Fairy Tale A Novel by Stephen King

 

King has done it again. He has written a book which will hold you entranced.

 In the past he got side tracked, I feel, in  social novels . at least to  me; that is what the Mr. Mercedes  trilogy seemed to be.

 Here you once again will find giants, the walking dead, the large oversized bugs. The pace is full steam ahead once he establishes mood. He is a master at mood. He has said in the past in his Danse Macabre he aims for the gross out

He retains his voice in this one. It is written in first person. You are seeing the fairy world, an alternate universe under the ground, as he experiences it. It is run by fairy tale principles. It is driven by a curse that needs to be overcome. King refers to a lot of books of the genre which enhances the readers enjoyment if they have been exposed to them. If not, a person can always list them to be read later.

King's books are best read to be digested slowly letting every incident slowly circulate in the mind.

In short, King has a style that is identifiable as King. It looks easier than it is. Lovecraft had it. King has it. Other writers in this genre seem to develop it. If you are looking for sowe thing to keep you reading, you have found it.

  Of courser you can find this book at your local bookstore. It is about 600 pages and is published by Scribner.   Or you could find it in your local library.

So Help Me God by Mke Pence

 January 6, 2021 will always be remembered as the day the mob stormed the United Sates Capital  trying to stop a mandated counting and reaffirming of election results.

What lead up to this moment? Historians will need a proper account of what lead up to this. And who better to leave them an account than the person who was directly involved in the event as the vice president.

  This is a honest look at what type of person is Mike Pence. And from his own mouth. 

   "I was not afraid, but I was angry. I was angry at what I saw, how it desecrated the seat of our democracy, and dishonored the patriotism of millions of our supporters", he reports.

  Get to know the man. He is not  Trump, whom he served with. Don't paint him with the same brush. 

  In this book he comes across as maybe a bit too trusting. He seems to look for the good side of people over much. A trusting person. But he also appears to readjust and keep going when he over trusts.

   His Christian stance seems true. His daily lifestyle seems to be attractive.

    Pence does not pull punches. And I think in the years to come when the historians look for source material to record the history of this period that this autobiography will be one they can use. 

    I recommend this book for everyone. There will no doubt be many books penned about this time in American history.  The books written of the period should be accurate and trustworthy. I think this is one of those books.

   The book is  published by Simon & Schuster and my be purchased from your local bookstore. Or you may find a copy in your local  library.

Is Christianity for Me? by Nat Crawford

This  book is a winner. There are lots of books out there attempting to explain Christian beliefs. Most do  good jobs. This one is just right.

   The author is one of the Back to The Bible  teachers. In fact, he heads up the Podcast Win The Day sponsored by Back to the Bible. You can find him at https://www.backtothebible.org  

   It is  written in the genre of apologetics. Apologetics is not apology but a defense of belief systems. This book has the subtitle of Rediscovering The Evidence and Implications of the Faith.   And that is what it does.

   Issues such as The Existence of God , Why is There Suffering?, What is The Christian's Job Description?, and more are covered in an easy to read in an understandable style. I recommend you listen to Back To The Bible and see if you can get a copy 

    It is sent to those who make a donation to Back to The Bible  and request it.

   Nat Crawford has his MA in Apologetics and Biblical exposition and is working towards  his doctrinal studies as of 2021. So he is not aiming for only head knowledge. He can be seen on the Podcast daily. 

    

Unmasked by Paul Holes

   It is not easy doing cold cases. 

   Have you ever asked yourself just what kind of person does this type of work? Or what type of life style does it take?

    Paul Holes, along with Robin Gaby Fisher, pens a book that could help you put flesh to the  person who does this type of forensics work.

   "My ex-wife used to say my job was my mistress, and I chose my mistress over everyone," writes Holes.

   Just what type of mind set does it develop? 

   Holes takes you with him as he works his job as a crime solver. It has the sub-title My Life Solving American's Cold Cases. And he lets you see the losses he suffered as he narrowed his attention to his one passion- to close these cases.

   This book isn't  a collection of individual snapshots as are some other true crime books. This is a daily over the shoulder journey of a crime fighter. He does close some cases. But his frustration also is allowed to be recorded..

   "Few people know the pressures of the woeful world of homicide ..not one to be entered lightly...No one leaves unscathed." he observes.

       I see the main case dominating the story is finding who he calls the East Area Rapist. It took him many years to close that cold case. 

     "A psychological sadist... brandishing control, tying up and blindfolding his victims, before ordering them to sexually satisfy him," is how he described the person.

     This book can be read by people interested in true crime non-fiction. It is not for the casual reader. Nor for the thrill seeker. It is serious.

      You may be able to find this in your local library or bookstore. It runs around $28.99 in hard cover. The publisher is Celadon Books, a Division of Macmillan Publishers.

       

Quiet by Susan Cain

 

 The world is made up of two types of people. They are introverts and extroverts. About one third of the population is an introvert. There is nothing wrong with that. It is the introvert who thinks through the problem and gets it fixed. The extrovert is in motion and may not, unless he is a mix, slow down enough to realize  the pleasure of slowing down and smelling the roses.

     This book has the subtitle of -- The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. It has been in print now for a decade. I mention it because it is a good study and well written.. It is not a text book so the general reader will not get lost in the reading.

       Cain opens with an introduction concerning the layout of introversion and extroversion. I recommend you don't skip it. She sections it into four parts. In the first she covers the myth of  charismatic leadership. In  the second she  looks at the biology asking if the temperament is destiny.

        A short third section, which is only one chapter in length,  wants to know if all cultures have an idea of extroversion.  And we end up in the fourth section looking at extroversion and introversion in love and work situations. 

       Cain is an introvert and contends that the introvert is vastly underrated. Personality traits exist and they are shaping our lives in profound ways.

       This 352 page book has  a study guide at the end for those who wish to use this in a discussion group.

        The book is published by Crown Publishers (Random House) and can be found at Barnes & Noble, Amazon (Kindle) , and Audio Books. Your local library should have a copy for you to check out. 

    

I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins

   

Sure, this one is a book that has been out for a while. The copyright is  2013. Yet I still think it is a book that bears reading. Especially if you like stories of Biblical characters.

    Done in two voices which alternate, moving from today, well, the present, you can read the twenty first century or twentieth-- it really doesn't slow down the story-- and in the second voice of the prisoner Paul in the city of Rome awaiting execution back in the days of Nero.

    In the present day we have a seminary  professor  in the state of Texas, in a seminary just down the way from Dallas Seminary, trying to establish himself, getting a call from a fellow travel guide in Israel asking for  help. Seems he has discovered a memoir by the Apostle Paul written concerning his early education as a Pharisee and his life as a strict protector of the law. 

   The other viewpoint is the first century. Paul in the pit at Rome. awaiting execution. Doctor Luke is helping him write his memoirs. They must hide it from the Roman guards or it will be destroyed.

   Back to the present. It is discovered and  some people don't want it published.

  This is Jenkin's attempt at a thriller. It is a good read but not much of a thriller. It did bold my interest and I was not bored. The idea of a memoir of Paul is somewhat possible but as to Paul having done so, well, I don't really think he was that much of a person who worried about rehashing what was already recorded. 

    As I read the Scripture, he doesn't come across as that type of personality. He would have just been   restating what had already been said. In Acts, he doesn't seem to be that way.

    This book may still be on the shelve some where, But if you can't find it there in your local bookstore you can always try biblio.com. 

    This book is published by Worthy Publishing and my copy was about $16.99. You may find it for less online.

Where I Was From

                                                           

      Here we have a collection of essays by Joan Didion concerning  early California history. As a writer  She wrote lots of books.  Her writing can be looked at as in the style of new journalism.

    A good place to start with her writing is with  Slouching Toward Bethlehem  or The White Album. Maybe even at her 1070 book Play it As It Lays.

    This book of her essays is not a good place to start. It is a bit disjointed with lack of transitions.

     Maybe that is the form of this movement of new journalism, but it still makes for a style that is, in my opinon, not easily readable. She uses inclusive pictures of social unrest and psychological fragmentation. This seems to be her style. It may not be for everyone.

    I was handed this book as the 2022 Santa Monica Reads choice for discussion. It should be a good discussion generator

    

I'm Not Single, I Have a Dog by Susan Hartzler

 It is not easy being single in a married environment. And the choices we make in our dating life sometimes are not the best. If you are  willing to settle for anything in pants because you have a poor self image then you deserve  what you get.

Susan Hartzler thought herself a good judge of character. But she didn't seem to be too good when it came to men. Put friends or dogs in front of her and she does fine. Yet when it came to mates, here she lacked.

Her first attempt was an abuser. Her second lasted a bit longer, but he didn't like dogs. He lasted longer because he met a need in her life to care for someone else. But he was not a provider.

This is the story of a woman seeking love. It has the subtitle Dating Tales from the Bark Side.. 

She had a childhood of abuse so she carried that in to her choice of men. But the story ends happily. It seems the dogs she had in the journey to discover herself and find acceptance as a single woman paid off.

Hartzler is open about herself and her story. It wasn't an easy life, but she made it.

This is a delightful book. The point is that we may disappoint one another, but dogs never do that to us.

This book is published by McFarland & Company. I am sure you can find it in your local bookstore, Amazon carries everything, so I would think you can find it there. Or you can easily find it by searching for it online. Or maybe your local library will have a copy. 

Happy reading..

Hungry For More by Adrienne Youdim M.D.

 The New Year is here now, and I can bet one of your resolutions is to lose weight. We may start out with good intentions, but soon we need more than just the good intentions. We need a change of behavior. Something Doctor Youdim refers to as a hunger.

"Food security gets ingrained not only in our thoughts but also in our genes," she says. 

We all hunger for more out of life that manifests in  our actions which influence how we sleep. eat, work--all cone down to choice.

Dr. Youdim offers stories of patients she deals with as a nutrition specialist and puts each case under a category she refers to as a hunger. This book is not a diet book with meal plans. Oh, no. There is some psychology behind  her tales, all true. She shares her journey as well as the journey of those who come consult with her. 

The writing is a bit disjointed, but since I am not seeking a diet plan at the moment, I may have not completely understood  the thesis. But don't  let that stop you from reading it. For those who wish to know they aren't alone in the area of weight gain, and perhaps wish to consider why they need to reconsider it is possibly a unrealized need or hunger that keeps them from  attaining their vision, perhaps this is tghe book for you.

The author states "The current weight loss culture is based on fear, false promises and judgement serving up what is simply untrue--that weight is matter, trick and quick fixes."

She also has said "In the many years of doing this work, rarely  have I encountered a human whose emotions did not inform their eating."

This book can be ordered from Amazon should you wish to secure it.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 This book is on the best read list of the New York Books list. That sentence is redundant I know. But as I see it, it has a reason to be. It is a good tale.

What is there were a library that contained all the books concerning life choices you could have made during your life time. Call this library The Midnight Library and it is located between life and death  Each book there concerns a life you would have experienced had you chosen a certain way. 

For example, had you stayed in that band you were in at some point in your life, or you had chosen that profession over another? Would it be a satisfying decision?

in this book we are presented with Nora Seed. She wants to die. Her life has been one full of regret and misery. She feels has has let everyone down, including herself. 

She finds herself between life and death in The  Midnight Library. Time has stopped. She finds a librarian there and books. And a book of regrets. The librarian tells her she has a choice now. Each book in the library contains a different life if she had done things differently. She is allowed to sample books and experience a new choice. But time is running out. She can go a number of infinite ways. But time is short. She can undo her regrets. But by doing so she puts the library in extreme danger.

The book reminds me a bit, not entirely , of the books of Charles Williams who wrote in his novels of the two  universes, spiritual and mundane, going on at the same time. But not completely. Or of C.S. Lewis The Great Divorce. But not quite that either. It is  familiar to those two.

Nora grows through her choices. She finds the peace she was looking for..

I recommend this book. It presents a story about the choices that go into a life well lived. It is worth your time to read with a cup of coffee. it is published by Viking and runs about $26.00. Try to find it in your library (not the Midnight Library) and enjoy. Or locate it, if you want to pay for it, at your local bookstore.

A Good Time to be Born by Perri Klass

 

Infant Mortality is an issue we should be concerned about. Our author is a professor of Journalism and Pediatrics at New York University, co-director of NYU Florence, and national director of Reach out and read. She writes a daily column, The Checkout for the New York Times.  She has chosen to write this book on infant mortality and the struggle to bring down the occurrence thorough proper methods brought about through struggle and learning.
It used to be accepted that each family had a few deaths of young ones. For example, if the child had a case of diarrhea the thought was to get the problem handled by dehydrating the kid. We now know diarrhea causes loss of hydration and we should stabilize the hydration level loss caused by the rapid release of moisture. It took some time before the doctor’s understood what was happening.
Or the diseases the child got from drinking milk which had been sitting around collecting bacteria. Until someone discovered if you pasteurized the milk it got rid of the harmful elements and was okay. Before that some mothers breast fed and alternated with the unpasteurized milk product. Or the summer diarrhea because of the microbes in the water supply, water which had been mixed with sewer water – this was before proper sanitation practices came about.
There was a lot to learn and be transmitted before we saw a decrease of infant mortality.
Klass only handles mortality in children since she is trained in pediatrics. But that is enough to let us see we have come a far way since the days of acceptance of mortality of at least one member in the family unit, normally the infant, because of uncontrollable diseases of that time.
Today we have vaccines to help us.
The subtitle is How Science and Public Health Gave Children a Future. It is very professionally written and researched. It has photos and drawings used as illustrations which are a great addition.
I recommend this book. It will help a person to understand the history of infant mortality, the steps taken up to the present day 2020 and the pandemic we are in.
I would suggest even if you don’t buy this book you should see if your local library has a copy and can get it for you to read and return so another can benefit from reading it.

"What The Hell Do You Have to Lose?" by Juan Williams

 I am going to start this review by telling you this is a book you should read. It is a book that educated me as to what is going on concerning rights of blacks in the United States. 

Don't turn me off.   It is not just that. It also concerns the political handling of civil rights.

Recall the statement made by our President Trump when he told the black voters who were supporting democrats that they were opening themselves up to bad schools, high crime and higher unemployment that they should join his campaign for "What the hell do you have to lose?"

 This book attempts to answer that. And I feel it does a good job. It is not an easy book  to read and Williams does not sugar coat his analysis .

He starts by tracing the Civil Rights problem way back to the start which would be during the civil war when the black was not allowed  to read or learn things, being thought being intellectually incapable. And then the treatment after the freeing.

I feel the white population fort eh most part don't know the history of the black person whose history intersects and strives to melt with European History.

What we have is a story of alternate universes. There are radicals in both groups who deny it or are ignorant at best. I feel the movement known as Black Lives Matter could have been avoided if the Europeans in American government had paid attention to the history steam of other nationalities, but not to the extent they blend and disappear.

By ignoring the other histories, we have enabled the so called supremacy of both groups to emerge.

Williams looks at the issue in six areas. Voting rights, Education, Public Accommodations, Black Voices, Employment, and lastly, Housing. He doesn't shout or blamer. He just states the facts.

I may have already said it. This is not an easy read if you are looking for something that will calm you.

It has the subtitle "Trump's War on Civil Rights".  When we are asked what is Trump doing for the blacks  in America? we must answer with Williams, he is ignoring it. His banner for the 2016 election was to Make America Great. And now it seems to be Make America Great Again. Does that mean, turn the system back  to before the civil rights movement or even  to the civil rights of the days of the civil war?

I will allow you to come to your own conclusion after you  read the book. 

It is published by the Hachette Book Group. The copyright is 2018. And it retails for $27.00.