God's Big Picture - Vaughan Roberts

Title: God's Big Picture: Tracing the storyline of the Bible
Author: Vaughan Roberts
Published: 2012 (first published 2002)
Pages: 170
Genre: Christian, Non-fiction
Edition: Paperback
Source: Personal collection

Description: Sixty-six books, forty authors, written over nearly 2,000 years, in two languages and several different genres. A worldwide best-seller published in countless sizes and bindings, translations and languages. It has been sworn by in court, fought over by religious people, and quoted in arguments. The Bible is clearly no ordinary book. How can we begin to read and understand it as a whole?

In this excellent overview, Vaughan Roberts gives the big picture -- showing how the different parts of the Bible fit together under the theme of the kingdom of God. He gives us both the encouragement and the tools to read it with confidence and understanding. He points us to the Bible's supreme subject, Jesus Christ, and the salvation God offers through him. (via Goodreads)
Thoughts: This was a book for a bible study class I was taking at my local church and while the author covers in a short book, with bible study questions at the end of each chapter, how the Bible is interconnected and how different parts of the Bible fit together.  It is a nice introductory book for those wanting to go onto further study that could give them a much bigger look of the Bible with more depth.

Bottom line: This book is only a cursory look at how the Bible fits together and if you wish to have something that gives a bigger picture, this is not the book for you.  Recommended.

Rating: 3/5

The Princess Diarist - Carrie Fisher

Title: The Princess Diarist
Author: Carrie Fisher
Pages:257
Published: 2016
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: When Carrie Fisher recently discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved—plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. Today, her fame as an author, actress, and pop-culture icon is indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a (sort-of) regular teenager.

With these excerpts from her handwritten notebooks, The Princess Diarist is Fisher’s intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets of all time—and what developed behind the scenes. And today, as she reprises her most iconic role for the latest Star Wars trilogy, Fisher also ponders the joys and insanity of celebrity, and the absurdity of a life spawned by Hollywood royalty, only to be surpassed by her own outer-space royalty. Laugh-out-loud hilarious and endlessly quotable, The Princess Diarist brims with the candor and introspection of a diary while offering shrewd insight into the type of stardom that few will ever experience. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I quite liked the book.  It was a fairly quick read, but also informative.  I generally don't read celebrity memoirs but due to the publicity that the book got this past fall and the author's death this past December, I felt the need to read the book.  She clearly was a very good writer and with help from an editor, it became a well-received book.  I haven't read her other books, but clearly she had a talent for the written word.

Bottom line: If you enjoy reading celebrity memoirs, I would definitely recommend the book to you, if you haven't already.  If you haven't, you might enjoy this one.  Recommended.

Rating: 3.5/5

You Will Not Have My Hate - Antoine Leiris

Title: You Will Not Have My Hate
Author: Antoine Leiris ; translated by Sam Taylor
Pages: 131
Published: 2016
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description:  On 13 November 2015, Antoine Leiris’s wife, Hélène, was killed, along with 88 other people at the Bataclan Theatre in Paris, when three men armed with guns and suicide bombs opened fire on the unsuspecting crowd at a rock concert. Three days later, Leiris, a young journalist, wrote an open letter on Facebook addressed to his wife’s killers. Leiris refused to be cowed or to let his 17-month-old son’s life be defined by Hélène’s murder. He refused to let the killers have their way. ‘For as long as he lives, this little boy will insult you with his happiness and freedom,’ he wrote. Instantly, that short Facebook post caught fire. It was shared over two hundred thousand times and was reported on all over the world. In his beautiful and moving defiance of the terrorists who had killed his wife, Leiris became an international hero to everyone searching desperately for a way to deal with the horror of the attacks. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I don't know if saying that I enjoyed a memoir about a husband going through the early stages of grieving of his wife is appropriate.  It was definitely poignant, even though it was a short read.  I got a sense of him trying to make things as normal as possible for his young son, Melvil, who was about 17 months at the time.  I don't think words can really describe how it felt to read this book.

Bottom line: A powerful, but short book and alters how we should act during a time that is becoming incredibly scary.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 4.75/5

March: Book Two - John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

Title:  March: Book Two
Author: John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
Pages: 192
Published: 2015
Genre: Graphic Novels, History
Edition: Paperback
Source: Library

Description:
After the success of the Nashville sit-in campaign, John Lewis is more committed than ever to changing the world through nonviolence - but as he and his fellow Freedom Riders board a bus into the vicious heart of the deep south, they will be tested like never before.

Faced with beatings, police brutality, imprisonment, arson, and even murder, the young activists of the movement struggle with internal conflicts as well. But their courage will attract the notice of powerful allies, from Martin Luther King, Jr. to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy... and once Lewis is elected chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, this 23-year-old will be thrust into the national spotlight, becoming one of the "Big Six" leaders of the civil rights movement and a central figure in the landmark 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I really liked this one as much as the first book in the series.  Liked how the authors incorporated the inauguration of Obama with past events.  While the book was fairly short, it felt longer due to the amount of information that was imparted to the reader.  Really get a front row to the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s.  Highly recommended.

Bottom line:  A really good sequel to the first book in the series. Would recommend the book to those that are interested in civil rights and some hope in a time in American history that seems less hopeful every day that passes.

Rating: 5/5

A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson

Title: A Walk in the Woods
Author: Bill Bryson
Pages: 304
Published: 2002
Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir, travel
Edition: Paperback
Source: Library

Description:God only knows what possessed Bill Bryson, a reluctant adventurer if ever there was one, to undertake a gruelling hike along the world's longest continuous footpath—The Appalachian Trail.

The 2,000-plus-mile trail winds through 14 states, stretching along the east coast of the United States, from Georgia to Maine. It snakes through some of the wildest and most spectacular landscapes in North America, as well as through some of its most poverty-stricken and primitive backwoods areas.

With his offbeat sensibility, his eye for the absurd, and his laugh-out-loud sense of humour, Bryson recounts his confrontations with nature at its most uncompromising over his five-month journey. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I got this book due to advertisement for the movie starring Robert Redford and I admit that I did see the movie prior to reading the book.  I actually quite enjoyed both, but thought the book was a bit better.  I found the book to be funny and smart and endearing and felt that there were times that Bryson's little jaunts on the history on the Appalachain Trial, which at times felt to be a little too much at times, when I was more interested in his own journey, rather than the information about the Appalachian Trail, which was interesting at times, but got a little long at times.

Bottom line: Overall, it was a really enjoyable read and would recommend the book to fans of Bryson's books or similar travel books.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 4.25/5

Travelling to Infinity - Jane Hawking

Title: Travelling to Infinity
Author: Jane Hawking
Pages: 487
Published: 2014 (originally published 2007)
Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir, Autobiography
Edition: Paperback
Source: Library

Description:  Professor Stephen Hawking is one of the most famous and remarkable scientists of our age and the author of the scientific bestseller A Brief History of Time, which has sold more than 25 million copies. In this compelling memoir, his first wife, Jane Hawking, relates the inside story of their extraordinary marriage. As Stephen's academic renown soared, his body was collapsing under the assaults of a motor neuron disease. Jane's candid account of trying to balance his 24-hour care with the needs of their growing family reveals the inner strength of the author, while the self-evident character and achievements of her husband make for an incredible tale presented with unflinching honesty. Jane's candor is no less apparent when the marriage finally ends in a high-profile meltdown, with Stephen leaving Jane for one of his nurses and Jane marrying an old family friend. In this exceptionally open, moving, and often funny memoir, Jane Hawking confronts not only the acutely complicated and painful dilemmas of her first marriage, but also the relationship's fault lines exposed by the pervasive effects of fame and wealth. The result is a book about optimism, love, and change that will resonate with readers everywhere. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I quite enjoyed this memoir and how Jane describes her 25-year marriage to Stephen Hawking and the challenges she had trying to run her household while also trying to care for Stephen as well.  She provides an unique perspective of living with a famous scientist and the demands that he had.

What I really liked about the book is that she was determined to finish up her own education, despite the pressures that she had within her own home and how it had to take a back seat for quite a significant period.

Bottom line: If you enjoyed The Theory of Everything, you will enjoy this book, as this book was the basis for the movie, as Jane brings the reader into her world without making the reader sorry for her.  Highly Recommended.

Rating:  4.75/5

Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy - Karen Abbott

Title: Liar, Temptress, Four Women Undercover in the Civil War
Author: Karen Abbott
Pages: 515
Published: 2014
Genre: Non-fiction
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: After shooting a Union soldier in her front hall with a pocket pistol, Belle Boyd became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds cut off her hair and assumed the identity of a man to enlist as a Union private, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The beautiful widow, Rose O’Neale Greenhow, engaged in affairs with powerful Northern politicians to gather intelligence for the Confederacy, and used her young daughter to send information to Southern generals. Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Richmond abolitionist, hid behind her proper Southern manners as she orchestrated a far-reaching espionage ring, right under the noses of suspicious rebel detectives.

Using a wealth of primary source material and interviews with the spies’ descendants, Abbott seamlessly weaves the adventures of these four heroines throughout the tumultuous years of the war. With a cast of real-life characters including Walt Whitman, Nathaniel Hawthorne, General Stonewall Jackson, detective Allan Pinkerton, Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, and Emperor Napoleon III, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy draws you into the war as these daring women lived it. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  I had high expectations for this book, since I had seen pretty good reviews for the book and it also looked interesting, but sadly, the expectations for the book didn't pan out for me.  While the topic was fascinating enough to keep me going, including reading about the fates of each of the four women that were followed in the book, the writing tended to be long-winded at best and it seemed to get bogged down in some of the details about the women.  It seemed to me at least that the author seemed to focus on certain women more than others, particularly the Temptress.  But I can understand why, especially if there as more documentation on her than on the others.

Bottom line: It was a fascinating look at these four women, who were involved on either the Union or Confederate side of the war.  The book would likely appeal to those interested in the American Civil War and the roles that women played in it.

Rating: 3/5

Pioneer Girl - Laura Ingalls Wilder

Title: Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder; ed. by Pamela Smith Hill
Pages: 400
Published: 2014
Challenges: Non-Fiction
Genre: Autobiography, Non-fiction
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Personal library

Description:  Pioneer Girl follows the Ingalls family's journey through Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, back to Minnesota, and on to Dakota Territory sixteen years of travels, unforgettable experiences, and the everyday people who became immortal through Wilder's fiction. Using additional manuscripts, letters, photographs, newspapers, and other sources, award-winning Wilder biographer Pamela Smith Hill adds valuable context and leads readers through Wilder's growth as a writer. Do you think you know Laura? Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography will re-introduce you to the woman who defined the pioneer experience for millions.  (via Goodreads

Thoughts:  I can't recall exactly where I first heard about the book, but once I did hear about it, I knew that I would be wanting this book and was almost immediately requested as a Christmas/birthday gift (for those that don't know, my birthday is January 25, hence why I have to request birthday gifts when I am requesting Christmas gifts and yes, I do request what I would like as gifts, as it makes it easier on my parents to know what I want to get and yes I don't get every request fulfilled).  I knew it was something I had to get my hands on, being as I had read all of Wilder's Little House books as a girl and was a big fan of the series.  I suppose the fact that it was promoted as the truth behind the Little House books didn't hurt either.

Anyways, when I was able to sit down and read the book, I really loved the book, despite the numerous annotations that are through out the book.  In fact, I really liked the annotations, as they brought the Little House books to life and also gained knowledge about was changed, omitted, etc. and the reasons behind those changes.

Bottom line: While those who haven't read the series will probably enjoy the book, those who have read the Little House books will probably enjoy the book that much more and enhance their reading experience of the series.  I should note that the book is not geared towards young readers, but rather it is intended for more mature readers (probably teens and up) due to the amount of information that is imparted.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 4.75/5

Pages for 2015:  4,089

Texts from Jane Eyre - Mallory Ortberg

Title: Texts from Jane Eyre and other conversations with your favorite literary characters
Author: Mallory Ortberg, illustrated by Madeline Gobbo
Pages: 240
Published: 2014
Challenges: I Love Libraries, Nonfiction
Genre: Humor
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Hilariously imagined text conversations—the passive aggressive, the clever, and the strange—from classic and modern literary figures, from Scarlett O’Hara to Jessica Wakefield.

Mallory Ortberg, the co-creator of the cult-favorite website The Toast, presents this whimsical collection of hysterical text conversations from your favorite literary characters. Everyone knows that if Scarlett O’Hara had an unlimited text-and-data plan, she’d constantly try to tempt Ashley away from Melanie with suggestive messages. If Mr. Rochester could text Jane Eyre, his ardent missives would obviously be in all-caps. And Daisy Buchanan would not only text while driving, she’d text you to pick her up after she totaled her car.  (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I heard about the book through Book Riot's podcast Reading Lives, when they interviewed the author about the book.  And due to the interview, I became interested in the book.

The book seemed to start out strongly and had a quick to the book, but sometime near the end, it seemed to lose some steam (I suppose reading ahead didn't exactly help). There were some sections that I had to look up due to the fact that I had not read the piece that the author was referencing to and therefore was unable to understand the humor.

Bottom line: What I did like was that it was a fairly quick read and didn't take a lot of time to through.  It clearly is a book geared towards those individuals who understand their literature fairly well, as there are pieces of literature that are somewhat obscure.  Recommended.

Rating: 3.5/5

Pages for 2014: 28,392

The Guns of August - Barbara W. Tuchman

Title: The Guns of August
Author: Barbara W. Tuchman
Pages (File Size): 566 (8.7 MB)
Published: 2009 (first published 1962)
Challenges: Chunkster, E-book, I Love Libraries, Non-Fiction, War Through the Generations
Genre: Non-Fiction
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: In this landmark, Pulitzer Prize–winning account, renowned historian Barbara W. Tuchman re-creates the first month of World War I: thirty days in the summer of 1914 that determined the course of the conflict, the century, and ultimately our present world. Beginning with the funeral of Edward VII, Tuchman traces each step that led to the inevitable clash. And inevitable it was, with all sides plotting their war for a generation. (via ChaptersIndigo)

Thoughts: If there was anything that I did like about this book it was the detail that the author included in the book.  I particularly like the chapters that the author devoted on the four main combatants (Britain, France, Germany and Russia) at the start of the First World War in August, 1914 (the United States did not enter until 1917) and the social and political climate leading up to the start of this conflict.

What I did not like was the fact that the author spent way too much time describing things in such detail that I would sometimes literally fall asleep while trying to read the book.  And yet, there were times that I was engaged with the book and really enjoyed those details, so it was a catch-22 scenario.

Bottom line: If you are interested in reading about wars and battles, you probably would enjoy this read.  Recommended.

Rating: 3/5

Pages for 2014: 21,595

Empty Mansions - Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr.

Title: Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguett Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune
Author: Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr.
Pages (File Size): 496 (11.4 MB)
Published: 2013
Challenges: Blogger Summer Reading, E-Book, Chunkster, Non-fiction, I Love Libraries
Genre: Non-Fiction, History, Biography
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: When Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Bill Dedman noticed in 2009 a grand home for sale, unoccupied for nearly sixty years, he stumbled through a surprising portal into American history. Empty Mansions is a rich mystery of wealth and loss, connecting the Gilded Age opulence of the nineteenth century with a twenty-first-century battle over a $300 million inheritance. At its heart is a reclusive heiress named Huguette Clark, a woman so secretive that, at the time of her death at age 104, no new photograph of her had been seen in decades. Though she owned palatial homes in California, New York, and Connecticut, why had she lived for twenty years in a simple hospital room, despite being in excellent health? Why were her valuables being sold off? Was she in control of her fortune, or controlled by those managing her money? (from Goodreads)

Thoughts: It was definitely an interesting book, in that it one learned about the uber-rich and the strange lives that some of these individuals have lived.  Other than the odd bits of fascinating information about the Clark family, I felt that the language was simplistic at times and felt that Ms. Clark was portrayed as being a bit too sympathetic at times.  I also felt that the author never really delved too much into Ms. Clark's life and treated her with kid gloves.

Bottom line:  It was definitely an intriguing story and was worth reading.  If you are interested in learning about those who are a bit odd or even those who are/were uber-rich, then I would recommend this book for you.  Recommended.

Rating: 3/5

Pages for 2014: 16,801

If you have read this book, what did you think about it?

Levels of LIfe - Julian Barnes

Title: Levels of Life
Author: Julian Barnes
Pages: 128
Published: 2013
Challenges: Blogger Summer Reading, I Love Libraries, Non-Fiction
Genre: Non-fiction, Biography, Memoir
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Part history, part fiction, part memoir,  Levels of Life  is a powerfully personal and unforgettable book, and an immediate classic on the subject of grief.

Levels of Life opens in the nineteenth century with balloonists, photographers, and Sarah Bernhardt, whose adventures lead seamlessly into an entirely personal account of the author's own great loss.  (from Goodreads)

Thoughts: I picked up this due to a suggestion on Hear...Read This! and while this book is a metaphor about the ups and downs of life (so I found out on a couple of reviews on Goodreads), I also felt the book on different levels while reading the book: from a little bored to being a little confused to being engaged with the book.  What I mean by this is that the first two sections left me "scratching my head" as to where this was going and by the end of the book, I really didn't want the book to end and wanted more of Julian Barnes' wonderful words.

There were a number of quotes from the third section that made me stop and write them down, but there were a couple that really struck me:

Grief makes your stomach turn, snatches the breath from you, cuts off the blood supply to the brain; mourning blows you in a new direction. (88)

Sometimes [grief-work] is passive, a wanting for time and pain to disappear; sometimes active, a conscious attention to death and loss and the loved one; sometimes necessarily distractive. (105)

Bottom line: If you are fan of Julian Barnes and his work, you probably will enjoy this one or even if you need a short book that that makes you think a bit.  Recommended.

Rating: 3.75/5

Pages for 2014: 15,166

If you have read this book, what did you think of it?

Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge - Lindy Woodhead

Title: Shopping, Seduction, & Mr. Selfridge
Author: Lindy Woodhead
Pages: 352
Published: 2013 (first published 2007)
Challenges: I Love Libraries, Non-Fiction
Genre: Biography, Non-fiction
Edition: Movie Tie-In Paperback
Source: Library

Description: Harry Gordon Selfridge was a charismatic American who, in twenty-five years working at Marshall Field’s in Chicago, rose from lowly stockboy to a partner in the business which his visionary skills had helped to create. At the turn of the twentieth century he brought his own American dream to London’s Oxford Street where, in 1909, with a massive burst of publicity, Harry opened Selfridge’s, England’s first truly modern built-for-purpose department store. Designed to promote shopping as a sensual and pleasurable experience, six acres of floor space offered what he called “everything that enters into the affairs of daily life,” as well as thrilling new luxuries—from ice-cream soda to signature perfumes. This magical emporium also featured Otis elevators, a bank, a rooftop garden with an ice-skating rink, and a restaurant complete with orchestra—all catering to customers from Anna Pavlova to Noel Coward. The store was “a theatre, with the curtain going up at nine o’clock.” Yet the real drama happened off the shop floor, where Mr. Selfridge navigated an extravagant world of mistresses, opulent mansions, racehorses, and an insatiable addiction to gambling. While his gloriously  iconic store still stands, the man himself would ultimately come crashing down. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: If I wasn't for the TV series airing on PBS, I probably wouldn't have picked up the book, as I hadn't heard of the book prior to the series.  While the book is an interesting look at the life of Henry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of Selfridges, the author seems to get bogged down in the sort of details that most people wouldn't be interested in, including myself, especially those about the financials, which made me bored to tears.  As you can probably tell, I was more interested in his personal life, but I guess since that his personal life was intertwined with that of the store, one couldn't exactly ignore the business side of his life.

Bottom life: While the book has lots of information, the way that the author presented the information became dry due to her descriptions that became wordy, even though the author does do a wonderful job in telling who Henry Selfridge was, both good and bad.  Recommended, but with some reservations.

Ratings: 3/5

Pages for 2014: 5442

Twelve Years a Slave - Solomon Northup

Title: Twelve Years a Slave
Author: Solomon Northup
Pages: 2008 (first published 1853)
Challenges: I Love Libraries, Non-Fiction
Genre: Non-fiction, biography, Memoir
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Here is the harrowing true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in New York. He was kidnaped by unscrupulous slave hunters and sold into slavery where he, endured unimaginable degradation and abuse until his rescue twelve years later. A powerful and riveting condemnation of American slavery. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: After watching the movie, I thought that I would give this  a try and it would be interesting to see how much of the book was used in the movie (and from what I can recall, the movie was pretty accurate to what was written in the book).  Maybe it wwas the visual nature of the movie, but I honestly felt that the book was tad dull and lacked the emotional depth that the movie had.

It also felt like somebody was telling another person what they felt about a particular event and not as engrossing as maybe hearing it from the person talk about the events; it felt like I was reading the transcript of a really amazing speech after seeing the video recording of the same speech online or in person.

Bottom line: I would probably recommend this book to those that have a strong interest in African-American studies prior to the start of the American Civil War.  Recommended.

Rating: 2.8/5

Pages for 2014: 5090

The Reason that I Jump - Naoki Higashia; trans. K.A. Yoshida and David Mitchell

Title: The Reason that I Jump
Author: Naoki Higashida; translated by K.A. Yoshida and David Mitchell
Pages: 176
Published 2013 (first published 2007)
Challenges: I Love Libraries, Non-Fiction
Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Using an alphabet grid to painstakingly construct words, sentences, and thoughts that he is unable to speak out loud, Naoki answers even the most delicate questions that people want to know. Questions such as: “Why do people with autism talk so loudly and weirdly?” “Why do you line up your toy cars and blocks?” “Why don’t you make eye contact when you’re talking?” and “What’s the reason you jump?” (Naoki’s answer: “When I’m jumping, it’s as if my feelings are going upward to the sky.”) With disarming honesty and a generous heart, Naoki shares his unique point of view on not only autism but life itself. His insights—into the mystery of words, the wonders of laughter, and the elusiveness of memory—are so startling, so strange, and so powerful that you will never look at the world the same way again.  (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: I can't recall where I had first hear about this book, but wherever I saw it, it definitely piqued my interest.

At first I was quite impressed with the author's ability to express his thought and feelings in a fairly coherent manner, but as I moved on in the book I started to become skeptical of how much a 13 year-old would truly know about living with ASD (Austim Spectrum Disorder), especially since it is something that is so varied.  I also found that the voice of the author to be irritating at times, especially towards the end of the book.  I really was hoping for more, but was unable to find what I was hoping for and actually quit reading the book with one section left to complete.

Bottom Line: If you enjoyed such books as Three Cups of Tea and other first person "non-fiction" narratives, you probably would enjoy this read.  Recommended, but with strong reservations.

Rating: 2/5

Pages for 2014: 4066

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen - Lucy Knisley

Title:  Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
Author:  Lucy Knisley
Pages:  192
Published:  2013
Challenges:  Foodies Read, Nonfiction, I Love Libraries, Eclectic Reader
Genre:  Graphic, Memoir, Nonfiction
Edition:  Paperback
Source:  Library

Description:  A vibrant, food-themed memoir from beloved indie cartoonist Lucy Knisley.

Lucy Knisley loves food. The daughter of a chef and a gourmet, this talented young cartoonist comes by her obsession honestly. In her forthright, thoughtful, and funny memoir, Lucy traces key episodes in her life thus far, framed by what she was eating at the time and lessons learned about food, cooking, and life. Each chapter is bookended with an illustrated recipe—many of them treasured family dishes, and a few of them Lucy's original inventions.  (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  I can't recall how I had first heard about the book, but however I was able to hear about the book, I am glad I was able to find out about it.  It was a nice break from the heavier reading that I had been taking over the past month or so and really liked the illustrations that graced the book and particularly liked the recipes that ended each chapter.  

I had several favourite sections in the book.  My first favourite was the chapter on Junk food and how she craved it while on a trip with her dad.  I also enjoyed the sections on Mexico and Japan and her adventures there.  I also liked the one on when she and friend had some amazing croissants and how she tried to replicate them after coming back from that particular trip.

Bottom line: Overall, it was an enjoyable read and would consider purchasing a copy or at least request the book again and write/photocopy the recipes that I would be interested in making at some point.  The illustrations were really well done and the story really engaged me as a reader and really liked the small glimpse that I was able to get into Lucy's life and her love of food.  I look forward to whatever Ms. Knisley has in store next.  Recommended.

Rating: 4.25/5

Pages for 2014: 3392

A Great Game - Stephen J. Harper

Title: A Great Game: The Forgotten Leafs & the rise of professional hockey
Author: Stephen J. Harper
Pages: 320
Published: 2013
Challenges: I Love Libraries, Nonfiction Reading
Genre: Non-fiction, History, Sports
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: In the tumultuous beginnings of hockey, the fights were as much off the ice as on it. This engaging new book is about the hockey heroes and hard-boiled businessmen who built the game, and the rise and fall of legendary teams pursuing the Stanley Cup. With a historian’s perspective and fan’s passion, Stephen Harper presents a riveting and often-surprising portrait, capturing everything from the physical contests on the rinks to the battles behind the scenes and the changing social conventions of the twentieth century.

A Great Game shows that many things have stayed the same. Rough play, fervent hometown loyalties, owner-player contract disputes, dubious news coverage, and big money were issues from the get-go. Most important in these early years was the question: Was hockey to be a game of obsessed amateurs playing for the love of the sport, or was it a game for paid professionals who would give fans what they wanted? Who should be responsible for the sport – including its bouts of violence – both on and off the ice?

A century ago, rinks could melt, and by half time the blades screwed to the players’ shoes could be sinking in mud. It was during this time that teams such as the Toronto Professionals of 1908 and the Toronto Blue Shirts of 1914 took turns battling for the city’s very first Stanley Cup. Against the fanatical opposition of amateur hockey leaders, these “forgotten Leafs” would lay the groundwork for the world’s most profitable hockey franchise. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: For the most part, I really enjoyed this book and enjoyed the descriptions of the various individuals that were involved in the rise of professional hockey and also those that resisted the change from the Stanley Cup being a challenge cup for amateur hockey players to a challenge cup for the professionals and the resistance from any sort of formation of the professional game.

While there was lots of information that Mr. Harper provided the reader, it was probably too much at times and it felt like he was saying the same sort of things several times.   Maybe it doesn't help that he's a  person that likes to use words a lot (he's the PM of Canada), but I sometimes felt that he didn't get to the point and was maybe a little too verbose at times, when less words would have sufficed to get his point across.  I wish he would have spent a little more time on the team itself rather on the formation of professional hockey in North America.

Bottom line: If you are a hockey fan or a sports fan and are interested in the rise of professional sports and have a general interest in the history of the early 1900s, you might interested in the book and it would be a worthwhile read. Recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Pages for 2014: 1310

Thunderstruck - Erik Larson

Title: Thunderstruck
Author: Erik Larson
File Size (Pages): 1051 KB (429)
Published: 2006
Challenges: E-Book
Genre: Non-Fiction, True Crime, History
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: In Thunderstruck, Erik Larson tells the interwoven stories of two men—Hawley Crippen, a very unlikely murderer, and Guglielmo Marconi, the obsessive creator of a seemingly supernatural means of communication—whose lives intersect during one of the greatest criminal chases of all time.

Set in Edwardian London and on the stormy coasts of Cornwall, Cape Cod, and Nova Scotia, Thunderstruck evokes the dynamism of those years when great shipping companies competed to build the biggest, fastest ocean liners, scientific advances dazzled the public with visions of a world transformed, and the rich outdid one another with ostentatious displays of wealth. Against this background, Marconi races against incredible odds and relentless skepticism to perfect his invention: the wireless, a prime catalyst for the emergence of the world we know today. Meanwhile, Crippen, “the kindest of men,” nearly commits the perfect crime.

With his superb narrative skills, Erik Larson guides these parallel narratives toward a relentlessly suspenseful meeting on the waters of the North Atlantic. Along the way, he tells of a sad and tragic love affair that was described on the front pages of newspapers around the world, a chief inspector who found himself strangely sympathetic to the killer and his lover, and a driven and compelling inventor who transformed the way we communicate. Thunderstruck presents a vibrant portrait of an era of séances, science, and fog, inhabited by inventors, magicians, and Scotland Yard detectives, all presided over by the amiable and fun-loving Edward VII as the world slid inevitably toward the first great war of the twentieth century. Gripping from the first page, and rich with fascinating detail about the time, the people, and the new inventions that connect and divide us, Thunderstruck is splendid narrative history from a master of the form. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I quite enjoyed this book, but it took me a few chapters to actually to get into the book.  I think what I enjoyed about the book is how the author used two very different events to connect them.  I really didn't know what to expect coming out of this book, as the introductory chapter seemed to give the impression that this would be a book that wouldn't interest me at all, especially since my experience with the author's previous book, The Devil in the White City, didn't exactly leave me with a great taste in my mouth about this sort of style.  I think what I found interesting about the book was how Mr. Larsen intersected the two stories and found the Marconi story to be less interesting as the book wore on and probably a bit of a bore.

Bottom line: While I did enjoy the book, I did take me sometime to read it and felt that some of the parts were rather lacking and I had to force myself to read through those sections.  While it only took me a few days to read it, it did feel like a chore at times. I would recommend this book to those that enjoyed Larson's other books or books of a similar nature.  Recommended

Rating: 3.4/5

Pages for 2013: 19, 030

Lady Catherine and the Real Downton Abbey - Fiona, Countess of Carnarvon

Title: Lady Catherine and the Real Downton Abbey
Author: Fiona, Countess of Carnarvon
Pages: 320
Published: 2013
Challenges: Outdo Yourself
Genre: Non-fiction, Biography, History
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Sometimes the facts are even more extraordinary than the fiction...

This book tells the story of Lady Catherine, a beautiful American girl who became the chatelaine of Highclere Castle, the setting for Julian Fellowes' award-winning drama Downton Abbey.

Charming and charismatic, Catherine caught the eye of Lord Porchester (or 'Porchey', as he was known) when she was just 20 years old, and wearing a pale yellow dress at a ball. She had already turned down 14 proposals before she eventually married Porchey in 1922. But less than a year later Porchey’s father died suddenly, and he became the 6th Earl of Carnarvon, inheriting a title and a Castle that changed both their lives forever.

Catherine found herself suddenly in charge of a small army of household staff, and hosting lavish banquets and weekend house parties. Although the couple were very much in love, considerable challenges lay ahead for Catherine. They were immediately faced with the task of saving Highclere when debts threatened to destroy the estate. As the 1920s moved to a close, Catherine’s adored brother died and Catherine began to lose her husband to the distractions London had to offer. When the Second World War broke out, life at the Castle would never be the same again. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: It was okay.  I felt that the first few chapters were pretty good, but once it got into the middle third of the book, it kinda hit a rut and it kinda lagged.  The final third was interesting to a point and felt that the author basically rehashed things that one can grab from anywhere and did get a little dull at times, even though she did put in more personal information about the family at the time.  If I wasn't a fan of Downton Abbey, I don't know if I would have finished the book

Bottom line: I would recommend the book to those are fans of Downton Abbey and are interested in the history of Highclere Castle (where the show is filmed at and whose lovely interiors you see on the screen). Recommended.

Rating: 3/5

Pages for 2013: 18, 601

Behind the Scenes at Downton Abbey - Emma Rowley

Title: Behind the Scenes at Downton Abbey
Athor: Emma Rowley
Pages: 288
Published: 2013
Challenges: None
Genre: Movie tie-in, Non-fiction
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Gain unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to Downton Abbey in this official Season 4 tie-in book, complete with never-before-seen photos giving fans insight into the making of the runaway hit.

Expertly crafted with generous inside knowledge and facts, this book will delve into the inspiration behind the details seen on screen, the choice of locations, the music and much more. Step inside the props cupboard or the hair and make-up truck and catch a glimpse of the secret backstage world. In-depth interviews and exclusive photos give insight into the actors’ experiences on set as well as the celebrated creative team behind the award-winning drama. Straight from the director’s chair, this is the inside track on all aspects of the making of the show.

Thoughts: A very nice put together book that gives the reader a look behind-the-scenes to Downton Abbey.  I got through the book in a few hours and thought it was interesting to look and read about the various aspects of how they put the show together, especially the food.  The producers have hired an actual chef to make the food that one sees on the screen and she has to make a number of the same thing in order to make sure that the food looks flawless with each take that is made with the food and have to make sure that some of it only have a few items to put on by the actors who portray the kitchen staff (and yes, the food is real).    They also talk about the clothing and the hair and a number of aspects that are interesting to know about it, including the bell board, which is pulled by somebody behind the board.  They also talk about the sets that they use and the various locations used in the show.

Bottom line: I would probably recommend the book to fans of the show who would like to know more about the behind-the-scenes stuff.   Recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Pages for 2013: 17,665