Happy Leap Day! Since I did not find any books specific to this unusual day, I decided to do this one book post as it, for me, was a most unusual read. ;-)

Here's one that fits perfectly with the 'you read what??' post of January 3, 2015. Chance for Glory: the Innovation and Triumph of the Washington State 1916 Rose Bowl Team, by Darin Watkins. I have no idea why I picked this book up, unless it's the connection with WSU, but I'm sure glad I did. It was pretty much a 'one sit' read and I was surprised to realize I was reading blow by blow accounts of football games and not being able to put the book down! There's a connection between Jim Thorpe and Eisenhower, new strategies for moving the ball, and something new that allowed the progress of a game to be shared with those far away. Well written, great bibliography, but an index might have been nice.

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A wonderful addition to my books about TV shows collection is Sherlock Chronicles, by Steve Tribe. If you've been enjoying the PBS show on Masterpiece then you'll like this book. I especially enjoyed the bits about the modernizing of Holmes. The image of Sherlock Holmes is usually one of Victorian England, but that's because it was written in the present day, which was that time frame. So, to do that now, Watson's journal becomes a blog, the telegram becomes email, and so on. Lots of fun!

Happily another book about Sherlock came my way: Investigating Sherlock: the Unofficial Guide, by Nikki Stafford. Full of information about the connections between the original books and the series, it also includes bits of trivia on inside jokes, and those 'oops' moments. There are nice biographies of the actors in the major roles, and whose family shows up and in which role. (Some fun surprises here)! There are wonderful comments from serious Holmes/Doyle fans, what they liked or didn't about not only this version of Sherlock Holmes, but other movies, shows, plays, etc. from the past.

If you watched and enjoyed The Dick Van Dyke show then you'll enjoy The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book (revised and updated edition) by Vince Waldron. All the information you'd expect from such a book ... how they cast the show, the writers, the episodes ... and a wonderful description of the episode that holds the record for the longest reaction from the audience (it was recorded before a live audience) ever!

And, finally today, yet another book about Doctor Who. Graeme Burk and Robert Smith? (the ? really is part of the name) are the authors of The Doctors Are In: the Essential and Unofficial Guide to Doctor Who's Greatest Time Lord. A nice look at the various actors who have played the Doctor and how the Doctor has changed with each of them, and yet, still is the Doctor. They share their opinions, too, and they don't always agree!

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My 'flight' trail (see January 16) continued when I found Lest We Forget: Aviation History of Whatcom County: 1941 - 1945: The War Years, by Neill D. Mullen. Here, the author- editor has gathered together the articles from the local newspaper about the men and women who fought in World War II. There were also chapters on the Civil Defense Neighborhood Wardens (mostly women) and training programs, and, two surprises (for me, at any rate) ... Boeing and Firestone had facilities here at that time.

The Women Who Wrote the War, by Nancy Caldwell Sorel is dense and detailed book. The research alone boggles the mind, but what a read! Wow! Here are the stories of the women who reported on the war (WWII). Not satisfied with working on fashion and parties, these women wanted to see the fighting when and where it happened. To do so they had to push the boundaries and prove themselves over and over again. They did so and sent back some of the best reporting and pictures ever.

Their mission was to evacuate sick and wounded troops. Instead they crash landed behind enemy lines. The Secret Rescue: an Untold Story of American Nurses and Medics Behind Nazi Lines, by Cate Lineberry is the harrowing story of escape and rescue.

A good friend of mine is putting together a record of what his Dad did in WWII. There are government/military sites where this information may be found and he is combining this with family memories and photos. In this case it is the History of the 4th Combat Cargo Group. The reports from the commanding officer were more fun that you might think! Since this was a cargo group who delivered supplies they practiced dropping these supplies (for those times when they could not land to do so) and one day they were told by the tower near the practice field that the drops seemed awfully far away. The next four landed within 10 feet of this tower! It was also fun to see photos ... since I met his mom when she was a grandmother to see her as a young woman was delightful! I hope many of you are doing something like this. Reading the many published books is interesting, but this adds a personal touch that connects us with the past. Thanks, Pete!

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If you are planning a trip to London, I recommend Secret London: an Unusual Guide, by Rachel Howard and Bill Nash. It is one in the series Local Guides by Local People and is full of quirky, lesser known destinations. J.E. Webb had the idea that street lights could be lit using methane gas from the sewer. One still exists (although uses a different source of energy). There are galleries in unused subway stations and roof top gardens. There's the foundry that cast the Liberty Bell, and a pub that needs no alcohol license thanks to royal decree. Issued by James (the First) in 1611.

For more on London, including places that no longer exist, places that were planned but never built, murderers, highwaymen, and eccentrics (and what they did) and so much more, read Bizarre London: Discover the Capital’s Secrets and Surprises, by David Long.

There are statues of animals all over London, some real, some imagined. Animal London: a Spotter's Guide by Ianthe Ruthven is a picture guide of many of them. Maps are included as well so you can plan your own walking tour.

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Here's the start of a cozy series by C.C. Benison that sounds like it should fit books about Christmas and the Twelve Days of Christmas, but it doesn't! After his wife is murdered, Father Tom Christmas and his daughter have moved to a small town. The peace and quiet he hopes to find is shattered when a body is found in a Japanese Drum. Start with Twelve Drummers Drumming.

Lending a Paw, by Laurie Cass is also the start of a new cozy series. (A Bookmobile Cat Mystery). Minnie Hamilton drives the bookmobile for the local library. On the very first day of service there is a stowaway. Her cat, Eddie, reminds me a bit of the cats in the Lillian Jackson Braun 'Cat Who' books in that he provides useful clues as the story movies along. In the second book in this series, Borrowed Crime, Minnie is fighting for the survival of the bookmobile (the library director is not a fan). Her situation is not helped when a volunteer is shot and killed. It's amazing how much can be expressed/explained with a simple "mrrr".

The Edge of Dreams, by Rhys Bowen, is from her Molly Murphy Mystery series. This time the story uses the then new science of psychology (think Freud) to help solve the mystery and track down the bad guy. The characters are like old friends now and I look forward to their ongoing adventures. :-)

A cat, a library, a lighthouse .... what great elements for a cozy mystery! Booked for Trouble, by Eva Gates is actually the second in the series, but it was where I started. Wonderful characters to both love and hate, I'm going to go 'backwards' now and read the first one! :-) Thanks go to Crafty Reader for this recommendation.

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I wasn't quite sure just what to expect with Pardon My Hearse: a Colorful Portrait of Where the Funeral and Entertainment Industries Met in Hollywood, by Allan Abbott and Greg Abbott, but I'm glad it caught my eye. It all started with two young men buying a used hearse so they'd have a place to sleep on camping trips. (They were geology majors, seems the best places to look for what they were seeking were not the best places for a tent). It evolved into a thriving business including all aspects of the, well, death, business. Eventually their expertise (not to mention limos, etc.) would be used in movies and TV shows. An impressive biography, actually, the folks involved were willing to work hard. If it wasn't available, they built it, if it was something they didn't know, they'd learn.

What does one do with a degree in medieval history? Caitlin Doughty, author of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory took a job in a crematory. Always fascinated with death, and how it is dealt with in various cultures, this gave her a chance to study that first hand. A most interesting and reflective memoir.

When bones were found when a sewer line was going in, work came to a stop, initially to be sure there was no indication of foul play. It turned out to be a much bigger find! Forgotten Bones: Uncovering a Slave Cemetery, by Lois Miner Huey is a young reader book explaining how the excavation was done, how it was determined to be a slave cemetery and how recreations of what the deceased might look like are done.

Other books on death and cemeteries (excluding mystery books, there are lots of those ;-)) may be found on the posts from September 30, 2014, March 18, 2014 and October 27, 2015.

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This trail started with How to Build an Igloo and Other Snow Shelters, by Norbert E. Yankielun. It looked like a fun little 'how to' book but actually was a serious, detailed guide on building and using various types of shelter. It explains types of snow (there are many), necessary tools, clothing and survival skills. Very interesting but something I'm glad I don't have to use!

This took me on to Snow, by Ruth Kirk. While this reads a bit like a text book, it is an excellent text book. In 1939 Russia figured that Finland would be an easy and quick invasion. How wrong they were! Outnumbered 42 to 1 they fought back against the Russians, who were neither prepared, nor skilled at fighting in the snow. There are chapters on shelters and clothing (wolverine fur is better than wolf fur). The photos Bentley took (see December 17 post) are discussed as are the dogs and reindeer used for transportation. All in all, a most interesting read.

Where do animals go in the winter? How do they survive? Over and Under the Snow, by Kate Messner with art by Christopher Silas Neal explains. It might be found on the picture book shelf, but it's an easy lesson about nature. :-)

Think your snowman sits quietly on the lawn all night? Think again! Find out just what they do in Snowmen at Night, by Caralyn Buehner, pictures by Mark Buehner. Follow this up with Snowmen at Christmas to see what they do at Christmas. Who knew snowmen have a secret life! ;-)

It starts with one snowflake. No one believes it will snow, not the adults, not the shows on the radio or the tv, but one little boy believes. Snow, by Uri Shulwvitz is a Caldecott Honor Book (with good reason).

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Today is a 'hub' day .... yesterday (February 8th) was the start of the third year of my blog. Today is my normal post day. Tomorrow is Umbrella Day. :-)

Thanks again to my regular readers for your ongoing support, and for the book recommendations. I love having a stack of books on my 'to be read' shelf, or a list of books I want to read. It's sort of like a security blanket. :-) I created a spread sheet of the titles I've posted and it was over 1200 books long!

Canadian Reader always leaves interesting books behind after a visit and The Hundred-Year House by Rebecca Makkai was no exception. Moving backwards through time it's the story of a house that was, at one time, an artist's ... retreat ... hostel ... ? It may be haunted. This was a strange read for me. I did not connect with any of the characters and yet, I kept on reading until the end!

Are you in a book club? I have some friends who are and intend to check if they've seen Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist, by Tim Federle. Now, I don't drink but I chuckled over the twisted titles of well known books and enjoyed the brief synopsis of books I'd either read long ago, or not at all. There are some suggestions for non-alcoholic drinks and munchies that sound really good, too.

February 10th is Umbrella Day. Oddly enough there don't seem to be a lot of books about umbrellas, but I did find two beautifully illustrated books for children. The Umbrella, by Jan Brett. Carlos heads into the cloud forest looking for many of the animals who live there. He doesn't find them, can you? (Hint: the title is a clue).

Also titled The Umbrella, this one, by Ingrid and Dieter Schubert, is a wordless book about a dog, and umbrella, and a world tour. Be sure to start and end with the pictures on the end pages.

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Remember the movie Cocoon? All those old folks getting a new chance on life? That happens in Old Man's War, by John Scalzi, although with a bit of a twist. Intergalactic wars are being fought and Earth needs soldiers. However, you cannot even enlist until you are 75! While I didn't enjoy the battle scenes all that much (that's probably more me than anything else) I really came to like the characters. This is the first in a series and I'll be looking for the next book, The Ghost Brigades, soon.

I chuckled several times while reading this recommendation from Constant Reader: Awkward Family Pet Photos, by Mike Bender and Doug Chernack. It seems there is a website that is very popular and this is a book from that. (From someone who prefers books, thank you!) We sure expect our pets to put up with a lot!

For me, it started with James Herriott (see the June 27, 2014 post). The 'veterinarian' trail recently continued with While You're Here, Doc: Farmyard Adventures of a Maine Veterinarian, by Bradford B. Brown DVM. Called out in all kind of weather (in one snowstorm he helped the snowplow get moving again) and with such a wide spread practice he sometimes has to fly to get to a farm, Dr. Brown dealt with all kinds of animals from the ones you'd expect (cows, sheep) to ones you wouldn't (a monkey).

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February 4th is Thank a Mail Man Day. Our mail service is amazing! (If you have any doubts, just ask someone about Canada Post)! ;-)

This trail actually started with a book I found in something I'll be recommending in March when the Iditarod starts, and recently used in the February 2 post: John Beargrease: Legend of Minnesota's North Shore. That sparked an interest in mail delivery by unusual means!

For more than 100 years Lake Geneva, Wisconsin has been a summer destination for those escaping the heat of Chicago (those that were rich enough, anyway). While there were roads and perhaps something that could be called a driveway to the houses, it was easier to deliver the mail by boat. The boat would pull up near the dock, a boy (in early days it was always a young male) would jump off the boat, stuff the mail in the box (and gather any outgoing) and then jump back on the still-in-motion boat. From the time she was 6 years old Elaine wanted to be a Mail Jumper. A nice history, a sweet memoir, Mail Jumper! The Story of the First Mail Girl, by Elaine Kanelos was a fun "gender busting" read.

As more people moved into Alaska it became important to establish some sort of regular mail delivery. On Time Delivery: the Dog Team Mail Carriers, by William S. Schneider is a carefully researched history of that early mail service. (Check out the notes, they are just as interesting as the book!). As with Mavericks of the Sky (January 16 post)), the government so far, far away insisted, well, demanded really, that the mail would be delivered on time regardless ... (that is so easy to say when you are not the one doing the actual work). That being said, in spite of the weather, the terrain and the long distances between stops, the dog teams did an amazing job of keeping on schedule.

I've read books about families with multiple generations of doctors, lawyers (and coming at some point in this blog, veterinarians) but The Laughing Postman & The Laughing Postman Delivers: True Stories by a Mail Carrier Volumes 1 and 2, by Dee M. Myrick, was the first family of mail carriers I've read about. The author is the third generation to deliver the mail in her family. She drives a rural route (as did her father and grandfather) and has many wonderful stories to share.

This has been a fun trail and I have more mail books on my list for a future post. :-)

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"There is no such thing as a coincidence." Or so Rule 39 of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS states. I am offering these two things that happened recently as evidence to the contrary. ;-)

1. When I finished The Soul of an Octopus: a Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness, by Sy Montgomery, I went on to work one of the Codeword Puzzles I enjoy and for the first time ever the word octopus was used.

I learned a lot from this book, including that octopi is incorrect! The proper plural is octopuses! And, while I did know they were highly intelligent, I did not realize there was such a variety of personalities. This is a wonderful, charming and informational read. Thanks to Char for the recommendation.

2. I was reading the book John Beargrease: Legend of Minnesota's North Shore, by Daniel Lancaster. (John Beargrease delivered mail using a dog team). (I first read about him in the book about the blind musher who ran the Iditarod which I will include in a later post). I was talking to Riding Reader. The news was on, but muted, when the question was asked 'Does the Iditarod start this weekend?' (this was Sunday night). I said 'no, that was in March, but it might be the Yukon Quest' ... but no, it was too early for that, too ... so just being funny (I thought) I said 'maybe it's the John Beargrease Dog Race' ... and it was!!! On national news yet. In past years it's been hard to even find much on the Iditarod, let alone any of the other races. I hope this means a change in coverage.

The author did a great job on this book, putting together a biography of the man who delivered the mail along Lake Superior in the late 1800's. In the nice weather this was done by boat but in the winter months the only way to get to the many remote towns was by dog team. It's hard for us today to understand just how important this contact with letters, newspapers and local news was. The dogs wore bells, partially to spook away moose and wolves, but also to announce they were coming so the townsfolk could gather. John Beargrease was also there when there was a newer, faster way to deliver the mail, too. Better roads, well, actual roads instead of trails, allowed for the use of a horse! Today there is an annual race honoring this man: The John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. It's about 390 miles long and is a qualifying race for the Iditarod.

So, either Gibbs is wrong or I'm channeling Rod Serling. And, since things often seem to come in threes is there one more? :-)

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