You'd better cover your tracks

Detective Aiden Waits has seen better days.  When Sirens opens, he's been placed on suspension by the police force for trying to switch out drugs in the police evidence room.  As a disgraced cop, his superiors figure he would be the ideal person to go undercover in an attempt to find the missing daughter of an MP. 

Waits is fairly quickly able to trace the girl, Isabelle Rossiter, to the thriving drug den of kingpin Zain Carver.  It turns out that Zain employs attractive young women to pick up drug money for him.  Isabelle seems to be the latest addition to this group.  Poor Isabelle doesn't look like she's enjoying herself, though.  Why would she leave a seemingly comfortable upper-class home for the rough world of the drug trade?

While mingling in this dangerous world, Waits meets another female drug courier, Catherine.  He begins a relationship with her, but when a rival drug gang wants to take over Zain Carter's territory, Catherine becomes a pawn in their game.  As Aiden moves around in this shadowy underworld, he begins to suspect that some of the drug dealers he's interacting with might have something to do with the disappearance of a woman 10 years previously.  Aiden has to try to keep the two sides of his life separate while ensuring that neither he nor the people he's grown to care for wind up injured or dead. 

I found the story a little difficult to follow at times.  Aiden would be "called on the carpet" by either his police superior or a drug lord, and while speaking to them, he'd think, "I nearly told him everything," and I'd wonder, "About what???" The motives of everyone keep you guessing and you can never really trust what anyone says or does.  There is a second book out featuring Aiden Waits, so it will be interesting to follow up and see if he's been able to get his life back on the straight and narrow (although somehow I doubt it).

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Sirens from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.

Read More

Get a jumpstart on weightloss

Dr. Kellyann Petrucci is a well-known weight-loss specialist who has helped many people (especially celebrities) lose weight quickly.  Her secrets are explained in The 10-Day Belly Slimdown.  The diet consists of four phases throughout the day.  The main factor in the diet is bone broth.  There are instructions for making your own bone broth (which can take up to 8 hours) or, helpfully, Dr. Kellyann sells broth on-the-go packets on her website.  As well as a structured daily plan, the book includes a section on approved foods that you can have during the 10 days.

Many recipes are included in the book.  Each recipe includes detailed preparation instructions and notes about how the various ingredients are helpful in the diet.  Unfortunately, as with most recipe books, it's unlikely that many of the ingredients will be found in your kitchen already.  In three recipes I found by opening the book at random, each one asked for at least one ingredient I found a little strange, including monk fruit sweetener, Celtic salt, fish sauce, Korean red pepper flakes and daikon (? I have no idea and I'd be willing to bet my local grocery store doesn't carry it).  For inspiration, the book also has many Success Stories showing before and after photos of people who were able to lose weight and inches in 10 days.

In short, someone who is willing to commit to the plan and buy all the ingredients will likely be successful.  I just wish the ingredients in the recipes were a bit more pantry-friendly.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of The 10-Day Belly Slimdown from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review 

Read More

Look before you leap into home renovation

It sounds like a dream:  moving to Paris and living in your very own apartment in a trendy neighborhood.  Unfortunately, for David Lebovitz, this dream quickly turned into a nightmare in the book l'appart.  The book chronicles the ups and downs of his purchase and renovation of an apartment in Paris.

David Lebovitz is a cookbook author, so nearly every chapter ends with a delicious-sounding recipe.  Because of his work, his requirements for his new home mainly involved the kitchen, where he needed space and equipment to try out recipes.  He had been living in a cramped Paris apartment for several years when he decided to take the plunge and purchase his own flat.  Once he decided to buy a place, however, he encountered his first problem.  Each real estate agent has his or her own listings, and they don't share this information with each other.  So he had to try and figure out exactly which apartments were for sale and how to contact the sellers.  Once he had found an appealing prospect, even though it was on the market, the seller apparently was in no hurry to finalize the sale.  This, of course, created problems when he attempted to give notice on his current apartment.

All of this paled in comparison to when he began renovations on the space.  The wiring, plumbing, drywall and nearly everything else in the apartment needed to be replaced.  A friend recommended a contractor who was reassuringly calm and didn't seem fazed at all by the amount of work that would be required.  David's French partner, Romain, tried to counsel him on how to deal with French tradesmen, but David, as an American used to dealing with things that run more or less smoothly, thought he was overreacting.  He therefore paid a lot of money for the work upfront, only to be dismayed when no workers showed up for days or weeks at a time. 

Not only was the repair work difficult to get done, but things which should have been simple, such as ordering appliances or parts also turned out to be mammoth tasks.  No matter how many mistakes the electrician and contractor made, everything was blamed on David.  Because he paid so much up front, he was not anxious to start over with a new contractor.  Luckily, after the work was completed (not to his satisfaction, but to a finally-move-in-ready-standard), he had some architect friends look over the work, and they discovered not only shoddy, but also potentially hazardous situations. 

The book is quite interesting to read and discover the cultural differences in our French cousins.  It is amusing to read about the many strange and unfathomable things that just accepted by the French with a shrug.  Since the author is a food writer, he brings in a lot of discussion about different types of foods that he has discovered since moving to France.  The book has plenty of humorous situations that anyone doing a home renovation project can probably sympathize with.  I hope to try out some of the recipes in the future -- especially the Frangipane Plum-Raspberry Gratins!

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of l'appart from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

Turning your worst enemy into a friend

Even though he started out with good intentions, Benton Harbor, MI police officer Andrew Collins soon learned that it was easier to make arrests of people he "knew" were drug dealers if he didn't exactly follow protocol.  Young Jameel McGee, anxious to be a good father to his son and start a new business, trusted the wrong people.  When the lives of these two men collided, it set both of them onto a long path of trouble, anger and eventual forgiveness and healing.  They alternate chapters in telling their respective stories in the book Convicted.

Andrew Collins liked the fact that he was able to secure more arrests and convictions of drug dealers than any other cop on the force.  At the same time, he grew frustrated when he saw people released on technicalities.  Prosecutors asked him questions about the circumstances of arrests he made in such a way that he knew the answers they wanted to hear (even if the answers weren't truthful).  He soon began to bend the rules in all sorts of ways in order to secure convictions or pad his meager (as he saw it) salary: keeping a stash of drugs to plant on suspects, pocketing money that was earmarked to pay informants, lying under oath during trials, etc.  He justified his actions by saying he was keeping drugs and bad people off the streets.

Jameel McGee was a man who'd already had several run-ins with the law before he encountered Officer Collins.  He accepted a ride from some school friends when he was 15, only to be arrested with them soon afterwards when the police stopped the car.  The friends had carjacked someone at knifepoint before picking Jameel up, but he went to prison anyway.  Once out of jail, he was determined to straighten his life out and start his own business.  Due to unpaid parking tickets, he was unable to drive, so he asked a friend of a relative if he could get a ride to the store to pick up some groceries before his infant son visited him for the first time.  Before he went into the store, the driver asked to use Jameel's cell phone.  When Jameel came out of the store, the was immediately arrested and taken to jail.  The police believed he was a drug dealer named Ox and used the fact that drugs were found in the car as well as information on the cell phone to make their case.

Of course Officer Collins was the main arresting officer, and when problems arose with his testimony (Ox was Jameel's cousin), he just changed his story to make it fit the facts.  Jameel was once again convicted and sent to prison for a crime he had no knowledge of.  Eventually, Officer Collins's misdeeds were found out and he was fired and also sent to prison.  This caused many of the convictions he had secured to be overturned, including that of Jameel McGee.

After both men were released from prison, they both ended up back in Benton Harbor, where their paths were bound to cross.  The book outlines how they came to work together to help the less fortunate, and how they were both able to overcome their past problems and even become friends.  It is an encouraging and uplifting story of how healing can take place even in the darkest of circumstances.

There were some things that made me shake my head, though.  For instance, poor Jameel just KEEPS getting sent to prison when he hasn't done anything.  There are little asides throughout his story about further legal troubles that he doesn't really go into.  Also? His trip to the store to get food for his infant son?  He details his shopping list:  milk, chips, pop and gummy worms.  Um . . . that was the list of things he was presumably going to use to show his estranged girlfriend that he had food in the house for his baby.  Andrew Collins also made the startling statement that if you're arrested on suspicion of having drugs in your car, any money you have on you and your vehicle can be seized and "even if the charges are dropped or you're found not guilty, you don't get your property back."  How can that be legal?  You can have things taken by the police for no reason?  That didn't seem to make sense to me, either.

I enjoyed reading how the two men were able to overcome their pasts and eventually become productive, helpful members of their communities (even if I remain skeptical as to all the details!).

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Convicted from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

Pong was just the beginning

It seems fitting to read about the history and development of video games in graphic novel format.  The Comic Book Story of Video Games takes the reader through the foundation of the industry while also introducing the stories of the men who dreamed up the idea of animating games.

The book begins with the earliest inventions and experiments that would eventually allow the creation of moving images that users could control.  Developments such as running electricity through glass tubes to produce glowing light, using magnetic fields to control the light and the invention of television all helped to pave the way for video games.  World War II accelerated the scientific research and development into such areas as radar, also helping to further develop the groundwork upon which electronic gaming was built.

There are "spotlights" throughout the book highlighting the contributions that were made to the field by important figures.  The first mentioned is Alan Turing, the man who was able to create a machine to decode Nazi transmissions during WWII.  He is also credited with creating the first computer game which was based on chess.  Ralph Baer, a self-taught tinkerer, eventually came up with the first home video game console, which allowed two players to engage in a table-tennis like battle.  Atari's founder, Nolan Bushnell, saw opportunities and was able to capitalize on them by originally staffing his company with "bikers, hitchhikers, hippie stoners and unshaven layabouts."  Well, whatever works!  Atari's video game Pong was soon available for play in many retail establishments, but of course it didn't take long for people to realize that the home market would be much more lucrative.

The rise of video games in Japan is also explained, as well as how Steve Wozniak became involved in the industry. Steve Jobs doesn't come off very well in the book, with is first job in the business being scheduled for the overnight shift due to his "body odor" and negative attitude (allegedly). While many of the early figures were important to the development of video gaming, it wasn't until people who were fanatical games themselves became involved that the industry really took off.  Arcade games became popular until the "1983 gaming crash" nearly destroyed the industry.  Luckily, computer gaming and eventually consoles came along and saved video gaming for future generations!

The book has a lot of very interesting information and there is a great deal happening on every page.  Anyone who is interested at all in how video games became such an ingrained part of everyday life will enjoy reading this book.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of The Comic Book Story of Video Games from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review 

Read More

Don't be scared, it's only a cartoon

Everyone has deep, dark fears.  Some we probably all have in common (spiders, public speaking, clowns), but others remain unspoken -- either because we are embarrassed or unable to put into words that which frightens us.  The author and illustrator Fran Krause asked people to share their fears with him.  The resulting book The Creeps: A Deep Dark Fears Collection is a graphic novel where 97 fears are illustrated and explained.  Somehow, in comic form, they don't seem so scary (to me at least!).

Most of the fears are illustrated on a single page in a 4 panel format.  While the title of the book and the scary claw give you the feeling that the fears included will be of the horrific or supernatural variety, that isn't the case.  Take, for instance, fear #20 which is that you will throw away something you later need. Or fear #72, that you'll die before the really great inventions arrive.  My personal favorite was fear #54, that you'll be buried looking like you're "going to a job interview" instead of being comfy for all eternity in a t-shirt and sweatpants.

While I couldn't identify with most of the "fears" in the book, it was interesting to see what strange ideas lodge themselves in the brains of others!  I can honestly say I've never worried about my knees bending backward (#71) or that my "muscle will roll up like a window shade" (#27) if I cut myself shaving my legs.  Maybe your own irrational fears won't seem so silly when you see what scares everyone else.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of The Creeps from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

Something is out of tune in this village

The outbreak of World War II has had a devastating effect on the English village of Chilbury.  Not only have all able-bodied men been called up to fight, but the vicar has decided to disband the choir since there are no male voices left.  When a London music professor moves to the village (what luck!) she decides to organize the ladies of the village into a choir and enter them in competitions.  While some in the village are scandalized at the idea of an all-female choir (especially the busybody "Mrs. B.") eventually they come around.  In The Chilbury Ladies' Choir, we get a glimpse of how the villagers deal with the war and their day-to-day lives during this time of upheaval.

The story is told from the viewpoint of multiple characters through letters, diary entries, and notices posted in the village.  We get to meet a variety of characters.  There's Kitty and Venetia, teenage sisters whose older brother died early in the war.  This left their father, the overbearing and glowering Brigadier Winthrop, without a male heir.  His browbeaten wife is pregnant again, and just to be sure of a fortunate outcome, the Brigadier makes a deal with the shady nurse Edwina Paltry.  She's already had to leave one position due to some not exactly aboveboard dealings, so she's willing to help out . . . for a price.  Then there's Mrs. Tilling, whose son David has gone off to fight.  Since his room is empty, she's pressed to accept a lodger, Colonel Mallard, who is assigned to the nearby Litchfield Park War Center (but she's none too happy or welcoming).  Venetia Winthrop has also started a relationship with a new arrival in town, Alistair Slater.  Alistair is an artist who has been exempted from serving in the army due to flat feet.  Still, there is a lot of speculation about what he's doing out in the woods at night -- a little black market dealing, perhaps?

While I understand that it's difficult to convey all the action in a book through diaries and letters, the entries should at least ring true.  Sadly, the letters, especially those from the 18 year old Venetia to her friend Angela don't sound like letters at all.  While Venetia is caught up in being the belle of the village, and later with her relationship with the mysterious Slater, she still takes the time to wax all eloquent in her letters. For instance, after a disagreement with Slater, she wrote that she "stalked out of the copse to the orchard, each gentle breeze shifting the delicate shadows of the branches, like life flickering between light and dark."  She also wrote that the village had a "light mist that lingered in the air, coating the village with a wordless hush."  Seriously, what teenage girl writes to another teenager like that?  Especially when said girls seem to have nothing in their heads but clothes and boys.  And 13 year old Kitty?  She describes the quiet after the choir has finished a song as a "calming lull of the slowly undulating final notes, dissipating into the eerie darkness." A passage would occur like a narrator was imparting all this, then you'd come to the end of the "letter" or diary entry with a jolt and realize how unrealistic it was.

I enjoyed the differing character viewpoints and the short entries from each to advance the action.  It just didn't ring true that these young girls were so wordy and descriptive in their recounting of the action in the story.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of The Chilbury Ladies' Choir from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

Grab some wood and get to whittling

With the recent coloring craze, it's no wonder that soothing and relaxing hobbies for adults are becoming more popular.   In today's fast-paced world, it's good to have an activity where you can clear your mind and concentrate on creating something beautiful.  In the new book Carve, Melanie Abrantes, a woodworker by trade, gives everyone the tools, directions and encouragement to pick up the hobby of whittling.

This small book is packed with useful information.  It begins with two lists of tools, one necessary to get started, and another of tools you may want to obtain when you become more comfortable with whittling.  A list of safety information for working with sharp objects is also useful, including establishing the somewhat scarily named "blood circle" of at least an arm's length away from other people before working with tools.  Dull tools are more likely to cause mishaps, so a section is included on how to correctly sharpen your knife.  This is followed by the basic techniques the whittler will use, including the "push cut" and the "stop cut" (each illustrated with a photo).  Advice is also provided on how to choose and cut your wood to the proper size before beginning your project.

The remainder of the book is divided into projects in the following categories:  Eat, Live, and Camp.  Each project is graded according to difficulty, and shows a photo of what the finished object should look like.  There is also a list of tools needed for the project, followed by step by step instructions and photos of the various steps being performed.  The book ends with a section on how to make your piece more personal using such techniques as staining or burning.  Templates for the included projects are located at the end of the book.

I have never attempted to whittle, but after reading this book, I may have a go!  I'm sure it's not as easy as the reassuring author would have you believe to create the projects in the book.  Still, the things that you can create using this book, including a comb, a soap dish and even eating utensils, are all very attractive and appealing.  Every aspect of whittling is covered, even some that would never have occurred to me, so this book is definitely a good place for aspiring woodworkers to learn all they need to know about his appealing hobby.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Carve from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

The lobsterbacks hold Boston Harbor

Although it lacks the toe-tapping appeal of the hit musical about the same man, the graphic novel Alexander Hamilton by Jonathan Hennessey and Justin Greenwood will help to bring to life one of the most interesting figures in American history.

The non-fiction book begins with a prologue that leads up to why Hamilton became such a well-known individual, including some historical writings citing Biblical evidence for the rights of kings to rule over people (and how free and lucky those subjects should feel!). In order to explain the times that Hamilton was born into, there is also some historical information on the sugar trade, established in the West Indies where the climate was favorable.  This new trade allowed British businessmen the ability to use their new found wealth to buy their way into Parliament, while British interests in the new American colonies were not so well represented abroad.  This led to the hated "stamp act" which punished the Americans for buying non-British goods.  The sugar industry also gave rise to the brutal slave trade in this part of the world.

The book goes on to detail Hamilton's difficult family circumstances: his mother had fled an abusive marriage and wasn't married to the man who became Hamilton's father.  The family split up and his mother died when he was young.  This left Hamilton, with no family to fall back on, with extremely limited prospects.  He was lucky to find a mentor in the Rev. Hugh Knox, who eventually helped the young man to publish a piece of writing that led to prominent citizens to help him travel from St. Croix to America for an education.  Once arrived, Hamilton became one of the most outspoken critics of British rule, delivering speeches and publishing pamphlets in an attempt to rally support for the cause of independence.

Hamilton's colorful career and path to the famous duel with Aaron Burr make up the majority of the book.  It is interesting to see events and people from (usually) dry history books come to life in the graphic novel format.  Hamilton is certainly an interesting figure and by showing his difficult upbringing and the motivation behind his beliefs, we can learn more about this major historical figure.  The occasionally convoluted language might be off-putting to younger readers, but those who want a glimpse into Hamilton's background will enjoy this effort.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Alexander Hamilton from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

Getting started with a pencil

Some people are gifted artists and are effortlessly able to create artistic masterpieces.  For the rest of us, Foundations of Drawing gives not only a history of art, but useful information on the tools and techniques necessary to bring out your creative genius.

Lavishly illustrated with many examples, the author begins with the encouraging reassurance that "anyone can learn to draw."  The book then traces the history of drawing, from its supposedly romantic beginnings when young woman traced the outline of her war-bound boyfriend, to the more likely origins of cave paintings from over 700,000 years ago.  The author notes how Picasso and other artists were influenced by these early cave drawings and made "conscious decisions to adopt alternative methods of drawing."  That's always been my explanation, too . . .

After tracing the development of drawing through the centuries and various artistic movements,  there is a discussion of the various materials that can be used for creating your masterpiece.  In addition to giving a description of each type of material, the author also offers advice on how to use each one.  The majority of the book is devoted to Essential Drawing Skills and Demonstrations, including techniques such as blending, texture and working with light and shade.  Step-by-step instructions show how to begin and progress through such projects as drawing still lifes, animals and the human figure.  After your work is done, there is information on using fixatives and storing your work.

Whether you've always wanted to learn to draw, or are merely interested in art and art history, this book offers a great deal of in-depth information on the subject.  Even if you don't plan to start drawing yourself, seeing how artists go about their work is fascinating.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Foundations of Drawing from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

Your thermodynamic toaster

Many of us go through the day using devices without giving much thought to how they function (until they stop working!).  The Physics of Everyday Things takes the reader through a typical day and breaks down the science of how things we interact with actually work.

The book is divided into chapters such as "You Begin Your Day" (covering devices you will encounter at home), "You Drive into the City" (which discusses how your car engine works as well as how you find your way using GPS), "You Check into a Hotel" (motion detectors and key cards), etc.  The scenarios cover how you might come to encounter something like a refrigerator, wi-fi or a microphone in daily life and then goes on to describe the various mechanisms involved.

I knew I was in trouble when, in discussing the humble toaster, the author stated that in order to comprehend how a toaster actually works, you need "an understanding of thermodynamics, electromagnetism and quantum mechanics."  Oh dear . . .  The author does attempt to make the concepts accessible to non-scientific minds (such as mine) by using analogies we can all follow, such as comparing semiconductors to an auditorium with some empty and some filled seats.  The descriptions are still a bit hard to follow though, such as this randomly chosen sentence discussing digital photography: "The positive voltage that emptied the first capacitor at the end of the row will attract the electrons that are held in the second capacitor until all of the electrons that were on the second capacitor have swung over to the first capacitor and swung again, to the reference capacitor . . . ."    There are some drawings scattered throughout the chapters to make the concepts a bit clearer.

I'm sure that people who are interested in how things function will be fascinated by the explanations of how physics impacts our daily lives.  I'm choosing to remain blissfully ignorant, though, and will just continue to plug things in and trust that more scientific minds than mine have figured out how to make all this stuff work!

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of The Physics of Everyday Things from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

I didn't go to college but I have many of the insights

Can you ever really leave your past behind?  Even if you choose to totally re-invent yourself?  That seems to be the central question in the novel Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan. The novel starts out on a promising (for me, anyway) note when 8 people (mostly college students) decide to investigate an old abandoned prison.  What could possibly go wrong?  Things do go wrong, but for me the main wrong turn was away from what I hoped would be a spooky mystery into  . . . I'm not exactly sure what, but the early Gothic spookiness quickly evaporated and didn't return.

The book begins in 1980 when college friends Quentin, Casey, Tripper, Wailer, Maisie and Rachel, along with Maisie's brother Ben and Quentin's German professor Herr Krystal decide on a whim to visit the ruins of the abandoned prison.  They soon discover it has been taken over by feral cats, as well as a very creepy/haunted feeling atmosphere.  As young boys are wont to do (especially in novels), young Ben runs off after a cat, causing the group to splinter in an attempt to locate him.  Have these people never seen a horror movie?  Don't they know you never split up the group?  Apparently not.  By the time Ben is located, one member of the group has disappeared.

After this event, the story shifts to the present day, when the remaining college friends are in their late 50s and no longer in touch.  The main narrator of the book, one of the students, has left the past behind in a major way and is living with a spouse and stepchild in rural Maine.  Although this person has been married for 15 years, of course just now things in the marriage are becoming a little strained, and a big secret from the past is revealed.  At the same time, a skeleton has been discovered in the abandoned prison (which is being revitalized) and so the mystery of WHERE the missing student is has been answered. The police investigation begins to try to figure out what happened so long ago and the former friends will be reunited as secrets from the past are revealed.

I was intrigued by the description of this book, hoping it would be a creepy mystery, but sadly it's not.  A major problem is that each chapter jumps around both in terms of time period and character being discussed.  It was extremely confusing to try to figure out who was speaking each time a new chapter began.  Also, at the beginning and the end of the book, characters are forever spouting German, for no apparent reason.  There was a lot of description about the old abandoned prison, which also didn't really add anything to the story but served to add to the confusion.  Perhaps if I had known going in that it wasn't going to be an eerie ghost story or mystery I might have enjoyed the book more.  As it was, I was frustrated by all the shifts in characters and although there was a curve ball thrown in at the end, I was still disappointed.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Long Black Veil from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

Come out of the proverbial cat closet

We've all heard of the "crazy cat lady" but what about the crazy cat men?  There must be some out there.  Author Sam Kalda takes a look at some famous men throughout history who loved their feline friends in Of Cats and Men.

Starting in the 10th century with Welsh King Hywel the Good (who recognized the value of cats as cheap vermin controllers and therefore protected them through law) on down the centuries to the present day, many influential men have been inspired, amused and comforted by cats.  This colorful book takes a page to describe the man in question, his history, and his connection to cats.  Each page also includes a drawing of the man and his inspirational cat.  There are many cat-admiring quotes sprinkled throughout the book as well.

Anyone who loves cats will be entertained by the many achievements of cats -- while their owners may take credit, it's really the cats who were responsible for inventing the cat flap (Sir Isaac Newton), alternating current (Nicola Tesla) Companion cats have also inspired poetry, musicals, art and even dance performances.  It was also somewhat surprising for me to learn that somewhat stereotypically "gruff" men, including Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain and Winston Churchill are among the famous cat lovers. You can even follow some of the more outgoing modern cats on social media.

This book is a charming look at how cats have been loving, loyal and amusing companions to some of history's greatest leaders, artists and scientists.  Those ancient Egyptians, who revered cats as gods, were certainly on to something!

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Of Cats and Men from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

It's really all about me

While we all need to earn money to survive, equally important is having an enjoyable and healthy life away from work.  In Wellth, author Jason Wachob looks at various components that make up a happy and well-balanced life.

The book is divided into sections such as Eat, Move, Thank, Laugh, etc.  The author gives experiences from his own life for each section, and also usually has an expert on the topic give further information.  He quotes the doctor and author Aviva Romm's instructions for visualization and justification for why this practice is so important. However, most of these experts are introduced with, "My friend so-and-so . . ." (except for the instances where the quoted expert is his "good friend). There are also small "blurbs" scattered throughout the book from famous authors/speakers (but we are mercifully spared his relationship to them).

While there are some words of wisdom throughout the book (mostly in the "Quick Deposit in Your Wellth Account" summary at the end of each chapter), the book is more of a biography of the author and how he got where he is today.  The first chapter, Eat, starts out stating that no diet can work for everyone, because we're all different.  He then goes on to tell (throughout the entire rest of the book) the way he does things -- although to be fair,  he usually gives alternatives in case his way doesn't appeal to you. I just found the book to be too centered on the author, his background, education, business failures and personal life, to be useful to a general audience.  For instance, he goes into great detail about a health scare his wife had and includes the sentence, "The next day Colleen's sister Kerry came by to see us with her fiance (now husband) Eric, as well as Tara Stiles and Michael Taylor."  Now what possible interest could that be to anyone who isn't personally acquainted with these people??? He also mentions his current business venture many, many times (including on the cover of the book).  If you can skim through the ends of each chapter to the "Wellth Account" advice, you'll save a lot of time.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Wellth from Blogging For Books in exchange for this review.

Read More

Here we go again

Journalist Leslie Kean wanted to investigate the evidence for an afterlife.  In her book Surviving Death, she looks at phenomena such as "life before birth" (children recounting details of previous lives), out of body experiences by people who died and came back, medium activities and "full-form materializations."  Her conclusion is that there is plenty of evidence for consciousness surviving outside the body, and that humans have yet to fully understand all of the implications of this fact.  Several chapters in the book are written by people who were actively involved in the individual cases being discussed.

The book looks at several cases of young children who spontaneously began to recount details from previous lives.  Far from claiming to be Cleopatra or Napoleon, the lives being recalled were of "average Joes."  One child had vivid and terrifying nightmares about being unable to escape from a plane crash.  Another one recalled working on films in Hollywood.  The parents of the children documented their statements and were eventually able to track down the people their children had been in previous lives.  It is uncanny to hear that the children could recall details that they would have had no way of knowing.  In the cases that Kean documents, once the children are able to visit the places they knew in previous lives, they become calmer and eventually the distressing or overwhelming memories of their past selves fade.  Interestingly, these children also report "intermission memories" which occur after one life ends but before the next one begins.

Another section of the book details OBE (Out of Body Experiences), where the consciousness of a person leaves the body during cardiac arrest.  These people describe floating above their bodies and being able to relate things that happened while they were unconscious. An interesting aspect to OBEs is that some blind people have reported being able to see during them.  These situations are different from NDEs (Near Death Experiences) where people in cardiac arrest travel to different dimensions beyond the physical world.  Cases involving these types of experiences have been reported from around the world, and from people of various cultures and religions.  The striking thing about both OBE and NDE situations are that they are remarkably similar when people who have experienced them relate what happened.  Scientists who have studied the phenomena don't know if this is attributable to a physiological reaction of the body/brain, or if it is an actual experience that occurs when the consciousness is freed from physical limitations.

Similarly, some people experience ELEs (End of Life Experiences) where, on their deathbeds, they are visited by deceased relatives or friends who reassure them about the process of dying. These experiences are positive, with the people often reported to be "joyous" after they occur.  Occasionally even bystanders or relatives see the apparitions, or see light or a form surrounding or leaving the dying person.

The author also works with mediums who claim to be able to converse with those who have died.  She found that some mediums were able to reveal remarkably accurate information.  While many people claim to have the ability to communicate with the dead, two mediums who were able to reveal accurate information were able to describe to the author how they receive messages from "the other side."

The author mentions that when asked if she believes in life after death, she responds, "The question must be moved from the field of belief into the field of data."  Her research into the inexplicable events that have been recounted by those who are dying, have "come back" from death or describe previous lives, shows that we have much yet to learn about what happens to us after death.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Surviving Death from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

The enemy within

Recent events in the news, including the current administration's attempts to ban travelers from certain countries and plans to build a wall on the U.S. border have highlighted attempts to keep terrorists from entering the country. The book United States of Jihad takes a look at a much more unsettling phenomenon:  the people who are already in the country who are plotting and carrying out terrorist activities.

The disturbing fact that American citizens would align themselves with terrorist organizations (either formally joining or attempting to attach their names to a cause through violent activities) is something that is difficult for most people to comprehend.  The author, a national security analyst for CNN, has come up with a number of factors that home-grown terrorists seem to share.  These include being upset by US foreign actions in Muslim countries, having a "cognitive opening" to the ideas of radical Islam (usually preceded by a personal loss or disappointment), and looking for a sense of purpose through joining a large group.

Citing examples such as Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born cleric who had contact with many people who later carried out terrorist attacks, the author notes how the rise of the Internet has allowed the message of terrorist leaders and recruiters to reach more people than ever.  al-Awlaki used the Internet to distribute his lectures throughout the world, and even to chat with followers on his personal blog when he was in hiding in Yemen.  The ability of "lone wolf" type attackers to gain inspiration for their "missions" from online sources makes the job of law enforcement that much more difficult.

The book also discusses the backgrounds and progress to radicalization for people involved in some well-known attacks, such as the Fort Hood shooting and the Boston Marathon bombing.   The recruitment techniques and "path to paradise" promised to impressionable young people are detailed in the book.  The war in Syria has also provided many recruits with an easy way to join ISIS:  through Istanbul.  While attempting to join ISIS campaigns in Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iraq proved too complicated for many, entering Syria via Turkey has been a much easier path.  Additionally, those who train with ISIS in Syria are easily able to travel back to Europe, where they may commit terrorist attacks.  Since the 9/11 attacks, however, ISIS or Taliban inspired attackers in the US have been lone wolf attackers who aspire to be a part of something big.

These individual attackers, while hard to detect and intercept, are also unlikely to be able to carry out a mass event like 9/11 again, according to the author.  As well as governmental attempts to track and stop potential terrorists in the US, several people are speaking out about the terrorists using Islam as a justification for their atrocities.  Nader Hassan, cousin of the Fort Hood shooter, and Kerry Cahill, whose father died in the attack, have joined forces at the Nawal Foundation to denounce violence and terrorist.  It is hoped that as they spread their message of acceptance and understanding, it will eventually drown out the voices of hate and violence.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of United States of Jihad from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

There is no word for those who have lost a child

Few people can imagine the utter devastation that results in losing a child.  The author Stephane Gerson chronicles the life of his family following the death of his son Owen in the book Disaster Falls.

Owen was just 8 years old when he traveled from his home in New York to Utah with his parents and older brother Julian.  The mother of the family, Alison, was attending a work meeting there, and the rest of the family decided to come along and make a vacation out of the trip.  Friends had recommended the rafting adventure down the Green River.  A group of 24 adults, children and guides started out on the rafting trip. When the group assembled at a meeting point after the first day of rafting, Owen was not there.  While his parents searched frantically for him, a guide took a kayak and traced their route back where she found Owen's lifeless body.  Although a helicopter had been called in for search and rescue, it carried so much equipment that there was no room for passengers.  Because they were at such a remote spot, the only option was to carry on with the original plan:  to camp overnight and raft out the next morning.

The first part of the book deals with the first year following the accident.  The family dealt with the loss in different ways.  Stephane, the father, was beset by guilt and lethargy.  His wife became restless and walked constantly.  Their son, Julian, was troubled by losing his brother, but also by having to witness his parents' grief and anguish.  The family is constantly comforted by learning new things about Owen as friends and classmates relate stories that they'd never heard before.  Stephane was also frequently told about losses that others had suffered, which he interpreted as a way for the speakers to unburden themselves.  He also learns more about Disaster Falls, including the many mishaps that have occurred there throughout history and how it got its name.  After the accident, Stephane was dismayed that he hadn't taken more time to learn about the area where he would be taking his family.  Later on in the book, he goes to his family's ancestral homeland, Belarus, with his father (whose parents had immigrated to the US in the 1920s).  Although his 80 year old father had never visited Belarus, this trip served to draw them closer together as they reflected on roots and loss.

The final section of the book, End Stories, deals with the family's lawsuit against the rafting company that conducted the trip they were on when Owen died.  The family had been upset that the dangers of the rafting trip were minimized, that the company's representatives were not fully trained or able to handle a possible death and that there was little communication about what was going on during and after the rescue operation.

This is such a horrible scenario.  Of course there's no easy way to deal with the death of a child, but being forced to remain in an isolated area and wait to inform family and friends of the loss is especially heartbreaking.   At the same time, there were some strange things that caught my attention.  First, it was odd that the family saw nothing strange in sending a young child with no rafting experience alone along a very dangerous stretch of water, and that there was no research by the parents about this area before they went. There was another strange incident mentioned.  Apparently Owen was invited to a sleepover and while he was there, he became homesick and called his parents to come and get him.  So naturally, the parents took him to a child psychologist to find out why he had "separation anxiety" -- at 7 years old!  Of course, now looking back, his father is wondering if Owen someone had some "premonition" that he wouldn't be with his family for long.  It's still a heartbreaking tale of loss and the people that are left behind.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Disaster Falls from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

You're fine as you are, but let's do a few tweaks

The book Radical Beauty starts off with a dedication to the reader: "May you fully accept and embrace the unique Radical Beauty that you already are."  Three hundred and five pages later, you have presumably transformed your already perfectly fine Radically Beautiful self into . . . an even better version?  Unsettling dedication aside, the book is full of information, advice and recipes to help make healthy lifestyle changes.  With the start of the new year, nearly everyone is looking for a fresh start and this book has many great ideas to put that new motivation into action.

Divided into 6 "Pillars" (Internal Nourishment, External Nourishment, Peak Beauty Sleep, etc.), the book aims not to sell readers on the latest fad diet or cosmetic or exercise routine, but rather to make women feel better and regain their confidence in their own skins.  Instead of seeing beauty as a temporary and constantly elusive quality, every woman can achieve her own beauty that is unique and doesn't rely on comparisons either to others or some societal, impossible ideals.

Pillar one takes a very thorough and informative look at how the foods we eat impact on our outer appearance (oily skin, dull hair, brittle nails, etc.) as well as our overall health.  While everyone knows this in theory, the way the authors break down and explain the good and bad foods (and why they fall into these categories) is very interesting.  I especially like how each author gets his or her say.  For instance, Kimberly Snyder sees no use for dairy in modern diets at all, while Dr. Chopra feels it can have a place at the table, in moderation. Seeing that the experts have a hard time coming to consensus on dietary advice even for a chapter in a book helps to illustrate how seriously confused the average consumer is!  The nutritional portion of the book is the largest chapter and contains lots of practical advice.  One idea I liked was the suggestion to "visualize" all the gross things that are going on inside your body as it tries to digest a large or unhealthy meal.  If that doesn't have you running for the kale aisle in the grocery store, nothing will.

The other sections of the book deal with such topics as ingredients to look for (as well as those to avoid) in beauty products, advice on getting a good night's sleep (and the detrimental effects of not doing so), best practices for beauty based on the seasons, ways to make your home healthier and of course, the benefits of exercise.  There is a section on yoga practices (complete with photos!) and what each pose does to benefit the body (I don't care how beneficial it is, I still have no hope of achieving pyramid pose in this lifetime).  The final pillar in the book deals with attaining spiritual beauty including ways to be kind to yourself and stop negative thoughts and self-criticism. This section also includes helpful information on meditation and combating stress.

The book ends with some Radical Beauty recipes, although as with most recipes, there are plenty of ingredients that you are unlikely to find in your kitchen (garam masala? tamari? Anyone?).  Still, the book is very educational and inspiring, although it is so packed with suggestions that it would be difficult to follow all of them. If you're looking to improve your physical and emotional health, however, you can find plenty of ideas in this book.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Radical Beauty from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

Say your way to a happy day

Most of us have things we want to change about ourselves or our daily lives, but we seem unable to break old habits.  How many people do you hear say they want to lose weight, get a better job or get out of debt, yet they do nothing to achieve these goals?  The book Habit Changers takes a look at some of the most common bad habits people need to overcome, and gives a short mantra or slogan that will be useful in achieving that result.

The author, M.J. Ryan, has worked for many years as an "executive coach."  Apparently this involves working with people in the business world with problems they need to overcome to be successful.  Because of her extensive experience, she is able to give concrete examples of how some problems manifest themselves in the real world, and how she is able to advise her clients to resolve them.  The idea of using "mantras" to overcome bad habits came about when Ryan was reading about Lojong, the Buddhist practice of repeating a slogan until it becomes so ingrained in your mind that you accept the idea without thinking about it.  Because the new ideas are now part of your unconscious thought, you will be able to implement them without thinking.  Ryan estimates it will take 6-9 months of repetition and awareness of your mantra for the permanent change to be made in your brain.  She suggests not only repeating the mantra, but printing it out and putting it where it will be a constant reminder for you.

The book is divided into sections for each category, followed by several sub-categories.  Each sub-category has its own one-page explanation and example, including the relevant mantra.  Some of the categories are Anger, Conflict, Procrastination and Self-Confidence.  Sometimes the manta is the title of the category, such as "Change It, Leave It, or Accept It."

While I enjoyed reading about the situations the author has encountered in working with business clients, I have a hard time believing the claim that after giving some of these people their new mantra, the "transformation was instantaneous and astonishing."  Were that it were that easy!  Still, if someone is truly committed to changing or improving an area of his or her life, being able to reduce the solution to a one-sentence slogan may help to put things into perspective.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Habit Changers from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More

Finding out what you didn't know you didn't know

The other day I was watching an episode of Judge Judy when one of the litigants talked about someone harassing her using an Internet "meme."  She pronounced it Me Me, instead of how I'd always thought it was pronounced, MEEM.  So I immediately started worrying -- was I the one mispronouncing it?  Granted, it doesn't come up in conversation often, but had I been throwing around this word incorrectly all this time?  Thankfully, a quick double-check online verified that I was the correct one (for once).  If you've ever been in the situation of worrying about the correct way to pronounce words, then the book You're Saying it Wrong by siblings Ross and Kathryn Petras is a book you'll want to keep handy.

The book begins with a short history of "shibboleth words."  These are words which are used in one language or culture, but might be difficult for an outsider to pronounce.  It has been a way of weeding out invaders and imposters throughout history.  The book takes a look a large group of words (including not only words in everyday usage, but also names, and quite frequently culinary terms) and looks at their origins, definitions and even helpfully lists some common mispronunciations so that you can see if you fall into one of those categories.  The authors have based their conclusions by consulting many dictionaries, journal articles and Internet sources, but for the purposes of this book, they are favoring American pronunciation.

Each entry begins with the word, a short definition, and a pronunciation guide that is mercifully easy to follow.  No weird upside-down "e" characters or other strange letters or accent marks.  The pronunciation of mischievous, for instance, is written out as Mis-chuh-vus.  There's even a slightly off-color joke told about how to remember to pronounce the Vietnamese dish "pho" which will brand it forever in my memory!

Worryingly, I came across several examples where my own mispronunciations were pointed out, such as mascarpone (look how far along the word you go before you hit an 'r') and ophthalmologist (the oph is pronounced like "off" -- who knew?).  All in all, while it's a subjective group of words, I'm sure nearly everyone will find words that they have been pronouncing wrong or have never learned how to pronounce in the first place!  If you're interested in word origins or language, you will enjoy paging through this useful little book.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of You're Saying it Wrong from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review

Read More