Tuesday, June 30, 2009

A Book in Review: Poplorica

Poplorica By: Martin J. Smith And Patrick J. Kiger
Non-FIction history, pop culture 236 pages
Book count: 42

First, about he title, it is a combination of Pop culture, lore and America. It is a book on how everday things were started and how things evolved from that. It includes 20 things, poeple and events that shaped modern life. It has everything fom why we have grass in our yards to the first computer mouse. It was a fun mix of things Some are ones that you may already know, such as the start of TV dinners and many are ones that I have never heard anything about before such as the wrestler that influenced people from Muhammad Ali to Marilyn Manson.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

A Book in Review: Annette Vallon

Annette Vallon A Novel of the French Revolution By: James Tipton
Fiction: history, romance, adventure 481 pages
Book Count: 41

This is a story that takes place during the French Revolution and is about a woman that falls in love with William Wordsworth when he is in France. It is well researched as far as the history goes and the story is mosty entertaining, but it is just so long. It would be better if the "books" in the book were really different books.

Monday, June 22, 2009

A Book in Review: The Gardner Heist

The Gardner Heist By: Ulrich Boser
Non-fiction: true crime 223 pages
Book Count: 40

This book is on the theft of art work at the Gardner museume in 1990. It is an unsolved crime and all of the art work is still missing and may have been destoryed by impropler storage by now. It's chapters are all named after the missing art and goes into all the susspects and reliable leads that have been found to date. It was an intresting book; however, it pointed out too much how easy it is to steal art. Only about 10-15% of the art reported missing is found and museumes often have less security then they should. The main deterent is that after this theft laws on handleing stolen art were changed so that the statue of imitations on length of time the theifs can be prosicuted has gone up. Also, the art that was taken in this heist were too known to be reenterduced into the art market.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

A Book in Review: The King is Dead

The King is Dead By: Sarah Shankman
Fiction: Mystery 309 pages
Book Count: 39

This is a mystery book that takes place in Tupelo, Miss. The birthplace of Elvis. It's during the annul town party/ BBQ cook off. At first it seams like the book is only mildly connected with Elvis, but by the end the whole thing is about him and his twin brother.

Note: I read this book like a week ago and just didn't have the time to write this up, so I at first had a lot better review, but I'm tired after reading 50 some emails as I didn't check them for two days.

NYR- Note to Self

Faith Mag: 23 pages
NYR page count:692

Monday, June 08, 2009

A Book in Review: The Youngest Templar

The Youngest Templar: Keeper of the Grail (Book 1) By: Michael P. Spradlin
Fiction: young adult, adventure, history 248 pages 2008
Book count: 38

First, a fun fact. I was reading this book at the garage sale that I was a part of. After finishing the book I read the back flap of the book with the author info on it and learned that I was reading the book in the same city that the author lived in. Weird! As, I didn't know that when I started the book, and the friend who gave it to me didn't seam to know that it was that local of an author either.

Second, actually about the book. As it was a local writer, and we at WNBNI are all for local writers, (with the possible exception of "writers" who basically write captions on pictures that they didn't take and then are all "I'm a great and famous writer." [You, know who you are, and that you're socks didn't match your clothes April 1st, 1998.]) so we liked this book. Actually we liked it before that. It is the story of a boy who was an orphan, or more exactly a foundling, who grew up being raised in a monastery after being abandoned at their door, with a note that it was not safe for his parents to keep him, but they will have an eye on him. Some Templars visit the monastery and he is asked to be a squire for one. He goes with them and ends up in the Holy Land on the crusades. Where, he is in trusted with the Holy Grail, and has to make his way back home. Also he befriends an English archer, who if it were not for his hatred of King Richard the Lionhearted, I would think was Robin Hood. And, he ends up saving the life of an Assassin. (As in a menber of the Hashshashin, were we get the modern word from.) He also makes himself a powerful enemy in another Templar who knows about the Grail, and may know about who the boy realy is.

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

A Book in Review: The Clothes They Stood Up In and The Lady in the Van

The Clothes They Stood Up In and The Lady in the Van By: Alan Bennett
fiction 223 pages
Book count: 37

This is a book of two stories. The first one is about a couple that have been robbed of all of their belingings that they didn't have with them when they went to the opera. And I do mean all of them. They come home to a appertment missing most everything one could possibly take: carpeting, appliences small and large, even the toliet paper on the hanger. It then deals with how this affects or doesn't affect their lifes.

The next story is about a older lady that lives in her van. It is told by the man who's yard she has parked it in.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

A Book in Review: Birth of the Chess Queen

Birth of the Chess Queen By: Marilyn Yalom
Non-fiction: History, games, feminist studies, 241 pages
Book Count: 36

This is a book on how the queen came into being on the chess board as well as how she gained power. It looks at the origins of the game, how it spread and how the game changed. At first the game had no queen, but a vizier. As it spread into Europe many factors changed the game. The vizier became a queen, but for years had the same limited moves of the vizier. Then, after a number of powerful queens came into power, especially Queen Isabella, the queen had the moves of a modern queen. For a time both the old and new types were played in the same places. And now most everywhere the new chess is played.