Out With the Old....

It was a busy week out there in blog-land. Please feel free to bring to my attention anything I missed and I'd be happy to add it.

Added to the Leaning-Tower-of-Pisa TBR pile:
I'm not going to reiterate my dramatic fall from the book-buying wagon that took place earlier in the week. If you'd like to read the dirty details, just go here.

But this came in the mail and I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself (!):

Guernica, by Dave Boling. Dave is a local author and after reading his Tacoma News Tribune columns for most of my life, I now have a copy of his very well-received historical fiction novel about the Spanish Civil War and a small Spanish town that was fire-bombed by the Germans during WWII.

Books that made it on to the wishlist:

Here, There Be Dragons (Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica), by James A. Owen, courtesy of Muse Book Reviews.
Beneath a Marble Sky, by John Shors, courtesy of Tanzanite's Shelf and Stuff.
The Island of Divine Music, by John Addiego, courtesy of Diary of an Eccentric.
Creepers, by Joanne Dahme, courtesy of Book Chatter and Other Stuff.
Heart of Diamonds, by Dave Donelson, courtesy of J. Kaye's Book Blog.
Owl Babies, by Martin Waddell, courtesy of The Friendly Book Nook (I absolutely must buy this book!)
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E. Lockhart, courtesy of Publisher's Weekly.


Things happening in the blog world that I hope you didn't miss:

• Passages to the Past gave us historical fiction fanatics a good look at what's due to be released in November.
• There was a great interview with David Ebershoff, author of The 19th Wife, over at Wendi's Book Corner.
• Over at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time there is a great giveaway of The Lace Reader -- don't forget to enter if you haven't read it!
• The Hidden Side of a Leaf presented a review of Neil Gaiman's new novel, The Graveyard Book.
• If you haven't already caught it, I'm directing you all over to Michele with One 'L' to read one of the best politically-oriented posts I've read thus far. Michele is proving to us that despite appearances, common sense is not dead (thank you, Michele!).
• If you missed Blog Talk Radio this week, there was an excellent talk with Kathleen Kent, author of The Heretic's Daughter. Don't worry if you missed it -- Bermuda Onion's Weblog provided us with a link to listen to the talk.

Boo

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, written by Washington Irving and first published in 1820, is the quintessential Halloween story....

As Ichabod approached this fearful tree, he began to whistle: he thought his whistle was answered—it was but a blast sweeping sharply through the dry branches. As he approached a little nearer, he thought he saw something white, hanging in the midst of the tree—he paused and ceased whistling; but on looking more narrowly, perceived that it was a place where the tree had been scathed by lightning, and the white wood laid bare. Suddenly he heard a groan—his teeth chattered and his knees smote against the saddle: it was but the rubbing of one huge bough upon another, as they were swayed about by the breeze. He passed the tree in safety, but new perils lay before him.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving

Read the entire story here, courtesy of Page by Page Books!

Tag, I'm IT

Wendi at Wendi's Book Corner tagged me with Random Facts: Book Edition! While I can't imagine why anyone would find any seven relevant facts -- let alone random ones -- about me interesting, I'm lacking a post for today so this seems like a good way to make it look like I've been busily blogging along. So here's your seven book-related facts (random, not relevant, that is):

1. I don't have a library card. I can't do it. Nothing against the library, which was my best childhood friend, but now that I am an income-producing adult, I simply MUST own the books. They must reside on my shelves. I love them. They're mine.
2. I am a 37 year old adult and I read every one of the Twilight series. 'Nuff said about that.
3. I hate Nicolas Sparks' novels. Too sappy even for me.
4. I just mentioned this on Book Blogs, but it bears repeating: the only novel that has ever made me cry is Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove.
5. I actually read a ton of non-fiction that I don't review on this blog. All of it history.
6. I read two bedtime stories to my toddler every single night that I'm at home. On the nights I'm not at home, I am required to recite I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by memory over the telephone.
7. I cannot go into a book store without buying at least one book, even if I never get around to reading it.

So there you have it, all the dirty details. Now I get to ambush seven other unsuspecting blogs with this little exercise. Hmmmmm (*evil laugh*)....who shall I choose?

1. Amy at Passages to the Past (because I know she has soooo little to do these days, ha ha).
2. Amanda at The Luscious Literary Muse.
3. Melanie at The Indextrious Reader (I just love reading her blog name).
4. Carey at The Tome Traveller's Weblog.
5. Petunia at Educating Petunia.
6. Leah at The Octogon.
7. Heather at The Reader's Word.

If you're brave enough, here are your instructions:

1. Link to the person who tagged you, and post the rules on your blog
2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs
4. Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog!

Giveaway: Gods Behaving Badly

I thought the premise for this new novel by Marie Phillips looked so fun that I just had to get in on the giveaway! So courtesy of Hachette Books, we are offering up to 5 (yes, 5!) copies of Gods Behaving Badly. Have a look at the premise:

Being a Greek god is not all it once was. Yes, the twelve gods of Olympus are alive and well in the twenty-first century, but they are crammed together in a London townhouse-and none too happy about it. And they've had to get day jobs: Artemis as a dog-walker, Apollo as a TV psychic, Aphrodite as a phone sex operator, Dionysus as a DJ. Even more disturbingly, their powers are waning, and even turning mortals into trees-a favorite pastime of Apollo's-is sapping their vital reserves of strength.

Soon, what begins as a minor squabble between Aphrodite and Apollo escalates into an epic battle of wills. Two perplexed humans, Alice and Neil, who are caught in the crossfire, must fear not only for their own lives, but for the survival of humankind. Nothing less than a true act of heroism is needed-but can these two decidedly ordinary people replicate the feats of the mythical heroes and save the world?

Doesn't that sound like a fun read? There's a few different ways to win. So here's what we'll do...

1. For every ten entries received, we'll throw in another copy of the book to win. (So if 20 people enter, there will be two copies given away, etc, etc...you get the picture).
2. If you blog about it or email a friend about the contest, just comment with your link or cc your email to me and I'll throw your name in again.
3. For the super creative folks out there, tell me in 150 words less who your favorite Greek God is and why, email it to me and I'll throw in your name an additional three more times.

The contest will remain open to all comers until November 10th at 11:59 Pacific Time at which time winners will be randomly drawn and announced. Don't forget to leave a way to contact you!

Unfortunately, because the books are coming from the publisher, this contest is limited to U.S. and Canadian mailing addresses only and no P.O. Boxes. But don't despair because I promise to make it up to my international friends soon!

Review: Jenford: A Short History of Upland

Jenford: A Short History of Upland, by Hendrick E. Sadi


Rating: 3 of 5 stars


Book Source: Courtesy of Author

He had seen too much killing and destruction not to want to affirm the living and now wanted to farm his way back to life.
Jenford: A Short History of Upland

This is one of the more difficult reviews I have had to write. How does one approach a novel that, at it's core, is a beautiful story idea and solid foundation, but the mechanicals of the actual writing are hampering the telling of that story?

The premise is solid: a grown man returns to his childhood home in a Northeastern farming community for a routine visit and pays a visit to one of their neighbors, an elderly man whose family had been farming their land since the Civil War. A picture on the wall sparks an interest in the history of the area and the elderly neighbor relates his poignant family history. As one of the original families to settle the area, their history is the town's history and parallels such as these are drawn throughout the book.

The telling of this insightful story, however, gets lost in the presentation. There is a overuse of ellipses in the dialogue, which is a bit distracting and confusion often arises over inconsistencies with the characters. For example,

And that was Clayborn's sermon to his oldest son that day Isak went to another side of the field with his two brothers, mumbling about it to them.
"I've heard enough from him and that book ... Isn't there another book he can get his hands on besides the black one he always wants to preach to us from?"
"Why don't we go and ask mother?" Joseph said, innocently enough.
"Mother? ... Why? ... Where would she get one for him?" Clarence asked, a bit dumbfounded by his brother's suggestion, looking at the grin that had come to Isak's face then.
from Jenford: A Novel of Upland

To be fair, one has to understand that the author, Henrik E. Sadi, is not a native English speaker, being born in Norway and growing up in the Middle and Far East. I simply cannot imagine the inherent difficulties in writing a novel in another language, so I feel compelled to applaud anyone who would try.

But again, aside from the technical portion of the writing, I cannot emphasize enough the heartfelt premise of the story. To seek out our own history and where we come from is a inherent human desire (okay, salmon have it too, but don't get picky with me here) and Mr. Sadi has struck a chord in this novel.

Our own stories, like the ones in Jenford, are filled with sadness and disappointment. Mr. Sadi does a commendable job of portraying this sadness without dragging the story into desolation. And while you shouldn't expect a happy ending, you can expect a satisfying one.

Title: Jenford: A Short History of Upland
Author: Hendrik E. Sadi
ISBN: 978-0-595-48351 (pbk)
Publisher: iUniverse, Inc.
Date: 2008

I Fell Off the Wagon....

After promising myself NOT to buy any further books, I made the huge mistake of wandering into a used bookstore this afternoon. Lo and behold, I fell off the wagon, to no one's surprise. Feel free to comment on any of these that you have read!

I rounded out Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles with King Hereafter, The Ringed Castle, and Checkmate. Whew. Now I can finally start in on this series (those of you who know me are aware of my OCD when it comes to series: I cannot begin a series until I have all of them available on my shelves. This little problem of mine has bitten me in the butt more than once, but what can you do?).

I found an Elizabeth Chadwick novel, The Champion, and practically knocked over a poor lady who was reaching for it at the same time. She admittedly had no idea what she was reaching for so I feel completely justified in laying claim to it. Knowledge is power and all that.

Crossed: A Tale of the Fourth Crusade, by Nicole Galland, was just one I stumbled on, never having heard of this author before. I enjoy any novels about the Crusades, so I thought I'd take a chance on this one.

Crown in Candlelight, by Rosemary Hawley Jarman was just added to my wishlist this morning when Amy at Passages to the Past announced that this novel would be re-released in November. The copy I picked up is an original hardcover published in 1978.

I ran across The Last Empress, by Anchee Min, and picked it up. As it turns out, this one is a sequel to Empress Orchid, so alas, I'll have to find the first book before I can read this one.

I always look for Jean Plaidy novels at any used bookstore and happily I found two today: The Rose Without a Thorn, about Katherine Howard, and Victoria Victorious, clearly written about Queen Victoria. (Who says a title doesn't say it all?)

I also tend to search for Mary Renault books and finally found an old copy of The Persian Boy today. I've been searching for that one used for months now, so I'm feeling a little smug over that find.

As Meat Loves Salt, by Maria McCann, was added to my wishlist a couple of weeks ago and while it may be in the running for Worst Title of a Book Ever, the reviews I read were incredible and I can't wait to dive into this one about war in England during the 17th-century.

The last one I picked up was an Iris Murdoch novel, The Green Knight. Can you belive I have never read one of her novels? Nancy Pearl recommends them above all others, so that is good enough for me.

As pleased with myself as I am over this haul, the logistics of getting these books home is just setting in as I realized I'm over 1500 miles away from home. Hmmmmm. I see a trip to FedEx in my future.

Bookmark Monday

This is one of my favorite bookmarks. I use this one at home a lot because both ends are attached with a ribbon and I can dangle it over my 7-month-old daughter's head to entertain her while I read. A babysitter and a bookmark. Cool.

Review: Lydia Bennet's Story

Lydia Bennet's Story: A Sequel to Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Odiwe


Rating: 4 of 5 stars


Book Source: Sourcebooks, Inc.

It is my greatest desire to fall in love and catch myself a husband, yet, whilst I am truly proficient in the art of becoming enamoured, so far finding my partner in life eludes me, however vigilant I have been in the endeavor.
Lydia Bennet's Story

As a true Jane Austen fan, I had until recently shunned all attempted "sequels" to any of Ms. Austen's great works. Fearing disappointment, I did not want to sully what to me is the perfect novel: Pride and Prejudice. As it turns out, I need not have worried. The term "sequel," I am happy to report, has no application whatsoever to Jane Owide's delightful novel, Lydia Bennet's Story.

The novel explores the life of Lydia, the youngest and arguably most insipid Bennet sister. What if Lydia wasn't as vapid as many surmised? What if she was just a silly young girl who made the typical mistakes of the young?

Author Jane Owide, thankfully, makes no attempt to be Jane Austen. Writing in third person with occasional glimpses into Lydia's diary, Owide brilliantly takes a supporting character from a classic tale and uniquely makes it her own. Lydia is presented as a normal teen-aged girl with normal teenage concerns and immaturity and the unfortunate luck to cross paths with that infamous 19th-century player, Mr Wickham. This doesn't mean she isn't endearing: quite the opposite. After all, it's difficult not to identify with thoughts such as

Mr Wickham will NOT be forgiven for his behaviour, though I can think of nothing else, playing over the scene in my head with a different ending each time. I now know just how I should have behaved and what I should have said which is vexing in the extreme.
Lydia Bennet's diary, Lydia Bennet's Story

By the end of the story, Lydia's actions were quite forgivable in my eyes. She made mistakes many of us can sympathize with, having made many of them ourselves, albeit in a different century. Over-weening pride - an allusion to the novel from which she springs - only compounds her misjudgments.

The underlying seriousness of the follies of youth notwithstanding, the novel is lighthearted enough for enjoyable read and I was quite pleased to discover that it may be considered a stand-alone story, meaning that one need not be an Austen aficionado nor even to have read Pride and Prejudice in order to enjoy this book. If, however, you are a serious Austen fan and are loath to try reading one of the many "sequels," you can safely set aside that fear in this instance and sit down with a very enjoyable tale. Happy reading!


Title: Lydia Bennet's Story
Author: Jane Odiwe
ISBN-13: 978-1402214752
356 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Date: October 1, 2008



Other Reviews Available at:

Diary of an Eccentric
Becky's Book Reviews
A Book Blogger's Diary
Austenprose

You can view the author's blog at Jane Austen Inspirations.

Recipe for Trenchers

It's been a while since I've featured a medieval recipe. I was thinking about trenchers the other day (an insight into just how convoluted my mind actually is). Trenchers were commonly used during medieval times and you can think of them as the modern-day equivalent of bread bowls. Most commonly used by the uber-wealthy in medieval times, apparently they saved the kitchen staff from washing a whole-lotta dishes after a feast. The uneaten trenchers, usually stale, were then distributed to the poor after a big shindig. Guess I know what I'd be eating back then...someone's used, moldy trencher.


On the bright side, when I saw this medieval recipe over at Nemeton, for some reason I thought how good this would be holding a big serving of cream of potato soup (maybe it's just that winter is arriving?). Regardless, if you have culinary inclinations, here's the recipe and I've done the conversions for you:

3 1/2 cups stone-ground wholemeal bread (get creative with this; no need to grind your own wheat)
2 Tbsp sugar
About a cup of warm water
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water then stir-in the yeast and allow to stand for 15 minutes. The yeast should activate and bubbles will froth to the surface. Mix the flour and salt into a bowl, add the yeast and mix to form a dough. Add more water or flour, as necessary, until the dough is of the correct consistency.

Tip onto a floured surface and knead enthusiastically for at least 20 minutes, or until the dough becomes soft and elastic. Cut the dough into three equal pieces and roll into ovals about 4cm thick. Transfer onto a greased baking tray, pinch the edges of the bread so that you create a raised lip all the way around. Make a deep slash about 3/4 of the way along the center of the loaf and gently part the lips of the slash. This forms the 'trench' from which the bread gets its name.

Cover the bread with a damp cloth and place in a warm spot until the loaves double in size (this can take up to 2 hours). Place the bread in an oven pre-heated to 350 degrees and bake for about 45 minutes or until the bread is nicely browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the base.

Out With the Old....

Out With the Old....is a look back at the week in books and the book-review world. If I missed something important, please let me know and I'd be happy to update the information!

Added to the Leaning Tower of Pisa TBR Pile:


Now the Drum of War: Walt Whitman and his Brothers in the Civil War, by Robert Roper, courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing. Non-fiction work drawing upon the multitude of letters written by Walt Whitman's family during the Civil War and reconstructs their experience during what was arguably the biggest crisis to face this nation. Book scheduled for release October 28, 2008.

Booth's Sister, by Jane Singer, courtesy of Luanne at A Bookworm's World (thank you Luanne!). This novel was inspired by the actual experiences of John Wilkes Booth's sister, Asia, and her horrifying experiences after her brother shot Abraham Lincoln. You can read a review published by A Bookworm's World here.


In the Land of Invisible Women, by Qanta A. Ahmed, MD., courtesy of Shana at Literarily (thank you, Shana!). This is a memoir of a modern-day British Muslim doctor who decides to take a job in the Middle East and the eye-opening adventure that followed. You can read the Literarily review here.



The Last of the Wine, by Mary Renault, courtesy of BookMooch. This novel, originally published in 1956, is the first of this renowned historical fiction author's ancient Greece series, this one set during the time of the Peloponnesian War.




Home, by Marilynne Robinson, courtesy of local bookstore. This novel by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gilead is a finalist for the National Book Award this year. In Home, the adult children from Gilead return home to care for their dying father, each grappling with what it means to return home.




Fine Just the Way it Is: Wyoming Stories 3, by Annie Proulx, courtesy of local book store. This novel is the highly-anticipated third installment of Proulx's Wyoming Stories, the first of which was Brokeback Mountain.




Some books that made it on to my wishlist this week:

Pope Joan, by Donna Woolfolk Cross, courtesy of Tanzanite's Shelf and Stuff.
Azincourt, by Bernard Cornwell, courtesy of Medieval Bookworm (I am really looking forward to this one!).
The Great Karoo, by Fred Stenson, courtesy of Fresh Ink Books. This book is a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award.


Things happening in the online book world that I hope you didn't miss:

The Book Lady's Blog had another hilarious post from the perspective of a book seller....not to be missed!
Books 'N Border Collies listed the Official 2009 Reading Challenge sites. If you love reading challenges, go take a look.
As Usual, I Need More Bookshelves celebrated their 100th Post....congratulations!
There's still time to enter the giveaway for Tomato Girl, by Jayne Pupek, being offered at Educating Petunia. This is a very nice giveaway so I hope you don't miss it.
My Friend Amy is holding a Christan Book Carnival today!

Bookmark Monday

This week's unique bookmark is from Etsy. A cute glass pendant that the artist will happily convert into a bookmark for you. Very cute.

...and In With the New

...and In With the New is a look at what's coming in the week ahead.

After experiencing a few technical difficulties this week, I'm running a tad behind in the reviews I promised you. I'll do my best to catch up this week:


My review of Jenford: A Short History of Upland, by Hendrik E. Sadi will finally be forthcoming towards the end of the week, followed by an interview with the author!

Books released this week:

• Pythagorean Crimes, by Tefcros Michaelides. A mystery-thriller set in 1929 Greece, this new historical novel is garnering some very good reviews. Parmenides Publishing (October 20, 2008).
• The Tragedy of MacBeth Part II: The Seed of Banquo, by Noah Lukeman. The sequel to MacBeth! Pegasus (October 28, 2008).

Out With the Old....

Out With the Old....is a look back at the week in books and the book-review world. If I missed something important, please let me know and I'd be happy to update the information!

Added to the Leaning Tower of Pisa TBR Pile:

Lydia Bennet's Story, by Jane Odiwe, courtesy of Sourebooks.
Netherfield Park Revisited (Book 3 of The Pemberley Crhonicles), by Rebecca Ann Collins courtesy of Sourcebooks.
Impulse Initiative, by Abigail Reynolds, courtesy of Sourcebooks.
Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay, courtesy of St. Martin's Reading Group Gold.
The Courts of Illusion, by Rosemary Hawley Jarman, courtesy of BookMooch.
Lion's Pride, by Debbie Jordan, courtesy of the author and with a very nice inscription (thank you, Debbie!)



Some books that made it on to my wishlist this week:

Pomegranate Soup, by Marsha Mehran, courtesy of Books and Cooks.
Cathedral of the Sea, by Ildefonso Falcones, courtesy of Books 'N Border Collies.
Sweet Mandarin, by Helen Tse, courtesy of the Macmillan Publishers' catalog.
An Involuntary King, by Nan Hawthorne, courtesy of Historical Boys.



Things happening in the online book world that I hope you didn't miss:

Kelly Hewitt at Loaded Questions is back with a vengeance! I hope you didn't miss her interview with Robin Maxwell, whose new book Signora Da Vinci is due out January.
The Literate Housewife Review is still holding contests to win a copy of The Witch's Trinity, by Erika Mailman. These are creative, fun contests!
A great guest post at Historical Boys by author Nan Hawthorne, who discusses the use of language for the historical fiction writer.
Author Elizabeth Chadwick with a delightful post about her history education at Historical Tapestry.
Who participated in the Read-a-thon?? Sorry I missed it this year, but the day-job took precedence.
Author Sharon Kay Penman stopped in at the Historical Fiction Online Forum to answer questions!

Review: Devil's Brood

Devil's Brood, by Sharon Kay Penman



rating: 4 of 5 stars




Book Source: Amazon

You can win battles, not the war. You've already lost what you value almost as much as your kingdom. You've lost your sons.
Eleanor of Aquitaine, from Devil's Brood

Devil's Brood is the long-awaited latest installment of Sharon Kay Penman's brilliant Eleanor of Aquitaine series. Preceeded by When Christ and His Saints Slept and Time and Chance, Devil's Brood seamlessly picks up the story of King Henry II and his dysfunctional family just as his eldest children reach adulthood and begin wreaking havoc in Henry's world.

Where Saints and Time and Chance were a recounting of the convoluted politics of the time and the circumstances that led to Henry's grabbing of the crown and his marriage to Eleanor, the famous Aquitaine heiress and former Queen of France, Devil's Brood is a portrait of a family disintegration. Penman was faced with the difficult challenge of supplying credible motivations for these larger-than-life historical figures, something that often cannot be gleaned from pure research. Happily, she exceeded expectations and has produced not only an historically accurate and detailed novel, but a psychological study of a family meltdown.

Penman succeeded in avoiding one-dimensional characters with singular motivations. Like most families, the Plantagenet family falls apart due to human failings still found today: infidelity, immature and rebellious teenagers, pride and stubbornness. Each character has an opportunity to stop this train wreck, yet none do and tragedy ensues.

The only character who escapes Penman's analysis is Rosamund Clifford, Henry's mistress and a thorn in Eleanor's side. Although she has quite a role in the story, it is unfortunate that her motivations are simplistic and a bit of a cliche: she appears to be only an insipid and vapid goody two-shoes. Any sympathy or understanding for her character is difficult to muster and her eventual exit from the Plantagenet's lives is somewhat of a relief, if only because reading about her becomes quite tiring.

Penman is a master of dialogue and Devil's Brood continues her tradition. Few historical fiction authors have the ability to seamlessly weave such pertinent period information into their dialogue. She also provides biting wit, which in the case of Henry and Eleanor is particularly appropriate (how many of us can forget Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn battling it out in The Lion in Winter?)

Aquitaine is one large lunatic asylum, and you clearly ahve been spending too much time there, Eleanor.
Henry II, from Devil's Brood

Fans who have eagerly awaited this release will not, thankfully, be disappointed in this newest Penman novel and I daresay some new fans will be created who will now join in the vigil for the next novel in the series. Whether you must beg, borrow or steal (or perhaps just simply purchase) this book, do so. You won't be sorry you did.

Title: Devil's Brood
Author: Sharon Kay Penman
ISBN: 978-0-399-15526-0
752 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Date: October 7, 2008

A Winner

Congratulations, Smooshy, you won a copy of Molly Dwyer's Requiem for the Author of Frankenstein!

Review: Dumbocracy

Dumbocracy: Adventures with the Loony Left, the Rabid Right and Other American Idiots, by Marty Beckerman

Genre: Non-Fiction, Political


Rating: 4 of 5 stars


Book Source: courtesy of the author



With the U.S. presidential elections looming large (did everyone register to vote?), the American public is currently being inundated with political advertisements, televised debates, candidate mud-slinging and other ugly nonsense that typically accompanies our election process. Good times, right?

For those of you who are tired of the endless empty campaign promises, finger-pointing, and soapbox platforms, author Marty Beckerman has provided some much-needed comic relief in the form of Dumbocracy: Adventures with the Loony Left, the Rabid Right, and Other American Idiots.

It has ever been my contention that if we picked ten random Republicans and ten random Democrats off the street and locked them in a room together, we'd find that we meet in the middle more often than not. The problem is - and has always been - that the important issues are not decided by the "average" American. Rather, it is people with extreme, inflexible platforms who do their best to polarize the American public and make compromise impossible.

In a quest to understand the fundamentalists at both sides of the political spectrum (you know, the ones who make compromise impossible), Beckerman spent four years in their world, interviewing, attending thier funcions and rallies, and just in general taking one for the team and saving the rest of us from their extremist vitriol. Covering incendiary topics such as abortion, women's rights, freedom of speech, and international relations (amongst many others), Beckerman pokes fun at the ridiculous lunatics who shape our laws and policy, making for many laugh-out-loud moments.

As the title of the book implies, Beckerman goes after the left and right ends of the political spectrum with equal zeal. But underneath the sarcasm and humor this book brimming with good research. And it has to be, because you wouldn't believe the idiocy of our leaders without documentation to back it up. With biting wit and commentary Beckerman reveals the root of voter apathy: what sane person even wants to wade through the lunacy surrounding politics?

A word of warning: Dumbocracy is not for the prudish. Like most of us, the subject of politics brings forth language that would make a sailor blush (with apologies to any sailors out there) and this author is no exception. Crossing the line into unnecessary crudeness in places, you might want to skip this if you have delicate sensibilities. Don't say I didn't warn you. But you will laugh till your sides hurt, so don't say I didn't warn you about that, either.

Title: Dumbocracy: Adventures with the Loony Left, the Rabid Right, and Other American Idiots
Author: Marty Beckerman
ISBN-13: 978-1934708064
224 pages
Publisher: The Disinformation Company
Date: September 1, 2008

Some contest news....

As a reminder, you still have one more day to enter giveaway for Requiem for the Author of Frankenstein, by Molly Dwyer. If you haven't entered and would like a chance to read this fantastic novel, go here.

And if you haven't entered The Literate Housewife's contest to win a copy of The Witch's Trinity, by Erika Mailman, please do so! There are three chances to win, so put on your writer's cap and dive in.

National Book Award Finalists

The National Book Award Finalists have been announced. In the fiction category, the finalists are:


The Lazarus Project, by Aleksandar Hemon. A historical mystery surrounding the murder of a young immigrant at the home of the Chicago chief of police in 1908. Interestingly, this book has received mediocre reviews at both LibraryThing and Amazon. Mr. Hemon is the author of The Question of Bruno and Nowhere Man.


Telex from Cuba, by Rachel Kushner. This novel explores what happened in a small Cuban town during the time leading up to the Cuban Revolution. This is Ms. Kushner's debut novel.



Shadow Country, by Peter Matthiessen. From the author of In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Shadow Country is a reworking and compilation of the Watson Trilogy (including Killing Mister Watson, Lost Man's River, and Bone by Bone). This trilogy explores the life of Edgar J. Watson, legendary Florida pioneer who owned a sugar cane plantation in the early 20th century. Legend has it that Watson murdered the infamous Belle Star. Excellent reviews.


Home, by Marilynne Robinson. Home is a companion novel to Robinson's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Gilead. In Home, the adult children from Gilead return home to care for their dying father, each grappling with what it means to return home.


The End, by Salvatore Scibona. A family saga that takes place in Midwest America during the 1950s, this is Mr. Scibona's first novel and has been receiving good reviews on Amazon.

Hmmmm....

Have you ever received a book that you requested and now can't remember why you wanted it to begin with?

I'm a huge fan of BookMooch, where members happily trade books with each other for nothing more than the cost of postage. Today I received a book in the mail that clearly I wanted (it was recommended somewhere by someone at some point), but the cover tells me it might not be my cup of tea. Here, I scanned it for you:



Now you probably can't make out the blurb above the title, so I'll be generous enough to repeat it for you: Her magnificent novel of an age when love ruled kings. Hmmmm.

But wait...there's more on the back cover:

SIR MARK D'ARCHIER
An adventurer from a shattered family, he wielded his shining sword in the service of high destiny.

Now I may be way off base here, but I'm-a-thinkin' the aforementioned sword might be a double-entendre.