Growing up in the still untamed Southwest during the late 20's and early 30's, Mauldin recounts entertaining tales that would have an overbearing state dragging children away and jailing parents today.

Fascinating and comprehensive first hand source material from one of America's best cartoonists.

Everything old is new again. Written in the first few years after WWII, Mauldin frankly discussed the moods and concerns of returning soldiers, all of which are still far to common today. The section on soaring property costs and intrusive government market regulation, The section on corruption and incompetence in the Veterans Administration, The section on political rent-seeking by supposedly apolitical advocacy groups, the section on Russian/communist infiltration and corruption of American society, and the section on self-aggrandizing virtue-signalling by people far removed from and unaffected by the very problems they claim to be passionate about could have all been written yesterday rather than 70 years ago.

10 years ago the McGuffin in the story would have been edgy, now it's just trite.

Self-curated collection of early work with commentary and digressions, which make purchase worthwhile when the content is otherwise available free.

I first became interested in the search for the Nuestra Senora de Atocha when I was visiting Riverview at Hobson Grove in Bowling Green, KY.  One of the docents was wearing an interesting coin necklace that looked old.  When I asked her about it she indicated it was from the famous shipwreck of the Atocha.  I'd never heard of the Atocha but I was intrigued by the coin.  I read a bit about the Atocha, but my interest was really sparked when I saw a television documentary about Mel Fisher and his 17 year search for the treasure of the Atocha.  

This book, originally written before the discovery of the mother lode and revised after it was found, details the seemingly endless search.  Mel Fisher was relentless in his pursuit of the Atocha.  His mantra of "today could be the day" kept him going through legal battles, many a financial crisis, and even the death of his oldest son, Dirk.  His methods were not always 100% legal and he had the ire of many a governmental agency, but he would not give up.  In the end he succeeded in doing what many people thought couldn't be done.  Through the use of a variety of methods Fisher was able to change underwater treasure exploration.  

Original coins from the Atocha can still be purchased at the Mel Fisher Maritime History Museum in Key West Florida.  Replicas can also be purchased there for a fraction of the thousands of dollars required for an

The Shamer's Daughter is an excellent fantasy with a strong protagonist, ten-year-old Dina Tonerre.  She shares her mother's gift of being able to look into someone's eyes and learn their guilty secrets.  Because of her unusual power, Dina has become increasingly ostracized by all the people in her village.  Longing for a friend consumes Dina's thoughts, but she can't connect to anyone outside of her immediate family.  When her mother is called to a nearby town to solve a murder, Dina is drawn into a life and death mystery.  She must use all her wits to save the life of her mother and the lives of hew new-found friends.  

This book is well-written and has an ingenious plot with many twists and turns.  The pacing is quick and keeps the reader engaged.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

Yes there is a major twist at the end.  Yes the author keeps the reader guessing about what happened to Megan Hipwell. Yes there are plenty of surprises in store.  But what this book lacks is a SINGLE likeable character.  They are all rather pathetic and maladjusted each in their own way.  Dark, dreary, and depressing.  

The Lost City of Z is an enthralling account of one man's obsession.  Set during. the age of exploration in the early twentieth century, this book chronicles Percy Fawcett's life-long passion to find the mythical and magical lost city of Z deep within the Amazonian jungle.  His quest ultimately led to his disappearance along with that of his son, Jack, and Jack's friend, Raleigh Rimell.  Since their disappearance many other adventurers have gone into one of the most inhospitable places on earth to search for clues as to what happened to these explorers,  It seems, at long last, the author has come up with an extremely plausible explanation.  The complete truth will never be known.

As an interesting coincidence--not long after I finished reading this book I learned that there is a movie being released chronicling Percy Fawcett's life and his quest for the lost city of Z.

Missing Presumed tells the story of a young woman, Edith Hind, who vanishes one day without a trace.  Manon Bradshaw, a tough, but vulnerable Detective Sergeant with the Cambridgeshire Police, is called in to investigate.  There is no dearth of suspects including Edith's friends, her boyfriend, and a mysterious stranger who inserts himself into the case--and into Manon's life.  Not even those closest to her, her parents, are immune from suspicion.  

There are no sympathetic characters in this book thus making it difficult to care very much about what happened to Edith and how her disappearance is linked to the murder of a local youth, Taylor Dent.  Basically a waste of time.

No Dark Place is set in Norman England, a time when allegiance could mean the difference between life and death.  When Hugh Corbaille loses his foster father, Ralf Corbaille, Sheriff of  Lincoln at the Battle of the Standard he is bereft.  When a mysterious stranger approaches one of his standard bearers claiming Hugh looks so much like the long-lost son of a powerful Earl who had been murdered thirteen years earlier, Hugh's man advises the stranger not to speak to Hugh at such an emotional time.  When the stranger comes back months later Hugh has taken over his foster-father's estates.  When the truth is revealed to Hugh, he refuses to believe this man he doesn't know.  But he agrees to go with him to meet members of his family, a family he has no recollection of.  Set during the time of Matilda's claims to the English throne over the ensconced King Stephen, this book gets at the heart of political intrigue and how the power plays of the mighty have great effect on the entire population.  

Well-written and thoroughly researched, No Dark Place holds the reader's interest without becoming mired in historical facts.  It was a pleasant read.

The mystery behind His Bloody Project is not who killed Lachlan Mackenzie and his two children, teenage Flora and young Donald, but why.  Written in the style of collected documents regarding the case include witness statements, newspaper articles, an account written by the murderer himself, and an account of the subsequent trial.  Set in rural Scotland in 1869, this book tells of the daily lives of the inhabitants of Culdie, Ross-shire.  In this small farming community not much changes from day to day until the day when Roderick Macrae, aged 17, brutally murdered his neighbor and parish constable, Lachlan Mackenzie and his two children.  Was Roddy Macrae a wicked young man who murdered out of vengeance?  Or were the crimes committed because of some mental disorder?  Which account of what happened is more truthful--that of Roddy himself or that put forward by agents of the court?  Was Roddy really to blame or was the real culprit the oppressive system of local governance forced upon residents of Culdie?

What can I say? I don’t think I can add much more accolades to this novel than what has already been thrown out there. I hesitated in reading this because I knew there would be sexual violence and certain acts of mutilation I am uncomfortable with.

I was starkly impressed with the gravity of the plot, the meandering nature of how the mystery unfolded.

Great read...not always delightful but great.

This is one of those reads that stick to you through life and is easily applied to your day-to-day. I always fault myself for not taking notes during a read. Nonetheless, the main term that stuck with me and that I use as a centering tool is 'home frequency'.

She uses this particular concept as a baseline to build on more complex theories and applications. The overall meaning of home frequency is just as it implies- locating your personal level of frequency/vibration. In recognizing the feeling of sitting in your home frequency; you will have the ability to manipulate your energy and be less susceptible to succumbing to outward energetic pulls (definitely useful as a public librarian).

Towards the end of the book, however, I found she took the reader to a level that not all are prepared to traverse. The act of ascension is extremely powerful and is definitely not for the beginner energy worker. She should have saved the latter concepts for a more advanced book.    

Definitely qualifies for re-read status.

4.5 stars! Belfoure's background in architecture is evident in the intricate detail he uses to describe the creative processes and the ultimate pride one holds in the craft.

Lucien Bernard is a struggling architect during German occupation who does not care much of the Jews. However, when offered the opportunity to use his talents to hide Jews in ingenous hiding places, he jumps at the opportunity; not necessarily because he cares but for the challenge and the money. He always insists that his current job will be his last but is driven by the challenge of fooling the Gestapo's and being considered a genius and upsetting his enemies. The thrill of the chase makes this book a page turner.

I loved this book from beginning to end and learned quite a deal about the German occupation and architecture.

The Lost City of the Monkey God reveals the story of a twenty-first century expedition to a section of the Honduran rain forest where two ancient cities are discovered.  No one has been in this remote area in centuries, but through the use of Lidar, an advanced radar system implemented from the air, ground features that were obviously man-made have been revealed.  Just to battle the dense jungle is dangerous and difficult.  The investigative team must also be on the lookout for the aggressive and deadly fer-de-lance snake as well as a multitude of insects which could harbor deadly diseases. In fact Woody, one of the three British ex-Special Air Services officers hired to set up camp in the hostile jungle environment, killed a fer-de-lance in camp on the first day and many of the team members contracted a dangerous parasitic disease, leishmaniasis, which required special intensive treatment.  But, not one, but two cities were found.  A cache of artifacts that had lain undisturbed for centuries was uncovered.  This is a real-life adventure story with innumerable twists and turns.  I loved it!

Lassair and lawman, Jack Chevestrier, must solve the brutal murders of several disparate Cambridge residents.  In the midst of the murders Gurdyman disappears.  As Lassair's romantic feelings for Jack grow she is unaware that Rollo is, at last, on his way back to England.  The historical setting is very well researched and detailed.  I thoroughly enjoy the herbal lore and study of alchemy.  I even found a bit that related to something I was studying in an online course, Magic in the MIddle Ages.  The Aelf Fen books are well written and a pleasure to read.

Peter's father, who has enlisted in the army, forces his son to abandon Pax, the fox Peter has raised from a kit.  Peter instantly regrets not fighting harder for Pax and vows to return to the place he last saw the fox.  Hundreds of miles now cover the distance between them, but Peter knows Pax is still alive.  He must undergo an arduous journey to see Pax again.

There are main stories in this book--the story of Peter and Pax and the greater story of the devastation of war.  Set in an unnamed location, the story line about the war doesn't have much depth.  The portrayal of what happens between Peter and Pax is more detailed and is the more powerful of the two story lines.  

Set in France in 1292 this book tells the story of three children who are brought together by circumstance.  William who is "part-Christian, part-Muslim; part-European, part-African" is a tall very dark skinned young monk.  Jacob is a Jewish boy whose parents have been murdered when his village is set on fire.  Jeanne is a peasant who suffers from epilepsy, but is thought to be possessed by evil spirits.  Jeanne is traveling with a white greyhound named Gwenforte who has died and come back to life.  Gwenforte is loosely based on the Legend of Guinefort, one of the "faithful dog" legends.  Gwenforte guides and helps the children as they join forces with another monk, Michelangelo di Bologna, to save all the Talmuds in France from being burned by King Louis IX.  

So, I love the Middle Ages and The Inquisitor's Tale does an excellent job of capturing the history of the time in which it is set.  A lengthy author's note details the truth behind many of the events portrayed in the book.  And, more importantly, it has, as a central character, a greyhound and a historic one at that!  So why, then didn't I like this book more?  To be honest I am not a fan of slapstick humor and there is a fair amount of it here.  For me, this detracted from the story, but I'm sure it will make the book more interesting for the intended audience.  All in all a very well written story with some surprising twists and turns that are quite clever and unexpected.  

I had to give this book two stars since I kept reading until the end...I kept hoping something would happen to make it worth the time investment.  I picked it off the 2016 NPR Book Concierge list so I was hoping for something a bit more engaging.  Loner tells the story of a young man, David Federman, who has worked all his life to get into Harvard.  His work has paid off and he begins his freshman year.  David has never quite fit in, but he tries.  He goes to bonding activities.  He seems to be making progress as the members of his new group of friends seem to truly like him.  When he sees Veronica Morgan Whelk at a social gathering he is smitten from the first minute he lays eyes on her.  When she turns out to be the roommate of one of his cadre of friends, Sara, he begins to deepen his relationship with Sara in order to get closer to Veronica.  He begins a stalking campaign to remain close to Veronica in the hopes that she will notice him.  He goes so far as to write papers for Veronica just so he can spend time with her.  But as time goes on his plan begins to backfire and, in the end, he discovers Veronica is using him as part of a social experiment she is doing for a class.  When he learns the truth about his place in Veronica's life he vows revenge.

David is a thoroughly unlikable character as is the haughty Veronica.  I really didn't care about what happened to either of them.  I'm sure David's methods of stalking have been described accurately according to obsessive behavior.  I just became very tired of reading about his endless ploys to get close to his object of desire.  When he ruins his life and Veronica's in the end I really didn't care.