It's no secret that I enjoy the CSI shows ... I am fascinated by the science behind the investigations. Here's a nice history of how they do what they do: Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA, and More Tell Us About Crime, by Val McDermid. Very interesting!

I will admit, right up front, I did not read Animal Investigators: How the World's First Wildlife Forensics Lab is Solving Crimes and Saving Endangered Species, by Laurel A. Neme all the way through. While I am glad there is such a lab, and skilled people working there, it was just too grisly for me. It's tragic that animals are killed for just small bits of their bodies, that for various reasons, are considered valuable. I did want to mention it though, as some of you might be interested. :-)

This was one of those 'wow!' books for me. While I did know that a lot can be learned by looking at a forest, I sure never knew just how much! Forest Forensics: a Field Guide to Reading the Forested Landscape, by Tom Wessels is a training manual of sorts with detailed descriptions of what to look for, and then pictures where you look for those things. I spent an afternoon flipping back and forth here, it just sort of sucks you in!

The Science of Sherlock Holmes: From Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear, the Real Forensics Behind the Great Detective's Greatest Cases, by E.J. Wagner is a wonderful combination of the history of forensics and how various methods were used by Arthur Conan Doyle. Part fiction (from the stories), part fact (actual cases from Victorian England and forward), it explains how the bad guys were caught (most of the time).

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Here's a look back at some of the disasters that have happened in our state. Well written, and covering 1700 to 2001 Washington Disasters: True Stories of Tragedy and Survival, by Rob McNair-Huff and Natalie McNair-Huff was a fascinating read. Most were unavoidable, but a few were the result of greed proving again some things just don't change!

It seems it's a little known fact that PT boats once patrolled Puget Sound (well, it was during WWII). From the Image of America Series I've mentioned several times comes Patrol and Rescue Boats of Puget Sound, by Chuck Fowler, Dan Withers, and Combatant Craft of America. There were also rum runners (and the boats that chased them), military boats, civilian boats ... many kinds of boats were built in this area (with a reputation for being of superior quality). As always with the books in this series, there are dozens of wonderful photos from about 1908 to 2010. Don't miss the picture of Eleanor Roosevelt when she was in the area in 1942. (Hint, it's on page 35)!

I chuckled at the title of Slug Tossing and Other Adventures of a Reluctant Gardener, by Meg DesCamp, and nodded at the idea of being a less than enthusiastic yard worker. Meg and her husband have returned after many years to the Portland area. The youngest of eight kids, she seems to be the only one who is not a gardening fiend. Even without the same family hobby I could relate (or thought I could) because quite frankly, if it doesn't bark or whinny, I tend to ignore it. As it turned out, the author is more a 'late blooming' (sorry, couldn't resist) gardener as she is all too soon frequenting the local nursery, digging in and improving the soil, requesting catalogs of bulbs, and so forth. Still it was a fun read, with good humor and excellent descriptions of what can be (or so I'm told) a dreary Pacific Northwest spring. (I like our spring). :-)

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This could be considered a 'suggestion' post, I guess, as I've only read one version of Goodnight Moon ... the original ... (by Margaret Wise Brown, with illustrations by Clement Hurd) but have become most intrigued by the many (many) versions!

I have learned that the original version comes in hardback (including a library binding), paperback, board book, and fabric. One comes with a plush bunny, one with a pair of slippers, one with a CD. There's a t-shirt available, too.

It has been published in French, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Korean and Homong. (For some reason I get this image of parents, world wide, hiding it so they don't have to read it ....again).

There are Goodnight Moon counting books, as well as Goodnight Moon ABC books. I even found a Goodnight Moon sticker book. And, for Wandering Reader, a pop-up version!

And, there are parodies, lots and lots of parodies! (There are even a few, um, X-rated versions, not included here). (Reading Hermit is blushing). In no particular order: Goodnight Ipad: a Parody for the Next Generation, by Ann Droyd. (Think about that name for a moment)! ;-) Goodnight Goon: a Petrifying Parody, by Michael Rex. Goodnight Keith Moon (it has a "rock and roll twist") by Bruce Worden and Clare Cross. Goodnight Nanny-Cam: a Parody for Modern Parents, by Lizzy Ratner. Goodnight Brew: a Parody for Beer People, by Karla Oceanak. Goodnight Putter: a Bedtime Parody for the Golfer, by Chris Fuller. Goodnight Bush: an Unauthorized Parody, by Gan Golan and Erich Origen. Goodnight Forest Moon, by Noah Dziobecki (it's based on Star Wars). Goodnight Dune, by Julia Yu, has an interesting story in and of itself! I read that it was inspired by Caldwell Tanner's illustration in an article titled Five Sci-Fi Children's Books. Baby Boom Moon, by Sean Kelly sounds like it's designed for those of us who are baby boomers, but the details say it has just one page ??? Most curious! Some of these are available only as ebooks. I even found one for Doctor Who fans! Goodnight Pond: a Parody Book for the Next Hopeful Companion, by James Hance and Leila Miyamoto! Alas, it is no longer available. It sounds like a lot of fun, the little blurb I read said it was full of Whovian references! And finally, due out in September 2016: Goodnight Obama, by Jerome Corsi and M.B. Anthony.

From here I wandered on to other parodies.

It would be necessary to have a knowledge of those poems and stories that were taught in Lit classes to enjoy this book, I think. The Oxford Book of Parodies, edited by John Gross was a book where I was either laughing, or shaking my head in puzzlement! A great book for skimming and finding a ... 'new take' ... on something you read (and perhaps were tested on) in the past.

Sadly other parodies I just did not enjoy, or were no longer available. I'll keep trying though, so others may show up in the future. :-)

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I once heard an adult tell some kids (I think I was about 10 or 11) that all children were expected to go one level beyond their parents level of education. Since this was an M.D. talking to children of a parent with a PhD I wondered even then how that could be done. What if your dad was the President of the United States? And what kind of fathers did they make? First Dads: Parenting and Politics from George Washington to Barack Obama, by Joshua Kendall explores that question. Some of them were really awful, many had ultra high expectations, many were not interested, a few were quite good. There seemed to be many of the children who did not do well as they grew up, but I'm thinking it's more that they were always in the public eye, so we'd be more aware of them. An interesting read, but also sad as early on many presidents lost several of their children at a very young age.

A recommendation from Constant Reader took me to Hissing Cousins: the Untold Story of Eleanor Roosevelt and Alice Roosevelt Longworth, by Marc Peyser and Timothy Dwyer. Cousins, from the same big family, raised very differently had different impacts on the country (and the world). This is the story of their relationship, sometimes stormy, sometimes friendly, and their lives (very similar in some ways). I loved the description that while these cousins were both well known in their time, one will become a footnote, and one will be remembered. An excellent book, but a bit confusing at times for this reader because of the tendency to name offspring after a relative! Frequently.

For an up close idea of what it was like to work for the President's wife, read Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies, by J.B. West with Mary Lynn Kotz. From Eleanor Roosevelt to Pat Nixon, Mr. West remembers what each was like, how they made the White House their own, and what it was like when their families were in residence. His job was one of controlled chaos (most of the time, anyway), often a 24/7 work week, keeping everyone happy (think about visitors (family and otherwise), foreign dignitaries, the whims and wishes of the First Family) ... he managed it all, beautifully.

Here's another in the White House Chef Mystery series by Julie Hyzy: Foreign Eclairs. This one was a bit too intense for me, mostly because of what was happening to the characters I've come to like! It was rather nerve wracking ... which means the author did a good job, yes? ;-)

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Today, August 20, is National Radio Day which means, of course, I found books to read in celebration! ;-)

Living so close to the border my family and I have always listened to CBC Radio. (I am a fan of The Vinyl Cafe). Seems at some point listeners were asked to send in their favorite recipes for cookies and other tasty treats and the response was huge! The result was a book: Great Canadian Cookies, Bars & Squares: CBC Radio Listeners Share Their Family Favourites, compiled by Sheila Peacock & Jennifer Abrams. I won't be trying to cook anything (safer for everyone) but the stories that came with them are wonderful!

It's getting so that the radio age is becoming nothing but a memory, but here's a nice little history of one momentous event to educate younger readers! Aliens are Coming: the True Account of the 1938 War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast, by Meghan McCarthy explains how this drama fooled so many people.

Are you a fan of NPR? Here is all got started! This Is NPR: the First Forty Years has contributions from the names you'll recognize, to those behind the scenes as well as pictures from around the world as public radio grew. There's a nice time line of significant events, and excerpts from major stories.

From a few radio enthusiasts, to audiences nation wide, Hello, Everybody: the Dawn of American Radio, by Anthony Rudel is a nice history of the industry. Once the idea caught on the possibilities seemed endless: weather reports, presidential campaigns, sports, religious services, even square dances! (The radio station provided the music and the caller, you did the dancing). Live audiences were used (originally station staff) to enhance comedy routines ... which were then included on the tape for a later broadcast. I loved the definition of a "powerful" station of 500 watts ... I can remember a local station boasting of "5000 watts of powerful good listening". :-)

Radios used to come in all sorts of interesting shapes, and featuring popular characters! Check them out in Radios: the Golden Age, by Philip Collins. I rather liked the globe radio! Other designs include a Coca Cola Cooler, Mickey Mantle, and even one that looked like a microphone.

The early days of radio seemed to be a sort of controlled chaos, or at least that's the feeling I got from Radio Girls, by Sarah-Jane Stratford. Although a work of fiction, many real people are included, in fact, one was actually the inspiration for this novel about the early days of the BBC. 'Modern' women stir things up with radical ideas for broadcast (votes for women, oh my!), there are Nazi spies (or are there?), and a most interesting special effects crew. Overall I enjoyed it although it felt rushed, and incomplete in a few places.

Now, to end this radio trail, something that appealed to me because I have fond memories of mine, too AND because it puts one of those (hopefully) unexpected spins on things I enjoy doing. My Little Red Wagon: Radio Flyer Memories, by Robert Pasin and Paul Pasin. The authors, grandsons of Antonio Pasin, the man who created the first little wagon, asked for stories and pictures of this popular toy for the 80th anniversary. They were thrilled with the multi-generational stories and pictures they received and how they picked the winners, well!, it must have been hard! This is one of those amazing stories of an immigrant with a dream that succeeded. You'll find out why Radio was used in the name, too. :-) Is there a Little Red Wagon in your past?

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I tend to roll my eyes when I hear the combined names for couples thing, but I'll admit, I've made one up here ... these two read a lot and often it's the same book, so they became Perry. It will not hurt my feelings if they want a change! ;-)

I remember reading stories by Uncle Remus, but mine was a simple picture book just about Br'er Rabbit while the one listed here was a 'very fat book', (probably the complete collection by Joel Chandler Harris) received when this reader was between 6 and 8 (about the same time My Father's Dragon, by Ruth Stiles Gannett, was also a favorite). Later there was a two volume set of Rudyard Kipling which would become a life long interest, I think this half of Perry was reading Kipling when we met ... or maybe we just got to talking about him! Then, when Mom got a job at the Tacoma library, she started bringing home all kinds of books, two which stood out and took me on a merry chase to learn more about them. One was about the black cowboy Ned Huddleston (aka Isom Dart and Black Fox). Perry had the right title, but did not remember the name of the cowboy until a few days later. Good thing it came to mind because there are several books out with the title One More River to Cross, but this one, with the subtitle the Life and Legend of Isom Dart, by Will Henry is the cowboy in question!

The other book was about Matthew Henson, who was Robert Peary's "indispensable" partner in the quest to reach the North Pole. This 'half of Perry' thinks there was an odd (maybe even made up) name something like 'Adooloh' and a children's book, but none of us have had any luck searching for it. Perry does, however, have Negro Explorer at the North Pole: the Autobiography of Matthew Henson. Memory can be a funny thing, it seems! While Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss came to mind when I asked about books from childhood, any details did not!

Now, the other side of Perry, in those preteen years, read all the Marguerite Henry books, all the Walter Farley books, and especially loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare. As a teen (thanks to Dad) Edgar Rice Burroughs was a favorite author and all the Tarzan, Pellucidar, Venus, Mars (Barsoom), and Moon series were read. I'm told they were great adventure/romances! Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, and Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand were also memorable enough to become part of this post! (What a contrast there)! This side of Perry has fond memories of reading Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne to her offspring. There were many others, but this is the one that causes a smile.
 

For now this is the last of the 'what we read as kids' post. What a fun project this has been! Thanks to all of you who sent back such wonderful responses to my query! :-)
 

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There was less here about the Victory Gardens planted during WWII than I expected, but The Victory Garden Vegetable Alphabet Book, by Jerry Pallotta and Bob Thomson, and illustrated by Edgar Stewart was still a wonderful book with great pictures!

Don't miss the introduction to Once Upon an Alphabet, by Oliver Jeffers, it explains a lot about what is to come. :-) It might be shelved in the section for books for children, but I think adults would enjoy it more than they would!

Here's a fun look at what we wear: D is for Dress-Up: the ABC's of What We Wear, by Maria Carluccio. There's footwear, outerwear, accessories, formal wear, casual wear ... it's just a fun book!

Chris Van Allsburg does beautiful artwork, (you might remember him from The Polar Express) and the drawings in The Z Was Zapped are no exception. Presented as a play (in 26 acts, of course), this is a delightful, if somewhat dark, version of an ABC book. Take a moment to figure out what is happening with each letter before turning the page to find the answer. (Think alliteratively). Wonderful with the morning cup of tea or coffee. :-)

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There might be books available on jobs at the post office, or taking the test necessary to work there. There are books on how the mail is delivered (mentioned in this very blog!) including the Pony Express. And kid's books, of course, on where a letter goes, but there sure wasn't much on the actual history ... and then I found How the Post Office Created America: a History, by Winifred Gallagher! The author said the same thing in her intro, too, which inspired her to write this book. Detailed and comprehensive this covers it all. Mostly quite good, it does get a bit dry in places (where politicians are/were involved). Even in the early days the Post Office hired women and minorities. Some postmasters were corrupt, others were noble and made sure the mail was delivered even if they did so themselves in dreadful conditions. I loved reading about the evolution of sorting the mail ... by hand or machine, on a train or conveyer belt, the addition of the zip code, and so forth. Oh, and the horse and rider seen on the patches of the past? It's not a pony express rider!

Here's a nice little history of the Pony Express for kids: Off Like the Wind! The First Ride of the Pony Express, by Michael P. Spradlin with paintings by Layne Johnson. The possibility of delivering cross country mail in less than the several months it usually took was exciting! The first riders (one heading east, one west) left under banners and to cheers in St. Louis and Sacramento. Although not many records survived, the author was able to recreate that first ride. Be sure to read the more complete history at the back, too.

I am having excellent luck at ordering used books via amazon! (All right, I've only done it twice ... ) This time it was An American Postal Portrait: a Photographic Legacy from the U.S. Postal Service. It's a wonderful collection of old photos of post offices (one was a converted chicken coop in the Oklahoma territory) and the means of delivery. In WWI so many men left to fight that women where hired ... at the same pay as the men! There's a picture of Carrie Hurly, who sewed mail bags ... made up of 48 million seams. In 1923 51 horses were sent to France via the mail. There were miles and miles of pneumatic tubes running under the larger cities. In 1949 there was a post office in Vermont that straddled the Canadian border. There's a post office staffed by nuns (since 1899), their salary went to the convent. And, a wonderful discovery, a picture of the post office in Fairhaven, Washington!

For another look at the history of the post office, there's Neither Snow Nor Rain: a History of the United States Postal Service, by Devin Leonard. This book included chapters dealing with mail strikes and 'going postal' (and a discussion on why it happened) as well as less serious issues. Stamp collecting was considered a hobby for children until one popular President changed public opinion. There's a wonderful picture of a child in a mail bag ... there was a brief period of time when parcel post was cheaper than a train ticket! Again, a bit dry with the political stuff, but overall most interesting.

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My Ohio family reported back to me that they ALL enjoyed books by Dr. Seuss, and the Berenstein Bears books by Stan and Jan Berenstein (my favorite here is Bears in the Night). When the kids were young they read the Boxcar Children books by Gertrude Chandler Warner, the Junie B Jones books by Barbara Park with illustrations by Denise Brunkus, A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) and, of course, (!) all the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. The younger offspring also enjoyed The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis.

Two series I remember from so very long ago are not ones others remember, it seems. Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and Snipp, Snapp, Snurr were books about Swedish triplets (girls and boys) and their adventures, or rather, "gentle misadventures" as one review put it. Perhaps these books stuck with me because there were three children so there was always some one to play (or fight) with?

My Maryland connections mention a few common titles from the Ohio Family: Narnia, Harry Potter, and Lemony Snicket, but the kids there also enjoyed the Black Stallion books (Walter Farley), and the Ramona books (Beverly Cleary). Two specific titles also made their list: Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram, and the much loved (or much hated, I've been told) Good Night, Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown. There are now many versions of this book, and it is available in many languages. (Watch for more on GNM in a later post). :-)

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I've been reading a lot of history books recently, but, on Crafty Reader's suggestion I switched back to the cozy mysteries I enjoy with Basket Case, by Nancy Haddock. It's the first in the Silver Six Crafting Mystery series. The Silver Six are senior citizens who have banded together to take care of each other, and pursue (and sell) some of their crafting projects (or, in the case of Fred, his 'fixit man' skills). When one of their own is accused of murder, they decide to solve the crime 'Jessica Fletcher style'. Loved the setting, and the families that went back for generations.

Canadian Reader not only recommended The Lake House, by Kate Morton, she left a copy with me when she was here for a visit! Once again the author spends a tale across time twining the past (WWI) and present (2004) together. Two missing person cases, decades apart, help return balance to a detective's life. Hard to put down!

Have you made the 'upgrade' to Windows 10? I'm using the term loosely as I did so recently and I can't say as I like it much. Still, the son of a good friend told his mom (who passed it on to me) ... It's good for those of us of a certain age to keep up! I have a wonderful IT guy to help, and he answers all my questions and concerns with grace and patience. He also recommended a book: Windows 10 the missing manual (the book that should have been in the box) by David Pogue. It's a big book, but you can pick the sections you need. The author has a nice style, and it's not as technical a read as I've experienced with other such books.

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Today is National Lighthouse Day (and yes, we did this last year, too). ;-)

If you are interested in lighthouses, and want to learn more about them, read Brilliant

Beacons: a History of the American Lighthouse, by Eric Jay Dolin. It's all here ... from how high to build a lighthouse (if the area was foggy, it'd be shorter). How to make the light (or foghorn) differ so ships could identify where they were by that. How to make the light brighter, and show further out at sea. Most keepers were married and their families lived with them wherever the lighthouse was situated. There were gardens (many helped provide food during wars) and livestock (and pets .... see (bk from earlier blog)), of course. Many keepers were women ... wives and daughters of the keeper, many held the job in their own right (it could be passed on to the wife, etc. if the keeper died). Sometimes the job would be passed down for several generations and these families would intermarry. These days there is less need for lighthouses so some have passed into private hands (often as a bed and breakfast) while others belong to the parks and are a tourist destination.

Eva Gates is the author of the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. I loved her description in the author's note that the interior of her lighthouse library is her version of the TARDIS from Doctor Who! Reading Up a Storm was a nice read after learning the history of lighthouses. I will admit that I didn't care for some of the characters, but I loved the cat!

There are several other books about lighthouses in the August 7th post from 2015,and a one on the post of December 15 2015. :-)

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Here are a few more books along the 'pun' trail. :-) (See the post of June 13, 2015)

Have a Little Pun: an Illustrated Play on Words, by Frida Clements is a nice little book of (obviously) puns! I didn't 'get' all of them, but mostly I really enjoyed this book. (I'm rather fond of 'don't carrot all' for some reason)!

Don't try to read this all at once, it'd be overwhelming! That being said, if you want a chuckle, or a groan, or need a pun because the in-laws are coming for dinner, then keep A Freudian Slip Is When You Say One Thing But Mean Your Mother: 879 Funny, Funky, Hip, and Hilarious Puns, by Gary Blake tucked in a convenient drawer.

The only play on words here was the title: Read and Buried, by Erika Chase. It's part of the Ashton Corners Book Club series. A well known author comes to town, pretty much invites himself to the book club meeting, and then gets killed. Who was he really? And why the interest in the citizens of this small town?

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Constant Reader loved the Little Golden Books as a child, and especially Saggy Baggy Elephant, and The Pokey Little Puppy. First published in 1942, the Little Golden Books were designed to be good books, with good illustrations, good bindings, all at a good price. Wikipedia also reported that The Pokey Little Puppy is the best selling children's book of all time (2001 stats). Another favorite here was Peppermint, by Dorothy Grider and illustrated by Raymond Burns. I looked this one up and it seems it is out of print and hard to find, but many of the reviews mention how much they loved it as a child and want to read it to their kids. Constant Reader was not so keen on the Peter Rabbit stories. Neither was I. Seems sometimes great minds think alike, even at a young age. ;-)

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Do you know when the song "The Train They Call the City of New Orleans" first came out? I thought I had a general idea, but I was wrong, really, really wrong! (It is much newer than I thought). I remember the John Denver version the best, but others sang it as well, including Arlo Guthrie. It is beautifully rendered in The Train They Call the City of New Orleans, by Steve Goodman and illustrated by Michael McCurdy.

I was looking for more books illustrating songs, but Home on the Range: John A. Lomax and His Cowboy Songs, by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by S.D. Schindler was so much more! Told at first that no one would be interested in these songs of the common people, Lomax fortunately did not give up and went on to collect the songs sung on the prairie, around camp fires on cattle drives and so forth. We are lucky he did!

I loved the illustrations by Renee Graef, in Rodgers and Hammerstein's My Favorite Things, they were soft and gentle and beautifully detailed. Of course, now I'll be humming this song for the rest of the day! (Could be worse, at least this is not one of those annoying songs). ;-)

I knew there were lots of verses to the song "My Country 'Tis of Thee", but, I did not know there were so many. (Or, that the tune has been used for national anthems in dozens of countries). My Country, 'Tis of Thee: How One Song Reveals the History of Civil Rights, by Claire Rudolf Murphy and illustrated by Bryan Collier tracks just how this tune was used ... from independence from England, to freeing the slaves, votes for women, and equal rights ... a most interesting book.

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