What I'm Reading Now

This is a busy time of the year for me. The past month has been life at a frantic pace. I often compare the last few weeks of school to those old Crash Test Dummies commercials, full speed until they hit the wall and come to a sudden stop. No easing to a gentle stop.

Finally, just one more day of school and then summer break begins, when I will have some time to do all the stuff that needs doing to our house, but also some free time to sit on the terrace and read.

Right now, a little bit at a time, I am reading Deepak Chopra's book Life After Death: the Burden of Proof, and finding it satisfying and enlightening.

The author has read and studied the philosophies of many faiths, and brings in elements of them and tries to show how they are different, but also how they share similar ideas about the soul and its continued journey after death. I am comfortable with Chopra's ideas, since I share them, but he also explains things in new ways, and this I find satisfying and helpful for my own understanding.

Right now, I'm reading about how people of different faiths have different ideas about what the afterlife will look like and those that have had Near Death Experiences (NDE) often report experiences that match their religious background. Just as I am thinking that when I die, I want to see is what is really there, not what fits my belief system, he says just that, that those who are open to the truth, will be open and able to move past their preconceptions to a higher level of experience sooner than those who have narrow expectations.

I'm still much closer to the beginning than the end, and may have more to say later, but this is a good book, and I invite you to enjoy me in reading it, and please, share your comments AFTER doing so.

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House of Spirits and Whispers

If you like true tales of haunted houses, you will enjoy reading Annie Wilder's book House of Spirits and Whispers.  This is the story of a woman who moves her family into a Victorian house in Sibley, Minnesota (an historic Mississippi river town) only to find out it is haunted.

Unlike the baffled mother in Don't Call Them Ghosts, who hadn't a clue what to do, this woman has had experience with ghosts and spirits. She comes from a long line of psychic women and has some mediumistic abilities. She is not particularly surprised to find that she is sharing the house with earlier inhabitants. She is quite willing to share as long as the spirits behave themselves. She is not the only member of the family who has experiences there, but hers are the most vivid, and occasionally scary.

The old house had been turned into 3 apartments by Leon, the former owner, and the Wilders have to make some significant changes to transform it into a house suitable for herself, her two children and occasional house guests. The floor plans in the front of the book are very helpful in orienting oneself and I often referred to them as I read the book.

Leon is still hanging around when Annie and her family move in, and he has strong feelings about the place. After driving off everyone else who showed interest in the place, he appears to consent to her family moving in. As they explore their new home, they discover a treasure of sorts hidden in the basement, a rustic door with an interesting old seed poster on it  (seen on the cover of the book) and discover that Leon is not the only ghost. Several spirits have lingered in the house. The house sits across the street from a funeral home and they suspect that some spirits are attracted to their house and drop in on their way to other places. It all makes for a lively experience, sometimes too lively.

This book is a quick, easy read. The author keeps things moving, and ends every chapter with a teaser that makes you want to find out what happens next. Watch the video to learn more about Annie Wilder and her haunted house.

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Zombies on the Brain

Some purists may be annoyed that someone has had the cheek to add zombies to Jane Austen's classic novel of manners, Pride and Prejudice. Other readers may wish the author, Seth Grahame-Smith, had added more of them. He has stayed true to the plot line, while using the zombie threat to inject humor and enhance our understanding of the characters. I particularly enjoyed his exaggeration of the silliness of Mrs. Bennet and the youngest Bennet daughter, Lydia, the additional sarcasm of Mr. Darcy, and the unpleasant fate of some of the more disagreeable characters.

The author sticks close to the script, sometimes just tweaking Austen's words a bit, such as in the opening sentence:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.

Most of his additions are low-key, gentle reminders of the situation, such as:

Elizabeth most thankfully consented, and a servant was dispatched to Longbourn to acquaint the family with her stay and bring back a supply of clothes, and at Elizabeth's request, her favourite musket.

Battles with the zombies are, of course, an addition to the original tale:

Elizabeth knew that she and her present party were all doomed to slow deaths if the horses should fall into Satan's hands, so she sprang skyward, firing her musket as she flew through the air, her bullets penetrating the heads of several unmentionables. She landed on her feet beside one of the horses, and with her sword, began cutting down the attackers with all the grace of Aphrodite and all the ruthlessness of Herod.

Another gem:

What remained of Charlotte [who has been bitten by a zombie] would have liked to have believed this change the effect of love, and the object of that love her friend Eliza. She watched him [Mr. Darcy] whenever they were at Rosings, and whenever he came to Hunsford; but without much  success, for her thoughts often wandered to other subjects, such as the warm, succulent sensation of biting into a fresh brain.

I particularly enjoyed the Reader's Discussion Guide supplied at the end with questions for not-so-serious contemplation, such as:

•Is Mr. Collins merely too fat and stupid to notice his wife's gradual transformation into a zombie, or could there be another explanation for his failure to acknowledge the problem?

•Some critics have suggested that the zombies represent the author's views toward marriage––an endless curse that sucks the life out of you and just won't die. Do you agree, or do you have another opinion about the unmentionables?

•Vomit plays an important role in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies . . . Do the authors mean for this regurgitation to symbolize something greater, or is it a cheap device to get laughs?

•Some scholars believe that the zombies were a last-minute addition to the novel, requested by the publisher in a shameless attempt to boost sales. Others argue that the hordes of living dead are integral to Jane Austen's plot and social commentary. What do you think? Can you imagine what this novel might be like without the violent zombie mayhem?

Not any more!

What would Jane think? (WWJT)

I think she would be delighted that the independent Elizabeth Bennet is a ferocious fighter capable of killing ninjas and zombies alike with ease, while still retaining good sense and sensibility. Having experienced the repression and limitation of women in British society of the time, Jane may well be delighted at the self-sufficiency of the Bennet women and the further confirmation of the uselessness of silly people in this version of her story.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an amusing read, especially for anyone familiar with the story, and all in good fun. Hopefully, the addition of zombie hordes will attract more readers to this classic tale.

There are 20 illustrations in the book, done in the style of the original illustrations of the original Pride and Prejudice (sans zombies).

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RECENTLY READ

Marcus Didius Falco, as usual, has been handed an impossible task by one of the Emperor's flunkies: to find a missing hostage, a beautiful, dangerous and mysterious prophetess from Germania, who objected to finding out she was to be the chief sacrifice during the Saturnalia festivities. She left behind a body sans head, has a big head start, and a persuasive personality. As usual, in Marcus's way are officious slaves, uncooperative patricians, a family with problems of its own, and quack doctors. 

He must race against time and his chief rival, Anacrites, the Chief Spy. Along the way he will rely on his wits and his ability to read between the lines and see the truth the witnesses are trying to hide from him. He's had a lot of experience with the general public and his dysfunctional family. He knows when people are dissembling.

Read more about this novel by clicking on the title of this post.

Read more about Lindsey Davis and the Marcus Didius Falco novels HERE.

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Puzzling Adventures with Edgar Font

Audrey and Garrett, cared for by a busy aunt and mostly absent father, have become introspective and hesitant after the death of their mother. When they are shuffled off to live with their grandfather for the summer, a man they hardly know and last saw at their mother's funeral, they expect to be bored and miserable. After all, he lives in a retirement home with other old folk. What could possibly go right?

But their grandfather turns out to be anything but ordinary and not at all feeble. A life-long adventurer with a world class collection of artifacts to prove it, he's not ready to settle down and fade away like the ghosts that haunt the home. He wants to be sure that when he dies, any place he haunts will be worthy of him.

So, off go the threesome, into a series of adventures, three so far, involving mysteries, clues, and a generous dose of mystical, magical hijinks in search of the perfect place to haunt. And one of the problems with that, is that such a perfect place may already be haunted by someone else who doesn't want Edgar Font and his grandchildren to solve the mystery.

The series of books:

Edgar Font's Hunt for a House to Haunt include:

Adventure One: The Castle Tower Lighthouse

Adventure Two: The Fakersville Power Station

Adventure Three: The Flint Island Treehouse

The delightful illustrations are done by the author, Patrick H.T. Doyle. Young readers are offered a puzzle to solve at the end of each book, which they can use to access more stuff on the website. These books will appeal to most upper elementary and middle school readers. The characters are interesting, the puzzles are puzzling, the adventures adventurous and a lot of fun.

Visit the author's website: edgarfont.com

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Scary Done Right

I like Neil Gaiman. I have not read all of his books. I discovered Coraline about 3 years ago and liked it enough to read it twice, and it has had a good following with my middle school readers.

I stumbled onto one of his adult novels when I picked up the book Neverwhere at an airport bookstore to read on a long flight, only discovering after finishing the book, that this was the same author who wrote the deliciously scary Coraline. I also enjoyed the movie, Stardust, although I have no idea how close it is to the book, which I have not yet read. So, I can't say I'm an expert on Neil Gaiman, but so far, so good.

The Graveyard Book, his latest children's book, starts with some very scary images indeed. The worst is not stated, only hinted at, leaving it to the reader's imagination to fill in the rest, as it should be. A man, clearly an assassin, moves through a house holding a bloody knife, implying that he has murdered a family: father, mother and children, and is now searching out his last victim, a toddler, who should be in his crib and no problem at all. But this youngster is an adventurer, who has climbed out of his crib and wandered up the street into a graveyard. So begins the adventure of Nobody Owens, a scary and enjoyable tale.

Some people don't like Neil Gaiman's approach, too full of sinister images and fearsome villains for children they think should be sheltered from all knowledge of the dark side. I like his work. I find it spooky, but also filled with humor for those who are looking for it.

The original purpose of fairy tales was to scare little children into being good, but also show them how they can be brave, courageous and compassionate in the face of a dangerous world. That call to courage is something all children and adults can relate to. Boldness and determination are the qualities of Neil Gaiman's heroes, large and small, not a bad message for our children, not bad at all.


The movie, Coraline, is now showing. 

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Magician Reading

In going through a collection of clipart that someone gave me. I've came across a few treasures worth sharing. This one gave me a chuckle. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, "in the middle of a good book."

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Seasons Greetings 2008

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Favorite Authors - Sue Grafton

The first "alphabet" detective novel by Sue Grafton was published and set in 1982 and the latest was published in 2007, but set in 1987, so while time has passed for us, it has moved much more slowly for Kinsey Millhone, a PI in fictional Santa Teresa, California, who doggedly tracks down killers and cheats, even when the crimes are years old. She's an independent woman with trust issues regarding men, except where her close neighbor, Henry, is concerned. Henry is a vigorous octogenarian, a retired baker, who rents his garage studio apartment to Kinsey. He and Rosie, at whose restaurant Kinsey hangs out, provide the closest thing Kinsey has to family. 

In the earlier books, to dress up, Kinsey would put a jacket on over her black turtleneck with jeans, and cut her hair with nail scissors. She's moved up a little bit in style since then, but still keeps it simple and real. Like all good detectives, she's observant and picks up on the small things and takes a lot of notes. She keeps in shape by jogging, which is good, because she's fond of cheeseburgers with fries. She can handle a gun, thanks to her training and couple years spent on the police force, but while mostly law-abiding, she does what she needs to do to get inside and get at the truth.

The crimes described in these novels are carefully crafted, and reading them is an education in not only how to commit a crime and how to solve a crime, but also how to avoid being the victim of a crime. The author has acquired an amazing knowledge of the inner workings of all kinds of companies, government agencies, and investigative procedures. I think a PI could study Kinsey's methods and get plenty of ideas on how to do the job. Things are different now, of course. We are 25 years ahead of her in time. Kinsey doesn't use a computer, and while they are starting to be mentioned, she scoffs at the idea that they could be useful. There are still 6 letters of the alphabet left, so 6 more stories until the final one,  Z is for Zero. It will be interesting to see when and whether Kinsey ends up using a computer or the early Internet to help solve a mystery.

Her latest novel, T is for Trespass, addresses the problems the elderly and their families have finding caregivers, and how easy it is for the unscrupulous to take advantage of them. The criminal in this book knows how to steal other people's identities,while hiding her own, and how to manipulate people and situations. It is clear that the author considers this villain to be completely evil. It is Kinsey herself who looks into the woman's credentials and okays her employment, a move she will later regret, and one that puts her grumpy neighbor Gus's life in danger.

You don't have to start at the beginning or read these in order. Each book stands nicely on its own. Kinsey likes having closure.

Kinsey Millhone series
"A" Is for Alibi (1982)
"B" Is for Burglar (1985)
"C" Is for Corpse (1986)
"D" Is for Deadbeat (1987)
"E" Is for Evidence (1988)
"F" Is for Fugitive (1989)
"G" Is for Gumshoe (1990)
"H" Is for Homicide (1991)
"I" Is for Innocent (1992)
"J" Is for Judgment (1993)
"K" Is for Killer (1994)
"L" Is for Lawless (1995)
"M" Is for Malice (1996)
"N" Is for Noose (1998)
"O" Is for Outlaw (1999)
"P" Is for Peril (2001)
"Q" Is for Quarry (2002)
"R" Is for Ricochet (2004)
"S" Is for Silence (2005)
"T" Is for Trespass (2007)

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The Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread won the Newberry medal in 2004. I read it a year later and was totally charmed by Despereaux, a tiny mouse who doesn't quite fit in with the other mice. He was the last child of his mother, born with enormous ears and open eyes. He often stops to look at the light that comes through the castles grand windows or to listen to sounds others don't hear and quite forgets to scurry or hug the walls. Despite the efforts of his older brothers and sisters to tutor him the ways of mice, he seems ill-prepared to survive in the dangerous world of a castle where war has been declared by the humans on all rodents.

When his sister tries to convince him to nibble on the books in the castle library, especially the tasty dark spots, he is instead entranced by the words on the page, Once upon a time. He returns to the library time and again, to the despair of his family, to read the book all the way through. In it he learns about knights, and love, and honor, and when he meets Princess Pea, he cannot resist speaking to her and telling her, "I honor you." And as silly as it may seem for a mouse to love a princess, love is the most powerful force in the universe, and his love for the princess will save them all.

Another character important to this tale is Chiaroscuro, familiarly known as Roscuro, a rat who lives in the dark dungeon, but like Despereaux, is fascinated with the light. He resents those who live above, because they have banished all rats to the darkness, and this makes him dangerous.

Miggery, a not-very-bright, sadly disfigured servant girl who has been badly mistreated by life, sees Princess Pea and covets her beauty and her easy life. She shares her longing with Roscuro, who exploits her desire and conspires with her to kidnap Princess Pea and hold her prisoner in the vast dungeon. It is our miniscule hero, Despereaux, who sets himself the task of finding and rescuing her, and due to his courage and resourcefulness, he does, of course, succeed.

I loved this book. I read whole chapters aloud to my reading classes, showing them the beautiful illustrations by Timothy Basil Ering. The one of the princess leaning down with her hair falling down toward the floor and our hero is my favorite.

This is a perfect book. If you have a young reader in elementary school who does not own this book, it would make a perfect gift that will be treasured. Buy it in hardback. It will be passed on to the reader's children years from now as a cherished family heirloom. And don't forget to read it yourself. They say that we are every age we have ever been, so even if you are no longer a child, the child in you will love this book.

This charming book has been made into a movie, which I have not seen. I watched the trailer today, and while I enjoyed the look of Despereaux, the scenes depicted were quite different from any in the book, so it is clear that some liberties have been taken with the story line (sigh). I hope that the movie will encourage many young readers to discover this special book.  You can visit the movie website: HERE 

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