Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials that Shape Our Man-Made World, by Mark Miodownik was about something called materials science, which I don’t think I’d ever heard of before. Who knew one could ‘study stuff’? ;-) It’s a rather fun, and interesting book about, well, all the stuff that we use and/or see every day: steel, concrete, rubber, graphite and so on. My favorite chapters were on paper (in all sorts of shapes and forms), and chocolate.

For one of those delightful, charming books that is hard to put down, read The Bookshop Book, by Jen Campbell. Full of descriptions and comments about book stores around the world, and proof that the electronic versions are not going to be the end of the printed book. Book stores come in all shapes and sizes. Many have store pets (there’s a bunny in one, named Napoleon Bunnyparte), others have kitchens (to try out recipes), or even beds if someone needs a place to sleep. Some stores travel … by boat, burro, or camel. And, in one, at the bottom of a box of old books, was a WWII poster from England that was never used. The store owner liked it, brushed off the dust, and framed it. It is now found on mugs, t-shirts, book marks, magnets … can you guess what it might be?

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Crafty Reader recommended Reining in Murder, by Leigh Hearon some time ago and I am finally getting around to reading it. (Sorry for the delay). It’s set on the Olympic Peninsula so the descriptions of the weather, etc. are wonderfully familiar. And, it involves horses! The main character is part of the animal rescue brigade and has been called out to help with a horse that has been in an accident. The driver swerved off the road … why? He is dead so cannot be asked, but that leads to all kinds of other complications, including another body. And Lavender, half-sister to the main character. (No comment here, you’ll have to learn about her when you read the book)! A nice start to the Carson Stables Mystery series.

I have Canadian Reader to thank for suggesting A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles to me. What a read it was! It is Moscow, 1922, and Count Alexander Rostov has been sentenced to house arrest (seems he is an “unrepentant aristocrat”) in the hotel Metropol. He is moved from his luxurious suite to a tiny room in the attic. Although he cannot leave the confines of the hotel, he meets up with some most interesting people, one of the first being a young girl. The daughter of an ambassador, her Governess determines the child is safer also not leaving the hotel (and that is the sum of her responsibilities). She is the one to show the Count the areas ‘behind’ (or below) the public areas. Because of that, he will be able to expand his living area (the ‘why’ here is delightful, but you’ll have to read the book to find out the ‘how’). The ensuing years are some of the wildest in Russian history and somehow the Count stays involved. And if all that wasn’t enough, a young child is literally left in his arms, the mother never to return. Full of wonderful characters and engaging descriptions, you should find your self doing the ‘just one more page’ thing far into the night.

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Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals, by Hal Herzog was quite the read! The author explores various … interactions … with animals, from those we keep as pets, to those we see as pests, to those that end up on the dinner table. A real eyeopener was the difference in the birds used for cock fighting (now illegal) to those raised for food. Which had a better life? The author is an anthro-zoologist and has combined economics, philosophy, psychology, etc. into a well balanced, thought provoking read. No great tirades here, ‘just the facts’ (to quote an old police show). (Okay, maybe he expresses his opinion ever so often, but never in a pushy way). Warning though … not for the faint of heart, he pulls no punches, either!

Park rangers do many things, I think I’ve mentioned that before from other books I’ve read on this subject. A Park Ranger’s Life: Thirty-two Years Protecting Our National Parks, by Bruce W. Bytnar, is a hands on look at many of them. Dealing with wildlife (both human and actual); tourists who do, well, stupid, things; natural disasters (they can be sent anywhere to help fight a forest fire); or management who don’t seem to truly understand what is needed for the job, it really is an most interesting career choice! There were some grammar and spelling issues, but overall not a bad read.

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Crime & Punctuation is the start of a new series by Kaitlyn Dunnett. It caught my attention because the main character was an English teacher, now retired, but is earning a bit of money as a freelance editor, and can be aggressive when it comes to correcting grammar errors! She recently purchased her childhood home and is repairing and restoring it as she settles back in to her home town. When one of her first clients (the first one she meets face to face, actually) dies, she’s pretty sure it was not an accident. All sorts of interesting and nasty things start to surface, and old friends and classmates are not always what they seem. Are there clues in the mystery novel the dead woman was writing when she died? The Deadly Edits Mystery series could be fun.

Hooray! Another Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy, by Diana Xarissa. Joy and Jealousy is set during the Christmas season, Fenella’s first in her recently inherited flat on the Isle of Man. One big damper, though, her former boyfriend is coming … and not by invitation. Someone he met at a conference offered him the keys to his flat over the holidays. Jack announces he is coming, and when, and then turns off voice mail, refuses to answer Fenella’s calls, texts, emails and so on. Two things happen when he arrives: a bevy of women show up at the flat where he is staying, and, the man who gave him the keys is found dead. Figuring this all out, and dealing with Jack, makes for a rather … interesting holiday. Not to mention Mona’s (the ghost) comments and otherwise ‘helpful’ involvement. Such a fun series! :-)

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Because this past weekend was busy (and tons of fun) I am going with two juvie readers with this post. (Also tons of fun)!

Did you know there is one more Seuss book? The manuscript and ideas for illustrations for a book about art were found when his wife was cleaning out his studio. Seems he never did well in art class (his drawings were rather, um, unconventional for that time), but he loved learning about art. Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum, with illustrations by Andrew Joyner, is a wonderful, quirky introduction to art and it’s many variations (cave art, impressionism, surrealism, etc.) using the horse as an example.

Mary Lemist Titcomb was often told she couldn’t do something because she was too young, or from a poor family, or a woman. She didn’t listen, but at that time the two professions available to women were nursing (she didn’t like being around blood) and teaching (she felt she lacked the necessary patience). Fortunately just about that time, a school of librarianship opened up and the rest, as they say, is history (just one we didn’t hear about until now). Mary loved getting books to the people. She set up small outposts where people could come and check out a book when they weren’t near a regular library. Then she had the idea of taking books to the people (how radical, yes?) It started with a horse-drawn custom made (her design) carriage. Library on Wheels: Mary Lemist Titcomb and America’s First Bookmobile, by Sharlee Glenn is an amazing biography (with incredible research) of an amazing woman. I read it twice in one sitting!

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A tourist ending up dead is not good! Thus begins A Taste for Vengeance: a Mystery of the French Countryside, by Martin Walker. Who is she, and what is her connection (if any) with the Irishman, also found dead? And will the star of the local rugby team make it to the national team? (She has some big decisions to make). As with the other Inspector Bruno mysteries, there are bits of history, fun food facts, and wonderful descriptions of the country side, as well as a good story.

It might have seemed like a good idea at first … a nice cruise, Meg’s father giving nature lectures, all the family given discounts on their rooms, but this is a mystery so we know things cannot go well. There is a group of writers on board, one of them a diva. The others all blame her for the suicide of a good friend of theirs so when her shoes (ones of an extremely expensive brand), shawl and note are found by the deck, they should become prime suspects, right? The captain seems less than interested in any sort of investigation. Why? Then the ship breaks down taking with it any and all electronic communications. Did I mention this is in the Bermuda Triangle? Terns of Endearment is another fun book in the Meg Langslow Mystery series by Donna Andrews. There’s some great variations on ‘were folk’ too! (More than just werewolves). ;-) And a tern, of course.

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Watson and Sherlock are on the case again … the two Corgi dogs owned by Zack, that is. This time the case is very personal, the death of Zack’s wife. New information has come forth suggesting it was murder and not an automobile accident. If so, how and why? There’s a new character in the sixth Corgi Case Files mystery by J.M. Poole, it’s right there in the title: Case of the Chatty Roadrunner. (Okay, probably just for this one book, but it was a fun character)! There was also some very disturbing information about cars since 2005. I love the team of characters here, and of course, the dogs. :-)

It’s the turn of the century … or is it? When do you celebrate the start of a new century? This is cause for some ‘differing opinions’ and a death. Murder on Trinity Place is part of the Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson. The body in question is that of a man of great reputation, he has a dairy that sells good milk, safe milk, not the ‘swill’ milk that has cause the deaths of many children. The police are not all that interested so Frank and Sarah take over the investigation. Is there something else going on? Why are the milk wagons going out in the middle of the night? (Much to early, even for delivering milk). Another nice cozy!

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There are a lot of readers in the pacific northwest, must have something to do with the rain! And not only readers, but writers and publishers as well. You can read about them in Seattle: City of Literature, edited by Ryan Boudinot. It is a nice collection about where writers like to write, or how an author got an idea. And, there are some great suggestions for where one might set a murder mystery, or a science fiction novel as well as which book about Seattle to give to a stranger.

For a grand romp all about food and travel try The Food Explorer: the True Adventures of the Globe-trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats, by Daniel Stone. David Fairchild was a young man who longed to travel (which was hard in the 1890’s) and an interest in adding to the foods (and other crops) of the U.S. He looked for things which would grow well in various parts of the country. The result was avocados, various citrus fruits, grapes, peaches (and much more) as well as varieties of cotton and the cherry blossoms so popular in Washington, D.C. As with other travel books I’ve read, I’m glad he did the traveling and I just read about it! ;-)

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