Madam Mirabou's School of Love by Barbara Samuel

Fiction: Paperback from Ballantine Books. Published in 2006. 307 pages. On loan from The Kent District Library.

I found this book via Nikki's World. (I don't know Nikki, I just like blogs that talk about books.) This is not my genre, but I thought I'd give it a try - after all, the book started with a house blowing up! Unfortunately, while the story is a good example of a woman not giving up on herself after an unexpected divorce, I really did not enjoy it. For a start, I suppose my insecurities made me feel sick to my stomach thinking about being clueless then presented with divorce papers. (That's the type of stuff bad dreams are made of in my world.) Then I would have preferred her to make her way forward without immediately attaching herself to another guy - and hopping into bed with him fairly soon thereafter. (Even if he was an ex-Londoner!)

Publisher's summary:
Sometimes real passion means living the life you’ve always wanted.

Nicole Bridges still can’t believe she’s taken up residence in a Colorado apartment complex nicknamed “Splitsville.” She’s still reeling from her husband’s affair, a divorce she never saw coming, and having to leave the upscale, comfortable world she helped make for her ex and their teenage daughter. With little money, even less work experience, and no idea what to do next, she takes tentative steps -– if only to keep her head above water.

Along the way, Nikki unexpectedly finds herself falling in with eccentric new neighbors -– and being seduced out of her funk by a charming, elusive ex-Londoner. And through her delight in the sensual elements of perfume, she will discover the courage to form bonds she never imagined. When friends provide the spark of inspiration, Nikki dares to blend the fragments of her life into a fragrance that’s uniquely and passionately her own.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: Madame Mirabou's School of Love
amazon.co.uk: Madame Mirabou's School of Love
amazon.com: Madame Mirabou's School of Love
Audible.com: Madame Mirabou's School of Love

Words About Books: conspectus

conspectus (kuhn-SPEK-tuhs) noun

A general survey, synopsis, outline, or digest of something.

[From Latin conspectus, past participle of conspicere, from con- (complete)
+ spicere (to look). Ultimately from Indo-European root spek- (to observe)
which is also the ancestor of such words as suspect, spectrum, bishop
(literally, overseer), espionage, despise, telescope, spectator, and
spectacles.]

The Lone Drow by R. A. Salvatore

Fiction: Fantasy. Hardback from Wizards of the Coast. Published in 2003. 352 pages. On loan from the Kent District Library.

This is The Hunter's Blade Trilogy, Book Two. I did not enjoy this one as much as some of the other Drizzt books. It took me a long time to get through it. Too many drawn out fight scenes. I'm not sure I'm going to read the next one.

Publisher's summary:
Alone on the battlefield.
Surrounded by death.
Cornered by enemies.
And ready to die.

Drizzt Do’Urden has become an orc’s worst nightmare: a lone drow with nothing to lose and nowhere to run. As the North spirals into chaos and war, one dark elf has decided to take it personally, and it will take an army to stop him.

The Hunter’s blades have been drawn, and Drizzt will never be the same.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: The Lone Drow
amazon.co.uk: The Lone Drow
amazon.com: The Lone Drow
Audible.com: sorry, not available as audio

TV Turn-off Week

24 - 30 April 2006

Why Turn off the TV?
Television cuts into family time, harms our children's ability to read and succeed in school, and contributes to unhealthy lifestyles and obesity. Here are just a few of the facts:

- On average, children in the US will spend more time in front of the television (1,023 hours) than in school this year (900 hours).
- Forty percent of Americans frequently or always watch television during dinner.
- As US Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher said at the Kick Off of TV-Turnoff Week 2001, "We are raising the most overweight generation of youngsters in American history...This week is about saving lives."

For more information visit: TV Turn-off Network

Words About Books: amphigory

amphigory (AM-fi-gor-ee) noun, also amphigouri

A nonsensical piece of writing, usually in verse form, typically composed as a parody.

[From French amphigouri, of obscure origin.]

New to the Bookshelf: NIV Archaeological Study Bible

Non-Fiction: Bible. Hardback from Zondervan. Published in 2005. 2306 pages (plus maps). Purchased at Family Christian Stores.

This book caught my eye a while back and today I added it to our library, thanks to a trip to Family Christian Stores on 28th Street. It looks like it is going to be an excellent reference. The quality of the binding looks a bit suspect to me, but hopefully I will be proven wrong. It's really quite a beautiful book.

Publisher's summary:
Take a journey back to the lands and origins of the Bible for an unparalleled encounter with the Word of God.

The Archaeological Study Bible gives you insights into the roots of the Bible that will strengthen your faith and open new vistas of knowledge and understanding. Like no other study Bible, this one provides a sweeping, detailed look at the lands and times of Scripture, bringing to light the importance of ancient

- civilizations - practices - historical records and artifacts - literature - architecture - religions - laws - events - movements - geography - agriculture - wars and battles - political and monetary systems - historical figures

and other factors that are critical to a deep and accurate grasp of the Bible.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: Archaeological Study Bible : An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture
amazon.co.uk: Archaeological Study Bible: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture
amazon.com: Archaeological Study Bible : An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture
Audible.com: sorry, not available as audio.

Words About Books: orihon

orihon (OR-ee-hon) noun

A book or manuscript folded like an accordion: a roll of paper inscribed on one side only, folded backwards and forwards.

[From Japanese, ori (fold), + hon (book).]

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Non-Fiction: Social Sciences. Hardback from Little, Brown and Company (Time Warner Book Group). Published in 2005. 469 pages. On loan from the Cascade Branch of the Kent District Library.

I had heard some of the things Gladwell discusses in the book - for example that taller men get paid more or that having the right looks and bearing can make you presidential material even if you are a political flop. But there was a lot of intriguing material that I had not heard before - like sometimes it's better not to over analyze or that sometimes our snap decisions are based on our subconscious and that the associations behind them would appall us. He gives lots of examples of how his theories play out in real life. I was quite amazed at how many people had done research on this area and I'm certainly interested in testing his assertions to see if I can find examples.

I discovered that there is a book called Think! out there that is a response to this book. Anyone read it?

Publisher's summary:
In his landmark best seller The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell redefined how we understand the world around us. Now, in Blink, he revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant, in the blink of an eye, that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work, in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?

In Blink we meet the psychologist who has learned to predict whether a marriage will last, based on a few minutes of observing a couple; the tennis coach who knows when a player will double-fault before the racket even makes contact with the ball; the antiquities experts who recognize a fake at a glance. Here, too, are great failures of "blink": the election of Warren Harding; "New Coke"; and the shooting of Amadou Diallo by police. Blink reveals that great decision makers aren't those who process the most information or spend the most time deliberating, but those who have perfected the art of "thin-slicing", filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables.

Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology and displaying all of the brilliance that made The Tipping Point a classic, Blink changes the way you understand every decision you make. Never again will you think about thinking the same way.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
amazon.co.uk: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
amazon.com: Blink : The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
Audible.com: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Words about Books: belles-lettres

belles-lettres (bel-LET-ruh) noun

Literary works valued for their aesthetic qualities rather than information or instruction.

[From French belles (fine) + lettres (letters, literature).]

Wish You Well by David Baldacci

Fiction: Contemporary. Audiobook from Time Warner AudioBooks. Published in 2000. 10 hours. Read by Norma Lana. Purchased at Audible.com.

This book is a bit of a departure from the books of Baldacci's that I have read previously. It's not a murder mystery - even though people do die. There is no main character aiming to take down the government conspiracy - even though there is a big bad business causing trouble. In some ways the main components of his other works are there - just put forth in a different manner. It's an enjoyable book, with many insights into life in the Appalachians, and a good commentary on what is really important in life. (Hint: it's not money.)

Publisher's summary:
This is the story of Louisa May Cardinal, a precocious 12-year-old girl living in the hectic New York City of 1940 with her acclaimed but sadly underpaid writer father, her compassionate mother, and her timid younger brother, Oz. For Lou, her family's financial struggles are invisible. Instead, she is a daughter who idolizes her father and is in love with the art of storytelling.

Then, in a single, terrifying moment, Lou's life is changed forever, and she and Oz are on a train rolling away from New York and down into the mountains of Virginia. There, Lou's mother will begin a long, slow struggle between life and death. And there, Lou and Oz will be raised by their remarkable great-grandmother, Louisa, Lou's namesake.

Suddenly this young girl finds herself coming of age in a landscape that could not be more foreign to her. On her great-grandmother's farm, on the land her father loved and wrote about, Lou finds her first true friend; learns lessons in loyalty, tragedy, and redemption; and experiences adventures tragic, comic, and audacious. When a dark, destructive force encroaches on their new home, Lou and her brother are caught up in another struggle - a struggle for justice and survival that will be played out in a crowded Virginia courtroom.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: Wish You Well
amazon.co.uk: Wish You Well
amazon.com: Wish You Well
Audible.com: Wish You Well

The Promise by Chaim Potok

Fiction: Paperback from Ballantine Publishing Group (A division of Random House). Copyright 1969. 369 pages. On loan from the Cascade Branch of the Kent District Library.

This is a continuation of the story of Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders that began in the book The Chosen. It was neat to hear more of their story, and to delve further into the persona of some of the characters. I don't think this book is quite as good as the first. But, I'm still glad I read it.

As an aside: Have you ever read a book, then looked at the book description on the cover and wondered if the person who wrote it actually read the book? Sometimes it makes me wonder if I've completely misunderstood what I just read. I'm not saying that the following publisher's summary is clueless as to the story line. I'm just not sure I agree with the motivations that they attribute to Reuven. At least they are not necessarily the ones that I came up with on my own.

Publisher's summary:
For young Reuven Malter, it is a time of testing. With his teachers, he struggles for recognition of his boldly radical methods of scholarship. With his old friend Danny Saunders -- who himself had abandoned his legacy as the chosen heir to his father's rabbinical dynasty for the uncertain life of a healer -- he battles to save a sensitive boy imprisoned by his genius and rage, defeated by the same forces of unyielding past that challenge Reuven. Painfully and, at last, triumphantly, Rueven grows into a guardian of the ancient, sacred promise to his people, while earning his hard-fought right to make his own beginning.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: The Promise
amazon.co.uk: The Promise
amazon.com: The Promise
Audible.com: Sorry, not available as audio.

Tamora Pierce

These books are by an author that my younger daughter enjoys. They are written for the 5-8 grade reading level, so they're an easy read. I just finished the third in the series and am expecting my daughter to bring me the fourth one to read soon. They seem like pretty good books.


Publisher's summary:
Lady Sandrilene fa Toren is a noble girl whose thread magic wove together the power - and the personal bonds - of four young magicians. Now, Lady Sandrilene is on her own and saddled with teaching magic to a restless boy, safeguarding her uncle's health, and tracking down a brutal murderer.




Publisher's summary:
When Briar Moss spots a street kid using magic in a marketplace, he knows he must find her a teacher. But before he can do so, Briar and the young mage are swept up in gang warfare that puts them both in grave danger. Now Briar must decide if he's ready to step in as young Evvy's mentor -- and if he's ready to put his own gang life behind him for good.




Publisher's summary:
Daja and Frostpine expect to spend some peaceful weeks with old friends in Namorn. But things begin to go awry as soon as they arrive. First Daja discovers that their hosts' twin daughters are mages. Then mysterious fires begin to blaze across the frigid city. Daja works with Bennat Ladradun, to locate what seems to be a serial arsonist. Daja's magic saves the city from going up in flames, but nothing and nobody can save her the disappointment of learning that the arsonist is someone close to her own heart.

Popular Books

Via Technorati - the books people are blogging about right now, ordered by new links to Amazon in the last 48 hours:

Popular Books

The Chosen by Chaim Potok

Fiction: Classic American Literature. Audiobook from Recorded Books. Originally published in 1967, recorded in 2003. 10 hours, 41 minutes. Read by Jonathan Davis. Purchased from Audible.com.

I don't know where I got the idea that I should read this book, and at first I was not sure it was a good choice. The book begins with a baseball game - one that I thought would never end. I realized later on in the book why the game was described in-depth and it made sense. There was a point however where I was ready to give up for waiting for the ball game to be over. Wow. I'm glad I did not capitulate to the feeling. This is a very good book.

Publisher's summary:
Though they've lived their entire lives less than five blocks from each other, Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders exist in very different worlds. Reuven blends easily into both his secular Jewish faith and his typical American teen life, while Danny's conservative Hasidic clothes and appearance make him stick out in any crowd. Their improbable friendship teaches them that the differences separating people through cultures and generations are never as great as they seem.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: The Chosen
amazon.co.uk: The Chosen
amazon.com: The Chosen
Audible.com: The Chosen

Light from Heaven by Jan Karon

Fiction: Contemporary. Hardback from Viking (Penguin). Published in 2005. 384 pages. On loan from the Kent District Library.

This is the last book in the Mitford Series, by Jan Karon. I have enjoyed all of the books in the series. They have a wholesome feel to them that I like - and they always end well. I don't think they are destined to become classics, but considering how long I had to wait for a copy to become available at the libary, I could be wrong.

Publisher's summary:
All good things—even laughter and orange marmalade cake—must come to an end.

And in Light from Heaven, the long-anticipated final volume in the phenomenally successful Mitford Years series, Karon deftly ties up all the loose ends of Father Timothy Kavanagh’s deeply affecting life.

On a century-old valley farm where Father Tim and Cynthia are housesitting, there’s plenty to say grace over, from the havoc of a windstorm to a surprising new addition to the household and a mystery in the chicken house.

It’s life on the mountaintop, however, that promises to give Father Tim the definitive challenge of his long priesthood. Can he step up to the plate and revive a remote, long-empty mountain church, asap? Or has he been called to accomplish the impossible? Fortunately, he’s been given an angel—in the flesh, of course.

Light from Heaven is filled with characters old and new and with answers to all the questions that Karon fans have asked since the series began nearly a decade ago. To put it simply—it’s her best. And we believe millions will agree.

Online book shopping:
Powell's: Light from Heaven
amazon.co.uk: Light from Heaven
amazon.com: Light from Heaven
Audible.com: Light from Heaven