Nice Girls Finish Fat: Put Yourself First and Change Your Eating Forever by Karen Koenig (613. 25 KOE)
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe
OK. This started out as just another annual resolution…but it is such a darn good book! It deals not only with eating – but about how we put too many things on our plate, literally and figuratively.
Karen Koenig is a psychotherapist with other books to her credit. She writes with both humor and understanding to the layperson…. Thank goodness. This is a fun and interactive book.
• Take the “How Nice Are You?” quiz. See if you are sabotaging your weight by being a Nice Girl.
• Then the “Grab Your Thinking Cap” exercises. Oh yeah. Ouch. Is fulfillment in the frig instead of in other aspects of life?
• The “Nice Girl Recovery Tips” are practical strategies for saying NO.
So often, most of us put ourselves last after children, work, family, etc. Way too busy taking care of everyone else, we don’t take time for ourselves. Most of us gals are guilty, and we don’t even realize that we are doing it. It is so ingrained.
After all, it’s the nice person who puts everyone first, isn’t it? It is selfish to put yourself first.
Sound familiar?
But there is a link between being nice to others and neglecting yourself. We too often reward ourselves with food. We stuff down anger and frustration with food. It’s there, but we ignore it or try to move past it. Who has time to address negative thoughts?
I guess the word is really neglect. We then punish ourselves. We sabotage diets. There is usually a reason behind why we do the things we do. We are just used to reacting in a certain way. It is hard to even recognize those traits.
What is nice about Koenig’s book is the descriptions and various people profiled in the book. (Time to get nailed.) It helps you take a good look at yourself. She gives ideas for becoming more self-focused and assertive.
So did I lose any weight? I’m a work in progress. Put I now try to put myself on my list of things to do each day and take better care of myself.
Showing posts with label Susan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Susan. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Grisham: You Can't Read Just One
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe
The Associate by John Grisham
(F GRI Main and Avoca; CD F GRI Main; SSB F GRI Main)
Ah-h-h. Grisham is back and doing what he does best, fast-action legal thrillers.
The Associate reminds me of his earlier stories: suspense, twists & turns that keep you glued to the page from the beginning. There are shadowy figures, an idealistic young Yale law student, and corruption.
At a ball game being coached by future lawyer Kyle McAvoy, thugs show up with a video of an alleged five year old rape accusation. They blackmail him into taking a law job with a huge Wall Street firm which is handling a multibillion dollar military lawsuit. As a new associate, he is first buried in billing. Key people are manipulated and a friend dies a mysterious death. He is expected to steal, lie and furnish information that could get him sent to prison, if not outright killed. He plays cat & mouse with his handlers and, having read spy-thrillers, he uses spy techniques and tries to disrupt their plans.
It’s a page turner. I couldn’t help but root for McAvoy. Young, idealistic, wanting to work in a small office, helping society. The little guy pitted against a sinister well-organized group with possible government ties, not to mention a gigantic sweatshop of a law firm that would just as soon throw him to the dogs. And of course, there is a romance with Dale, a former teacher turned lawyer who shares his small cubical at the firm.
Turning the tables on the bad guys is fun to watch. Spy stuff. Good ole boys, small time lawyer involvement, competing law firms…Oh, yeah!
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
(F GRI Main and Avoca; CD F GRI Main)
When I think of Italy, American style football usually doesn’t come to mind. Apparently, there are football fans everywhere, including Italy. That is the premise of this fun novel from John Grisham. Not his usual heart stopping thriller – more like a second helping of spaghetti.
Third-string NFL quarterback, Rick Dockery, becomes a laughingstock when he single handedly loses an AFC Championship game with just minutes to go and a 17 point lead. His long suffering agent can only find a football team in Italy that is interested in hiring him. So off to Italy he goes.
Not able to speak or understand a word of Italian, Rick finds himself the starting quarterback of the might Panthers of Parma, Italy. His teammates are colorful. One is the local judge, who has the police bring him by just to say” hi.” Rick, himself, hopes to start a new life. There is a romance along the way. And the underdog Panthers challenge the powerhouse Bergamo Lions for a shot at the Italian Superbowl!
Ah. The food. The countryside. Grisham is very descriptive of both.
The story is about redemption. Going from an apathic NFL player, Rick comes to love the Panthers, his team mates and his new country. Satisfying as a good Italian wine on a cold winter night.
The Broker by John Grisham
(F GRI Main & Avoca; SSB F GRI Main & Avoca; CD F GRI Main)
Reading Grisham is sort of like eating cookies: one leads to another. And before I knew it, I read three, one right after the other.
In The Broker, Grisham is back to the unexpected and pitting the little guy against the big boys. The twist is that the “little guy” was once an extremely important lawyer and lobbyist. He was known as the “broker” because he had access to all levels of government. Here however, he has been in prison for 6 years when the book begins.
An unpopular president pardons Joel Backman as a parting shot to his critics. The CIA director had pushed for pardon, mostly to see who would kill Backman first. Before going to prison, Backman had represented three computer hackers who had accidently hacked into a secret satellite surveillance system. No one is sure of the country that originated it. However several countries are interested in obtaining access to it. The hackers died mysteriously. While in prison, Backman was safe. Free, the Israelis, the Saudis, Russians and the Chinese all want to “talk” to him. The CIA gives him a new name and identity. Send him to Italy – and arrange for him to learn Italian. They try to keep him under their thumb, until they are ready to leak his whereabouts to the interested parties.
It is cloak & dagger. Slowly, Backman transforms. Once a power broker, then from prison life, holding on to the apron strings of his CIA handlers, to escape and into his own. Phew. He also becomes a nice guy along the way with a budding romance with his Italian tutor. They just might make it. At least I hope they do.
I think Grisham must love Italy. In both Playing for Pizza and The Broker, he is both a tour guide of small-town Italy and has a love affair with the food. Both of which I enjoy. They are fun books, and you want to read them while ordering Italian.
Monday, January 25, 2010
The King Is Dead
The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson (932.014 PAT Main & Avoca; CD 932.014 PAT Avoca)
Reviewed by Susan
This book is the best of all worlds: mystery, history, and James Patterson. Wow! Three of my favorite things!!
Also, this is like three books rolled into one. It’s the story of King Tut as well as the story of Howard Carter and his struggle to find a royal tomb. Last but not least, it is the story of James Patterson, his curiosity and reasoning to find the killer.
And yes, there was a killer. Some Egyptologists claim that Tut died of an infection from a broken leg. Patterson pretty much proves that story doesn’t work because Tut was recovering. The throne was the prize. King Tut was only 18 years old with a young and beautiful queen who was Queen Nefertiti’s daughter. Someone only needed to kill a bed-fast king, and it was winner take all.
First Patterson takes us to ancient Egypt around 1490 BC, when King Tut's grandfather ruled Egypt. He shows us the decadence and style of governance under Pharoah Amenhotep IV and Queen Nefertiti, and gives us a glimpse of King Tut’s fear and uncertainty as he takes the throne. Patterson writes like he is just behind the curtain, making you really feel like you are there.
Interwoven in the young pharoah’s story is that of Howard Carter. While a young artist in England, he is introduced to archeology. Poor and unable to find a sponsor, he goes to Egypt as an artist to record the findings by other archeologists. His career has its ups and downs. Finally, he locates a sponsor, and discovers the young pharoah’s tomb at the 11th hour, just before Lord Carnarvon was to pull the plug on the funding. Interestingly enough, the love of his life was Lord Carnarvon’s daughter, Evelyn, who was at his side as history was made when he first looked into Tutankhamen’s tomb and said, “I see wonderful things.” Lord Carnarvon was furious about their clandestine romance. Just months after the discovery, Evelyn--now Lady Carnarvon-- “did the right thing,” turned her back on Carter and found a more socially and financially appropriate husband. Carter died alone. She attended the service. It was a bittersweet story.
Patterson also focuses on the present and tells how this book came about. He shares what he went through as he searched for the truth behind Tutankhamen's death. Is he right? Maybe. There are clues enough to make this into a whodunit thriller.
If you enjoy digging into Egyptian tombs and pyramids--
If you enjoy “Tales of the Mummy” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” stories—
If you like real life stories—
Then you will enjoy this book.
It is after all, one of history’s oldest murder mysteries.
Reviewed by Susan
This book is the best of all worlds: mystery, history, and James Patterson. Wow! Three of my favorite things!!
Also, this is like three books rolled into one. It’s the story of King Tut as well as the story of Howard Carter and his struggle to find a royal tomb. Last but not least, it is the story of James Patterson, his curiosity and reasoning to find the killer.
And yes, there was a killer. Some Egyptologists claim that Tut died of an infection from a broken leg. Patterson pretty much proves that story doesn’t work because Tut was recovering. The throne was the prize. King Tut was only 18 years old with a young and beautiful queen who was Queen Nefertiti’s daughter. Someone only needed to kill a bed-fast king, and it was winner take all.
First Patterson takes us to ancient Egypt around 1490 BC, when King Tut's grandfather ruled Egypt. He shows us the decadence and style of governance under Pharoah Amenhotep IV and Queen Nefertiti, and gives us a glimpse of King Tut’s fear and uncertainty as he takes the throne. Patterson writes like he is just behind the curtain, making you really feel like you are there.
Interwoven in the young pharoah’s story is that of Howard Carter. While a young artist in England, he is introduced to archeology. Poor and unable to find a sponsor, he goes to Egypt as an artist to record the findings by other archeologists. His career has its ups and downs. Finally, he locates a sponsor, and discovers the young pharoah’s tomb at the 11th hour, just before Lord Carnarvon was to pull the plug on the funding. Interestingly enough, the love of his life was Lord Carnarvon’s daughter, Evelyn, who was at his side as history was made when he first looked into Tutankhamen’s tomb and said, “I see wonderful things.” Lord Carnarvon was furious about their clandestine romance. Just months after the discovery, Evelyn--now Lady Carnarvon-- “did the right thing,” turned her back on Carter and found a more socially and financially appropriate husband. Carter died alone. She attended the service. It was a bittersweet story.
Patterson also focuses on the present and tells how this book came about. He shares what he went through as he searched for the truth behind Tutankhamen's death. Is he right? Maybe. There are clues enough to make this into a whodunit thriller.
If you enjoy digging into Egyptian tombs and pyramids--
If you enjoy “Tales of the Mummy” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” stories—
If you like real life stories—
Then you will enjoy this book.
It is after all, one of history’s oldest murder mysteries.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Strangers in a Strange Land
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Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman (915.1 GIL Main)
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe
Every done anything on a whim? Sometimes it works, sometimes...well…
While sitting at IHOP eating pancakes, two college friends decide to go around the world to eat pancakes. Why not start with China? Oh, did I mention this is in the 1980s, just as China was opening up to the west. Neither one of the girls have done much traveling. And, to save money… they decide to go backpacking on a shoestring.
Susan Gilman writes this entertaining memoir. In many places it is laugh-out-loud funny. In other places, sad. It becomes a thrilling powder keg, a real battle of wits with communist Chinese officials as they try to leave the country. She and Clair, her fair-haired friend, decide to tackle the world, armed with Linda Goodman’s Love Signs, bottled water, and tons of idealism. Upon landing in Hong Kong, the 21-year-olds are immediately thrown into culture shock. Their language guide book is all but useless, because most Chinese speak regional dialects. Cockroach ridden hostels. (At one of the nicer hotels, they comment on how decorative the wall paper is, until they notice the design is moving) Very public toilets. Just to get a train ticket takes a two day wait.
They are the first Americans that many of the local folks have seen. Often a crowd would gather and follow them, just like when the circus comes to town in this country. People wanted to communicate, and would shout out whatever word they remembered:
“Hello.”
“Nuclear Warhead.”
“Marilyn Monroe.”
And the food. Back in the 80s, especially in the non-tourist countryside, catering to the poor backpacking crowd, meat was mostly bone or hide. They splurged one time at a “nice” restaurant. They couldn’t order, the owner brought out a whole fish. They only wanted rice. The fish was raw. The owner couldn’t understand them and it became a “fish beauty pageant.” 16 fish were brought out. They finally took a couple of bites, and never got the rice.
As they ventured deep into the Chinese countryside, they had to confront their limitations amid culture shock and government surveillance. The lighthearted journey became a struggle, as Clair exhibits mental illness, including an attempt at suicide. The Chinese government didn’t want this kind of a situation known and wanted to commit her. The story becomes a desperate real-life international thriller that keeps you turning the page.
Wow.
The trip transforms them both. Susan Gilman goes on to become a journalist. She writes the story from 20 years of hindsight, but maintains the feelings and enthusiasm of a 21 year old. Years later, she goes back to visit and notes the dramatic changes between then and now.
It is a wonderful story that proves most people are decent, friendly and sweet. If it is made into a movie, I will be first in line. I do plan to read the book several times.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Bah, Humbug?
Susan P.
Tired of the same old Christmas Carol Story? Looking for a way to lighten up the stressful Christmas holidays? Then check out “Scrooged” starring Bill Murray and Karen Allen, directed by Richard Donner. Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a TV executive trying to secure his position with his company by producing the most epic Christmas Carol TV movie ever. Fate and his old (dead) mentor Lew Hayward (played by John Forsythe) have different plans, however. Lew informs Frank that he will be visited by three ghosts in order to save him from his current path of doom. Thinking that the whole episode is brought on by bad vodka, Frank puts the incident out of his mind and turns his attention to his television production and his new rival Brice Cummings (John Glover). Unfortunately for Frank it wasn’t bad vodka and he is quickly and hilariously visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past (David Johansen) who takes him on a trip through memory lane. Here is where the audience is introduced to Frank’s love interest, Claire Phillips (played by Karen Allen). It also gives us a glimpse at the cheerless Christmas of Frank’s childhood. Despite some of the more somber moments each look at Frank’s life is peppered with witty one-liners and funny situations. The next ghost is the Ghost of Christmas Present brilliantly portrayed by Carol Kane. Present’s preferred method of reaching Frank is a little physical violence: “Sometimes you have to SLAP them in the face, just to get their attention.” The give and take between Murray and Kane are some of the funniest moments in the movie. It’s filled with lots of physical comedy and great dialogue. In between ghostly visits, Frank tries to reconnect with Claire, keep his job and produce his movie. Finally, Frank is visited by a very scary Ghost of Christmas Future where he realized he needs to change his attitude much like the legendary Ebenezer. This movie is laugh out loud funny and has come hilarious performance from Bill murray, Robert Mitchum, John Glover, Bobcat Goldthwait and Carol Kane. If you’re looking for a new holiday movie tradition, check out “Scrooged”!
DVD SCR Main
Tired of the same old Christmas Carol Story? Looking for a way to lighten up the stressful Christmas holidays? Then check out “Scrooged” starring Bill Murray and Karen Allen, directed by Richard Donner. Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a TV executive trying to secure his position with his company by producing the most epic Christmas Carol TV movie ever. Fate and his old (dead) mentor Lew Hayward (played by John Forsythe) have different plans, however. Lew informs Frank that he will be visited by three ghosts in order to save him from his current path of doom. Thinking that the whole episode is brought on by bad vodka, Frank puts the incident out of his mind and turns his attention to his television production and his new rival Brice Cummings (John Glover). Unfortunately for Frank it wasn’t bad vodka and he is quickly and hilariously visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past (David Johansen) who takes him on a trip through memory lane. Here is where the audience is introduced to Frank’s love interest, Claire Phillips (played by Karen Allen). It also gives us a glimpse at the cheerless Christmas of Frank’s childhood. Despite some of the more somber moments each look at Frank’s life is peppered with witty one-liners and funny situations. The next ghost is the Ghost of Christmas Present brilliantly portrayed by Carol Kane. Present’s preferred method of reaching Frank is a little physical violence: “Sometimes you have to SLAP them in the face, just to get their attention.” The give and take between Murray and Kane are some of the funniest moments in the movie. It’s filled with lots of physical comedy and great dialogue. In between ghostly visits, Frank tries to reconnect with Claire, keep his job and produce his movie. Finally, Frank is visited by a very scary Ghost of Christmas Future where he realized he needs to change his attitude much like the legendary Ebenezer. This movie is laugh out loud funny and has come hilarious performance from Bill murray, Robert Mitchum, John Glover, Bobcat Goldthwait and Carol Kane. If you’re looking for a new holiday movie tradition, check out “Scrooged”!
DVD SCR Main
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
O Christmas Tree
By Susan W.
I think all of us have favorite things about Christmas that bring wonderful memories. I love the music and songs. “O Christmas Tree,” simple as it, is will always be one of my favorites. To hear that song, magically takes me back to when I was a child. We had brought home a real Christmas tree and finished decorating it and settled in for a comfortable evening with the family. Then, all of a sudden, we noticed that we were not alone. We had been invaded by hundreds of baby praying mantises! The tree was home to a nest of the little fellows, and they hatched when warmed up in our living room.
One of our staff, Jim P., remembers Christmas in 1969. He was a very young soldier in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Their troop consisted of youngsters, the oldest being 24 and the youngest being 17. They were a long way from home. They had been shot at all week. One of them came up with the idea of having a Christmas tree. There were no plants around there that looked anything like a Christmas tree, so they decided to make one. Twigs, bits of uniforms, aluminum cans, all went into building their tree. They decorated it with buttons, pins, anything and everything they could find. He said it was the strangest looking “tree” he had ever seen, and most would have called it ugly but he still has a picture of that Christmas tree, and remembers it more than any other.
The Library has both music and musical scores of Christmas music. O Christmas Tree is included on these:
CD HIT Main New age Christmas: a tribute to Mannheim Steamroller
786.2172 Main The Definitive Christmas collection
J783.65 SIL Main Silent night : a Christmas carol sampler
CD JFRO HANGING BAG Main Frosty's sleigh ride party 24 songs & stories.
CD J COU HANGING BAG - 2 CDs Main Christmas is for kids!
CD J CHI HANGING BAG - 1 CD Main Christmas with the Chipmunks by Alvin, Simon & Theodore with David Seville.
I think all of us have favorite things about Christmas that bring wonderful memories. I love the music and songs. “O Christmas Tree,” simple as it, is will always be one of my favorites. To hear that song, magically takes me back to when I was a child. We had brought home a real Christmas tree and finished decorating it and settled in for a comfortable evening with the family. Then, all of a sudden, we noticed that we were not alone. We had been invaded by hundreds of baby praying mantises! The tree was home to a nest of the little fellows, and they hatched when warmed up in our living room.
One of our staff, Jim P., remembers Christmas in 1969. He was a very young soldier in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Their troop consisted of youngsters, the oldest being 24 and the youngest being 17. They were a long way from home. They had been shot at all week. One of them came up with the idea of having a Christmas tree. There were no plants around there that looked anything like a Christmas tree, so they decided to make one. Twigs, bits of uniforms, aluminum cans, all went into building their tree. They decorated it with buttons, pins, anything and everything they could find. He said it was the strangest looking “tree” he had ever seen, and most would have called it ugly but he still has a picture of that Christmas tree, and remembers it more than any other.
The Library has both music and musical scores of Christmas music. O Christmas Tree is included on these:
CD HIT Main New age Christmas: a tribute to Mannheim Steamroller
786.2172 Main The Definitive Christmas collection
J783.65 SIL Main Silent night : a Christmas carol sampler
CD JFRO HANGING BAG Main Frosty's sleigh ride party 24 songs & stories.
CD J COU HANGING BAG - 2 CDs Main Christmas is for kids!
CD J CHI HANGING BAG - 1 CD Main Christmas with the Chipmunks by Alvin, Simon & Theodore with David Seville.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
plus ca change. . .
First-Person America edited by Ann Banks (973.91 FIR Main)
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe
Wow. The more things change, the more they stay the same…
This is an old book. But boy, oh boy, is it ever appropriate for today. I ran into it earlier this year because a local book club chose it as their read. I patiently (sort of) awaited for it to become available, and then couldn’t put it down.
People are people regardless of their surroundings and times. Last fall the stock market crashed. People have been concerned how (or if) they can survive this economic downturn. That is the magic of this book. It reminds us that hard times may appear on the horizon, but it has all happened before. That this nation is a mosaic of survivors who have seen change shape and guide their lives. We survive. We can both live and enjoy our lives regardless of the larger environment.
This book chronicles 80 life histories of men and women who lived during the late 1800s and through the 1930s depression. In fact, this book is a creation of the Federal Writer’s Project, which was created to help young writers survive during the economic disaster of the 30s. Some of these writers went on to become famous themselves – Jack Conroy. Ralph Ellison. Some of these oral histories became the basis of characters in their later writings.
The plan of the Federal Writer’s Projects was to provide a portrait of the country by interviewing people from all backgrounds and occupations. This book is a wonderful collection of life stories. Some of which span a lifetime, others cover only a short period of a life. There is a whole section devoted to workers. Armor foods at one time would fire their workers after they turned 40. People would lie about their age. “Momma” was fired because she gained 15 pounds. She cussed ‘em, and was told that they were doing her a favor because she would die otherwise because of her weight. Others chronicle their role in the beginnings of organizing labor. Several stories come from tobacco farmers. Stone workers. Musicians. Even a prostitute down on her luck. Hardship. Happiness. Devotion. They are stories of both good and tough luck. In other words…life. You will see yourself in some of their stories. I certainly found shared feelings and thoughts.
Several of these oral histories are developed around what they considered the most important events of their life. Like Mrs. M.F. Cannon. She grew up on an Eastland County, Texas stock farm and was interviewed at the Masonic Home for the Aged. She shared her youth, falling in love and starting life with her new husband. Another good story is about Bernice Gore. He told about the hard economic times in New York City. How when the rent was due, neighbors were invited to a get-together with music, food and corn liquor and charged an entrance fee of fifteen cents. He recalled “You couldn’t walk down Lenox Avenue without hearing music from a dozen rent parties.”
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom has been a blockbuster book recently. It is about one old man sharing his wisdom with a young man. A dynamite book. First-Person America is every bit of that but multiplied by 80.
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe
Wow. The more things change, the more they stay the same…
This is an old book. But boy, oh boy, is it ever appropriate for today. I ran into it earlier this year because a local book club chose it as their read. I patiently (sort of) awaited for it to become available, and then couldn’t put it down.
People are people regardless of their surroundings and times. Last fall the stock market crashed. People have been concerned how (or if) they can survive this economic downturn. That is the magic of this book. It reminds us that hard times may appear on the horizon, but it has all happened before. That this nation is a mosaic of survivors who have seen change shape and guide their lives. We survive. We can both live and enjoy our lives regardless of the larger environment.
This book chronicles 80 life histories of men and women who lived during the late 1800s and through the 1930s depression. In fact, this book is a creation of the Federal Writer’s Project, which was created to help young writers survive during the economic disaster of the 30s. Some of these writers went on to become famous themselves – Jack Conroy. Ralph Ellison. Some of these oral histories became the basis of characters in their later writings.
The plan of the Federal Writer’s Projects was to provide a portrait of the country by interviewing people from all backgrounds and occupations. This book is a wonderful collection of life stories. Some of which span a lifetime, others cover only a short period of a life. There is a whole section devoted to workers. Armor foods at one time would fire their workers after they turned 40. People would lie about their age. “Momma” was fired because she gained 15 pounds. She cussed ‘em, and was told that they were doing her a favor because she would die otherwise because of her weight. Others chronicle their role in the beginnings of organizing labor. Several stories come from tobacco farmers. Stone workers. Musicians. Even a prostitute down on her luck. Hardship. Happiness. Devotion. They are stories of both good and tough luck. In other words…life. You will see yourself in some of their stories. I certainly found shared feelings and thoughts.
Several of these oral histories are developed around what they considered the most important events of their life. Like Mrs. M.F. Cannon. She grew up on an Eastland County, Texas stock farm and was interviewed at the Masonic Home for the Aged. She shared her youth, falling in love and starting life with her new husband. Another good story is about Bernice Gore. He told about the hard economic times in New York City. How when the rent was due, neighbors were invited to a get-together with music, food and corn liquor and charged an entrance fee of fifteen cents. He recalled “You couldn’t walk down Lenox Avenue without hearing music from a dozen rent parties.”
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom has been a blockbuster book recently. It is about one old man sharing his wisdom with a young man. A dynamite book. First-Person America is every bit of that but multiplied by 80.
Monday, September 28, 2009
History's Mysteries
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe
The Dance of Death (Roger the Chapman Mysteries) by Kate Sedley
Nothing beats a good mystery. And history is chocked full of ‘em. That’s why I get excited whenever one of my favorite “history mystery” writers hits a home run. Kate Sedley is one of the best. She doesn’t disappoint with her latest – The Dance of Death. (Honestly, they are all excellent)
Set in one of England’s most pivotal times…just before the discovery of America... England was in turmoil. Edward IV is in decline, his treacherous wife and her greedy Woodville family are always up to no good. It’s a dangerous time to live and especially so if you have a curious mind, like Roger. Edward’s brother, Richard of Gloucester, will eventually seize the throne, becoming known as Richard III, Shakespeare’s murderer of the “Little Princes.” Villain? Maybe not. Even today, people either love Richard or hate him. (Believe it or not, there are Richard III re-enactor clubs.) But for this series, Roger sometimes works for him to solve a mystery. Now Roger is a chapman, a peddler of sorts. He can travel all over England and always somehow stumbles over a mystery that needs solving. Sometimes he is assigned to one by Richard of Gloucester, sometimes not.
In The Dance of Death, Roger becomes a reluctant spy. If the rumors are true about the king’s parentage, then Richard is the rightful heir to the throne. The answer appears to rest in France. Roger cannot speak French and he is on vacation with his very pregnant wife. Last thing he wants is to be drafted into finding any evidence about these allegations. Reluctantly, he is assigned with locating an informant in France described as a “former soldier living in Paris”. Plus he must pretend he’s married to an attractive spy who tried to kill him on a previous mission. Both the preparations for the trip and the trip itself are marked by several murders, almost including Rogers. It is a rollicking adventure with a lot twists and turns. Funny, and full of historical detail. These mysteries are like cookies, you just want to keep on reading them.
1. Death and the Chapman (1991)
2. The Plymouth Cloak (1992)
3. The Hanged Man aka The Weaver's Tale (1993)
4. The Holy Innocents (1994)
5. The Eve of Saint Hyacinth (1995)
6. The Wicked Winter (1995)
7. The Brothers of Glastonbury (1997)
8. The Weaver's Inheritance (1998)
9. The Saint John's Fern (1999)
10. The Goldsmith's Daughter (2001)
11. The Lammas Feast (2002)
12. Nine Men Dancing (2003)
13. The Midsummer Rose (2004)
14. The Burgundian's Tale (2005)
15. Prodigal Son (2006)
16. The Three Kings of Cologne (2007)
17. The Green Man (2008)
18. The Dance of Death (2009)
The Dance of Death (Roger the Chapman Mysteries) by Kate Sedley
Nothing beats a good mystery. And history is chocked full of ‘em. That’s why I get excited whenever one of my favorite “history mystery” writers hits a home run. Kate Sedley is one of the best. She doesn’t disappoint with her latest – The Dance of Death. (Honestly, they are all excellent)
Set in one of England’s most pivotal times…just before the discovery of America... England was in turmoil. Edward IV is in decline, his treacherous wife and her greedy Woodville family are always up to no good. It’s a dangerous time to live and especially so if you have a curious mind, like Roger. Edward’s brother, Richard of Gloucester, will eventually seize the throne, becoming known as Richard III, Shakespeare’s murderer of the “Little Princes.” Villain? Maybe not. Even today, people either love Richard or hate him. (Believe it or not, there are Richard III re-enactor clubs.) But for this series, Roger sometimes works for him to solve a mystery. Now Roger is a chapman, a peddler of sorts. He can travel all over England and always somehow stumbles over a mystery that needs solving. Sometimes he is assigned to one by Richard of Gloucester, sometimes not.
In The Dance of Death, Roger becomes a reluctant spy. If the rumors are true about the king’s parentage, then Richard is the rightful heir to the throne. The answer appears to rest in France. Roger cannot speak French and he is on vacation with his very pregnant wife. Last thing he wants is to be drafted into finding any evidence about these allegations. Reluctantly, he is assigned with locating an informant in France described as a “former soldier living in Paris”. Plus he must pretend he’s married to an attractive spy who tried to kill him on a previous mission. Both the preparations for the trip and the trip itself are marked by several murders, almost including Rogers. It is a rollicking adventure with a lot twists and turns. Funny, and full of historical detail. These mysteries are like cookies, you just want to keep on reading them.
1. Death and the Chapman (1991)
2. The Plymouth Cloak (1992)
3. The Hanged Man aka The Weaver's Tale (1993)
4. The Holy Innocents (1994)
5. The Eve of Saint Hyacinth (1995)
6. The Wicked Winter (1995)
7. The Brothers of Glastonbury (1997)
8. The Weaver's Inheritance (1998)
9. The Saint John's Fern (1999)
10. The Goldsmith's Daughter (2001)
11. The Lammas Feast (2002)
12. Nine Men Dancing (2003)
13. The Midsummer Rose (2004)
14. The Burgundian's Tale (2005)
15. Prodigal Son (2006)
16. The Three Kings of Cologne (2007)
17. The Green Man (2008)
18. The Dance of Death (2009)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Thinking Without Thinking
Call it a woman’s intuition…but we all have it. A hunch. First impressions. Making a decision, either right or wrong, takes place within about two seconds. (I sort of met my husband that way, but that’s another story.)
Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking is about those two seconds. The kind of thinking that happens within the blink of an eye. Where your mind reaches a series of conclusions, you are indeed thinking. That’s what this book is about. We can also improve on this kind of thinking.
You might wonder how thinking that takes place so quickly be at all useful. Don’t we need time to evaluate data? Not to mention gather the facts. Haven’t we all heard “Don’t jump to conclusions”? But, there are situations, under stress or pressure, when snap judgments make sense. This book explores several situations where this scenario takes place. The Emergency Room at a Chicago hospital is just one. The hospital wanted their doctors to gather less information on their patients. Instead, they were to zero in on just a few pieces of information. Their results have been so successful, to draw international attention about how to successfully diagnosis illness.
Whether we realize it or not, our minds are capable of gathering bits of information simultaneously. It is the unconscious mind at work. He calls it “thin slicing.” Sifting through a situation, throwing out the irrelevant while zeroing in on what really matters. In sports, it’s called “court sense.” One way or another, we all do it. But … we can improve how well we do it.
For example, how do people “read” us? We can hear our voice, but we can’t see our face. Whenever we experience a basic emotion, that emotion is automatically expressed by the facial muscles. It may be only for a fraction of a second, but it is there. Ever heard of someone having a “poker face”? They have tried to control some of these muscles. But guess what … all of our muscles react. Watching and paying attention to these involuntary actions can help you make a good two- second decision.
Can you make bad decisions within two seconds? Oh yeah. In fact, that is why Malcolm Gladwell wrote the book to begin with. He grew his hair long. Looked like a middle age hippie. He got pulled out for profiling at airport security. Police accused him of committing a crime. In fact, the wanted descriptions looked nothing like him.
Did you know that all of the Fortune 500 CEOs are tall? Tall people are not smarter. But they are thought of that way. When Tom Hanks tried out for his first acting job, the director picked him out instantly. Why? He has that look we all can associate with.
Blink is about us. How we think without thinking. And it is fun. It gives so many examples from real life. Hints of what to look for. So whether you want to go speed dating or win a major battle, read Blink. It really makes you think!
Look for Blink at Main and Avoca, call number 155.44 GLA.
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe
Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking is about those two seconds. The kind of thinking that happens within the blink of an eye. Where your mind reaches a series of conclusions, you are indeed thinking. That’s what this book is about. We can also improve on this kind of thinking.
You might wonder how thinking that takes place so quickly be at all useful. Don’t we need time to evaluate data? Not to mention gather the facts. Haven’t we all heard “Don’t jump to conclusions”? But, there are situations, under stress or pressure, when snap judgments make sense. This book explores several situations where this scenario takes place. The Emergency Room at a Chicago hospital is just one. The hospital wanted their doctors to gather less information on their patients. Instead, they were to zero in on just a few pieces of information. Their results have been so successful, to draw international attention about how to successfully diagnosis illness.
Whether we realize it or not, our minds are capable of gathering bits of information simultaneously. It is the unconscious mind at work. He calls it “thin slicing.” Sifting through a situation, throwing out the irrelevant while zeroing in on what really matters. In sports, it’s called “court sense.” One way or another, we all do it. But … we can improve how well we do it.
For example, how do people “read” us? We can hear our voice, but we can’t see our face. Whenever we experience a basic emotion, that emotion is automatically expressed by the facial muscles. It may be only for a fraction of a second, but it is there. Ever heard of someone having a “poker face”? They have tried to control some of these muscles. But guess what … all of our muscles react. Watching and paying attention to these involuntary actions can help you make a good two- second decision.
Can you make bad decisions within two seconds? Oh yeah. In fact, that is why Malcolm Gladwell wrote the book to begin with. He grew his hair long. Looked like a middle age hippie. He got pulled out for profiling at airport security. Police accused him of committing a crime. In fact, the wanted descriptions looked nothing like him.
Did you know that all of the Fortune 500 CEOs are tall? Tall people are not smarter. But they are thought of that way. When Tom Hanks tried out for his first acting job, the director picked him out instantly. Why? He has that look we all can associate with.
Blink is about us. How we think without thinking. And it is fun. It gives so many examples from real life. Hints of what to look for. So whether you want to go speed dating or win a major battle, read Blink. It really makes you think!
Look for Blink at Main and Avoca, call number 155.44 GLA.
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
I Love Lucy--er, Stephanie!
Anytime I need a fun, pick-me-up, laugh-out-loud read, I can always count on Janet Evanovich. Mystery. Romance. All of her books are hilarious, but the Stephanie Plum mysteries are especially fun. Imagine Lucy Ricardo as a bounty hunter, and you pretty much have Stephanie Plum. She’s smart. Pretty. Has a pet hamster, and keeps her gun in a cookie jar.
Every June, a numbered Stephanie Plum novel is released. By numbered, I mean, they actually have numbers in the title. One For the Money, Two For the Dough. The newest is Finger Lickin’ Fifteen. Evanovich actually has a contest on her website for fans to name the books. In “Fifteen,” Lula, her coworker and sidekick, witnesses a murder. They pair up with Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur and get involved in a barbecuing competition to catch the killer. Numerous cars explode. Sparks fly – Stephanie has two loves in her life. Tough Trenton cop, Joe Morelli, and mysterious Ranger, who is her mentor and sometimes boss. There is plenty of mystery to keep you guessing and loads of humor to keep you chuckling.
“Between the Numbers” is also a series. Usually released in December, it has the same characters plus Diesel, who has “special powers” that extend well beyond bounty hunting. In Plum Spooky, the latest in the series, he and Stephanie go after a nerdy scientist and the mysterious Wulf. A group of monkeys. Kidnapping. Explosive farts and a brush with the Jersey Devil make this a hilarious romp.
Warning: these books are totally addictive. My husband just stares at me in amazement as I sit laughing so hard the tears roll down my face. It is fun with the numbers and between!
These books are available at both Main and Avoca in adult fiction under "Evanovich." You don't have to read them in order, but it's more fun that way. You may need to put certain titles on reserve as Evanovich (and Stephanie!) are very popular!
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe
Every June, a numbered Stephanie Plum novel is released. By numbered, I mean, they actually have numbers in the title. One For the Money, Two For the Dough. The newest is Finger Lickin’ Fifteen. Evanovich actually has a contest on her website for fans to name the books. In “Fifteen,” Lula, her coworker and sidekick, witnesses a murder. They pair up with Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur and get involved in a barbecuing competition to catch the killer. Numerous cars explode. Sparks fly – Stephanie has two loves in her life. Tough Trenton cop, Joe Morelli, and mysterious Ranger, who is her mentor and sometimes boss. There is plenty of mystery to keep you guessing and loads of humor to keep you chuckling.
“Between the Numbers” is also a series. Usually released in December, it has the same characters plus Diesel, who has “special powers” that extend well beyond bounty hunting. In Plum Spooky, the latest in the series, he and Stephanie go after a nerdy scientist and the mysterious Wulf. A group of monkeys. Kidnapping. Explosive farts and a brush with the Jersey Devil make this a hilarious romp.
Warning: these books are totally addictive. My husband just stares at me in amazement as I sit laughing so hard the tears roll down my face. It is fun with the numbers and between!
These books are available at both Main and Avoca in adult fiction under "Evanovich." You don't have to read them in order, but it's more fun that way. You may need to put certain titles on reserve as Evanovich (and Stephanie!) are very popular!
Reviewed by Susan Wolfe
Monday, June 29, 2009
The End of the World!! Maybe
Uh Oh! Here it comes again….the End of the World!! This time, it is due to end in the year 2012. December 21, 2012, to be exact. That is when the Maya Calendar ends and, according to some, we do too.
Now the end of the world is something that gets up everyone’s attention, including writers so there are bunches of books coming out on the subject. Some take it quite literally and tell you to settle up…before it’s too late. The fun ones explore the END as a BEGINNING.
For example, 2012 Awakening: Choosing Spiritual Enlightenment Over Armageddon by Sri Ram Kaa (133.3 KAA Main) is a guidebook that includes exercises and lesson plans. Some books cover the 2012 theories. . . Earth changes. Polar shifts. Pivotal times in human evolution. The book The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies, and Possibilities (133.3 MYS Main) features several authors, and covers spiritual and earth changes. It asks if we are coming to the end of a cosmic cycle. Humm. Sylvia Browne’s book, End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies About the End of the World (202.3 BRO Main & Avoca) does a fine job explaining various predictions, including some Maya Calendar theories. Incidentally, she predicts that we will be around at least another hundred years or so.
I had always wondered how the Maya Calendar actually worked. In the book Maya Cosmogenesis 2012 (529 JEN Main), John Major Jenkins explains. Kind of. He goes into technical stuff, like the sun’s conjunction with the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. Did you know that there are seasonal alignments that occur once every 6,450 years, but the December solstice of 2012 occurs only once in every 25,800 years?
These books certainly offer plenty of food for thought!! They range from fun and lighthearted to deep thought and Uh Oh!
Over the years, several of us have gotten somewhat cynical about these new “End” predictions. Y2K? Remember Harmonic Convergence? And Heaven’s Gate? And are we going through a Nuclear Winter or Global Warming?
Mark Twain said it best, “The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.” Hopefully the rumors of earth’s end in 2012 will be also.
Reviewed by Susan
Now the end of the world is something that gets up everyone’s attention, including writers so there are bunches of books coming out on the subject. Some take it quite literally and tell you to settle up…before it’s too late. The fun ones explore the END as a BEGINNING.
For example, 2012 Awakening: Choosing Spiritual Enlightenment Over Armageddon by Sri Ram Kaa (133.3 KAA Main) is a guidebook that includes exercises and lesson plans. Some books cover the 2012 theories. . . Earth changes. Polar shifts. Pivotal times in human evolution. The book The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies, and Possibilities (133.3 MYS Main) features several authors, and covers spiritual and earth changes. It asks if we are coming to the end of a cosmic cycle. Humm. Sylvia Browne’s book, End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies About the End of the World (202.3 BRO Main & Avoca) does a fine job explaining various predictions, including some Maya Calendar theories. Incidentally, she predicts that we will be around at least another hundred years or so.
I had always wondered how the Maya Calendar actually worked. In the book Maya Cosmogenesis 2012 (529 JEN Main), John Major Jenkins explains. Kind of. He goes into technical stuff, like the sun’s conjunction with the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. Did you know that there are seasonal alignments that occur once every 6,450 years, but the December solstice of 2012 occurs only once in every 25,800 years?
These books certainly offer plenty of food for thought!! They range from fun and lighthearted to deep thought and Uh Oh!
Over the years, several of us have gotten somewhat cynical about these new “End” predictions. Y2K? Remember Harmonic Convergence? And Heaven’s Gate? And are we going through a Nuclear Winter or Global Warming?
Mark Twain said it best, “The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.” Hopefully the rumors of earth’s end in 2012 will be also.
Reviewed by Susan
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