Last year I read “Devil in the White City,” which is a fascinating historical account of the World’s Fair held in Chicago in 1893 and the serial killer who was using that venue to stalk and kill his victims. So … Continue reading
The first sentences are what draw you into Canada by Richard Ford. “First, I’ll tell you about the robbery our parents committed. Then about the murders that happened later.” And with those few words you fall into the world of … Continue reading
I was on vacation last week and had to stock up on a variety of books for my trip. One of the gems I found was Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. It is one of those feel … Continue reading
What do we really know about our mothers? I suspect that most of us know our mothers through the lens of being a child, but probably very few of us have gotten to know our mothers more fully as individuals. … Continue reading
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Intrigue, mysterious portends, and revolution are all a part of the background to The Stockholm Octavo, set in 1791 Sweden. Emil Larsson our protagonist is a young bureaucrat in Office of Customs and Excise who spends his evenings drinking and gambling in various … Continue reading
I am drawn to books that immerse me in another country and culture. It is a way to “visit” or at least look through a window and see how others, think, feel and deal with the issues that arise in … Continue reading
The word “fantasy” always conjures up for me something fairy like or Disney-esque, so I have always hated using that term to describe books like Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, where although it is not located in our world, it … Continue reading
Out is a dark book. Noir is what they call it, but really it is just dark and disturbing. It is a story-a tragedy, about a group of Japanese women who are trapped in their lives; trapped because they are women, … Continue reading
I began reading books by Gruber a few years ago. The first was The Book of Air and Shadows, the next was The Forgery of Venus. Both were very good and so I was excited to read this new book … Continue reading
For my first Christmas posting it seems appropriate to talk about the wonderful book by Barbara Robinson called The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. For years now, our family has read this out loud as part of our Christmas celebration, either … Continue reading
Brenda's Bookshelf 