Author / Illustrator: Brian Fies
A look at the world's fair of 1939 and the future it predicted, through the decades with a father / son pair. Beautiful. Includes comic book antics of the world's fair hero in retro style.
Nice combination of non-fiction and fiction.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Vij's at Home
Authors: Meeru Dhalwala & Vikram Vij
Cookbook with too few recipes and too many stories.
Cookbook with too few recipes and too many stories.
Madame Tussaud
Author: Michelle Moran
I've loved reading about the Terror ever since A Tale of Two Cities as a teenager. This is a great historical novel. Views of both street and palace, Madame Tussaud saw it all.
I've loved reading about the Terror ever since A Tale of Two Cities as a teenager. This is a great historical novel. Views of both street and palace, Madame Tussaud saw it all.
Bone: Ghost Circles
Author / Illustrator: Jeff Smith
I wish I was reading these in order. I always enjoy them, but I'm always somewhere I don't expect to be in the plot and story world.
I wish I was reading these in order. I always enjoy them, but I'm always somewhere I don't expect to be in the plot and story world.
Royal Flush
Author: Rhys Bowen
20's girl, the 34th heir to the throne, broke and in trouble, goes home to the highlands, doesn't enjoy Wallace Simpson, and solves the mystery of who is trying to kill the heirs to the throne.
20's girl, the 34th heir to the throne, broke and in trouble, goes home to the highlands, doesn't enjoy Wallace Simpson, and solves the mystery of who is trying to kill the heirs to the throne.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Skipping a Beat
Author: Sarah Pekkanen
Multi-millionaire husband dies for a few minutes, comes back to life and wants to give everything away. His wife's not so sure.
Strange glimpse into lives of uber wealthy. Light read, though it did make me weep.
Sarah was a Deb at the Debutante Ball that I followed. Still need to read The Opposite of Me, her debut.
Multi-millionaire husband dies for a few minutes, comes back to life and wants to give everything away. His wife's not so sure.
Strange glimpse into lives of uber wealthy. Light read, though it did make me weep.
Sarah was a Deb at the Debutante Ball that I followed. Still need to read The Opposite of Me, her debut.
Friday, March 18, 2011
The Backyard Homestead
Editor: Carleen Madigan
A good book for a book shelf, but not very in depth in any one subject. Exhausted from trying to imagine growing the number of pounds of produce they say is possible.
Not buying soon, but worth considering.
A good book for a book shelf, but not very in depth in any one subject. Exhausted from trying to imagine growing the number of pounds of produce they say is possible.
Not buying soon, but worth considering.
Borrowed Names
Author: Jeannine Atkins
Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker and Marie Curie and their respective daughters.
Learned quite a bit. Enjoyed more than expected. Must read more verse novels.
Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker and Marie Curie and their respective daughters.
Learned quite a bit. Enjoyed more than expected. Must read more verse novels.
Chalice
Author: Robin McKinley
Beautiful, well-wrought tale of a bee-keeper who becomes the Chalice, a priestess-like figure in an imagined fantasy demesne. Responsible with the Master for keeping the land together, she heals with honey.
The world and culture is so well-built and consistent it was easy to inhabit.
Beautiful, well-wrought tale of a bee-keeper who becomes the Chalice, a priestess-like figure in an imagined fantasy demesne. Responsible with the Master for keeping the land together, she heals with honey.
The world and culture is so well-built and consistent it was easy to inhabit.
No Moon
Author: Irene Watts
A young girl becomes nursemaid, and is taken aboard the Titanic with her employers. I wanted to read it for the Titanic, but found the girl's story of life as a maid to be pretty fascinating and didn't mind that the Titanic was only part of the story.
A young girl becomes nursemaid, and is taken aboard the Titanic with her employers. I wanted to read it for the Titanic, but found the girl's story of life as a maid to be pretty fascinating and didn't mind that the Titanic was only part of the story.
The Bride's Farewell
Author: Meg Rosoff
This was a good book. Girl runs away from home with her mute younger brother and a horse. Trades her skills in horse judging for money, loses brother and money and spends most of the book surviving and searching. Yet, when Meg Rosoff writes it, it's hard to put down, unstoppable fiction.
This was a good book. Girl runs away from home with her mute younger brother and a horse. Trades her skills in horse judging for money, loses brother and money and spends most of the book surviving and searching. Yet, when Meg Rosoff writes it, it's hard to put down, unstoppable fiction.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living
Author: Mark Boyle
No money for a year. Lived in a trailer with a wood stove, outdoor shower, rocket stove on the edge of an organic farm, where he bartered labour for rent. Only a bike for transport, could only accept rides if offered.
Dunbar number - 150 people - humans can maintain stable social relationships with approximately 150 people. The community could be a street, suburb or town.
No money for a year. Lived in a trailer with a wood stove, outdoor shower, rocket stove on the edge of an organic farm, where he bartered labour for rent. Only a bike for transport, could only accept rides if offered.
Dunbar number - 150 people - humans can maintain stable social relationships with approximately 150 people. The community could be a street, suburb or town.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Salmon Doubts
Author / Illustrator: Adam Sacks
The life of a low self esteem shy salmon in cartoon form.
Great front page quote:
The first man to discover Chinook salmon in Columbia caught 264 in a day and carried them across the river by walking on the backs of other fish. His greatest feat, however, was learning the Chinook jargon in 15 minutes from listening to Salmon talk.
Oregon's End of the Trail
(WPA's guide to Oregon, 1943)
The life of a low self esteem shy salmon in cartoon form.
Great front page quote:
The first man to discover Chinook salmon in Columbia caught 264 in a day and carried them across the river by walking on the backs of other fish. His greatest feat, however, was learning the Chinook jargon in 15 minutes from listening to Salmon talk.
Oregon's End of the Trail
(WPA's guide to Oregon, 1943)
Brain Camp
Authors: Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan
Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Funny novel about 2 losers at a camp that should accelerate their learning. The campers are being used to hatch an alien bird species. Luckily, they get smart in time to save themselves and the other campers.
Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Funny novel about 2 losers at a camp that should accelerate their learning. The campers are being used to hatch an alien bird species. Luckily, they get smart in time to save themselves and the other campers.
French Milk
Author / Illustrator: Lucy Knisley
A 22 year old spends 6 weeks in Paris with her Mom and a visit from Dad. Bit of a whiner and a foodie. Almost gave me indigestion, all that Foie gras!
One page panels with some photos scattered within.
A 22 year old spends 6 weeks in Paris with her Mom and a visit from Dad. Bit of a whiner and a foodie. Almost gave me indigestion, all that Foie gras!
One page panels with some photos scattered within.
The Mystery of Mary Rogers
Author / Illustrator: Rick Geary
Another from the Treasury of Victorian Murders. These are always interesting, even when the murder is unsolved.
Another from the Treasury of Victorian Murders. These are always interesting, even when the murder is unsolved.
A Red Herring Without Mustard
Author: Alan Bradley
I love Flavia de Luce! It's got all those great Enid Blytonisms (gypsies, wagons, estates, secrets) and some nasty and human sisters and is such a treat to read.
I love Flavia de Luce! It's got all those great Enid Blytonisms (gypsies, wagons, estates, secrets) and some nasty and human sisters and is such a treat to read.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Tongue in cheek
Author: Fiona Walker
Lots of sex. Lots of people wanting sex, lots of people getting it. Large cast - sometimes hard to track. Lots of horses as well, so very british.
Also, a secret pleasure garden, so hard to resist. Well written characters, each quite distinct.
Lots of sex. Lots of people wanting sex, lots of people getting it. Large cast - sometimes hard to track. Lots of horses as well, so very british.
Also, a secret pleasure garden, so hard to resist. Well written characters, each quite distinct.
Parzival: The Quest of the Grail Knight
Author: Katherine Paterson
I wish I knew the source material better. It's a good story, well told, but full of long absences (separated from your wife for many years) that were probably appropriate to the era.
Parzival, while innocent, also seemed a bit too obedient. I always find every author's interpretation of the knights of the round table varies.
I wish I knew the source material better. It's a good story, well told, but full of long absences (separated from your wife for many years) that were probably appropriate to the era.
Parzival, while innocent, also seemed a bit too obedient. I always find every author's interpretation of the knights of the round table varies.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Mindblind
Author: Jennifer Roy
Nathaniel has asperger's, plays keyboards, obsesses over math and has firends, due in part to his mother's diligence in pushing him out into the world. He wants to be a genius and works hard towards this, and survives teenage experiences first drunk, first kiss, first rock star moment.
Lighter than the remarkable incident of the dog at night.
Nathaniel has asperger's, plays keyboards, obsesses over math and has firends, due in part to his mother's diligence in pushing him out into the world. He wants to be a genius and works hard towards this, and survives teenage experiences first drunk, first kiss, first rock star moment.
Lighter than the remarkable incident of the dog at night.
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