A History of Ghosts, Spirits, and the Supernatural

Reviewed by Jeanne

This is a DK production, so of course it’s packed with information and illustrations.  It's arranged chronologically, starting with the ancient world, antiquity to medieval, and then by centuries, ending with 1900 and beyond.  The coverage is world-wide; from Celtic mythology to Egyptian to Arabic to Mesoamerican and all points in between.  Ghosts, jinn, dybbuks, mermaids, the Wild Hunt, Ouija boards, urban legends, they’re all here in the pages of this book.  While I would be tempted to read the whole thing through, I have to confess I have skipped around a bit to read the sections I thought most intriguing. Most of the entries are fairly brief, just a page or two, but enough to give a good overview and to send readers in search of more in-depth information for those topics they find most appealing.

One section I read first deals with fairies, the “wee folk,” who appear in folklore all over the world.  There’s no set description—some are beautiful, some ugly; some have wings, some not—but they are all dangerous.  They may not be malevolent but they do live by their own rules and for those that break them, the consequences can be dire.  Of course, our images of fairies have changed over the centuries, and been influenced by literature, including Pinocchio and Peter Pan. There was also a reference to the (in)famous Cottingley Fairies of the 1920s.

The Wild Hunt also caught my eye, as I have come across many references to it over the years but many details seemed to differ.  Again, this is a concept which crosses many cultures, thought the article deals mainly with the European variants: the pack of hounds in Britain; Odin and Valkyries in Scandinavia; or the Sluda Sidhe, fairies who are out to get humans in Ireland.  A variant in Enlgand has the antlered Herne the Hunter leading the Wild Hunt. All are considered bad luck at best and downright dangerous at worst.

One I didn’t know about was the “waiting women” of Chinese folklore.  These can be ghosts or other supernatural women who die for love and wait for their beloved to either join them or else recognize them so they can be together.  Some stories have happy endings but others have the poor waiting woman forever waiting.

The later chapters deal with more modern manifestations of supernatural lore, including spiritualism (and the Fox sisters, who were famous mediums in the 1800s), ghost photography, paranormal romance novels (think Twilight), ghostly tours, paranormal investigations, and ghosts in popular culture. 

It’s a great book to browse and, wonder of wonders, it has an index so that you can look up, say, Krampus or Bloody Mary. I really enjoyed dipping into it.  While sometimes the information is a bit scant, it’s a great place to find things you want to investigate more thoroughly—or just enjoy the bits of information and move on.

Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Madeline Hill (Mad) and her mom have a farm in Coalfield, Tennessee. When a man pulls up to their farm stand one day, Mad assumes he’s just a last minute customer hoping for some produce. But no, Reuben Hill (Rube) tells her that he believes they are half siblings, and that their serial monogamist father may have left a trail of other children across the country from Massachusetts to California. And, oh yeah, would she like to drive across the country with him in a rented PT Cruiser to find the others?

The elder Mr. Hill left Rube’s mother thirty years ago, and Mad’s mother twenty years ago, so it appears that he had a habit of reinventing himself. Was he a writer, a farmer, a soccer coach, or something else entirely? Like a chameleon, he appeared to change professions, wives/partners, and geography whenever he felt the need.

Mad and Rube begin a journey of self-exploration that does much more than take them across state lines. In an attempt to find the answers they seek, they discover more family while uncovering a family history they never knew.

Author Kevin Wilson is the master of crazy happenings; two of his previous characters burst into flames with strong emotions in Nothing to See Here. His humor and wit are biting as well as entertaining. I also enjoyed Now Is Not the Time to Panic where a homemade poster causes ripples of paranoia across the country.

If you’re looking for more road trip fiction, I suggest He Started It by Samantha Downing, The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, or Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler. (Okay, I admit I’m just about to read that last one, but it certainly sounds good. If you get to it before me, let me know!)

Nevermore: Beyond Summer, Blue Arabesque, The War that Saved My Life

 

Nevermore 9-2-25

Reported by Rita

Beyond Summer (Blue Sky Hill #3) by Lisa Wingate
Tam Lambert and Shasta Williams, new neighbors in a changing Dallas neighborhood called Blue Sky Hill, team up to fight a corrupt deal that could force them from their homes, but find their friendships and loyalties tested in the process.

A sweet story about friends solving life's problems together. I felt like it didn't have a real conclusion. -WJ 5 stars

Blue Arabesque: A Search for the Sublime by Patricia Hampl
The MacArthur Fellowship recipient, author of Virgin Time, describes her fascination with a Matisse painting during her post-college years, which prompted intricate meditations on the painting's symbolism as well as her own international travels.

This was my second reading of this lovely book. It's really interesting and beautiful. I love it! -DC 4 stars


The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada's twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn't waste a minute - she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan - and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

It was a good, quick read. Enjoyable. - PP 3 stars


Other Books Mentioned:

My Friends by Fredrik Backman
The Overstory by Richard Powers
Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution by Pyotr Kropotkin
The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan
Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
25 Real Patient Stories: A Junior Doctor's Journey through the Highs and Lows of Medicine by Monika Schneider
Where Have All the Birds Gone?: Nature in Crisis by Rebecca E. Hirsch
The Voyages of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting
Refuge by Dot Jackson


New Books:

The Enchanted Greenhouse (Spellshop, #2) by Sarah Beth Durst
American Mythology by Giano Cromley

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

In October 1949 a New York author wrote her first letter to Marks & Co., a used bookseller in London. She had seen their advertisement and, unhappy with cheap American editions of classic literature, wanted to try to purchase higher quality copies that wouldn’t break her budget. Thus began a wonderful correspondence between Helene Hanff, a struggling playwright, and Frank Doel, bookseller. 

It’s difficult to explain the appeal of this book, composed primarily of copies of letters exchanged (with a few notes from other people interspersed) but it’s one of those books whom people either adore or else find extremely dull.  Hanff’s personality shines through, a stereotypical brash New Yorker but a generous and compassionate one; Doel is more restrained, something of the stiff upper lip sort but one can see the friendship blossom.  Hanff can wax lyrical about some of the books she’s read or read about so even if I don’t know the book or passage she references I certainly feel the passion behind them.

Hanff realizes from a friend that England is still under rationing, so that staples like eggs or meat are precious commodities.  She arranges to have some gift packages sent to the employees of Marks & Co., much to their delight and gratitude.  Some of the other employees send letters as well, with admonishments not to tell Mr. Doel that they have presumed to write to his favorite customer.

I found the whole book to be a delight, and was thoroughly charmed by it—so much so that when I heard there was to be a movie, I was somewhat alarmed.  There’s a reason people were shirts proclaiming, “Don’t judge a book by its movie.” With rare exceptions, most fall far short of the book and those are preferable to the ones that totally ruin a book.

But I was happily surprised by 84, Charing Cross Road the movie.  For one thing, it was impeccably cast, with Anne Bancroft as Helene and Anthony Hopkins as Frank.  Bancroft loved the book, so her husband Mel Brooks brought the movie rights for her as a gift. Like the book, it’s not a movie for everyone—not a car chase in sight, for one thing—but it is also well loved.

I’ve gone on to read some of Hanff’s other work, including The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street which is the story of how she finally makes it to England.  I’m currently reading Q’s Legacy; it tells how she fell in love with English Literature thanks to some books by a British professor, and of another trip she took to England. This time she was watching the filming of a BBC production of 84, Charing Cross Road.

If you liked Hanff’s voice in  84, Charing Cross Road, then you’ll hear it even more clearly in her other books.  I have found them all hard to put down.

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

 

Reviewed by Kristin

It is a common theme in science fiction: Humans create robots, robots develop sentience, war happens, rogue robots decide to follow their own paths.

In this case, start a business and make noodles.

Staybehind, Sweetie, Hands, and Cayenne are HEEI – “human equivalent embodied intelligence” individuals awakening after being offline unexpectedly for a period of months. They exist in the nation-state of California, which recently liberated itself from the so-called United States. The California Constitution recognized HEEI as citizens, although their legal status can be complicated by pre-war contracts and obligations. And citizens or not, the humans often have preconceived notions when it comes to HEEI and their abilities.

It’s a good thing that Staybehind and friends make a mean noodle.

Authentic Noodle is soon operating and becoming a highly rated restaurant. The orders are pouring in and their stars on the net are going up, up, up! They are filling their order capacity in advance and becoming the hottest lunch in San Francisco. But negative reviews start coming from somewhere, and it appears that they are being attacked by someone who doesn’t like robots. But is this an actual disgruntled human or a targeted campaign from some larger power?

In this near future (2064) novella, the characters are endearing, the tension is palpable, and the noodles are yummy. Automatic Noodle – 5 stars.

Nevermore: Codebreaker's Daughter, Cat's Life, How Y'all Doing?

 

Nevermore 8-26-25

Reported by Rita

 

The Codebreaker's Daughter  by Amy Lynn Green

Dinah Kendall's role in the U.S. Capitol for the Office of Strategic Services is far from the thrilling espionage career she dreamed of. Instead of covert missions, she crafts rumors aimed at undermining Axis morale while trying to live up to the expectations of her demanding mother, Lillian. As Dinah navigates her duties, she uncovers something startling: Her mother was once a codebreaker, breaking military ciphers during the Great War alongside some of the nation's most brilliant minds. The deeper Dinah dives into Lillian's journal, the more the secrets of the past come to light—including the steep cost of high-stakes codebreaking.

It was informative, but I didn't see the need for a dual timeline. I would have enjoyed it more as a linear story.     -WJ      4 stars

 

A Cat's Life by Gemma Correll

Cat lovers everywhere will wryly recognize their own lives in these whimsical vignettes. Worshipped since ancient times, cats are fickle, capricious and fiendishly clever. Oh, did we mention "vain," "elegant," and "charming"? Life has got to be on their terms or not at all. These willful creatures are masters of our homes, our wallets--and our hearts. By treating us with casual indifference, our feline taskmasters keep us in our rightful place. We're just here because someone has to buy the catnip and pay the astronomical heating bills. Call a dog, and he'll come running. Call a cat, he'll probably take a message and get back to you later. There's so much we can learn from our feline friends.

Really cute and funny with adorable illustrations. If you love cats, you'll love this book.     -MS      5 stars

 

How Y'all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived by Leslie Jordan

When actor Leslie Jordan learned he had “gone viral,” he had no idea what that meant or how much his life was about to change. On Instagram, his uproarious videos have entertained millions, making him a global celebrity. Now, he brings his bon vivance to the page with this collection of intimate and sassy essays.

Well-written, honest, funny, and sweet. It's a truly delightful autobiography.      -NH      5 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned:

 

Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen

Abandoned Southern Virginia: The South Begins by Liz Roll

Civil War Ironclads: The Dawn Of Naval Armor by Robert MacBride

Another City, Not My Own by Dominick Dunne

The Place of Tides: A Journey to the Land of the Eider Duck and a Life-Changing Encounter with the Women Who Gather the Birds’ Precious Down on Remote by James Rebanks

My Day: The Best of Eleanor Roosevelt's Acclaimed Newspaper Columns 1936-62 by Eleanor Roosevelt, David Emblidge (Editor)

The Sirens by Emilia Hart

Before She Was Helen (Clemmie, #1) by Caroline B. Cooney

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

 

New Books:

 

The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown

Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams

Romantasy Crochet Club: 20 Epic Projects for Your Reading Journeys by Amanda Sennett

Classy Classics!

Some books don’t age well.  Here’s the Publishers Weekly best-seller list for 1950, courtesy of Wikipedia:

1.     The Cardinal by Henry Morton Robinson

2.    Joy Street by Frances Parkinson Keyes

3.    Across the River and into the Trees by Ernest Hemingway

4.    The Wall by John Hersey

5.    Star Money by Kathleen Winsor

6.    The Parasites by Daphne du Maurier

7.     Floodtide by Frank Yerby

8.    Jubilee Trail by Gwen Bristow

9.    The Adventurer by Mika Waltari

10.  The Disenchanted by Budd Schulberg

 

While I recognize most of the authors, I don’t recognize the titles. The top selling book of the year, The Cardinal by Henry Morton Robinson, I don’t find in the OWL catalog at any of the libraries even though it was made into a movie.

On the other hand, there are books written even centuries ago that have remained popular.  Recently, we decided that some of our copies of these books needed a refresh, so we bought some handsome new copies and put them on display as “Classy Classics.” It’s fun to watch people look at these older titles and check them out, whether to re-read a long ago school assignment or to read a book that’s been on the TBR (To Be Read) list for a long time.

Jane Austen is an author I have enjoyed for years, reading and re-reading.  I have yet to read Mansfield Park but this lovely new copy makes the book seem all the more enticing. The Sun Also Rises I read years ago, but now the new cover and knowing that Hemingway used his friends* as models for the characters makes me want to read it again. And that cover for Jane Eyre—it makes it worth the orphanage parts before she meets Mr. Rochester.

But while the new copy of  War and Peace is most attractive, I haven’t quite picked it up yet.  But never say never!

*After the book came out, many of these people became former friends.

** The reason there is no photo of The Sun Also Rises is that both of our spiffy new copies are out, which is just what we were hoping for!