though all feel like they're meant to form something greater than the sum of their parts. If there's more than the thinnest connective tissue, though, I didn't find it. Straight people on a shoreline are surprised by merfolk accosting them; differing degrees of queer/trans people in their cells...apartments really, but cells in all the confinement senses...are the focus of the title story, one that fascinated me but never paid off in the way I was built up to expect. I think my personal favorite story was "Swandive," in which Onima...a "cartographer of trans realities" who uses her own blood to make maps, thus create art, that explains other Desi trans people to themselves.

It's not hard to see this opening a young trans person's eyes to the welcome reality that others feel the same way they do. No one in the 21st century, with all its stunning technological advances in medicine, psychology, communication should ever again feel isolated. A work like this that was created by someone deeply marginalized yet extending her hand to others, is a lifeline for a struggling trans person.

"You, as you are right now, are not alone and do not need to change to be loved" is still the most intensely powerful message you can send with this gift.

60RebaRelishesReading
Nov 30, 2025, 7:22 pm

Wow -- that's quite a list of books that I would never, ever want to read. I skipped right by the picture as quickly as I could.

Nevertheless, I hope you're having a nice Sunday :)

61richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 8:14 pm

>60 RebaRelishesReading: Which picture caused you anguish? There's a lot of 'em that could, Reba. Tomorrow's more text books but they ain't *real* easy....

62richardderus
Nov 30, 2025, 8:39 pm

NOVEMBER IN REVIEW
No one will be surprised to learn it was a great month of review-writing and -posting. You've seen the evidence. All y'all doubters *have* to realize by now my reading isn't synced with my writing. I wrote EIGHTY-TWO reviews in November. Lots of them were for pretty gift books that don't require too terribly much in the way of concentrated attention or collateral research, so that takes a lot of pressure off my brain. (Not my hands, though!)

I really, really liked Xolo, Winning the Earthquake, Fateful Hours, The Black Agenda, Igifu...multiple books I wrote about were outstanding. But, since I've now finished scheduling December, I can say with certainty that 2025's 6*-of-five read was (no surprise at all) The Remembered Soldier. The heartrending premise, the hopeful events, the incredibly sad trauma that cost Noon/Amand his past and the laborious deliberate rebuilding, reconnecting of his ideas to his sense of self...well. It was a long read, one I expect might make some feel stifled because the main character is at the mercy of a world he can't figure out his proper place within....

It is a NYT 100 Notable Books designee, it was a finalist for the National Book Award for Translated Fiction, it deserves the patient companionship and compassion of readers seeking a window into forming, discovering identity through its loss and rebuilding...trauma does not have to be war, you know. The world can, and does, do similar things to us callously and carelessly in the course of Life.

Get The Remembered Soldier into your library by requesting it, onto your e-reader by buying or borrowing it, or onto your TBR stack by haunting the sales to get a hardcover...but please, please get one and offer it your treasured eyeblinks.

63atozgrl
Nov 30, 2025, 10:19 pm

>46 richardderus: This looks interesting. I have to say that I love the quotes included in the publisher's blurb.

>51 richardderus: If I knew some high school age kids interested in science, I would pick this one up for them. It fits with one of the segments on 60 Minutes tonight. They reported on a program called iGEM which gets high schoolers doing advanced science projects that are pretty incredible. It's in Georgia, and they were trying to expand it to high schools across the state. They had federal funding but the Trump administration cut it, claiming DEI. Really? It's science, not DEI. And as the story made clear, China is beating our pants off when it comes to science education. Do we really want China to get so far ahead of us in science and medicine? They're killing the future of the US, not just in science, but that failure will also damage the economy. End of rant, sorry.

64EBT1002
Dec 1, 2025, 12:28 am

I will find a copy of The Remembered Soldier. Thanks for the strong nudge.

65richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 7:53 am

>63 atozgrl: No apology needed for the rant, with which I fully agree. It's depressing to watch the darkest, ugliest part of the public zeitgeist screw their own kids and grands and niblings.

Well. Tech will save us, in spite of a generation of evidence to the contrary.

I loved the pigeons as flying concrete image! It's a really interesting collection. I like the art, too, and enjoyed his daughter being his collaborator.

66richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 7:54 am

>64 EBT1002: I'm so glad, Ellen. If I'm going to hit you with a book bullet, I'd rather it was this one.

67richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 8:00 am

365 The aquatics by Osvalde Lewat (tr. Maren Baudet-Lackner)

Via Cameroon by way of Coffee House Press comes this translated tale of brutal violence. It is, always has been, the world's norm for Others.

68richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 8:04 am

366 The six loves of James I by Gareth Russell

Atria Books brought this new English analysis of the royal life, frankly opposing historical homophobia...and also queer-identity appropriation by overeager moderns.

69alcottacre
Dec 1, 2025, 8:41 am

I am tired today, Richard, and skipping all the reviews right now. I will be back later to check them all out. . .

I hope you have a marvelous Monday!

70richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 8:55 am

>68 richardderus: Morning, Stasia...I hope this is a normal tired not a CFS tired.

See you when you've rested! *smooch*

71Storeetllr
Dec 1, 2025, 11:11 am

Happy Monday after the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Richard. You got me with both >50 richardderus: and >51 richardderus:, both of them for myself, even though I've left high school far behind. I'll also check out The Remembered Soldier, though the library doesn't offer an audio version.

72richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 12:26 pm

>71 Storeetllr: Oh gosh Mary, it's a really long book...best ask the library to get one on audio.

*smooch*

73RebaRelishesReading
Dec 1, 2025, 12:52 pm

>61 richardderus: I'm not sure any more which one it was -- I agree there are many candidates and I don't want to go back and dwell on it :)

74richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 1:07 pm

367 Pigeons!: A Fable For Our Times by Marc Chalvin

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A contemporary political allegory of power, to remind us of the dangers of following a dictator and surrendering your freedom.

Life is simple for the pigeons. They have no desire to contemplate their future or take control of it. Free from responsibility, they are all too willing to submit to a strong authority. This is precisely what a cruel and power-hungry crow was waiting for—a perfect opportunity to wield his natural talents as a tyrant. The crow enforces law and order, but also terror and arbitrary rules. Everyone seems to accept this situation—or maybe, they are too scared to resist. Until an idealistic seagull steps in, determined to challenge the system through debate and free elections.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I really think everything I could say would be superfluous...if you wonder, like me, WHY people choose authoritarian social orders with such alacrity and frequency, this is your answer. Only told with sequential artwork, featuring pigeons.

Now look at the art.

I could go on, the publisher's been very generous with art for publicity, but I feel my point is made. Wisecracking birds in thrall to an authoritarian bird might make some of this make some sense.

Mostly I think the graphic-novel medium will let some messages slide through your at-risk young male giftee's defenses. It sure as hell can't hurt, it's cheap as a psychic inoculation against authoritarian/fascist bullshit goes.

75humouress
Dec 1, 2025, 1:36 pm

Happy new thread Richard!

76karenmarie
Dec 1, 2025, 1:42 pm

Hello RD! Happy Monday to you.

>49 richardderus: You just want me to spend money, I know. Your self esteem taking a beating? In what universe? *smile*

>51 richardderus: Ugh. Bugs and critters. Fast scroll…

And, as Reba says, Wow -- that's quite a list of books that I would never, ever want to read.

Except for >68 richardderus:, due out tomorrow. Onto the wish list it goes.

*smooch*

77richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 2:01 pm

>75 humouress: Thanks, Nina, and welcome!

78klobrien2
Edited: Dec 1, 2025, 2:03 pm

Happy Monday. Richard, and have a very happy new thread!

I made note of the "Oh No They Didn't" books from your previous thread, and I think I know a few youngsters who might like those books. Thanks for the reviews!

Karen O

79richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 2:07 pm

>76 karenmarie: Bugs and critters bothering you?! Country-dwelling you who feeds the Rodentia and the aviformes?! Ha! It is to laugh!

>68 richardderus: will delight you when you read it...he's so commonsensical and so ready to say "that's stupid" to prejudice. It was a real treat to read.

Happy Monda, happy December, Horrible (despite your cruel drubbings to my sense of self).
*smooch*

80richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 2:09 pm

>78 klobrien2: Merry Yuletide month, Karen O.! I hope Eric Huang's books do the trick!

81richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 2:11 pm

368 My Sweet Orange Tree by Jose Mauro de Vasconcelos (tr. Alison Entrekin)

Pushkin Children's Books classic from Brazil...utterly charming!

82richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 2:17 pm

369 Witch, Healer, Priestess, Outcast: Divine feminine archetypes for modern life (The Divine Feminine) by Julie Peters

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A Journey Through the Divine Feminine Archetypes of Goddesses and Mythic Figures

In Witch, Healer, Priestess, Outcast, explore original retellings of mythic figures and goddesses from around the world, discovering how to embrace both the dark and light aspects of life. Learn how embodying the power of witches, healers, priestesses, and outcasts can help you navigate your deepest emotions, reclaim your place in a fast-paced world, and bring new meaning to your experiences.

Drawing inspiration from the ancient tradition of oral storytelling, uncover forgotten figures whose tales may have been lost to time, yet have much to teach us about what it means to live as a woman fully empowered. Witch, Healer, Priestess, Outcast shines a new light on these lost figures, while offering fresh perspectives on those we know well. Each story is a chance to be inspired, and through guided meditations, you'll learn how to integrate that inspiration into your life.

Embrace the Divine Energy of Healing: Connect with an ancient lineage that honours the feminine power to nurture and heal.

Discover the Magick of Feminine Power: Explore the stories of Hekate and Morgan Le Fay to gain fresh insights into the enduring power of women—and how it has often been misunderstood.

Practical Exercises for Daily Growth: Integrate the power of the goddesses into your life with guided meditations that deepen your connection to each story's message and help you embody their transformative energy.

Step into your own divine power, awaken the wisdom of the goddesses, and begin your transformative journey today.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: No, I don't believe in magic, or gods/powers/spirits as forces in the material world...if they're real, why's there so much awful crap happening (as there always is and always has been)? This is called the Problem of Evil. No one's posited an answer that survives the question.

This does not mean I'm not open to learning wisdom, however it's dressed, from those who came before us. The persistence of stories in the world means the best way to communicate wisdom is via that medium. Stories work best with clear characters, real conflicts, and resolutions to those conflicts...no matter how ambiguous. Read my review of The Swerve, or better still, the book.

This book's all-female archetypes of wisdom are handsomely represented in artwork, well-chosen to demonstrate the author's desired celebrated qualities:

The introductory matter, simple and concise, tells us we're going to go deep into the world of women's experiences, archetypes, and the wisdoms these impart. As the span of (recorded) history is mostly the record of misogyny and repression, that doesn't sound cheery.

It is, and it isn't. Without sugarcoating or avoiding the violence meted out by men, the images are gynocentric and the wisdom positive and constructive. Your young wiccan, budding feminist with a spiritual bent, or simply young woman void of course can use this book for encouragement, for assistance, and for the many pleasures of a beautiful object on its own.

Let's enjoy the art:

the loa get a look-in!

the Irish, too

mediterranean myths, anyone?

nordic ladies, here you go

Conclusions to be drawn...an inviting and trenchant way to absorb the wisdom of the women who keep the world running.

83richardderus
Dec 1, 2025, 4:07 pm

370 Wild Wonders: The Untamed and Enigmatic Animals that Inhabit Yellowstone National Park by Julia Cook

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Wild Wonders is an awe-inspiring, photographic tour of the wildlife of Yellowstone National Park, featuring fascinating facts about the creatures and details about where they can be found in the park.

Embark on a captivating journey through the lens of a young and talented woman photographer as she unveils the untamed creatures of Yellowstone National Park.

This stunning collection of wildlife photography is not just a visual feast but an informative guide to the 67 incredible creatures that call Yellowstone home. From the awe-inspiring battles of bighorn sheep to the social dynamics of a wolf pack, Wild Wonders provides you with a comprehensive understanding of, and deeper appreciation for, the wildlife you encounter.

Planning a visit to Yellowstone? This book is your ultimate companion, providing insights into where and when to find these animals within the park. Whether it’s the Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, or the shores of Yellowstone Lake, you’ll be equipped to witness these incredible moments.

In addition to having a diversity of small animals, Yellowstone is notable for its predator–prey complex of large mammals, including eight ungulate species and seven large predators. Immerse yourself in the the world of Yellowstone with breathtaking photographs of animals like:

Bighorn sheep

Bison

Elk

Moose

Mountain goats

Mule deer

Black and grizzly bears

Red foxes

Coyotes

Pika

Beavers

And more!

Take in the stunning images any time you need to reconnect with nature and experience the beauty of the great outdoors. Or, share the magic of Yellowstone’s wildlife with friends and family—Wild Wonders is a perfect gift for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and national parks enthusiasts.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: It's astounding to me this book is not topping the sales charts as we get to the Yule gift-giving orgy. It is beautiful; it is timely, being about nature's glories that climate change has out under threat; it is by a talented young woman on a mission. Here is her bio, as provided by the publisher:

Julia Cook is a wildlife photographer and conservationist based in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem of Wyoming. Growing up in Cody, Wyoming, less than an hour from Yellowstone National Park, Julia developed a love for nature at an early age, eventually leading her to pick up wildlife photography as a creative outlet. Julia graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2023 with a B.S. in Environment and Natural Resources and a B.A. in History, with human wildlife conflicts and the history of conservation practices in Yellowstone being a particular area of focus throughout her studies. Now working full-time as a wildlife photographer, Julia spends most of her free time in the field photographing various species of wildlife, though grizzly bears are a favorite. Other hobbies include drawing, hiking, fishing, and camping. Julia’s overall goal in photography is to capture impactful images of native wildlife to promote wildlife conservation while inspiring others to spend meaningful time in nature. Julia is also dedicated to ethical wildlife photography to keep wildlife wild and allow them to behave naturally without interference.

What are you waiting for? Go get one! Put it on your coffee table, gift it to your camping/outdoorsy giftee, give it to the grandkid/nibling/teen girl looking for a way to get into STEM fields...nothing like seeing what someone like you has already done to get you moving yourownself.

You want to see some pretty pictures?

grizzly bears are a.maz.ing animals

wolves, otters, beaver, and moose are as well

That's just *one* of Yellowstone's biomes she's put in this book. I'm eager for everyone to go look at this beautiful object, and put it in the hands of someone who will love and delight in it. Like I do, and I think you will.

This image is the one I fell hardest for:

Bison, majestic, gloriously hardy animals we almost exterminated; bringing them back has made me proud to be human, again.

84vancouverdeb
Dec 2, 2025, 1:34 am

Happy New Thread, and Happy December, Richard!

85richardderus
Dec 2, 2025, 7:16 am

>84 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, and thanks! December orisons back at'cha.

86msf59
Dec 2, 2025, 7:16 am

>57 richardderus: Jessica Freeburg? Wow! I very rarely come across an unknown Freeburg, especially with that exact spelling. I may have to do a little research...

87richardderus
Dec 2, 2025, 7:40 am

>86 msf59: I've got her bio provided by the publisher:
Jessica Freeburg is an author, history nerd, and researcher of the unexplained. She has written graphic novels, paranormal fiction, and nonfiction focused on creepy legends and dark moments from history. As the founder of Ghost Stories Ink, Jessica has performed paranormal investigations at reportedly haunted locations across the US. She has appeared in documentaries and shows on such networks as the Travel Channel and Amazon Prime and can often be heard cohosting the popular podcast Darkness Radio.

Maybe she's a relative? All Derus named persons are some degree of kin....

88richardderus
Dec 2, 2025, 7:44 am

After last Tuesday's poor blog performance, I'm taking the Tuesdays of each week off during #Booksgiving. A few more on other days will keep the books I wanted to feature in front of y'all's eyes.

89karenmarie
Dec 2, 2025, 8:22 am

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Tuesday to you.

>79 richardderus: Most bugs bother me, some critters. I do not like mice or voles in my house, but I am perfectly content for them to inhabit our land. And, of course, birds are a joy to watch.

I just listened to most of the Audible preview, and I’m going to have to decide whether I can decipher his Northern Irish burr easily enough to listen without having to translate as I listen.

Drubbings? I was being complimentary, of course.

>83 richardderus: Possibly a Christmas gift for friend Karen, who lives near the western entrance to Yellowstone in Belgrade.

Book sort and Virlie’s today…

*smooch*

90richardderus
Dec 2, 2025, 9:20 am

>89 karenmarie: Ooooh, MTK seems likely to love >83 richardderus:! It's a fascinating book with pretty pickchures as a bonus.

I hope Gareth Russell woos you in, the story of James is well worth learning. Have a lovely time fondling the books, and enjoy the lunch at Virlie's! *smooch*

91jnwelch
Dec 2, 2025, 6:42 pm

Happy New Thread, amigo.

My mind is thoroughly boggled by all the reviews of graphic books with example illustrations. I’m flabbergabbled.

I will say that I enjoyed them all. The publishers sending you arcs and drcs need to do a better job of getting their books into (my) libraries, e.g. Bios in Search of Zoe and Apsara. I did have success with The Crystal Heart and The Day Moon and Earth Had an Argument.

92richardderus
Edited: Dec 2, 2025, 6:55 pm

>91 jnwelch: I'm so glad you're enjoying the blast of color, Joe! More to come, though my Tuesdays are now void-of-course (astrologically speaking) since no one visited my blog last week's Tuesday, so there's reshuffling happening to get All skatey-eight squillion reviews into the other days....

PS: request the ones you can't find, libraries don't like buying stuff on spec as much as they do knowing power users like you want {thing}.

93richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 7:16 am

371 Black salt queen by Samantha Bansil

A Bindery imprint's Filipino-folklore inspired fantasy.

94karenmarie
Dec 3, 2025, 9:59 am

‘Morning, RDear! Happiest of Wednesdays to you.

>90 richardderus: I’m closer to being wooed by the Gareth Russell… I'm now up to visualizing myself in my SUV listening to it. Book sort was short, Virlie’s was longer and much fun.

>93 richardderus: Successfully dodged, and your review was wonderful.

*smooch*

95richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 10:03 am

372 BEFORE I FORGET by TORY HENWOOD HOEN

St. Martin's Press released a poignant, pleasingly honest trip through parental dementia in this book. Many stars and some fireworks celebrating this read!

96richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 10:08 am

373 MY NAME MEANS FIRE: A Memoir by ATASH YAGHMAIAN

An unflinching examination of the selves who saved the author...developing dissociative identity disorder is always rooted in trauma.

97richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 10:15 am

>94 karenmarie: Morning, Horrible! I'm glad your Tuesday was as good as usual. I'm hoping today will do as much for you.

What?! You can resist a sapphic-inflected romantic story set in a fantasy Philippines?! Go know from this shock twist! And thanks...you're kind to read it despite it being dusted with anthrax literarium for you. *smooch*

98figsfromthistle
Dec 3, 2025, 10:17 am

Happy mid week, Richard!

Always nice to drop by and see what great books you have been reading.

99richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 10:19 am

374 PANDORA by ANA PAULA PACHECO and translated by Julia Sanches

Transit Books brought this to us, we're starting to see Plague Reads to explain our trauma to us.

100richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 10:20 am

>98 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita! I hope some have tempted you....

101richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 10:22 am

375 Ever Since We Small by Celeste Mohammed

I seldom review books before they come out...this time I want to because it needs your attention!

102richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 11:03 am

The New York Times 10 Best Books of 2025 list for free!

103LizzieD
Dec 3, 2025, 12:29 pm

Richard, I come faithfully every day, and every day but this one, I'm called away before I speak. Even now, I'm rushing, BUT!!! I want everybody to know that
>93 richardderus: Black Salt Queen is available on Kindle for $3.99. It's downloading to mine at this very minute. The others will have to wait, but all except possibly Pandora go straight to the wish list. Thank you! *smooch*

104RebaRelishesReading
Dec 3, 2025, 2:18 pm

Those sound like a lot of very impressive, but quite difficult, books. Not sure I'm up to them right now.

105richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 2:41 pm

>103 LizzieD: I'm glad you're going to try out >93 richardderus:, Peggy me lurve. I think you'll really enjoy it. Not so >99 richardderus:, which in my opinion should be left off your list. She's workin' the Kafka seam in the story mine and I don't see that as your preferred mineral.

>101 richardderus: might want to wait for a stretch where you won't feel pressured to finish it....

*smooch*

106richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 2:43 pm

>104 RebaRelishesReading: The beauty is you're aware of them now, so a little bell might go off when you see the title next...they'll still All be there if/when you're ready, Reba. xo

107RebaRelishesReading
Dec 3, 2025, 4:31 pm

>106 richardderus: Indeed, Richard, indeed. Hope you're having a good one!

108richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 5:45 pm

>107 RebaRelishesReading: I'm cold, but I call that good, so yeah!

109alcottacre
Dec 3, 2025, 6:16 pm

You are posting far too many beautiful pictures and wonderful books, Richard! The BlackHole is swelling. . .

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today

110richardderus
Dec 3, 2025, 7:10 pm

>109 alcottacre: *gleeful handrubs*

How lovely, Stasia!

111msf59
Dec 4, 2025, 7:41 am

Man, you sure know how to pick 'em. You got me with My name means fire : a memoir and Before I forget. My problem, is keeping track of all these BBs. How far in advance do you read these e-galleys, before publication? I like to read them very close to the release date but that's my thing.

Sweet Thursday, Richard.

112alcottacre
Dec 4, 2025, 7:57 am

>110 richardderus: Yeah, you are a bad man, Richard. You should be abject on adding so many to the BlackHole. . .

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today!

113richardderus
Dec 4, 2025, 8:31 am

>111 msf59: Morning, Mark...I read DRCs as much as a year before they come out, and am trying to get closer to writing them up very close, either side, to publication. I don't know how I'd stay a mood-reader if I tried to sync up my reading with pub dates...seems improbable they'd ever match, and reading against mood is *mis*er*able*.

114richardderus
Dec 4, 2025, 8:33 am

>112 alcottacre: "Bad"? Moi? I merely comment in a manner I attempt to make entertaining upon the passing scene.

If you step into range and get book-bulleted, well, I didn't force you to, did I? *eville chuckle*

118karenmarie
Dec 4, 2025, 9:48 am

‘Morning RD! Happy Thursday to you.

>95 richardderus: I’ve made a note about this – I might choose it for my book club book for our 2026-2027 book club year.

>96 richardderus: I’m still traumatized by reading Sybil in my early 20s. I’ve just read more about her and her life and the possible (probable?) misdiagnosis and fraud. Sigh. Regardless, I need to pass on this one.

>99 richardderus: Oh my. It’s a strange week for me if I don’t have something jar a Covid memory from me. I guess I don’t need fiction to keep it (unhappily) fresh. I don’t want hard, I don’t want confrontational. However, your review of what seems to be a deeply disturbing book is thoughtful and gorgeous, as always.

>101 richardderus: Pass, O aimer of BBs. Short stories, you know.

>102 richardderus: I’m impressed by my perfect record of not having read a single one. *shrug*

>115 richardderus: The short story titles are intriguing but not enough to overcome The Pass.

>116 richardderus: Just the Publisher description gives me the heebie-jeebies. If I can’t get a handle on a book by how it’s described, how can I possibly understand the book? And, I really really do not like to feel dumb when I’ve finished a book.

>117 richardderus: I successfully avoided every single review since the last time I posted. Okay, one’s noted for next year’s book club, but otherwise, success! Except for this one, which is only $3.82 plus tax on Amazon and is now in my Audible collection.

*smooch*

119richardderus
Dec 4, 2025, 10:48 am

>118 karenmarie: Morning, o destroyer of my ego, Psychology Shiva, Durga at her most elementally cruel. >117 richardderus: slid past your book-Kevlar on price, but I'll gratefully accept what crumbs I'm tossed.

I think >95 richardderus: is the perfect book-club read because the prose goes down so easy and still says such impactful things. And yeah, avoid >116 richardderus: like it gots the cooties, it'll break your brain trying to get past his organizationally-challenged narrative style.

I Long ago accepted you won't read a short story absent powerful threatening by forces impossible to resist. I feel the same about *shudder* poetry, so why not indulge you in your inalienable right to be utterly wrong?

*smooch*

120LizzieD
Dec 4, 2025, 12:18 pm

>116 richardderus: Yes, please, but not now, please.

>117 richardderus: I would have said a qualified no except that I lapped up Travis McGee back in my storied youth. That's another for just not now since I am overwhelmed. Next year I will NOT care about getting to 75 and absolutely read what I want.

*smooch* Stay warm!

121richardderus
Dec 4, 2025, 2:10 pm

>120 LizzieD: Next year I will NOT care about getting to 75 and absolutely read what I want.
...if you say so, dear...

Salvagia was fun and all, but really it can wait until there's one at the library. *smooch*

122msf59
Dec 5, 2025, 7:54 am

Morning, Richard. Currently 10F. I keep reminding myself, that on Sunday afternoon, we will be in the Rivera Maya Cancun, soaking up that sunshine and those luscious temps. Nice time for a getaway.

There has been some chatter about story collections- I highly recommend Good and Evil and Other Stories by
Samanta Schweblin. It is still lingering with me. Maybe you can track it down.

123alcottacre
Dec 5, 2025, 7:57 am

I am here again, although I do not know why. *sigh* You are adding far too many books to the BlackHole these days!

((Hugs)) and **smooches** and hopes that you have a fantastic Friday!

124richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 8:41 am

379 The Little Wild Library: Hawthorn: Simple things to do with the plants around you. by Clare Gogerty

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Throughout the year, the hawthorn tree gives shelter to birds, and then feeds them into the fall with its vibrant red berries. Steeped in myth, the hawthorn is a magical tree. In The Little Wild Library: Hawthorn, discover how to make the most of this ancient and useful tree, with recipes and makes to try throughout the year.

Introducing The Little Wild Library: Hawthorn—a captivating pocket-sized guide to the magical and practical hawthorn tree. Known for its frothy white blossoms in spring and vibrant red berries in autumn, the hawthorn is a beloved tree that provides shelter, food, and enchantment throughout the year. From the moment its blossoms appear in May, to the fall when its berries brighten the hedgerow, this book reveals how to forage, craft, and cook with this ancient tree, all while uncovering its deep roots in myth and folklore.

Whether you're new to foraging or looking to connect with the ancient plants of the hedgerow, The Little Wild Library: Hawthorn is the perfect introduction to this magical tree. With its blend of practical foraging advice, seasonal projects, and enchanting folklore, this guide will inspire you to embrace the hawthorn’s many gifts and explore the natural world around you.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: While this book is aimed squarely at the European hawthorn species...multiple...the North American hawthorns don't appear to be all that different from theirs, and grow quite widely around the entire US.

I'd check all this out with my state's agriculture department

practical advice for not getting speared by the thorns

dowsing...sure, why not

comestibles, pretty to look at

comestible, very practical but kinda homely

Everything about hawthorns is appealing to me; I've smelled them and seen them dressed in their spring finery, and looked at the pretty leaves the rest of the year. Anything that will garner more positive notice of them seems to me to be a very good thing indeed.

An inexpensive gift item for an outdoorsy giftee; someone concerned about how to live off the land; and a lover of pretty things to keep around to lift one's spirits.

125richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 8:48 am

>122 msf59: I remember her name, but not why I remember it...I'll go look that one up, "thanks" Birddude.

It won't break freezing here, but it won't go very much below it either...it's January out there.

126richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 8:49 am

>123 alcottacre: *eville chortle*

My wicked, wicked ways are on the up.

127richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 9:05 am

380 The Little Wild Library: Elder: Simple things to do with the plants around you. by Clare Gogerty

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: A favourite of foragers, the Elder tree is the very essence of summer, with frothy blooms emerging in the late spring and filling the hedges and pathways with a glorious fragrance. As the seasons turn, the elderberry comes into its own, a delicious food for humans and animals alike, bursting with vitality and an excellent source of vitamin C.

In The Little Wild Library: Elder, discover how to make the most of this beautiful tree, with recipes and makes to try throughout the year. Once you've found your favourite elder, come back as the seasons change and find new things to do with your foraged treasure—from edible treats to useful tinctures. Beginner-friendly, the elder is the perfect plant for those new to foraging to get to know—with easy-to-follow recipes for favourite makes such as the delicate and romantic elderflower champagne.

Learn how to identify the elder amidst its hedgerow friends from the comprehensive botanical information included, and take this pocket-sized book out on foraging adventures to help spot the elder blossom bursting forth in the spring sunshine—though you'll be sure to catch its heavenly scent before you see it! As fall arrives, return to your favourite elder and gather the elderberries that shine brightly from its branches. Through the book, learn about the history of the elder, and discover some of the myths, legends, and folklore attached to this beautiful plant.

The perfect beginner's guide to foraging, in a handy pocket-sized format, The Little Wild Library: Elder will reveal the secrets of the hedgerow and inspire those new to foraging to experiment and explore the beautiful plants around them.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A gorgeous gift item. I think it's got its heart in the right place, offering sensible and whimsical alternatives to simply seeing—and smelling in this case—these startlingly lovely trees. Any of your herbalist giftees, your young hiking enthusiasts who need a reason to slow down, or really any crafting/canning/foraging enthusiast will appreciate how lovely it is.

start with basics for best results

passing on the lore

helps to know how to start

never heard of pontack before? me neither, sounds like the make of my first car

never thought of frying flowers before

A beautiful, inexpensive object is a good thing to have in your pocket at Yuletide.
never thought of frying flowers before

A beautiful, inexpensive object is a good thing to have in your pocket at Yuletide.

128richardderus
Edited: Dec 5, 2025, 9:28 am

381 The Little Wild Library: Wild Rose: Simple things to do with the plants around you. by Clare Gogerty

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Peeking out of hedgerows and spilling a beautiful scent, the wild rose is one of the most charming wild plants to find. A favourite of bees when the flowers are in bloom, its vibrant red rosehips are a much needed burst of colour as fall turns to winter and the landscape darkens.

In The Little Wild Library: Wild Rose, discover how to make the most of this beautiful plant, with recipes and makes to try throughout the year. Once you've found your favourite wild rose, come back as the seasons change and find new things to do with your foraged treasure—from edible treats to useful tinctures. Discover recipes that make use of robust and plump rosehips that decorate the branches in autumn, and return in the spring to forage and gather petals and flowers to explore new ways to use this most ancient of roses. All the recipes and makes are beginner friendly, making it easier and more fulfilling to engage with the natural world and form a connection to the plants and flowers that decorate our lives.

Learn how to identify the wild rose amidst its hedgerow friends from the comprehensive botanical information included, and take this pocket-sized book out on foraging adventures to help spot the rosa canina waving merrily on a spring breeze, or brightening a dull fall afternoon. Through the book, learn about the history of the wild rose, including how it got its name, and discover some of the myths, legends, and folklore attached to this beautiful plant.

The perfect beginner's guide to foraging, in a handy pocket-sized format, The Little Wild Library: Wild Rose will reveal the secrets of the hedgerow and inspire those new to foraging to experiment and explore the beautiful plants around them.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Foraging roses...sounds sacreligious, doesn't it, the way roses occupy such a central place in modern gardening. Wild roses do not resemble their cultivated cousins. Never forget that the source of every apple you've ever eaten came from that time in Kazakhstan that a horny meadowsweet got a nearby wild rose pregnant.

anything that smells this good has folklore

foraging without pain

the hips are very useful

edibles all look so pink!

smellables are really pink, too

I'd never thought of making, or drinking, rose-petal vodka ever even once; nor had making confetti from rose petals so much as creased my cranium.

This is a beautiful, inexpensive book for the floral fan in your gifting circle.

129richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 9:43 am

382 Turning to birds : a memoir in essays by Lili Taylor

130richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 9:47 am

383 The girl in the middle : a recovered history of the American West by Martha A. Sandweiss

131richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 9:58 am

384 Topp: Promoter Gary Topp Brought Us the World by David Collier

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: As with all of Collier's work, his latest graphic novel is a combination of memoir and biography. This time, he explores his involvement in the cultural landscape of Toronto in the 1970s and 80s, specifically focusing on the life of Gary Topp, a concert promoter and founder of the pioneering Canadian repertory cinema.

Topp emerged from an immigrant background, abandoned the family textile business, and became an influential figure in the lives of an entire community. He was also Collier's first boss and mentor. Though outspoken and opinionated, Gary Topp inspired love and devotion, not only in those who worked for him, but also in the acts he booked—including the Ramones, The Police, and the Dixie Chicks.

This graphic novel looks at a rapidly disappearing past and uses Topp's ability to see beyond the mainstream for a look at where our culture is heading.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I feel old. Everything in this graphic novel took place, not just in my lifetime, but during my adulthood.

And it's fading history! This is the dim, distant past to the crowd most likely to buy a graphic novel. I'm gonna go shout at some clouds.

Anyway. I'm not from Toronto, but I feel a lot more aware of the reach of punk, and of weird 70s films, and the pervasive, why didn't I see it then, dissatisfaction of young men with the world. The thing about dissatisfaction is, it can be manipulated and redirected by those as observant and savvy as Topp was; often enough for wicked, nasty purposes. Neatly explaining today.

Each panel is an episode in the ongoing story, so it can be browsed without fear of losing the plot threads. Ain't none. I must say I'm lukewarm at best on the art...very appropriate to the period and milieu, though.

I got a few more samples; I don't think you're in any doubt about your feelings for the art by now, so I'll stop here.

Your too-cool-for-school nibling might enjoy seeing how it was done; any oldster punk-rock scenesters might feel nostalgic and dewy-eyed; comic book fans might like a graphic memoir about the edges of fame. It was a decent read.

132richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 10:56 am

385 Birth of a Hippie: A Graphic Memoir (The Chronicles of a Back-to-the-Lander, 1) by JoDee Samuelson

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Birth of a Hippie is a heartfelt graphic memoir that begins in the Prairies, as JoDee Samuelson, the youngest daughter of a Baptist minister―begins to search for her place in the world. Through her enchanting illustrations and witty storytelling, JoDee chronicles life on the Canadian prairies. Ultimately JoDee’s journey takes her from Alberta to Prince Edward Island.

In telling her story, JoDee blends humor, heart, and introspection. Birth of a Hippie recounts JoDee’s coming of age story from Prairie girl to be an independent spirit, back-to-the-lander, and health-food pioneer in a small Island on the East Coast. This graphic novel explores themes of family, identity, and self-discovery―offering an intimate glimpse into the life of a woman finding her place in an ever-changing world.

Perfect for fans of LGBTQ2+ narratives and those interested in the history of the back-to-the-land movement, Birth of a Hippie is both a personal story and a universal exploration of roots, resilience, and belonging.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Giving new life to the old nostrum "there ain't nobody here but us chickens" is the best, quietest moment of humor in Author JoDee's graphic memoir...her life is a journey from mainstream religiosity to self-acceptance of her sexuality, to the world of those who believe in living with instead of off Nature's gifts.

What made this a more-than-usually good sequential-art read for me is that I'm of the author's generation. The story is one I'm much in sympathy with as a result. The aesthetics are familiar to me, being those of the old underground comix scene. I'm in sympathy with Author JoDee's journey out of an environment of prescribed roles and thought into one that is exciting. is dynamic, tries new things and invents stuff for itself.

A young dyke, a back-to-the-lander, a questing, questioning ecowarrior, are all good giftees for the book. Also, old folks feeling like the past is the place to be, or just nostalgic for a vanished kind of optimism could use an inoculation against feeling forgotten.

You get the idea. I'm charmed, and suspect I'd be charmed by Author JoDee as well. I felt a bit off the five-star rating because there were moments I did not understand why we were cutting to or away from a scene; it could easily be me, since I'm not native to the sequential-art audience.

Getting one for old Aunt Lynne might prove to be the best gift this Yule.

133karenmarie
Dec 5, 2025, 11:14 am

‘Morning, RDear! Builder up of your ego, definitely Psychology Mahadevi.

Organizationally-challenged narrative style avoidance, aye.

You make me laugh. Short story ban and poetry ban. I have some short story collections that I love, always by favorite authors. Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, even Lee Child. I’ve got 84 books of the beasts, and I’ve read 30 of them.

You’re aware, too, that I dislike most poetry. Only EE Cummings’ poems consistently break the ‘not rhyming’ ban I’ve set. I’ve got 124 books of poetry, 30 of them read, although quite a few of the ones I’ve read are multiple copies of the same title. And thus the lesson endeth.

>124 richardderus: They’re native to NC, but I haven’t seen one to know it. Bill could use it as a dowsing rod – for some reason when we built here he dowsed within 100 feet of where we eventually had the well dug with a powerful tug even I saw.

I would consider getting several for the area around the house here as shelter for birds. Thanks for the reminder of their gorgeousness, but I’ll pass on the book.

>127 richardderus: and >128 richardderus: Pass, thank you for the reviews and pictures.

>129 richardderus: I adore watching birds here at the house and yet… I have never really been interested in people writing about their experiences with birds. I think Mark loaned me a memoir one time, but I can’t remember specifically. Ah well. Another pass, although the author is truly a Renaissance woman.

>130 richardderus: Tempting, but no. Even with the bait of some...unusual...thoughts the author had about the nature of photography....

>131 richardderus: You dislike poetry, I mostly dislike short stories. You like GNs, I dislike them. So, pass.

Whew! Avoided BBs again.

*smooch*

134magicians_nephew
Dec 5, 2025, 12:29 pm

>132 richardderus: Nice to see you reading and reviewing some of the great new Graphic Novels out there, Richard.

135richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 12:36 pm

386 Sisters of the Jungle: The Trailblazing Women Who Shaped the Study of Wild Primates by Keriann McGoogan

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Sisters of the Jungle explores the history of primatology, a rare scientific discipline led primarily by women, from pioneers like Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey to author Keriann McGoogan’s own adventurous field studies.

Since the 1970s, the science of primatology has been dominated by women—a unique reversal, as men usually outnumber women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

Today, one of those women is primatologist Keriann McGoogan, who has traveled to the far corners of the earth in search of wild primates. In Sisters of the Jungle, McGoogan combines stories about her own studies of howler monkeys (the loudest living primate) and lemurs (the most endangered group of animals on the planet) with those of the women who paved the way: intrepid scientists like Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Biruté Galdikas, and Alison Jolly who broke boundaries, made astonishing discoveries and ultimately shaped the trajectory of an entire branch of science.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Women in STEM are only going to increase in numbers as "AI" (currently sophisticated LLMs not the AGI the tech scum are swearing is weeks away) becomes The Threat to Manhood the clique will worry about. Suddenly a human with ovaries won't get so much flak.

Such is my prediction, anyway.

The women who founded the concept of modern primatology are the subject of the memoir-cum-biography. The author's degrees are inspired by these foremothers of the field. After her first book, a memoir of her time in Madagascar researching lemurs, it seemed to be only right to discuss the founders of the current practices in primatology that are returning such excellent results. It pays huge dividends to stand on the shoulders of giants.

My desire to read this book was mainly to see if I could recommend it...was it too wonky, for professionals only, was it too chatty, for celebrity seekers only...none of the above, thankfully. It is a surface treatment of the lives and accomplishments, in the teeth of great opposition, of the multiple women who spent careers...lives...in pursuit of knowledge about humanity's last living cousins.

contents page

We're all indebted to these researchers for the many insights into the reality of being human that our primate family members have given us. Six women whose determination, passion, and intelligence have made our entire world both bigger in scope and brighter in affect.

our subjects of study doing their thing

There are always foregoers, frontrunners, trailblazers to thank for any truly revolutionary advance in any field. We're lucky to have had these women's contributions. Their enrichment of the world led to some media attention:

...that has paid dividends as well as extracted prices.
It is not too much to say that following their examples is a gift to give the world. I'm suggesting you show the young women in your life that it can be done because it has been done.

136LizzieD
Dec 5, 2025, 12:39 pm

I agree with both Karen and Jim, except that I do enjoy poetry when I make time to sit down and read carefully or I read (and maybe memorize) something where the rhythm swings.
Time to leave this friendly place again. *smooch*

137richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 12:42 pm

>133 karenmarie: *broken sobbing*

...not...even...one...

I shall Manfully Persevere in my attempts on your TBR. Be warnèd!

I'm no big lover of the GN, honestly, it's just that I keep trying to get myself not to ossify into immovable Lines in the Sand because that way Death lies. The number I simply abandon as unreadable is epic. Only poetry is hard for me even to attempt because it's so twee and self-aggrandizing. Yuck.

*smooch*

138richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 12:43 pm

>134 magicians_nephew: It's an effort, Jim, and not one I feel rewarded by at the best of times. It's just worth doing to do it as an exercise. I wish I liked it. I just don't much.

139klobrien2
Dec 5, 2025, 1:09 pm

>129 richardderus: Turning to Birds looks great—great review!

Have a lovely weekend!

Karen O

140richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 2:29 pm

>139 klobrien2: Thank you most kindly, Karen O.! Enjoy your weekend-ahead's reads.

141jessibud2
Dec 5, 2025, 4:00 pm

>135 richardderus: - Ok, you got me with this one!

142richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 5:24 pm

>141 jessibud2: I'm really glad, Shelley!

143PaulCranswick
Dec 5, 2025, 7:13 pm

A LOT of colourful books getting done over here, RD.

Have a great weekend, dear fellow.

144richardderus
Dec 5, 2025, 8:06 pm

>143 PaulCranswick: Thanks, PC, to you as well!

145atozgrl
Dec 5, 2025, 11:24 pm

>130 richardderus: This one is already on my Amazon wishlist. I added it in May, but I no longer remember where it came to my attention. Maybe on one of the CSPAN book shows? Thanks for the review, it confirms that it's a book worth pursuing.

146richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 8:05 am

>145 atozgrl: Oh good, Irene! I'd bet it was a CSPAN show, she had a minor flurry of appearances when it was newly published.

I'm quite pleased because Princeton republished the link to my review a couple times on Bluesky! Saturday orisons, and thanks for visiting.

147msf59
Dec 6, 2025, 8:20 am

Of course, you got me with Turning to birds : a memoir in essays. I remember enjoying Taylor's acting work and it is nice to see she has discovered the birds. Cool.

I know I will see some birds in Mexico and hopefully add a Lifer or two. It should be a nice getaway. As expected, I won't be around much next week. I am sure you will do a fine job holding down the fort.

148richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 8:25 am

>147 msf59: A week in Cancun...during prime birding time...I'm so sad for your many burdens...
;-P

I expect >129 richardderus: will be a real pleasure for you to read, Mark. It's nostalgic and also interesting in elucidating her present-day busy life.

149karenmarie
Dec 6, 2025, 8:25 am

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Saturday to you.

>135 richardderus: Intellectually I understand the study of primates ‘cuz it’s us, but I’m not interested in the details. Pass, although the review almost converted me.

>137 richardderus: *preens* …not…even…one

>146 richardderus: Congrats on getting your review’s link republished.

*smooch*

150richardderus
Edited: Dec 6, 2025, 9:14 am

>149 karenmarie: It does somewhat make up for the tremendous spiritual suffering your book-Kevlar's efficacy, and your Neo-esque agility of dodging the book-bullets inflicts.

I get the desire to know without getting into the weeds re: >135 richardderus: so won't complain too hard about that one. I'd suggest it more for young women seeking validation and inspiration than for us curious old folk.

*smooch*

151MickyFine
Dec 6, 2025, 9:56 am

Busy in here this week! Dropping off your recommended dose of weekend smooches and wishing you a warm and cozy day.

152richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 10:21 am

387 WHITE WINTER by MILENA LUKEŠOVÁ

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Whispers of Winter Magic! Journey with a Little Boy Named James into a Snowy Dreamland of Wonder and Friendship!

In White Winter, little James drifts off to sleep as a gentle snowstorm blankets the world, dreaming of a majestic white horse carrying each delicate snowflake. When morning arrives, his dream has come true! Join James as he excitedly explores this breathtaking snowy landscape, discovering the quiet magic of winter and perhaps even a new friend along the way. With its lyrical text and charming vintage illustrations, White Winter isn't just a story – it's an invitation to appreciate the beauty of nature, embrace the wonder of imagination, and feel the warmth of friendship even in the cold winter season. Perfect for cozy read-alouds, this heartwarming tale will spark joy, encourage a sense of awe, and remind us of the special magic found in the quiet moments of our world.

Spark Wonder and Awe: Immerse young readers in the enchanting beauty and quiet magic of a snowy winter landscape.

Encourages Imagination: Little readers will develop their creative minds as they follow James's journey from a snowy dream to a real-life winter wonderland.

Promotes Appreciation for Nature: Cultivates a sense of wonder and respect for the beauty and tranquility of the natural world.

Gentle Introduction to Winter: Perfect for little ones experiencing the magic of snow for the first time

Highlights the Power of Friendship: The magical winter landscape provides a backdrop for exploring the joy of shared experiences.

Lyrical Prose for Cozy Read-Alouds: The gentle and poetic language creates a calming and engaging reading experience, promoting a sense of serenity and mindfulness.

A Heartwarming Story for Families: Perfect for sharing special moments and creating lasting winter memories together.

For over 75 years, Albatros Media has been crafting original and innovative children's books that are both playful and educational, fostering curiosity and a thirst for knowledge in young minds. We deliver the highest quality children’s books from novelty, picture, pop-up, and how-to books, to non-fiction, and fairy tale books.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Sweet little lap-reader story about the loveliness of winter, the fun of playing in the snow...all illustrated with charming artwork. I appreciated the fact that the story emphasizes James chose to play with the girls because they were making snowmen not forts. Parents and readers will see coding in this...I think the right kid will need to hear this quiet message.

It makes me happy to see validation for gentleness in boys. It's the season, in the global north, where this kind of lap-reader-friendly story is very much appropriate. Today being Saint Nicholas Day, it's a good time to get one of these and share this time with the cutiepie in your gifting world.

153richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 10:25 am

>151 MickyFine: Morning, Micky! I'm happy to see you, and will coddiwomple over to visit your thread here directly. Saturday *smooch*

154richardderus
Edited: Dec 6, 2025, 11:04 am

388 WHERE'S SANTA?: Find Santa Claus as He Travels the World by NAYANE SENHA

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Where in the world is Santa Claus? Peruse the vibrant Christmas-themed scenes from across the globe to find holiday-inspired items and even Santa Claus himself!

Bring the spirit of Christmas to life with Where's Santa? Filled with fun and festive scenes featuring Santa Claus, elves, presents, and more, explore Christmas around the world with this delightful activity book where every page is a jolly new adventure.

Look for Santa and Christmas-inspired items from each country, including:

USA

Canada

Mexico

Brazil

England

Germany

India

Japan

Australia

South Africa

And more!

A fun and interactive way to celebrate the holiday, enjoy the magic of the season as you look through each puzzle and find facts about how Christmas is recognized across the world. A fantastic stocking stuffer, gift, or winter-break activity, Where's Santa? offers countless hours of fun.
Let the search for holiday magic begin!

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A book ideal for the lap-reader who needs a bit of pattern-recognition practice. It's the Where's Waldo? of the Yuletide. The holiday theme can woo the excited kid to settle in and enjoy some carefully hidden good-for-them knowledge acquisition.

The fun little facts about the countries will give the reader a chance to sneak in some education, or can be left aside if the kid's squirmy...the illustrations are, i think, just right to keep a lap-reader engaged but not overstimulated.

On St. Nicholas Night, the tree goes up, the mugs of hot chocolate magically appear, and a big, warm lap beckons after all that excitement...perfect time to find Santa around the world.

155richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 12:08 pm

389 FOX AND OWL'S WINTER ADVENTURE by JACKIE LUI (illus. Moonlie Fong-Whittaker)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Discover the magic of winter with Fox and Owl's Winter Adventure, a heartwarming picture book which blends storytelling, learning, and creative play.

In a gentle tale set against a snowy woodland backdrop, Ember the fox and her friend Flint the owl explore the excitement and beauty that winter brings. As they journey through the trees, young readers are introduced to winter wildlife, nature's rhythms and the quiet joys of friendship and kindness. After the story, there is more to learn and explore with animal fact files, seasonal eco-crafts, and a fun activity—perfect for little nature-lovers.

Part of a charmingly illustrated four-book series, Fox and Owl's Winter Adventure encourages children's creativity and nurtures their curiosity about the natural world.

Join these two animal friends and celebrate the wonder of winter!

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Fox and Owl are buddies, which makes sense to my adult brain...they're both predators, one isn't going to be scared of the other...and is great graphically because they're perfectly balanced visually and in color value in real life, so the artist does not need to fudge any of the composition's values. For kids, the playful look of the art is terrific, attention-grabbing stuff. There are two spreads that have facts about the natural lives of the animals:

...that are enough different graphically to make it obvious to a kid these pages are not the same as the story, while maintaining the sense of continuity that keeps them from popping the lap-reader out into a new visual regime.

I'd hand this to a clever five-year-old and expect them to see the story, if they can already read...but would expect to have to explain the facts spreads.

It's a lovely St. Nicholas Night lap-read, both of you will enjoy the dear little tale of friends romping in the snow. It might even be possible to reenact some antics, depending on your local weather!

156richardderus
Edited: Dec 6, 2025, 12:46 pm

390 CHRISTMAS CAPERS (The Adventures of Easton the Rescue Pet #4) by Elizabeth Retter (Illus. Izzy Bean)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Easton, the lovable rescue dog, is back for a festive adventure in this sensational scratch & sniff!

It’s Christmas time in Thornbury, and the town is hosting its annual Olde Thornbury Christmas Market—complete with Santa and his reindeer. Easton can’t wait to join the festivities, even though he’s not thrilled about his itchy Christmas sweater. Still, he’s determined to spread some holiday cheer and prove that he’s been a good dog all year. Get ready for fun, laughter, and heartwarming moments with Easton in this festive tale!

A heartwarming, fun-filled tale, perfect for reading aloud and delighting dog lovers!

The Adventures of Easton the Rescue Pet series is a heartwarming series about a playful and adventurous rescue dog and his owner, the author Elizabeth Retter.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Dog-loving me was destined...doomed, say my friends who for whatever...reasons...love c-a-ts...to batten on this tale of a rescue dog (the only kind I've ever had) who really, really wants to be a good boy.

We'll see how that goes.

Of course everything turns out fine, this is an independent reader's first picture book-level story. Time enough to challenge them later. The playfulness of Easton's mischief resonates with kids at that first/second grade moment of individuation. I think the artwork is the right balance of pretty art and narrative function to please its target group. I can see it not being something one would necessarily choose for a lap-reader, it's more complementary to the text than is going to engage most kids in that developmental stage.

A great one to give the newly independent reader on St. Nicholas Night!

157richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 1:28 pm

391 I'M GOING TO EAT A POLAR BEAR by KARL NEWSON (illus. Nicola Kinnear)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: A little penguin is hungry but bored of eating fish and decides it wants to eat something different! An older penguin recalls hearing of a fluffy creature called a polar bear, so the little penguin sets off to find one. On arrival at the North Pole, the penguin can’t see a polar bear anywhere and eventually turns back home. Unbeknownst to hungry penguin, though, an equally hungry polar bear is following right behind...

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: What a silly idea! A penguin, sick of fish, decides that the food they want is a polar bear...you can see already how this would get a five-year-old interested, starting with "polar bears live in the Arctic, not penguins!" Learning is sometimes the enemy of fun...until kids learn about how stories do silly things to tell fun stories that can't really happen. The idea of fiction has to be taught sooner or later...and a young lap-reader will enjoy the sounds of the book and how they feel like the artwork.

dunno 'bout you but I'd hang this one on my wall

I adore the art, I love the idea of the little penguin taking agency and making up their mind to take action, the entire exercise feels like it's going to set some seeds to stratify in a curious little mind.

Very much a lap-reader story, plenty of chances to instruct on natural-world realities, and good gracious won't you have a good time looking at this beautiful object! a win-win for St. Nicholas Night!

158richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 2:13 pm

392 SECRETS FROM THE NORTH POLE: Discover the magic of Christmas by SASKIA GWINN (illus. Daria Danilova)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: A charmingly illustrated volume about the magic of Christmas and the inner workings of the North Pole. Featuring a beautiful gold-foil-embossed cover and ribbon marker, this is a book for families to treasure in the run up to the festive season.

Christmas has been shrouded in secrecy for years . . . but what really goes on at the North Pole in the run up to the big day?

Every year without fail, Santa Claus packs up his sleigh and soars across the night sky pulled by his reindeer to deliver presents to children all over the world.

But spreading Christmas magic is no small task and lots must happen to make sure everything is ready for the most special time of the year.

Join Santa’s Head Elf, Ivy Everjingle, as she reveals secrets from the North Pole. From how Santa’s suit is designed and the magic of reindeer flight, to the many different jobs of the Christmas elves and the magic of believing.

This is the ultimate festive compendium to capture the magic of Christmas. Perfect for families to enjoy together in the run up to the big day and spark joy at the most magical time of the year.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Truly a beautiful, well-made, thoroughly luxurious in its details, fantastically engaging story about how the Yuletide gifting season must be made. It's clearly a fantasy, and just as clearly the logical truth behind the impossibilities that underpin the festive season

Ideal for your independent reader, the one who can sit right down with a book to take it all in...and this is one I think you'll want to thumb through yourownself. I mean, look:

the man himself

his duds

the house that keeps him warm

the reindeer

elf magic! it all makes sense!

I was impressed and delighted by the aesthetic of the book, delighted by the story's careful aim between fantasy and plausibility, and generally knocked out by the art.

A great St. Nicholas Night gift for the very special new reader in your life to savor.

159richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 3:14 pm

393 THE KWANZAA STORY: Celebrating Culture through Community by ALLIAH L. AGOSTINI (Illus. Olivia H. Smith)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Discover the history and importance of Kwanzaa, a week-long December holiday celebrated in Black, African, and African American culture.

In The Kwanzaa Story, little Alliah (of The Juneteenth Story fame) is all grown up and, along with her husband LeVaur, teaches their children Daphne and Alistair why they celebrate Kwanzaa as a family and as a community. This beautifully illustrated storybook shares the origins of the holiday—rooted in Africa, born in Los Angeles—giving historical and cultural context on how a joyful celebration was birthed after the Watts Rebellion and during the Civil Rights Movement. The journey includes:

The history of the holiday, complete with timeline

Key figures of the Civil Rights Movement and their part in the creation of Kwanzaa

The seven guiding principles of Kwanzaa, known as Nguza Saba

The seven core symbols used during Kwanzaa rituals, including the kinara (candle holder) and the mishumaa saba (the seven candles in red, green, and black)

How Kwanzaa is celebrated today

And more!

2025 marks the 60th observance of Kwanzaa. The Kwanzaa Story offers Black, African, and African American children the opportunity to connect with their culture and the holiday in a meaningful way, and to see themselves and their family traditions represented on the page with accuracy and joy. This book also exposes children of different backgrounds to a new end-of-year cultural celebration, taking them on an engaging and educational journey about the principles and traditions of the holiday. This visually captivating guide to understanding Kwanzaa encourages young readers to connect with the holiday and its social impact.

Follow along as Alliah and her family discover the cultural significance of Kwanzaa's principles and symbols, providing a tangible element to the holiday that will allow kids and family members to fully and joyfully participate in its celebration. Readers of all ages will love learning about the amazing history and traditions of Kwanzaa through the wise and educational storytelling in The Kwanzaa Story.

The Holiday Celebration series from becker&mayer! kids honors the diverse holidays and milestones that shape the cultural fabric of the United States. Though these traditions may have originated elsewhere, brought to our shores by ancestors from around the world, they have endured and evolved to weave the vibrant tapestry of American life. The series includes picture books and their companion kid-friendly cookbooks that share stories uniquely representative of the American experience--an experience that is multilayered, eclectic, inclusive, and joyfully beautiful.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Handsome artwork complements the story of how this celebration of the importance, centrality, and personal relevance of community building and membership to the Black American, and broader African diaspora, cultures came to be. 2025 marks the sixtieth celebration of the seven principles:

...restated here for your newly-independent reader. These expressions of the principles, like the text more generally, are pitched at that spot where some things will require some adult input about their meanings, while most will be readily decodable for the seven- or eight-year-old just starting independent reading. Most would challenge an average six-year-old reader unless they're quite advanced.

typical text/art spreads

There is a very helpful, quite concise, timeline of the Black cultural holidays and their origins:

The author invites readers to make, or consider how, their own connection to Kwanzaa is or was formed:

A lovely gift for a young Black child, a family needing to explain their holiday tradition to a child, or just a seeker after more satisfying ritual acknowledgments of the irreplaceable bonds of community membership.

160richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 3:44 pm

394 JINGLE JUMBLE SANTA by SPENCER WILSON

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Jingle-Jumble Santa features Santa as you’ve never seen him before. Surfing Santa is funny on its own, let alone combined with skiing Santa’s legs! And picture chef Santa in his kitchen on top, combined with fishing Santa sitting in his boat... The final spread will show classic Christmas Santa all ready for Christmas Eve.

Have silly scrambled fun with these mix-and-match Santas that all have crazy, colourful personalities. Over 144 combinations to keep little ones entertained for hours.

In this wacky split-page board book, meet...
Jungle Santa! Zipping through the trees.
Keep-fit Santa! Working up a sweat.
Chef Santa! Cooking up a storm.

But also...
Jungle Santa! Cooking up a storm.
Keep-fit Santa! Zipping through the trees.
Chef Santa! Working up a sweat.

Featuring a dozen loveable Santas, this playful pre-school offering is full of humour, with the final page seeing Santa have a close call with a chimney on Christmas Eve...

Exciting matching game for laughing and bonding with your little one

Ideal Christmas gift for babies and toddlers

A precious keepsake from Christmas that can be re-read year-round

A crazy range of Santa characters to surprise and entertain

What’s the funniest Santa you can make? Read together at playtime or before bed! Or share with your friends and family to really crack them up laughing!

A delightfully silly book that makes an ideal Christmas gift for 1-4-year-olds, which will then be picked up from the shelf year-round for non-stop fun. Perfect for sitting down with your little one and laughing together at the crazy combinations you come up with. Fun, bright images to help keep kids entertained and distracted, and the interactive, split-page format makes this a quirky and exciting read for any time of day.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: It's all in the gimmick. Flipping different parts of pages at different times in the read creates cute, unlikely Santas.

They're neither great art nor superb literature, but I can't think of too many better ways to entertain the newest arrival on St. Nicholas Night.

161richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 5:50 pm

395 HOW MANY SLEEPS UNTIL CHRISTMAS?! by REBECCA PATTERSON (Illus. Luciano Lozano)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Packed with the magic of Christmas, this funny picture book about a child counting down to Christmas is the perfect story to celebrate the holiday season.

Join the countdown to Christmas in this festive family frolic of a picture book! This hilarious and heart-warming story features everyone’s favorite Christmas activities and captures the exciting build-up to the big day.

“LOOK! LOOK! LOOK! IT’S CHRISTMAS!”
“Not yet!” said Mummy.
“How many sleeps?!”
Mummy had a long think. “Fifty-three.”
“Not long now!”
“Quite long,” said Mummy.

Full of Christmas chaos and festive fun, such as singing carols (A LOT), decorating the tree, wrapping presents (or siblings!), preparing for Santa's arrival . . . and many more sweet family memories.

How Many Sleeps Until Christmas?! is full of character and personality. The family setting will strike a familiar chord with parents and impatient young readers who just can’t wait until the big day! This is a joyful book to celebrate the holiday season, and a perfect Christmas gift.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: It's like a bound version of an Advent calendar. It starts with Halloween decorations tripping the inner holiday alarm:

this just tickles me no end

...and on we go, asking The Question again and again and again.

...but, as the adults know it must, the day arrives:

I was captivated from the title to the artwork to the clever lines. I'd say it's pretty solidly a lap-reader's book...a little too advanced for the ones who need it most and not as necessary for the first-graders. Of course, that's just on average; every kid is different and you know your young giftees the best. Don't overlook this adorable helper with the eager, overeager really, holiday maven in your clan.

It's really big fun to read aloud!

162richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 6:15 pm

One more to go on this St. Nicholas Night...better to decorate my thread with kids' books than sit in my undecoratable room...Old Stuff objects, what a surprise...and feel involuntarily grinchified. Favorite for last!

163richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 6:16 pm

this just tickles me no end

...and on we go, asking The Question again and again and again.

...but, as the adults know it must, the day arrives:

164bell7
Dec 6, 2025, 7:00 pm

Fascinating to see all these various illustrated books on your thread, and even more so that you're rating them so highly. I'm dodging book bullets at the moment, but I think it's just the mood I'm in - if there's a title I missed that you think I should add to the list, give me an extra nudge towards it and I'll listen up.

Saturday *smooch*

165figsfromthistle
Dec 6, 2025, 7:06 pm

>127 richardderus: A nice book. I must admit I have two huge elder bushes in the backyard and make good use out of the blooms and berries every year. Frying the flowers has been a staple ever since I can remember as a child. This year, I made elderflower wine which so far has turned out great.

166richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 7:47 pm

>164 bell7: I'm trying to see the illos and text from the intended reader's PoV...does the text make leaps not for a kid's linear training? Does the art bore me? Does it explain the story? To my surprise, there's a lot that does not pass this test and I don't mess with those. Why waste my time, and y'all's?

I only think *you* ought to look closely at >130 richardderus: because, well, if it's not obvious why I'm wrong about its appeal. Your foster's age seems well past picture book time. Am I wrong?

Saturday *smooch*

167richardderus
Dec 6, 2025, 7:54 pm

>165 figsfromthistle: REALLY?!? Y'all honest and truly *fried*flowers*to*eat*?!

::gobsmacked::

I thought that would only happen in Merrie Olde Englande or some Alpine fastness where Krampusnacht still means a sound drubbing for all the little gurlznboiz. Eating fried flowers is...not in my programming notes, I suppose. I tried elderflower cordial. Once. It was...an experience. Not to be missed I suppose, but most, most assuredly not to be repeated.

Anyway, Ho ho ho, it's St. Nicholas Night!

168atozgrl
Dec 6, 2025, 11:29 pm

>146 richardderus: How wonderful that Princeton linked to your review! Congratulations! Of course, we already know how good your reviews are.

>162 richardderus: I'm sorry you can't decorate your room. It sounds like OS is the grinch.

169vancouverdeb
Dec 7, 2025, 1:34 am

>162 richardderus: That's sad that old Stuff won't let you decorate your side of the room, Richard! Does he have a say in that ? Lots of cute Christmas books on your thread.

170richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 7:23 am

>168 atozgrl: I was pleased, Irene, because they've never even noticed any of the others I've done.

Old Stuff is about 14 emotionally...adult-strength emotions, no perspective to manage them with. He used to moan about my stuff...everything in the room that isn't the facility's is mine...crowding out his stuff.

He has no stuff. They swept his homeless ass off the street after a car hit him while he was drunk. Alcoholic dementia fills in the holes in memory. It's a struggle. So, while I *could* decorate my side of the room and listen to him whine and complain, I don't. I need some semblance of peace.

171richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 7:24 am

>169 vancouverdeb: I put it above, Deborah, but really it's just my need not to have to struggle against his deficient emotional capabilities. Ah, Life....

172richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 7:55 am

396 Queers at the table : an illustrated guide to queer food (with recipes) by Alex D. Ketchum, Megan J. Elias

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: An anthology of essays, comics, and recipes that reveals the dynamic and transformative relationship between queerness and food

Food has long played an important role in queer culture. Lesbian- and queer women–run feminist restaurants, cafes, and coffeehouses have been safe spaces for queer and trans folk where gender norms can be challenged and where female authority is legitimized. During the AIDS epidemic, gay men and their allies centered food as an expression of collective care for those who needed it most. And queer and trans folk have asserted themselves in a restaurant culture largely controlled by white cisgender men.

Queers at the Table celebrates the various intersections between queers and food. In its essays, comics, and recipes, the book shows how this shared culture fosters connections, defies norms, honours legacies, and creates community. Taylor Hartson and Tristian Lee write about a queer farming community in which queerness is part of a broad network of living things to be enjoyed and shared; Danielle Kydd writes about food security issues as faced by LGBTQ2S+ folk; and Blue Delliquanti's comic on urban foraging in Minneapolis demonstrates the role of a queer friend group in a local ecosystem.

In full color throughout, Queers at the Table is a diverse and enriching anthology that reveals the myriad nurturing ways that queerness informs food production and restaurant culture and how food empowers, transforms, and unites queer and trans folk.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Many are the queer folk who, throughout the decades, have no holiday cheer...they very often have no space to spend holidays that is accepting of them as they are. It's a painful passage to realize you can't go home for {insert food-centered holiday here} without hiding your self and/or receiving abuse. It knocks the Cindy-Lou-Who out of you, turning you into a grinch.

But...and this is key...someone has been here before you! They can show you fellowship via sharing their stories. It's axiomatic that food holidays are about community. It's becoming more and more understood that community comes in many types and styles. The queer people ou know will, I hope against hope, have a community with you...but even if they do, a reminder that their complicated feelings around food holidays are perfectly in keeping with those who have trodden this path before them can't hurt. Know someone young, or relocating, or just thinking afresh about their place among us? This is a great gift to give.

examples of essays in comics form

No book about food is going to be truly complete without some recipes! A newly-fledged wannabe host is likely to need a simple place to start, along with a visual reference to be sure there's at least some resemblance between product of labor and intended appearance.

A thoughtful presentation to address an ever-growing (sad to say) need.

173richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 8:14 am

397 Little F by Michelle Tea

174karenmarie
Dec 7, 2025, 9:30 am

‘Morning, RDear. Happy Sunday to you.

>149 karenmarie: I dodge! I wear book-avoidance-Kevlar! This curious old folk is much more interested in not re-emoting over the issues that consumed me as a young woman.

>162 richardderus: OS objects? Drunk, soul-grindingly offensive OS objects? Oh my. I’m so sorry. >170 richardderus: Not provoking him seems like the best response, although it makes me sad for you.

Children’s and queer book bullets dodged.

*smooch*

175magicians_nephew
Dec 7, 2025, 10:26 am

>154 richardderus: They used to have the Santa Trakker on the Web - supposedly from NORAD - was fun to see the twinkling dot visit so many places

176magicians_nephew
Dec 7, 2025, 10:29 am

>158 richardderus: Fun to see you reading and posting about Children's Books and Christmas books. You have hidden depths my friend

177richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 10:33 am

>174 karenmarie: Morning, Horrible...I'm being ruthlessly practical about Old Stuff, I *have* to live with him so how can I, as the adult competent party, make it tolerable for me?

I don't honestly see you being at all interested in any of today's books, so not to worry...a cursory scan later will do fine. Sunday *smooch*

178richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 10:34 am

>175 magicians_nephew: It might have moved to YouTube, but I think it's still running. Kids love it!

179magicians_nephew
Edited: Dec 7, 2025, 10:46 am

>161 richardderus: "One More Sleep 'til Christmas" from "The Muppet's Christmas Carol"

One More Sleep

180richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 10:37 am

>176 magicians_nephew: Oh, the kiddie books are entirely because the LT enthusiasm for them...Linda, Karen O., Mary/Storeeteller...carried on about them so I had to see what the fuss was.

There are some excellent examples of storytelling and message-delivering! I'm not reading them like a would a novel, but it's really interesting.

I guess I'm getting old....

181richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 10:40 am

>179 magicians_nephew: Blast from the past! TYVM

182richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 3:00 pm

398 Designing dreams : essays on the inside story of General Motors, Harley Earl and America's golden automotive age by Dick Ruzzin

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Explore the artistry of the Golden Age of American cars with Dick Ruzzin, one of the designers of the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado. Discover General Motors' legacy, Harley Earl's vision, and the creative process behind automotive art. Featuring essays, sketches, and photos, Designing Dreams celebrates the passion and enduring impact of car design.

A design book, an art book and an automotive history book. If you love car design you must have this book. It describes in detail automobile creation, the design of the iconic Oldsmobile Toronado and the people who created it. The Toronado is now seen as the most significant design representation of the Golden Age of the American Automobile.

Step into the world where cars became dreams on wheels. In Designing Dreams, Dick Ruzzin unveils the untold story of General Motors, Harley Earl’s groundbreaking vision, and the artistry that defined America’s Golden Automotive Age.

At the centre of this compelling collection of essays is the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado—a revolutionary front-wheel-drive luxury car that remains an icon of design and innovation. As one of its designers, Ruzzin provides an insider’s perspective on its creation, offering a rare glimpse into the radical ideas and creative energy behind this automotive masterpiece.

After 40 years at General Motors Design, Ruzzin reflects on the profound influence of Harley Earl, the pioneer car designer who elevated automobiles into works of art. Earl’s creativity and design philosophies reshaped the industry, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire.

Illustrated with over one hundred sketches and General Motors Design’s archival images, this book explores the passion, artistry, and precision behind automotive design. It captures the essence of a unique profession that combines function with beauty, producing cars that are both practical and beautiful.

Designing Dreams is more than a history of car design—it’s a celebration of the people, ideas, and innovations that made the automobile a defining symbol of American ingenuity. Perfect for car enthusiasts and design lovers alike, this is a journey into the heart of creativity and the Golden Age of the American Automobile.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: What a ride! The Toronado, whose design and development feature in this book of course, but really the Wayback Machine ride into the era when early September was the moment the 196{x} cars arrived in dealerships with soaped windows that had little, teasy gaps; the car magazines (Motor Trend, Car & Driver, Autoweek) hit the newsstand for us car freaks...all male...to grab, drool and dream over the latest iteration of a logo, use of a name from the past or rename a model range, displacement of block (409! 429! 350! all cubic inches, all with their own stories, details, merits)....

Every woman I've ever known, and any of you reading this now, are rolling your eyes and sighing impatiently, or just about to interrupt to change the subject to something *you* care about.

So get him this book. He'll be easily led to pick it up even after he's read it:

contents; preface spread

...because there are photos even you won't mind looking at:

the car itself; a design study fancifully executed (it's art!)

The stories of the whos, hows, and whys of the industrial design revolution represented by the Toronado and its era-defining looks will keep many, if not most, car guys enrapt. These were human beings with human stories, but they had godlike powers...the wealth and might of the most powerful corporation in the wealthiest, most powerful country in the world was at their command! Of course skulduggery and stupidity were on prominent display because hubris (cf, Harley Earl)!

...and here are faces to put with names

So yeah, maybe you are bored rigid by Granddad's nostalgic interest, maybe you're contemplating viricide to stop the engineering talk, or maybe you just don't want to be more unpleasant than necessary. It's easy, and cheap, to get the kind of book he's going to enjoy (quietly, in a corner), likely more than once.

They really had all the coolest toys.

183richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 3:07 pm

399 The Complete Book of Spacecraft: Rockets, Shuttles, Satellites, and Space Stations by Michael H. Gorn (tr. Davide Sivolella), (author & illustrator Giuseppe De Chiara)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Marvel at the history of space exploration through its daring vehicles, exhaustively chronicled in this authoritative volume featuring more than 250 artworks.

In 1957, the world looked on with both uncertainty and amazement as the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first man-made orbiter. Sputnik 1 would spend three months circling Earth every 98 minutes and cover 71 million miles in the process. The world's space programs have traveled far (literally and figuratively) since then, and the spacecraft they have developed and deployed represent almost unthinkable advances for such a relatively short period.

In Spacecraft, illustrator and aerospace professional Giuseppe De Chiara teams up with aerospace historian Michael Gorn to present a huge, profusely illustrated aerospace history profiling and depicting spacecraft from Sputnik 1 through the International Space Station and everything in between, including concepts that have yet to actually venture outside the Earth's atmosphere.

This updated and revised edition includes:

Expertly written profiles depicting and describing the design, development, and deployment of manned and unmanned spacecraft from around the world, including satellites, capsules, spaceplanes, rockets, and space stations—now updated with the latest models

Vivid scale illustrations of the many international spacecraft in multiple-view, sometimes cross-section, and in many cases shown in archival period photography to provide further historical context

Earthbound and spaceborne data and intel chronicling every technological leap, engineering challenge, and monumental achievement, from troubleshooting the lunar landers of the '60s to engineering solar-driven sails to propel futuristic craft to Mars and beyond

A look ahead to an era of privatized space travel and even plans for lunar and Martian space stations and settlement

Dividing the book by era, De Chiara and Gorn feature spacecraft not only from the United States and Soviet Union/Russia, but also from the European Space Agency and China. The mind-blowing machines examined in this volume include the rockets Energia, Falcon 9, and VEGA; the Hubble Space Telescope; the Cassini space probe; and the Mars rovers, Opportunity, and Curiosity.
For anyone who has marveled at humankind's attempts and advances in leaving Earth, Spacecraft: The Complete Guide to the Rockets, Satellites, Capsules, Shuttles, and Stations That Put Us in Space is the definitive reference.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: It's amazing to me the Moon landing was 56 years ago. It's amazing to me the Space Shuttle, that miracle of my teens, hasn't flown in over ten years. Technology becomes history, too.

it all feels like yesterday

The author and author/illustrator get really into details, the illustrations are so detailed as well that they'd have been classified back in the day. The point of a book like this is its blend of fascinating explanation and really cool images, complemented by concept-explaining illustrations:

the poles of the idea

I'm fascinated by space exploration. I grew up with Walter Cronkite explaining how Gemini and Apollo worked, celebrating the advances in technology each launch represented, mourning the loss we suffered through in 1967.

No progress can ever be made without losses, important ones, but the lessons those losses teach can carry through the decades. What else matters in this world but learning to do better, to be better, to expand our enormous reach safely and positively?

the poles of the Space Race: US vs USSR

Many hours of pleasure in this gift book for the recipient who loves rockets, space flight, engineering, all the modern miracles humans have created to expand our understanding of the universe.

You'll know which eager-eyed soul needs to see this on present-opening day. Indulgent it is, pricey, beautiful, and a luxury...but that's the best gift described, no?

184richardderus
Dec 7, 2025, 3:27 pm

400 FORMULA ONE: THE CHAMPIONS: 75 years of legendary F1 drivers by MAURICE HAMILTON (photography by Bernard Cahier & Paul-Henri Cahier; foreword by Damon Hill)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Bask in Formula One glory with this 75th Anniversary edition of The Champions, featuring exhilarating photography and expert commentary.

Since the Grand Prix’s start in 1950, just 34 men have achieved the accolade of F1 World Champion. For the first time, legendary F1 commentator Maurice Hamilton and award-winning photographers Bernard and Paul-Henri Cahier bring the heroes of this iconic sport together, in a stunning photographic portrayal of the poise, skill and winning mindset that separates the fast from the furious, the elite from the talented.

Formula One and its champions are brought to life

An exquisitely written profile of each of the 34 F1 World Champions, with key details from the driver’s life and F1 career

Stunning photography of the drivers and their cars, both on and off the track

Historic interviews with the sport’s lost heroes, including James Hunt and Ayrton Senna

Exclusive quotes from icons such as Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg

A brand new foreword by Damon Hill, former F1 World Champion.

Debate has raged over which driver is the best of the best. It is impossible to say. But that will not deter energetic and informed discussion, usually predicated on a personal preference swayed by affection. Each of these champions will have experienced and delivered pulse-raising performances many times over.

Fully revised and updated for the 75th Anniversary and with a new foreword by F1 legend Damon Hill, this handsome homage to the most ferocious of sports and the incredible sportsmen who drive at the edge in pursuit of greatness, it is time to choose your favorite F1 Champion.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Formula One and my oldest sister are the same age!

I need a lie-down.

This sport has become far more visible in the US during the 2020s, with Netflix shows and social media chatter...but anyone who read Autoweek (me) knew of its stars, its dramas, and the like from the day Denise McCluggage started the magazine. I recognized some names:

...from days of yore. Quite a lot of modern Formula One has changed with the unbelievable sprint to the future its technology has made over the decades. Things once deemed impossible, personal endurance feats, longevity of components, speeds attained...all have occurred because the sport is so hugely popular in most of the world that the money's been there to support it.

Among the modern era's amazing drivers is the legendary Max Verstappen, all of 28 years old, who's won 71 Grands Prix across 11 seasons.

A book like this is a shoo-in to be your racing enthusiast giftee's most favorite object ever. It's well worth the price, featuring as it does some of the most remarkable sports/action photography by the father/son duo the Cahiers, whose racing photography resides in their still-privately-owned archive. It is hard to imagine anyone looking at their images...the father's more reportage, the son's clearly artistic...and not feel their pulse rate increase from the immediacy and the velocity each image coonveys. I can't picture (!) F1 racing except through their images.

Certainly reserved for a very special someone at this price, the book is something I think will be a life-long treasure for its recipient.

185LizzieD
Dec 7, 2025, 8:46 pm

Whew. I read and looked and scrolled all the way! You have been busy. I'm sorry that you can't decorate if you want to, but you are wise to choose your battles. Aside from everything else, they don't do you any good either.

(You missed me up there at 136. I tell you not to make you feel careless but because I want you to know that I do come daily even if I don't always post, and you are so good to visit me. *smooch*, my WBL)

186humouress
Edited: Dec 8, 2025, 6:07 am

Some interesting books there. The ones on cars look like they'd be good for my boys but ... books; they'd probably be wasted on them. I don't know.

>128 richardderus: >135 richardderus: Hmm ...

187richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 9:01 am

>185 LizzieD: Morning, Peggy me lurve! I'm sorry I missed you in >136 LizzieD: but I have an excuse...I'm really gettin' my fingercise posting All these reviews. I'm not surprised Google keeps warting me to "buy" storage.

My whole life is now about managing my irritations...it's getting old, this getting old stuff.
*baa*

188richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 9:05 am

>186 humouress: The one thing I'd say about the car books is, make sure the specific cars are of interest to the specific son or it's a forty-dollar paperweight. Maybe the Disco, below this message...?

189richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 9:12 am

401 Land Rover Discovery: The Story of the First Generation Models, 1989-1998 by James Taylor

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Tells the story of the original Discovery in detail, with a wealth of imagery to show the multiple models and variations. Discovering the Discovery: The Story Behind Land Rover’s Game-Changer

Since its debut in 1989, the first generation Land Rover Discovery has become a beloved icon with a devoted global following. While many books offer buying advice, none have fully explored the why behind the Discovery—its creation, development journey, and the role it played in shaping Land Rover’s future.

The Discovery was more than just a new model—it was a turning point. In the early 1980s, Land Rover faced declining sales and rising competition from affordable, family-friendly 4x4s built by Japanese manufacturers. These vehicles borrowed the Range Rover’s concept but delivered it at a much lower price. Land Rover knew it needed a response—and fast.

The result was the Discovery: a bold, mid-market SUV developed under tight deadlines and with new internal processes. Launched in 1989, it hit the market with immediate success, becoming a European best-seller and revitalizing Land Rover’s position in the global automotive industry. It soon became a core part of the brand’s identity and laid the groundwork for today’s fifth-generation models.

More than just a commercial success, the Discovery reshaped the Land Rover brand. Once known solely for rugged, utility-focused vehicles, Land Rover began to evolve into a premium manufacturer of passenger-oriented 4x4s. The Discovery, alongside the Range Rover, shifted public perception and helped cement the Land Rover name in markets around the world.

This book tells the full story of the original Discovery—from its design and development to its production, sales, and global impact. It also highlights its diverse roles, from a staple of police and emergency fleets to a reliable workhorse van, and its key contribution to Land Rover’s American breakthrough.

Richly illustrated with rare and compelling images, this book is an essential read for enthusiasts, historians, and anyone fascinated by the vehicle that helped redefine an iconic brand.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: There's always a guy somewhere who knows everything there is to know about one thing. Doesn't really matter what the thing is, he's learned the details, he's very interested in the way the subject of his obsession came to be...the true enthusiast in other words. (I already know the word you're thinking, don't say it.)

this guy is jealous of the copyeditor who worked on this chart

It's often a car, make or model...sometimes both...that gets him interested. You will know. It's never mysterious. If lots of objects...clothing, drinking vessels, little tchotchkes on shelves...have the Land Rover logo on them, this is the gift to give regardless of occasion. Yuletide gifting is the biggie, of course, but any rift could be mended with one of these.

we start at the beginning

It's the nature of books to be image-friendly. Printing has been as much or more about images and art than text since 1454. I realize the pictures of Land Rover Discovery models going through their paces don't rev your tachometer to redline, but they will his.

never heard of the Camel Trophy? you will

I'm also surprised to tell you the ebook version, on a decent tablet, looks quite good, and costs a third as much as the very luxe hardcover.

I suspect hints might've been dropped already if you're gifting a superfan. You won't go wrong with this choice.

190richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 9:32 am

I'm really pumping 'em out, but more is more, right? It's the last few moments of gift-buying season so the expensive, niche stuff's what gets attention. Soon the self-gifting, congrats-you-survived books to read on your own will resume their place...but gotta tell people how to be more ethical capitalists for a minute.

191karenmarie
Dec 8, 2025, 10:30 am

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Monday.

>177 richardderus: Eminently practical indeed.

>187 richardderus: Heh. Managing my irritations. Not half bad.

>190 richardderus: More is more, and more is good, especially for your reviews.

And, you're right. I handily dodged the BBs.

*smooch*

192humouress
Dec 8, 2025, 10:42 am

>188 richardderus: Hmm, possible. I believe they're interested but couldn't say they're super fans. When they start discussing cars I let the two of them get on with it.

193richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 10:57 am

402 Bruce Springsteen and Born to run : 50 years by Sean Egan

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Bruce Springsteen and Born to Run: 50 Years is the definitive story of one of the most enduring, appealing, and groundbreaking rock and roll records of all time.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s masterpiece of American rock ’n’ roll with this handsomely produced and stunningly illustrated volume.

Bruce Springsteen and Born to Run: 50 Years is the definitive story of a landmark album in American rock music. In 1975, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band released what would become their breakthrough album and arguably the most lauded album of Springsteen’s long, illustrious career. Born to Run has sold over 9 million copies and counting and continues to inspire musicians and music fans young and old from around the world.

In this book, music journalist Sean Egan takes a deep dive into one of the legendary musician’s most famous albums on its 50th anniversary. Chapters cover Springsteen’s career prior to 1975, track-by-track analyses of each side, the studios where it was recorded, the supporting tour, and The Boss’s career after the LP. Illustrated with performance and off-stage photography as well as memorabilia, the book is presented as a slipcased hardcover.

Springsteen fans new and old can expect:

A deep dive into how the album came together and why it is regarded as a masterpiece

Track-by-track analyses of the studio cut as well as insight into the many disregarded tracks and ideas leading up to its recording

Historical insight and analysis about the state of rock in the mid-’70s and how Springsteen assembled a wildly talented group of musicians in the E Street Band

The story of the battle between Springsteen and Columbia Records after his previous albums failed to ignite the public’s passion

And much, much more

This display-worthy book is a must for every Bruce Tramp’s collection.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: You already know if you're the audience for this deep dive of a book. You're not? Do you know someone who's a Springsteen superfan (I object to using "tramp" in this context)? Someone who was over, say, twelve in 1975? Then you know someone who would get a kick out of this heavily illustrated deep dive into an era-defining album and artist.

It's the photos, I already know, that will get this book into your Yule gifting pile to be wrapped:

contents; history

...but who ever thinks of Bruce Springsteen without thinking of concerts and the great musicians he has and continues to work with:

It's a very exciting revisit to the glory days. I know it's a hefty price tag; but really, can you get better value than a revisitable book about a formative event?

194richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 11:01 am

>191 karenmarie: Morning, Horrible! I'm glad to see you on this ever-so Monday of Mondays...it's really cold, really windy, and thoroughly unpleasant outside.

Managing our irritations is the essence of old age...literally anything, really everything, can be an irritant at this stage. "Don't make me think!" is our mantra, because having to relearn skills is super-annoying.

*grumble*

More reviews you won't care about incoming...so you know....

195richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 11:05 am

>192 humouress: Oh, you don't need to *listen*, my dear...go look at their shelves, is there Stuff that's got a logo on it? a little statue or figurine that looks like a particular car or racing driver? Listening is entirely too inefficient, often misleading, and likely to give you a bad-mood-level headache without informing you of their real feelings. What a boy puts on his walls/shelves is what he *really* cares about.

196richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 11:08 am

403 Chevrolet Corvette C6 2005-2013: Essential Buyers Guide by David Smitheram

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: This essential guide distils first-hand experience and knowledge of the Chevrolet Corvette C6 from specialists and owners, to provide invaluable expert advice that will help you on your quest to buy one of the world’s most versatile, two-seater sports cars.

The Chevrolet Corvette C6 features stunning looks, effortless V8 performance and soundtrack, sharp handling, rugged reliability, with surprising practicality. If you’re looking to buy one of these classic cars, this handy little book will steer you in the right direction.

There were more than 200,000 C6 cars produced in their nine-year production run; which one will best suit you and your budget? Are there any model years to avoid, and how do you know what to look for? If you follow the advice in this essential buyer’s guide and find the right example, the sixth generation Corvette can be surprisingly cost-effective to buy, run and maintain.

Colour photos throughout this guide help to show you common problem areas; save yourself days of trawling the internet and social media, this pocket-sized, printed book distils first-hand experience and knowledge from specialists and owners.

Marque expert David Smitheram covers every model, from the most attainable 2005 LS2 coupes and convertibles, to the wide-bodied Grand Sport and Z06, through to the late-model ZR1 supercar and a multitude of special editions.

The author maintains and modifies his own C6, nicknamed ‘Clive The Corvette’. Steadily approaching 250,000 miles, his 2007 C6 Coupe sees almost daily use, has won track championships and enjoyed long-distance road trips across the USA, Europe and Africa.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: There comes a time in every boy's life that he wants the toy he couldn't have when he was young and could've really enjoyed it. But by gum he can afford it now, so he's gonna get it!

Sigh heavily, and mitigate the frustrations to come by getting him this reading material (note the disparity of costs between editions and choose accordingly). Forewarned is forearmed. You might want to take a gander at it yourself, to prepare for the complaints. Surprisingly few, to be honest, the author's got one of these cars and tells it plainly: they're well-made and relatively easy to maintain for a toy speed-racer two-seater.

The images aren't pulse-pounding but this is a practical book informing the reader about the car, not a lush production about the aestetics. Look:

everything starts with the contents

Just for gods' sakes don't let him buy this one!

You'll never sleep again! (Assuming you like him, that is.)

197humouress
Dec 8, 2025, 11:41 am

>195 richardderus: In that case ... got anything on aircraft?

>196 richardderus: Looks closer, though chunky cars like the Discovery do also work.

198LizzieD
Dec 8, 2025, 12:09 pm

I would have greeted some of these with glee if my BiL were still among the living. As it is, I wish you continuing ability to manage, my WBL! *smooch*

199richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 12:15 pm

>197 humouress: I'll go look.

The Disco's success is that it did the job AND looked cool to the buyers of the time, quite a tricky feat.

200richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 12:17 pm

>198 LizzieD: I'm managing...I'm not managing all that well, but managing...how did I write all these reviews?! It's exhausting fiddling with them, and yet they're here to be fiddled with, so I did the work.

I must really hate the scumbags who support felonious yam more than I thought! *baa*

201richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 12:28 pm

404 Fernando: A Song by ABBA by Kay Dickinson

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Kay Dickinson outlines how ABBA’s mega-hit song “Fernando” could express support with anti-capitalist and Third World liberation while simultaneously becoming an icon of global capital.

Since its release in 1976, ABBA’s song “Fernando” has been loved by fans around the globe both for its sing-along chorus and its revolutionary spirit. In Fernando, Kay Dickinson takes readers from Sweden and Chile to Australia and Poland, tracing the complicated ways the song could express support with anticapitalist and Third World liberation struggles while remaining an unrepentant commodity. A song about freedom fighters was unlikely to become a pop mega-hit, yet as Dickinson demonstrates, ABBA’s lucrative, longstanding appeal rests on their ability to bridge contradictions within everyday life.

Five decades later, “Fernando’s” rousing calls for freedom continue to resonate with gay liberation movements and other social struggles, demonstrating how a song can be both revolutionary and an envoy for global capital.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: We interrupt our dive into the shallow, luxuriantly populated waters of consumer capitalism to clamber, just briefly, onto the rock of social responsibility. Never fear, we're still dabbling our toeses into the lovely warm consumerist dreamworld! ABBA was hugely commercially successful, and never pretended that was not the point of "Fernando."

Gotta meet people where they are. If the people do not want to listen to you, your message is unheard. This is a profound insight I try not to forget but regularly do...just look at my blog's viewership numbers.

This tune burst onto the scene like a cannonade from the Crimean War. It was *everywhere* and it was not just Anglophone-famous. It's about regular fighters in the 1910 Mexican Revolution. It is hard to think of a more anti-oligarchic, anti-capitalist popular uprising than this one was. (It failed; let's save that discussion for another time.)

In ABBA's earworm-y tunefulness, they made the record industry (and themselves) quite a lot of money around the world...this tune's popularity in Hispanophone countries seems self-evident, but there are layers and levels to the popularity of the song that differ from market to market. Author Kay Dickinson explores some relevant examples of different reasons for a Swedish group's Anglophone product resonating in places you wouldn't expect.

It's worth noting that this is a popular history, not a musicological tome. I could read it for hours at a stretch without resorting to the dictionary. I was also that immersed and that invested in the subject matter. My car's radio sound is still the way I "hear" this song when earwormed by it...it's tat powerful...and that should say it all to a prospective buyer. Gifting or self-gifting, this is a book perfectly timed...fifty years ago is still alive to many of us...and perfectly aimed at the interests of those nostalgic, those curious, and those seeking some reminder that participating in and benefiting from capitalism does not require one to surrender one's soul. Speaking of which, some photos would've bounced this into five-starhood...

202Storeetllr
Dec 8, 2025, 1:04 pm

Just a quick start-of-a-new-week hello! *smooches*

203klobrien2
Dec 8, 2025, 1:06 pm

>193 richardderus: The Springsteen book looks so good! You definitely got me with this one.

Karen O

204richardderus
Edited: Dec 8, 2025, 1:49 pm

405 Corvette 70 Years: The One and Only by Richard Prince

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: The richly illustrated Corvette 70 Years is a complete history of America’s only sports car, detailing engineering, design, and key players.

There’s something for every enthusiast in Corvette 70 Years, from the classic early-generation models, to the legendary race cars, to the latest stunning mid-engine C8. Climb in and fasten your seat belt.

Chevrolet’s Corvette is one of the most influential and iconic American automobiles in history, holding the mantle of America’s sports car across seven decades. In Corvette 70 Years: The One and Only, author Richard Prince offers a richly illustrated and detailed book that captures the full story of one of these legendary automobiles. Beautiful, contemporary photos and rare historical images accompany in-depth analyses of milestone cars and events. Notably, the story is told through the lens of the three dozen most influential Corvettes representing all eight generations, including the:

The 1953 car that started it all

New performance heights in 1957 with fuel-injected V8

Early design and engineering specials , including the 1957 SS, CERV I, Mako Shark II

Landmark 1963 split-window coupe

The first of the revolutionary styled C3s

All-new 1984 C4 and powerful Callaway twin-turbos and ZR1s

World-class 1997 C5

Ultra-high-performance C5, C6, and C7 Z06 and ZR1

Revolutionary mid-engine C8 Corvette introduced in 2020

Corvette racecars

Created with the cooperation of General Motors, the book brings to light the engineering and design stories behind one of GM's most famous cars, as well as its key players. Comprising a unique perspective on a motoring legend, Corvette 70 Years truly is the one and only.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: The C6 buyers' guide is specific and it's practical. This piece of drool-inducing art photography and luxe design is the opposite: it's a browser's book, meant to elicit sighs of pleasure, tinged with twinges of envy for the designers and owners of these extraordinary machines.

The US has no other car like the Corvette in any of its particulars. There are, in these machines, the astonishing heights of technology, design, and performance achieved by Koenigsegg of Sweden, Bugatti, Maserati, Ferrari...but those are extraordinary dream machines that the very very few can afford to buy and maintain as toys. The Corvette is a practical automobile, usable on regular roads, and while expensive, is not utterly stratospherically out of mortal reach.

It's the reason Chevrolet keeps building them in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

all the places we'll go in the 'Vette

The images provided for publicity give the impression that the photos are mostly of the great icon of the development into the modern car, the 1963-1967 era of design greatness; this is not accurate, the entire development process gets its turns. But good heavens, it is not hard to see why they made this choice.

He won't be disappointed if he likes other eras more, or to the exclusion of, the '63-'67 era.

If you're not sure which one's his favorite, you needn't worry. They're all here, and it all looks gorgeous.

205richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 1:45 pm

>202 Storeetllr: Morning...well, afternoon then...Mary! Happy to see you here! *smooch*

206richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 1:46 pm

>203 klobrien2: It was THE album to have back then, so I'm assuming the publishers thought we'd All be suckers for this one.

They were right.

Happy to see you, Karen O.

207richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 2:53 pm

406 FORMULA 1 ALL THE RACES: The 100 Greatest Races by ROGER SMITH & KEVIN TURNER

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Formula 1’s 75th anniversary on May 13, 2025, marks a landmark in motorsport history—a celebration of speed, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. From the inaugural race at Silverstone in 1950 to today, F1 has hosted 1,131 Grand Prix events, crowned 34 World Champions, and delivered countless unforgettable moments.

The 100 Greatest Races captures the essence of F1’s unparalleled legacy. This exhilarating collection dives into the most iconic battles, from edge-of-your-seat photo finishes and masterful drives in the rain to heroic comebacks and shocking upsets. Each race is a tribute to the courage, precision, and brilliance that define the sport.

Penned by leading F1 experts Roger Smith and Kevin Turner, with a foreword by former F1 driver and expert pundit Karun Chandhok, this unofficial chronicle curated by experts presents the ultimate top 100 races. Using a meticulous rating system, the authors sift through over 1,000 Grand Prix events, organizing them into ten captivating themes. Each chapter crowns its top three races before culminating in the definitive ranking of Formula 1’s all-time greatest.

Enriched with breathtaking photography and compelling narratives, The 100 Greatest Races takes fans on a thrilling journey through the highs, lows, and timeless magic of F1. Relive the glory, feel the passion, and celebrate the races that have shaped the sport into the global phenomenon it is today.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A younger racing fan, say twelve or above, will like reading the bits and snippets of lore, history, and facts about the fifty-year rise of F1 racing. Books like this, fast trips through an internationally storied sport from rise to present,are always design heavy. The information is presented by experts and aimed at non-experts who want to feel in the know. For that reason, the ebook (much cheaper) is perfectly designed to be the same on a tablet as on a tree-book page.

I think that shows you what the organization and style are like. I'll assume that you, like me, don't know or much care about the facts herein. We're not the audience. I will say that the experts who did write the facts do seem, on cursory checking, to be legit and well-thought-of.

It's a book that will delight a specific giftee, newish to the fandom for F1 and eager to catch up on the lore. It was visually exciting enough to appeal to a screen generation member's aesthetic.

208richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 4:20 pm

407 SAAB Cars 1949 to 2011: A Pictorial History by Julian Parish

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: This handy full-colour guide covers the complete history of Saab’s cars. Chapters cover each of Saab’s models, including the 93 and 96 saloons that enjoyed much success in rallying, the 95 station wagon and the striking Sonett sports cars. The SaabO caravan and the Formula Junior racing car built during this period are also presented.

More than a dozen years after the last cars rolled off the production lines in Trollhättan, Saab still commands a keen following among car enthusiasts around the world. During the 60 years of its existence, Saab became renowned for the aerodynamic design, technical innovation and sturdy construction of its cars, which famously appealed to individualists and creative thinkers.

This handy full-colour guide covers the complete history of Saab’s cars. The story begins with the ‘Ursaab’ prototype and the original 92, which went into production in 1949 as the company branched out from aircraft manufacture after the war; it continues through to the final second-generation 9-5 models in 2011, launched when the company was struggling to stay afloat.

Individual chapters are devoted to each of Saab’s models, including the 93 and 96 saloons, which enjoyed much success in rallying, the 95 station wagon and the striking Sonett sports cars. The Saab caravan and the Formula Junior racing car that Saab built during this period are also presented.

These early models were followed by the larger 99 and the much-loved and highly successful 900 range. The book features detailed specifications for each version of these two models, including the first turbocharged variants, with which Saab has become synonymous. In 1985, the 9000 took the marque further upmarket and into partnership with Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo.

The guide continues into the 1990s and 2000s, when General Motors progressively took control of Saab’s automotive division. Its bestsellers during this period were its 9-3 and 9-5 ranges, based on GM platforms. Less well-known, especially in Europe, are its 9-4X and 9-7X all-wheel-drive models, not forgetting the 9-2X, a badge-engineered version of the Subaru Impreza. All these models are also presented.

Each chapter provides an introduction to the development and evolution of each model, as well as comprehensive technical information. Production numbers and dates are given, as well as details of limited editions. The book is extensively illustrated in full colour, with many archive photographs from Saab Automobile and the Saab Car Museum showing the cars’ interior and exterior design.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: The sad demise of SAAB in the financial collapse of 2008 came because of capitalist greed. How shocking, right?

This aspect of SAAB's history is not, as you'd expect, foregrounded in this history of the company and its products. The quirky Swedish ugly duckling was always a niche player outside its homeland; when GM came calling after a less-than-stellar attempt at Europeanization with the 9000 model, it must've seemed like a forward path.

All roads end only after they go forward.

The SAAB fanciers in the US are pretty passionate about these very clearly different, obviously not mainstream, automobiles; they are fond of them for these reasons. Rolling examples of the owner's counterculture credentials. I mean, look at them in comparison to US cars!

the early 95/96 days

There were attempts to be more, shall we say, style-forward. The sporty little Sonett III was a badge of cool in the 1970s, the kind of cool that thought for itself not bought what it was told was cool:

But of course no car company makes its money on sporty cars. Those're "halo cars" that cast a stylish and sexy light on the cars people really need and thus usually buy. In SAAB's case, that was the 99 sedan in the 1970s, and its evolution the 900 sedan in the 1980s:

I'm still a bit sad that SAAB was treated the way it was by GM. The marketplace wasn't ever eager to buy their quirky products in bulk, of course; but it is always sad to see a viable niche go unfilled.

209richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 4:55 pm

408 Lotus Cars 1952 to 2024: A Pictorial History by Matthew Vale

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A visual celebration of Lotus’ iconic road cars — from the first Lotus VI to the Evora supercar Lotus has produced road cars since 1952, and this book covers them all, right up to the Evora supercar.

This compact and richly illustrated book is part of the popular A Pictorial History series and charts the full journey of Lotus road cars from 1952 through to 2024. Enthusiasts, collectors, and motorsport fans will discover a chronicle of innovation, style, and pure driving excitement that only Lotus can deliver.

From the lightweight brilliance of the Lotus Seven to the exotic Esprit and modern Evora, each model is examined with rare and previously unpublished photographs, capturing the elegance and engineering genius of the marque. Author Matthew Vale — a recognised expert on Lotus — brings his extensive knowledge and passion to his sixth Lotus title, offering clear insight into the brand’s heritage and technical evolution.

The book also explores how Lotus’ racing pedigree shaped its road cars, resulting in vehicles that deliver exceptional handling and performance.

Whether you're a seasoned Lotus devotee or new to the marque, this compact visual history is a must-have addition to your automotive library.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A very reasonably priced overview of the design history of Lotus' road cars, illustrated by well-selected photos—and lots of 'em—to give the make's many excited fans a lot to kvell over, dream on, lust after...all the usual car guy behaviors. It come is two price points, each quite affordable for the genre and the audience to meet. I saw the photos supplied on a tablet. They're very well-designed to fit onto those dimensions.

The photos provided for publicity are all focused on the beginning of the make through the 1970s. Never fear, the modern era is represented as richly.

I feel confident that five images has given you a feel for how design and information interact. The lotus fan isn't going to be disappointed by this lovely, thoughtful gift, whichever edition you choose to give them.

210richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 6:16 pm

409 BMW Cars 1945 to 2013 (A Pictorial History) by Trevor Alder

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Profusely illustrated throughout, a worthy addition to the Veloce Pictorial History series. Each BMW model (1945-2013) has been painstakingly researched detailing body derivatives, production changes, technical information and hundreds of period photos and diagrams, plus how the ever-changing advertising was used to promote each model. A comprehensive pictorial history of BMW cars covering the post-war models right through to 2013 when electric and hybrid models started to make an appearance.

The detailed text covers all model ranges, and includes full specs, colour variations and styling details. Illustrations include period photographs, advertising brochures, and original drawings. Complementing the historical content are technical specifications, ongoing production changes, and build figures, making this the ideal reference work for model identification and authenticity. Appendices cover model designations, motorsport achievements and TV/movie appearances.

This title is a bookshelf-must for anyone interested in BMW motoring heritage.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: BMW is one of those cars that has cachet...nowadays...my dad brought home two of them in 1961, and my mother laughed so hard at them he was forced to get rid of them.

My how things change...forty-plus housewife-equivalents today would not laugh themselves silly at a pair of BMW sedans.

The cars we now call BMWs have been so carefully image-managed it would be a feat if they were not lusted after. James Bond, style icon, drove one. They've gone into brand-manager nirvana...no one who has a dud car with their label dares speak about it because they won't be believed.

Is a BMW loyalist among those you need to give a gift to in 2025? You're in luck: these books from Veloce, an imprint of David & Charles, are very reasonable paperback originals, and even cheaper as ebooks. I've viewed them on a modestly-priced tablet, and their design and image presentation survived very well indeed.

The images throughout cover all the ages and types of BMWs. The samples provided for promotion were more limited in scope:

The author chose to end the survey with the year that BMW brought out electric and hybrid options for its vehicles. These are somewhat cursorily tacked on at the end:

A modest ding to my rating, though it likely won't matter to most serious aficionados. A modestly-priced book that will greatly please its recipient.

211atozgrl
Dec 8, 2025, 6:57 pm

>201 richardderus: I'm afraid the car books don't do anything for me. But the ABBA looks interesting. I loved their sound back in the day, and "Fernando" was certainly one of their songs that I sang along to. I honestly don't know that I ever paid attention to what the lyrics in the verses were saying. Looking at it now, I don't remember the martial words in the first verse at all. Probably I didn't understand what they were saying. What I remember is the chorus. I certainly didn't understand what the song was really about.

212richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 7:02 pm

>211 atozgrl: ...and that was its genius. It flew under the radar while being right out there for those who needed to hear its message! I'm far more impressed by it now I've read this book.

What?! You, a card-carrying woman, are not intrigued by books about cars and sports?! My pearls, my pearls...but do you know a car guy you'd like/need to gift something to? That's the real reason they're here.

213figsfromthistle
Dec 8, 2025, 7:15 pm

Wow! Your thread is certainly full of BB's! So many in fact that you have put me into intensive care…….I am sure I will survive * smiles*

Happy week ahead

214atozgrl
Dec 8, 2025, 7:15 pm

>212 richardderus: No, my DH isn't into cars, and I don't know of anyone else I would be getting gifts for who is. However, I do like at least some sports. Mostly baseball and figure skating. I've got books on both on my shelves. And a few related to Bears football. (But car racing? ... No.)

215richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 9:29 pm

>213 figsfromthistle: I'm really rethinking my life choices around #Booksgiving...this is nowhere near as much work as when I did it all during the holidays but it's still plenty of work.

Can't ignore the increase in blog views, though. Almost double yesterday's views, and three times last Monday's, so...well...it pays off how I wanted it to.

216richardderus
Dec 8, 2025, 9:30 pm

>214 atozgrl: That's why tomorrow will be music, and so on...no one has a giftee for every subject area.

Stay warm!

217atozgrl
Dec 8, 2025, 9:40 pm

>216 richardderus: No, we definitely don't. I'm amazed that you are able to cover such a wide range of subjects with your reviews.

I will try to stay warm, but we're supposed to be in the low 20's tonight. That's very cold for here. Brrrr.

218Familyhistorian
Dec 9, 2025, 12:37 am

I thought your thread was colourful when you were reviewing graphic novels but then you got in to cars! I might like GNs now but I've always had a thing for looking at cars. It probably has something to do with growing up in the east where cars lasted maybe 5 years before salt got them, then coming west where classic cars were still on the road.

219LovingLit
Dec 9, 2025, 2:33 am

I do declare, I have not seen a thread of yours with so many images before *in my life*, love the Christmas themed images, and the ye olde cars as well :)

220alcottacre
Dec 9, 2025, 6:51 am

Checking in on you today, RD. ((Hugs)) and **smooches** and hopes that you have a terrific Tuesday!

221richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 7:04 am

>217 atozgrl: It's why I use the review-copy aggregators...I discover so many books I'd never find otherwise.

222richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 7:28 am

>218 Familyhistorian: It's always fun to look at the way our parents drove around, right Meg? The colors are especially different. My sister says the modern cars are All seaweed colored. I'd never thought of it that way but, yeah...boring grayscale hues, no purple or copper or red like a cherry.

223richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 7:32 am

>219 LovingLit: Hi Megan!It's a little bitty bit more colorful than usual, I guess. *preens* I'm glad you're enjoying it!

224richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 7:37 am

>220 alcottacre: Morning, Stasia! Welcome...I'm freezyfrosty cold and not going outside for nothin' but it's winter so I'm gonna grin and bear it. *smooch*

225richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 8:02 am

410 Alternative for the Masses: The '90s Alt-Rock Revolution - An Oral History by Greg Prato

Rating: 4.75* of five

The Publisher Says: Alternative for the Masses: The Oral History of the ’90s Alt-Rock Revolution offers insights, opinions, and memories from an incredible cast of musicians and producers who created the music. Get the definitive story of the ’90s alt-rock movement straight from the musicians and figures who lived it.

No period in the history of rock music offered such an abrupt shift in prevailing tastes as the 1990s. While just a short while before, radio and MTV were clamoring for hair metal bands, suddenly alt-rockers such as Jane’s Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, Primus, Smashing Pumpkins, and of course, Nirvana, brought a sea change not just in what the most popular bands sounded like, but also in fashion, politics, and seemingly all aspects of pop culture.

In Alternative for the Masses: The Oral History of the ’90s Alt-Rock Revolution, veteran music critic Greg Prato presents more than 60 new interviews conducted exclusively for the book—with an emphasis on the 1990–1995 peak period—including insights from renowned names like:

Ian MacKaye (Fugazi, Dischord Records)

Frank Black (Pixies)

Corey Glover (Living Colour)

Moby (solo artist/DJ)

Al Jourgensen (Ministry)

Les Claypool (Primus)

Kennedy (host of MTV’s Alternative Nation)

Matt Pinfield (host of MTV’s 120 Minutes)

Butch Vig (producer of Nirvana’s Nevermind)

Tanya Donnelly (Belly, Breeders)

Fred Armisen (Portlandia, Saturday Night Live)

Prato also includes excerpts from one of the last interviews with Steve Albini, arguably the period’s most influential recording engineer and producer, responsible for influential albums by the likes of Nirvana and PJ Harvey producer, among many others.

Prato sets out his book in thematic chapters covering topics such as:

The Lollapalooza music festival

The impact of Nirvana

Alt-rock’s many subgenres

Notable producers of the period

The impact of women rockers

MTV’s influence

Drugs and addiction

and much more!

Do you long for the days when it seemed rock artists were all about daring to be different, speaking their minds, and shaking up the music industry? The last decade before the internet, downloads, and streaming took over music? Alternative for the Masses will take you back to that time when alt-rock truly promised something different.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I'm unhappily aware that it's been more than thirty years since Kurt Cobain died.

It's saddening to think "what might have been" about anyone's life; his was no more important than any other, yet some people take on larger-than-life importance to the culture at large. He was one of them. His early overdose death was A Moment, not merely a tragedy for his wife and his family, including the daughter he never really knew.

This book is filled with the stories of the survivors, and the fallen, from their own mouths. The author's been a music journalist and author forever. Many books to his credit, including the lushly titled The Yacht Rock Book: The Oral History of the Soft, Smooth Sounds of the 70s and 80s, which ZOMG might's well have been titled "I'm Aiming For Mudge's Wallet." In this case I'm bycarch, but still very much into reading the stories. The book's design is really of a piece with its era and subject.

half-title;contents; text spread

Of course, the real appeal is the interesting people who were there:

And there are lots of fun sidebars of trivia, too:

I don't see this as a very expensive book for what it is and has inside it. Music defines generations. We're all walking to the beats the speakers are pumpin' out. You'll already have someone in mind for this delight of nostalgia, either who was there or who wished they were. At this price, even a casual friend can look forward to one of these. I will say, though, the tree-book will flow better than the ebook; though it's by no means *bad* it just lacks the overall view that a tree-book has.

Lucky us who lived through it!

226karenmarie
Dec 9, 2025, 8:02 am

‘Morning, RDear. Happy cold Tuesday morning to you.

33 messages since yesterday morning. I’ve got my Kevlar on and since my back’s so much better today, I can zig and zag away from BBs too.

>193 richardderus: I never saw the appeal of Springsteen. One music BB dodged.

>194 richardderus: Thanks for the heads up on the upcoming reviews.

>196 richardderus: You nailed the bit about a boy wanting the toy he couldn’t afford when he was young. Corvettes don’t really do it for me except for the fact that a coworker’s husband owned a Corvette Stingray in the early 1980s when we were in our 30s. Still early for bougie cars, but he had one. He took me out for a ride on Hwy 118 in the San Fernando Valley very late at night. Th speedometer read 155 mph. It was exhilarating but several times I thought “If Richard turns the steering wheel just a bit too much one way or the other, over we’ll go.”

>201 richardderus: Another music BB dodged. ABBA never did it for me, and I when I doomscroll and see their stuff, I never look at it.

>214 atozgrl: Irene - Have you ever read Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World’s First Female Sports Superstar by Sasha Abramsky? It’s fantastic. I got an ER copy in 2020 and I was fascinated. I gave it 4*.

Book sort and Virlie's today, although the Library is on a delayed opening 'til 10 a.m., so we'll meet then. Cleaning ladies are coming to beautify my house, too.

*smooch*

227magicians_nephew
Edited: Dec 9, 2025, 8:55 am

>204 richardderus:

Dibs on the Springsteen book "I have seen the future of Rock and Roll, and its name is Bruce Springsteen"

You may be pushing the boundaries of "Fair Use" with all the photos you are posting.

These books all meet the definition of "Christmas Present Books" (I dislike the term "Coffee Table Books") and as such the extensive coverage is welcome.

228richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 8:52 am

411 Lollapalooza : the uncensored story of alternative rock's wildest festival by Richard Bienstock, Tom Beaujour

229richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 9:03 am

>226 karenmarie: It's 22° out there right now, and struggling to get above 60° in here, so forgive my terseness. I have to type in bursts between warming my finnies under the heating pad.

'Vettes aren't my fantasy fuel. Pretty enough, but I'm very tall and a larger person...I like Cadillacs, Buicks, Bentleys, Packards. My 1982 Cutlass was the smallest car I was comfortable in.

Who's Lottie Dod? I thought Suzanne Lenglen was the first superstar, but she was a tennis player so I paid attention to her. (Still holds the most grand slams wins w/21.)

10am? Is it really cold there too? Or is something else holding things up? *smooch*

230richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 9:08 am

>227 magicians_nephew: I'm comin' for your wallet, Jim...the Yule budget be damned, these're necessities not indulgences! No one (pace Horrible above) who lived through the revolution of 1975 could not want the Springsteen book!

I'm careful now to put "publicity" when describing the images. I'm afraid this might be the last year if the Canadians keep screwing up Edelweiss+. I'll be sad if it happens, but we live in end-stage capitalism. Greed is good, said the great god Gekko.

231katiekrug
Dec 9, 2025, 9:16 am

I made note of one of the kids' books you posted about - the science one, Oh, No They Aren't! - because our nephew is getting into science and The Wayne wants to encourage him. TW liked the look of the book so we picked up a copy for young Charles for Christmas. So Thank You!

232richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 9:18 am

>231 katiekrug: I'm so pleased! I hope Charles enjoys the read. It's a series I think has kids' way of relating to the world at its heart.

Cheers for stopping by!

233richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 10:07 am

412 Ain't nobody's fool : the life and times of Dolly Parton by Martha Ackmann

234richardderus
Edited: Dec 9, 2025, 11:23 am

413 Randy Travis : storms of life by Diane Diekman

235benitastrnad
Dec 9, 2025, 11:36 am

>234 richardderus:
Ugh! You got me! I like reading biographies of country western singers and Travis is one of the last of, what I consider to be, that class of musician. What Nashville promotes so heavily these days is just pop. Somehow, I didn't know about this biography. Into the gigantic TBR list it goes.

236richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 12:43 pm

>235 benitastrnad: *eville cackles*

My work here? She is done.

Pop is fine if you like sugary sweetness with no nuance. (Music, beverages, makes no difference...still true.)

I'm pretty sure you're squarely in Dieckman's biblioscope, Benita, and will likely enjoy the read. Thanks for stopping by!

237RebaRelishesReading
Dec 9, 2025, 1:01 pm

Good morning Richard. I haven't had much to say about your recent posts but thought I'd post today just to say "hi" and let you know I am reading (or at least skimming lol) your thread.

Have a good one!!

238richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 2:36 pm

414 Tom Petty : the life & music by Gillian G. Gaar

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: A unique and lavishly produced celebration of the iconic rocker, Tom Petty: The Life & Music examines an extraordinary career through the lens of 75 key events and releases.

Experience the extraordinary career of beloved rocker Tom Petty with this richly illustrated slipcase edition.

Twenty-eight Billboard Top-10 singles, induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a string of best-selling studio albums … nearly a decade after his passing, Tom Petty remains one of rock’s most beloved figures. In Tom Petty: The Life & Music, veteran rock journalist Gillian G. Gaar reveals this rock icon through 75 career releases, performances, and accolades. This luxuriously produced collectible edition features a slipcased hardcover format; stunning concert and candid offstage photography; images of memorabilia, including gig posters, vinyl record sleeves, ticket stubs, period ads; and more.

Through the decades, Gaar covers it all:

Petty’s childhood in Florida and early band, Mudcrutch

All 13 studio albums, including those with The Heartbreakers and as a solo artist such as the breakouts Damn the Torpedoes and Wildflowers

A selection of his greatest singles, like the rock standards “Don’t Do Me Like That” and “Free Fallin’”

Relationships with notable rock figures such as Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Johnny Cash, and Stevie Nicks

Legendary gigs, from his first SNL appearance to his 2004 performance with Prince and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his Super Bowl halftime performance

and much more

Beginning with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1976 self-titled debut LP and continuing right through the band’s final release, Hypnotic Eye in 2014, Tom Petty is one of the most beloved performers and musicians in rock ’n’ roll history, influencing countless acts for decades.

This book is your unprecedented retrospective of Petty’s life and art, from teenage Florida rock ’n’ roll enthusiast to international star and celebrity.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: No one really needs an introduction to Tom Petty, not born after about 1975 or so anyway. He's been part of the landscape since debuting in 1976 with "American Girl" and "Breakdown." You've just been earwormed, I'll bet.

The facts of Petty's life are not detailed so much as related to the events relevant to his musical career. Part of the charm of a book like this is the photographic component:

in the studio making magic

It's a design-heavy book; I'd be aware of the fact that formatting on a tablet might flow differently than is always obvious. I'd wager the book would not work on a Kindle or small tablet at all. It feels like, at this price-point, you'd do best to opt for a tree-book. I mean, look:

Southern Accents

Damn the Torpedoes

Full Moon Fever

The beauty of the thing is its presence...opt for the old ways in this case. The documentation of a career like Tom Petty's is well worth some shelf space for a fan. I'm reasonably sure most of us don't hate his music, but a gift like this is going to someone very fond of the man and his sounds indeed.

His legacy in the culture's pretty solid. It's clear he was a very well-known and beloved figure.

There won't be another like him. That means we should treasure him, treasure the memory of the musician because we still have the music.

The lost documentary...what a dream....

239richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 2:42 pm

>237 RebaRelishesReading: Howdy, Reba! I'm glad to see you here. I hope you're getting some visual pleasure out of the scanning. It's been a real journey, hasn't it?

240richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 3:49 pm

415 Chappell roan : a vibrant journey through the career and influence of the Indie-pop superstar by Harbert Day
Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Explore the “femininomenon” and cultural impact of the Midwest pop princess, Chappell Roan, in this richly illustrated biography.

Chappell Roan is a 2025 Grammy Award winner for Best New Artist. The queer queen’s meteoric rise from small-town girl to pop icon is a story of self-discovery, resilience, and triumph. With a back-and-forth journey that resulted in your favorite artists’ favorite artist and a TikTok sensation hit after hit, there is much to discuss about how this Midwesterner paved her own path and made her voice loud in Hollywood. Featuring over 40 vibrant photographs, Chappell Roan captures the star’s personal and professional journey, celebrating her talent, fierce creativity, and commitment to self-expression and LGBTQ+ representation. Find glimpses into her songwriting process as this book unveils how Roan stays true to her individuality in an industry often demanding conformity.

Learn about the life and career of the “HOT TO GO!” star, including:

Small-town roots: Hailing from Willard, Missouri, learn how Chappell credits her hometown for her unique perspective on life.

Self-taught visual artist: Discover how Chappell has used her self-taught painting and designing skills to create a deeply immersive musical experience.

Queer icon in the making: A representative in mainstream pop, Chappell identifies as queer and a drag queen, and has advocated for the LGBTQ+ community.

DIY ethos: After parting ways with Atlantic Records, Chappell is now an independent artist with more creative freedom in her music and image.

Theatrical live performances: Her live shows are famous for their high-energy, elaborate costumes, and cabaret-style approach.

From overcoming challenges as an emerging artist to crafting a distinct image and voice, Chappell Roan’s story of self-acceptance and resilience has inspired her fans to embrace their own identities without compromise. Filled with emotional depth, candid stories, and stunning visuals, this book is a celebration of how one artist is reshaping the pop world, and perfect for fans of Chappell Roan and music lovers alike.

The Fierce and Fearless series immerses fans and music lovers in the lives and careers of today’s most dazzling pop stars. Explore the fascinating stories behind their chart-topping songs, showstopping fashion moments, and outstanding achievements. In thought-provoking biographies that capture both the triumphs and challenges, discover what it takes to become a powerhouse in the music world. With stunning photos and inspiring quotes, these books offer an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best singers and songwriters of our time.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: This performer is the definition of luck meeting hard, focused work. They have made a career in spite of being too much, of being too different, for the normies.

quite a resume for one so young

In this beautifully designed illustrated biography, there are lots of details a casual observer won't know, lots of images to please a true fan, and a message that really is the heart of the entire carefully designed persona and career:

Her fanbase seems to me to be underserved...so if you have one on your gifting list, now's the time to get this marvelous gift for them. The point being to entertain, I think the book does that well; the point being to inspire, I think the book does that well, too:

Pop princess and drag-queen-in-a-woman's-body never reached closer to the huge success Chappell Roan has. I am impressed and delighted by her, by the work ethic she models, and the fearless, fierce expression of self that powers the entire show. Brava to Chappell Roan, and long may her fans have her to kvell over.

241LovingLit
Dec 9, 2025, 4:22 pm

Ommigoodness and now a tonne of music books/images as well. So good!

242richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 5:40 pm

416 Pearl jam live! : 35 years of legendary music and revolutionary shows by Selena Fragassi

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Pearl Jam Live! celebrates the iconic rock band, the fan culture, and the music they created through interviews, photos, and more.

A must-have for every Pearl Jam fan, this beautifully designed volume traces 35 years of the groundbreaking grunge group through photos, interviews, and all the fascinating facts.

Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder, and Matt Cameron are Seattle’s own alternative rock band that sprang to the top of the charts (and into the angsty hearts of millions of global fans) in the 1990s. Though each of the members and the band itself has faced their ups and downs in the four decades since they came together, they continue to release new music and maintain a loyal fan base.

On July 7, 2025, Matt Cameron made the surprise announcement that he was leaving Pearl Jam after a long 27-year run that began back in 1998. This book celebrates the many years, albums, and tours that Matt was a part of before stepping down.

In Pearl Jam Live! music journalist Selena Fragassi delves into the band’s origins—from their beginning as Green River to their earliest influences—to their biggest successes in the ’90s, to their continued achievements today and the lasting legacy they’ve left in the alt-rock canon. Along the way, readers will also explore:

The creation of Pearl Jam’s biggest hits, such as “Even Flow” and “Last Kiss”

The fan culture that built up around the band, from the small gigs and mall tours of their earliest years to performances at Lollapalooza and their Gigaton tour

Pearl Jam’s influences, from classic rock to pop, and their place in rock history

The lasting legacy of a band proudly celebrating their thirty-fifth anniversary

Step by step, through interviews, photos, and sidebars full of fun facts and trivia, you’ll learn something new about the band on every page. This book is the perfect companion to your lasting reverence for Pearl Jam.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A defining act for much of its history, Pearl Jam's made millions very happy at its shows...more on its radio sides. (Wow, I'm really old.)

bet at least a few of these are familiar

What a zooming sound the past makes as it races past me. I'm glad I've lived long enough to see the culture of my middle age become nostalgia. My ambition is to live long enough to see 2001 Cadillacs on the auction floor at a Mecum antique-car auction.

Imagine if I'd kept that Pearl Jam concert program....

What we all need is a dose of "Alive" blasting on the car radio while cruising across the country in that 2001 Cadillac I mentioned above. Closest thing we're gonna get is a trip down memory lane with Author Fragassi telling us who the people are we've forgotten, where we know 'em from, and what was happening at that time:

Everything in its place. We're going through a lot of territory, there needs to be some razzmatazz to be visually over)stimulating, this is the alt-rock 90s after all!

Pearl Jam...thirty-five years as a touring band...no wonder Matt Cameron retired in July. He's bloody exhausted! Still, there are a lot of wonderful memory holes to fall into in this excitingly designed volume...but choose the tree-book, trust me. Your 90s-nostalgic giftee will love it.

243richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 6:04 pm

>241 LovingLit: I'm really glad that it pleases you, Megan! It's proving successful for others, too. Blog views are steady, but higher than last week, so SOMEone's a happy reader/viewer. TV and movies and stuff tomorrow!

244alcottacre
Dec 9, 2025, 6:08 pm

>233 richardderus: As a longtime fan of the woman, and one who came to appreciate her musical talents despite not much liking the genre she's performed in for decades That is me too. I so appreciate her as a human being who has given back to generously, especially through the Imagination Library program, a wonderful idea for getting free books to children who might never otherwise have books. I will have to see if I can get a copy of that one at some point.

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today, RD!

245laytonwoman3rd
Edited: Dec 9, 2025, 6:37 pm

>234 richardderus: I did a lot of skimming down this thread, because I was pitifully behind...what a delight to see you reviewing lovely children's books, and musical biographies, and how utterly serendipitous that one of the latter was of Randy Travis. Just last night, we were going through a stack of old home-done VHS recordings off the TV (Crikey, remember when THAT was a thing?) of CMT's Country Crossroads program. We watched Randy Travis and Josh Turner chatting, and listened to them vibrating the floorboards with "Long Black Train", "Diggin' up Bones", and (also one of my favorites) "On the Other Hand". That was sometime in 2006, I believe. What a sad thing Randy's life has become...unable to sing, but still touring and soaking up the applause.

>233 richardderus: I love Dolly for her wit and compassion...I'll never forget her telling Johnny Carson (I think) that she never minded when people though she was just a dumb blonde, because "I knew I wasn't dumb...*perfect pause*...and I'm not blonde, either!"

246richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 7:56 pm

>244 alcottacre: I think her ethics are her calling card for people like us, Stasia. It's worth asking the library to get one, it's not out yet so plenty of time! *smooch*

247richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 7:59 pm

>245 laytonwoman3rd: Poor guy's made a lot out of the mess he started with, but the mileage did its usual thing...wrecked him. I feel for him. What an excellent discovery! Tapes of him when he was still himself!

Miss Dolly's best line to me: "You-all have no idea how much it costs to look this cheap!" The Opry went nuts.

248laytonwoman3rd
Dec 9, 2025, 8:09 pm

>247 richardderus: "Tapes of him when he was still himself!" Yes...and afterward, out of curiosity we searched for the CMT program, and discovered that 16 seasons of Country Crossroads are available to stream on Paramount+, which we already subscribe to. I trust the quality is a bit better than our 19-year-old VHS tape.

249richardderus
Dec 9, 2025, 8:55 pm

>248 laytonwoman3rd: ...but you don't own the streams and they can be taken away any time....

250RebaRelishesReading
Dec 9, 2025, 9:26 pm

>233 richardderus: Indeed, Dolly Parton is one good human!

251atozgrl
Dec 9, 2025, 10:22 pm

>244 alcottacre: Ditto. Stasia, you said exactly what I was thinking, but you got here 4 hours before I did to say it.

>226 karenmarie: No, I never heard of Lottie Dod or the book. Of course I have heard of Babe Didrikson Zaharias, but not Lottie Dod. I guess I'll have to see if I can find a copy of the book somewhere.

>229 richardderus: It got to 22° overnight here, and after the snow and snow-melt, black ice was predicted. So schools and other public buildings were opening late here today.

252vancouverdeb
Dec 10, 2025, 1:09 am

You are really pumping out the reviews, Richard. My son Daniel used to be a big fan of Pearl Jam. He went to at least one concert. But he does not " read books' . I tell him, don't tell anyone else! Where did I go wrong ? My other son does not read for pleasure either. I failed in my bid to create readers. I tried.

253laytonwoman3rd
Dec 10, 2025, 8:51 am

>249 richardderus: Well, there is that. We do own a LOT of music, including videos. Meanwhile, we'll probably binge those while we can.

254richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 8:53 am

417 Law & order SVU : confidential : everything we love about the show we can't stop watching by Neal E. Fischer

Real Rating: 4.75* of five

The Publisher Says: Indulge in the nostalgia of one of the most celebrated shows in television history, Law & Order SVU. This enthusiast's SVU handbook is packed with interesting facts covering the creation of the show all the way to the evolution of the cast, delightful insights into years of star-studded guest appearances, reminiscent recaps, and much more.

Step behind the scenes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in this unofficial and unauthorized companion for SVU superfans.

Through exclusive photographs, filming locations, and insights from cast and crew interviews, Law & Order SVU: Confidential solves the mystery of what makes Law & Order: SVU one of television’s most enduring series. Open its vibrantly illustrated pages to revisit the characters and cases that have made SVU unforgettable, from powerhouse detective Olivia Benson to quick-witted interrogation expert Fin Tutuola.
Alongside pop art illustrations of iconic moments and characters, you’ll find:

A detailed map of SVU filming locations

Everything there is to know about over 450 episodes of this hit crime TV show

Complete character arcs of fan-favorite detectives and recurring figures

A breakdown of the irresistible formula that defines every SVU episode

Deep dives into real-life cases that inspired the show’s storylines

Spotlights on celebrity guest stars and their memorable roles

For fans who can’t get enough of the long-running crime drama, this unofficial and unauthorized edition celebrates the legacy of Law & Order: SVU while offering fresh insights and insider details.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Season 27 is airing now. Yes, that's right, season twenty-seven. If, like me, you watch the occasional episode and think, "good show...I'll forget it tomorrow," you'll wonder at the superfans who keep it on the air for decades now.

We're wrong; they're right. This show's fanbase, after a bit of poking around, is vocal and eloquent about their love for the way this show represents justice for the powerless and hope for victims and families. I suspect the ones who float the idea that true-crime podcasting and its notable successes were in part inspired by the show could very well be correct. It's been around since before podcasting was possible, still less A Thing like it is now.

It tracks with the personality that gets deep into this show.

The actors and their characters all get deep dives:

...there are games and trivia:

...and there are the episode rankings, though how they ever came to any conclusions given how many there are I do not know:

It's a wonderland for the serious fan! I'm sure, given their numbers, we all know one...I don't know any who're out, so to speak, but I bet there's some hiding for fear of being misunderstood.

I'm getting surer we should join them. At the least give them this relatively inexpensive source of joy for Yule.

255richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 8:55 am

>250 RebaRelishesReading: She makes me happy and proud to be a human, her actions are that high-quality.

256richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 9:36 am

>251 atozgrl: I forgot to look up Lottie Dod. Maybe later.

It's right cold here today because of the wind. It's not brutal like it was yesterday, though. I'm glad to be by the sea, wind and all, because ice accumulation is so much less likely. Little black ice here, most years anyway.

Cheers, Irene!

257richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 9:37 am

>253 laytonwoman3rd: A good response indeed, Linda3rd. *smooch*

258richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 9:39 am

418 Comics and stuff by Henry Jenkins

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Considers how comics display our everyday stuff—junk drawers, bookshelves, attics—as a way into understanding how we represent ourselves now

For most of their history, comics were widely understood as disposable—you read them and discarded them, and the pulp paper they were printed on decomposed over time. Today, comic books have been rebranded as graphic novels—clothbound high-gloss volumes that can be purchased in bookstores, checked out of libraries, and displayed proudly on bookshelves. They are reviewed by serious critics and studied in university classrooms. A medium once considered trash has been transformed into a respectable, if not elite, genre.

While the American comics of the past were about hyperbolic battles between good and evil, most of today's graphic novels focus on everyday personal experiences. Contemporary culture is awash with stuff. They give vivid expression to a culture preoccupied with the processes of circulation and appraisal, accumulation and possession. By design, comics encourage the reader to scan the landscape, to pay attention to the physical objects that fill our lives and constitute our familiar surroundings. Because comics take place in a completely fabricated world, everything is there intentionally. Comics are stuff; comics tell stories about stuff; and they display stuff.

When we use the phrase "and stuff" in everyday speech, we often mean something vague, something like "etcetera." In this book, stuff refers not only to physical objects, but also to the emotions, sentimental attachments, and nostalgic longings that we express—or hold at bay—through our relationships with stuff.

In Comics and Stuff, his first solo authored book in over a decade, pioneering media scholar Henry Jenkins moves through anthropology, material culture, literary criticism, and art history to resituate comics in the cultural landscape. Through over one hundred full-color illustrations, using close readings of contemporary graphic novels, Jenkins explores how comics depict stuff and exposes the central role that stuff plays in how we curate our identities, sustain memory, and make meaning. Comics and Stuff presents an innovative new way of thinking about comics and graphic novels that will change how we think about our stuff and ourselves.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Stuff is a nightmare. Stuff is all I got. Stuff...is. Dealing with stuff, yours. mine, or no one we know's, is a full time career.

Comic books are stuff. They're about stuff. They are, in short, great wats to explore stuff and its role in our lives.

A subtle person uses the medium to critique, analyze, and...sometimes...take to task the message and its architects. Henry Jenkins is subtle; he uses the medium to make plain what can easily fall outside the awareness of the consumer: This is a story, an entire social universe, constructed around the Love of Stuff.

It seems harmless enough phrased that way. It's hard to see from inside the system what the system's designed to do. Like investigating the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics, the theory is as close to proof of intent as we'll get...we can't observe what is, by definition, outside the system we're working within to perform the measurement.

In other words, you can't see the nose on your face unless you're looking in a mirror (or its equivalent reflective surface). Henry Jenkins is offering that mirror.

Highly recommended for your graphic-novel readin' sophisticate.

259karenmarie
Dec 10, 2025, 10:43 am

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Wednesday to you.

>229 richardderus: From Wikipedia:

Charlotte Dod (24 September 1871 – 27 June 1960) was an English multi-sport athlete, best known as a tennis player. She won the Wimbledon Ladies' Singles Championship five times, the first one when she was only 15 in the summer of 1887. She remains the youngest ladies' singles champion.

In addition to tennis, Dod competed in many other sports, including golf, field hockey, and archery. She also won the British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship, played twice for the England women's national field hockey team (which she helped to found), and won a silver medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics in archery. The Guinness Book of Records has named her as the most versatile female athlete of all time, together with track and field athlete and fellow golf player Babe Zaharias.

Today is already warmer and will get to 55F.

>234 richardderus: Excellent review of a book about an excellent woman.

>238 richardderus: My appreciation for Mr. Petty begins and ends with The Traveling Wilburys.

>240 richardderus: Ms. Roan doesn’t particularly trip my trigger, but the first photo of her reminded me that I was gifted with the following short on YouTube:

Noa Gruman does what?

>251 atozgrl: I was going to offer to loan my copy to you, but it’s one of the 1.6% of my books that are currently MIA.
>252 vancouverdeb: I won’t tell anyone, Deborah, if you don’t tell anyone that Jenna does not read books for pleasure anymore either. She reads fanfic and other things on her cellphone, so I guess there’s that, right?

>254 richardderus: Bill loves Law & Order. I do not, so I always ask if he’s watching ‘Lawn Order’, a reference to what we used to lovingly refer to as Lawn Ornament Alert in the early years of our marriage as we drove through rural NC.

And, whew! I avoided ALL the BBs.

*smooch*

260benitastrnad
Dec 10, 2025, 11:35 am

I am loving these book reviews. It is not often that somebody reviews the BIG picture review books. Thanks for filling that space. These are the kind of books that make great gifts. I love to have a couple of them sitting out where people can see them. Of course, right now, the only thing people see in my house is still cardboard boxes - empty and full. Moving is a pain.

261LizzieD
Dec 10, 2025, 12:00 pm

Oh, good grief! I posted on the day you finished the Lotus review, and my post is Not. There. I was here and wishing that my BiL were still alive so that I could give him one of your car books.

I have to say that popular music hasn't pleased my ear since the Beatles and Dead Can Dance. I'm sure I'm missing some nice stuff, but now I have time for the past 1200 years or so of music that does possess me. I'll be back though.

(>252 vancouverdeb: We were persuaded at every turn in my education courses at Chapel Hill in the late 60s that the main goal of the English teacher was "To help kids instill a permanent reading habit." I bought into it and later added "To help kids write clear sentences and maybe even paragraphs." I came to realize that some brains just aren't built to read well but did my best.)

*Smooch*, my WBL with a warm wish that you will stay warm too!

262richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 12:42 pm

>259 karenmarie: Jazz recitavo! I know there's another word for it but can't find it in my archive. She's very good at it.

I was expecting you to escape unscathed today. I spent the night tossing and turning, trying to figure out one...just one...that would make your buy-button finger twitch. Couldn't find one. *mournful sigh*

There's always tomorrow....

263richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 12:44 pm

>260 benitastrnad: I don't read too many truly popular books. When I do they're mostly ones I've bothered to purchase so ineligible for my review. If a publisher offers me one it's usually relegated to my monthly collation of Burgoines.

264richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 12:53 pm

>261 LizzieD: ...did you say that to me on your own thread, because I remember that too...?

The awful truth is some people simply aren't equipped for facile decoding. Some aren't equipped to do it at all. The functionally illiterate are, I think I know this but can't find support in a fast Google, the sizable majority of the world's people. That tracks with what I know about the development of reading capabilities in children. Those conditions are not as common as I feel they should be. At least on this richest-ever polity to exist in the planet's history.

Pop music by definition is for populus, which you and I are emphatically no longer in, senex that we are.

265richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 12:59 pm

419 ROBBIE CONAL: STREETWISE: 35 Years of Politically Charged Guerrilla Art by G. JAMES DAICHENDT

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: With a foreword by Shepard Fairey, this is the definitive history of "America's foremost street artist" (Washington Post).

The politically charged art of Robbie Conal is gnarled, gut retching, and emotionally laden. Featuring every image in Robbie Conal’s storied poster campaigns, this is the definitive history of “America’s foremost street artist” (Washington Post). A foreword by Shepard Fairey, American contemporary street artist, graphic designer, and activist, sets the scene. Conal's satirical posters of political figures are given richer context as his life story is insightfully joined with art criticism by expert Daichendt. Today honored by museums and arts organizations around the world, Conal hit high speed during the Reagan administration in 1986, when he began turning his grotesque portraits into street posters. We see Conal's life come together at a critical moment to attack issues of censorship, war, social injustice, and the environment.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Do I need to explain why this book is on my #Booksgiving list? Look at the art.

You tell me why a book like this is a worthy gift item for your lefty giftee in need of heartening proof they are not alone in seeing the world this way.

No one's career starts out in high gear. We're tracing Conal's development in this book.

...but even as an ornamental object, not a subject of art-world interest to the recipient, this will gladden the heart of anyone saddened, enraged, or simply ground down by 2025's world.

"You are not alone" and "It's happened before and we made it through" are empowering and important messages to send, and to receive.

266richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 3:24 pm

420 Street Level Japan: Experience the Bustling Streets of Japanese Cities by Hiroki Harada

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Street Level Japan take viewers on a photo journey through the intriguing urban spaces of Japan’s major cities. Embark on a visual tour of urban Japan, captured through Tokyo-native Hiroki Harada’s eyepopping photography.

Street Level Japan immerses you in the unique city streets of Japan. Explore hidden alleys, peruse storefronts, and marvel at cityscapes through over200 stunning photographs that perfectly capture the light, mood, and beauty of Japan’s cities. Each photo is accompanied by a caption that provides background on the location and the inspiration for the photograph. Featured in the Photographize Magazine’s 100 Best in 2023, Harada’s acclaimed images have captured the attention of tens of thousands of followers on social media (@funky_side_of_town). Through a series of photos, Harada guides you through Japan’s most famous cities, including:

Tokyo

Kyoto

Osaka

Nagoya

Yokohama

and more!

Street Level Japan is packed with impressive visuals that will draw you in with their intricate detail and realistic nuance. Whether you’re an armchair explorer or world traveler, prepare to be wowed by these incredible visual narratives.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I think Japan is physically very beautiful. Its cultural milieu is a mixed bag for me, but as expressed in its built environment, it appeals greatly. As a natural world, it's gorgeous indeed. If you're not familiar with its dramatic, majestic landscapes, Google is your friend. (Don't use a chatbot.)

The city photography in this volume appeals to me greatly, because it looks (to my outsider's eye) so intentional, so much a consensus-culture's expression of what's needed and wanted.

I've selected seven of the dozen or so images supplied for publicity. More out of respect for my storage limitations than any other reason. I'd post the whole book if possible but there would be Repercussions I do not want.

I hope it's given you a picture (!) of a good recipient for a modestly-priced luxury item. Who among your giftees loves manga, reads Japanese literature obsessively, and adores anime? Thirty-five bucks ain't a bad price to say "I see you, I love you" to such a one.

Unlike many of the illustrated books I tell y'all about, this one seems designed to be an ideal tablet-reader's art book. It looked fine on my modestly-priced Galaxy S11 tablet. The tree book is, of course *chef's kiss* but it's good to have another arrow in your quiver.

For your consideration. (If it works for getting Academy voters to pay attention to films, why not books too.)

267richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 6:03 pm

421 All-negro Comics : America's First Black Comic Book by Chris Robinson (creator Orrin C. Evans)

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: WINNER OF THE EISNER AWARD • The first comic ever created by African Americans, for African Americans.

Three quarters of a century ago, Orrin C. Evans lead a team of cartoonists to create the first comic book anthology of original Black characters created by Black talent, with the expressed purpose of entertaining while rejecting harmful stereotypes and pushing boundaries in the industry. This was only 8 years after Action Comics #1, 6 years after Captain America #1 and a whole 19 years before Black Panther hit the pages of Fantastic Four.

All-Negro Comics #1 should be among those revered moments in comic book history, but the original print run was quickly removed from newsstands and faded into obscurity, remaining largely unknown for 75 years. . . until now.

All-Negro Comics 75th Anniversary Edition (an Eisner Award-winning collection) preserves that history for generations to come, containing All-Negro Comics #1, in full and digitally remastered for clarity, several essays for historical context and contemporary reflection, as well as new stories by Black writers and artists of today, featuring the original characters.

This award-winning volume includes:

• The complete single issue from 1947, digitally remastered! Consistent colors, crisp text, and no damage!
• Contemporary comics and prose stories, featuring the All-Negro Comics characters, written by notable Black creators of today
• Essays that provide historical and cultural context to deepen your reading experience
• A discussion guide and resource list

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I had no inkling (!) this series of comics ever existed. Which is the point of banning and suppressing books: If you don't see yourself in popular culture, you have no reason to think you belong in it. I myownself, standing on an already enormous mountain of white male privilege, was also given the gift of growing up after Stonewall...I know exactly how important it is to see your Self, your identity and looks, your behavior and thoughts, in the culture around you.

I can't even imagine how much more important it is today, and certainly was in the past, to Black children...adults, too, but comics reach both groups.

The Eisner Award has never been given more thoughtfully and necessarily than to honor these groundbreaking creators, ignored far, far too long:

I liked seeing the cover art, just as art, without the usual impedimenta to get in the way of its kinetic design. It's easier to enjoy as art:

In my defense of personal ignorance about this comic book's existence, I offer the fact I never read a comic book in my life until I was almost ten. I got books whenever I wanted, bought for me or from the library, so I never developed the interest or formed the habit. Of course, no one pitched them to me like Orrin C. Evans pitched these comics:

Silver-tongued devil, no?

So your comics maven will enjoy the Eisener winner part, your Black history maven will enjoy the recovered history and the prescience of Orrin C. Evans in doing it at all, and it looks lovely on the tablet if you've got an ereader! Now, enjoy some of Ace Harlem's adventures:

#ReadingIsResistance

268atozgrl
Edited: Dec 10, 2025, 6:24 pm

>256 richardderus: Lucky you, to not get much black ice. We don't get much snow, but we do have to deal with black ice most winters. That's the thing that gets us and causes most of the "snow days"/delays for schools.

>259 karenmarie: Thanks for the offer, Karen, but I don't know when I'd be able to fit it in. I've got plenty on my reading list right now, and for a while to come.

>261 LizzieD: That sounded familiar to me too. Is post >198 LizzieD: the one you're referring to?

269richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 6:43 pm

>268 atozgrl: The sea, the sea....

>198 LizzieD: is indeed the message I remembered! Thank you, that was gonna wart me as bad as the legume under that girl's mattress!

270richardderus
Dec 10, 2025, 7:58 pm

422 Desert Dreams: The Music, Style, and Allure of Coachella by Katie Bain

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: A celebration of one of the most successful music festivals in the world, Desert Dreams captures the groundbreaking performances, viral fashion moments, and impact of the Coachella phenomenon on music and culture. Immerse yourself in the music, the fashion, and the hype of one of the biggest music festivals in the world.

Coachella is considered one of the most profitable and widely attended music festivals, with an annual attendance of 250,000 people. Not only is it located in the middle of the desert, but to be there is to witness some of the best performances artists will ever put on. For them, playing at Coachella is a huge checkmark on the bucket list of their career. No matter how small their name appears on the billboards listing the year's lineups, the festival is known to be the starting point of artists on the way to superstardom. Chances are, if you saw them at Coachella, you'll be seeing them rise for the rest of the year and be able to say you knew them before they were big.

Discover the magic of one of the biggest festivals in the world, from the windy roads and mountain views on the way there, the hotspots on the polo field, and the art installations that create an epic landscape and dozens of photo ops that you see online. Desert Dreams will walk you through the biggest names that have performed on the mainstage, including those that started in a smaller tent. At Coachella, anything can and will happen. Relive the headlines that nobody could stop talking about for weeks after, such as who was there—from celebrities to special guest appearances onstage—what they were wearing—both the performers and audience members—and what to expect if you’re planning to experience it all yourself in an upcoming year. With 150+ iconic photographs and insights from music industry veterans, Coachella expert, Katie Bain brings you a comprehensive guide to this groundbreaking festival phenomenon.

This visually stunning book makes you feel as if you never missed a year in the desert, covering:

The origins of the festival from the Los Angeles music scene in the ’60s through the ’90s

The talent and most talked about performances including Guns N’ Roses, Beychella, and No Doubt

The epic fashion trends and viral looks that span from DIY to designer

The scintillating media stories such as the hard launch of Kristin Stewart and Robert Pattinson and when Shania Twain dazzled with Harry Styles

What happened when a Tupac Shakur hologram entered center stage

All the reunions, legacy acts, and makings of history each year

The cultural and musical impact of Coachella on US festivals and the American Music History

And so much more!

Learn about the extravagance (and not-so-extravagant moments) alongside a real account of what it takes to arrive on the site, all the key locations, and the most hyped about parties. By page one, you’ll feel like you’re on your way to the biggest event of your life—and for some, you’ll get the chance to relive it. A must-have volume for music lovers, pop culture enthusiasts, and fashionistas, Desert Dreams is the ultimate celebration of the iconic Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Make sure you have your water ready because we’re taking you to the desert.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Privileged people being absurdly extravagant in luxurious ways is really nothing new is it? Marie Antoinette had her fantasy modest village where she pretended to be a milkmaid. Rich celebs spend outrageous money to DIY (I'll bet not) costumes, art installations, musical performances (those're real, kinda hafta be, but talk about publicity!) in the Cali desert.

Well, chacun à son goût. I myownself would spend that mountain of spondulix on books for kids, queer teens, and food pantries, but I'm notoriously no damn fun. Still, I'll bet you have at least one pop-culture vulture who would know every one of these pretty people, and find their doin's throughout the years right interesting.

It's a dream book for many. I'm fascinated by the astonishing excess.

All that...stuff...is single use. I don't know what other use it could be put to. Irrelevant...it's mostly too costly to ever reassemble the stuff even if there was a place to put it permanently; where ya gonna wear this...rig...after the show?

So maybe don't give it to me...but there are squads of fans of the music acts who'd enjoy this look at a venue they'll never see:

As a design-heavy book, though a very, very reasonably priced one, the first question I ask is, can I get the experience on my tablet? In this case, I'm not really sure...I wasn't troubled by seeming glitches when viewing it on my Galaxy S11 but well...I wouldn't be.

Up to you, but I'd give the tree book to my pop-culture obsessed nibling or the fashion lover or the fan of The Weeknd or...well, anyone not me.

Ye gawds.

271LizzieD
Dec 10, 2025, 10:29 pm

>268 atozgrl: That's it, Irene. I don't know how I missed it because that is where I looked. I heave another great sigh for my lapses. Thank you!

>265 richardderus: "You are not alone" and "It's happened before and we made it through" I so remember and yearn for the days not so long ago when my friend on fb posted a meme that said, We made it through Dub. You'll make it through Obama. Who could have guessed that those were the days.

That Japanese Cities book is marvelous. Thank you for opening it for us, Richard!

272richardderus
Dec 11, 2025, 8:48 am

423 The Square Foot Gardening Planner: A 3-year Journal for Recording the Planning, Planting, and Care of Your Square Foot Garden

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: The Square Foot Gardening Planner contains planting charts, seed and supply trackers, variety reviews, activity logs, design templates, and other items to plan, plant, and tend a SFG. The one-and-only official planner of the Square Foot Gardening Foundation, filled with all the planning tools and data-tracking logs generations of Square Foot Gardeners have been asking for!

Whether you’ve had a SFG for decades or you’re just getting started, The Square Foot Gardening Planner allows you to record all the happenings in your SFG for three full years. Planning a SFG is different than planning a traditional garden. The intensive planting, prescribed spacing, and succession cropping used in the SFG method mean a greater need to plan in advance and keep track of changes. This planner gives you all the tools you need to do just that.

Blank design templates enable you to easily plan each grid square, while planting logs keep your seed-sowing and transplanting efforts on track. Organize chores, record compost additions, and track crop performance in dozens of handy, easy-to-use charts throughout the pages.

Logs and charts found inside include:

Square-by-square planning guides

Seed inventory log

Gardening supplies inventory

Pruning and staking log

Pest and disease tracking

Seed sowing log (for indoors and out)

Transplanting log

By-the-square succession planting tracker

Harvest date and yield records

Variety reviews

End-of-season notes

Daily, weekly, and monthly journal entries

And so much more!

The color-coded pages keep each year artfully organized, and the bright illustrations make this planner a joy to use. It’s the perfect companion for millions of Square Foot Gardeners around the globe.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: It's time to start next year's garden plans...it's never a bad time to start, frankly. December, in the global north, is the best month to look at the relatively bare ground to think over the possibilities, assess the work load, contemplate the investment, decide on the most likely way to maximize your harvest for money put out.

The way the climate is changing, you'll be wise to begin looking at solutions to food security like this. A small-scale setup is far better able to respond to disasters, to change cropping patterns, to keep the real world in mind. Industrial agriculture can sustain you while you're practicing on the square-foot plans in this book.

It's clear, it's simple, and if you're motivated to keep up with a plan better than wingin' it, this is a one-stop shop. For yourself or a giftee with climate resilience on their mind, this is a lovely, practical package deal.

A view of the basics above...they also provide blanks to photocopy or adapt as you please.

One of the biggest issues stopping people from launching in to projects like gardening is they have to come up with A System. Can't plant stuff if there's not a plan and expect the results to be...anything, really. It's hard enough WITH a system to battle the pests.

A fine launching pad to practical crop-gardening success, inexpensive enough to be a good gift to your budget as well as your giftee. I can't quite finish out that fifth star because I haven't used the information for myself; it's the concept and presentation I rate highly.

273richardderus
Dec 11, 2025, 8:54 am

>271 LizzieD: Thank goodness Irene found it...I'd've been low-key worried we were in the Mandela Effect field....

That extreme affront to whiteness is largely what riled up the aptly named base, but honestly I'm a weird little bit glad they "came out" because the poison's open now. I'm probably a fool to say it but I'm really hopeful they can be sufficiently inoculated with fear of reprisals that they'll STFU for good.

As if....

I thought the Japanese cities book was something really special.

274karenmarie
Dec 11, 2025, 9:01 am

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Thursday to you.

>267 richardderus: Sharp chicks and smooth studs…

Interesting combination of genres and styles… but I’ve dodged ‘em all.

*smooch*

275richardderus
Dec 11, 2025, 9:34 am

424 A Year of Garden-Inspired Living: Season by Season by Linda Vater

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: A Year of Garden-Inspired Living is a giftable homage to living seasonally and is filled with inspiration for creating a garden-inspired life of grace and abundance. Bring simplicity and grace into your life, garden, home, and community with this treasured collection of ideas and daily inspiration from garden lifestyle guru Linda Vater.

Whether it’s connecting with a neighbor over a bowl of homemade soup, displaying a much-adored collection of books, creating personalized seed packets, setting a beautiful seasonal tablescape, or compiling a basket of comforts for someone in need, author Linda Vater (@potagerblog) has gathered a wealth of reflections on how to make the ordinary extraordinary and bring the joy of the garden’s seasons back into your life.

Each page features a narrative story about a special life moment, followed by an idea for bringing that moment to fruition in your own life, all organized by the season. Beautiful watercolor illustrations add further inspiration and a spark of creativity to the notion on each page.

A small sampling of the guidance found inside includes:

Giving a house blessing to a brand-new homeowner

Picking a seasonal wardrobe “piece” and letting it shine

Spreading seeds in an old spice jar

Being intentionally inefficient

Wearing your garden boots with a flouncy dress

Welcoming friends and neighbors to cut bouquets from your garden

Having a “ladybug party” for the children in your life

Creating herbal bouquets for cooking

Making and displaying decorative fall leaf bouquets

And so much more!

A Year of Garden-Inspired Living offers an elegant yet easy way to bring the joys and textures of seasonal living into your daily life, welcoming peace and connection to your days and restoring the balance of nature’s seasons in your home and life.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Charming, gentle anecdotes centered on a woman's garden as she moves through her very aspirationally bourgeois year.

Interesting reading for a resolute urbanite who quails inwardly at the notion of suburbia. I was fascinated by this Junior-League vision of a leisurely life I'd thought was dead. No one I know who isn't retired has this kind of time to putter and potter and coddiwomple hither, thither, and yon to be a willing slave to a bunch of botanical divas.

Absorbing, in a very retro way. Belong to a gardening club? The girls'll love this!

we're going hard on seasonality

This is, I'd guess, a gift item for your older female friends who do the relaxed lifestyle and would enjoy learning how to put some intentionality into the day. Rhythms of the seasons always make life feel purposeful, add that sense of being in a world larger and more...complete...than one's private world.

These samples of the design style might tell you what my review can't:

You get the picture...all very focused, true to an aesthetic, and sharply defined by softness and gentle colors.

276richardderus
Dec 11, 2025, 9:37 am

>274 karenmarie: I'm stunned, Horrible...photo books about people you've never heard of and places you're not interested in are not causing severe one-click-itis? Who'd-a thunk it?

I don't expect my dry spell with you to break soon, honestly. My therapist offered me an extra session to work through the damage to my self-esteem....

277jessibud2
Dec 11, 2025, 9:48 am

I am loving those last 2 garden-inspired reviews, Richard....

278richardderus
Dec 11, 2025, 9:50 am

>277 jessibud2: Morning, Shelley! More gardening to come...stay tuned....

279richardderus
Dec 11, 2025, 11:07 am

The new thread is up! https://www.librarything.com/topic/376063

This topic was continued by richardderus's twentieth 2025 thread.

richardderus's nineteenth 2025 thread

Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2025

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