Never Shower in a Thunderstorm: Suprising facts and misleading myths about our health and the world we live in by Anahad O’Connor
Raise your hands if you have heard any of the following: Don’t swim until 45 minutes after you eat, soda causes cancer and yawning is contagious. The truthfulness behind that and many other rumors is explored in this book.
O’Connor uses careful research and clever writing to determine that you shouldn’t shower during a thunderstorm, soda does not cause cancer, and you can go swimming right after you eat a meal. As for yawning, it really depends if you are a Democrat or not. Really. I can’t make this one up!
This is an entertaining and light read, excellent for car trips. I read bits of this aloud during a car ride to my husband and son to the delight and entertainment of us all. I highly recommend it.
As for not reading a library book in the sauna: it makes the glue in the binding melt and the book will fall apart. Please don’t do it.
This book is available for checkout at The Cavendish Fletcher Community Library.
Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies
Miep Gies died this week. She was 100 years old.
That name probably means nothing to the majority of the people reading this book review. It wouldn’t to me if I hadn’t been forced to read The Diary of Anne Frank in high school. To be totally truthful, the diary isn’t that exciting. Most of the pages are taken up with teenage angst and it serves more to put a face on the six million who lost their lives during the holocaust than to excite the reader. Anne does mention, quite often, a woman named Miep Gies who worked in her father’s company and did the shopping for the family in hiding. She is a peripheral character cast half in the shadow of Anne’s writing and personality.
This is true no longer. Miep Gies wrote and published a biography some years ago. It tells the story from her point of view, the struggles she went through to protect the Franks and the price she paid to do it. The book is well written and interesting and shows clearly the type of person it takes to keep secrets like this and save or try to save families. Miep repeats over and over that she only did what was right and what other people did. It stands to reason then that if Anne is the face of the victims of the Holocaust, Miep is the face of the millions of people who risked their lives to save or try to save the victims of the Holocaust.
It is said that all that is needed for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. Miep, and the other unknown heroes of the Holocaust are proof that there are good people willing to do something.
Anne Frank Remembered is available for check out at the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library.
Carrie by Stephen King
I recently listened to the audiobook version of this book as I am wont to do as I drive to and from work. I had read this book before, several years ago and remembered some of it so I picked it from the library shelves on an impulse. I’m glad I did. King’s book is a masterpiece and it rightly plucked him from obscurity and put him on the best sellers list. I could go on and on about the writing (excellent), his use of an almost epistolary style (very cool) and his use of foreshadowing (clever), or for that much, the wonderful job Sissy Spacek does of reading the story. But that’s not what I want to write about.
Carrie, for those who have never read the book or seen the movie, is a teenage girl who is the scapegoat of the school and of the town where she lives. She is abused by everyone from her mother on up, she also has telekinetic powers. On prom night she is pushed too far and uses her powers on the town.
What strikes me about this book is how timeless it is. It was written more than 30 years ago, and with a few minor, non-related updates it could be taking place today. Children still bully each other, and while schools try their best to stop it, it continues to happen. As a child, I experienced it and as a teacher, I see it. When I was a child, I remember wishing there was something I could do about it. I would have loved to have Carrie’s powers then, and I’m sure I would have shared her fate. I can certainly identify with her and whenever I read the book, or listen to it, I find myself wishing that the final humiliation at prom night never happened and she could have lived happily ever after, but it is not to be.
This book is wonderful and should be required reading for anyone who has been bullied, or who has bullied someone….or someone who would just like a glimpse into that world. I highly recommend it. It is available in paperback or audiobook form at the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library.
Henry’s Sisters by Cathy Lamb Copyright 2009 352 p.
This is an excellent book. Heartbreaking and funny at the same time. It is about three sisters, Cecilia, Isabelle and Janie and their domineering mother. Their mother, who is a holy terror, needs open heart surgery and so the two sisters who live away from their home town come home to help out and take care of Henry who is mentally challenged. As the book unfolds we see that all of the family is damaged in different ways and all face their challenges as the book progresses, from a cheating husband, to a problem with alcohol and obsessive compulsive disorder. Throughout the book, one gets the sense that Henry, while not the main character is the glue that holds the family together.
There is a note of humor with the grandmother who thinks she is Amelia Earhart. The book is wonderful and heartbreaking. I loved it. The character of Henry reminded me of my brother, Matt, who is also mentally challenged, though not the degree Henry is. The things that happened to Henry remind me that they can also happen to Matt, which is terrifying.
This is a wonderful book for fans of Jodi Picoult and anyone else who loves a gripping story with strong female characters. I strongly recommend it.
No Way to Treat a First Lady by Christopher Buckley Audible Download
I chortled my way through Christopher Buckley’s audio book No Way to Treat a First Lady. It is truly wonderful to look forward to driving to work simply because you want to hear what happens next in an audio book. Buckley whose books never fail to delight didn’t disappoint with this one.
It’s the story of First Lady, Beth McMann who is charged with assassination when her husband, the president is found dead in bed with her sporting a large bruise on his forehead. She hires “Shamless” Boyce Baylor to defend her, even though the two of them had been an item in law school and she had dumped him for her late president. Chaos ensues as the “trial of the millennium” goes underway. What made this book irresistible to me are the many references and thinly disguised Washington characters who find their way into the book. The character of District Attorney General Clintock can only be Marcia Clark. The presiding judge, Judge Uman bears a distinct resemblance to Judge Ito. The trial itself, complete with jury tampering, conspiracy theories and as much objecting as possible becomes an OJesque farce. Add to this the first couple who strongly resemble the Clintons giving the whole listen a wonderful sense of the absurd. And if you can’t tell who Babette van Anka is, well you’re just not trying!
This audio book is charming, funny, and full of puns. Check it out for a listen soon.
Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar Copyright 2004
“What if” may be the two most powerful words in the world. Mark Millar takes that phrase and elevates it to an art form in his graphic novel Superman: Red Son. The story answers the question “What if Superman’s ship had landed in Soviet Russia?” For those of you who might not have read the original comic book, Superman’s ship crashed in Smallville when he was a baby and he was adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent. He grew up and moved to Metropolis where he fights for truth, justice and the American Way.
In this case, his rocket lands in Ukraine in 1938 where he is raised by peasants. As an adult he moves to Leningrad. He devotes himself to saving the Russian people and eventually determines that the only way to do that is by become president of the Soviet Union. Paralleling his life is the life of Lex Luthor, who as in the “regular” DC universe devotes himself to destroying Superman. There are many supporting characters who appear in the “real” comic book series who appear in this as well, including a Batman like figure and Wonder Woman. The whole story is tied together with beautiful artwork by Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunkett. It is well written, well drawn and a tribute to those who survived the cold war and who, like me, like to wonder “what if”. It also features a few real suprises in the tale and a twist in the ending that really surprised me.
If you read one graphic novel, read this one.
Superman: Red Son
may be checked out of the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library.
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
I have always had a great affection for graphic novels born mostly from my love of comic books. I never miss an opportunity to look one over before I put it on the shelf in the library. I picked this one up and began leafing through it trying to decide which section to put it in and was immediately captivated.
It’s not a beautiful book. The artwork is sparse and somewhat abstract. The characters aren’t particularly heroic and don’t bulge with muscles. The writing is good, but it’s not the most spectacular thing I’ve ever read or reviewed. It is quite simply much greater than the sum of its parts. It is the story of a middle aged man going through a midlife crisis sparked by a fire destroying his apartment. Through a series of flash backs we learn that he is divorced, had a twin brother die at birth and is a former professor of architecture. Meanwhile in real time he leaves his apartment and begins a new life though he is constantly pulled back to his former life.
It is not an exciting book, but it is splendid. A glance into a man you might pass in the street without knowing it, and definitely worth your time.
Asterios Polyp may be found in the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library under FIC MAZ.
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
This is the best audio book ever. Really. No argument allowed.
This book is semi-autobiographical and concerns Bill Bryson’s experiences growing up in Iowa in the 1950’s. He finds an old green jersey in his basement with a lightning bolt on it (the sacred jersey of ZAPP!), dons it, and becomes the self titled “Thunderbolt Kid” who not only can vaporize people who annoy him (don’t we all wish) but has x-ray vision. The book consists of wonderfully funny anecdotes about the 1950’s, his parents and his friends, providing information hinted about in his earlier books. This combined with Bryson’s sense of humor and exaggerated style made for an excellent book.
What put this over the top for me was Bryson’s delivery. He has an excellent speaking voice and his timing was perfect. I tend to listen to audio books when I drive. When he relayed the story of a prank that his friend “Willoughby” pulled that went disastrously awry, I laughed so hard I had to pull over. Anything that Bryson writes is a treat, but this is a gourmet feast for the ears.
This audio book may be checked out from the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library.
The Kitchen Witch by Annette Blair Copyright 2004 Berkley Sensation 295 p
I am pleased to announce that I have finally found the perfect beach book. This may not sound like much to the casual reader but for someone who likes to read as much as I do, it is a serious undertaking. First of all the book must be neither too long nor too short. Long enough to last a few hours, but not so long that your arms get tired holding up the weight. Then there is the content, it must be amusing enough to hold your interest, but not so engrossing that you don’t hear your child scream for help if he or she is being pulled under the water by a shark. And so you don’t mind being pulled away from it to buy ice cream, look at a sand castle or watch aforementioned child do a handstand, or hold his head underwater. Further, the book must have a happy ending. When I am lying in the sun, slowly turning the shade of a cooked lobster, I don’t want to be depressed by death, lost love, dismemberment or lingering illness. I want the adult fairy tale. This is not to say that I don’t like to read thrillers, but they are often engrossing and if my son were to be eaten by a shark, I might miss it. Finally, it should also covered with a plastic book cover which repels sand, sun block, soda and water.
The book that has met my exacting requirements is The Kitchen Witch by Annette Blair. The story is about a witch (I love paranormal romance) named Melody Seabright who is cute, sexy and somewhat ditzy who manages to talk her way into being the star of a cooking show, although she can’t cook and a man named Logan Kilgarven who doesn’t believe in witches and is looking for a serious woman to settle down with. Opposite attract and all of that. Is this a fantastic book? No. Is it entertaining, and light and perfect for the beach? Absolutely. And it has the added plus of being the first in a series of other entertaining books perfect for the beach. All of which are owned by the library, covered in plastic and available for check out.
The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory 416 p. Touchstone 2006
Before I was lucky enough to pick up this book on a whim, all I really knew about Catherine of Aragon was what I learned from watching Anne of a Thousand Days: A religious middle aged woman begging not to be divorced. This book traces her life from her parents, Ferdinand and Isabella’s conquest of Spain through her two marriages. Her first to Arthur, the Prince of Wales whom she loved, which lasted only five months before he died and the second to Henry VIII. The most compelling part of the book is when she is widowed and she fights to stay in the country and to ultimately marry Henry and complete her destiny and her deathbed promise to her late husband. It is fascinating to watch her develop and become a powerful queen to Henry VIII’s spoiled king, leading men into battle and accomplishing Henry’s greatest victory in his name. The book ends with her speech begging Henry not to divorce her.
Henry is treated poorly in this book, as he is the other Philippa Gregory books in this series. He comes across as spoiled and an incompetent ruler whose desire for a son overwhelms his good sense. Granted, with the War of the Roses just behind him, it was not unreasonable for him to be concerned with the succession.
Regardless, this is a wonderful work of historical fiction. I could not put it down and am anxious to read the other books in the series. I highly recommend it to any fiction lover who enjoys strong female characters.
This book may be found in the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library under FIC GRE.