Here is a fitting read for today: World's Scariest Places: Haunted, Creepy, Abandoned, from Centennial Presents. (Part of Centennial Media which publishes periodicals on a variety of topics). This is a collection of articles about cemeteries, houses, woods, towns, etc. all with an unexplained story or two. Nice photos, and balanced writing as well, (nothing too sensationalistic). :-)

While I selected this book to use for the Halloween post, it really could be used at any time. Any time you wanted to serve something disgusting that is! The Gross Cookbook, by Susanna Tee is a collection of recipes for things that are completely and safely edible, but that look, well, disgusting! You can make a Baked Human Hand, Big Green Boogers, Chewy Caterpillars, and even (brace yourself) Cat Poop in a Litter Box. Clever, fun to read, and includes warnings as to when a young cook should ask for assistance.

I know I usually post picture books on Thursday, but today is Halloween, and this fit that perfectly! Zip! Zoom! On a Broom!, by Teri Sloat and illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet is a counting book ... first up, then down, as witches fill the night with mischief and mayhem.

Happy Halloween!

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When Broadway Went to Hollywood, by Ethan Mordden was both funny and frustrating. The 'powers that be' often tried to make musicals without the music that made the show popular. They wanted 'names' in the lead roles, not really caring if that person could sing or dance (or, in a few cases, even act). (Exceptions include Nelson Eddy and Jeanette McDonald). Songs might be reassigned to a character who has no reason to sing said song. This happened over and over. Why? It does not make sense, and often ended up in an expensive, over blown, muddled version of the show. I chuckled over the author's description that producers (most of them musically illiterate) "sorta kinda" followed the original story. Oh, and one producer? He actually said "that rainbow number has go to go" from The Wizard of Oz. (p. 152) A few were done well such as The Music Man and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

The recommendation for Home to Woefield, by Susan Juby, came from Canadian Reader, who laughed so hard it brought on a coughing jag. While I did not laugh that hard, I did enjoy this tale of a city girl (but seriously into local foods, being 'green', etc.) who inherits a farm and sets forth with all kinds of ideas to make it work. There are some decidedly quirky characters, including Bertie, the sheep.

Here's the second in the Mystery of the French Countryside books by Martin Walker: The Dark Vineyard. Many wonderful wines are made in the area, all with small vineyards and local workers, but bigger companies have taken an interest and are offering to buy the locals out. There is a fire (was it arson?) and a beautiful young woman, and, of course, bodies. Again, well written, with a wonderful sense of place.

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Simon has been the most wonderful new bed and he is very excited to take a nap and try it out, but his owner takes him on a walk first. When they return, Simon finds an interloper on his new bed. What can he do? Simon's New Bed, by Christian Trimmer and Melissa van der Paardt will give you the answer.

Harry and Walter, written by Kathy Stinson and illustrated by Qun Leng is a wonderful story of a very special friendship. Changes come, however, and not always for the best. Or are they? Loved this book!

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Murder in Whistler, by Dianne Harman, is the second in her Northwest Cozy Mystery series. Hoping for some time alone, Dee Dee and Jake have headed to Whistler. Naturally, they come face to face with a murder. As before, there is a nice pacific northwest feel to the book. I'm liking the characters, too.

Somebody new is moving to Thrush Green and the small town is abuzz with who and what he might be. Why did he retire here? What is his plan? Winter in Thrush Green, by Miss Read is the second in her series about a charming small town in the Cotswolds. Lovely seasonal descriptions.

Before you start On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service, by Rhys Bowen, be sure you have nothing else planned! When she learns that Georgiana is headed to Italy to stay with a sick friend, the Queen asks her to "check up" on her son and "that woman" (as in Wallis Simpson). There is a murder, of course, a maid that is almost too good to be true, and the unexpected appearance of Georgie's mother ...so many things! Hard to put down. :-)

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If you watch any of the Property Brothers shows on HGTV then you should enjoy It Takes Two: Our Story, by Jonathan and Drew Scott. Energetic, possibly hyperactive, they are into, well, just so many things! Acting, magic, design, building, working with various charities and so on, here is how they got their start ....at 7 years old, making fancy hangers! I love their strong family ties (there is an older brother, too).

For a look at what it is like to drive a big truck for a living read The Long Haul: a Trucker's Tales of Life on the Road, by Finn Murphy. Mr. Murphy moves furniture, and yes, that is much different than the other big rigs you see on the road, and he explains how it is different. What it's like to box up everything for a family that is moving, deal with the emotions of that family, and see that their stuff arrives with no damage (Packing the truck is quite the interesting job ... sort of like that old game Tetris, the author said). This was an excellent read on something that was totally foreign to me!

I've seen books on finding lost art, often (probably because it makes for exciting reading) in huge quantities. In a twist on that, author Nancy Moses takes just a few objects (painting, original manuscript, mummy, etc.) and follows them from their creation to where they are now. Stolen, Smuggled, Sold: On the Hunt for Cultural Treasures proved to be an exciting read. :-)

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The moon is big and bright and beautiful so Possum wants to have a party, the last one before winter, but will anyone come? Possum's Harvest Moon, with words and pictures by Anne Hunter has the answer.

Here's another book about the harvest moon: Thanking the Moon: Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, by Grace Lin. It's time for a midnight picnic! Lanterns are lit, mooncakes are shared, and wishes are made for the year to come.

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When you think of New York City do you think of Grand Central? It was almost demolished at one point! Grand Central: How a Train Station Transformed America, by Sam Roberts, is a wonderful history of that amazing building. When it first opened there were sitting areas for women, places to get your shoes shined, and a restaurant,one that is still open today. (The Oyster Bar, it opened in 1913). There are hidden stairwells, and one mostly vacant platform with armed guards. Jackie Kennedy was a prime mover in saving Grand Central (see next book). Nice history, great archival photos, author has a wicked sense of humor.

This is a picture book, yes, (and with some rather odd illustrations, I thought), but it's also a nice little history of how a great American landmark was saved: When Jackie Saved Grand Central: the True Story of Jacqueline Kennedy's Fight For an American Icon, written by Natasha Wing and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger. Read how Jackie was able to inspire not just New Yorkers, but people nation wide.

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How have humans used horses through time? Susanna Forrest explores that question in The Age of the Horse: an Equine Journey Through Human History. Divided by the 'how' makes for interesting, if sometimes a bit dry, reading. Whether for farming, transportation, war, recreation, and more the horse has had a major impact on us. (I skipped the chapter on horse meat). Loved the bits on the young women of China who play polo, and the horses used for therapy for soldiers with PTSD, and that it took three kinds of power to replace the horse in transportation! (Steam engines for long distance, electricity for mass transit, and the automobile). Time span here is eons, scope is global. Well researched.

Kiwi was the first to find this book. It is one of those social history books we both enjoy! Or we should... we both found the writing a bit dry! Still, the author did an incredible job on his research, and it is a wonderful topic so I'm including it here with the idea that some of you will enjoy it thoroughly. :-) The City is More Than Human: an Animal History of Seattle, by Frederick L. Brown tells of the animals in (literally!) Seattle and the surrounding areas and when and how that changed. The first animals banned were cattle and bulls, but milk cows were allowed to wander at will for years longer! (Sadly, about that same time, they tried to ban non-white humans, too). Horses were allowed on the streets for much longer, of course, because of the jobs they did. There are chapters on dogs and cats, fish,and so on. I'd say give this book a try, you might just find it totally fascinating. :-)

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The Tree Lady: the True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever, by H. Joseph Hopkins and illustrated by Jill McElmurry came via a recommendation from Kiwi. It is a picture book biography of Katherine Olivia Sessions, a woman who did all kinds of things a woman shouldn't do, especially in 1881 ... such as go to college (and graduate with a degree in Science, something no woman had done before). Her interest in trees and in planting them in and around San Diego created the area that became Balboa Park.

I passed the information about this book on to County Reader, who is familiar with the area, and I had relatives who lived nearby. See what Kiwi started? I love sharing books!

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The Vanishing Thief, by Kate Perker, is the first in her A Victorian Bookshop Mystery series. Store owner Georgia Fenchurch belongs to the Archivist Society, a secret band of private investigators. This time a man has been abducted, or so a neighbor claims. Was he? And if so, why? Lots of interesting little twists, good characters. And, in a nice tie in with a book I'm reading about servants, a wonderful description of one servant, who did just what she was supposed to do .... disappear when her duties were done!

The work was hard, the hours long, the rules strict, but it was something so ingrained in British society that it delayed the acceptance of labor saving devices (from the vacuum to electricity and much more) for years. Servants: a Downstairs History of Britain from the Nineteenth Century to Modern Times, by Lucy Letherbridge is a carefully researched and well written study. There were servants for every chore, big or small, to the point where the master or mistress of the house was pretty much helpless without them! Later, factory work was considered preferable because the hours were set, your time off was yours, and there was no "expectations" for your behavior. (This was a surprise as I've read about conditions in the factories)! The wars changed everything ... servants were fewer and often came from another country. In the 1960's biographies from former servants became popular. (Many of the period pieces we enjoy on TV, etc., get it wrong). Oh, and to tie in with the comment made in the recommendation above? One description of a servant was that she was "pleasantly unobtrusive". Indeed, there would be curtains, or hidden doors, or passages behind book shelves so a servant could vanish from sight quickly.

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I have seen the Miss Read books on shelves for years (decades) but never read one until Constant Reader said how enjoyable they were. There are two series and in this case it's the Thrush Green series. Set in a small town, on the first day of May (that's when the small, traveling fair comes each year) Thrush Green is the introduction to a wonderful small town and it's quirky residents. If you want a delightful, gentle read, look no further.

If you think the headlines today are full scandals, think again! According to author Michael Farquhar, they have nothing on those of the past. Decide for yourself with A Treasury of Royal Scandals: the Shocking True Stories of History's Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors. Not for the faint of heart, many of these were extremely cruel people. A few were funny, though, as strange rituals (and even one invasive surgery) were copied by those seeking favor. Diogenes would have given up. An index would have been nice.

Note: Thrush Green was a wonderful, refreshing, relaxing read after this! :-)

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After watching a show on the Golden Gate bridge I thought I needed to find a book, and what a find it was! Granted, This Bridge Will Not Be Gray, story by Dave Eggers and art by Tucker Nichols, is a children's book, but the text and unusual art work make it a worthy read for us older folks, too. It's a nice little history of the bridge and how it was built, and why it is the color it is.

Keeping with the easy-to-read theme here, I read The Building of the Golden Gate Bridge, by Arnold Ringstad. It's a nice history of the bridge and (no surprise, given the title) how it was built! Good explanations of the foundations (one end is much deeper than the other), how the cables were strung, safety nets, and ... the color!

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It's been a while since I've read a book about dogs, but I got back on that trail with Gold Rush Dogs, by Claire Rudolf Murphy & Jane G. Hatch. Not all of these dogs were northern breeds, in fact, I wondered how some of them survived the cold, but all of them were heroes. So much so that there would be an obituary in the paper when they died. I like that popular fictional dogs were included as well. Some of these dogs were the inspiration for them. Wonderful photos!

On to another old trail, this time it's Doctor Who. Whoniverse, by Lance Parkin, is exactly what the subtitle indicates: the Unofficial Planet-by-Planet Guide to the Universe of the Doctor, From Gallifrey to Skaro. I enjoyed parts of this book, but then, I am new to Doctor Who so for those of you who have watched the show (or read the books, etc.) for a longer period of time, it should be even better! :-)

I had mixed feelings about the new Louise Penny book Glass Houses. Part of me wanted the events within to be done and over, part of me didn't want the book to end so soon because, as always, the writing is just so good! Inspector Gamache makes a bold decision ... if it works it will have amazing results, if it doesn't he, and several of his coworkers, will be out of a job. The hard part is the waiting. And who (or what) is the mysterious figure in black who appears on the town green in Three Pines?

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