"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."
                                                                         ---Henry Adams

It is that time of year when I like to recognize the educators who give of themselves without any expectations in return.  I spent most of my working days in school and met some of the most caring and giving people who made a difference in so many lives.  People are amazed when they read about teacher/hero Victoria Soto who died protecting her students in Sandy Hook several years ago.  It didn't surprise me at all, because most of the teachers that I  had the honor of working with through the years would have done the same thing.  They wouldn't have done it because they thought it out and decided it was the thing to do, but they would have followed the very instinct that keeps them in the classroom.  The knowledge that children need more from them then a lesson in English or mathematics is what helps push them through when politicians use them as the "fall guy."  No teacher is there for the accolades, and few are ever really properly appreciated.

I went through my high school yearbook today and tried to remember my teachers.  I remembered a few but am sorry to say I never properly thanked them.  Most, if not all, are most certainly gone by now, and I regret not telling them how they changed my life. I am lucky enough to live in the time of Facebook and have heard from several of my thoughtful, wonderful former students.  They will never know how much their kind words have meant to me, but I do try to thank them every year for their words...and the  difference that knowing them has made in my life.  

The books I read/reviewed this week were both entertaining and thought provoking. Kilimanjaro Diaries: Or, How  I Spent a Week Dreaming of Toilets, Drinking Crappy Water, and Making Bad Jokes While Having the Time of My Life by Eva Melusine Thieme was a great memoir written by a woman who followed her dream.  I couldn't have done what she did, but I truly enjoyed going along with her from my sofa.  It is a funny and informative book that made me think about my bucket list.

Flash by Tim Tigner was one of those books I couldn't put down.  Loss of memory is upsetting enough for most people, but imagine having the ability to rob people of years of their memories, and choosing to do it for profit.  Think about the ways our world would change if key people were to suddenly forget the last year or two...or six. 
Definitely a book that kept me up at night as I tried to read "just one more chapter."

Happy holidays to everyone.  I hope you enjoy whichever holiday that you celebrate, and make sure that you tell the special people in your life that they are special. 
As always, complete reviews follow this blog.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

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Genre: Non Fiction/Memoire

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Self proclaimed couch potato Eva Melusine Thieme fantasized hiking up Mt. Kilimanjaro during her several years living in South Africa.    Unlike many of us, she decides to make her fantasy a reality.  Since I am not brave enough to undertake as notoriously dangerous a trip as this, I appreciate her willingness and ability to take us along.  

I love adventure stories sprinkled with historical facts, and the humor in this one is a giant plus.  When I was eleven I convinced my parents to let me go to a Girl Scout sleep away camp.  I was able to deal with the tents, the spiders in my bunk and even the lack of any substantial meals, but going to the bathroom in a communal ditch sent me running home.  Reading Eva's bathroom experiences, and her way of dealing with the problems brought back some long hidden memories of those days.  

Her references to previous climbers and their adventures makes me want to read other books on this subject, although I am not sure I will find too many authors with the ability to make the trip come quite so alive for me.  I found myself "feeling her pain" and laughing through her mishaps.  Her teenage son accompanied her, and I can only imagine what a wonderful sharing experience that was for them.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did and definitely recommend it for those planning a trip to Kilimanjaro and those who want to share the adventure from the comfort of their couch.

- Beverly


Publisher - CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Date of Publication - March 26, 2014​

Genre: Thriller

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Sometimes the idea behind a book just grabs you and doesn't let go.  That happened to me when I read a blurb describing Flash.  Sebastion Troy wakes up in the trunk of a car, covered in the blood of the dead policeman next to him.  Emerald Green (Emmy) wakes up in the front seat of the same car with blood on her and the gun she is holding.  If that isn't enticing enough, both of them realize that they are six years older than they remember being. Military doctor Troy, and grifter Emmy, need to find out what they are doing in Grand Cayman, and who or what caused them to lose all memories of the same periods of their respective lives.

I found these two characters interesting, and they captivated me from the start.  I do take into consideration that all "thriller" books begin with people in impossible situations who are miraculously able to save themselves and solve all mysteries.  That premise takes a great deal of suspension of belief to really enjoy, and I look for plots that are somewhat new to me.  This one fit that requirement, and I found myself being drawn back each time I left it. 

The characters are nicely developed and the descriptions are complete without being monotonous.  The author knows how to keep the suspense going and then treats us with bits of humanity.  There is a bit of romance and a great deal of mystery.  There are strange tattoos and naked escapes. Bad guys are interesting...lawyers, politicians...and reading about their plans and use of a memory drug did cause my heart to speed up in parts.

I chose to write this review before I got to the end (though I am close) because I didn't want to be swayed by it.  This is really a fun book, and I highly recommend it.  When a conclusion disappoints me, I tend to dump the book.  This one deserves a review, so here it is.  If the end is a bummer, I will note that in my blog.

-Beverly


Publisher - Vontiv Publishing
date of Publication - September 8, 2013

​"It's not good enough for us to have generations of kids that...look forward to a better version of a cell phone with a video in it. They need to look forward to exploration.                                                                               ---Burt Rutan (aerospace engineer)

When our kids were growing up, our family used to love dressing up and going out to dinner.  We laughed a lot, explored all kinds of new food, and Mike and Beth always felt grown up.  Mostly though, we talked.  They shared their school adventures and listened to memories of our childhood.  We planned vacations and discussed Mike's latest idea for a crazy invention.  It was the best of times.

Arthur and I went out to dinner several nights ago and sat next to a family of four.  The mother was texting someone, the father was "checking the score," and both kids were watching their choice of movies on their iPads.  The server had to clear his throat twice to even get their attention when taking their orders. I flashed back twenty some years and pictured the excitement in my children's eyes as Arthur relayed an adventure from history or science, that so enthralled them.  I never saw the eyes of the two at the nearby table, because they never left their screens.

Life is definitely better in so many ways with the advent of all of our fine technology, but we have also lost something.  There is a lack of oral  communication now that is a bit frightening.  I saw it every day in the classroom.  Students often seemed smarter because all of the answers were literally at their finger tips, but they lost the adventure that goes with a physical search for information.  For goodness sake, science classes now watch labs on computers rather than having hands-on experiences.

Teens meet friends (and predators) on line, find mates (and more predators ) on line and even have sex on line.  Aghhhh.  This can't be good.  We know that their hours on line playing "shoot 'em up" games can have dangerous repercussions, and the wholesale distribution of various school assignments for a "reasonable" price allows the kids that much more time to play these games.  

Technology, as all things, needs to be used in moderation.  Parents need to supervise time spent on these devices, and everyone needs to leave technology at home when spending quality time together.  If we don't follow those rules, I fear that our younger generations will never heed Burt Rutan's advice and "...look forward to exploration." Instead, we will have generations of experts in the ability to look up information, but there will be very few actually providing the world with much needed new discoveries.

Aziz Ansari's new book, Modern Romance, takes an interesting look at romance in this high-tech age.  After much research he discovered that "meeting on line" is as common today as marrying "the boy next door" (or within five blocks of your home) was in years gone by.  He puts a comedian's spin on this book of today and definitely makes the reader think. 

On the other hand, 3:17 am ( the Lassie Files: book 2) by Nick Pirog requires no thinking at all.  It is another silly romp with Henry Bins and his communicating animals, and I couldn't resist reading about their adventures.  I reviewed book 1 several weeks ago, and when this popped up I just continued feeding my addiction.  The books have little substance and no information, but they are captivating in an animal-loving way.  I promise...no more for a while.

As always, complete reviews follow this blog.

Happy reading, 

Beverly

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Genre: Fiction/Humor

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No, I did not review this very same book last month.  I reviewed 3:06 am, and being a Pirog fan (or more accurately, a Henry Bins fan) I felt compelled to read the second in this insane series this week.  Poor Henry is living with  a sleep disorder (known as Henry Bins disease) that finds him sleeping 23 hours each day. In fact, his only awake time is 3:00-4:00 A. M., which would make a normal life seemingly impossible.  The miracle of fiction, however, allows us to believe that an hour goes on forever. The fact that he has believable relationships with his father, soon to be live-in girlfriend, Ingrid, and the President might be odd enough, but watching him communicate with Lassie (cat), Murdock (dog) and a pair of gerbils really takes suspension of belief to a new level.

In this short novel, somehow gerbil Billy is in need of rescue, and Murdock, Lassie and gerbil  Rasmussen convince Henry to assist in rescuing him.  Henry convinces his ever ready dad to help, and the fun begins.  

These books are nothing short of ridiculous, with weak plots and bizarre people-animal communication, yet they are addicting.  Pirog gives us a few hours of laughter as we follow the antics of his motley crew, and that is always good.  Not best seller material, but definitely better than a  Xanax to reach for when you need to relax.

- Beverly


​Publisher -Nickthriller
date of Publication - October 24, 2015

Genre: Non-Fiction/Humor

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I assume that many years ago, some young cave woman spent days and days wondering why some cave boy didn't smile at her on his way to hunt for dinner. Anxiety over romantic relationships is part of the human condition. Comedian Ansari and sociologist Klinenberg found an entertaining way to capitalize on it.  Good for them. This book is funny in a relatable way to today's young people and the older generations trying to understand them.

Too many mothers are wringing their hands in anguish while worrying about their daughters'/sons' lack of spouses.  There is a generational disconnect that this book might clear up.  The generations that met their future soul mates around their corners can't conceive of falling in love before ever meeting. In 1932 a socializing study from University of Pennsylvania looked through 5000 marriage licenses. One third of the people who married had lived within five blocks of each other when they met.  Today, a similar number first "met" on line, some living a country apart.

Ansari begins the book with an introduction that explains an experience he had that caused him to question today's dating and communication habits.  Waiting for a woman to answer an invitation for a date that he sent via text was driving him crazy.  He wanted to know more about the days before electronic communication, and so this book began.  They interviewed focus groups and shared interesting findings sprinkled with humorous interpretations.

If you are looking for a typical comedian's book of funny memoirs, this is probably not the book for you, but if you want to think a bit while laughing, buy Ansari's book.  This is a great holiday gift for parent or young man/woman who is having trouble communicating with a parent.  

- Beverly


Publisher - Penguin Press
Date of Publication - June 16, 2015

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will be as one."   ---John Lennon


My mind works on facts.  Things need to make sense to me in order for me to accept these facts. 

I am a rule follower!  A fellow teacher once gave me a page out of her Wild Words From Wild Women calendar that featured a quote from artist Jenny Holzer,  "You are a victim of the rules you live by." She was angry at me that day, because I insisted on "signing out" of school when going out for a quick lunch.  "They don't need to know everything you do," she yelled.  "It's the rule," I replied indignantly.  She huffed off,  grabbed her calendar and ripped out Ms Holzer's quote. 

My friend was correct! I did...do...follow too many rules.  I have kept that quote taped somewhere on every desk I have used during the past twelve years.  I want to break the rules, but my personality makes that difficult.

Mostly, however, I am a dreamer.  I used to frustrate Arthur and my friends with my "Pollyanna" ideas, but I really do believe that most men and women are good by nature, and we can work together to make this world the best of places.  That belief helped me see the good in all of my students, and it helped me make them see it too. 

It helps me believe that even someone with ideas totally opposite to mine has a good reason for those beliefs, and I should respect the person, if not the belief. A caveat to that would be anyone who does not believe that ALL men (women and children) were created equally and should be treated as such.

I adored John Lennon because he was a dreamer.  His poetry, his music and his beliefs proved that about him throughout his life. His dreams were cut short thirty-five years ago on December 8, 1980 by Mark David Chapman, but he left a legacy of dreams for the generations that followed.

Mark David Chapman left his mark on me too.  After he shot the famous Beatle a number of times, he sat there reading J. D. Salinger's coming of age novel, Catcher in the Rye. He said that Salinger's novel, the one I had re-read enough times that it needed replacing, was his statement.  How could he have found something in that novel that caused him to break the hearts of so many people?  What was I missing?

That was when I came to the realization that we all get different things out of our readings, because we all bring different things to the experience.  I might recommend a book to you as wonderful, and you might not like it at all.  We reviewers (book, travel, food, electronics, etc) are only giving you our opinion, born of our taste.  The rest is up to you.
Speaking of books that I enjoy, Robert B. Lowe's book, Divine Fury, tells the story of a newspaper reporter who uncovers political sabotage. The author takes many of today's headlines and weaves a story that is perfect for today's political climate.

P. J. O'Roarke's book, Holidays in Heck, gives us another reporter's perspective.  This book of essays is filled with O'Roarke's blend of cynical humor and interesting facts. Although it is shaded with his republican leanings, he does a pretty good job of telling an even-handed story.  The book will introduce you to his family, and best of all it will make you smile.

As always, full reviews on both books follow this blog.

Happy reading,

​- Beverly

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Genre: Non-Fiction

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Generally, P. J. O'Rourke and I do not see eye to eye.  He is a bit more conservative than I am on most issues, and he is a very opinionated man.  He is also a very funny man, and I respect his way of making us laugh without harshly shoving his beliefs down the throat of his readers.  He is clever, sarcastic and very knowledgeable.  His research is obvious, and through the years I have learned from him.

Holidays in Heck takes us on several trips with him, many with his family, and it was a pleasant ride. Years before he had written a book titled Holidays in Hell that gave the reader an insight into his war correspondent days.  During the Iraq war he and his boss, Mike Kelly, reported from the Mid East.  P. J. traveled around looking for the stories behind the horror until his boss was killed in Baghdad during an assault on the airport.  Suddenly writing about pleasurable travels seemed much more appealing. You would think that O'Rourke's cynical view on things might hamper his writing about "fun time with the family," but somehow it works.

He shares a bit of historical knowledge and a bit of republican humor.  He explains how the son of a republican friend of his was asked by his pre-school teacher to name the four seasons.  The child proudly answered "dove, ducks, deer and quail."  Ouch!
He does make me laugh though, and he describes some places I have never been to and will probably never see.

The book is a good holiday gift for anyone with a sense of humor with a little bit of politics sprinkled in...probably not enough to really offend anyone.

- Beverly


Publisher - Atlantic Monthly Press
Date of Publication - November 1, 2011

Genre: Thriller

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Lowe's thriller is a timely one, introducing plots and sub plots that we find in the news each week.  Andrew Harper is a gay man running for governor of California.  The Soldiers of Christ Ministry is a group determined to stop him.  Newspaperman Enzo Lee is a character who keeps this story together, when he is assigned to cover a murder and ends up uncovering political sabotage and a campaign of computer spying.

Enzo is a multi-faceted protagonist and the author does a good job helping the reader build a relationship with Lee.  He is both serious and funny, and he is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, even though this isn't his usual type of assignment. The author humanizes Enzo when discussing his love of food and his relationships, and I enjoyed the way he made San Francisco come alive.

Even the most heinous characters (I.e. Steve Walberg...x-military and first character we learn to hate) has back-stories that make them a bit more human too. Sometimes I found the characters a bit stereotypical, but ultimately I was able to move past that and enjoy their contributions to a well developed story.

Although there was nothing particularly new in the plot, Robert Lowe did a good job with the storyline, and I will certainly go back and find the first book in this series. 

- Beverly


​Publisher - Amazon Digital Services
Date of Publication - November 17, 2013

"Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors. For the Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our liberty."
                                        --- John F. Kennedy

The older I get, the more I believe that we can't let others dictate our choices in life.  I recently overheard two women speaking disparagingly about an author that I look forward to reading.  They felt that his writing "verges on pornographic" while I find it well within my standards of good writing.  There are, in fact, virtually no sex scenes in his books, and I realized that it was his liberal use of four letter words that offends them.  It is his right to use as many of these words as he pleases, just as it is within their rights to pass up reading his books.  That is what makes America great.

J.F.K.  realized the importance of individual rights in the 1960's and did his best to give every person the ability to live by his/her own standards.  As the years marched on, our politicians continued to fight for those individual rights.  The Civil Rights Act that Lyndon Johnson pushed through was groundbreaking, and outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.  During his inaugural speech, Jimmy Carter said..."Our commitment of human rights must be absolute, our laws fair, our natural beauty preserved; the powerful must not persecute the weak, and human dignity must be enhanced.

George H. W. Bush signed the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 into law. Because of his global initiative, Bill Clinton received the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights. Concerned with misuse of personal information, George W. Bush  signed into law the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.  President Obama's work on furthering LGBT rights has pushed us to an even better understanding of the constitutional rights promised to "every man, woman and child."

Hopefully our politicians will continue to work towards freedom for everyone, and not allow personal interest groups to take away our choices to better fit their needs.  I respect your right not to read certain books, watch certain movies and appreciate certain artistic renderings, and I sincerely hope that you will respect my rights to read, watch and appreciate them all!

Speaking of losing rights, Adolph Hitler was a poster child for those who believe that a select few should rule the world and make the choices.  In The Hitler Deception, Allan Leverone postulates a world where perhaps Hitler did not die.  Instead, he went into hiding until the time becomes ripe to reemerge as a figurehead for the party he so loved.  Possibility?  Insanity? Either way, it is an interesting read.

Chloe Kendrick's book, Murder to Go, is a fun read about a young woman who inherits a food truck and all the problems that go with it.  Throw in a murdered competitor (come on, there has to be a murdered competitor ) and enjoy a good read.

As always, complete reviews of these books follow this blog.

Happy reading,
- Beverly

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