tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56920755964001471422024-03-17T19:58:57.875-07:00A Book for TodayHere's what I read today.Don (2015)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16652645063257744614noreply@blogger.comBlogger924125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-13890963568772539782024-03-10T08:10:00.000-07:002024-03-10T08:10:35.493-07:00Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann ****<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3v3gZtW">Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann</a>. Early in the 20</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
century, the people of the Osage nation were “the world’s richest people per
capita.” Unscrupulous whites stole this money by becoming guardians when the
Osage were legally declared incompetent, and through inheritance…as in,
marrying someone and then murdering them. The Osage became “the world’s most
murdered.” The book is in three parts: the larceny, the FBI tracking down the
culprits, and the victims and the crooks that the FBI missed. A story of
corruption and victimization of minorities.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">How did the Osage become so wealthy? Like all other native
American groups, the government conspired to make their land available for
white settlers. The Osage managed to reserve the mineral rights for the tribe. “That
the oil, gas, coal, or other minerals covered by the lands…are hereby reserved
to the Osage Tribe.” When the oil was discovered, they were all rich, very
rich.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How was this massive larceny accomplished?
Virtually every white person was part of the conspiracy. This included the
courts, the banks, law enforcement, the politicians, the doctors, the
merchants, and the ministers. Everyone.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The second part of the book shows how
difficult it was to track down, arrest, and convict, one of the key players.
Lest this seems like a feel-good story, part three shows that the FBI only
uncovered and brought to justice the tip of the iceberg. The remaining victims
and conspirators were not identified nor brought to justice. The FBI numbered the
victims in the dozens, while the author's research uncovered hundreds. Similarly, the
author’s research shows the Reign of Terror to have lasted more than twice as long
as the FBI suggested.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A thoroughly embarrassing book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-47835382347227070092024-03-06T15:50:00.000-08:002024-03-06T15:50:33.055-08:00The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King ****<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3V2way7">The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by LaurieR. King</a> is a book of the “Sherlock Holmes” genre. It opens in 1915 (early in
WWI) when 15-year-old Mary Russell has a chance meeting with retired Sherlock
Holmes. Her farm is two miles from his where is studying the behavior of bees.
Her “father </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">thought all young ladies should be
able to throw and to run</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.” Russell
(as Homes addressed her) was the ideal apprentice as she matched him in intellect
and physicality. What follows are some new adventures of Sherlock Holmes (and
Mary Russell). A pleasure for any Sherlock Holmes fan looking for more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Their first adventure is the
kidnapping of an American Senator’s 6-year-old daughter Jessie. The beauty of
this case was that Jessie was an active participant in her rescue, both by
leaving clues for her rescuers and to her best to escape.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The final case pits Sherlock and Mary
against a worthy adversary, one who matches them in intellect and resources.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While the book makes many references
to the canon (Dr. Watson, Mycroft Holmes, Mrs. Hudson, and the deceased master
criminal Professor Moriarty), the reader does not need to be a Holmes aficionado
to enjoy the book. The book stays true to the mystery technology of the period
(i.e. lots of disguises and bombs). Telephones play a role more by their rarity
than by their use.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book includes a sojourn to Palestine
(Israel, Zion, the Holy Land) and Mary Russell is Jewish.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> for book recommendations.</span> </p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-40255533647562190312024-02-22T17:23:00.000-08:002024-02-22T17:23:01.093-08:00The Winter Soldier by Daniel Mason *****<p><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4bQrbX5">The Winter Soldier</a></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4bQrbX5">
by Daniel Mason</a> is set during World War I. Lucius Krzelewski’s family was rich
and well-connected. When the war started, he was in medical school, so he enlisted
as a medical officer. </span><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Back at home, his mother was thrilled by his
enlistment but felt that medical duties, out of the line of fire, would seem
like cowardice. So she bought him a horse and called upon a friend in the War
Ministry to cancel his commission and speed his entry into the lancers, like
his father.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> As fate would have it, he ended up at a field
hospital run by a nurse, Margarete, who was a nun and carried a rifle. Lucius was
embarrassed by his family’s privilege and his shortcomings as a doctor.
Margarete was his opposite. She had a modest background and was confident
running the hospital. This is World War I view through the eyes of someone overflowing
with humility and empathy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lucius was lost at the field hospital. Margarete organized the
hospital (an abandoned church with a hole in the roof and a crater in the
floor), operated on the wounded soldiers (mostly amputations), foraged for food
when needed, and disciplined the men. For example, when they returned with desperately
needed food: </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">They brought back sheep’s cheese and hen’s eggs. Margarete
interrogated them as to how they had obtained them, and when it became apparent
that a lamb had been spirited away from its owner, she marched the soldiers
back like guilty schoolchildren, threatening to report any man caught stealing,
if she didn’t shoot him herself.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lucius cared about the people working in the
hospital and the wounded soldiers equally. He learned about their families and
their hobbies. There was no emotional distance between him and the people he
encountered. His downfall was </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Horváth, the winter soldier--a soldier with
nervous shock. Rather than releasing Horváth, he kept him in the hospital to
try to cure him. <i>But nothing worked. There was no sense to the disease, he
thought, no pattern in the damage to their nerves. Now he began to doubt
everything. Had he even helped Horváth at all? Had the man’s recovery all been
Margarete’s doing? Or did most wounds, whether of the mind or body, just heal
up on their own?</i> While Europe suffered through the war, Lucius lived with
his feelings of privilege, inadequacy, and guilt.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The war changed Europe and Lucius in unexpected ways.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-69079969988708682922024-02-18T14:58:00.000-08:002024-02-18T14:58:28.391-08:00Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala ****<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">In <a href="https://amzn.to/48jinWN"><i>Murder and Mamon</i> </a></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/48jinWN">by Mia P. Manansala</a>, </span></span><span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ninang
April’s niece Divina de los Santos</span></b></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
has just arrived in Shady Palms, having graduated from a top art school in the
Philippines. The main character and amateur detective </span></span><b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Lila Macapagal</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> finds Divina’s
sudden arrival suspicious. godmothers, Ninang April, Ninang Mae, and Ninang
June (or the <b>Calendar Crew</b>, as Lila refers to them), had recently gone
into business together, opening a laundromat in <b>competition with Ultima
Bolisay</b>. Ultima is not happy about this. Others are also unhappy with the
Calendar Crew for malicious gossip that led to a divorce and a business being
shut down. When <b>Divina is found murdered</b> in the new laundromat, there is
no shortage of suspects. Ninang April is attacked and left in a coma. Lila investigates
the murder and the assault. As with the first three novels in this cozy mystery
series, Lila finds plenty of time to bake a wide variety and large quantity of Philippine
specialties.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For example: </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">As for me, I was leaning into
“spring means green” and had prepared <b>pandan-pistachio shortbread and
brownies</b> with a <b>pandan cheesecake swirl</b>. I also came up with a <b>red
bean brownie</b> recipe, which wasn’t particularly spring-like, but hey, I was
in a brownie mood. And for a quick no-bake option, I developed <b>buko pandan
mochi Rice Krispie treats</b>, which would be sure to delight our younger
customers.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pandan</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> is a <i>tropical
plant whose fragrant leaves are commonly used as a flavoring in Southeast Asia.
Often described as a grassy vanilla flavor with a hint of coconut.</i> <b>Buko</b>
is the flesh of an unripe (green) coconut. <b>Mamon</b> are individual Filipino
chiffon cakes that are light and fluffy, simple yet delicious.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ninang means godmother.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lila’s dachshund is named Longganisa, after a
Philippine sausage.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-14732530719348780432024-02-15T13:52:00.000-08:002024-02-15T13:52:11.132-08:00Algorithms to Live By: by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths **<p><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4bIhgmD">Algorithms to Live</a> By</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">begins with a clever premise. Here is a Self-Help
book based on Computer Science. The first half of the book offers advice on: • what
to do when faced with many alternatives, • how to divide your time between familiar
and novel pursuits, • how to organize your stuff, and • how to organize your
time. For example, if you need to deal with many documents, a stack is more efficient
than sorting or filing them. However, after chapter 5 the book becomes a Computer
Science history book with more math and less accessible advice. If you are not
familiar with Lagrange and Laplace, you might want to stop reading at that
point. An interesting addition to the Self-Help genre that unfortunately loses its
way.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The authors explore the problem of what to do
when faced with many alternatives. They represent this problem by considering
someone with a long list of job applicants (too many to interview them all) and
how they might decide that they’ve seen enough people, and it is time to hire
someone. The problem is called the “secretary problem,” with the notion that
the interviewer is male, and the applicants are female. The authors acknowledge
this label is sexist, but with the excuse, “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The first explicit mention of it by
name as the “secretary problem” appears to be in a 1964 paper, and <i>somewhere</i>
along the way the name stuck.” With the word “somewhere,” the authors continue
this sexist language (“Secretary problem” is used 63 times).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Often while reading the book, I admired the
brilliance of the analysis contrasted with the uselessness of the result in
everyday life. Once the problem was modeled and solved, the real world was left
behind and the solution, clever as it was, was not practical. As an example,
after a long analysis of parking in a busy city, we have this: </span><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">We
asked Shoup if his research allows him to optimize his own commute, through the
Los Angeles traffic to his office at UCLA. Does arguably the world’s top expert
on parking have some kind of secret weapon? He does: “I ride my bike.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Some of the classical problems discussed in
the second half of the book are: the traveling salesman problem, the halting
problem, the prisoner’s dilemma, packet switching, and the tragedy of the
commons. Though they have little to do with computers, the book also takes time
to debunk the marshmallow test and to analyze professional poker.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-38857189313768882172024-02-08T06:46:00.000-08:002024-02-08T06:46:56.461-08:00CIRCE by Madeline Miller*****<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4bsDCZ4">Circe by Madeline</a> Miller is the ultimate </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">coming-of-age
story</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. Circe, an immortal, first steps out on her own when she defies her
father Helios and god Zeus to give comfort to Prometheus. Later, she offended
Zeus by transforming Scylla (of Scylla and Charybdis fame) into a six-headed
monster. For these forays into independence, she was exiled, where she became
the witch of Aiaia. She did not learn her lesson and continued to defy the
gods. She experienced the other side of coming of age when she became mother to
Telegonus (her son with Odysseus). Thus, the author explores coming of age with
the intertwined stories of mother and child. Caveat: It helps to be familiar
with Greek mythology, Minoans, and Homer to follow this book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In addition to coming of age, the author
explores mortality. Circe is immortal, but with her exile, she is isolated from
the others. Her immortal contacts include Athena (whom Circe defies over and
over), Hermes (who has brief visits to deliver messages from the gods--most of
which Circe ignores), and nymphs. Circe uses her witchcraft to prevent Athena
from visiting Aiaia.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Her contacts with mortals are more numerous. When
the captain of a ship rapes her, transforms him and his crew into pigs and
butchers them all. This becomes her way of dealing with visiting sailors. She
makes an exception for Odysseus, sleeps with him, and sends him home to Ithaca,
his wife Penelope, and their son Telemachus. After she is gone, she discovers
she is pregnant with Telegonus. She is alone for the birth and performs her own
Cesarean delivery (not called that because this is before the times of the Romans).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Her son teaches Circe about the messy details
of life as a mortal. She cannot sleep with a baby in the house. Telegonus needs
to be cleaned, dressed, fed, and calmed-she spends so much time walking with
Telegonus to calm him, often unsuccessfully. Circe feels frustration and love. Later
as part of her son’s coming of age, she releases him to visit Ithaca to see his
father, Odysseus. He returns with news of his father’s death and his father’s
surviving family, Penelope and Telemachus. Circe spends much of her solitary
time contemplating the </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">differences between mortality and immortality</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The first half of the book narrates Circe’s
independence, offenses against her parents and the gods, and ultimately her
exile to Aiaia. I felt the book came to life when Odysseus visited Circe, their
courtship, and her motherhood.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Most of the characters are static (Odysseus,
Helios, Zeus, Athena), but Circe’s son Telegonus, Odysseus’s wife Penelope, and
her son Telemachus, all join Circe with their coming-of-age journeys making
this the ultimate coming of age story.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-50691234846125109002024-02-02T16:44:00.000-08:002024-02-02T16:44:07.263-08:00Evanly Choirs by Rhys Bowen *****<p><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3vZLlxr">Evanly Choirs by Rhys Bowen</a> is the
third in a series of 10 books about Constable Evans in the North Wales village
of Llanfair. In this installment (Austin) Mostyn Phillips wants to enter the village
</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Côr Meibion (men’s choir) in the eisteddfod (Welsh cultural
festival/competition) even though they have no chance of winning. The situation
changes when </span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">the famous tenor Ifor Llewellyn
returns to Llanfair (his childhood home). Ifor is an arrogant bully and a
womanizer, so when he is murdered, there is no shortage of suspects. As Ifor is
an international star, police from Caernarfon are sent, but they would never
have unraveled this mystery without the help of Evan Evans.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Most people in Llanfair are named Evans. Our
constable (Evan Evans) is called Evan bach (little Evan, even though he was “a
six-footer who climbed mountains and played rugby”) or Evans-the-Law. Other
Evans were called Evans-the-Meat, Evans-the-Milk, and Evans-the-Post.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This book was published in 1999, but it foreshadowed
Brexit (UK referendum to leave the European Union on 23 June 2016).</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“We’ve
only got her word that she’s going to Manchester airport, haven’t we? I don’t
know what I’d say to the D.I. if she did a bunk on us. Realizing that you can
cross the Channel without showing a passport has made me nervous.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“It’s
easy enough to pop across to Europe and back these days. They don’t even check
your passport most of the time, do they? In fact you don’t even need a passport
between here and Italy.”</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Evan keeps getting into trouble with his
girlfriend, teacher Bronwen Price (aka Bronwen-the-Book) when he rescues a
damsel-in-distress and Bronwen misunderstands his intentions.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I’ll
lend you the fare. You can send it back to me.” “I don’t know why you’re being
so nice,” she said suddenly. “It’s my job,” Evan said.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He offers to date the woman behind the bar to
keep her from Lothario Ifar.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Well,
Evan Evans,” Betsy said. “Do you want to ask me out yourself or not? Are you
going to take me out on Saturday night or shall I see if Mr. Llewellyn is free
to drive me to Cardiff?” Evan took a deep breath. “Okay, Betsy,” he said.
“We’ll go out on Saturday night.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Bronwen admires Evan.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“He’s
a police officer,” Bronwen said. “Very reliable. Never been known to take
advantage of a girl yet.” She gave Evan a little sideways glance, then picked
up his jacket. “Here, put your jacket on. “<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But not always.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bronwen
snorted. “And what sort of husband do you think you’re going to make someday if
you don’t know how to wash your own shirts?” “Isn’t that what wives are
supposed to do?” Evan asked. “If that’s what you think, I can tell you’re going
to have a hard time finding a wife,”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Even though the book is filled with obvious
clues missed by the investigators, the twists and turns make it difficult to
identify the killer.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A fun cozy mystery.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-79160801008836721852024-01-30T17:37:00.000-08:002024-01-30T17:37:48.257-08:00How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson *****<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3vUdsOC">How We Got to Now: by Steven Johnson </a>a
history of technology and innovations The author’s twist on this well-trodden
topic is to identify unexpected connections. For example, the Gutenberg
printing press led to Galileo’s telescope. How? The printing press increased
the interest in glass lenses because the newly literate Europeans discovered
they were farsighted. The improved lens technology cleared the way for
telescopes and microscopes. The author’s topics are glass, cold, sound, clean,
time, and light. A well-written history of inventions and inventors.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Some of the people sketched:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The glassmakers of Murano, Venice,
Italy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Gutenberg and the printing press.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Galileo twice. The telescope and the
pendulum for timekeeping.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fredric Tudor and the international
ice trade.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Carrier and air conditioning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Semmelweis and hand washing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">John Snow and epidemiology.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">John L. Leal and chlorinated water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Aaron Dennison and the mass-market
pocket watch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">William F. Allen and time zones.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Edison.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ada Lovelace and computers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-45452654158353930192024-01-29T07:27:00.000-08:002024-01-29T07:27:24.411-08:00Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff ****<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/49evnhw">The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff</a> is set in a 17</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">-century
English colony where everyone is dying from famine. Girl is a young servant who
chooses the wilds beyond the palisades instead of starving with her minister’s
family. The remainder of the book is about her brutal struggle to survive--against
weather, terrain, humans, animals, and disease. The book asks hard questions
about the individual and the future American nation. Don’t read this looking
for a “happily ever after” ending.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The colony is not explicitly identified as
Jamestown, but the mentions of the River James, the starving time, and the
Powhatan clearly suggest Jamestown.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This book is not for people of gentle
dispositions. In her quest to survive, Girl roasts baby squirrels, steals their
nesting material, and what nuts were stored for the winter. She raids the nest
of a pair of ducks, stealing the eggs and wringing the mother’s neck. However,
she isn’t just an aggressor. She spends days and nights wet, cold, and
starving, infested with insects, wounded, and suffering from Smallpox. This is
accompanied by graphic descriptions of her excretions. Not for those with weak
stomachs.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Once Girl escapes Jamestown, she only speaks
with spirits—God, nature, and her memories. Given how much she gives up by
leaving the colony and how much she suffers, the reader might wonder why she
left and whether it was a good decision. Her history is doled out in
flashbacks, but it is not until the end of the book that the reader learns the
awful truth.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This book is a testimony to Girl’s endurance
and ingenuity. While celebrating human strengths, it also condemns hubris and
ambition.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-54806838828394837382024-01-24T09:17:00.000-08:002024-01-24T09:17:46.354-08:00Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo *****<p><a href="https://amzn.to/3SvPNNd"><span class="s1"><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Master Slave Husband Wife</span></u></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> by </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ilyon Woo</span></span></a><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> starts in 1848 when Ellen and William Craft </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">self-emancipate
themselves from Macon, Georgia. To escape from Macon, Ellen disguises herself
as a “sick, rich, White young man—a most respectable-looking gentleman,” and
William accompanies her as her slave. In Boston, they run into northern racism
and the Fugitive Slave Act. “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This work is not fictionalized.” “The absence
of a happy ending may partly explain why the Crafts are not better known.” Why
no happy ending? The book opens with the Fugitive Slave Act and closes with Jim
Crow.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In between the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Fugitive Slave Act
and Jim Crow the Crafts overcame many obstacles and had many happy successes.
Their story is the opposite of the story of the American South. While the Civil
War and Reconstruction represented a high point for the Crafts and other
enslaved people, the white supremacists and racists recovered their pre-Civil
War power before the death of the Crafts.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Crafts needed to escape three times. First, disguised as
master and slave, they traveled from Macon, Georgia to Philadelphia. Once in
Philadelphia, they learned they were not home-free and continued to Boston.
They were okay in Boston until the Compromise of 1850 and the new Fugitive
Slave Act. They tried to stay in Boston protected by many powerful friends, but
they finally gave up and moved on the England.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Their time in England might have been their best years. They gave
lectures, visited The Great Exhibition of 1851 with its Crystal Palace, and
received an education and literacy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is an enlightening view the 19</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">-century America.
Highly recommended.</span><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-59082706654928312242024-01-06T17:38:00.000-08:002024-01-06T17:38:11.814-08:00Yellowface by R.F. Kuang ****
<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">In <a href="https://amzn.to/3NOfLIX">Yellowface by R.F. Kuang</a>, best-selling
author Athena Liu dies and author Juniper Song Hayward steals the notes for
Athena’s next novel. Midlist author June Hayward reinvents herself as Juniper
Song, and, using those purloined notes writes “her own” best seller, The Last
Front. The Last Front is about the Chinese Labour Corps in WWI. Juniper Song is
white. Athena Liu is Asian. Juniper Song stirs up controversy like The Help and
American Dirt (actual books about people of color written by white authors). Yellowface
explores appropriation, plagiarism, and publishing in general.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While Yellowface explores the appropriation issues
raised by The Help and American Dirt, these issues are complicated because
Juniper Song stole the idea and notes for The Last Front from Anthena Liu.
Junie uses the appropriation arguments to deflect her detractors from her plagiarism.
In addition to plagiarism and appropriation, Junie accuses Athena of stealing
because she includes real incidents with real people in her writing, raising
the general question of where writers get their inspiration.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book includes so many details about the
world of publishing, including advances, royalties, editors, book tours, publicity,
contracts, agents, blogs, Barnes and Noble, independent bookstores, signed
copies, Kirkus, New York Times, and a range of different reviewers. I wonder what
non-writers think about all this.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While the issues of appropriation, plagiarism,
and inspiration are important, Junie complicates them with her self-serving
rationalization and increasing mental instability. In the end, I felt the book
was an exciting roller coaster ride, but like a roller coaster, it didn’t go
anywhere.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p>
D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-12325087268699249822024-01-01T05:28:00.000-08:002024-01-01T05:28:24.609-08:00Zero Days by Ruth Ware *****
<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">In <a href="https://amzn.to/3vnNBOY">Zero Days by Ruth Ware</a>, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Jacintha
(Jack) Cross is a penetration tester. She and her husband, Gabriel (Gabe)
Medway, conduct physical and digital penetration tests of corporate security
systems. She is the on-site physical tester and Gabe provides “hacker” digital
testing. On Saturday, February 4, Minus Eight Day, she is apprehended and taken
to the police station. This is the least of her problems because Gabe is soon discovered
with his throat slit and Jack is the prime suspect. She goes on the run. Can
she discover Gabe’s murderer before the police arrest her? Ware maintains the
tension as Jack struggles to dodge the police long enough to find Gabe’s
killer.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Jack’s problems immediately escalate when one
of the cops interrogating her is Jeff Leadbetter, her abusive and vindictive
ex-boyfriend. In addition, when she sneaks home to retrieve her go-bag, she
injures her side, and this wound continues to get worse throughout the book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Throughout her adventures, she is befriended
by good Samaritans from a food vendor who gives her a free veggie burger to a
couple of truck drivers who go out of their way to see that she gets where she
needs to go.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book includes a lot of tech, including
cloning cell phones and monitoring cell phone activity. Jack also uses her “pen
tester” skills (social engineering and lock picking).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Despite all Jack's difficulties, the tension
is never high as it is always clear that the good guys will prevail. The world
of Zero Days is a benign place populated by good people.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This 2023 book was easier to follow than the
2016 The Woman in Cabin 10 and I liked it better.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-23946397357646885972023-12-26T08:23:00.000-08:002023-12-26T08:23:38.258-08:00The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride *****<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Earth-Grocery-Store-Novel-ebook/dp/B0BPNP7YQB?crid=1Y6O1YGSYZ0T0&keywords=The+Heaven+%26+Earth+Grocery+Store+by+James+McBride+*****&qid=1703606642&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+heaven+%26+earth+grocery+store+by+james+mcbride+%2Cdigital-text%2C293&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=8f9905410d94d67f92b7b83769979526&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BPNP7YQB&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B0BPNP7YQB" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The <a href="https://amzn.to/3vkx0eA">Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
by James McBride</a> begins in 1972 with the discovery of a skeleton in an
abandoned well along with a pendant and some red threads. The murder
investigation had barely started when Hurricane Agnes wiped away everything,
thus closing the case. Still, the reader can’t help wondering about the
skeleton’s identity and its murderer…who will not be apprehended.</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The rest of the book goes back to
1925, to Chicken Hill, Pottstown, PA, the place where the Negroes, Jews, and
immigrants are isolated from the white families who most claim to be descendants
from the Mayflower. The book explores the subtle ways Pottstown’s underclass is
marginalized, but it also celebrates their spirit, community, and ingenuity.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is a book of many unforgettable characters.
The is Chona, the Jewish proprietor of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.
She extends credit to the people of Chicken Hill and friendship to their
children. Her husband runs dances with Black and Jewish music and uses the
profits to underwrite his wife’s generosity. Dodo is a twelve-year-old boy who
is deaf, but brilliant. Paper, short for newspaper, was the source of news for
the mostly illiterate residents of Chicken Hill. “Her beauty, her easy
laughter, glimmering eyes, and instant smile for every stranger she met, made
her a magnet for men. Men spilled their guts to her.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Pottstown was run by and for powerful white
men. The town closed for the annual KKK parade. “They forgot all the behaviors
that, back home, could have you seeing your life flashing before your eyes as a
noose was lowered around your neck—or worse, staring at iron bars for twenty
years with your hopes flatter than yesterday’s beer, dreaming about old junk
that you should’ve sold, or deer you should’ve shot but missed, or women you
should have married and didn’t, having wandered face-first into the
five-fingered karate chop of the white man’s laws. A colored person couldn’t
survive in the white man’s world being ignorant. They had to know the news.
That’s why Paper was so important. She was a Pottstown special.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Warnings: Racism, antisemitism, rape, and
abuse of inmates of a mental institution.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc</a>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0BPNP7YQB&asins=B0BPNP7YQB&linkId=23aec884d032d8666bd1cf25dbceaf29&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-961152345543183122023-12-17T07:51:00.000-08:002023-12-17T07:51:13.072-08:00I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy ****<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Im-Glad-My-Mom-Died-ebook/dp/B09JPJ833S?crid=2XO0X5V5GNCEK&keywords=I%27m+Glad+My+Mom+Died+by+Jennette+McCurdy+****&qid=1702827785&s=digital-text&sprefix=i%27m+glad+my+mom+died+by+jennette+mccurdy+%2Cdigital-text%2C153&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=b31479113f624c89bdd47f18e5340324&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09JPJ833S&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B09JPJ833S" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3GL33XB">I'm Glad My Mom Died</a> is Jennette
McCurdy’s memoir of growing up as a child actor in a dysfunctional family that
included sexual abuse. While the author had family issues and, later,
alcoholism and codependency, her main challenges were eating
disorders--anorexia and bulimia. Jennette is best known for playing Samantha
Puckett on Nickelodeon. This memoir ends before her issues are resolved. A
memoir about dysfunctional families and eating disorders.</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The author reveals an interesting point:
growing up in a dysfunctional family developed her as an actor. As a child,
Jennette did her codependent best to be the person needed to bring peace to her
chaotic family. At any moment, she acted happy or sympathetic or whatever was
required. She was the consummate people pleaser. This prepared her to act and assume
whatever role the script and the director required. “</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’m
nothing without direction.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Her life was difficult. Her mother was dying from breast cancer. Until
she became a successful actor, her family couldn’t pay their bills. Her mother
was a hoarder. Until she was eight, her mother wiped her after she went to the
bathroom, and until she was eighteen, her mother bathed her. However, despite
all this, a major part of the book is about anorexia and bulimia.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you are triggered by binging and purging, this might not be the
book for you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The internet reveals how McCurdy’s life improved following this
memoir, but sadly the book was published before the happy ending.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">WOW! Amazon offers over a dozen different summaries
of this book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. </span></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B09JPJ833S&asins=B09JPJ833S&linkId=4cdf431a09af4c00e8134ca157650665&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-21081021028737678052023-12-12T09:36:00.000-08:002023-12-12T09:36:15.077-08:00Pachinko by Min Jin Lee ****<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pachinko-National-Book-Award-Finalist-ebook/dp/B01GZY28JA?crid=1SAD9ROHONK7M&keywords=pachinko&qid=1702402271&s=digital-text&sprefix=pachinko%2Cdigital-text%2C177&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=85dae994243a33e86d5476e452b08227&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01GZY28JA&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B01GZY28JA" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3RrNUzE">Pachinko by Min Jin Lee</a> follows matriarch
Sunja’s Korean family from the 1930s to 1989 through the Japanese occupation,
World War II, the Cold War, and the Korean War. In the 1930s Sunja became
pregnant with Hansu’s child. When he revealed that he had a wife and three
daughters in Osaka, she spurned him. It later turned out that he was a rich
yakuza (gangster). Instead, she married Isak (a Christian minister). With her
new husband, she moved to Osaka as things were dire in Korea (because of the
Japanese occupation). She suffered from racism and poverty in Japan even though
Hansu stayed in touch and offered support. The book follows her family, her son
with Hansu (Noa), her son with Isak (Mozasu), and Mozasu’s son (Solomon). A story
of living with racism and poverty (not from the United States).</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The poor and disadvantaged Korean families
that lived in Japan were maintained by the women. This is a parallel to the
situation of black families in the United States. There are many other parallels.
More than poverty and prejudice, this is a book about strong women.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Do not let the almost 500 pages discourage you
from this book. It reads very quickly.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">During the period of this book, Japan was
superior to Korea, but this has changed, and Japan’s oppression of Koreans has somewhat
abated.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The end of the book (1989) and the Seoul
Olympics (1988) marked a turning point for Koreans in Japan and Koreans, in
general. In 1991 Japan created a Special Permanent Resident classification for
Koreans which improved their legal position.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When the book ended South Korea had a per
capita GDP of under $6,000, but since then it has risen to over $30,000. During
the same period, total GDP rose from under 250 billion to over 1.5 trillion.
Compared to Korea, in 1989 Japan was 12 times larger, but today, that
comparison is just over 3. On a per capita basis, Korea has gone from ¼ of
Japan to near parity.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01GZY28JA&asins=B01GZY28JA&linkId=8bccd689f42dc654caa458c01c29965b&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-18202730909006519632023-12-05T14:45:00.000-08:002023-12-05T14:45:40.125-08:00The Patriarchs (The origins of inequality) by Angela Saini ***<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Patriarchs-Origins-Inequality-Angela-Saini-ebook/dp/B0B2MHR56Z?crid=2KVIPXB3FIT7C&keywords=the+patriarchs&qid=1701816029&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+patriarchs%2Cdigital-text%2C147&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=e5cd652f18e56d4aa5521b3aaad31648&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0B2MHR56Z&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B0B2MHR56Z" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/485worm">The Patriarch by Angela Saini</a> explores the
history of patriarchy (misogyny and subjugation of women) from 7400 BCE to the
present. She asks two questions. First is there a biological basis for patriarchy
(Is it inevitable)? Second, what is the cause of patriarchy (Is it inevitable)?
Her first answer is a resounding, No! To quote, Betty Hutton in Annie Get Your
Gun, “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better.” Unfortunately, the second question
is unanswered. Contemporary history does not recognize universal progressions
but sees each society or culture as unique. Regardless, the author shows that
each society or culture returns to patriarchy. I found this disconcerting, depressing,
and frightening.</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book opens with, and often returns to, Çatalhöyük
in Southern Anatolia, sometimes described as the first city in the world—before
Harappans, Sumerians, Skara Brae, Stonehenge, pyramids, and Olmecs, but not
predating the Yang-Shao. I suspect that the reason for passing over the Yang-Shao
is that this book is distinctly Eurocentric. Çatalhöyük is an interesting place
to start because all the evidence suggests that it was gender-blind. There were
no distinctions between men and women. The author teases us with the thought
that we might find the genesis of patriarchy. We never do.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This pattern is repeated throughout the book.
The author finds a society/culture where there is equality (Çatalhöyük, Minoans,
Sparta, Soviet Union, Tehran in 1976, United States before 2016) and attempts
to explain how the patriarchy returned. By my reading, she is never successful.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is a shame that patriarchy can’t be blamed
on a fundamental (biological) difference between men and women, because history
shows it reappearing repeatedly. If patriarchy is not innate, why does it
continue?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">P.S. The book tends to repeat itself. Regularly
throughout my reading, I found myself wishing for a good editor.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0B2MHR56Z&asins=B0B2MHR56Z&linkId=9da52cc9764feb3cec35acd5485a8bbb&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-51393122072483770682023-11-30T06:57:00.000-08:002023-11-30T06:57:05.129-08:00The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder *****<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Long-Winter-Little-House-Book-ebook/dp/B01C2NNWTI?crid=SMI6AFPJGUAA&keywords=the+long+winter&qid=1701355787&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+long+winter%2Cdigital-text%2C158&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=4c6fa4fabc52a39fad269a248d9ec50f&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01C2NNWTI&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B01C2NNWTI" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />When much of the country is celebrating the harvest, solstice,
and new year and year-end, I am in Southern California wishing for colorful
leaves and snow. Fortunately, I can vanquish my jealousy by reading <a href="https://amzn.to/4a1dgwE">The Long Winterby Laura Ingalls Wilder</a>. The long winter lasted for seven months on the Dakota
prairie in 1880-81. During this winter Laura’s family faced the risks of
freezing or starving. Laura worried that her father would be lost in a snowstorm
and grew tired of brown bread made from wheat milled in a coffee grinder and
froze her hands twisting straw into fuel to heat their home. This book was
enough for me to forgo autumn leaves and fields of sparkling white snow.<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p>From 2018:</p><p> <span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After reading the biography of Laura
Ingalls Wilder (Prairie Fires), I read her book </span></span><span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4a1dgwE">The Long Winter</a></span></b></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. The biography included most of the plot of this book from the
large events like the train getting stuck in the snow and Almanzo Wilder
risking his life to get wheat to prevent starvation, to small events like the
Christmas Turkey, frost on the nails, and twisting straw for fuel.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The original title was “Hard Winter,”
and this phrase is used many times in the book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I was interested in how the book might
reflect the authors’ (LIW and her daughter Rose Wilder Lane) far-right
Libertarian politics. They invested money and energy opposing FDR’s New Deal and
supporting subsequent Libertarian causes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Generally, the book was
anti-government and anti-Easterners.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“But the politicians far away in
Washington could not know the settlers.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">”If’n there’s a worst pest than grasshoppers it surely is politicians.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The train superintendent was a buffoon
who said things like, “Snowstorms don’t stop us from running trains in the
east.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Generally, everyone was expected to be
self-sufficient. The children were regularly castigated for complaining or
using bad language. They memorized Bible verses and prayed. When Almanzo Wilder
was lost in the snow, they prayed for him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Everyone took care of themselves. Only
one person in the book expressed empathy for others, and no one was encouraged
to care for their fellows.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Nobody’s responsible for other folks
that haven’t got enough forethought to take care of themselves.” The response?
“Nobody thinks you are.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If there were ever people in a
situation where outside support would be helpful and justified, this was it.
They didn’t ask for help and didn’t get it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is a book with a strong message
about self-sufficiency and none about compassion.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is interesting that Laura married
the one compassionate person in the book, but even his selfless heroism is
characterized as a way to save his seed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to
see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for
book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01C2NNWTI&asins=B01C2NNWTI&linkId=0d9aeac20d281992d74966f3f6db2731&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-18048979585640584112023-11-27T16:55:00.000-08:002023-11-27T17:05:59.998-08:00A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George ****<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Great-Deliverance-Inspector-Lynley-Book-ebook/dp/B004DEPHXE?crid=3BI9N2GQC6K8C&keywords=a+great+deliverance+by+elizabeth+george&qid=1701132508&s=digital-text&sprefix=a+great+deliverance%2Cdigital-text%2C152&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=cc8b342ea11d4cfcf9a531efe2939f28&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004DEPHXE&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B004DEPHXE" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3uAoOXm">A Great Deliverance</a> is the first of 21 books
in the Inspector Lynley (and DS Havers) series. The book opens with the discovery
of William Teys decapitated in his barn. Beneath him, is his dog, Whiskers,
also dead. Sitting beside Teys is his daughter Roberta, who immediately
confesses to the murder. The New Scotland Yard sends Inspector Thomas Lynley, Eighth
Earl of Asherton, and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers to the village of
Keldale in Yorkshire to investigate. They soon discover that Roberta’s mother, Tessa,
and her older sister, Gillian, are missing, along with the mystery of a dead
infant found by the ruins of Keldale Abbey. Elizabeth George writes an
intricately constructed mystery.</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Inspector Lynley Mysteries were aired on BBC
One from 2001 to 2008. Twenty-four episodes total. If this book is representative,
the TV shows censored the book. Incidents of incest and child abuse were watered
down in the TV version. The priest’s complicity is also watered down. Other
small changes include putting Lynley in a more modest car than the Bentley he
drives in the book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While the books and TV shows are named for
Inspector Lynley, he and DS Barbara Havers are partners throughout the series.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The author includes many characters, but one
of her strengths is creating fascinating characters.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A bit too much evil for me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B004DEPHXE&asins=B004DEPHXE&linkId=2f431b94ce5f67ee88f66f749e00bfa2&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-81840210332873520182023-10-15T17:24:00.000-07:002023-10-15T17:24:01.773-07:00Girl Waits With Gun (Kopp Sisters #1/7) by Amy Stewart ****<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Waits-Kopp-Sisters-Novel-ebook/dp/B00QPHKR3M?crid=2BB7XKO08UKLJ&keywords=girl+waits+with+a+gun&qid=1697414959&s=digital-text&sprefix=girl+waits+with+a+gun%2Cdigital-text%2C168&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=b047f0a65b7d0f6eda6bb58578c1aa96&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00QPHKR3M&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B00QPHKR3M" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Set in 1914, <span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/46yB1de">Girl Waits </a></span></span></span><a href="https://amzn.to/46yB1de"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">with</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Gun (Kopp Sisters #1/7)</span></span></a><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/46yB1de"> by Amy Stewart</a> opens with Henry Kaufman driving his motor car
into Constance Kopp and her two sisters’ buggy. Constance demands $50 for the
damages. Instead of paying, Mr. Kaufman
and his thugs harass the sisters who live alone on an isolated farm. With the
help of </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sheriff Heath</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, the sisters are armed. They defend themselves. A historical
novel about a strong woman.</span></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Interesting note: This is the third book in a
row with female protagonists who are armed. The Litter of the Law by Rita Mae
Brown and Queen Anne's Lace by Susan Wittig Albert.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Miss Constance Kopp is six feet tall. When Mr.
Kaufman doesn’t have his thugs to back him up, he is intimidated by Miss
Constance Kopp. From Mr. Kaufman’s trial: </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">“Coerced?” said Attorney Lynch
with a smile. “By what means were you coerced?” Mr. Kaufman looked around until
he found me. “She was there!” he said, rising and pointing at me. “She trapped
me and forced me…”</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“THIS IS A WORK OF HISTORICAL FICTION based on
real events and real people. … All of the major events described in the novel
actually happened, with a few notable exceptions…”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00QPHKR3M&asins=B00QPHKR3M&linkId=158608078c3edbb40515574818e5004b&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-55773203255365218152023-10-08T17:21:00.002-07:002023-10-08T17:21:27.869-07:00Queen Anne's Lace by Susan Wittig Albert ****<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Annes-China-Bayles-Mystery-ebook/dp/B073Z29PG7?crid=2W0M9D1K2LQAY&keywords=queen+anne%27s+lace&qid=1696810480&s=digital-text&sprefix=queen+annes+lace%2Cdigital-text%2C152&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=9c24dbbb206e6c032bc7d691d61632a5&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B073Z29PG7&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B073Z29PG7" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3ZUiO7p">Queen Anne's Lace by Susan Wittig
Alb</a></span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3ZUiO7p">ert</a> tells the 19<sup>th</sup>-century
story of Annie Duncan Hunt and the contemporary ghost story of how China Bayles
uncovers Annie’s story. The author’s goal was to write “</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">the history of women’s use of herbal contraceptives and
abortifacients</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.” Queen Anne’s
Lace or wild carrot (a </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">herbal
contraceptive and abortifacient</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">)
played a central role in this book. The contemporary subplot was about show
chickens (</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Blackheart [Ayam Cemani rooster], and Caitie’s
Extra Crispy [Cubalaya rooster]). The 19<sup>th</sup>-century subplot was about
lacemaking. A pleasant and educational read.</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Both storylines take place in the house Annie’s first husband
built at 304 Crockett Street in Pecan Springs.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The ghost is unambiguous. She rings bells, hums, sings, makes appearances,
and even posts notes on the bulletin board. There is nothing scary about this
ghost.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The is set in Texas, so China Bayles shot someone in self-defense.
<i>“Using the Chevy as cover, I crept forward until I could see Gibbons, now
advancing cautiously, raising the rifle to fire again, his gaze fixed on his
target: the cop on the ground. I stood up, locked the shotgun tight against my
shoulder, and aimed, just as Gibbons caught sight of me and swung his gun
around. Without a word, I pulled the trigger. The Remington blasted, and
Gibbons flew backward. Ears ringing, I chambered another shell, hard and fast,
and aimed again. Gibbons was flat on his back. He was moving, so I knew he
wasn’t dead.”</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B073Z29PG7&asins=B073Z29PG7&linkId=03bd0ba3a058099edd0e04a503a88139&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-23335487882174200372023-10-05T17:36:00.002-07:002023-10-05T17:36:54.204-07:00<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Litter-Law-Mrs-Murphy-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00ALBR2MM?crid=23ERTCP5OJKCE&keywords=litter+of+the+law&qid=1696552297&s=digital-text&sprefix=litter+of+the+law%2Cdigital-text%2C168&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=3c7407c703e02996ab451c2f2b0a70d1&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00ALBR2MM&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B00ALBR2MM" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In </span><span class="s1"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3PNiYJd">Litter
of the Law</a></span></u></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3PNiYJd"> by Rita Mae
Brown</a> (#22/32 in the Mrs. Murphy series), “Harry” Haristeen, a Smith College
alum, and art history major, is confronted by Joshua Hill, dressed like a
scarecrow, and Hester Martin, dressed as a witch, both </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">dead, bullet through the heart.</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
In her effort to find the killer, she is aided by Deputy Cynthia Cooper, and three
pets: Mrs. Murphy, a tiger cat, Pewter, the other cat, and Tucker, a corgi. The
story revolves around organic farming and Walter Ashby Plecker, eugenicist, racist,
and the </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">head of Vital Statistics in
Virginia from 1912 to 1946.</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> The book
is more of a history lesson than a mystery.</span></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Plecker committed “paper genocide” by
replacing “the term Indian with </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">the
term colored on all official documents, birth and death certificates, marriage
licenses, and voter registration forms.</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">”
The result was to erase all records of Native Americans within the state of
Virginia. This made it difficult to get any recognition of Native American
tribes. </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Today Virginia has seven federally
recognized tribes</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. The state
recognizes eleven tribes. This seems to indicate that Plecker’s “paper genocide”
has been reversed.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Rita Mae Brown is a famous feminist activist
and author. After 50 years, Rubyfruit Jungle, a lesbian coming-of-age story, is
still a best seller. The Mrs. Murphy series mentions feminist issues briefly.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Rev, I’m in charge of buildings and grounds.”
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The good pastor said, “Surely there’s a man
who can do some of this.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Are we going to have the Sexism 101 talk?” <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">BoomBoom laughed. “We are supposed to be long
past that caveman talk, Rev.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00ALBR2MM&asins=B00ALBR2MM&linkId=f274f820118535958ec23ba8a6fd3541&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-45534727575285564582023-09-27T08:56:00.001-07:002023-09-27T08:56:27.937-07:00Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown *****<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rubyfruit-Jungle-Rita-Mae-Brown-ebook/dp/B00KPBDCJ0?crid=1NOALF6FIY6IA&keywords=rubyfruit+jungle&qid=1695829861&s=digital-text&sprefix=rubyfruit%2Cdigital-text%2C138&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=6f619e739b0c81624603a9a9f3c60a64&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00KPBDCJ0&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B00KPBDCJ0" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3LAN3u8">Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown</a> after
50 years is still </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#34 in LGBTQ+ Literary Fiction on Amazon. So
much wonderful is happening in this book, I hardly know where to start. It is a
coming-of-age story for Molly Bolt. Molly was born poor to an unwed mother, but
she was smart and ambitious. This is a Horatio Alger story. Her family
pressured her to marry and have children, but she went to college. When she was
kicked out of college in Florida, she hitchhiked to NYC and eventually went to
NYU. This is a story of family, her stepmother disowned her but eventually
said, “I did the best I could. Don’t hate me, honey, don’t hate me.” Her
stepfather said, “It’d kill me to see you buckle under to anyone, especially a
husband.” This is a feminist story. Molly Bolt was out and proud in 1973!</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Molly Bolt was a lesbian from her first feelings
of sexuality. The book is explicit about her many girlfriends.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Molly did her best to fit in. She was student
council president and dated a football player in high school. In college, she joined
a sorority, but there was always a point when she had enough and quit, usually
with flare and panache.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">She was vocal about the misogyny of the heterosexual
patriarchy and fought back.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When in film
school, the male faculty and students conspired against her. A final film was
required but she wasn’t allowed access to the cameras. She stole what she
needed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Rita Mae Brown is the author of a long series
of mysteries co-author with her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00KPBDCJ0&asins=B00KPBDCJ0&linkId=c57e523f153634a855bd960c2578f228&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-51329118206660072322023-09-25T14:58:00.003-07:002023-09-25T14:58:58.146-07:00Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl **<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Special-Topics-Calamity-Physics-Marisha-ebook/dp/B000PC0SDC?crid=3CDBD0RSE34ZO&keywords=Special+Topics+in+Calamity+Physics+by+Marisha+Pessl+**&qid=1695678863&s=digital-text&sprefix=special+topics+in+calamity+physics+by+marisha+pessl+%2Cdigital-text%2C350&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=287ec64d199e62054d49b0c127960622&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000PC0SDC&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B000PC0SDC" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span class="s1"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3RAxCWG">Special Topics in Calamity Physics</a></span></u></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3RAxCWG"> by Marisha Pessl </a>is a magic show. The story is surrounded by entertaining
misdirection in the form of long sentences, popular culture, literature
references (real and imaginary), metaphorical descriptions, parenthetical
digressions, and excessive cleverness – not much physics. The show is so much
fun that you might forget to solve the mystery, or even that there is a
mystery. The story is about Blue van Meer’s senior year at St. Galway School,
where she has just arrived. Thanks to her itinerant professor father, Blue has
lived in “thirty-nine towns in thirty-three states, … and … attended
approximately twenty-four elementary, middle and high schools.” On page 6, her favorite
teacher Hannah Schneider dies. Blue and five students (playfully called
Bluebloods) also forget to solve this mystery 500 pages later. I preferred </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">'The Lady, or the Tiger?' by Frank R. Stanton</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> from 1882.</span></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In the Choose Your Own Adventure tradition,
the book asks questions like: Who is Hannah Schneider, How did she die, and Why
did Blue’s father leave her? Each question offers alternatives, but that is the
end of the book. In <span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">'The Lady, or the Tiger</span></span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
tradition, the author doesn’t have an answer. I found this rather unsatisfying.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Examples of the writing style…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At one point Blue imagines different Hannahs. <i>There
was <u>Haight-Ashbury Hannah</u> (old records of Carole King, Bob Dylan, a bong,
tai chi books, a faded ticket to some peace rally at Golden Gate Park on June
3, 1980), <u>Stripper Hannah</u> (I didn’t feel comfortable going through that
box, but Milton exhumed bras, bikinis, a zebra-striped slip, a few more
complicated items requiring directions for assembly), also <u>Hand Grenade
Hannah</u> (combat boots, more knives), also <u>Hannah, Missing Person
Possessed</u> (the same folder full of Xeroxed newspaper articles Nigel had
found, though he’d lied about there being “fifty pages at least” there were only
nine). My favorite, however, was <u>Madonna Hannah</u> who material-girled out
of a sagging cardboard box.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Blue’s thoughts on being called a terrible
kisser. </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">It was one of the biggest scandals of Life, to learn the cruelest
thing someone could say to you was that you were a terrible kisser. One would
think it’d be worse to be a Traitor, Hypocrite, Bitch, Whore or any other foul
person, worse even to be a Way-out-there, a Welcome Mat, a Was-Girl, a Weasel.
I suspect one would even fare better with “bad in bed,” because everyone has an
off day, a day when his/her mind hitchhikes on each and every thought that
cruises by, and even champion racehorses such as Couldn’t Be Happier, who won
both the Derby and the Preakness in 1971, could suddenly come in dead last, as
he did at the Belmont Stakes. But to be a terrible kisser—to be tuna—was the
worst of all, because it meant you were without passion, and to be without
passion, well, you might as well be dead.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B000PC0SDC&asins=B000PC0SDC&linkId=ba9352cf5fe5f7feeceaca2b3afee17e&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-64994734221585170372023-09-12T17:03:00.000-07:002023-09-12T17:03:29.151-07:00The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves *****<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rising-Tide-Vera-Stanhope-Novel-ebook/dp/B09NTKKKC1?crid=3MNX1SFAV3TSP&keywords=the+rising+tide&qid=1694563045&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+rising+tide%2Cdigital-text%2C187&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=27771b1a0a621000ad75817ec308ae76&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09NTKKKC1&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B09NTKKKC1" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3LhhIML">The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves</a> is about a pair
of murders that happen around the 50</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> anniversary of an encounter group
attended by high school students. Fifty years later, the students have married,
divorced, and grown old. One is a disgraced TV personality, and another became
rich. Back around the 5</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> anniversary, one couple lost an infant and
a lady died accidentally. So with two old deaths and two recent murders, Vera
Stanhope and her team attempted to unravel the relationships formed over the
past fifty years. “The theme of the novel is hypocrisy, and it explores the
lengths some people will take to hide the sins of the past.”</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">COMPLICATIONS</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Rick Kelsall (first murder victim) is writing
a tell-all novel.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The two old deaths are called into question.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Eliza Bond’s accusation which led to the
downfall of Rick Kelsall was a fabrication.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Teacher Judith Sinclair slept with her
students.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Louisa didn’t like her older sister Isobel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Charlotte (the second murder victim)’s family were
gangsters, and her business (Only Connect) was failing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Annie still feels guilty about the death of
her infant.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>CHARACTERS</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Cops</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Vera Stanhope – Inspector<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Billy Cartwright – CSI<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Holly Clarke – DC, detective constable<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Joe Ashworth – DS, detective sergeant<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Katherina Willmore – PCC, Police and Crime
Commissioner. Partner to Daniel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Doc Keating – medical examiner<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><i>Only Connect encounter-group </i>attendees</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Annie Laidler – works at Bread and Olives with
Jax. Her infant died which led to her divorce from Daniel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Charlotte Thomas – Left first meeting early,
never returned, Married Rick, divorced<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Daniel Rede – Married Annie. Left after infant
Freya died just before the first five-year reunion, minted<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Isobel Hall – died at the first reunion<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Judith Marshall Sinclair – the teacher<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ken Hampton – Has dementia. Married to Louisa.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Philip Robson – became an Anglican priest<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rick Kelsall – famous TV personality, murdered
at 10<sup>th</sup> reunion<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Others</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Louisa Hall – Isobel’s younger sister. Married
to Ken (with dementia).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Eliza Bond – Katherine’s daughter and accuser
who got Rick fired (by accident)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Joanna – Vera’s neighbor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">SPOILERS</span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Dan Rede did it to protect PCC Willmore, her daughter
Eliza, and his business.</span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Holly dies.</span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations.</span></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B09NTKKKC1&asins=B09NTKKKC1&linkId=22047162d85d3da39990f8c01df60ab7&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692075596400147142.post-82819978760582334482023-09-10T14:57:00.001-07:002023-09-10T14:57:44.094-07:00Hell of a Book by Jason Mott *****<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Book-Novel-Jason-Mott-ebook/dp/B08NWD5FYG?crid=BM7YGGJ73AP9&keywords=hell+of+a+book+by+jason+mott&qid=1694382875&s=digital-text&sprefix=hell+of+a++book%2Cdigital-text%2C190&sr=1-1&linkCode=li2&tag=abookfortoda-20&linkId=7d48012d6bfc3d21eb62c776ac56f7f8&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B08NWD5FYG&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B08NWD5FYG" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/44GXHX2">Hell of a Book by Jason Mott</a> is
ostensibly about a nameless author’s book tour for <a href="https://amzn.to/44GXHX2">Hell of a Book</a>. He is
accompanied by The Kid, an invisible black boy. Alternate chapters feature
Soot, a black boy whose parents want to teach him to be invisible to keep him
safe. Throughout the tour, the news reports a black boy killed by the police
and Soot sees the police kill his father in his front yard. Much of this book
is about black parents protecting their children and how they feel when they
fail. “Your mama, she wanted to protect you. Protect you from bullets. Protect
you from cops. Protect you from judges. Protect you from mirrors that you would
look into and see something less than beautiful.”</span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">This book won the National Book Award
for fiction in 2021.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">I don’t have much
use for reality in my line of work.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“But it’s only a fall if you think about the ending. Otherwise,
it’s called flying.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Yeah, the South is America’s
longest-running crime scene. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Lastly, a message to the Black boy that
was: You are beautiful. Be kind to yourself, even when this country is not.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Parents give their black children
contradictory advice: “Treat people as people. Be color-blind. Love openly.
Love everyone.” And then, in the same breath, he would have to say to his son:
“You will be treated differently because of your skin. The rules are different
for you. This is how you act when you meet the police. This is how you act
growing up in the South. This is the reality of your world.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Comment on healthy lifestyle and
nutritional advice: “But only certain tax brackets get the luxury of knowing
something’ll kill you and being able to choose not to do it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“And every Black parent in the history
of this country has tried to stop that monster from swallowing [their children]
up and has failed at it. And every day they live with that.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Specifically, don’t write about being
Black. … It’s common courtesy, really. … So here’s what I want you to do: I
want you to make sure that you keep things as light as possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">“</span><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As an Amazon
Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to see my books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Check out </span><a href="https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for book recommendations. </span></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abookfortoda-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B08NWD5FYG&asins=B08NWD5FYG&linkId=8af3eba41bf137deafd931c9cdf3cb6c&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>D R Oestreicherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01507749057171617970noreply@blogger.com0