tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89123175145582734532024-03-05T10:18:06.733-05:00~BOOKS~AND~MY OPINION~mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-78159406728923882252013-10-06T12:11:00.001-04:002013-10-06T12:19:56.429-04:00Primal Creatures (French Quarter Mystery)<div style="text-align: center;">
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By Eric Wilder<br />
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Full disclosure, I received a review copy of this book. Sadly, it languished on my TBR pile for far too long. Any avid reader knows that it is far too easy to have books pile up and pile up until even the ones that you really want to read find their way to the bottom of the pile. Well, yesterday, I demolished the pile, looking for a good Halloween type read and found this. It looked like just the ticket, and I pulled it out and jumped in. What I found was a new must read author.</div>
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Somewhat reminiscent of DePoy, a little along the lines of Koontz...what I got for my reading time was a wonderful, page turner of a story, very likable and interesting characters. The author is clearly an animal lover who incorporates pets into the story and takes good care of them. No killing off a pet just to add some gore.</div>
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In fact, there is very little gore. This is a writer who is able to tell the story and add chills without gratuitous mayhem or blood flying from every direction. He tells a chilling story that takes place on a place called Goose Island, off the coast of Louisiana. A place where the memory of Katrina adds a bit of chill of its own, when a freak hurricane threatens the area durning the investigation of a mysterious and grim death. One where the details were quickly covered up and it lands in the capable hands of PI Wyatt Thomas to investigate.</div>
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Wyatt is sent to the island which is home to a small sect of monks who are known for building hand crafted coffins. There are only a very few monks left in this sect. There is a resort on the island as well, it is run by the monks who call themselves Tracists and is a very elegant and secluded area frequented only by the very wealthy. Aside from the resort and the monks the island is home to one man, a professor who is there to study avian life, and a small village filled with. . .</div>
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I think I will leave the rest for you to find out on your own, and believe me you won't regret the time you spend reading this one. I suspect that like myself, you will immediately go looking for more by this talented author.</div>
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</span>mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-68004844228297687762013-04-13T19:34:00.002-04:002013-04-13T19:36:19.361-04:00The Light in the Ruins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Chris Bohjalian<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">I received an advanced copy of The Light in the Ruins. As a long time fan of this author I was was expecting a good read and I was not disappointed. Chris Bohjalian's style is so civilized, and his writing is so compelling, that even a grisly murder can be merely presented and not overdramatized. There is instead a thread of intensity running through the story that carries you along, won't let you go. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">It's all the more compelling when you find the bits of synchronicity and so called coincidence connecting people, places and moments in time. In fact, it draws you in, and makes you a part of the story itself. You can see the events through the eyes of the Marchese and Marchesa Rosati and their family. Francesca is the mother of small children, married to the older son of the family, while her husband Marco and his younger brother Vittore served their country.The youngest of the Rosati's children Christina Rosati lived there as well, little more than a child herself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">Moving forward in time, to ten years after the war we meet up with this family again. Their lives, like the lives of all who lived through WWII were affected, or perhaps shattered is the better term. Their family was forever changed by events that occurred in the days before the end of the war. Some were affected more deeply than others for reasons that will be obvious as you read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">Another revelation will be the synchronicity of the stories of the Rosati's, and another family. A single member of that family, Serafina Bettini is working as the only woman detective with the police department in Florence, Italy. A position she earned through her own wartime experiences. A position at which she appears to excel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">The core of the story would be the events that occur at the Villa Chimera, the estate that the Rosati's called home. The place that one sunny day was the destination of two soldiers, one German, one Italian. Their arrival set in motion events that would affect lives of all of those who lived and worked on the estate. Even those who were merely there by happenstance. Even Bohjalian's soft touch with a story cannot feather away the horrors of WWII and the atrocities that occurred. Nothing and no one ever should. Also we would do well to remember that not all deaths are caused by war, that not every wound is healed by time and that we are, all of us, connected in some small way to each other</span></div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-74517651620946149282013-04-13T19:30:00.004-04:002013-04-13T19:39:37.877-04:00The Secretary: A Journey With Hillary Clinton from Beirut to the Heart <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Kim Ghattas</div>
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In the spirit of full disclosure I have to say that I am an ardent admirer of both Bill and Hillary Clinton. Each of them, during their time spend in office have done much for our country. Bill during his years as President of the United States, and Hillary as First Lady, Senator and then as Secretary of State to President Barack Obama have</div>
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I was sorry when Hillary decided the time had come for her to leave the office of Secretary of State to spend some time as an ordinary citizen. Although, neither of these individuals can be described as ordinary at any time.</div>
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I was delighted with the opportunity to read about the days that Hillary Clinton spent traveling in the world in service to her country through the eyes of one of those who were part of the team of journalists who accompanied her, Kim Gjattas. Gjattas was raised in Beirut, the civil war there, was part of her daily life. This gave her a unique perspective during her time as the BBC's State Department correspondent. Her credentials include reporting on her own country's affairs for both American and British newspapers. Then as the BBC's Radio and television correspondent since 2008 . She draws a compelling picture of those days and nights traveling the world in the company of one of the most powerful American women ever to serve her country.</div>
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We begin this journey with Gjattas on the very first day of Hillary's term as Secretary of State. It seemed as if from those first moments of taking office, Hillary and her team were a whirlwind of traveling the globe and meeting with not only the powerful leaders of countries, but often their families and ordinary women everywhere. Part of her own agenda was that women be recognized across the globe for the important and influential roles they played, whether they were in government or were raising families.</div>
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Clinton had the advantage of being a well-known figure throughout the world, after her time as First Lady to President Bill Clinton. She was far from reticent even in those days and was certainly a working First Lady, with her own office and staff. This however, was a whole new situation. As Secretary of State of the most powerful nation in the world. She not only had to step into an unfamiliar job and learn it from the inside out quickly, she had to forge a working relationship with a man who was once her opponent in the race for president. But if any two people could do that, it was Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. They became quite a team over the four years that they worked together.</div>
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The effects of WikiLeaks is covered, and the effect it had on Hillary's relationships with leaders across the world. As I watched the news on WikiLeaks, and listened to the news, I was unaware of just how much fallout had occurred that would affect the office held by Hillary Clinton. This informative book helps us to understand that in order to repair some of the damage done, a talented negotiator was needed and Hillary was up to the task.</div>
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In fact, this book gives us a look at diplomacy at one of the highest levels, as performed by a powerful woman in our own time. I have a feeling that we haven't seen the last of Clinton. She has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in American politics and policy.</div>
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This book was a fascinating and easy read. The author takes us along with her as she spends several years covering a major political figure. This is far from being a dull recounting of the events of the time Clinton spent as Secretary of State. In fact, it was hard to put down. I recommend it, and would call it a 4.5 star read</div>
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mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-51936492232533336712013-04-13T19:28:00.000-04:002013-04-13T19:28:41.073-04:00Angelopolis <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Danielle Trussoni<br />
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I thought Angelology by Danielle Trussoni was wonderful! The minute I reached the last page, I was impatient for the next book. I can tell you that it was well worth the long wait for book II in the series, Angelopolis . According to her own tweets, the author went to a convent to do some research on writing about a nun as a character. She left there instead, with the idea of writing a book about angels. I can tell you that I am glad she did. This series is rare in its sophisticated and well researched subject matter.</div>
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The first book, Angelology introduced us to Evangeline, who is the fascinating main character of that we we meet again, ten years later when Angelopolis opens. We last saw her spreading her wings and leaping...into the future. A future that begins in The First Circle. Near to the Eiffel Tower we find a broken body of an angel, lying in a puddle of blue blood,and two gifted Angelologists. Bruno and Verlaine have been searching for years for Evangeline. Verlaine carries within him the secret love he feels for her. While looking down on the body before him, he realizes that he is surrounded not only by humans but many of the various types of angels. The Mara, the Gusian, Rahab, Anakin, and more. So many, and all standing in the open. He looks at the identification his partner is showing him with the face of Evangeline. The angel he seeks, the woman he loves. This Identification had been taken from the dead angel.</div>
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This second book re-tells the story of the tortured Romanov family, with twists we have never imagined. Rasputin, could he be more than we ever imagined him to be? And the question of the Faberge eggs, and their possible connection to angels is brought up and investigated. We are taken from the heights of beauty, perfection and love to the very depths of humankind and the earth itself. We are introduced to miracles and moments of inconceivable evil. We meet members of Evangeline's family, and find friends and enemies that she was unaware of. And this book, like the first has a dramatic ending. As with book one, we are left hanging. As with all good books, we are left wanting more. The ending leaves us breathless and feeling the not just the loss of a story finished, but the anticipation of what is to come. Trussoni has a gift for leaving us with a good ending. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller, a mystery, a bit of religious spice and controversy and most of all to anyone who enjoys a good compelling read.</div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-3303686036102831932013-04-13T19:25:00.001-04:002013-04-13T19:25:40.813-04:00A Curious Man: The Strange and Brilliant Life of Robert "Believe It or Not!" Ripley <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Neal Thompson<br />
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I freely admit that when I requested A Curious Man: The Strange and Brilliant Life of Robert "Believe It or Not!" Ripley by Neal Thompson from Vine, I had no idea what an interesting read it would be. I, like so many others have been aware of the Believe or Not phrase for much of my life. In fact, it has been some time since I've heard it, or given any thought to the man who created it. What I think of first when thinking of Ripley are the museums and the magazine like television show that aired so long ago. I never gave any thought to the man behind it, just to the curiosities displayed.<br />
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As it turns out LeRoy Robert Ripley, who changed his name in order to please an employer early in his career, had a very difficult start. His family was poor and worked hard to keep body and soul together. Both is mother and father doing the best they could to keep their children clothed and fed. Ripley was an unusual looking individual as well, as it turns out. This of course led to him being teased mercilessly as a child and youth. Having an unfortunate stutter did not help matters. His talent, his passion and his escape was art. Despite the help of a sympathetic teacher, who allowed him to do do drawings instead of papers and read aloud reports, Ripley left high school without finishing. He went in search of work, or more precisely adventure that would put some money in his pocket. </div>
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He tried to follow his dream with mixed success. Even though his passion was his art, he was untrained. This resulted in him being able to secure only low paying positions and in fact having his employers lose interest after a short time. Finally, at one point in his early years he did seek out some art training which allowed him to improve and to do what he set out to do, draw cartoons more successfully. </div>
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He made his way to New York and there began his climb to not only success but celebrity, as he became more and more successful in his carrer, if not his personal life. </div>
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The first cartoon to carry the Beieve It Or Not title appeared in 1919. This became his trademark phrase.After finding that he had become a successful cartoonist, and then something of a story teller, he was offered the chance to travel around the world and report back on what he saw. He found that his talent went beyond presenting the ludicrous, but describing the beautiful and the tragic and particularly the gruesome and the freakish. </div>
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It is a little known fact that through many years he had a silent partner by the name of Norbert Pearlroth. Pearlroth was a good looking and inteligent man from the Austrian section of Galicia. He sported a nearly photographic memory and once invested in an encyclopedia called the Library of Entertainment and Knowledge. From these books and Pearlroth's memory came many of the unusual facts and stories used in Ripley's cartoons, and later his books. </div>
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This was a quick and interesting read, which gave a good long look at the man behind the mysterious and bizarre, and all things entertaining that we are told To Believe It or Not!</div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-7522232971344828512013-04-13T19:22:00.001-04:002013-04-13T19:22:10.083-04:00TransAtlantic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If there is a key player in this story, TransAtlantic: A Novel by Colum McCann, it is Lily Duggin. Lily is thread, the spirit, that runs through each story. Lily and the women of her own family bind these stories together. Lily, whose life began by scrabbling to survive being born to parents who didn't have the capacity or ability to love and cherish. Perhaps they were too damaged by their own struggles? But their failures contributed to Lily's strength and her will to survive.</div>
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This novel seems at first to be a series of short stores, with little or no connection. It opens with the story of two survivors of WWI who build and repurpose a plane, one that at one time dropped bombs, took lives and then flew back into the night. They had both experienced life as prisoners. They not acquainted until the thunder of the war had dimmed to a small rumble in the background of their lives. The met, and together claimed for themselves, a mission. To fly a plane non-stop across the Atlantic ocean. They found a way to attempt to make this dream trip a possibility.</div>
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What could be more hopeless than to be a slave? Frederick Douglass first escaped hopelessness, and then he escaped slavery. He started a family and became an author, an abolitionist, and a great speaker. He was hosted in 1845 by Richard Webb, with whom he traveled through Ireland to speak of his life, and recognized the similarity of the plight of the poor in that country. A plight characterized by a lack of hope. This was also the beginning of the time known as The Great Famine. Douglass carried the weight of his experiences of that time as he traveled. Ireland suffered the famine, and The Troubles, years of seeking freedom South from North. It seemed that for them this would never be possible.</div>
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George Mitchell, a former American Senator had an interest Ireland finding its freedom, its peace. It is1998 and we find him devoting days of his life away from his young family.He is on a mission to stop the killing. To seeing to it that each family will have its full complement of members sitting down to supper each night. No more tears. No more senseless death. Hopelessness again rears its ugly head, but it is pushed back, refused. Mitchell is a man who is determined to see this job done. Protestants and Catholics brought together at last, a dream or a real possibility?</div>
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Common themes, war, hopelessness, strength and selflessness resonate through this story. The women of Lily's family appear again and again, as we flow back and forth through the years. More common threads. A quote that stayed with me from this story is :"There is always room for at least two truths". Perhaps one of these truths is that we are all connected through time, through family and through our experiences</div>
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<br />mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-29257718900647443722013-04-13T19:18:00.002-04:002013-04-13T19:18:37.382-04:00Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Simon Tofield<br />
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Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos is a fun and funny addition to the library of anyone who loves cats. In fact, it is a great addition for anyone who likes to laugh. I have been a fan of Simon's Cat since I first came across Cat Man Do, a hilarious line drawing video, years ago. In fact, that may still be my favorite video of all. Or maybe it's TV Dinner? No, it is impossible to choose a favorite Simon's Cat video.<br />
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I have a cat. Well, I have some cats, and so maybe I am more inclined than a non cat person to laugh at the antics that Simon's Cat, and now the Kitten get up to. They are particularly funny when you have seen your own cats pulling the same stunts, and getting into similar situations. Cat lovers know that brining a new kitten into the family is not an easy task, most of the time. There is always a period of time when the first cat is very suspicious of the new kitten, and appalled by its uncivilized behavior. Forgetting, of course their own days of curtain climbing and furniture shredding. </div>
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Simon Tofield is unsurpassed in bringing these behaviors to light, and presenting them in the most humoress way possible. I will keep this book on the shelf with my keeprs, the books that I know I will read and enjoy again and again. As laugh out loud funny as the video versions of Simon's Cat can be, this hilarious book version is a must have for cat lovers everywhere.</div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-70486758026049342072013-04-13T19:14:00.001-04:002013-04-13T19:14:13.220-04:00Louder Than Words<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Laurie Plissner</h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">Louder Than Words by Laurie Plissner is an interestng and fast paced read. To call Sasha, the main character in this story a sassy young girl would seem somewhat unusual, considering that she is unable to speak. We begin the story when she turns thirteen, and wakes in a hospital with her Aunt Charlotte at her side. Sasha has no idea where she is or why, because as hard as she tries, she can't remember why she is in the hospital. Her main concern in those first moments are for her family. She senses something has happened, but can't remember what. To find her mother's sister at her bedside instead of her mother is somehow not right. Sasha wants answers, and she wants them fast. This is when she finds that she is unable to speak. She opens her mouth to question Charlotte and nothing comes out. The inability to speak is a shock to Charlotte as well, and as she hurries to find paper and pencils for Sasha, a doctor comes in and things begin to happen in a hurry. There is no time for Charlotte to explain to her niece what has happened. Sasha doesn't know that she is the only survivor of a car crash that took the lives of both of her parents and her slightly older sister. No idea, until one of the doctors investigating her muteness inadvertently lets it slip. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">The news is almost unbearable. But there is no way to turn back the clock and make the accident not happen.The only choice is to move forward. Since she suffered no apparent physical injuries, and there was no physical injury to her throat, vocal chords or larynx, Sasha's inability to speak at all was diagnosed as Hysterical Mutism. This disorder is most commonly found in children and adolescents after a traumatic event. In some cases, like Sasha's, the young person is unable to speak at all. In other cases, it is possible for the affected person to speak to specific and well trusted person within their circle of friends or family. Sasha learns to communicate with a voice synthesizing device, which she calls her Hawkie Talkie, as it is the same sort of device that the famous physicist Stephen Hawking uses. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">Charlotte and her husband Stuart welcome Sasha into their family, they love and cherish her and do everything in their power to help her to find her voice again. According to all the experts, it is simply a matter of getting past the traumatic moment in whatever way it is possible to do so. But for Sasha, with no real memories of the accident, and not feeling the need to seek those memories, four years pass with no success. She is a studious and mostly quiet girl with a best friend called Jules, who has stood strong by her side from the days they were toddlers, through the accident and beyond. Sasha does have a difficult side, and this emerges through inappropriate behavior in school which often lands her in the midst of what you might call a bad crowd, as she is often sittin in detention. Unfortunately, it is there that she comes to the attention of some unruly jocks who learn her after school routine. Despite her school time behaviors, Sasha's favorite place to spend her time out of school is the library. One day she is joined in her little corner of the library by a good looking boy, and that moment has a momentous affect on the next part of her life</span></div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-26691543857087995992013-04-13T19:08:00.002-04:002013-04-13T19:08:30.191-04:00Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me a Family Man<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Brian McGrory</div>
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Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I do not, I absolutely do not read books about animals. Am I an animal hater? Far From it. I love animals. Pretty much all animals are on my favorites list. Currently there are four cats and a dog in my home. My fur kids are aways rescues. I adore them all. I have had other dogs, other cats, a few rabbits, and the poor chameleon and ill fated mouse. I have been known to dress down folks I see mistreating animals or allowing them to be in harms way. I have badgered neighbors until they finally learned that keeping their pets indoors was much better for the cats, and kept the safe, and healthier for longer. </div>
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My reading friends know to warn me off of books that might upset me, when there are animals involved. I accept their kind advice and pass by books about cats in libraries or dogs on journeys and so forth. Dangerous ground, that. Where there are animals, there are people who lose animals to their inevitable death. I can't endure their pain, it reminds me too much of my own. Anyone who has had animals has felt that pain. The loss of a friend who loves you unconditionally and with complete abandon is pretty hard to ignore. Impossible in fact. </div>
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So why did I choose to read this book? Buddy, the rambunctious and sometimes obnoxious rooster seemed safe. I thought it would be okay. Also, I didn't ay attention. I saw that it was about a man, his journey to becoming a a family man and of course the family that brought him to that point in his life. I somehow missed the perfectly and completely obvious comment in the book description that Harry, a wonderful, loving, cheerful and loyal dog dies in this book. This is not a spoiler.. go ahead and read the book description. There it is for all to see. All except me. So be warned. </div>
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Brian sounds like a good man, a kind man and one who just wants to do the right thing, and to do it while having a happy life. Of course, he doesn't know how to make his life happy any more than the rest of us, but Harry helps him to find his way. It isn't unusual for a dog to make us happy. It's fairly common really. But Harry doesn't work alone. There are various animals, various people and many little bumps along the road. But in the end Brian learns something from Buddy. And what he learns is just possibly one of the secrets of the universe. So, go ahead and read it, don't be afraid. This is a story that will make you cry. This is also a story that will make you smile, hold your breath and sigh with relief. It's well worth the cry.</div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-18506253270358049922013-03-19T21:30:00.003-04:002013-03-19T21:30:45.284-04:00The Spark: A Mother’s Story of Nurturing Genius<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Kristine Barnett</div>
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When I received an an advance copy of The Spark: A Mother’s Story of Nurturing Genius, I expected it to be a read like other similar books of parents and children who have found a way to conquer the limitations that autism sometimes places on children who have received the diagnosis. I have read many of these books, and all of them have been inspiring, interesting and have been passed on to others who might have an interest in the topic.<br />
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This book is more. If it were in my power to put it into the hands of every person on the planet, I would do so. Parents, children, teachers, neighbors, friends of families who have received this daunting news need to know about this boy, and his family. His mother was gently told to take away his alphabet cards, because they were really worried about him learning to simply tie his shoes, or even to speak. Sadly, I have seen families who received similar news and believed it.<br />
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Even more sadly I have seen educators buy into the myth that children with autism are the autism, and often unteachable. I have even seen teachers expect a child with autism to "get over" their individual sensitivities and "get used" to teaching methods that would put many typical children into a tailspin. Bright flickering lights, loud voices in a classroom, and the expectation that all children learn in the same way. This is not true for any child, typical or one with a diagnosis. We are individuals, and we have individual ways of learning. This small detail eludes far too many experts and educators. In this way, we are often failing our children.<br />
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One extraordinary woman, from an extraordinary family was able to look at her own small boy, and know in her heart, her soul and in every way possible that the so called experts were wrong. She pulled her son from the special need classroom to which he had been assigned. The one with the teacher who had a sympathetic smile. And she changed his world. Furthermore, she changed the world for many, many other children who faced similar obstacles to those faced by her little boy.<br />
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Kristine is just a mom, a mom with passion and love and great expectations. She her husband and family don't have a lot of money, and they didn't even have a lot of help, particularly in the beginning. But they did have passion, and they believed in their son, their family and in each other. Kristine also had instincts, good ones, and enough faith in herself to follow them. And she made miracles happen.<br />
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Not every Child is a Jacob Barnett. He has an IQ that is higher than that of Albert Einstein. So not every child with a diagnosis will reach the same heights as Jake. But Kristine has the unique ability, the empathy to find the passion in others. The spark that will set them on their own pat to success. Their own success. She also has the wisdom to know that love and family, time and play are vital to these, and to every family.<br />
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Read this book.<br />
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-12968073238072406292013-03-03T21:06:00.001-05:002013-04-13T18:18:35.751-04:00The Burgess Boys<div style="text-align: center;">
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by Elizabeth Strout </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">This is a story of Bob and Susan Burgess, who as youngsters were known within their family as The Twins, and their older brother Jim. It is really a family like so many, perhaps most others, where things do not work out quite as expected.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">First of all, an accident that occurred when they were all children, they had been left in the car for a moment, while their father did a quick errand. As children will do, one of them pretended to be driving, and suddenly the car rolled backward killing their father. This of course had a profund effect on the entire family.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">The family lived in a town called Shirley Falls in the state of Maine, a state known for its no nonsense approach to most things. Their mother, who was left to raise her children alone, did the best she could. But as all parents know, this is very often, not enough.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Jim and Bob Burgess were both attorneys. They had both left Maine as soon as they possibly could and settled in New York. Through a quirk of fate, as well as a bit of talent Jim found himself the more successful of the two brothers, working in a prestigious firm. Bob was a legal aid attorney who idolized his brother. They both did their best to stay away from Maine, and their sister, who still lived their with her son Zach.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Jim and his wife Helen were scheduled to leave for a trip with another couple. Bob was the one to step up and try to help, even though even he doubted that his help would be sufficient under the circumstances. He was so used to feeling inferior to his brother, Jim that he always compared his life and his decisions to those of his brother and found himself lacking.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Yes, life can turn on a dime, and throughout this story there are many turns, many twists and not a few surprises. I felt that this was an engrossing and interesting read. I also felt that the ending was one of the surprises.</span>mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-55088343826336234842013-01-28T16:14:00.001-05:002013-01-28T16:14:36.498-05:00The Death Relic<br />
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by Chris Kuzneski<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">This was a fast paced and entertaining read. I loved the two main characters, Jonathan Payne and David Jones, and their highly entertaining dialogue that was evident throughout the book. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Payne and Jones began this adventure in a small town in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Their mention of the town of Ambridge and other locales near the Pittsburgh area, were the first thing to draw me into the story. Then I became completely absorbed in the story and the characters populating it. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">I found the story exciting and entertaining. Payne and Jones received a phone call from an old "acquaintance" who had apparently appeared in a prior book in this series . Even though it was going to be a bit awkward seeing her again, especially for Jones, off the went to her rescue. She had been flown to Mexico to meet with a prospective employer and had gone along with the idea, as much for the long weekend in Cancun as for the possibility of employment. She was in the midst of a meeting with her interesting and somewhat enigmatic new employer, when he vanished. Telling Maria he needed to bring in some documents from the car, he left the table of the fine dining restaurant where their meeting took place and literally vanished. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Returning to her room, to find it had been tossed and her passport stolen, ari did the only thing she could think of and called an old flame who had rescued her once before when she was in a difficult position. The next order of business was to find Hamilton, the man who had started things by inviting Maria to Cancun in the first place. I enjoyed the history of the Maya that was part of the story, and was quite taken with the characters, even one that at first glance would have looked like a troublemaker. I admit to being unhappy that she was not going to remain part of the story for long. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">I will certainly read whatever new books I find in this series, and in fact intend to track down some of the older ones. Investigation tells me that they will be fine read out of order, and since I don't mind doing that anyway.. I intend to learn more about this interesting duo. This was a fine thriller, with a dab of romance, and a splash of history. I hope the rest will be the same. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">I would recommend this author to those who like a good thriller</span>mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-15961146289365752212012-11-25T11:29:00.001-05:002013-04-13T18:21:56.779-04:00Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings from the Road<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXPxs-7UVXN21lbkm4ryZnd_zFqW1_snI6NDcYGKkZgJLEcJzokixP7FtPXrhLl25ZNgLWGmMiklWUlkDsgxLHrEJnukKGyvFSDiQQHtb66OrKdQY_5Yx7IGhWdDzDr3nwD8_9q4mDMg/s1600/91788109.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXPxs-7UVXN21lbkm4ryZnd_zFqW1_snI6NDcYGKkZgJLEcJzokixP7FtPXrhLl25ZNgLWGmMiklWUlkDsgxLHrEJnukKGyvFSDiQQHtb66OrKdQY_5Yx7IGhWdDzDr3nwD8_9q4mDMg/s320/91788109.jpeg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
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By Willie Nelson </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">If you are a Willie Nelson fan, read this book. If you are NOT a Willie Nelson fan, then you should be, and you will be if you read this book. Willie is a great man, poet, philosopher and family man. The book? Why the book is a work of art. There are lyrics, ( mostly his own) and illustrations by his son Micah. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">We all know a lot of things about Willie Nelson, his music, his tribulations and his charity. I had no idea that he was a philosopher, or a man so loving that his patchwork family doesn't know or care who started where or why. That, in my opinion, is his greatest talent. He is an amazing and loving family man. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">Scattered throughout the book you will find stories and thoughts about Willie, written by family and friends. They are a beautiful tribute. This book is not great literature, but it is great art, and great love. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;">recommended</span></div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-75191521811030312032012-11-24T21:08:00.004-05:002013-04-13T18:26:25.526-04:00Destiny of the Republic <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyUhcLeXtxCDvH1kKC7SnQimgqZGu3LfAFZYwuTWBmmxldN5hLN_93MhGDSJ4an_Iz56bPBD3WxMWZKfvq36nAqpT2y7BBEdcc-skIRYRVesp6hLn3skNm8OS9w8Spswhc1dQ3cvw18k/s1600/0767929713.01._SX140_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyUhcLeXtxCDvH1kKC7SnQimgqZGu3LfAFZYwuTWBmmxldN5hLN_93MhGDSJ4an_Iz56bPBD3WxMWZKfvq36nAqpT2y7BBEdcc-skIRYRVesp6hLn3skNm8OS9w8Spswhc1dQ3cvw18k/s1600/0767929713.01._SX140_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
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by Candice Millard</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">This is compelling book about an extraordinary man. The more I read, the more ashamed I felt that I had not known more about him sooner. This was a man who was born into poverty, who loved family friend and country. He asked nothing from anyone except himself.</span><br style="text-align: left;" /><br style="text-align: left;" /><span style="text-align: left;">To say that he was a man of kindness and honor is to not say enough. He had gained the respect of nearly all who knew him, barring only those whose own aspirations and jealousies prevented them from seeing the man that james Garfield had become. </span><br style="text-align: left;" /><br style="text-align: left;" /><span style="text-align: left;">He found a way to obtain the schooling that experiences early in life convinced him that he needed in order to make a difference, and making a difference is what he wanted most. Beginning with a few dollars his family had saved, he worked his way to and through a superior education. One made all the better by is own focus and intelligence. Life gave him the opportunity to meet and marry the love of his life. </span><br style="text-align: left;" /><br style="text-align: left;" /><span style="text-align: left;">Garfield's path to the White House took him through the Civil War where he achieved the rank of general. He became a congressman whose own integrity led him to fight what was then, as it is now, a corrupt political atmosphere.Sadly, before he had a chance to make his mark in history, or change the course of this country, an attack on his life would soon leave both his family and country without this great man. One can only wonder how history might have been changed had he lived. I have to believe that he would have had a profound impact on his country. </span></div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-52257350649654237172012-11-24T21:06:00.002-05:002013-04-13T18:39:28.116-04:00Mr Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore: A Novel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by Robin Sloan </div>
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Clay is a quiet, unemployed geeky ex NewBagel employee. His job involved computers and it made him happy. And then it didn't because it faded away, as so many jobs do. So in order to make a living he tried ( but not too hard) to find new employment. His heart wasn't really in it.. and his mind kept tking him in other direction. But some things are meant to be, and in that spirit, we see him going through the door of Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore. And he finds himself face to face with sparkling blue eyes and an older man who asked him "What do you seek in these shelves". As it turns out, those words were to begin a journey that would change his life. For that matter, They would also change the life of Penumbra, the man who spoke them.</div>
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The bookshop was tall and narrow. It was unlike any bookstore Clay had ever seen. And it was indeed unlike any other bookstore, anywhere. It was even unlike any bookstore anywhen. But it suited Clay, both the hours and the slightly ( slightly? ) weird atmosphere. The store was staffed by one other hired clerk, Oliver. Oliver was a student of archeology and The store suited him as well. It was hardly arduous being a clerk for Penumbra. Some nights, Most nights, as clay worked the 10 pm to 6 am shift he would only see one so called customer. So called because most of the people who came through the doors never bought a book, they borrowed them. They borrowed them from the Wayback part of the long, tall store. Sometimes He was climbing a ladder and reaching, reaching to bring a book to a usually older man or woman who had a name, and a number that were to be recorded in a logbook Penumbra kept under the counter. The name, the number and a description of the reader were carefully logged, as well as their manner of dress and their demeanor. Clay was intrigued.</div>
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During the long hours of the night, Clay was moved to create listing for the store on Google, and targeted local people, or those who might for some reason find themselves in the neighborhood. This too, was to have an interesting affect on Clays life. Funny how a small thing can have such a large impact. And so Clay found himself liking his unusual employer, and the more than slightly unusual little shop. It's a good thing, too considering what was to happen next.</div>
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I can't tell you any more. I really want you to read this book. It's quirky, it's techie, its mysterious and even funny. You don't want to miss it. Like the bookstore itself, something like this book is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. So.... what are you waiting for? This book can be in your hands in no time at all.. the internet is magic like that. In fact, the internet is magic beyond your wildest dreams.... go.. hurry... buy this book. You will be glad you did, I am pretty sure.</div>
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mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-76639524022571300592012-11-24T21:04:00.001-05:002013-04-13T18:44:20.255-04:00The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAPTufnN1PIambk0bs0HbnBkadYahZsaLKqQ-4hihJDqm_YUwDaK4n-VOp5LOc5JmOjKnynqpRlZGYp6ZbzZBeQO39SdJUuCMiXkxQgOKVanFLF1HQTvBSh87SdBy1fkBn9xyGynMT2o/s1600/88509439.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAPTufnN1PIambk0bs0HbnBkadYahZsaLKqQ-4hihJDqm_YUwDaK4n-VOp5LOc5JmOjKnynqpRlZGYp6ZbzZBeQO39SdJUuCMiXkxQgOKVanFLF1HQTvBSh87SdBy1fkBn9xyGynMT2o/s1600/88509439.jpeg" /></a></div>
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by Patricia Harmon</div>
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What an amazing read. I love the way this author writes. She writes about women, and their weaknesses and their joys. Mostly Patricia Harman writes about their strengths. This is a story of a woman who became a midwife more by accident than by design. Patience was a woman who had lost her parents at an early age, walked away from an orphanage and into the first of many adventures she was to experience. She lost a lover and a child, and eventually became a widow due to a terrible accident. Yet she found a way to survive. </div>
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She landed in small, very poor town in West Virginia. The mines nearby provided work for some, but The Depression found its way into town and many of the richer inhabitants became poor and the poor became destitute. But life has a way of going on, and babies will be born, and so she made her living as a midwife, which she had learned from her great and beloved friend Mrs. Kelly during the years they shared a home and a way of life. Even though she had spent much of her life in cities like Pittsburgh and Chicago, she took to rural living like one who was born to it, and was finally living a life she enjoyed and was a respected member of the community. But even country life had its pitfalls, and she still had a challenge or two ahead of her. A self described warrior, she made her way, and eventually found more than a life she was content with, she found a way to be happy.</div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-51936539725902319462012-11-24T20:57:00.003-05:002013-04-13T18:48:51.170-04:00Dwarf: a memoir<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXhk5urQhrfdC0epq9hJ7QF5nOJGKHXwFCrc0Sy_MjYWmnzr6ZdwgjqbDdxwe7ljzWsRdak6ccPOCA_50lEPfSgjyPPNU0rjyuDxNEnkciEzLBZM4hM4RM5Ak8yoVAXJNwDcrzcNESFw/s1600/0452298113.01._SX140_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXhk5urQhrfdC0epq9hJ7QF5nOJGKHXwFCrc0Sy_MjYWmnzr6ZdwgjqbDdxwe7ljzWsRdak6ccPOCA_50lEPfSgjyPPNU0rjyuDxNEnkciEzLBZM4hM4RM5Ak8yoVAXJNwDcrzcNESFw/s1600/0452298113.01._SX140_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
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by Tiffanie DiDonato, Rennie Dyball</div>
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This is the flat out, honest, intimate story of the life of a woman, a warrior in her own right, and it kept me glued to the pages from the moment I opened the covers of the book, </div>
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Very shortly after her birth, her parents were informed, coldly and with no information that their newborn daughter suffered from a form of Dwarfism called Diastrophic Displasia. Her parents learned that is form of dwarfism causes a malformation of the joints, and cartilage. From the very earliest days surgery became a part of her life. First her feet and her joints, to enable her to stand. Later, elective surgeries that would lengthen the bones in her legs and arms. </div>
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As a very young child, she was of course, not aware of her differences. She was with small children and was small herself. She was very good about learning to find ways to assist herself rather than always asking her parents for help. This was necessary because she was not only small, but her legs, and her arms were smaller than those of a typical child. Tong,s pencils and other household objects enabled her to do many things she would not be able to accomplish otherwise. </div>
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Then, something happened on day.. that sent her mother, who by then had gone to school to study nursing, to seek out other and better ways to help her daughter. They found a doctor who could help. The fact that the painful surgery to lengthen her bones to make her legs and eventually her arms a bit longer was explained to little Tiffie and she made the choice to go ahead with it. She did this with the absolute support and untiring help of her mother. </div>
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While the surgeries were indeed just as painful and the recovery as difficult as had been described, Tiffany thought it had been worth it. When once again an event in her life caused her to seek out further medical intervention and yes... more surgery, more pain. By this time in her life she had a friend, Mike. He was her friend, her sounding board, her unfaulty door. He was there for her in as many ways as he could be. </div>
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Despite the fact that her original surgeon was not enthusiastic about further intervention, Tiffanie and her mom, the indomitable team sought out a way for Tiffanie to achieve her dream. This story is very honest and sometimes graphic in its descriptions of what she had to endure, first as a small child and then as an adolescent. It is an unflinching account of pain endured, humiliation and even isolation. But after her Dad, who at first was not as enthusiastic about her plans came on board, anything seemed possible. </div>
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So this is the story of a young woman with more strength, than most will ever have to find in themselves in a lifetime, never mind during the years of their childhood and adolescence. It is a story that will make the reader stop and thing before complaining about the hand life has dealt to them. It is an inspirational and despite everything, it is a story of optimism and achievement. </div>
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Read it.. you won't regret it. Recommended </div>
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mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-86741649330786413532012-11-24T20:53:00.002-05:002013-04-13T18:51:54.222-04:00Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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by <a href="http://www.librarything.com/author/meachamjon" style="cursor: pointer; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">Jon Meacham</a></div>
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Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power managed to be an interesting read, and almost exhaustingly informative, without being an enjoyable one. I have read other biographies, other books about historic events or periods in history that were fare more enjoyable and reader friendly than this dry story of an intriguing man.<br /><br />In this book we are reminded that Thomas Jefferson was almost obsessive in pursuing an education in the classics, the arts and languages, as well as in leadership. He was an inventor of many things from apparently a dumbwaiter to a plow and even the round sundial and a bookstand. Some of these inventions are referred to within the pages of this dreary read. In short, it seems to me that he would be quite the handy man to have around as he was a problem solver and designer, as well as something of an engineer and efficiency expert. Not a bad list of qualities in your every day working man, never mind politician and political hero. One thing that touched me, being a reader was this.<br />On February 1, 1770, when his Shadwell house burned, his grief was primarily for his library, which was lost in the fire.<br /><br />Jefferson was passionate when it came to serving his country and caring for his family, which at one point included not just his own wife Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson, who was known famiiarly as Patty, and small daughter, but the wife and children of his brother. His sense of responsibility extended to the households of extended family members, and to this was added the house slaves left behind when his wife's father died in may of 1773.These slaves included Hemings family. The Hemings,Elizabeth, her sons Robert, James and john and his wife's half sister Sally Hemmings, were to serve him well and in many and various capacities over the years. Some in fact were regarded as members of his family, at least in his own heart.<br /><br />Did jefferson strike a deal to win the presidency? Was a vote for Jefferson, merely a vote against Adams under whom he had at one time served as Vice President? He ran with Aaron Burr as his intended Vice President in his first term. The election was a bitter one.It seems as if political shenanigans have changed little since the early years of american politics. History tells us that Jefferson served two terms, I have to wonder if he did so reluctantly? Among the things Jefferson is known for besides drafting the Declaration of Independence, is his purchase of the area known as The Louisiana Purchase, abolishing foreign slave trade and he was the first to claim Executive privilege He retired from office in 1808, after serving not only as President of the United States for two terms.<br /><br />He was a man well loved by his family for whom he seemed ready to jump any hurdle or take on any and all responsibility. He was cherished and respected by his grandchildren. After finally reaching the end of this tome, much of which is devoted to notes, which I confess to have mostly skimmed, I find that I respect Jefferson much more as simply a man, than as a politician or President. Not that his political career was a failure or in any way one undeserving of respect. It is more that his life as a family man was so stellar as to, for me, eclipse his public life and contributions. This integrity of spirit is what lent a positive light to his time serving his country while in office as Second Governor of Virginia, Ambassador to France, a position which he clearly enjoyed, then the First US Secretary of State to this newly minted country . He was also Second Vice President of the US, which led finally to his serving as Third President of the US.<br /><br />Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743, in Albemarle County, Virginia, until his death on July 4, 1826. It seems that to the best of his ability, a last stand as a man in control of his life, he would also have a hand in controlling his death. He questioned the doctor repeatedly during his last hours, not wanting to pass from this life before the date of July the 4th. Oddly, his death came on the same day as that of John Adams.A man with whom he had many differences over the years, with whom he had once been rivals but who in the end had become a friend. The two men having made amends before their deaths. During their later years these two men shared many letters, explaining and clarifying their ideas and their ideals and sealing their unusual connection both to each other and to the country.</div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-41192722569477304802012-11-24T20:49:00.002-05:002013-04-13T18:55:26.487-04:00The Last of the Bird People<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"> By John Hanson Mitchell</span><div>
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The Last of the Bird People is a peculiar, but intriguing story of a group of hunter gatherers who were found living in Massachusetts in 1928. There was a public works project at that time, construction of the Quabbin Reservoir, in the Swift River Valley.</div>
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The story began with the disappearance of an anthropologist who had found what he believed to be signs of such a group in the area where the reservoir was to be created. Preparation had already begun, towns had been abandoned, cemeteries had been respectfully moved. The young man, by the name of Minor Randall had become convinced that a group of people had managed to find a way to survive outside of the so called civilized world. He went to Harvard University, and asked them for support in locating and learning about these people. Apparently, the administration there had some serious doubts about his story, and no love lost for Randall. His persistence in his quest for support ended up with is losing his position at Harvard. </div>
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Because this had become more than just an intriguing mystery to Randall, but something of a quest, he assembled some food and necessary items for an extending stay in the area where he believed this group to be living. He set up camp and watched and waited. His vigilance paid off in the end, when he was captured by the descendants of Jenna Crow, or the Bird People. </div>
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What happened thereafter is what makes up this story. It is a transcript of the deposition of John Barking-Fox, as told to the authorities who took him into custody after finding him near Everglades City in July of 1929. He claimed to be the only survivor of the group who left their home in Massachusetts, led by the man they called Tracker, otherwise known as Minor Randall. </div>
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The story is somewhat difficult to follow at first, as it is written in the vernacular in which it was told. This was a mixture of Algonquin, English, French, Portugese and other words never before encountered. Persistence pays off, however as with continued reading, the story flows along more comfortably. It is well worth the effort to learn what Jon Fox has to say and to learn the fate of the Bird People. At least, their fate according to John Fox. <span class="s1">( )</span></div>
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mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-81651166547813409272012-11-24T20:45:00.003-05:002013-04-13T19:04:18.676-04:00Reunion at Red Paint Bay<div style="text-align: center;">
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Simon Howe grew up in Red Paint, Maine. Although he left for school and then a job with a newspaper, he found himself going back to Red Paint when his parents health declined. Simon ended up staying. He bought the old weekly newspaper and along with his therapist wife Amy and young son Davey, felt that life was good. And life was good. Red Paint was a friendly town, he knew many of the people there, had gone to school and grown up with them, in fact. It was a good place to raise a family. He led a fairly quiet and stress free life. Then, the first postcard arrived. It mentioned a funeral, but it meant nothing to Simon, who just put it aside and went on with his life. </div>
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A second and third postcard eventually arrived, and a suggestion of meeting with the sender seemed like a good idea. Simon was, after all a reporter at heart, and this was the way to solve the mystery of the postcards. That is when things began to start falling apart. There was a scare involving his son, whose behavior was becoming alarming in addition to the postcard mystery. A new and unusual patient showed up for an appointment, at Amy's office. A patient that showed up for appointment after appointment and whose behavior seemed odd even to someone who dealt with people and their issues every day. Then one day, things got worse. Much worse. </div>
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Who would have believed that a long ago moment in time would cause so much trouble in a carefully ordered life in the present. Certainly not Simon and his happy little family. But a single moment can matter more than he would ever have believed. The paper would come out again on Thursday, and for the first time in a long time, something big would be found on the front page</div>
mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-49323785253870833922011-12-21T18:07:00.001-05:002011-12-21T18:07:57.366-05:00The Healing: A Novel by Jonathan Odell<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">This was a five star read. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In my opinion, a book has to be well above very good to rate five stars.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Life changing maybe, or heart healing, or something that strikes a chord might</div><div style="text-align: center;">rate five stars.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The story told in this book has found a place in my heart and it will stay firmly</div><div style="text-align: center;">planted there. Polly Shine is one of the most remarkable characters I have met in</div><div style="text-align: center;">any book, by any writer, in my over fifty years of reading.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">To be very honest, I picked this book up and read a few pages and then set it aside.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It wasn't calling out to me the way I expected it to when I read the blurbs. I was</div><div style="text-align: center;">frustrated, because I had expected more. Well, shame on me for being impatient. If I</div><div style="text-align: center;">had read beyond the first fifteen or so pages, I would have found my way into this</div><div style="text-align: center;">wonderful story much sooner.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We hear the story of Polly Shine's arrival on the plantation though stories told to</div><div style="text-align: center;">the girl Violet by Gran Gran. Granada was a child when Polly arrived and was chosen by her</div><div style="text-align: center;">because Polly saw the glimmer of something special in the small girl. Granada, who grew to</div><div style="text-align: center;">be called Gran Gran wanted no parts of the woman Polly at first, and in fact disliked her.</div><div style="text-align: center;">She blamed Polly for having lost her comfortable place as the favored "pet" of the mistress.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Children can be so foolish! As time passed, Granada learned to see, she learned to listen and</div><div style="text-align: center;">she grew into wisdom of her own.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't want to tell any more, I just want to entice you and let you find the gems that are scattered</div><div style="text-align: center;">throughout this story on your own. Once you fall into the story, you will want to stay, as I did.</div>mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-27859351780243956932011-09-11T15:24:00.003-04:002011-09-11T15:26:02.102-04:00The Dovekeepers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEfGq5U2Nvy69JWI9p2mZRNsAdjwqV2fT3s6ECm0d781JS4tNZ8scpbyRoY_IxS5i8Vi72jelOV1G9ND4-EXtQTTvq7N7QkixPKraCbDwChbf_JnCEzOsk9AZNYIgOKXSiPg59byZ830/s1600/a8aff447a06c99159304b335a41434d414f4541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEfGq5U2Nvy69JWI9p2mZRNsAdjwqV2fT3s6ECm0d781JS4tNZ8scpbyRoY_IxS5i8Vi72jelOV1G9ND4-EXtQTTvq7N7QkixPKraCbDwChbf_JnCEzOsk9AZNYIgOKXSiPg59byZ830/s1600/a8aff447a06c99159304b335a41434d414f4541.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"></div> By Alice Hoffman<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Romans defeated of the Jews at Masada in the year 70C.E., and this is the <br />
story of some of the women who were there. Women who had come together to be<br />
the Dove keepers. To care for the animals who were kept to provide eggs and fertilizer<br />
for the crops raised within the walls, and to be spread around the trees. The doves<br />
gave sustenance to all who lived there in one way or another. <br />
<br />
Those who kept the Dover were Shirah and her daughters Aziza and Nahara. Shirah <br />
had been born in Alexandria and was educated not only in reading and the knowledge<br />
of languages, but of magic as had been her own mother. Her story, and that of the <br />
birth of her daughters alone, is worth the price of this book. <br />
<br />
There is Revka, a woman left to raise her two young grandsons, after the world<br />
as they knew it was taken from them. To say that things were never to be the same <br />
for them is an understatement of vast proportion. Again, their story alone deserves a book. <br />
<br />
Yael was born of a woman who no longer had breath in her body and that moment of her birth<br />
was to affect each choice she made and all the days of her life. <br />
<br />
These women worked together to care for the doves who were the basis of life<br />
or those who lived on the mountain. Who can say how it was that these women <br />
were brought together, and how it was that they were perhaps the strongest of <br />
all. They carried within them their own secrets, and in the end, it fell to some of them <br />
to carry and then share the story of what happened when the Romans came finally to Masada<br />
and scaled the mountain. Stronger than the warriors, the leaders and in the end, the conquerors. <br />
<br />
The stories that were left behind that historic event are the basis of this<br />
glorious novel. They say that there were seven who lived. Seven who survived <br />
months of siege and then attack by the Romans of their people. The Jews who had already<br />
torn from their homelands, and found refuge together on this great mountain. Seven<br />
who refused to die either at the hands of the Romans or of their own people, and <br />
who found a way to live.</div>mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-91266712501724720192011-08-17T14:06:00.002-04:002011-08-17T15:25:48.886-04:00Only Time Will Tell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif19XeOq26axqEy_6YcjC2AVgkK8U4x2DjKj58OK-0oItTGDsKLra_74Ds4cV5ObRJJ3K6vUhzkIV3iVMkEmCVfKmYFxfDMsXICjaIgBRhTu5F5Y70csKnd3DBTHTXY4NLWsYZcNLB0z0/s1600/bd0743a17d8a771593236395977434d414f4541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif19XeOq26axqEy_6YcjC2AVgkK8U4x2DjKj58OK-0oItTGDsKLra_74Ds4cV5ObRJJ3K6vUhzkIV3iVMkEmCVfKmYFxfDMsXICjaIgBRhTu5F5Y70csKnd3DBTHTXY4NLWsYZcNLB0z0/s1600/bd0743a17d8a771593236395977434d414f4541.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> by Jeffrey Archer</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Only Time Will Tell is book one of a new series by Jeffrey Archer. </div><div style="text-align: center;">As anyone who has ever read Archer can tell you, he tends to write </div><div style="text-align: center;">can't miss this one books! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Harry Clifton is a child from a very poor family. His father died </div><div style="text-align: center;">before Harry knew him, and he and his mother live a subsistence existence </div><div style="text-align: center;">in a shabby little home with his mother's parents and her brother. Food </div><div style="text-align: center;">is not only not plentiful, but barely available. A bit of toast and the </div><div style="text-align: center;">leavings in his uncles bowl are all that there is for Harry's breakfast. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Despite all of this, Harry shows himself to be a remarkable child. Although </div><div style="text-align: center;">he is determined not to sit in a classroom, and as often as possible runs off to the docks,<br />
he is a particularly clever and we are to find out, talented boy. He also has good </div><div style="text-align: center;">instincts. Despite being warned away often by his Uncle Stan, Harry befriends </div><div style="text-align: center;">Jack Tar, who lives in a railway car near the docs. Jack is no more than a penniless </div><div style="text-align: center;">ne'er to well, were Stan to be believed. But Harry and Jack become firm friends, and </div><div style="text-align: center;">Jack helps to steer Harry on a path of learning, during their hours in the rail car. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As time passes opportunities com Harry's way. It turns out that he has the voice of </div><div style="text-align: center;">an angel, and this small twist of fate begins to open doors that will improve Harry's </div><div style="text-align: center;">future. What a lucky boy, you say? Well, yes.. but he is also a good and caring young man, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and this too, helps him pave the way to better roads ahead. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Friends are important, and never more so than to a child. Harry's Best friends are Giles Barrington, </div><div style="text-align: center;">who comes from a wealthy family and A. Deakins, who like Harry has had a rough start. They meet in </div><div style="text-align: center;">school and form a fast and enduring friendship. This is yet one more thing that will change Harry </div><div style="text-align: center;">Clifton's life. But nothing will change it more than a decision that Harry himself makes in the </div><div style="text-align: center;">early days of WWII. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have barely closed the covers on this book, and I am already anxious to see what the next book </div><div style="text-align: center;">in the series will bring. Archer is quite a storyteller. Let his words carry you along... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-10104713110253403072011-08-15T17:38:00.001-04:002011-08-17T14:08:39.778-04:00The Lantern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gkDKMa0DmquT6fZBZwpmeWOcIKeaczvO_DjHAXfUYeTbAJcHoEfBfLhmMhled1vD49gwQRA8bX-CHlMfMvXvteE3yaC-jruQ0GO9f742RWkh7zw9PNZsWCD8Qi1TV_Qc9kSKnB6mSqk/s1600/d1df2a0b50adc34597758455a41434d414f4541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gkDKMa0DmquT6fZBZwpmeWOcIKeaczvO_DjHAXfUYeTbAJcHoEfBfLhmMhled1vD49gwQRA8bX-CHlMfMvXvteE3yaC-jruQ0GO9f742RWkh7zw9PNZsWCD8Qi1TV_Qc9kSKnB6mSqk/s1600/d1df2a0b50adc34597758455a41434d414f4541.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">By Deborah Lawrenson</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">The words are like flowers, as is perhaps appropriate in a story where</div><div style="text-align: center;">fragrance and its composition is nearly a character in and of itself. But</div><div style="text-align: center;">there are moments of casual cruelty hidden within the flowery language. There </div><div style="text-align: center;">is darkness, mystery and and the whispering of the ghosts of lifetimes lived and left. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">He called her Eve. They met in the depths of a labyrinth and that too, was appropriate, </div><div style="text-align: center;">given that that their life together was wound between secrets she dared not explore. She </div><div style="text-align: center;">was happy enough, more than happy, in fact. At least in the beginning. Before the darkness</div><div style="text-align: center;">that secrets exude began to swirl around them. She was happy before the doubts began to creep in,</div><div style="text-align: center;">before the bones were uncovered in the garden. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This story is a journey that begins in the distant past, and ends with a promise for the future. IT</div><div style="text-align: center;">is a journey that I recommend that you take, if you like mystery touched with romance and dusted with</div><div style="text-align: center;">petals of flowers long since gone. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912317514558273453.post-18382566913207420192011-08-06T16:26:00.001-04:002011-08-06T16:29:02.440-04:00The Knowledge of Good & Evil<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRiJF_gW3ai6hQouQz8qREbXxrWqfikLJGEpngjigUhr54DNXs3NUmVVKFueUc4pZUaHwYF1iMaZa9OnzWxqt-BLMJDIE682pAlaSkcSztLlivX00fiD5t1ThPREX5QBRZpIEU9Ilkdo/s1600/6d6f17ca5c15b68592b65735941434d414f4541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRiJF_gW3ai6hQouQz8qREbXxrWqfikLJGEpngjigUhr54DNXs3NUmVVKFueUc4pZUaHwYF1iMaZa9OnzWxqt-BLMJDIE682pAlaSkcSztLlivX00fiD5t1ThPREX5QBRZpIEU9Ilkdo/s1600/6d6f17ca5c15b68592b65735941434d414f4541.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">by Glenn Kleier</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Another fast paced, though provoking, action packed thriller from Glenn Kleier! <br />
Back to the Bible, and of course the Vatican for source material, add a daring, and dashing<br />
young ex-priest with a pure heart and a crisis of faith and you have an idea about what this <br />
book in about. Ian Baringer made a name for himself when he was still a priest by performing <br />
an act of heroism, and saving lives. <br />
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Despite the acclaim heaped upon him by the church, he still struggled. Having lost his parents in <br />
a tragedy that could well have taken his life as well, he longed to see them again. He left the church and began a quest to find a way into the afterlife. His research and personal experiences convinced him that only by experiencing a NDE, near death experience, could he find them. They had lost their lives protecting him, saving his life. He felt that it was impossible to go on with his own life, until he did all that he could to thank them, even traveling beyond death itself. <br />
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Angela was not only a co-worker, but his fiancee. They made up a paranormal investigating team for <br />
a popular television show. This and his own personal wealth gave him the tools he needed on<br />
his quest to journey beyond physical death. He had an ingrained goodness and belief in miracles, and<br />
Angela was a skeptic. This gave balance to his mission, and to his life. Then things got even more interesting. Friends in high places were able to help him, even as others were trying to take his life away for good. Are there some secrets that should never be revealed?<br />
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</div>mckaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593832228754343289noreply@blogger.com2