My twelfth book of 2010 was "Winging It: A Memoir of Caring for a Vengeful Parrot Who's Determined to Kill Me" by Jenny Gardiner. The title of this book is a little misleading, though. Although there are several chapters that focus on Graycie, the African Gray parrot that the Gardiner family lives with, this book is really about Jenny Gardiner's entire family and the ups and downs that come along with three kids and more than a handful of pets.
There are many stories told-some funny, some touching-most of which make me think this woman is a glutton for punishment! She and her family seem to take everything in stride though. She never takes her commitments lightly and she is able to admit her mistakes, sometimes wondering if she has added to the problems unintentionally.
The book was a quick, light read that I found quite enjoyable. I'm not a person who would ever own a bird (they kind of freak me out) but it was interesting to observe this creature from the outside. Even if you're not a "bird person", this is a fun book to read. Big thanks once again to my Twitter friends @BlueberryCat and @KayakGal for sending me this book!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Very Useful Travel Guide
My eleventh book for the year was a travel guide for an upcoming trip. The book is "Boston" from Eyewitness Travel with the main contributors being Tom Bross, Patricia Harris and David Lyon.
This was a very different travel guide than what I am used to reading. I buy a new one before every trip we take to Boston, hoping to find some gem inside that we have yet to discover. This book gave me several new ideas, plus a great layout that was easy to read and understand where everything is located.
First off, this was a very visual book. It is color-coded by area of town, with the city broken down into five sections. Each section has a short blurb about it, then is followed by a street-by-street guide. This section has an illustration of an interesting part of that section, complete with streets, buildings and landmarks. Following that is a listing of sights in that section of town. This includes information about the sights, location, nearby public transportation, hours and web addresses where applicable. Also, the major sights have dedicated pages with detailed illustrations and points of interest within the sights themselves. There is a section titled "Farther Afield" that does the same thing for towns outside of the city of Boston, but within a reasonable distance that you could visit while vacationing in Boston.
There is a section that describes three possible walks you can take in the Boston area. One of these walks is along the Freedom Trail, which is generally covered in Boston travel guides. There are two other walks described that are different from anything I have read about or done while I was in Boston. One is a walk on the MIT Campus and the other is a walk in South Boston. All of the walks are mapped out with important sights pointed out that you can visit along the way.
There are, of course, sections that briefly cover Boston's history and that give basic travel information. The "Travelers' Needs" section was quite helpful for me. It lists hotels, shopping and entertainment activities as you would expect. The list of restaurants was particularly good, I thought. There were several places listed (by section) that I have not been to that I have made note of to try when I am there. The descriptions are very thorough, yet succinct.
At the end of the book is a "Survival Guide" which seems to be directed toward foreign visitors. It covers health care, safety, currency and communications.
I felt that this book and its visual qualities would be more helpful to me than other travel guides. In fact, while reading it I discovered that in one particular part of town my directions have always been turned around. It is also thinner than other guides I have purchased in the past and the pages, instead of being paper, have a laminated feel to them, making the book better to stuff in a bag while I'm on the go.
I will definitely be taking this book with me on my trip and using it throughout my stay.
This was a very different travel guide than what I am used to reading. I buy a new one before every trip we take to Boston, hoping to find some gem inside that we have yet to discover. This book gave me several new ideas, plus a great layout that was easy to read and understand where everything is located.
First off, this was a very visual book. It is color-coded by area of town, with the city broken down into five sections. Each section has a short blurb about it, then is followed by a street-by-street guide. This section has an illustration of an interesting part of that section, complete with streets, buildings and landmarks. Following that is a listing of sights in that section of town. This includes information about the sights, location, nearby public transportation, hours and web addresses where applicable. Also, the major sights have dedicated pages with detailed illustrations and points of interest within the sights themselves. There is a section titled "Farther Afield" that does the same thing for towns outside of the city of Boston, but within a reasonable distance that you could visit while vacationing in Boston.
There is a section that describes three possible walks you can take in the Boston area. One of these walks is along the Freedom Trail, which is generally covered in Boston travel guides. There are two other walks described that are different from anything I have read about or done while I was in Boston. One is a walk on the MIT Campus and the other is a walk in South Boston. All of the walks are mapped out with important sights pointed out that you can visit along the way.
There are, of course, sections that briefly cover Boston's history and that give basic travel information. The "Travelers' Needs" section was quite helpful for me. It lists hotels, shopping and entertainment activities as you would expect. The list of restaurants was particularly good, I thought. There were several places listed (by section) that I have not been to that I have made note of to try when I am there. The descriptions are very thorough, yet succinct.
At the end of the book is a "Survival Guide" which seems to be directed toward foreign visitors. It covers health care, safety, currency and communications.
I felt that this book and its visual qualities would be more helpful to me than other travel guides. In fact, while reading it I discovered that in one particular part of town my directions have always been turned around. It is also thinner than other guides I have purchased in the past and the pages, instead of being paper, have a laminated feel to them, making the book better to stuff in a bag while I'm on the go.
I will definitely be taking this book with me on my trip and using it throughout my stay.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Something More Scientific
My tenth book of the year was "Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior" by Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson. This was a book sent to me by my Twitter friend @BlueberryCat, who knows I am an animal lover.
"Animals in Translation" looks at the similarities between animals and autistic people. Temple Grandin is able to give examples of how her life with autism parallels certain animal behavior. She has many interesting theories based on her observances, however I'm not sure if I can completely believe in everything she says until studies have been conducted backing her up. She has clearly done extensive research in the field of animal behavior and has had much success. She has worked with other scientists and the book has a very thorough bibliography. There are also footnotes throughout the book citing her various sources. I believe her to be very well educated and think that even if some of her theories prove to be wrong, the time she puts into study of them will be quite beneficial.
One thing I must note about the book is that even though there is a co-author, Catherine Johnson, the book seems very much to be written with Temple Grandin's voice. That being said, it can be very "staccato". Also, she can go from using very technical, scientific terms right to using elementary phrases to describe an animal or its behavior. I found this to be a bit jarring as I was reading; it seemed to interrupt the flow of the text when it happened.
The book focuses primarily on livestock rather than house pets, so be aware of that if you are hoping for some insight regarding your kitty cat. That is not where the author's specialty lies and she doesn't try to pretend that it does. I did take exception to her discussion of certain types of dog breeds. I think she focused a bit much on Rottweilers, among others, and their "aggressive nature". I am a big believer that most of the time, with the proper training, these breeds of dogs can be trusted completely. This is where she and I disagree.
It took me quite a long while to finish this book. It was slow reading and could be quite repetitive. I also felt at times she went off on tangents by telling a story that didn't quite pertain at the moment. I had been wanting to read Temple Grandin's books because I find her to be very fascinating. This was the first one I read and will not be the last. However, I will go into the next one understanding that there will be little entertainment value and I may have to struggle through it like I did this one.
"Animals in Translation" looks at the similarities between animals and autistic people. Temple Grandin is able to give examples of how her life with autism parallels certain animal behavior. She has many interesting theories based on her observances, however I'm not sure if I can completely believe in everything she says until studies have been conducted backing her up. She has clearly done extensive research in the field of animal behavior and has had much success. She has worked with other scientists and the book has a very thorough bibliography. There are also footnotes throughout the book citing her various sources. I believe her to be very well educated and think that even if some of her theories prove to be wrong, the time she puts into study of them will be quite beneficial.
One thing I must note about the book is that even though there is a co-author, Catherine Johnson, the book seems very much to be written with Temple Grandin's voice. That being said, it can be very "staccato". Also, she can go from using very technical, scientific terms right to using elementary phrases to describe an animal or its behavior. I found this to be a bit jarring as I was reading; it seemed to interrupt the flow of the text when it happened.
The book focuses primarily on livestock rather than house pets, so be aware of that if you are hoping for some insight regarding your kitty cat. That is not where the author's specialty lies and she doesn't try to pretend that it does. I did take exception to her discussion of certain types of dog breeds. I think she focused a bit much on Rottweilers, among others, and their "aggressive nature". I am a big believer that most of the time, with the proper training, these breeds of dogs can be trusted completely. This is where she and I disagree.
It took me quite a long while to finish this book. It was slow reading and could be quite repetitive. I also felt at times she went off on tangents by telling a story that didn't quite pertain at the moment. I had been wanting to read Temple Grandin's books because I find her to be very fascinating. This was the first one I read and will not be the last. However, I will go into the next one understanding that there will be little entertainment value and I may have to struggle through it like I did this one.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Catwalk: A Feline Odyssey-Book #9 for 2010
This was another book that I read as part of the book club I am part of on Facebook. I must say, it was infinitely better than the other one I read! I enjoyed reading it and looked forward to continuing the story every time I had to put it down.
It is "Catwalk: A Feline Odyssey" by Kathie Freeman. The book is her first published work and had been the book I voted for every month since joining the club. It is a story about a cat who wanders around, moving from home to homeless and back to home again. We see the cat go through many changes as she grows and matures. She receives several different names from the numerous people she encounters along the way and always appreciates the kindness bestowed upon her.
The book is self-published by the author, but don't let that turn you off. Although you may find errors in the printing and the cover is a little plain, it is a wonderful story and well worth picking up. I hope that Ms. Freeman continues to write because she seems to be an expert story teller.
I highly recommend this book to young adults and cat lovers. It was a pleasant reminder that unknown authors deserve to be noticed. Give this book a chance and spread the word, I think you'll be glad you did!
It is "Catwalk: A Feline Odyssey" by Kathie Freeman. The book is her first published work and had been the book I voted for every month since joining the club. It is a story about a cat who wanders around, moving from home to homeless and back to home again. We see the cat go through many changes as she grows and matures. She receives several different names from the numerous people she encounters along the way and always appreciates the kindness bestowed upon her.
The book is self-published by the author, but don't let that turn you off. Although you may find errors in the printing and the cover is a little plain, it is a wonderful story and well worth picking up. I hope that Ms. Freeman continues to write because she seems to be an expert story teller.
I highly recommend this book to young adults and cat lovers. It was a pleasant reminder that unknown authors deserve to be noticed. Give this book a chance and spread the word, I think you'll be glad you did!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Magical, Idiotic 2004 Red Sox Season
Book number 8 was "Now I Can Die In Peace: How ESPN's Sports Guy Found Salvation, With a Little Help From Nomar, Pedro, Shawshank and the 2004 Red Sox" by Bill Simmons. This book is a reprinting of articles the author wrote, with the addition of footnotes that sometimes explain a reference or express his feelings about writing a particular segment. It was worth reading for two reasons: 1) It's about the Boston Red Sox winning their first World Series after an 86 year drought in 2004 and 2)It's incredibly humorous.
If you're a Red Sox fan, you know the story of 2004 and what led up to it. The book goes back over the details starting in October 1998. It was fun to look back and remember the instances Bill Simmons is writing about. It felt wonderful to remember Pedro as the guy that was a guaranteed win, Nomar as the guy you could count on to hit and El Guapo for being known as El Guapo. It was reassuring to read that I wasn't the only person who called Everett "Crazy Carl" or that I thought no city Clemens played for really respected him after he turned his back on them. It's also great to read about the things I didn't know about or couldn't understand since I'm a long-distance Red Sox fan and don't get the daily barrage of the Boston media scene.
The humor is not just in how Mr. Simmons writes about the team, but the references he adds to his articles. He mentions Rocky IV, the New England Patriots, old Italian superstitions, and of course, Shawshank Redemption. And it makes complete sense when he does it!
He is also able to capture the pain of being a Red Sox fan. He describes the heart-wrenching 1986 World Series from the perspective of a kid. He brought back painful memories of Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS. For me, it was like it was happening all over again: How could Grady leave Pedro in there?? Then the Aaron Boone homerun off of Wakefield. It played in my mind so easily as I read about it and it hurt just as much as it did back then.
Mr. Simmons is definitely a regular "sports guy" and it creates a natural connection with the reader. It was like he was talking to me, telling me the stories of how everything happened and how he felt about it as it occurred. I never felt talked down to or that he was claiming to be an "expert". He is simple a fan, just like me.
If you're a Red Sox fan, you know the story of 2004 and what led up to it. The book goes back over the details starting in October 1998. It was fun to look back and remember the instances Bill Simmons is writing about. It felt wonderful to remember Pedro as the guy that was a guaranteed win, Nomar as the guy you could count on to hit and El Guapo for being known as El Guapo. It was reassuring to read that I wasn't the only person who called Everett "Crazy Carl" or that I thought no city Clemens played for really respected him after he turned his back on them. It's also great to read about the things I didn't know about or couldn't understand since I'm a long-distance Red Sox fan and don't get the daily barrage of the Boston media scene.
The humor is not just in how Mr. Simmons writes about the team, but the references he adds to his articles. He mentions Rocky IV, the New England Patriots, old Italian superstitions, and of course, Shawshank Redemption. And it makes complete sense when he does it!
He is also able to capture the pain of being a Red Sox fan. He describes the heart-wrenching 1986 World Series from the perspective of a kid. He brought back painful memories of Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS. For me, it was like it was happening all over again: How could Grady leave Pedro in there?? Then the Aaron Boone homerun off of Wakefield. It played in my mind so easily as I read about it and it hurt just as much as it did back then.
Mr. Simmons is definitely a regular "sports guy" and it creates a natural connection with the reader. It was like he was talking to me, telling me the stories of how everything happened and how he felt about it as it occurred. I never felt talked down to or that he was claiming to be an "expert". He is simple a fan, just like me.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
My New Favorite Book-#7 for the Year
This is honestly my new all-time favorite book. It is "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. When I bought the book, I was drawn to it simply because I thought it was about a dog. It was about so much more than that!
Enzo, the dog, tells the story from his point of view looking back over his life. He lives with Denny, a race car driver who adopted him when he was a puppy, Denny's wife Eve and their daughter Zoe. Enzo longs to be a human and knows that in his next life, he will be reincarnated as a man. He studies as much as he can in this life by watching TV and listening intently to Denny's stories, hoping to take what he has learned into his next life, when he will finally have opposable thumbs!
The story itself is a tear jerker at times (I was crying on page four), but always wonderful. More than that, however, is that the book is wonderfully written. In fact, many times while reading I noted to myself that I wish I was able to write the way Garth Stein can. I know nothing about auto racing and never cared to, for that matter. Mr. Stein writes about it so perfectly that I can imagine exactly what it is like: I can see the driver in the car, I can smell the rubber when the tires get hot, I can sense how the driver is feeling and I can feel the rush of air as the car goes whizzing past. At one point, Denny takes Enzo for a ride on the track. He instructs Enzo to bark twice if he wants to go faster. I was able to feel Enzo's exhilaration at taking the turns at speed. I felt the same desire to go one more lap with them.
Enzo watches as Denny moves through life, whether he is enduring hardships or experiencing great happiness. Enzo takes it all in, then tells us what happened and what his take is on it all. He is a brilliant dog with deep love and loyalty to his family, especially Denny. He yearns to be able to talk, to tell what he knows, but he can't. He has to wait until his next life. He learns, of course, that as much as he wants to be human, being a dog is pretty wonderful too.
The ending didn't happen quite as I expected it to, but it was better than I expected. Thank you Mr. Stein for that bitter-sweet surprise. This is going to be the one book that I tell everybody about and the one book that I grab if my house ever catches fire.
Enzo, the dog, tells the story from his point of view looking back over his life. He lives with Denny, a race car driver who adopted him when he was a puppy, Denny's wife Eve and their daughter Zoe. Enzo longs to be a human and knows that in his next life, he will be reincarnated as a man. He studies as much as he can in this life by watching TV and listening intently to Denny's stories, hoping to take what he has learned into his next life, when he will finally have opposable thumbs!
The story itself is a tear jerker at times (I was crying on page four), but always wonderful. More than that, however, is that the book is wonderfully written. In fact, many times while reading I noted to myself that I wish I was able to write the way Garth Stein can. I know nothing about auto racing and never cared to, for that matter. Mr. Stein writes about it so perfectly that I can imagine exactly what it is like: I can see the driver in the car, I can smell the rubber when the tires get hot, I can sense how the driver is feeling and I can feel the rush of air as the car goes whizzing past. At one point, Denny takes Enzo for a ride on the track. He instructs Enzo to bark twice if he wants to go faster. I was able to feel Enzo's exhilaration at taking the turns at speed. I felt the same desire to go one more lap with them.
Enzo watches as Denny moves through life, whether he is enduring hardships or experiencing great happiness. Enzo takes it all in, then tells us what happened and what his take is on it all. He is a brilliant dog with deep love and loyalty to his family, especially Denny. He yearns to be able to talk, to tell what he knows, but he can't. He has to wait until his next life. He learns, of course, that as much as he wants to be human, being a dog is pretty wonderful too.
The ending didn't happen quite as I expected it to, but it was better than I expected. Thank you Mr. Stein for that bitter-sweet surprise. This is going to be the one book that I tell everybody about and the one book that I grab if my house ever catches fire.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Book #6 Proves that Girl Cops Rock!
My sixth book of the year was "History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers" by Allan T. Duffin. I was not aware of the book (it was just published this year) but some good friends of mine on Twitter, @blueberrycat and @kayakgal, know that I am in law enforcement and that I enjoy reading, so they sent me a copy of the book. A big thank you to them for being so thoughtful and kind!!
The book was very enjoyable. It starts in the mid-1800s with women working as prison matrons and follows all of the transitions that women made in the law enforcement field working as police matrons, in special units as protectors of women & children, as meter maids, and finally as full-fledged, weapon-carrying police officers. There is not only the history of the female cop, but there are wonderful anecdotes as well. The stories told by these women and their colleagues come from all across the United States and cover all levels of law enforcement. It shows the progression of women fighting for equal chances to be hired as a patrol officer, on up to women being appointed chiefs of police.
Reading this book made me appreciate what the female law enforcement officers before me had to do to get where they did. For me, there was no struggle at all. I have been very fortunate in my job. I have not experienced any sort of discrimination because of my gender; neither from the other law enforcement officers I work with nor the public I deal with on a regular basis. I can thank all of these brave women, from as far back as 160 years ago. Because of them, I am allowed to have a career that is seen as a "man's job" and can continue to prove that it is a "woman's job" too.
The book was very enjoyable. It starts in the mid-1800s with women working as prison matrons and follows all of the transitions that women made in the law enforcement field working as police matrons, in special units as protectors of women & children, as meter maids, and finally as full-fledged, weapon-carrying police officers. There is not only the history of the female cop, but there are wonderful anecdotes as well. The stories told by these women and their colleagues come from all across the United States and cover all levels of law enforcement. It shows the progression of women fighting for equal chances to be hired as a patrol officer, on up to women being appointed chiefs of police.
Reading this book made me appreciate what the female law enforcement officers before me had to do to get where they did. For me, there was no struggle at all. I have been very fortunate in my job. I have not experienced any sort of discrimination because of my gender; neither from the other law enforcement officers I work with nor the public I deal with on a regular basis. I can thank all of these brave women, from as far back as 160 years ago. Because of them, I am allowed to have a career that is seen as a "man's job" and can continue to prove that it is a "woman's job" too.
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