The Power of Kindness

Author: Mac Anderson
Stars: 5
Review by: JLB

Shows how simple gestures have great impact on other people's lives.

 

A Butterfly Journey: Maria SIbylla Merian, Artist and Scientist

Author: Boris Friedewald
Stars: 3
Review by: Ann Marie

A biography of a woman artist and scientist, born in the middle of the seventeenth century. Copies of Maria's illustrations of butterflies and flowers are included.  This is a library book. Thanks to the public library it is available to everyone.

A Few of the Girls

Author: Maeve Binchy
Stars: 4
Review by: Just Ada

A collection of her very best short stories.   I remember how much I loved all of her works.

 

Friends in High Places

Author: Donna Leon
Stars: 4
Review by: Chris L.

As usual, crime and bribery are alive and well in Venice. However, Commisario Brunetti is unflagging in his efforts to thwart the perpetrators using his wits. One of the series' better episodes.

 

Orange is the New Black

Author: Piper Kerman
Stars: 4
Review by: Augustmom

An honest account of the author's experience with drug trafficking overseas and taking responsibility for her poor choices in her early 20's.  The author details her time in a Connecticut Federal prison.

 

My Life with Putter

Author: Diane Rastello
Stars: 3
Review by: Augustmom

This book is about the author's 14 year journey and unconditional love relationship with Putter a Black Lab dog that was a gift to her.  A good read for animal lovers and those who enjoy the small wonders of daily life raising and caring for a pet.

 

Freak the Mighty

Author: Rodman Philbrick
Stars: 5
Review by: LateNightReader

This is a wonderful story about two boys who become friends because of the weakness they have in their lives.  Philbrick gives his characters realistic voices which allow us to watch them develop as the story develops.

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans & Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Author: Daniel James Brown
Stars: 5
Review by: Lin D

A great book about dedication & hard work getting to the Olympics. Especially as I watch this year's Olympic athletes.

 

The Patriotic Murders

Author: Agatha Christie
Stars: 2
Review by: Mandy Apgar

Until 3/4 of the way in this had me. Don't be expecting any patriotic murders here as none of them had anything to do with patriotism, just old fashioned greed and bad luck. After an ordinary visit to his talkative dentist Dr. Morley, Hercule Poirot is awakened by a call from his associate, Chief Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard. Apparently Morley committed suicide after Poirot left, but Japp can tell something is wrong with the scene and calls him in. Soon after one Mr. Amberiotis, also a patient, is found dead from an overdose of dental anesthetic. Prevailing idea then becomes that the Doctor, dismayed over an accidental dosage, shoots himself after the patient leaves. But that was before they found the body of Miss Sainsbury Seale, a dotty divorcee who apparently was also a patient, and one who had just tried to scrape an acquaintance with one Alistair Blunt at that. The latter is a banker loaded to the gills and Poirot soon realizes he is the key to solving things. I did like that, contrary to the filmed adaptation, there is no prologue and the story starts in "present" time, elsewise having two key characters together I thought always spoiled the story. But the plot just gets silly in the end, does not seem to be well written, and almost feels hurried.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh: Her Life

Author: Susan Hertog
Stars: 5
Review by: Shapoppa

At last, Hertog has accomplished what AML's published diaries haven't. She has peeled back the layers of the complex relationship AML had with her domineering husband, aviator Charles Lindberg, her privileged family life, and her search for self. You can tell Hertog did exhaustive research to write this informative biography which, I read in an online article, the family claimed to have not understood was her intent and therefore didn't want people to read. Quite frankly, I don't buy into the claim. Hertog did a fantastic job with this book - she was objective, documented her research with footnotes, and allowed for the reader to contemplate the legacy of this pioneering aviator, writer, and celebrity. For me, it added many missing pieces to the things I was questioning while reading Anne's diaries.

 

The Hollow

Author: Agatha Christie
Stars: 2
Review by: Mandy Apgar

Arriving at the estate neighboring the country home he has just acquired, Hercule Poirot is greeted by the vision of Dr. John Christow dying by the poolside. His wife Gerda holds a gun in her hand, that is until one of the myriad Angkatell relations (also John's mistress) grabs it and drops it in the water. Although Poirot's thoughts take him in a separate direction at first he eventually comes to realize that the simplest explanation is often the correct one. The book isn't as neatly put together as the segment in the David Suchet Poirot series, has a character who serves completely no purpose, and contains some dated - and in two cases borderline offensive - stereotypes of the period. But it does not feature the scary as all heck actress who plays the character of Lucy, so that's a plus and a half right there. All the same, the faults of this one do not make it one of her betters.

 

Congratulations to...

... our Week #12 Prize Winners:

• Aimee
• a 'Retired Cat' - who likes to read!

Progress So Far

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You Will Know Me

Author: Megan Abbott
Stars: 5
Review by: libraryaimee

This is an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller! I finished it in two days! Superb!

The Girl on the Train

Author: Paula Hawkins
Stars: 4
Review by: Brooke S

Quintessential summer read - read in two days.

 

Melancholy Accidents

Author: Peter Manseau
Stars: 2
Review by: Mandy Apgar

A collection of "melancholy accidents," obituaries of sorts that back years and centuries ago were written for those who died as a result of gun mishaps. Thing is, one can only read so many of these things, especially today. After the 1oth story describing how a person's brains were splattered one gets rather tired of the concept. I used to research things like this for a historic society, but these are certainly more violent than the everyday ones, so the end product becomes rather ghoulish instead of getting a "Darwin Awards" type vibe that I had hoped for. As an historical examination it is alright but as an exercise in gun caution it kind of falls flat in light of the kinds of stories told and is somewhat depressing.

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game

Author: Michael Lewis
Stars: 4
Review by: TLW

Decided to read this after watching the movie again. Enjoyed the book and the additional insight it gave to the game of football.

The Ghost of Craven Cove

Author: Carolyn Keene
Stars: 3
Review by: jamBob

OK, it's a Nancy Drew mystery and I am a retired lady who loved the original books from 1934. Nancy and chums go to Maine for an adventure involving cliffs and lighthouses codes and spies!

 

Richard III & the Princes in the Tower

Author: AJ Pollard
Stars: 2
Review by: Mandy Apgar

How do historians pretty much know Richard III killed his nephews to gain the throne? Call it a hunch. (Came up with that myself.) Originally third in line, Richard found himself as King when his two nephews mysteriously disappeared. His role in the crime has been debated ever since, with some taking the side that Richard was a victim of Tudor propaganda and really just a big cuddly teddy bear. I am not a Ricardian by any means, and I really wish the book would have stopped its wavering. Constantly shifting tone between if Richard was a good guy or bad, it just lacks tonal focus and loses ground by going off on tangents. Out of its 238 pages very little was actually on the titular subject - although it acknowledges at times that he had to have known something about it at least. Written before God had the humor to let us find Richard underneath a parking spot labeled "R" it is out of date on several things thusly as well - now we know what he looked like, his cause of death, and actual severe spinal curvature, spending what little time one has debating those topics (and often coming up with the wrong conclusion) is rather a moot point.

Mary Tudor: The White Queen

Author: Walter C. Richardson
Stars: 4
Review by: Mandy Apgar

No, not that Mary. She was the psychotic queen. But her mindset wasn't her fault. Anyhoo, this is about her aunt Mary, the youngest sister of Henry VIII. Although the exact time of her birth is somewhat debated, what is known is that Mary was doted upon as a child. Loved by her brothers, parents, and sister Margaret, she inherited her mother's face and her father's sometimes fiery Tudor temper. When she was 17-19 ish she was married to the King of France, old enough to be her grandfather, and although the King worshiped his new wife her opinion of him was rather more muted. Banking that he'd keel over in a matter of weeks (which did happen) she got her brother to promise that her second husband would be one of her own choosing. When the time came it was Charles Brandon, a friend of Henry's and member of his extended cortege. He was furious when his sister stood up to him and insisted he keep his word, and was still angry when she and Brandon married in secret. It appears to have been a happy marriage however, ending with Mary's death in her late thirties.