Title: Half Broke Horses
Reviewed By: Doug Moore
Author: Jeannette Walls
Published: 2009
Review On: 1-13-2011
Review:
By every account I should not have enjoyed this book. Of all the things I like reading about (or so I thought) this book was surely lacking. When I read the summary from the back cover, I was assured that this read was perfect for my wife (who was indeed enjoying it at the time) but not for me. She is a horse owner and aficionado, and since I am not, I thought that was that. The title tells all, right?. What is it they say about judging a book by its cover?
But then I flipped to a random page one Saturday afternoon while at looking for something to read during lunch. 20 minutes later, I was still reading, my lunch done. The story of a woman growing up in the 1920's on ranches in West Texas, New Mexico and Arizona surely can't be that exciting. Yet written in first-person narrative, her words somehow capture you and bring you front and center in to the chaos, adventure, and beauty that ranching during those times offers. Add to that the spunk of this young woman - and her "no BS" attitude - you begin to appreciate her personality rather quickly.
The story is about a real life woman named Lilly Casey Smith. The author, Jeannette Walls - is her granddaughter. And to add to the back-story for a moment, Jeanette started out with the idea to to write about her Mother, Rosemary. But Rosemary insisted that the real story is with Jeannette's grandmother Lilly. So in doing the research she indeed found out that grandma Lilly was quite a character. So much so, that she focused on her Grandma with her mother as a secondary character.
So - who is Lilly Casey Smith? She grew up in very hard times on a very small farm with her parents, 1 brother and 1 sister. By age 6 she was breaking wild horses rounded up from the ranch - and as she grew older developed a sense of practicality and resourcefulness that worked to her favor. She found that she had a knack for teaching and was hired to teach in a very small 1 room school house when she was 20.
Dad was very smart, but hated what the future was bringing to the farms. "Mechanization" it was called, and he wanted nothing to do with it. Lilly looked at the future as a wave that cannot be escaped, and embraced it fully. She chased the future, and although that included working in Chicago for a while, she eventually came back to ranching but bringing to it some new ideas and a teaching degree as well. Lilly had a wicked sense of practicality. Her adventures along the way included learning to fly (airplanes were fairly new back then) surviving tornadoes, floods, raising her out-of-control daughter, and much more. The fact that the story is based on a real life character brings it more appeal for sure.
This is a relatively short book, and if you give it a try, you'll probably enjoy it -as I did.
Title: A Place of My Own
Reviewed By: Doug Moore
Author: Michael Pollan
Published: 1997
Review On: 4-26-2010
Review:
Michael Pollan is best known for his expertise on the ills of the American food industry and the books he’s written on this subject. You’ve probably heard of (or even read) “The Omnivores Dilemma” or “In Defense of Food”. “Food Rules: An Eaters Manual” is his latest book. In “A Place of My Own”, Pollan takes us on a ‘non-food’ related journey while building his own writing cabin behind his home in the woods of New England. (Pictures here: http://michaelpollan.com/writing_house.php ) Since I’m a “Do It Yourself” fan, I read with empathy Pollan’s trials and tribulations while moving through the process of picking a site, approving the design, sourcing the materials, and most of all - building the cabin with his own hands, even though he has never done any carpentry.
The book covers about 3 years. This is the time it took to build his cabin, which is a schedule I can relate to. I’m currently writing this review in my own home office, which until I undertook its conversion, was a 1938 wood frame and stucco garage. It took 2 years to get to the point where I could flick on some lights, some heat, shuffle across some new carpet (coffee in hand of course) and sit down to my computer to comfortably clack away a winter morning. Pollan had a few luxuries that I’ve never had in my own projects, those being an architect and someone to help with the labor for the entire project. But an interesting drama develops between these two ‘luxuries’. Help with the labor is provided by a friend of his (an experienced carpenter) who consistently questions the architects drawings and choice of materials. The architect resents having his every detail questioned by a carpenter untrained in art of design concepts. Pollan gives us a very entertaining glimpse of this friction while he awkwardly tries to play the middleman, with a well noted lack of knowledge of either carpentry or architecture.
You'll discover two writing styles in “A Place of My Own.” One is very dense and packed full of ornament and detail that can be a little hard to plow through. Making a point in an entire paragraph (or three) – that could have been made in a sentence or two – is a good example. Pollan LOVES research then writing about his finds. There are many sections dedicated to the details of architectural history, design, space and light. Page after page delve into the origins of the modern library (a great, great, great descendant of the writing desk) or of design enhancements of window muntins throughout the last 200 years. (They are the little strips of wood that separate the panes of glass in a window). Anyway, you get the idea. The other style of writing is less heady, more lightweight (for lack of a better term) and more enjoyable for sure. Here, Pollan is very funny, insightful and entertaining. This more favored style is used to describe the day to day tasks of building his cabin. It’s no wonder I like this the most. I have been down many of these paths he describes. Little effort is needed to enjoy his mistakes, his lessons learned, his triumphs gained. Things like rechecking again and again the measurements before making the first cut on an irreplaceable 12’ beam. Elation after the final cedar shingle has been nailed to the roof. Noting how some stages of the project happen in a matter of days (framing & installing the sub floor for example) and some take months (all the finish work inside). Been there, done that! But in the end, I did like this book a great deal. Pollan is very thorough if anything. His love of learning is infectious and by books end, he knows his way around most architectural elements and the carpenters method needed to make them a reality.
Title: Three Cups of Tea
Reviewed By: Doug Moore
Author: Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Published: 2006
Review On: 6-26-2008
Review:
This book was recommended to me by Mom, who described it as a mountaineer who was climbing K2 and while doing so, got lost, found a village and built the children of the village a school. Greg Mortenson is that mountaineer, and he indeed made his pilgrimage to Pakistan to try for the second highest peak on earth. But he failed. And in doing so, stumbled upon something that would overcome him, and eventually become his life's work. Stumbling down after his failed attempt at the summit, he got separated from his guide and wandered down the wrong side of a huge glacier. Lost, tired, starving, he came to a very primitive Pakistan village.
With open arms, and incredible generosity, they fed him, made him tea, and brought him back to strength over the course of a few days. He noticed some of the village girls using sticks to draw in the dirt, and asked about what they were doing. The village elder was embarrassed to admit that the girls where doing their homework in the dirt, the village not having enough funds for proper pencils or paper or even a full time teacher. The village had no school, but needed one badly. On a lark, Mortenson swore he'd be back to build them a school in return for saving his life while lost on the way back from his K2 trek. 55 schools later, he continues to this day to build schools for the children of poor villages in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Following Mortenson's journey through cultural, political and physical barriers - you are slowly exposed to the truth of how these people live, what they think of America, and what they think of terrorists. Their views will surprise you and you'll wonder how the heck our own government could botch relations so badly with the citizens of this region. And why they aren't supporting Mortenson and his mission more fully. This is a very touching story involving struggle, adventure and tenacity of Greg Mortenson, the village elders and the students. I highly recommend this book to educators! More information at www.threecupsoftea.com.
Title: Last Child in the Woods
Reviewed By: Sandra Burne
Author: Richard Louv
Published: 2008
Review On: 4-20-2008
Review:
This book brings out the fact that children of today have limited exposure to nature. There are many reasons for this: electronic diversions, strict rules of subdivisions and planned communities, building codes, organized sports, and even restrictions which spring from efforts to protect our environment. Look around your neighborhoods. Do you see children playing outside very often?
Mr Louv points out that exposure to nature is essential to a child's physical and emotional development and that may account for some of the rise in childhood obesity, depression and attention disorders. Most of us adults, when we look back over our lives, remember special times we have had while spending time in nature. Are we to be the last generation to do so? The book contains ideas to bring children back to experiencing the natural world. It is an important book because what our children do not experience, they will not value or preserve.
Title: Instructional Technology: The Definitions and Domains of the Field
Reviewed By: Señor Billette
Author: Seels and Richey
Published: 1994
Review On: 2008-04-18
Review:
Hola Everyone, Don't run to your local bookstore just yet. If you're not just nuts over instructional technology and distance education, this book might not be your cup of tea. It is a book I have read lately though. Believe it or not, they do need a whole book to define instructional technology. The term means so many things to different people that in order to legitimize (and professionalize) "the field", everyone's got to be on the same page, or it's just not good science. Pretty soon, everyone will have been involved with distance education. It's been around for hundreds of years, and with the internet and all, it's time really has come. So if you're dying to know about diffusion theories and knowledge management systems, this book is for you. I'll loan you my copy.
Title: The Climb of My Life
Reviewed By: Virginia
Author: Kelly Perkins
Published: 2007
Review On: 3-1-2008
Review:
This book is about Kelly Perkins who at age 30 had to have a heart transplant. This is her life story and it is truly amazing and inspiring. She writes about her life as an avid outdoors person, athlete and climber before she had her diagnoses. She writes about her treatments and finally the heart transplant that she needed to have. This heart transplant did not stop her from continuing on with her dreams. After the transplant she continued her climbs, such as Mt Whitney and the amazing climb of the Matterhorn in Switzerland.
Title: Water for Elephants
Reviewed By: Virginia
Author: Sara Gruen
Published:
Review On: 1-19-2008
Review:
Sara Gruen's story is about the traveling circus during the great depression era. It was a good book although the story was very sad at times but had a good ending.
Title: Middlesex
Reviewed By: Gail Burne
Author: Jeffrey Eugenides
Published: 2002
Review On: 2-9-2008
Review:
“Middlesex tells the story of Calliope Stephanides, and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family, who travel from a tiny village overlooking Mount Olympus in Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit, witnessing its glory days as the Motor City, and the race riots of the 1967, before they move out to the tree-lined streets of suburban Grosse Pointe, Michigan.” Calliope is not like other girls and she finds out why after discovering her genetic history that has been kept secret for generations. For me this was a deeply moving, yet troubling book of the coming of age of a teenage girl. Not a page-turner, but at the same time I found myself compelled to finish it. The more you read, the more you question the author’s own genetic background. During an interview on TV, that very question was asked. He craftily avoided the issue.
Title: The Virgin's Love
Reviewed By: Gail Burne
Author: Philippa Gregory
Published: 2005
Review On: 2-9-2008
Review:
Elizabeth I becomes the new queen in 1558 with church bells ringing across England announcing the news. “One woman hears the tidings with utter dread. She is Amy Dudley, wife of Sir Robert, and she knows that Elizabeth’s ambitious leap to the throne will draw her husband back to the center of the glamorous Tudor court, where he was born to be.” Elizabeth inherited a bankrupt country with treason and impending war. She is warned by her trusted advisor that the only way for her to survive as Queen is to marry a prince strong enough to govern the country. Although she knows what she must do, she is young, with emotions she is unable to control, and she falls in love with Robert Dudley, her ambitious childhood friend. Even if you are not a history buff, you will love this book. And if you have read The Other Boleyn Girl, you will know what to expect from this talented writer of history.
Title: Work Hard, Study...and Keep Out of Politics!
Reviewed By: Lyz O'Keefe
Author: James A. Baker, III
Published: 2006
Review On: 1-29-2008
Review:
This book was interesting to me because it is about history that I have lived through and of which I am familiar with all the players. Baker’s book is also very personal and he reveals a sensitive man with strong family relationships. He is a charming man who has lived a charmed life and it’s hard not to like him. I admire Baker for being able to execute a career in the political arena without damaging his reputation for integrity. His ideas on politics and his close relationship with several presidents make for a very good read.
Title: Johnstown Flood
Reviewed By: Jim Burne
Author: David McCullough
Published: 1968 (recently re-issued)
Review On: 12-17-2007
Review:
This Book is a great read, well-researched and hard to put down.
Title: Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea
Reviewed By: Jim Burne
Author: Gary Kinder
Published: 1998
Review On: 7-12-2007
Review:
This book starts at the CA gold rush and ends in modern times with a shipwreck recovery off the Carolina Coast. There is lots of adventure and excitement in this book.
Title: Digital Fortress
Reviewed By: Doug Moore
Author: Dan Brown
Published: 1998
Review On: 2-15-2008
Review:
Most of us have been introduced to author Dan Brown with his stellar novel The Da Vinci Code. I was among that crowd, then went on to read Angels and Demons which I thought was his best novel. Better then Da Vinci Code? Yes - it was actually much better. But Digital Fortress precedes both these books and frankly is not quite on par with either one.
That being said, I must remind you that Brown is a great author and Digital Fortress isn’t a bad read by any means, but given the compelling story and intrigue of Da Vinci and Angels, the reader might feel that Fortress comes up short. For me there were a few minor shortcomings to Digital Fortress. The first one is that since this book was published in 1998 (and probably was being written starting in 1996) the technology that is written about - and used to force the story along - is now outdated or obsolete these days. But I was only irritated by this because I use computers for a living and am well aware of both emerging and legacy technologies. Most readers won’t give a hoot, and will put this aside. Like I said - these are minor quibbles.Besides the technology angle, I think most readers would agree that the story structure is a bit cliché and predictable through most of the book. Dan Brown certainly has some tricks he pulls nicely – especially during the last few chapters, but before getting that far, don’t be surprised if you’re already a step ahead.
A major theme in Digital Fortress is cryptology – and here is where author Brown excels at pulling the reader into a fascinating look at code making and code breaking. If you’ve read Da Vinci or Angels, you’ll see some core elements that Brown creates in Digital Fortress that are quite interesting yet bloom substantially in his later novels. Cryptology encompasses history, people in positions of power and religion – and these elements are where Dan Brown swims like a duck in water. As soon as any of these elements come to the forefront of the story, the reader is rewarded with Browns impeccable attention to detail, research and wit. It becomes obvious why The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons are such fascinating books as Brown sticks to what he knows best. Digital Fortress will be an enjoyable read for the most part. But even if you’ve already ripped through The Da Vinci Code or Angeles and Demons, just set you’re expectations a bit lower to make the most of this book.