Animal Cracker

Animal Cracker by Andi Brown
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Animal Cracker is the fictional story of a woman who works at a nonprofit animal organization and her office woes. The plot itself isn't terrible, but the poor execution and worse editing makes 2 stars a gift.

Basically the staff all hate their boss. He is certainly a loser and deserves it. Diane makes it her goal to take him out, and has some adventures along the way. All set up for fun and laughs, right?

Unfortunately, I don't think any of the readers thanked by the author were actually professional editors. Oh yes, and did I mention this book was self-published? At any rate, there are plot holes too big to ignore, and whole scenes that have no point. Why did I need to read about Diane going to the theater alone? To show she is independent? To show that she liked movies even before dating the movie snob?

Why was it necessary for her to be hung up on a guy that she stopped seeing months before the book took place. Especially when that guy didn't make a single appearance in the entire book.

Why would any member on the board still want a president after it is known that he embezzled large amounts of money? Why is the guy who is so obviously a cad treated like a god by all but our heroine Diane? Just because he is good looking? He isn't shown to be clever enough to run a con, or even manipulate people. So how does he get away with this again?

I don't know how old our author is - but she is NOT 24. If she was she would know that 24 year olds don't know what an information operator is - let alone what sort of information they can give. She would know that a 24 year old wouldn't try and board a plane as a man with a womans ID card. She would know that they don't use a racial stereotype at every given opportunity!! Especially if they are well educated!

Can someone please explain to me how Dag can be a cross between rag and nag? (pg 56)

Finally, she needs to re-check the book because the number of random paragraph breaks are too many to list.

Shadowman

Shadowman by Aaron Dennis
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Shadowman if the fictional story of a man on vacation who suddenly falls into the world of Voodoo/Hoodoo. He takes this news in stride and tries to succeed in this new role without a backward look at whatever life he has left behind. Fortunately he has a friend who is able to liquidate all of the assets he once had and mail them on down so he can live this new life without too much strain.

This book reads like a video game. You know how the shopping area of the game just has booths filled with stuff and since your character can't click on it to see what it is it just remains unimportant stuff? Well this book is the same. The setting is New Orleans, but the author fails to capture any of the spirit of this city. Perhaps if it were any other city this would be easy to overlook. The main characters actions are very fated, he just bounces around trying to figure things out, just like in a video game. The characters receive only the slightest fleshing out, they are dreadfully two dimensional and very predictable.

I would consider recommending this to a younger reader who really loves the genre a whole awful lot. Otherwise there isn't a lot to draw in a reader.

War of the Whales

War of the Whales: A True Story by Joshua Horwitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a non-fiction story about a mass beaching of whales, the man who found them, and the subsequent battle regarding the cause. It is well written without the authors personal feelings becoming the focal point which I very much appreciated.

The cover art is perfect. I loved it more after reading the book.

The story of what happened and the battle to make the offending party own up to it really is just the surface of what this book made me think about. It also opened the question of what exactly the responsibilities are of people entering the ocean to also care for the ocean. Because it is a largely unoccupied area it is easy to disregard the importance that each small part contributes. I also thought about the responsibility that we have to truly test the safety of new developments before opening them up to the environment because they do tend to have much more wide spread consequences then expected.

The book does jump around a bit, both regarding the people it is following and the time period being described, so it is for more serious readers. Otherwise it is something that I think most people would appreciate reading.

The First Bad Man

The First Bad Man by Miranda July
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The First Bad Man is a rather quick and easy read - as long as crazy doesn't slow you down. I received an advance reader's edition so I am not including the various errors in the book. (Such as the sentence "Suntan Lotion." tagged on the end of a paragraph on pg. 229.) I assume that they will be corrected in final copies.

As I mentioned this book is a bit on the crazy side. Much of it is the inner dialogue of the main character, Cheryl. Her grasp of reality at the beginning is tenuous at best. Her world seems to mostly be built on fantasy and as such her role in reality receives little attention. Through a series of events she is dragged into the real world which made me feel a bit like this was a coming of age story of a 40 year old.

The side characters while receiving minimal page time make their personalities well known. They are all people that readers will relate to as well. People who are mysterious, shallow, judgmental, fake, they are all faces we see daily. And while our protagonist grows throughout the book into a new person all of these side characters are not forgotten and they are true to the paths that they are on.

I think one of the main things that this book is trying to tell the reader is that to grow as a person you need to stay open to new options. Just because the current situations fills some of your needs doesn't mean you should stay there hoping for more. Move on. Let go of the things you can't have and find something new to persue. Better yet, find a way to rearrange the things you have in a way that will make you happy. If Cheryl's life wasn't invaded by a completely overbearing personality that shoved her out of her comfort zone, she would never have found her way to the good things she finds in her life.

I am undecided about how I feel about the Epilogue. Part of me feels it was written to show that all of Cheryls oddities are validated. Part of me wonders if it is just her dream (which I always think is a cop out and would be most disappointing.) But if it's real why is Clee there? But if it's a dream why is it not from Cheryls point of view? It is probably me making something simple complicated - but I can't help but wonder just what it is there for. Maybe that just means I need to read it again!

Final thoughts - I know just who I am passing this book to next, which means I do recommend it. However I would recommend for adult readers. Things are a bit . . . messed up for the teen reader.

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One for the Money

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Remember the good old days when you would curl up with a Nancy Drew novel and catch some bad guys? Well, here is Nancy for adults. Light and fluffy writing that masks the serious events taking place, and a heroine that can't quite manage to take care of herself.

First off please remember this book was written ages ago,1994 to be exact. And yet I don't feel like that justifies how many little things in the book bothered me. Spandex shorts were mentioned multiple times, glow-in-the dark cherry red lipstick, a macho sexist love interest, a twitterpated heroine, the list goes on and on. I did however find sections humorous, and I think that if you are looking for a series that you can pick up and read on vacation this may be for you.

Plot line - lets see. Stephanie is out of work and in desperate need of cash. In an effort to avoid her families assistance she makes a desperate move to become a bounty hunter. Real world? Stephanie dies tragically three days later. Book world? Through a series of mis-steps a crime is unraveled and solved.

Stephanie, as I have mentioned, is not a Clarisse, or a Ziva David, or even a Kinsey Millhone. She is just an out of work lady with an opportunity for a big payday if she can find an ex-boyfriend. The author is at least honest about her qualifications as it would be annoying for her to be a karate expert one week in, she reacts just as any completely unqualified person would react. Hopefully in the rest of the series she loses the dumb damsel in distress bit, that would make future books more appealing.

Honestly, I found the whole cavalier attitude about an 8 year old molesting a 6 year old, and her whole attraction to the "bad boy" off putting. Maybe it's a sign of the times but I feel like readers come away with the idea that it's all ok since they are friends now. NOT OK.

Long story short, would I read other books in the series? Probably. Am I in a hurry to find them any time soon? No.

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A Lifetime to Die

A Lifetime to Die by P.S. Meronek
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Let's start with the cover shall we? Do you see that shadowy profile of a clearly female character who is standing rather defiantly in front of a clock? Yea, she doesn't exist. And the title of the book is really lame. So from the front there isn't much appeal here.

The book itself starts off with an engaging story of a boy in Czechoslovakia who lives with his mother and has been wronged by his uncle. Throw in some Russians and it is a pretty good story if a bit old school. You'll also be able to guess at the type of book this will be while reading these first few chapters. Time is a rather relaxed concept, jumping from present to past rather loosely. You'll also see that this is the type of book where major plot points will be glossed over to allow a "reveal" moment later. Gimmicky, and rather transparent to the frequent reader, but whatever. The story then has an American dream segment, which is when I start to dislike the main character. He has an awfully elitist tone for a newly made man. Then there is a segment which revisits the past and a general typing up loose ends.

The further I progressed in the book the less I liked it. Not usually the way one wants a book to go frankly. By the end details start to unravel, plotlines that were thin to begin with become completely unbelievable, and the editing as far as quote marks and paragraph breaks usage also starts to suffer. After finishing the story all I was thinking was you have to be kidding me!

Let's talk characters a bit.

Aristotle "Telly" Mercury - The guy whose picture should have been on the cover of the book. He becomes less believable as the book goes on. By the end you can't help but feel like he should have developed a bit more. Instead you are left listening to the same "nice guy" routine. The prose alludes to his outlook changing - but you don't witness any of it in the book first hand. He's a guy who can't be troubled to get a drivers license but has the mettle to be a self made bajillionaire. Please.

Every other character starts off strong and then becomes a footnote. Angelina Torres - Enters the story as an obvious romantic interest. Has a bit of a spark to her, definitely likable. Unfortunately after the early part of their relationship she is relegated to the occasional side thought. Mrs. Schroeder - A spitfire of an old gal. After proving useful to Telly though again is discarded. The romances involve women of ever decreasing ages, with ever aging men, their personalities described less and less. Meanwhile even at almost 50 Telly has such a hot body his 25 year old daughter has to mention it. Gross.

In the end I think the story concept had merit, it just needed to be thought out a bit more in the second half.

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Call of the Wild

The Call of the Wild by Jack London
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was our book club read for July 2014 - and we just had a great discussion on it last night.

Let me start by stating that this is actually the second time that I have read this book. And if I were left to my own devices I would not have read it again. Thanks goodness for book club! You see I didn't really like this book the first time I read it. I was reluctant to read it again, but my desire to enjoy the meeting prevailed. Now having read it once I knew going in the best piece of advice I can give London readers - don't rush it. I like to get a book stared and then rush headlong into the pages until I get to the end. Some call it binge reading. This is not a book that you can binge on and enjoy. It is too dense, much too dense. Even though it is 78 pages (in my copy) I took 4 days to read it. I could have read the words in less time but I could not have enjoyed the story.

Let's get to the story. It is essentially the tale of a domesticated dogs return to the wild. The return is in the ancestral sense, the dog himself was born into a human home. The story is told from the third point of view following the dogs experiences which I think was a smart move as hearing "squirrel!" every page or two gets old. White Fang is another book by London which tells the reverse story - so if you enjoyed Call of the Wild you may want to consider Fang further reading.

Call of the Wild is considered by many an allegory for mans struggles - but London has responded that any allegory was unintentional. It certainly makes me wonder how many great books by long dead authors are analyzed in college courses that were intended merely as entertainment and not the deep analysis of human nature that they have become. At any rate, it is hard to read the book without having the personalities of dogs and people recall to the reader past relationships. When the team is led by Hal, Charles and Mercedes I was reminded of past jobs I held and the leadership I was under.

As for female characters there is only the one Mercedes whose role is brief. I do not hold this against the book in any way as Alaska generally has a shortage of female characters. The female characters that one is likely to find in Alaska however I would expect to be much more hearty then the portrayed Mercedes. Mercedes is soft hearted toward the dogs, possessive of material belongings, childish when crossed, and generally a whine butt. London does however take a moment to examine the root of her shortcomings. "She was pretty and soft, and had been chivalrously treated all her days. But the present treatment by her husband and brother was anything save chivalrous. It was her custom to be helpless. They complained." Chivalry sounds like a good thing at the outset - and some complain that the days of chivalry are dead - but how much nicer it is to have people expect strength over weakness, and self-reliance over dependence. It's a self-fulfilling prophesy.

In a nutshell I definitely recommend it, I will read more by London, and I may even read this again. I think this would be a good read out loud book, so I will have to remember it for future car rides.

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Then Came Life

Then Came Life: A Memoir of Living with the Same Courage, Spirit, and Humor that Helped Me Survive Breast Cancer by Geralyn Lucas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the "after" story of cancer.

Geralyn is a survivor, and that strong identity with cancer holds a lot of negative energy for her. This book is about her trying to live while surviving.

It's certainly an important and likely oft overlooked part of the healing process. Here you are, one of the lucky ones that "beats" cancer, and it's so easy to ask "Why me?" To wonder what sets you apart. To feel guilt that you aren't doing something amazing with this new found life that you have been granted. To feel like you owe something to all of the people who weren't as lucky. It's equally hard not to let the fears become overwhelming. Is it coming back? Did I "give" this to my daughter? Every little pain, bump, bruise becomes a new obsession. Geralyn explores some of these ideas, and shares the moments that gave her strength.

While reading the book I was continuously thinking to myself how much I disliked the author. She's shallow, self-centered and insecure. She's not the kind of person that I would want to be, or to hang out with, or even meet for coffee. Then I thought - wait a second. This isn't a character in a novel, this is a real person. A person who has the nerve to really put herself out there. She put all of these flaws in a book for me to read and she shows an awareness of the need to grow and evolve. Doesn't that deserve a little bit of credit?

I think my main issue with the author is that while she shows the need to love herself, respect her mother, grow closer to her family, etc. she doesn't really achieve any of that. But isn't that life? Don't we all look back at ourselves a day, month, year, or decade later and think "Geesh, I was a real jerk there, I wish I would have just done _____ instead." So I tried not to hold the authors selfish outlook against her. I really did try, and by the end it was kind of worth it. But I still don't want to meet her for coffee.

I have not personally had cancer, but I can see how this book could be helpful for people who have had cancer, or have made the journey through cancer with a loved one. For myself though, the book wasn't really for me, and I probably will not look for other books by this author.

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Just One Thing

Just One Thing by Holly Jacobs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a story about losing and finding loved ones. It is written with two separate timelines, the past and present and the main two characters are sharing their pasts with each other. It's a rather charming set-up actually. The barkeep asks the patron to tell him just one thing on each of her visits. Slowly she comes out of the shell she has built around herself. It immediately sucks the reader in and starts off very strong.

I particularly enjoyed the fact that the characters and situations were completely realistic. The main couple were both older characters with family situations that were relate-able in one way or another. The obstacles they faced are being overcome by people everyday. The only magic in the book is love, forgiveness, and acceptance and that is a magic that we are capable of bringing into our own lives with a bit of effort. In the right hands this is a book that could deliver hope.

My only complaint is the ending, it was a bit of a let down. One of the ongoing stories is a tapestry that is being made. Although it is a bit of a quilt styled tapestry if you ask me. Anyways, each square is a significant picture and there is a story bringing meaning to it. The last square felt like a big tease. A chapter ends stating "I knew how the tapestry should be finished." And then the whole next chapter is building suspense on her completing it. Then . . . nothing. I messaged the author to ask if I had missed something and she told me what she sees as the last piece, but the book doesn't spell it out because the main point of the book is that it doesn't really matter. It doesn't matter because everything is more than just one thing. Which is one way to make a point I suppose. I get it, but I don't like it. I wanted more, or perhaps I wanted closure. Given the topics in the book denying closure is a pretty artistic move.

The author is really cool to have written me back though, and I will definitely keep an eye out for other books by her since I do like her writing style. I also like that she has the confidence to end the book with a piece missing, knowing that in general we readers like to have it spelled out for us.

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The Lawman's Oklahoma Sweetheart

The Lawman's Oklahoma Sweetheart by Allie Pleiter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary: This is a Christian Romance taking place in the wild west of Oklahoma. It is the story of how Clint Thornton, a gloomy Gus, and Katrine, a self-loathing baker, face the danger of confronting a local gang while falling in love.

I think my biggest complaint with the book is the way that the characters view themselves. They find obstacles, and go out of their way to look for reasons why they shouldn't be together, instead of just being happy. They are quick to be happy for other people who find love, but feel that they themselves are unworthy. Why? I mean really, why? Isn't it a big enough miracle to find that someone you are attracted to is equally attracted to you?

The faith based portions are well done, and I definitely want to credit the author with just enough religious input. It in no way drives the story, it is simply part of who the characters are, and how they view their world. It doesn't feel like the story is a thinly veiled agenda.

I took away a star for characterization, and a star for predictability. I wouldn't read it again but I will probably pass it on to others.

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From Three Feet off the Ground: etc. etc.

From Three Feet Off the Ground: The Year My Children Taught Me How to See the World . . . and Myself by Christie Havey Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book is made up of many inspirational, Christian anecdotes. Is it for everyone - no. Which is why I can't give it the full five stars. Teenage me would have skipped large parts of the book. Men probably would have a hard time relating. HOWEVER if you are a man that feels like you are having a hard time relating to your wife now that you have a kid - you may want to give this a read to get in her head a bit.

For me, at this particular point in my life, this book was great. As a mom of a 1 year old I related to the author and appreciated her viewpoint. Her children sound darling, and anyone who spends a large amount of time with a child, truly appreciating them, cannot help but see that their viewpoint has a different focus than adults. They remind us that the truly wonderful things in life are simple. Joy, happiness, and love are all things that we insist on making complicated.

I will probably read this book again, and I would recommend it selectively.

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Pinkslipped

Pinkslipped by Romina Wilcox
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

So, I think all the other reviewers (at Goodreads) probably know the author or are being paid for a favorable opinion. One thing I enjoyed about this book is that it is definitely a story based on real life. You will be reminded of people you know by the characters in the book, and it chronicles the mundane things in life that most of us have experienced in one way or another. Unfortunately the book doesn't quite know who it wants to be yet.

Let's talk about characters for a moment. The main character is probably a typical American stereotype. Which means she is almost despicable. She has run up her credit card debt. She opts to not pay it. Then spends the rest of the book complaining about creditors calling. That's what happens when you owe people money! She looks at her house as a status symbol and can't imagine living in something smaller. When she can't find a job and claims to be working full time at finding one she turns down moving to another city where she is offered several jobs, even though her husband can pretty much work in any city in America. She complains about how all the jobs go to people with connections, but when one of her connections offers her a job she turns it down. I didn't empathize or pity this character at all. Do you? I mean she has an au pair while she is unemployed, and renews the contract while still unemployed. There's ignorance and then there is entitled, willful stupidity.

Meanwhile her long suffering husband just agrees with her and tries to steer clear of her sh*t storm. It's obvious that their past is made up of her constantly getting her way, and blatantly ignoring his guidance. The kids don't have the slightest impact on the story. Any other characters are mentioned for no more than a segment before being completely dropped.

Then suddenly at the end there is an attempt to make this Christian fiction by having God fix all her problems in a day because she finally learned to appreciate how lucky she is.

The writing style is rambling, the time line and facts don't all line up, it could use a bit more proofreading as there are many instances of words missing from sentences or wrong words use for example change instead of chance. In the end, I would not read this book again, I would not look for this author, and I would not recommend it.

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Edge Series - Ilona Andrews

     

I am reviewing these as a series because sometimes the way a series progresses can make you really happy you decided to read it.  But if it goes wrong you can be contemplating the next book while regretting all the time spent to get there because halfway through the series it all went wrong.  So I will discuss the series as a whole.  As usual, if you are looking for a synopsis, look elsewhere.  These are just broad thoughts.

Book 1 - On the Edge 

This book was easily the best book in the series for me.  It was an urban fantasy modern fairy tale that hit on all the right notes.  The characters were well thought out, and each had their own conflicts, and at the end of the book I couldn't wait to hear about the next adventure. The realm that is created in this series is very fun, which makes the 4 book commitment worthwhile in my opinion.

Book 2 - Bayou Moon

This book started as a bit of a letdown because I really wanted to just keep following Rose and family from Book 1, and while the characters throughout the remainder of the series are somewhat related to each other, each book chooses its own hero.  Once over the initial disappointment I happily jumped right into the story of the Mar family.  There are a lot of people to keep track on in this book - so if that is something that sometimes messes with you, I would recommend keeping a cheat sheet.  

Book 3 - Fate's Edge

Ok, I originally just reviewed this as weak.  Really, weak.  And it was.  The ending was so contrived, and I didn't believe in their love story at all.  It was clear that they were made for each other, I just needed a bit more to believe that they really overcame their personal issues to accept the love from each other.  I really didn't like this book at all.  The whole staring at her butt, and over the top physical attraction was really off putting as well as her whole I'll kiss him and like it but then I'll slap him for overstepping attitude was very crass.  This is what perpetuates the idea that women don't mean no when they say it.

Book 4 - Steel's Edge

This book gave a strong enough ending for me to forgive Book 3 - ALTHOUGH  the one complaint I had was that the love story reminded me too much of 3 and therefore didn't feel original.  There was just too much "Could she/he really love me after seeing me because I don't think I am deserving."  The book more then makes up for it though with a solid plot line, and a great conclusion.  So many loose ends were tied up in ways that made me smile that in the end I very much enjoyed this book.

Would I recommend the series?  If you like creative fantasy and you have some time on your hands - definitely.  If this isn't your genre to begin with, these aren't books I would start with.  There are better options out there. 

Behind the Beautiful Forevers

 

Wow.  Behind the Beautiful Forevers is a non-fiction by Katherine Boo.  And you need to read it.  Don't be intimidated that because it is non-fiction it will be difficult to wade through, it reads like a novel and has a good pace to it.  

It is essentially the story of a slum in Mumbai and a closer look at a few residents and their attempts to improve their lives.  And it reminded me of so many other stories that it really proved that people are essentially the same all over the world.  

Mostly I would say that the book shows the many different layers of society and its divisions in India.  There are religious divides, caste system levels, and financial classes.  People don't unify, instead they find reasons to separate, and this makes it much easier to take advantage of other people.  Even in the slums there are the families that are better off and therefore a source of envy to the people with less.  Who would think that a simple kitchen shelf would be a source of contention?

Is this so different than the people that you interact with daily?  We all have the labels that we assign to others, and sometimes ourselves.  Right vs Left, Religious vs Agnostic, Straight vs Gay (etc.), gym rats, couch potatoes, these are all labels that separate and they all bring to mind a specific type of person.  But how many of us truly fit into a single box? 

Don't even get me started on the corruption!  The haves are constantly taking advantage of the have nots.  The politicians lie, the police can be bought, and the system is full of people that are experts at beating the system.  It's not an India problem, this is a global problem.  The money that people donate to the needy rarely ends up in the intended hands.  It's enough to make me sick, is it any wonder that  so many people feel like charity is a waste of money?

Here's just a couple items that I was struck by, and I will be vague to try and avoid spoilers.  Isn't it interesting that even after the schism Abdul's family aided their neighbors?  How about the books that students were described to be studying?  Now I clearly love a good book - but aren't there more useful things for them to work on than memorizing a synopsis of a classic book?  And finally, just think if all of these people behaved honorably and truly put the money and effort, into the systems that they are intended for - how much would that impact be? 

This book was really wonderful, and I would definitely read it again - and recommend it to others.

Exodus 2022

I received this book in a free giveaway with the understanding that a review would be appreciated.  

Exodus is a new novel by Kenneth G. Bennett (Kenny G. hehe.) It is a fictional, sci-fi, eco-thriller type of novel that is fast paced and easy to read.  I found it quite funny that it featured some whales since my last book, Big Miracle, also featured whales.  I don't think I could have found books so far apart on the spectrum if I had tried!  

While I enjoyed the book I found the characters to lack depth.  The good guys were very good, and the bad guys were very bad.  Every time there was a glimpse of a bit of depth to a character the plot would swerve away which I found disappointing.  The author also lacked variety in his descriptions of the characters.  The term twentysomething was horribly abused. One paragraph on pg 12 started "Joe Stanton was a tall, athletic, twenty-eight-year-old."  and the same paragraph ended with "More like a patient emerging from anesthesia than a vital twentysomething."   

Now my husband would probably say that I am over reacting to this next point, but he's not the one writing this review so I am adding this in.  Ella, the main female character, was repeatedly reduced to being a pretty face.  Characters constantly thought of her as beautiful and nothing else, or beautiful first followed by other desciptions.  Most insultingly, in one of her most dramatic scenes she thinks to herself that a gunman might think to himself while pointing a gun at her, "Oh you're beautiful, so you don't have to die."  Women are more than pretty faces!  I know that it can be difficult for a male author to write female characters, and vice versa, but in this case a little bit more effort needed to be made.

As far as quality is concerned in general the proofreaders did well.  There are two sentences that break into new paragraphs, one on pg. 289 and another on pg. 314.  There is also a " at the end of a random sentence on pg. 188.

In the end I would probably not read this book again, although I would read a sequel.  I would also recommend this book to most of my friends for a fun read.  I am sure that this author will continue to have interesting selections in the future as well.

Big Miracle

Today I  finished reading Big Miracle by Tom Rose.  This book is the non-fiction story about three whales that were found trapped in the ice off of Alaska, and the public interest with media storm that led to a rescue attempt.  The author is one of the journalists who was in Alaska during a portion of the rescue.

The story itself is fascinating as far as how multifaceted this rescue became.  It went from a single Inuit finding the whales limited to a single open breathing hole to direct involvement from two governments and media coverage from several others.  I have vague memories of the event, but this is the first time that I can really say that I got the full story.  Thinking about life there at the top of the world was the other worthwhile part of the book.  It is so cold there that it is beyond imagination, and hearing about how unprepared the press was added some humor.

 Unfortunately it is obvious early on that the author mostly wanted to use the book as a platform for his snarky attitude, and political opinions.  The book had such a negative tone that 20 pages in I contemplated quitting.  

I also have to wonder if anyone proofread the book at all.  The redundancy and grammatical errors occurring throughout the book border on the ridiculous.  

He mentions on page 64 "To allow for late-arriving competitors and the rising value of a warm bed, the hotel started renting beds, as opposed to rooms."  Then on page 73 "The Top of the World Hotel started auctioning off beds, as opposed to rooms."

On page 98 "It was the wife of an oil executive who made Cindy promise never to identify her.  Cindy jokingly called her "Jane Whale."  then on page 99 ". . . Jane promised, who asked Cindy not to reveal her name."

He even introduced the names given to the whales on more than one occasion.  I mean, you could say the whales are the main characters of the story - wouldn't you just need to introduce them once?  

As for errors they are so numerous and glaring I wonder if he couldn't stand to read his own work.

Page 105 "He told her that Bill Allen not only authorized use of the barge and himself was on his way back to Anchorage."

 Page 147 ". . . while no one reported on his drinking, because he did not visibly drink anymore more than anyone else."

Page 233 "SAR went from flying three missions on Sunday, October 16, the rescue's second day, to more than just four days later."

There were also many instances where the author jumped from past tense to present tense and back again.  I would just expect better from someone who makes a living at communication.  Honestly I feel like a book written from the perspective of the Inuits would have been more enjoyable.

As for his snide tone and limited ability to mask his obvious disdain for left wing environmentalists you need only to open the book to a random page and read.  It bleeds through every page.  He repeatedly states that increased whale population should be directly accredited to the oil companies.  He states that polar bear populations are increasing.  He defends Reagan's environmental standings based on the idea that by improving the economy there is increased spending on unnecessary things  such as the environment.  Let's just say that if I were ever given the opportunity to sit down and have coffee with Mr. Rose I would decline.

All in all, I will never read this book again and I will never recommend it to anyone.

12 Years a Slave - the real review.

  

I just finished reading 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup.  Wow.  Considering that in 10 of the 12 years of public education there is class work for American History, it strikes me as remarkable that this book was not required reading.  

 One thought that stood out in the reading was that as a slave you were not permitted even the small comfort of a family.  Every day spent with a husband or child could literally be the last.  The master could choose to sell them or you without any regard for the concept of family.  Taking into account the widespread Christianity of the owners you would think a small part of them would balk at such a glaring breach.  It's amazing that they pretended that slaves married at all, and didn't just order relations between the strongest of the male slaves with all the available women.  Let's not even delve into the relations between owners and slaves.  All mixed children being slaves means only that men were willing to sell their children.  Gross.  

Let's pretend that it is possible to wave a magic wand and take the situation as described and just change the law.  Monday slavery to Tuesday outlawed.  Can you imagine being one of the slaves - Patsey for instance, what do you do?  Clearly staying on the Epps farm is unimaginable.  But where do you go?  You lack the education necessary to start a business.  You are mentally and emotionally scarred from your experiences and probably not eager to walk into a store and ask a white man for a job.  By leaving the farm you leave your home, belongings, co-workers, etc.  Despite working your whole life you have nothing to show for it, no savings account, no network, no support  system.  It's just a mess.

Could you imagine living every day for 12 years with the knowledge of your rightful freedom, while suffering the degradation of slavery?  I don't think I could have kept the secret as well as Solomon did.  Do you think that Ford would have helped him? Then again looking at it from Fords perspective, here he is just bought a new slave for a rather handsome amount of money, and this slave says joke's on you - you're out the money because really I'm a free man.  That would be a tough thing to be reasonable about.  

In the end this book gave me a lot of things to think about - and I can't wait to discuss it again with my book club next month.  I would definitely recommend reading this book - and if you home school your kids you should add it to the required reading list!  

12 Years a Slave

Yesterday Corridor Book Club met to discuss the book 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup.   This will not be a review of the book because I haven't read it yet.  That's right, I went to book club to discuss a book I didn't read, but that's ok because very little of a great discourse on literature is actually dependent upon the details of a single novel.  It left me thinking and I wanted to share.  (As always I have changed names since I value my privacy, golden rule, etc.)

At any rate, in our discussion Abby posed a questions to the group asking if anyone would have helped the slave escape the south.  Bonnie immediately stated yes.  No one else at the table gave such a direct answer.  Inside, my immediate answer was yes, which was immediately followed by rationalizations.  I think 2 years ago I definitely would have said yes and just left it at that, but as I was driving home I couldn't help but think the final answer would actually be no.  Gasp, I'm a horrible person - but hear me out.  Helping in the situation is a huge risk.  Being caught helping the slave would result in death, not only death but probably accompanied by slander etc. to protect the murderers.  All for what?  To help 1 person get freedom.  Now as I said, in the past I would have been on board in an instant.  I would gamble my life to help 1 other person, no hesitation.  But now my stakes are higher.  I would not only be gambling my life, but the future happiness of my daughter.  What I do every day ensures her future happiness, security, confidence, etc. to the point that if I were to suddenly disappear from her life it would not ever quite be the same. 

Now I'm not saying that my life is suddenly more valuable because I am a parent, but I am saying that the impact would be greater.  It could be quantified by time, previously my parents/husband would feel a loss, but that would only last about 50 years before we would be reunited.  With a child the loss  would be felt for closer to 80 years.  It could be measured by the feeling of loss which would also be greater, a child without a parent has an undeniable loss of stability that can manifest itself in so many different ways.  Could she ever forgive me for making a choice to leave her?

Historically, so many people have participated in underground activities to aid the unfortunate, and many of these people had families to consider.  Finding women in history - let alone women with families is next to impossible.  Harriett Tubman, while married in slavery left her husband when she decided to go North.  She did not remarry until after the Civil War. Do women with children make these choices?  Or do they settle into the mom role, and let others make the deciding moves?  Does this example of complacency then influence their children?  and would the hardship of losing a mother to a just and noble cause offset the emptiness just a bit?

Instead of looking at what a child loses in this situation perhaps I need to consider the "character building" qualities.  Setting an example is a huge influence on children psyches and seeing mom walk past a person needing help is surely going to qualify as setting a bad example.  Showing a child that self-preservation is more important that community outreach is also starting down a bad path.  

Is this complacency - and rationalization - actually the evil that needs to be overcome?  With the world becoming smaller and smaller, couldn't one argue that I am already choosing to do nothing?  I haven't gone to Nigeria to rescue the 300 kidnapped girls.  I haven't done anything about the huge divide here in America between the rich and the poor, or the level of educations given to wealthy children vs. poor children.  I haven't done anything about violence against women.  I haven't given up fossil fuels, or convinced anyone else to.  I have beliefs, but I don't have actions.  And this has nothing to do with parenthood - I didn't have actions previously.  But where does one begin - with all the bad - where does one begin to stand up for the good?

As  you can see this thought process has come a long way from a simple question.  I don't have answers - only more questions - but igniting this thought process is why I love book club!

The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter

Books 1 - 8
By Susan Wittig Albert (Robin Paige)
Last book published in 2010, appears to be complete

These books are utterly charming.  I say that meaning both the good and bad that goes with it.  They are all sweet, bad things always turn out good, the well behaved prosper.  And you know exactly what I mean by the bad of charming.  I am hard pressed to tell you the age group for which they are intended.  The subject seems designed for a child.  The narrater directly addresses the reader in a very playful and childish way. However, the 300 page length requires an older demographic.  The writing also includes an old english dialect for some of it's characters (although it is rather simply done.)  Perhaps the intent is that grown persons will read it with the child. 

The most enjoyable part of the series for me was the enjoyable telling of Beatrix Potters life for the 8 year span of the books. There was clearly quite a bit of research done by the author, and the historical notes at the end are brief enough to encourage even the most tired reader to complete them.

My least favorite part of the books was the repitition of every blessed thing.  For example, every single book will tell the reason behind the towns names.  Every book tells the story of the Brockery's coat of arms.  By the tenth book if you cut out all the parts that you have read before you will be left with hardly a book at all!

All told, I enjoyed the read.  But I would not recommend them. 

Space Trilogy

 by C. S. Lewis

This book was written in 1938 by an English author.

I am on the fence with this book.  On one side I wish that it had been longer.  On the other I'm not really sure that I liked it all that much.  I am sure that this is a personal failing.  I loved parts of the premise.  The idea of animal beings on Mars bearing more humanity than humans is interesting.  The concept of Earth falling into an evil sphere is also fun.  I'm just not sure that there is enough to the book for it to be considered great.  The elaboration all focused on the Malacandran landscape, and I would have appreciated more character, and social developments.  However, I am still excited to read the remaining 2 books in the series, and I will add to this post as I complete them.