Faith: A Journey for All

Faith: A Journey for All by Jimmy Carter                       Audiobook: 4 hours, 17 minutes             Hardback Book:  192 pages                   Genre:  Adult Non-Fiction     Jimmy Carter’s Personal Testimony, Carter’s Beliefs, His interpretations of Christian teachings and words of the Bible, the parts of the Bible he questions and wrestles with      Growing up in Georgia, His Family both childhood and married life

Former President Jimmy Carter discusses his faith, his beliefs pro and con, his interpretation of the lessons he teaches at his home church in Plains, GA.    He talks about his parents and siblings,   growing up liberal in a town and county filled with Clansmen when he and his family were friends and frequent visitors to each others homes and called on each other in time of need and in happy times.  He talked about his time in the Navy submarine program.    He talks about questioning theology though he grew up in a strong Southern Baptist home going back generations in the faith.    He talks about how his faith has always served him and how he turns to God in all things to help him during times of unrest in his home both immediate family and the home and family he made when he married Roselyn.    He speaks honestly about the disagreements he and Roslyn have had over the years but he shares that regardless the differences in opinions they had they always settled them before going to sleep that night per the teachings of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:26 that state that very belief.    He cites scriptures to validate all he says throughout this book and shares times of his own failings and how God pulled him through those times whether the death of a loved one, trying to help his brother through his alcoholism, staying strong through the many arrests of his daughter, Amy, who protested apartied, etc. during her college years and beyond – he agreed when we find things egregious we should stand up for our beliefs and practice civil disobedience in the examples of Dr. Martin Luther King, Ghandi, Nelson Mandella and others who peacefully proclaimed the wrongs needing to be righted and protested peacefully in the face of violence.    While proclaiming his religiosity he did not shirk when action required to be taken included violent responses, though, his forte is negotiating resolutions in peaceful ways to bring all involved together to listen to each other then reason together for a reasonable settlement resulting in everyone at the table coming together to achieve an agreed upon give and take resolution.    Very good book.    An open honest transparent look into the soul of a Godly man.   I would recommend this book to every one no matter which side of the party line you reside on.   All ages child to adult – all would benefit from the wisdom found here.

 - Shirley J.

Feared: A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel

Feared: A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel by Lisa Scottoline                  AudioBook:  10 hours, 40 minutes       Hardback Book: 400 Pages                   

I think this is the best book in the Rosato & DiNunzio series that I have read so far and that is saying something because every book in the series that I have read so far has been excellent.  Mary and Anthony are married and having a baby.     Since Anthony is working on his book which looks to the South Philly crowd like pregnant Mary is having to work when she should be relaxing awaiting the birth of their baby but going against the grain of old school Philly Anthony announces he is going to stay home and take care of the baby while Mary goes back to work a few weeks after giving birth.   Made me want to B-slap him myself – o.k. I have Philly ties, too.  J     So much going on in this story and of course Mary’s Pop and Mom, the 3 Tony’s and Elvira have their neighborhood networks helping right along.  This story has one of the lawyers at the firm of Rosato & DiNunzio involved in a reverse discrimination suit and when he comes up dead,  person’s of interest and suspects are stacking up.   So much happening it is an adrenaline ride to the end and all the time the Rosato & DiNunzio law firm’s fate hangs by a string.     And there is a Machiavelli menace waiting to pounce.   Arrrrgggghhh!   Read this one – it is GOOOOOD!   I highly recommend it.   Oh man!  The emotional ride alone will leave you holding your breath without knowing it one minute then the next you will be breathing fast trying to mentally move Mary out of harm’s way.    Yikes!    Read it, read it, read it – Yes, I highly recommend it!   If Middle Schoolers are mature enough to handle in depth murder mysteries go for it all the way to age- infinity.  You will really like this one.

 - Shirley J.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma

The Omnivore’s Dilemma 

by Michael Pollan           Audiobook:15 hrs., 53 mins      Hardback Book:  464 pages               Genre:  Adult Non-Fiction     Nutrition   Fresh vs. Processed Food   Vegan vs. Meat Eater

Ethical treatment of the animals we turn into food         What the American diet is doing to our health

What a great book!   Michael Pollan explores the history of food that which is grown and that which is processed.    How corn and wheat find their way into everything processed (food) or manufactured (products) in one of its many forms even into gasoline.    His core premise is:  “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize  as food.”    Soy is the third sister in the corn, wheat. Soy triad.  These 3 ingredients are what are helping to make Americans’ waist bands increase, they are the evil that causes so many diseases in the American population costing billions in health care when if we would only go back to a more natural diet we could avoid many of the health care woes in America today (Heart Disease, Carroded Artery blockage, Diabetes, etc.).   Pollan says these diseases could all be eradicated if the American public would only avoid processed foods with hidden starch/sugar and salt preservatives and eat only things that were once living things and not unidentifiable bits of sludge coated in pleasing to the tastebuds sweet or salty flavorings.   He even cites how pet kibble comes out as a brown tasteless sludge before it is adulterated with colorings and fake flavors simulating lamb, fish, beef or poultry that give little change to the flavor of the sludge and along with the carefully produced marketing of brands and labels and jingles that are catchy and stick in our mind translating to dollars for the companies producing them.    He talks about the horrible conditions of animals raised for food on the big industrial farms and how and why the corporate farms will not change their tactics its all about the money not the living (if you can call it that) breathing (in the ammonia of their urine and feces as they stand in their own filth through no fault of their own and are force fed diets their bodies were never meant to eat of corn, sometimes soy mixed in along with ground up dead animals from rendering plants in effect forcing these animals to become cannibals of their own species instead of being allowed time in the sun on grassland eating their natural foodstuffs and their physical make-ups aren’t fashioned to process the corn, rendered animal flesh and blood.    This is where Mad Cow disease came from as beef animals force fed the concoctions strictly meant to put weight on them as they are forced to stand until they drop, cows kept perpetually pregnant to continue producing milk their calves either turned into veal or kept for their dairy production potential or slaughtered outright, Pigs having it no better, piglets getting their tails cut off with nothing to kill the pain and nothing to stop infection from the poor conditions they are maintained in.   The chickens kept alive for 7 weeks fed the same cannibalistic load of corn, blood flesh mix along with steroids to produce extra large breasts that grow so fast the birds no longer retain the ability to stand.     Americans ingest not only the animals brought up in these conditions but are also taking in the food that these animals are forced fed.   It’s a wonder we don’t die faster from multitudinous causes given this toxic mix put on our plates everyday.    Plants sprayed with pesticides we know not what.    Americans die from more food related maladies than any other country.   Statistics are proving that now the more fast food restaurants and the Western Diet is introduced into other cultures the more these countries are showing an increase weight and an increase in death statistics from the same top 5 diseases that are killing Americans.   Michael Pollan decided to follow the food chain from beginning to end on both vegan and meat eating.    He learns how to hunt both mushrooms with experts so as not to get poisoned and he learned how to hunt wild boar from a couple of chefs and one of their friends.    He learned the proper preparation for wild mushrooms and how to kill, skin, clean and carve up the wild boar and cook it.     He details his adventures along the way in lurid detail so not for the faint of heart.   The reader has to read the book from an objective perspective and not from a compassionate one as many inhumane things happen to animals here.    Excellently told, extremely informative.   I would highly recommend this book to anyone who really wants to know the story behind the story.   Well done.   Cheers for Michael Pollan.  

 - Shirley J.

Fire & Blood

Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, 706 pages

This book is the first part of a history of when the Targaryens ruled Westeros. It covers about 130 years of the 300 year history. As a history, it describes events that have already passed rather than being in the present tense like the Song of Ice and Fire series.

It starts by chronicling how they conquered and unified Westeros. Along the way, some have short reigns and others long. There are sometimes questions of succession which at one point leads to civil war. It covers how King's Landing was build and how it became like it is. About 90 pages of this history had appeared in the anthology Dangerous Women as the Princess and the Queen which I had read previously.

As much as liked the history of the Targaryens, I almost liked some of the stories that went off on a tangent more. They were brief but intriguing. Based on the format and content, this would appeal most to fans of the Song of Ice and Fire series.

The Library Book

The Library Book by Susan Orlean    310 pages

"On the morning of April 28, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed, the patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual fire alarm. As one fireman recounted, “Once that first stack got going, it was ‘Goodbye, Charlie.’” The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?"

I was really excited when my hold arrived for this book --- the waiting list was long, and is still long.  Now that I have read it, I feel like this is definitely a book I'm going to buy for myself --- not only to share with my family, but so I can have my own copy to put post-it notes and notes in.  This is a fascinating and entertaining read!!!  

I had never known about this fire until I read about this book.  Admittedly, in April of 1986, I was at boarding school in Wisconsin and while I sometimes would read the newspapers in the library, I didn't make a habit of it until around 1988.  I did, though, ask my husband if he knew about the fire, since he had attended boarding school, as well, but in Los Angeles, and would have been there in 1986.  He said he had a vague recollection, but he never went to that library.  Considering the news about the Chernobyl disaster eclipsed any news about the library, I guess I'm not too surprised.

I really enjoyed how the author went back in forth in time, so you would get a clear picture of the library today and the people who work there, but then you also get the history of the library and all the people who in charge of it up until the day of the fire. Her descriptions of the fire are horrifying, yet fascinating.  I started reading parts of this book out loud to my husband . . . until I just gave up and told him I'd buy the book eventually and he'd have to read it.  Just a great book!!


I will note that I'm sure the author has had many, many comments from librarians on the part in the book where she writes about a library clerk who plans to go to library school --- and it's a good living, because starting salaries are $60K.  Um, that must be nice.  I don't know many places where that's a starting salary for an entry-level librarian position . . . 

More Home Cooking: A writer returns to the kitchen

More Home Cooking: A Writer Returns to the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin   221 pages

After reading two books by Ruth Reichl, I was inspired to find and re-read this book of essays by Laurie Colwin.  It's a combination of anecdotes, cooking and food advice and recipes. While she mostly wrote fiction, Colwin also wrote two books of essays about food and was a food columnist for Gourmet magazine. She has a nice writing style that is very conversational, as if you were sitting down in her kitchen with her and talking to her about food. She's witty and brings a homey vibe to her writing, and there's nothing intimidating about her recipes.

I had read her essays in Gourmet when I was growing up and she was a favorite columnist of my mother's.  Unfortunately, Colwin died suddenly of a heart attack in 1992 at the age of 48, which was a blow to those of us who enjoyed reading her essays. 

The Money Answer Book

The Money Answer Book by Dave Ramsey          Paperback Book:  176 pages                  

This should be given to every human on the planet.   Concise book so chockful of great information on how to get your finances under control, how to get out of debt and how to plan for your family’s future, your kids college fund,  your own emergency fund, etc.    Brilliant and concise.   Worthy of keeping as a reference book on every one’s shelf.    If you have ever wanted to read one of Dave Ramsey’s books – start with this one.   It is the quick version of what all his books are going to tell you.   Understandable for 5^th graders on up – Learn it early kids and save your adult selves mountains of grief!  Excellent book.   I cannot praise it highly enough.   You will breathe easier once you learn the information Dave gives you here.

 - Shirley J.

Where Women Create:Inspiring Work Spaces of Extraordinary Women

Where Women Create: Inspiring Work Spaces of Extraordinary Women by Jo Packham              Hardback Book: 144 pages      Genre:   Magical, Whimsical, Inspiring workspaces women created to bring out their sensationally imaginative spirits

WOW!  That says it all.    The artistic woman in this book each have a bit of magic up their sleeves.   Whether their passion is painting, working with fabric, creating one of a kind art pieces, working with glitter, cards and glass, decoupage, making beautiful antique looking dolls, procuring items that they will later produce into magnificent décor pieces, textiles into fashionable couture pieces, painting furniture turning the humdrum into the eye-popping exciting pieces that make you smile and maybe make your blood run faster when cat-like your pupils go from little to big with excitement just looking at them and there is so much more to see and read about here.   But more than the pieces themselves which are truly wonder-ful or full of wonder!   The spaces these designers of dreams have mapped out for themselves is so amazing.   Functional, motivating, like walking into a fairyland many of them and those of a lighter vein that allow the eye to sense you are stepping back into a gentler time with delicate roses on furniture, fabric, framed prints, hats like freeing all your cares and entering a lighter place and happy times spent with loved ones.   Oh I do so love the workspaces these ladies have carved out for themselves, often creating a space out of thin air and imagination.    These workspaces are like walking into the Disney Imagineers work stations full of fulfillment of these ladies wishes and dreams and this book allows us to tour those special fortresses they have created for themselves.    Many have  organized chaos – so much stuff in their space but with their flair for the eclectic it all blends into this wonderful dance you could just reach out and sweep up hands full of pearls out of the ocean of delights you find in each of these ladies’ spaces.   One artist in paper who is a former antiques dealer found items  like old crystals and dollheads uses a little wire and other trinkets that she turns into what she calls “Posh Little Follies,”  so cute and quaint.  In her workspace that includes paper menageries and framed paper ballet scenes as well as a repurposed dishwasher complete with the trays used at one time for dishes she pulls out and keeps her art supplies in.   Illustrator and product designer, Dena Fishbein’s studio is so colorful and fun “she and her whole family including their dog live in there.”      The kids are in there from the time they get home from school and they even eat their meals in there, she says, “it’s not your usual place of business.”   I can see why though, it is so colorful and full of fun looking craft things it beckons you in and I can see how you could linger there and time would pass and you would still be marveling at all the cool stuff she has there.   Eye candy!    Not to mention the window seat!  Kind of like I would imagine Mary Englebright’s home, full of whimsy and paintings and cards and fabric and all colorful lovely things that comfort our souls and take us back to when we could play and have fun all day with no responsibilities.   Oh wait, these wonderlands are actually their work spaces, lucky ladies!   Each artist offers a tip to the reader and also her favorite quote.   An excellent book to spend time perusing for long leisurely fanciful daydreaming and maybe making mental notes on how cool it would be to have such a special place to call your own.   Good book I highly recommend it for musing on clever ways to create a space of things meaningful to you and beautiful and awe-inspiring to others.

 - Shirley J.

Outdoor Weddings

Outdoor Weddings: Unforgettable Celebrations In Storybook Settings by Mallory Samson     Hardback Book: 176 pages              

First of all,  Mallory Samson is the photographer of the weddings in this book.   In very small print on the title page you will see: Text by Mary Duffy.   In my opinion, Mary Duffy is the star here, not the photography.   Perhaps my expectations were too high, no, I can’t honestly say that is true.    But I certainly expected a higher quality in the photographs in this book given the glowing, beautiful descriptions in the words of Mary Duffy.    However, I was really disappointed with most, not all, of the photos in this book.    Given Samson’s credentials citing other photos of hers in Vogue, Victoria, Martha Stewart Weddings, I mean, come on.    I am going to have to check out those photos because maybe a third of the photos in this book were worthy.    Maybe it was the artistic inflection she was going for, or more on long shots than those joyous close ups or her choice of satin (flat) finishes to glossy Diamond finishes that pop, but, no, so many instances here where great things were mentioned about the particular locations, surprises could have been shown and so many it became annoying were far away captured the backs of guests and I can’t give her a whole lot of points for capturing those special moments found all through a wedding.   There are so many potential Great photo opportunities to be had here and hopefully on the proofs she gave the happy couples I dearly hope for their sakes she captured radiant moments beyond so many of the shots taken from far away, no showing of many of the couples particularly in those dreamy eyed poses looking deeply and lovingly into one another’s eyes.   Only a handful of shots were descent ones of the couples together.   And then there is her penchant for taking photos of couples walking off together which is understandable showing them from the back walking off together into their future, but only 1 of those photos really works which happens to be the cover photo on the book.    But even that shot doesn’t entirely work because the couple look stiff, the bride is obviously not comfortable because she is holding her dress out again in a stiff manner to keep it from the dirt on the path (if you look – she didn’t make it) and the groom is carrying her bouquet which looks wrong.    It could have looked much happier if she held the bouquet and also held her dress up in a swirl and the couple were closer together because there body language is saying, “I am not happy right now.”    But the walking into the forest on the meandering path through the trees is nice but some of those other similar set up shots looked like the couple was walking off into a feng-shui nightmare of uphill all the way trials throughout their future together.   One couple looks like they are walking into a nest of rattlesnakes.   I have to question what the photographer was thinking when she included some of the really NOT GOOD photos in what I would imagine she meant to show what a great job she could do.   Not on this one.   The Italian wedding –Yes.   The bride was stunning and her joy is so tangible any viewer can feel it although there is only 1 shot of her and the groom driving away that is at all pleasing.   The first shot of the couple in the street looks like they are lost in a poorly thoughout street scene.   I am reminded of the first photography book I read where the reader was taught to consider the background you were contemplating shooting and if it wasn’t your main subject to look at the whole effect not just the main subject of the shot.    Some of the photos look like any child at the wedding could have taken it which takes away from the magnificent events she is going for and so much subject matter for photos that were missed.   If it wasn’t for the descriptions of Mary Duffy this book would have been a complete bust for me.   But at least I could imagine scenes that should have been there but weren’t.     The writing is good, the photos not so much.   And I find it odd that the lesbian couple’s truly elaborate and fantastic wedding did not include a photo of them but a photo of one of the brides with a horse which was a lovely shot but they had so many terrific things and surprises going on at that wedding, there should have been more close ups or even long shots of the fun going on instead of faraway shots of fenced in backs of people’s heads.   Yay for Mary Duffy, sorry, Mallory Samson, I was disappointed with what could have been and was not.

 - Shirley J.

Smoke of Satan

The Smoke of Satan: How Corrupt and Cowardly Bishops Betrayed Christ, His Church, and the Faithful...  And What Can Be Done About It by Philip F Lawler, 193 pages

In 1972, St Paul VI chose to use the ninth anniversary of his election as the 261st successor of St Peter to warn the faithful that "through some fissure the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God."  Indeed, by then the smoke was already oppressively thick, but, as Phil Lawler explains, most of the bishops responsible for teaching, governing, and sanctifying their dioceses were unwilling to admit it.  Chosen for high office on the basis of administrative ability rather than spiritual, moral, or intellectual virtues, these false pastors abdicated their responsibilities in order to maintain the pretense that all was well, even as corruption rotted the Church from within and entire generations were given pottage in place of their birthright.

This is a necessary book, and Lawler is the necessary man to write it.  Certainly no one can honestly accuse him, with his long history of criticism of the handling of sexual abuse cases by bishops and popes alike, of exploiting the present phase of the crisis to attack a pope he disagrees with theologically or politically.  Indeed, there is little he says here that he did not already say a decade ago in his seminal work on the Boston abuse crisis, The Faithful Departed.  The difference is in the approach and tone - the earlier book was primarily a historical analysis, while the current work is an urgent call to action.  This is, of course, a reflection of the pontificates in which they were written - whereas in 2008 it seemed as if the forces of renewal were in the ascendant, by 2018 it was clear that the highest offices in the Church were occupied by men who prefer vague sentimentality and the esteem of the powerful to right reason and the salvation of souls.

The Trophy Child

The Trophy Child by Paula Daly 343 pages 

Karen Bloom is proud to call herself a tiger mother. To her, tough discipline if the true art of parenting and a child's achievement leads to ultimate happiness. She expects her daughter, Bronte, to perform at 200% and holds her husband, son and step-daughter to the same standard (although the three of them never measure up).  However, in her unending quest for excellence, some cracks are starting to show in the veneer of a seemingly flawless family.

When Bronte disappears, Karen puts the blame solely on her stepdaughter, Verity. However, for all of Verity's flaws, she would never harm Bronte. Noel, Karen's husband, takes Verity's side, although he finds it hard to stand up to his wife. Instead, he finds comfort in alcohol and other women.  So who is to blame? 

It's hard to write much about this book without revealing spoilers. Suffice to say, it's a tale of ambition, coldly calculated manipulation, power struggles, and the illusions of perfection.  I continue to find Paula Daly an author I enjoy, and this book was no exception. There are compelling characters, including a Detective Constable who has appeared as an investigator her other books, and while Daly maintains a tensely paced and plotted book, there's always some bit of sly humor that I really love.  

Garlic and Sapphires

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl    334 pages 

"Ruth Reichl, world-renowned food critic and editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, knows a thing or two about food. She also knows that as the most important food critic in the country, you need to be anonymous when reviewing some of the most high-profile establishments in the biggest restaurant town in the world--a charge she took very seriously, taking on the guise of a series of eccentric personalities."

In this memoir, Reichl reveals not only how she was able to disguise herself, but also how appearance can really have an impact on how people treat you and how you see yourself. This book isn't just about Reichl; it's an exploration of psychology.  I have read this book before and wanted to revisit it after reading Reichl's most recent book.  I had forgotten parts of it but remembered others, so it was nice to revisit the book.  I really enjoy Reichl's descriptive, evocative writing style. Her descriptions of situations, people and even food make you feel like you're right there at the table with her.

This book also includes some recipes, a few of which I have made in the past.  I highly recommend her recipe for pasta carbonara!!

The Bill of the Century

The Bill of the Century: The Epic Battle for the Civil Rights Act by Clay Risen  320 pages

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was arguably the single most important piece of legislation passed by Congress in U.S. history. However, the victory of the bill took an incredible amount of effort to pass and launched the longest filibuster in American history to defeat it. In this book, Clay Risen does an in-depth exploration of this critical turning point in American history, looking at the epic struggle behind it. From grassroots activism, backroom dealing and hand-to-hand legislative combat, Risen shows in vivid narrative how this "idea whose time had come" wouldn't have arrived without an incredible fight.

I don't know if I would have picked up this book had it not been a choice for a book group I'm in.  It's densely written and there is a lot of information to cover, so while Clay Risen definitely brings the struggle to pass this bill to life, there's a lot of information here to digest. It's a vivid account, but I could have benefited from a "who's who" kind of chart to refer to from time to time.  Interesting read, especially if you're interested in civil rights history and congressional history.

A World Lit Only by Fire

Title: A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance: Portrait of an Age             Author: William Manchester            Paperback: 299 pgs.

     I picked up this book to learn more about the Middle Ages, but was somewhat disappointed.  The author writes mostly about the Renaissance, contrasting it with the worldview of what he considers the extremely benighted medieval era.  Evidently, Manchester thought the events of the Middle Ages weren’t worth writing about, as he makes the rather astounding claim that very little of significance happened in Europe during that thousand-year period (roughly 500-1500 A.D.).  He concedes that kings and popes died and new rulers took their places, that wars were fought and that natural disasters wreaked havoc on the population.  Yet it has little historical significance in Manchester’s estimation because the impact of these events on the masses, he says, was “negligible.”  In my view, the author overstates his case— I believe the Middle Ages weren’t as dark as he makes them out to be and that there were many significant events that took place during the era— but his very dim view of the Middle Ages is shared by some historians.

     It’s one thing to have a different historical opinion— an interpretation of the facts that happens to be at some variance with mine.  But it’s a more serious thing when Manchester makes demonstrably false claims in an attempt to show how wretched the Middle Ages were.  One example: he claims that there were no such things as clocks in the Middle Ages, yet the mechanical clock is known to have been invented in the late 1200’s.  I even found an article about a clock that is still intact built in the medieval era (I would guess that it’s not the only one).  Manchester also claimed that educated Christians at the time believed the Earth was flat, yet this claim has long been debunked.  Quotes from Christian intellectuals of the time, such as Bede, Isadore of Seville, Boethius, Hermannus Contractus and Thomas Aquinas, show that they clearly believed that the world was round.


    Manchester accurately describes how discoveries made during the Renaissance threatened cherished beliefs about the world (such as how Copernicus’ discovery of a heliocentric universe imperiled the medieval belief that the sun revolved around the Earth).  These beliefs were thought to be closely related to their Christian faith, though Christians today would not look at them that way.  When these beliefs were refuted, Manchester suggests that it caused most educated people during the Renaissance to turn completely away from Christianity.  This is simply not true; intellectuals did not, for the most part, abandon their faith.  In fact, pioneering textual criticism of the Bible by Renaissance Humanists actually helped lead to the Christian movement called the Reformation.  Educated people in the Renaissance may have been very divided in religion due to that great upheaval, but they still thought of themselves as Christians and found a way to reconcile their faith with the new discoveries.


     In spite of all the above criticisms, I have to admit that this is still a pretty compelling book, which is why I read it in its entirety.  For one thing, the book seems to be generally historically accurate.  Then, too, Manchester tells a great story.  The most fascinating part was the last section, devoted to Manchester’s favorite explorer, Ferdinand Magellan.  As you may remember, Magellan was the Portuguese explorer, sailing under the flag of Spain, who discovered the South American strait that bears his name.  More importantly, this discovery enabled his expedition to be the first to sail all the way around the world (Magellan himself died before his ships returned to Spain).  Reading Manchester’s thrilling account, I certainly learned some interesting things I didn’t know about Magellan.  For example, Manchester writes that he was considered a traitor by his countrymen because his expedition was sponsored by Spain.  The author also describes how Magellan overcame a mutiny during the expedition, showing what an extraordinary leader he was.


     Even though I didn’t learn about what happened during the Middle Ages, I did gain insight into the Renaissance and the mindset of the Middle Ages, in spite of Manchester’s errors.  I give it 3 out of 5 stars.  ⭐⭐⭐

 - John W.

The Sibling Effect

The Sibling Effect: What the Bonds Among Brothers and Sisters Reveal About Us by Jeffrey Kluger         Audiobook:  8hrs, 56 mins    Hardback Book:  320 pages     

A really in-depth, good book discussing the genetic make-up and psychological ties and tendencies within sibling relationships.    Gives interesting findings on studies identifying physical features that statistically have been proven to identify personal factors about a person’s gender predisposition,  how siblings even when they do not grow up together have like habits, how that psychic connection actually has been proven to exist between mothers and children, close siblings, twins, etc.    Shows features such as the child that will wear glasses/contacts in their lifetime likely starting in childhood.  Shows that siblings are the true soul mates and how that works out.   Kluger brings in points, studies, statistics from the fields of Psychology,  Science and Medicine, autobiographically sighting examples from his own life with his 3 brothers then later his half- sister and brother and how the bonds of family were there even though they didn’t meet until the half sibs. Were grown.    Talks a lot about the factors pertaining to where we are born in the birthorder of our families.     He talks about genetics and the encoding we all bear.    He talks about the effects of alcoholics, drug addicts, abuse, physical, sexual and verbal and other disorders on the siblings in families, traits that emerge and why sometimes the birth order can affect our responses to traumatic situations we find ourselves in.   He discusses incest innocent and intentional, he discusses esteem issues within families, emotional disorders and more.    Very heavy information delivered in a very down to earth, often funny but always witty and respectful on every topic covered.     Good book.    You will learn so much here you will be regaling the family at every get together with all you will learn.    Really interesting stuff here.  I do recommend this book probably no younger that teendom unless a younger person is mature, but certainly highschool up, maybe Middleschool up to infinity.   Good job, Jeffrey Kluger.

 - Shirley J.

Good Wives

Good Wives by Louisa May Alcott             Audiobook:  9 hours, 32 mins      Hardback Book:  220 pages                  

This is the second book in Alcott’s series about the March sisters who’s characters are based on Alcott herself (Jo) and her 3 sisters and their lives growing up in their parents’ home.  This book picks up with Beth’s death, and the other sisters all now grown going on with their lives and marrying, having children, travelling and returning home and how their lives progress.   A good story, I was glad to see that Jo found someone in her hitting spinsterhood years.  J      Good information to be found here when Mrs. March gives info to Meg on how to be a good wife to her husband and how to take care of herself while taking care of her twins.   Louisa May Alcott was wise beyond her years and so perceptive on how one can lose a mate and how to undo behavior patterns that may have innocently driven one’s partner away.    May to December romance to be found here.   Very much a feel good set of books.     Many teaching moments.    I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the antics of the March family.    The death of Beth weighs heavily throughout but many new adventures seem to come from it.    The March girls seem to find themselves as last.   I found so much to love about this story and the characters I would highly recommend this story as a read or a retelling of the story to others.   It is a comfort to the soul like sitting in a rocking chair with someone you love and just enjoying the moment.   That is how the whole book is.    Excellent.

 - Shirley J.

Zakka Handmades

Zakka Handmades: 24 Projects Sewn from Natural Fabrics to Help Organize, Adorn, and Simplify Your Life  By Amy Morinaka       Paperback Book: 128 pages     

This is a how-to make small household items, and gifts that are great for organizing, simplifying chores and great gift items in the Japanese style of crafting.    Author Amy Morinaka was born in and grew up in Japan but now lives in California with her husband, Ben and their 2 daughters.    By day Amy is an accountant but by every free moment she is a crafter of Zakka items.    Zakka is a Japanese term for items that are small but useful in helping to simplify and organize.   Things that are very simple to make from bits of material, easily found among scrap bits of materials.    The items are functional and so cute.   Here in the States we would likely call them country crafts things sewn from calico, gingham, etc. here, but linen and other natural fabrics in Japan.   Such cute things and such clever ideas.   Like making this little carrier to take silverware from the drawer it is stored in to the kitchen or dining room table and back,  really cute little baby shoes that are reversible,  baby teething rings, rice eye pillows to ease and rest the eyes after a stressful day, which actually seem like they would be heavenly and relaxing.     She has one craft project that makes a fabric bucket to hold items such as yarn or they would make terrific cat or dog toy holders, even baby toy holders along with the buckets, she also has a name tag holder project that looks really cool attached to the bucket so when you store it you can see by the tag what is in it.   She has a cute nesting dolls project to use as a key fob cover to keep your keys from scratching your cellphone or any other thing you would not want scratched inside your purse,  and the cutest little coaster she calls a mug rug to sit your coffee/tea/hot chocolate mug on.    She also has Sashiko style coasters that crafters can draw designs on for that personal touch, then,  hand stitch them for that added element of true from the heart looks like something lovely made with the skills of a real person not one of a thousand punched out by a machine giving the appearance of something lovely created like folks once did, by hand.   An art that should never be lost.    I especially like the Insulated Bento lunch bag, too.   Insulated with fabric and it works!   I’ve seen people carrying them in films and documentaries but here Amy Morinaka shows you how to make your own.    So clever this lady, and knowing my lack of skills, she gives clever and beautiful ideas for totally useable items in easy to understand and follow directions.   I am no sewer, I like making crafts, but, my skillset requires that it be as simple and easy as it possibly can and Amy offers crafting projects that even I can do.   Cheers for Amy Morinaka!  Loved this book.    I recommend it very highly to anyone looking for a hobby that makes it look like you are amazingly skilled when Amy lays everything out so understandly that anyone can become a Zakka master where Amy does everything but make it for you.    Big  WOO WOO! To Amy Morinaka for her book.

 - Shirley J.

Shirley

Shirley by Charlotte Bronte               Audio book:  8 hrs, 56 minutes      Hardback book 320 pages            

I had come across this title some years ago and smiled.    After many years I decided to look it up and see what it was about.    The book is well told.   I enjoyed Charlotte Bronte’s writing style and the way she turns a phrase.   I was surprised to find that the character, Shirley, isn’t introduced until almost half-way through the book.   The author first lays out the tales of 4 young curates who are pretty amusing guys and funny.   Given they are members of the clergy they use that office to get themselves into homes for free meals all the time throughout the book.    It is funny in one way that thes guys just show up at someone’s door and take it for granted they are to be fed by whomsoever’s doorstep they land on.    The sad part is that most all of the people they do this to either really can’t afford it or are really pissed that to save face they have to get up and provide food and drink for this lot.    Time of day doesn’t phase these guys.    They don’t even consider that folks might not want their company they are arrogant enough to ignore other people’s needs to serve their own.   Even the impoverished mill workers who have little work and large families to feed don’t get a reprieve.   The story progresses to the oppressed mill workers and the manager of the Mill who had no head for running a business and all but ran it in the ground.   At his death his two sons are left to deal with the mill.   The older son really wants no part of it and leaves the younger son basically to sink or swim.   Accepting the responsibility the younger son, Robert, decides to try to figure out how to get things back on track and starts laying workers off.   Living check to check workers with families rebel, this is their bread and butter and while Robert is looking only at the business aspect of it, he does not take the actual people into consideration only seeing the positions in his shortsightedness.  His workers saw him as haughty and uncaring but in truth he was just trying to find his way out of all the debt his father had buried the business in.   He layed people off rather out and out firing them hoping once the business was back on track he could bring the employees back.   Needless to say Robert was not a particularly well liked man about town.     He becomes friends with 17 year old orphan,  Caroline Hellstone,  who is being tutored in French by Robert’s sister Hortense.   And this is how we first meet 23 year old Shirley, who is a landowner and heiress an unusual thing for the times because women were encouraged to marry then whatever inheritance they may have received goes under the control of their husband.    Shirley liked maintaining control of her land and finances herself so she was slow to allow men in too close though she enjoyed flirting.    She meets Caroline at a party and the two become fast friends.   Shirley lived with her governess Mrs. Pryor.   On a visit back to the family home, Robert’s brother Louis meets Shirley and finds her fascinating.   He eventually falls madly in love with Shirley as she gets into deeper and deeper discussions with Louis as to how she wants to use her money to help people.   He notices she is always cheerful and so knowledgeable.   She is keen witted and obviously nobody’s fool.    The book is set in Yorkshire England in the early 1800s and times are tough.   Before Charlotte Bronte wrote this novel, Shirley had been a masculine name given only to men however, after the book was published it became a common name for a woman and seldom used as a male name thereafter.   Good story or more like stories because there are many different stories joined into one here,     Keep an eye on all the characters for there are some surprises afoot here.   I would recommend this to anyone, any age, who had a mind to read it,.  Being of the Victorian Age there is nothing in this book that would be offensive in any way.  

 - Shirley J.

National Geographic Kids Chapters Animal Superstars

National Geographic Kids Chapters  Animal Superstars: And More True Stories of Amazing Animal Talents by Aline Alexander Newman                                         Hardback Book: 111 pages                            

Animal lover here and I enjoy reading true stories about animals and the amazing things they do.    In this book there are three different animals whose stories are told.   Opee the Austrailian Shepherd, owned by Mike Schelin turns out to love riding on Mike’s motorcycle, so much so, that when Mike enters a motocross, Opee doesn’t want to stay behind, he wants to ride with Mike.   So, Mike takes him on some test spins and buys Opeeriding gear, his own helmet complete with goggles, a special vest to wear that attaches to Mike’s jacket to help keep Opee from falling off the bike.  They have had one bad spill on the Motocross but so far only that one and the worst injury Opee received was a scrape on his nose and leg, nothing broken.    Their first Motocross competition was the Lake Elsinore Grand Prix which is an actual track and the race runs 100 miles.   Opee did it with no problem at all.   Mike knew Opee was special and he saw all the folks at the race hollering and wanting to pet Opee.  This gave Mike an idea.   He would use Opee to help people, he would take him to hospitals to visit sick kids and get him registered as a therapy dog but first he wanted Opee to do something no other dog had ever done, he decided to enter them in the most challenging motocross race of all – the Baja 500 in Mexico.   The race fee alone was a thousand dollars, then hotel, food and gas to pay for, too.   Mike couldn’t afford it all on his own so he started looking for sponsors who would pay them to advertise for their companies by wearing gear with the sponsors name or brand on them, or use equipment made by the sponsors company.   Through someone who had helped him during the Lake Elsinor Grand Prix when his muffler fell off, he got a sponsorship from the person who owned the muffler company, he also helped him to get endorsments and sponsorships from Dog Food Companies (and these companies also gave him free dog food),  racing equipment companies sponsored the pair and some sponsors also gave them money to pay to compete and for their gas, lodging and food while competing.     The Baja race was 500 miles long and not on a track but open road where you never cover the same ground twice and racers had to carry cellphones in case they got lost!    Also there was a time limit, Baja racers have to finish the race in 18 hours.   Also in this race any type of vehicle could compete, any type of bikes (motocross and street bikes), cars, trucks, ATVs, even Monster Trucks!    Baja was a scary you really had to pay attention every second.    Mike and Opee end up racing as a team with three of Mike’s buddies running relay with Mike and Opee, with Mike and Opee riding the longest stretches.   At one point Mike had to stop and make Opee get off because the sandy hill they were about to go up Mike was afraid the bike might flip over so Mike rode and Opee ran to the top (Opee beat him to the top) then Opee jumped back on and away they went.    There is more to the story and it is a good one.    Then there is the story of Bob Will the  wildlife rehabilitator (a person who has been trained to help wild animals in need) who talks about the animals he has helped and the hurt animals people drop off at his house for him to help ( a swan with a broken wing, a blind turtle, etc.).   The story told here is about one of the groundhogs he has helped.    Where Bob lives (near Lake Erie) ground hogs aren’t the cute little critter that is brought out on Ground Hogs day for a big party day.   Where Bob lives people try to kill groundhogs as they consider them rodents and pests.   This particular story is about a baby ground hog that was shot in the head.    He guessed whoever shot it probably killed its parents and siblings and someone just managed to rescue this one.    Bob and his roommate took turns nursing the baby back to health but while it got stronger they found out the bullet had damaged the babies brain and it would walk in circles wherever it went.   They named the baby, “Sidewinder”, which is kind of cute now that I think of it.   When she ate, she would eat a bite then walk in a circle – mealtimes took forever, cause she was a hungry girl.   Bob taught a special needs class by day and he took “Sidewinder,” to school to show his class.   The Custodian thought it was something how she walked in a circle and alerted the media with, “Have I got a story for you.”   From there Sidewinder’s fame spread and now she has online videos and is known worldwide as Dunkirk Dave (so dubbed by the 1^st newspaper reporter that did a story on her because the town they live in is named Dunkirk) and she gets visits from her fans at her dollhouse home at Bob’s house where he gives her visitors groundhog puppets to remember her by.  The third story in the book is about Tuna the white cat with green eyes.  Samantha Martin is Tuna’s owner.   Samantha loves all animals and studied the care and raising of them in college.   She dreamed of being an animal trainer for tv and movies.   The book tells the story of how Samantha went from taking Tuna to photoshoots for pet foods and products to teaching her tricks and landing gigs for Tuna at fairs to movies to playing lead guitar in her own Kitty Cat Rockband!   Good stories all and I do recommend this book to any one of any age, especially animal lovers.  Good family book to read together, great stories for teachers to read to their class, good reality tales to bring out our empathy for our fellow creatures.    Well done, Aline Alexander Newman.

 - Shirley J.

Zoey and Sassafras: Books 3, 4 and 5

Zoey and Sassafras, Books 3, 4, 5 by Asia Citro, illustrated by Marion Lindsay    285 total pages

I love these little books aimed at children ages 6 to 10 because they feature a girl using science to solve problems. American cultural has made significant improvements in breaking glass ceilings since the 1960s, but we still have a long way to go. It’s books like these that will help overcome stereotypes and, hopefully, lead more girls into fields that don’t rely on beauty or body type.

Each book is basically the same format, and yet is it not: a magical creature shows up at the barn behind Zoey’s house with a problem. Zoey’s mother has been helping the wide range of creatures for years, and now Zoey, along with her best friend, Sassafras the cat, gets to help too. She has Thinking Goggles (protective eye wear) that she wears to help her think…and without realizing protecting her eyes…and a journal where she keeps all her scientific notes.

The difference between each of the books is the scientific approach Zoey must figure out to use, Sometimes she needs to do some investigation, other times research, and other times she must run experiments.

In Book 3 “Merhorses and Bubbles,” the story opens with Zoey and Sassafras creating a tool to use to see the mayfly babies who live in the water. I love this!  Parents and caregivers learn how to duplicate this tool before they’ve reached page ten. But when Zoey heads to the stream, she isn’t able to find any stream bug babies anywhere. Then Pip, her mother’s old friend and a talking purple frog shows up, alerting Zoey that the merhorses are in danger of starving to death. Zoey must use her research and investigative skills to learn why the stream no longer has any insects and how to fix it. “Merhorses and Bubbles” receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

In Book 4 “Caterflies and Ice,” two of tiny caterflies (wait until you read their descriptions; they are so cute!) ring the barn’s magical doorbell needing help. An unexpected spring snowstorm has created danger for the caterflies’ eggs. They are trapped in a cave behind a frozen waterfall.  Zoey knows she must hurry to save the unhatched babies. When her first attempt fails, she relies on her experimental skills to solve the problem. “Caterflies and Ice” is a little less captivating, receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

In Book 5 “The Pod and The Bog,” Pip the purple, talking frog, returns with a glowing rainbow stone.  Pip explains that it’s a seed pod from a magical plant. Zoey and Sassafras have been watching and recording the growth of a pea plant.  Zoey must use her research and experimental skills determine what the pod is. Tension rises as experiment after experiment fails. “The Pod and The Bog” receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

AWN Pugin

AWN Pugin: Master of Gothic Revival, edited by Paul Atterbury, 392 pages

This catalogue was produced for an exhibition at the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts.  As such, it focuses on Pugin as designer rather than architect, and thus reveals the power of Pugin's unity of design, the fittingness of architecture, decoration, and furniture.  An unusually lengthy and substantive collection of essays, in turn, place Pugin himself into his proper context, establishing him as a visionary rather than a mere antiquarian, and tracing his influence on the Continent and across the Atlantic.

Keep your friends close

Keep your friends close by Paula Daly  335 pages

"Natty and Sean have a rock-solid marriage—with two daughters, a successful business, and a beautiful house, they are a model family. When their younger daughter falls ill on a school trip, Natty rushes to her side. Luckily, Natty’s best friend from college, Eve, is visiting and offers to stay with Sean to lend a hand in the household. But Natty returns home to find that Eve has taken to family life a little too well: Sean has fallen in love with her. With no choice but to put on a brave face, Natty attempts to start anew—yet no matter how hard she tries to set herself upright, Eve is there to knock her down again. Then Natty receives a mysterious note that says Eve has done this before—more than once—and the consequences were fatal. On a mission to reveal Eve as a vindictive serial mistress, Natty must navigate through a treacherous maze of secrets and lies that threatens her life and the safety of her loved ones."


Yes, it's another book by Paula Daly -- and I liked it just as much as the others. I used the summary from Goodreads because I was impatient to get that on the post and then write about how much I liked this book. Like her other books, Daly creates interesting and compelling characters put into somewhat impossible situations that they have to get out of. The different thing about this book is that it's more of a murder/suspense story and there's definitely a dark thread running through things. Is Eve a black widow-type? Is she out to get something from Sean or is she getting back at Natty for some past wrongdoing? Daly keeps you guessing until the ends -- and then there's a nice twist you don't see coming at all.  Absolutely delicious.

The Mistake I Made

The Mistake I Made by Paula Daly  349 pages

Roz is at the breaking point. Raising her son alone after the dissolution of her marriage, a series of bad decisions has meant that her business has gone under and her bills are adding up. Adding to that is the fact that her son is starting to act up in school and Roz is getting pretty desperate. When she comes home from work one day to find her belongings repossessed and an eviction notice waiting for her, she has 2 weeks to find a solution.

Then, she meets Scott Elias at her sister's birthday party. Wealthy, charming and very married, Scott is interested in getting to know Roz better.  So much, in fact, that he makes her an offer to spend the night with him -- for money.  Yes, this has shades of Indecent Proposal. Roz isn't interested at first, but then wonders if this could be a way for her to get her life back on track. After all, Scott doesn't want a relationship and he seems like a nice guy.  However, something that starts off simply soon becomes much more intricate and starts to spiral out of her control. Scott's not always that charming, after all, and now has the capacity to completely ruin Roz' life


I discovered this author and now have tried to find and read everything else she has written. I really love how she can create interesting and compelling characters, put them into situations that seem a little impossible, and then just let the story unfold. There's usually an element of dark humor that can pop up somewhere in the story and her smooth writing style and even pace make her books enjoyable to read.  I liked the character of Roz in this story and was wondering just how she would get herself out of the mess she was in --- and as the situation got worse and worse, I had no idea how things were going to end. And then, there was a bit of a twist (which was great) which made the book move in a really interesting direction.  Another great read by this author!

A Spark of Light

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult  369 pages

The day starts like any other at the Center, a women's reproductive health services clinic. Then, late in the morning, a desperate man bursts through the door brandishing a gun and taking the people in the clinic hostage.  Rushing to the scene, Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, sets up a perimeter and starts making a plan to communicate with the gunman --- only to realized that his fifteen year-old daughter, Wren, is inside the clinic with Hugh's sister, Bex.  These two are sharing the next hours of their lives with several other characters, including a doctor at the clinic, a woman who has gone for a follow-up diagnosis, and an anti-abortion protester who is in disguise (hoping to get evidence that the clinic is up to no good).

Picoult tells this story backwards, so you get story from the viewpoint of several characters throughout the day --- except told hour by hour, working backwards through the standoff. As each hour is rewound, you get to know the different characters and why they have come to clinic, as well as how they help each other through this horrifying experience. Picoult makes the characters feel so real that this almost felt like a nonfiction book about a real hostage situation.  I have read other books by her and appreciate that she doesn't shy away from difficult issues and also that she can find different perspectives on those issues to show in one story.

Blood Orange

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce   340 pages  I read a galley - book is on order for SLPL

Alison seems to have it all: a great career on the rise, a loving husband, an adorable daughter. However, she's putting all of it at jeopardy because she can't control her drinking. If that weren't enough, she's also having an affair with a colleague whose taste for pushing boundaries makes their encounters dangerous. However much she wants to (or does she), Alison can't give up her lover or the alcohol.

When Alison is assigned her first murder case to defend, she finds something about her client's story seems a bit off. Adding to her stress over the case are the nasty, anonymous texts she starts receiving from someone who seems to know Alison's secrets.  And then, things really start to go off the rails . . .

I really enjoyed this book and read it on a 5-hour train ride, finishing it because I was reading at whip-speed. Alison's a character that reminds me a little of the main character in The Girl on the Train, a woman who is out of control and can't seem to get herself on track. The drinking, the bad decisions -- Alison just doesn't seem to care that she's ruining her life.  I sometimes found I was so annoyed with her that I was muttering under my breath.  However, as she gets more into her murder case, her relationship with her husband seems to be changing --- and you definitely get a sense that something is off. However, it's hard to tell just what that something is. And while I had a sense of what could be happening, when the big reveal came, I was so shocked!!!  Which is a good thing.  Definitely keeping this one for a re-read in the future!!

Closet Smarts: Flatter Your Figure with the Clothes You Already Have

Closet Smarts: Flatter Your Figure with the Clothes You Already Have by Emily Neill          Paperback Book:   192 pages         

Emily Neill has written a very informative book on finding one’s best personal style of clothing that fits best, looks best, colors that work best, you name it.    She first introduces the reader to about 9 – 11 different body types so you can see which one is closest to your own.   From there the book is divided into two sections – section one from waist to shoulder,  section two from waist to feet.    Neill tells the reader to consider two inverted triangles with points meeting in the middle at your waist as your top and bottom.    She says what everyone wants to do is balance their bodies with the clothes they wear.   She talks about thin women should wear wider straps on their shoulders to draw attention away from their narrow shoulders and to wear lighter fabrics so as not to overwhelm their bodies with too much material making the thin person look like they are lost in their clothes or that the clothes are way too big for them.   For larger people (hello!) she says NEVER wear pleats, and especially don’t wear any kind of darts nor pleats around your belly area.    No biased skirts, either instead she suggests A-line and pencil skirts which smooth over the hips and hide bulges, saddlebags and pooches.  Also voluptuous ladies, while it does every body shape good to draw attention to their decolletage  (chest, neck, shoulders upper back areas) think upper torso here and Emily Neill says to show all you got!   Exposing these bits of skin draws the eye up so those downtown areas you might not be so proud of seem to disappear.    She shares so many fashion tricks that can make you look thin or make you look more filled out.   She shows photo examples of live ladies wearing the fashion dos and don’ts of which she speaks.    It is really helpful to see what she is talking about when she tells the reader where you need a top’s length to come down to how everyone looks good in empire waists.    She talks about hour glass figures and how to bring out the best in them, how to dress if you are overly tall.  She goes from what she calls Skinny Minnies to Amazons with Apples and Pears in between.    She shoes how to use your clothes to round your shoulders or disguise that feature if they are too round.    She shows where you want the length of your dress to hit if you have bony ankles and calves and also on the other end of that spectrum  if you have cankles (due to weight or swelling issues your calves and ankles have no definition you are the same size from your knee to your foot.     She is not a fan of the fashion idea of locking people into their fashion color palette being related to seasons and thinks women should step out into colors they would normallynever wear now and then just to expand their horizons and try something new.   She promises not being afraid to try something new or out of your comfort zone will bring more interest to your look and kill the myth that a woman can only wear a certain color shade and never cross the line into unknown color territory.   She admonishes her readers to “live a little!”   I found the examples of where jackets, shirts, blouses, sweaters should cut across your body helpful.   She talks about how wearing bigger, longer tops is not conducive to looking smaller or if you already are small they do not help you to look more filled out.   She is NOT a fan of caridgans which she thinks are boring nor is she a fan of big bulky sweaters and she loathes turtlenecks.  She shows how different pant cuts can even out a body’s balance and take an outfit from rectangular to perfection.   She recommends wearing heels at all times because the make the legs look tighter and giving height to an outfit always improves it she says.   Even wearing pants with a tiny heel on your shoe or boot improves the look and gives the outfit a dressier classier feel.   So much good fashion sense to be found here.   I highly recommend it to anyone interested in clothes and shoes,  anyone interested in improving their look, anyone who would like to know how to shop for clothing items that will look good on their body.   I highly recommend this to females of any age.   You are never too young nor too old to learn how to dress well.    Really good advice given here delivered in a fun and friendly way as though she were right there in the room with you.    And her biggest recommendation if for all of us to get a floor length mirror so we can really see what we look like from head to toe before we leave the house.   Good book.  

 - Shirley J.