My First Summer in the Sierra

"Happy the showers that fall on so fair a wilderness, scarce a drop can fail to find a beautiful spot — on the tops of the peaks, on the shining glacier pavements, on the great smooth domes, on forests and gardens and brushy moraines, plashing, glinting, parrering, laving."

Tenaya Canyon, from the top of Half Dome

I just finished reading My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir and there were so many fun passages in the book that reminded me of my trips to the Sierras! As you may or may not know, John Muir was a Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, glaciologist and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States (Wikipedia). He was born in 1838 and this book took place from June to September of 1869.

The book is in journal form and chronicles the trip that he took with a sheepherder, who had to move his 2,000 plus sheep to higher pastures once the grasses in the valleys were dried out. They move up in elevation from the Central Valley of California, which sits near sea level, towards the high point of Tuolumne meadows in what is now Yosemite (approximately 10,000 ft), arriving in August and then turning back down the hill in September before snow starts flying again.

If you like trees and plants, you will love this book. If you don't, you can skip over his description of the abies magnifica (silver tipped fir) and go right to parts such as this one:

"Early in the morning I tied my notebook and some bread to my belt, and strode away full of eager hope, feeling that I was going to have a glorious revel."

The John Muir Trail, between Lake Tenaya and Cathedral Lakes

I mean, who can say no to a glorious revel? He also talks a lot about the weather, but in a way that makes weather anything but a dull subject.

"Another one of those charming exhilarating days that make the blood dance and excite nerve currents that render one un-weariable and well-nigh immortal." 

“Warm, sunny day, thrilling plant and animals and rocks alike, making sap and blood flow fast, and making every particle of the crystal mountains throb and swirl and dance in glad accord like star-dust.”

Near Tuolumne Meadows -- all these boulders were left behind by the glacier.

Be still my beating heart. Doesn't he make a sunny day sound absolutely fabulous? Then he passes by Lake Tenaya and notes the existence of:

"a knob or knot of burnished granite, perhaps about a thousand feet high, apparently as flawless and strong in structure as a waveworn pebble, and probably owes its existence to the superior resistance it offered to the section of the overflowing ice-flood."

Lake Tenaya (and the knot of burnished granite, perhaps)

I think I found the knot! If not, I better go and look again soon! He gets to Tuolumne meadows, and remarks:

"No Sierra landscape that I have seen holds anything truly dead or dull, or any trace of what in manufactories is called rubbish or waste; everything is perfectly clean and pure and full of divine lessons."

Tuolumne Meadows (with Cathedral peak in the background)

I agree wholeheartedly. Every time I have gone to the Sierras, around every corner is a new wonderment, another photo to snap, or smell in the air, or a new bird sound. It really is quite fabulous and this book really hit home. There were a few interesting things such as when he describes one day that he went from the North Dome to the Valley floor, which must be about a 10 or 12 mile hike down a steep trail nowadays. But then, there was no trail, and he described bushwhacking down a ravine, which must have been difficult (plus I think there is about a 3,000 or 4,000 ft drop in elevation to boot)!

I also love how he just straps a loaf of bread to his belt, as quoted above, or lays down on pine boughs or even a rock one night, so that he could listen to the sound of a waterfall nearby. It's just so poetic and it seems like such a grand adventure. I wonder if it really was as lovely as he makes it sound. He does note that there are large mosquitoes, some about an inch from tip of the stinger to the end of the wings, which sounds like something I would not be as fond of!!

There are many, many more passages that I bookmarked, noted and saved, but I will end my barrage of quotes with this one, which really reminded me of why I like to hike and do trail runs, especially in the Sierras!

Cathedral Peak and one of the Cathedral lakes

"Towards sunset, enjoyed a fine run to camp, down the long south slopes, across ridge and ravines, gardens and avalance gaps, through the firs and chaparral, enjoying wild excitement and excess of strength, and so ends a day that will never end."

Have you ever been to the Sierra Nevadas? If so, where did you go? Did you love them as much as Mr. Muir and I do? 

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Swann Dives In

Swann Dives In by Charles Salzberg

Do you know what a tracer is? I didn't either until I read this book. It's a guy who is hired to track down missing, lost or "don't want to be found" people. The main character, Henry Swann, tries to go on the straight and narrow and get out of the game by becomming a cable guy. This job doesn't last long. As soon as a wealthy businessman in New York asks Swann to find his lost daughter, Swann is back in the game.

In trying to find the daughter, he meets a lot of strange people and follows their leads and ends up going all the way to London. He also ends up uncovering a mystery about a bookseller and a special rare book. The book mystery and the mystery of the daughter end up connecting and there is a twist in the end that I didn't see coming.

I am partial to detective novels, so this was right up my alley. I liked Swann and enjoyed the author's cast of characters. There is an English professor, a nutty Book seller, and a mysterious woman. I like that there is an element of danger just under the surface.  I like that Swann is a little bit cocky, but not over the top. I love books, so I enjoyed the information and facts that the author threw in about old books. I also liked the bits of information he throws in about the cities that Swann travels to.

I would recommend this as a fun read to anyone who likes mystery or detective novels, or to anyone who hasn't tried one yet, but wants a fun first try!

I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

Do you like Detective Novels? Do you have an interesting rare thing that you collect?

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Glass Boys

Glass Boys by Nicole Lundrigan

Set in a small town in Newfoundland, this story starts with two young brothers. When one is killed accidentally by a neighbor, the remaining brother, Lewis, tries to put the incident behind him, but he can't help in blaming the man who killed his brother. As he gets older, he keeps a close eye on the man and his family and their lives end up becoming entwined more than Lewis could ever realize.

Full of small town strife, sibling rivalry, hatred and love, this book really causes the reader to become involved in the character's lives. She creates people that you know and ones that you don't want to know. Her characters are real, although they are not necessarily all likeable.

This book reminded me of the small town that I grew up in. There is the sheriff, who knows what everyone is up to and is involved in everyone's lives. There is the shopkeeper, the bad boy, and the farmer. I know these people. I remember times at the river like they have and boys like these boys.

However, this book has a dark side that I have not been privy to in my home town (and don't really want to be privy to). There are some mean people and some sickos and you spend a good part of the book wishing they would just go away. However, they don't. Not all of them.

I would recommend this book. It was an intriguing read and it was kind of disturbing at times but it never kept me from continuing to see what would happen next.

I gave it three stars on Goodreads.

Check out other reviews of this book here:   Chaos is a Friend of Mine --   Read React Review --  Comfort Books --  Cmash Loves to Read  --  Booksellers without Borders NY  --  Leafing Through Life  -- Pieces of Fate  --  My Life in Not So Many Words --   I'd Rather Be At The Beach 

Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Have you ever experienced small town living? If you don't like one of the main characters in a book, can you still enjoy the book? Would you be able to forgive the person who hurt/killed one of your family members?

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So L.A. and a Giveaway

So L.A. by Bridget Hoida

Have you ever been to LA? Then you know the drill; there are people with big everything: houses, cars, sunglasses and boobs. Yes, boobs. You know what I am talking about. So does Magdalena de la Cruz, or at least she thinks she does. Magdalena hails from Northern CA and she moves to LA when her brother tragically dies in a climbing accident that she feels responsible for. She and her husband have hit it big selling expensive bottled water to the rich, and they move into a huge house and try to fit in with the Southern California lifestyle. Magdalena buys the big car, wears the big sunglasses and gets the big boobs, yet she is still not happy. Her marriage starts to decline and she seeks the solace of a bottle of gin.

This story is about her mental state and how she attempted to find her true self amidst a city full of materialism and people who seemed to care more about looks than love, herself included.

I enjoyed this book as a quick and easy read and something to pass the time on a Sunday. I read it in one day, as it was easy to follow. Even though I kind of disliked the main character, I found that the story moved quickly along. I found the character very shallow, although at the same time I did see that she was struggling to get out from under that self absorbed attitude at times. I cannot say that I related to her, although I am from the very area that she came from in the beginning, and a small town to boot, so we should understand each other.

However, we have all wanted to be liked in one situation or another. Whether you are in an all male work environment and you start watching football so you can join in on the conversations around the water cooler, or if you are a girl, trying to impress a guy, so you wear a certain outfit or act a certain way, we all understand that need for acceptance to a certain degree. So in that case, if I change the situation around a little, I can relate to her to a certain extent. But she takes it a little too far, and loses who she really is in the meantime.

So I had mixed emotions about Magdalena: I felt sorry for her; I hated her; I understood her; I wanted her to find her true self and to stop playing games.

As for the book, it made a good point about how we need to accept ourselves for who we are because trying to be someone else only gets us in trouble.

I gave the book a three out of five on Goodreads. I would recommend this book as a fun, quick and interesting read.

Now, for the fun part! One lucky reader can win a copy of this book! All you have to do is go to the author's website and leave me a comment telling me one thing you learned from it. It can be anything you want. If you are not a winner, you can still buy the book here. Contest ends August 31 at midnight PDT. Winner will be announced shortly after.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from TLC Book Tours in return for an honest review. You can see a schedule of the other blogs on tour here.

Have you been to L.A.? If so, what did you think / if not, what do you imagine it to be like? In what way have you ever tried to impress people around you?

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An Unmarked Grave

I have read several books about World War II, but not as many that are set during World War I. That is why I was excited to read this one! What did I think? Read on. 

An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd

Set in 1918 in both France and England during World War I, an English nurse working in a French hospital sees something that she shouldn't. During the time of the Spanish Influenza, a patient in the pile of the deceased seems to have died of causes that seem a bit suspicious.

The nurse, Bess Crawford, takes it upon herself to find out the details of this man's death. In the process, she encounters danger and intrigue and suffers attacks on her very life.

I am a sucker for a good murder mystery. My go to beach read is something with murder, suspense and danger. This book did not disappoint. The authors hook you from the very beginning, when Bess discovers the body while working at a clinic in France. Throughout the story, you are always kept guessing as to who the killer is and what their motive could be.

The characters, who consist of Bess, her family and a couple of male friends and officers, are all very likable and the book had a sense of realism to it, which I prefer. There is nothing I dislike more than a book that is supposed to portray real life but when you are finished with it you are left thinking, "that couldn't happen!" This book did not leave me with that bad taste in my mouth. I finished it in a couple of days because I had to see who the killer was! The authors also added in some facts about the war, the enemy lines and the countries (have you ever heard of the Cheddar Gorge?), which always makes me like a book more, as I feel like I am learning something while I am being entertained.

I rate this book a 3 out of 5 on Goodreads. I liked it! I would definitely read another book by these authors (it is a mother and son pair).

For other tour dates, go to the TLC Book Tours website. For more information, go to the authors' website and their Facebook page. 

Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary copy of this book by TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.


Have you ever heard of/been to the Cheddar Gorge? What is your favorite genre of book? Have you read many books about WWI?

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Book Review: Jerusalem: The Biography

I've always been a keen admirer of Jerusalem and after reading the book's blurb (see below), I knew this was one of the best books around. It did not disappoint.

"Jerusalem is the universal city, the capital of two peoples, the shrine of three faiths; it is the prize of empires, the site of Judgement Day and the battlefield of today’s clash of civilizations. From King David to Barack Obama, from the birth of Judaism, Christianity and Islam to the Israel-Palestine conflict, this is the epic history of three thousand years of faith, slaughter, fanaticism and coexistence.
 
How did this small, remote town become the Holy City, the “center of the world” and now the key to peace in the Middle East? In a gripping narrative, Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals this ever-changing city in its many incarnations, bringing every epoch and character blazingly to life. Jerusalem’s biography is told through the wars, love affairs and revelations of the men and women—kings, empresses, prophets, poets, saints, conquerors and whores—who created, destroyed, chronicled and believed in Jerusalem. As well as the many ordinary Jerusalemites who have left their mark on the city, its cast varies from Solomon, Saladin and Suleiman the Magnificent to Cleopatra, Caligula and Churchill; from Abraham to Jesus and Muhammad; from the ancient world of Jezebel, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod and Nero to the modern times of the Kaiser, Disraeli, Mark Twain, Lincoln, Rasputin, Lawrence of Arabia and Moshe Dayan."

This book was written by Simon Sebag Montefiore, his last name already being a significant part in Jerusalem's history, a Cambridge University alumni who studied history and is already well known throughout much of the literary world for his previous award-winning books, Catherine the Great & Potemkin which were shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson, Duff Cooper, and Marsh Biography prizes. 

His book "Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar" won the History Book of the Year Prize at the British Book Awards. "Young Stalin" won the Costa Biography Award (UK), the LA Times Book Prize for Biography (US), Le Grand Prix de la Biographie Politique (France) and the Kreisky Prize for Political Literature (Austria). Montefiore’s books are published in over 35 languages. He is also the author of the  novel, Sashenka. (For a more in-depth biography)
 
 The book starts brilliantly with a prologue of the siege of Jerusalem of 70AD, by the Roman legions of (future-emperor) Titus against the Jewish rebels who occupied the city. The book officially begins with the Canaanite era of Palestine, going through the biblical eras of King David and Solomon. From the times of the Persians , Macedonians and Romans, to the time of the Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Mamluk, Ottomans and British.

Simon Sebag Montefiore ©Hugo Burnand

The most stunning thing about this book is that it is remarkably neutral (that's a feat when considering a controversial topic like Jerusalem's history). "Jerusalem, the Biography" is a fitting title since the book is written as a biography, through the people who made Jerusalem, starting with King David and ending with Barrack Obama, over a span of 3000 years. Each section is about a person who, made, destroyed, believed in, or fought for Jerusalem, some are ordinary people, some are monsters and dictators. There is massacre, siege, blood, violence, but also brilliant, so very much brilliant poetry.

The story of Jerusalem, is truly (as the author expressed) the story of the world, as well, of the Middle East, of religion, of holiness, of empire! The goosebumps I had when I read about some of of the greatest philosophers, the Arab historiographer "Ibn Khaldoon" in the book, about Suleiman the Magnificent, Caliph Muawiya, Saladin Dynasty, the entire Outremer era with a brilliant inclusion of William of Tyre, the Druze princess and angelic voiced Singer "Asmahan", the Hashemite (Sherifian) Dynasty, and most exciting to read was some poignant poetry by Nizar Qabbani.

This book should be the "must-read" guide for journalists and public figures in the Levant region, the book isn't just a simple retelling of facts, it is much more. With stories, anecdotes, and pages and pages of researched history you really feel as if you are stepping back through time and experiencing Jerusalem's history first hand.

And if the 650 pages of 3,000 years of Jerusalemite history are not enough, the book even has multiple photos, and multiple maps of Jerusalem's Old City, of all the quarters, throughout much of its history, right up to 1948. I strongly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Jerusalem, or the Middle East in general. This has been one of the best books I've read

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With My Body

A middle aged woman finds herself stuck in a rut of laundry, kids and marriage that she doesn't know how to get out of. She feels trapped, and wonders what happened to the fresh young girl that she used to be, the one who was adventurous and erotic, the one who had dreams of becoming something. 

She finds herself remembering her teenage years in Australia, where she was an uncouth bush girl. She remembers her first sexual experience with an older man, where she learned everything there is to know about sex and love and reciprocity. She thinks about the present, and her sexless marriage with her husband, and longs for that feeling of first love again. This feeling takes her back to Australia to find the man who she lost. From her journey, comes a new understanding of herself.

This book was quite graphic. I won't say that it was a bodice ripper, but there was plenty of sex. However,  it was really raw, emotionally. She is a young girl, and she wants to learn everything. In trying to learn about sex, she also learns a lot about life. It really kept me reading. I wanted to put it down because at times it was a little overwhelming emotionally, but at the same time, I couldn't, because I had to find out what happened next. It really made me remember those days of young love and that carefree, give-it-your-all feeling. Relationships now seem very complicated comparatively.

The only thing I did not like about this book was that there are over 200 "chapters". Each one is only a few pages long and there is a quote at the start of each one. I found that the quotes distracted the flow of the story, as did the short chapters.  However, they didn't stop me from reading this book in one day.

If you are looking for a book that is a little bit racy but also poignantly honest, you should give this book a go. I may not have immediately chosen this one off the shelf, but after finishing it, I am glad that I gave it a chance!

You can find the rest of the tour info and other reviews here. Here's the author's website,  Facebook page, and the Facebook page for With My Body. Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary copy of this book by TLC Booktours in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.  

Do you remember your first love? How have things changed for you, relationship-wise, since then?

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The Voluntourist

Have you ever felt that your life was lacking something? That you needed to give back somehow? Have you ever been to another country and seen how the locals live? Do you love to travel?

I have. I do. That is probably why this book spoke to me. It is about a man who, once entering his 40s and having his beloved father die, wonders if something is missing from his life. He wants to have children but his wife is uncertain. At the same time, he wants to give back and to be the man that he saw his father as being, which was a good man and a kind one. He wonders who will remember him and honor him the way that he remembers and honors his father. To find out, he travels to several different places around the world, doing volunteer work for a few weeks at a time.

I enjoyed this book. I always enjoy reading about travel and travelogues are one of my favorite genres. This book did not disappoint. It got my interest with some of the stories from abroad and I found my head nodding to some of the descriptions of the countries, the locals, the feeling of helplessness when you can't communicate, as well as the satisfaction of communicating without words at times. I have done volunteer work abroad and loved it and so this book brought back fond memories for me.

The book was split up into 6 sections, which each described one of the author's trips. I felt that it was organized well and was easy to read. I would recommend this book to others. It makes me want to put on my boots and get on the road!

If you are interested, you can see what other members of the tour thought of the book HERE. You can contact the author here: Website | Facebook

I received a complimentary copy of this book from TLC Book Tours in return for an honest review. I was not compensated, nor was I required to write a positive review. 

Do you like to travel? Have you ever volunteered in a foreign country (or at all)? How was your overall experience?

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Book Review: Saving Ruth

Saving Ruth by Zoe Fishman


This book was about a young Jewish girl from the south who returns home to Alabama after going to college in Michigan for a year. She has changed, and not all for the good. She left home a bit overweight and developed an eating disorder while she was gone. When she returns home, she not only has to face that fact, but she also has to deal with other adult issues such as familial problems, racial issues and romantic endeavors. 


I remember being 19 and coming back home "all grown up" after being gone for a year. I didn't have the same issues that Ruth had, but this book still hit a place in my heart because like Ruth, at that age, you spend a lot of time trying to find yourself. She unfortunately goes down the wrong path and decides to starve herself in order to stay thin, and when she does, she discovers a new found popularity. Or perhaps she was not unpopular before, but only discovered a new found confidence. Didn't we all experience that one way or another? 


However, this confidence is unhealthy. To top things off, her brother David, who used to be the life of the party, and who is also home from college, spends his summer brooding and moping around. She feels like he is ignoring her and is upset about something but he won't talk to her about it; he just brushes her off.

They both deny having any problems until there is a big blowout with the whole family and they both have to finally face the truth. They are not alone, however.  It turns out they are not the only one with issues to deal with. I found this also quite realistic, as it seems like much of the time many of us tend to deal with (or point out) other people's issues before admitting or fixing our own.


I found this book a quick and easy read. I liked Ruth and her family. I found her believable and likeable and at times both immature and mature for her age. I really wanted her to succeed and I felt that she did, in her own way. I


If you want to read more reviews or see the rest of the tour dates for this book, you can do that here. You can also learn more about Zoe on her website, Facebook, and Twitter! Zoe will also be interviewed by Book Club Girl on the Book Club Girl On Air show on Tuesday, June 12th at 7pm ET.

Do you remember your first summer (or trip) back home after being gone for college? How did it turn out? Did you feel like an adult?  

I received this book from TLC Book Tours for free in return for an honest review. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions are my own. 

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Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay

Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay by Christopher Benfey is a book about an unforgettable voyage across the reaches of America and the depths of memory. Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay follows one incredible family to discover a unique craft tradition grounded in America¹s vast natural landscape. Looking back through the generations, renowned critic Christopher Benfey unearths an ancestry--and an aesthetic--that is quintessentially American (excerpt from Goodreads.)

This book is written in three sections. The first started off on an interesting note, talking about the author's grandfather and his background in brickmaking and pottery in North Carolina. He talks about finding the clay, forming the bricks, and firing the bricks. He has a love of brickwork, learned from his grandfather, that I found sweet.

The second section is about the Appalachians and the author's great aunt and uncle, who came over from Germany to start an art school in the foothills of the mountains. This section also had some stories of WWII and how the author's relatives, who were Jewish, fled to Mexico in order to get over to the USA during the war.

The third section is about the search for the perfect Cherokee clay in North Carolina, which is used  to make fine porcelain. The author schools the readers on the two types of clay, residual, which stays where it was formed, and sedentary, which moves with the rain and waterways. The Cherokee clay is residual and is hard to find outside of China. 

I found this book informative, but to be honest, I had a hard time getting through some of the sections. There was so much talk about clay and art and the author went back and forth between great-uncles and grandparents and parents, that I got a little overwhelmed. I liked the idea that he was trying to portray a journey and to compare and contrast, but I think it may have been more comprehensive to stick with a main theme, rather than doing the book in sections.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours in return for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Have you ever been to North Carolina? Are you interested in pottery, clay or art in general?

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Book Review: Tears on an Island - A History of Disasters in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Available in local Bahrain bookstores

Another local book that caught my eye; this 219 page book deals with Bahrain's history with regards to disasters. In this book, disasters are classified as :

1. Natural and Physical Disasters
2. Biological Disasters
3. Man-made Technological Disasters
4. Man-made Non-Technological Disasters
5. Environmental Disasters
6. Disasters due to Gathering

The book is written by a man who is not new to disasters, having been at the helm of the Medical Response Team to the recent ill-fated Gulf Air  in August 2000, he is Dr. Abdul Aziz Yousif Hamza ; Undersecretary of Health in the Ministry of Health, a former Chief of Medical Staff at the local Salmaniya hospital and is now a Professor at the College of Medicine at the Arabian Gulf University.


Here is my feedback:

Criticism:

• The book only deals with disasters in the 20th Century and onwards, with very little pertaining to previous centuries,
• The book lists several facts after the other, with very little link between them (akin to just jumping from one point to another),
• Bias is evident in the book, especially when pertaining to politics,
• Grammatical mistakes (a pet peeve of mine) are rampant throughout the book,
• Since the book is arranged by type of accidents, it is not arranged in chronological order of all the disasters,
• Some paragraphs are too brief and vague, they do not portray the message effectively.

 Positive:

• The book covers almost every single disaster that occurred in Bahrain in the 20th century and beyond (although not the same level of information is given),
• Excellent use of pictures of disasters, from the early 1920s till the 2000s, pictures from the 'Year of the Locusts' to the year when Bahrain went sub-zero !
• Most disasters are well-explained, with many paragraphs (an average of 2-3) explaining the disaster.
• The book reports on medical disasters, such as disease outbreaks like the typhoid fever outbreak of 1969,
• The book touches light on all types of disasters , from rainstorms to building fires (such as the Jashanmal building fire in Manama)
• An interesting insight is provided about Bahrain during wartime, such as the failed (in the sense of missing the target) bombardment by Italian planes in WW2 and the landing of a SCUD missile in Bahrain, fired by Iraq during the first Gulf War,
• The book starts off with an introduction into Bahrain's 20th century history , (surprisingly) featuring the local regional politics,
• A key to how the disasters are classified is also present.

 What I particularly like is the huge amount of photos used (especially old photos, one would think they'd be lost !) to help explain disasters from the 2000s blackout to the Seistan ship disaster of 1958.

Overall, this book is not at all perfect but it is the closest thing to it. To an old Bahraini who lived through it all, this would be a pleasant stroll through memory lane. To others, this would open their eyes to what Bahrain has been through, from the Dana Dhow disaster of 2006 to the BAPCO (Bahrain Petroleum Company) Oil Refinery Fire in 1983.

If you got some money saved and don't know what to spend it on, why not on this ? It costs around 15 dinars, the last time I checked (a few months so go so the price might've gone down!).

This should be mandatory in all Bahrain history classes (I'm not in any place to say this but I can dream!). A must-have for Bahrain history enthusiasts.

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Book Review: Martin Luther King - The Peaceful Warrior

I had initially read this book simply because my knowledge on the Civil Rights era has been largely minimal, but with this read, I have been somewhat inspired. What was ironic was that I got this book (unknowingly) on the same day as Black History Month !
So if you're one to celebrate this month, why not pick this book ? (Specially written for newbies!)

Published in 1968, a good book for beginners

Have you ever been curious about who Martin Luther King was but you were too frightened to read the extensive Wikipedia article ? Well, rest assured, this biography has been written for the most novice of novices!

This book is great for teens and young adults; it is around 100 pages (containing a transcript of the famous "I have a Dream" speech !) and the book is generally written for a complete novice (if you're a history buff and you know MLK properly already, then this isn't a book for you. But its a good book to give to kids  ). The book does not expect you to know anything beforehand (other than the discrimination that existed at the time).

The book starts with details of MLK's father's childhood and life and slowly transits to MLK. It is relatively simple to read it (you won't get lost in it) and the illustrations help brighten up the mood. It gives details (though not very deep) of MLK's childhood and education, from his time in "Negro neighborhoods" to being the valedictorian in his graduation class at college, and of his time as a pastor in Alabama during the Bus Boycott. Perhaps the most touching part was the description of his assassination. It shouldn't be a surprise that the book praises MLK countless times.

Overall, a good book for the classic newbie (or anyone wanting to know a basic knowledge of him), not so much for history buffs (but give it to a kid !) I recommend it for 12+

Rating: 3/5

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Must-Read Book for Bahrain History enthusiasts

I've spent the past week reading this book about the history of Manama.

Available in local Bahraini bookstores

Written by Abdul Karim al Orrayed , who is a lifelong artist and historian (born in the 1930s!), he also received the Shaikh Isa Medal for his contributions in art in 2007.

The book was originally written in Arabic and was translated by Loona al Orrayed (the author's daughter). The book is 358 pages long , so mind you, it is a good long read.

To make it easier to explain the book, I'll list the positives and negatives of the book.

Positive:

• The book talks about Manama history and it is, according to the author, written via numerous accounts from eye-witnesses and people who lived through those times
• The book is well sourced (although the references are written in Arabic)
• The book generally explains Bahraini customs in a satisfactory method (and often detailed).
• The book has 6 Chapters dealing with Manama history, detailing each and every village that used to exist in the present location of Manama , often with vivid descriptions.
• A whole chapter is dedicated to the oldest known continuously inhabited village of Bahrain, Bilad al Qadeem, with numerous units explaining the society, cultural and education aspect of the community.
• The book provides accounts of foreigners' accounts of Bahrain, from visitors in the 19th century to those of Charles Belgrave in the early 30s and 60s.
• The book takes a particular interest in highlighting the intellectual climate that existed in Manama, both in the 11th century and in the 20th century.
• The book details and outlines carefully how Bahrain had modernized during the 20th century, and provides an excellent case-study about the American Missionary Hospital's role in pioneering healthcare in the country.
• The book contains a chapter devoted to explaining the history of Islam in Bahrain and also highlighting the different religions present in Manama, each having a description of their own.
• Religious buildings, events are clearly marked in the book, and perhaps most interestingly is that the book highlights the lives of minority religious groups such as the Jews in Bahrain.
• And most interestingly, an index of families of Bahrain is provided.
• Colourful pictures and illustrations are present!

Criticism:

• False information is written in the book, with the idea that Phoenicians had lived in Bahrain in 2600 BC, when they had not existed until centuries later.
• The book often becomes too detailed and easy to get lost in.
• The 'table of contents' is on the right side of the book , instead of the traditional left side (not much of a problem but unorthodox).
• Grammatical mistakes are present in some chapters.
• The book does not highlight the Persian community in Bahrain, aside from mere mentions.
• Certain family names are not present in the family index.
• Book does not state when Arabic transliterations occur, therefore making it difficult to understand the word in Arabic (for example, Um Ehmar is written in the book , when it is pronounced Um E7mar)
• Though the book is greatly detailed, not everything is present.

All in all, I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in Bahraini history, but mind you, I do not guarantee its accuracy (see the Phoenician example). Though, the author deserves praise. The book has obviously taken a very long time to write, to the very detail, and especially deserves to be commended for providing pictures and illustrations into the book (thus preventing it from becoming too boring!). It records Manama's history, from a time of villages, swamps and springs to becoming a cosmopolitan metropolis


The book does something that has never been done before, and that is to contain the history of a country (or capital) that is smaller than the City of London!

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A Touch of America

A Touch of America: Memoirs of an Austrian Fulbright Scholarby Wilma Shine

Set in America after World War II, this book details an Austrian woman’s adventures when she journeys to the United States as a Fulbright scholar. She starts in Arizona, where she meets up with her beau and has adventures in Mexico, Tombstone and the Grand Canyon. She then travels around several States, including New York, Pennsylvania and California. 

I was interested in reading this book because I was excited to see what America looks like from a foreigner’s eyes. However, it is more of a journal style play by play of where she went and what she did. It is not really spiced up as much as it could be. I feel like she went to many interesting places that could have been described in a bit more detail and with more pizazz. I don’t mean to say that she needed to needlessly embellish something that was nothing special, but I do think that more description was needed.  I would have liked to hear more about her impressions of where she went, and what it looked like for the first time. 

I also felt like the man that she came to visit in the beginning kind of disappeared all of a sudden. At first, I thought the book would have more of a tale of what happened to them, but she kind of stops talking about him and never really picks it back up. Also, the book was kind of hastily wrapped up, without a lead in to the conclusion. 

I was very interested in her tales of what it was like to be a Fulbright scholar, as far as what she had to do. She had to do a lot of public speaking, where she explained what life was like in Austria, to both children and adults. She also talked a lot about the relationships she formed, especially with the Native Americans, while she was traveling. I would have liked to hear more about her adventures as a representative of her country. 

I don’t want you to get the idea that I think this book was bad. I just feel that it could have been more descriptive. I give it a 3 out of 4. 

I received a complimentary copy of A Touch of America: Memoirs of an Austrian Fulbright Scholar as a member of the  Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team.Visit dorrancebookstore.comto learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.

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Olga, A Daughter's Tale

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Olga, A Daughter's Tale by Marie-Therese Browne

This is a story of both England and Jamaica, the people and cultures of both countries and the racism that existed there during the early 1900s. Olga, the daughter of a White English woman and a Black Jamaican man, goes to London to study dance and ends up living in London as a colored single woman during WWII. She has some hardships due to her race and her social status but gets through them in the end.

I liked this book. It is written in journal entry form, both from the viewpoint of Olga, who is the main character, as well as her mother, Becky and her Aunt Lucy. It also has a few newspaper articles and letters from others thrown in. It flows easily and I did keep turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

It talks about the prejudices of color in Jamaica, even between blacks and coloreds, who were the lighter skinned blacks. It speaks of obeha, or voodoo, and how it was outlawed in Jamaica for a long time. It talks about the war and some of the stresses there were being in London at the time.

This book was thought provoking. I always like hearing a story in a voice that I can understand. Olga’s voice was just right.

I give this book at 4 out of 5.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the LibraryThing Members Giveaway in return for a review. All opinions in this post are my own. I am not entitled to give a favorable review.

Have you read any good books lately?  Have you ever been to Jamaica?

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Book Review: Thalo Blue

The Author says: "I began writing my novel, THALO BLUE, after two seemingly random events in my life intersected: the attempted but unsuccessful break-in at my home one black winter night, and having my wisdom teeth surgically removed then nearly bleeding out on my bathroom floor while under the spell of heavy painkillers. Once recovered from both sets of circumstance, I wrote the first draft of the story over a fevered three month winter stretch."

I won this book at a giveaway at Reading, Writing and the World of Words. Thanks Genna! 

At first I had a really hard time getting into this book. It starts off with the main character getting attacked and the narrative goes from one person’s mind to the other. For the first couple of chapters it is like this, but with additional characters still, and frankly, I was a bit confused.

Then it starts to level out. It still switches back and forth, but it does it slower, and you have more time to process each section. After this happened, I started to like the book. The main character is an unhappy artist who has been bossed around by his father and is kind of still trying to find his place in the world. His mother left when he was young and he has issues with women and life in general.

Then this attacker comes into his life and everything changes. I will not tell you what happens, but the author has made it an interesting read, especially when he ends it. You do close the book (or turn off the Kindle) with a feeling of closure, which I find important.

The only thing I didn’t know was that it is a fantasy book to a certain degree. Not fantasy like dragons and elves, but Stephen King fantasy-like. I won’t tell you any more than that. I also had no idea that “thalo blue” is a type of blue. See, you do learn something new every day!

I give this book a 3 out of 5. 

If you haven't already voted, vote for me (#35) HERE for Best in Travel at FTLOB! 

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Beyond All Measure

Beyond All Measures by Dorothy Love

Paperback: 320 Pages
ISBN-10: 1595549005

Just after the civil war, Bostonian Ada Wentworth goes to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee to take a job as a lady's maid.  Not only does she encounter a different life that she was used to financially, but she also encounters some of the prejudices of a post civil war era. Attempting to eventually start her own business, she runs into problems due to her gender and her background, as well as also running into love. But, will her love prevail, or will her past come back to bite her? You will have to read to find out.

This book was a very quick read, as many romance novels are. I won't spoil anything for future readers, but it pretty much follows the same plot as several other romance novels I have read. However, the author does bring history into it as well and it was definitely interesting to think about how hard it would be to live in such a tumultuous time, especially if you are a woman in a man's world, a northerner in a southerner's world, or a white among recently freed blacks, in a place where prejudices still run rampant.

I haven't read a romance novel in a long time, and the reason is they are usually too much silly romance and not enough hard evidence or a believable story. However, this one did keep my attention and I finished it in about a day and a half. The characters are likable, the setting is interesting and the story does keep you turning pages. I would recommend this book to anyone is into a bit of fluff interspersed with history. The author could have made it more Historical and less Romance but if you like it better the other way around, it may be just the thing for you. However, I would give it a 3 out of 5 for that reason alone.

You can find more information about this book HERE. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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My Korean Deli

My Korean Deli by Ben Ryder Howe

This is the story of a self proclaimed "tight bummed Puritain" from Boston who is married to a Korean woman. They live with her parents in Staten Island (in the basement). Their grand plan is to pay her parents back for their generosity by buying them a deli in Brooklyn and helping them run it.

There are all sorts of problems. The wife's family immigrated to the US from Korea and they still have some "old country" values that clash with Ben's Puritain ways. He ends up slacking on his real job in order to take care of the deli. He meets some suspicious characters in his days of working in the deli.

I liked this book. I liked it because the author doesn't lie about the fact that he has troubles with this. He and his wife have troubles with their relationship as well as the relationship with her parents. It is not easy. He doesn't try to hard to make it a funny book or a witty one. He just tells the story like it is.

In fact, sometimes I almost wished he would be a little more reactive. He seems so blase about some of the things that happen. As if he is a journalist reporting the story, and not someone who it actually happened to. For example, in the store, which they take over from a previous owner, there are several "regulars" who come in every night and drink beer in the store and just hang out getting drunk. Ben does not express very much fear or worry. He just seems to go with the flow, whereas I would be a bit stressed. Maybe he is but just doesn't portray it in the book.

It was also interesting to learn about some of the Korean traditions, which I had never heard of. Some of them are strange, but intruiging. I also love the description of the hard assed, hard working, take no nonsense, immigrant Mother-in-Law. She would be a great person to have on your side but a horrible one to have against you. I could totally see myself butting heads with her.

The wife is also interesting. A child of immigrant parents, she is torn between the Korean and American ways and values. It would be hard, I assume, to have to deal with her American husband and her Korean mother. She is often put in the middle, but luckily she is a strong character and comes out of everything just fine.

This book was a quick read and I enjoyed it very much. I had no problems turning the pages on this one.

I give it a 4 out of 5.

NOTE: I recieved this book for free from LibraryThing in return for a fair and honest review. The opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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Yes, It's A Review

This weekend I am heading to the Bay Area for (hopefully) Snack-a-palooza TAKE II. (You can see Snackapalooza I here) I am very excited. More to come on that later. Happy Memorial Day to all!

But now, I give you...a book review.

Tarantula Woman by Donald O'Donovan

This is a story about an American man living in Juarez, Mexico. He has a job translating and writing letters in English for his clients in Juarez, who are mainly whores. Aside from them being his clients, he is also frequently theirs.

It seems the author does have a personal experience with Juarez, or at least Mexico. He details the city and the characters well. However, other than that, he does not really seem to have a very intriguing story line. The book goes on and on about the main characters exploits with different whores. Other than that, the main character never seems to have any money, but always seems to have plenty of drink and women.

I did find it fascinating to imagine this life that I have no idea about, this life in Juarez, one of the more dangerous cities, and it’s seduction to Americans who can easily go over the border and enjoy what it has to offer. The author makes Juarez seem like a fun and exciting place to be, whereas I always pictured it as a mixture of gangs, violence and drugs.

I was also interested when he spoke a little about the Mexicans trying to marry an American in order to get a green card. In one passage a girl he liked at the time wanted to marry him but he wasn’t ready so she tried to sneak over the border through a culvert. It rained really hard and she and several others got washed from the culvert and caught by the authorities. Again, the struggle intrigues me. I like to be able to feel what others feel and by reading this section of the book, I had an idea of how hard it must be.

I think this author is trying too hard to be a modern day Hemingway. Just like Hemingway, the focus of the book is on booze and women. The only thing he is missing is fishing or bullfighting or some other manly sport. However, as fun as booze and women can seem, I think it is missing an actual story.  You can’t have an entire plot based on getting drunk and getting laid.

In conclusion, I would have to give this book 2 out of 5 stars. Although the characters had the potential to be very interesting and several of the scenes were eye-opening to me, it did not have a very developed story line.

Note: I received this book free from LibraryThing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.  

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Review: Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Published: 1811
Number of Pages: 409
ISBN: 9780141439662
First Line: "The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex."

See the Goodreads description HERE.

This is a story about a family, of a mother and three daughters, as well as their extended family of cousins, step brothers and sisters-in-law and their current love interests. There is selfishness and greed; there are parties and laughter; there is music and books and love; there is heartbreak and deceit. It seems a formula for success.

The eldest daughter, Elinor, is the only rational one. Her next sister, Marianne, is a silly, selfish flighty girl who cares nothing of anyone else’s problems and wants everyone to focus on her own. The third sister barely gets mentioned, as she is not old enough to fall madly in love with the wrong guy and then make a scene about it when he doesn’t love her back.

The brother and sister-in-law are greedy and care only about money, even though they have plenty and don’t share it with the rest of the family. The cousins are only focused on parties and gaiety and fun.

My impression of this book was that they spend the whole time having parties and looking for a husband. They fall in love with men who are unfaithful and they act quite silly about it upon realizing the man doesn‘t love them. The men are all fickle and quite rude about it, pretty much ignoring the girls once they have had enough of them and never communicating with anyone.  I almost didn’t like them until I recollected that this book was written roughly 200 years ago and times WERE different then. However, I find it hard to relate and also to distance these girls from our modern times. If they were here right now, they would be completely out of place. I would tell them to shut up or to stand up for themselves for God’s sakes!

This is an era where men and women still marry for money and class. An era where your mother can arrange your marriage to a “suitable” beau. An era where the women didn’t work and then men were landlords as an occupation. It is an era that I do like to read about and would like to understand, but that I have a hard time relating to. Maybe it’s Austen’s style of writing. Maybe it’s just the era.

However, for such an old book, it is sometimes amazing how much things really haven’t changed. I think this quote still holds true today.  “Shyness is only the effect of a sense of inferiority in some way or other. If I could persuade myself that my manners were perfectly easy and graceful, I should not be shy”.

This one just cracks me up. “Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition”.  So she didn’t argue with him. She was snubbing him by not giving him the satisfaction of an argument. I love it. What an insult!

But the best quote is this one at the end, which redeems Marianne. She finally turns around and realizes that she is not the only person in the world and the learns to respect and care about other people. She realizes that the man she loved when young was worthless and the one who has stood by and loved her for years is priceless.

“Marianne Dashwood was born to an extraordinary fate. She was born to discover the falsehood of her own opinions, and to counteract, by her conduct, her most favourite maxims. She was born to overcome an affection formed so late in life as at seventeen, and with no sentiment superior to strong esteem and lively friendship, voluntarily to give her hand to another!”

I cannot say I really liked this book as much as I thought I would. From hearing what other people have said, I thought it would be absolutely great. It was just okay. I have found that there are several classics that I feel about this way. Maybe the hype is just too much. My expectations are too high. Or maybe I am just not into this style of book. I will keep trying however.

I give it a 3 out of 5. I liked this book but I did not love it.

PS. I have not seen the movie, but saw the cover of the book. Does Hugh Grant play Willoughby? I hope he's not Brandon. He's definitely more of a rouge. Also, if Kate Winslet is Marrianne, I am not sure I agree with that one either. I guess I will have to watch it.

Have you read Sense and Sensibility? Do you want to be part of the discussion? Please join us over at KT's Refinishing School for a link up and discussion of this book. While there, you can also vote for our April BBC book club read.

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