Originally Empire of Mud: the Secret History of Washington, D.C, by J.D. Dickey was going in the D.C. post, but then my mind wandered off again and I decided to put it with other books involving mud. It's okay, go ahead and roll your eyes, I do get off on odd tangents now and then!

I thoroughly enjoyed Empire. Well written, well researched, lots of nice photos (and scattered throughout the book, not in one section (I know, I know, that way is cheaper and easier). In early days, D.C. was a frontier town. There were fights, riots, brothels, and slave markets. Poor planning caused canals to be all but useless (someone forgot to take the tides into account). Since it was in a very damp, swampy area, there were mosquitoes and therefore disease. This is a real look at what it was like to live there before, during, and after the Civil War.

Mud, by Mary Lyn Ray, and illustrated by Lauren Stringer is a joyous celebration of the coming of spring. The earth warms, there are new sounds and smells, snow and frost thaw, creating puddles. At this moment, before the new growth starts, there is MUD! Revel in it!

Soon those annoying political ads will start up again. Those that imply (or just downright lie) about the 'other' party and/or candidate. Sadly this has been going on for two centuries (and that's just in this country). The language has changed, but there have been common themes throughout. Slinging Mud: Rude Nicknames, Scurrilous Slogans, and Insulting Slang from Two Centuries of American Politics by Rosemarie Ostler will explain these election strategies from Washington to Obama.

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It is war time and the enemy is sending coded messages about their plans. The code has been broken, and that has created problems. Since what and who and where (as well as how) this is done, is Top Secret, how do you then send these messages on to those who need to know? And how do you convince them the message is accurate and legitimate? And, (very important here) how do you keep the enemy from knowing you've cracked their code? And after the war? Then what? The secrecy was to be maintained. No special awards for these folks, no newsletters, no reunions, it couldn't appear on a resume ... The Secret Lives of Codebreakers: the Men and Women Who Cracked the Enigma Code at Bletchley Park, by Sinclair McKay poses a lot of questions, but is an excellent read!

Paul Lunde is listed as the general editor for The Book of Codes: Understanding the World of Hidden Messages: an Illustrated Guide to Signs, Symbols, Ciphers, and Secret Languages (and what a job he did)! There is an almost overwhelming amount of information in this book! From animal tracks, to ancient languages, smoke signals and semaphore, military codes, commercial codes (think trademark logos), and onto cyber codes and dna .... and so much more. There's even a chapter on magic and fantasy codes. Rich with pictures, diagrams and illustrations, you can spend hours and hours with this book. (I certainly did)!

At Bletchley Place the goal was to crack the Enigma Code. Here, in the United States, the armed forces needed a code that rendered messages indecipherable to enemies listening in. Philip Johnston knew how hard the Navajo language was the learn and speak and he proposed that it would be good for this code. How that happened is explained in Navajo Code Talkers, by Andrew Santella. Yes, it's a kid's book but it gives a good introduction to this amazing group of people. Like the folks at Bletchley, they could not talk about what they did in the war so recognition was a long time coming. Finally, in 1969 that this secret was revealed and the rest of us could learn of their service.

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With Mother's Day so close, the only possible theme for this post is 'Mom'! :-)

I picked up The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less, by Terry Ryan intending to just give it a quick skim so I could include it in this post, and ended up reading the entire book all over again. This is an amazing story of a woman who helped support her family by entering and winning contests. In the late '40's and early '50's there was more to entering these contests than just submitting your name, you had to complete a jingle to create an ad, or write (in 25 words or less) why you liked a product. Terry Ryan's mother had a flare for this and it was a good thing she did. At that time few woman took on a job outside the house (and with 10 kids, how could she?). Her husband was an alcoholic who could be abusive and his paycheck was not a dependable source of income. Evelyn Ryan kept the family going by winning money, food and appliances. This is a wonderful biography of an amazing woman.

It's 1952, Ireland, and an unwed mother has been sent to a convent to deliver her baby. Soon after, the baby, like all the others, was sold to America, the mothers never knowing what happened to their children. Fifty years later one mother goes looking for her son and Philomena: a Mother, Her Son, and a Fifty-year Search, by Martin Sixsmith is that story. It's now a movie and I spent some time trying to imagine what it was like to learn that not only was 'your' story going to be made into a film, but that you would be played by Dame Judi Dench! I've not seen the movie, but the book is excellent.

A Ride on Mother's Back: a Day of Baby Carrying Around the World, by Emery & Durga Bernhard. (The title is a bit of a misnomer as there are fathers, grandparents and even siblings carrying the baby, too). ;-) From dawn to dusk, and around the world babies are snugged to a family member so they are safe, but the adult can work with both hands. A delightful introduction to other cultures, and there is more detailed information about each of the countries included at the back of the book.

Leslie Meier's 15th Lucy Stone mystery is Mother's Day Murder. Lucy is looking forward to a quiet (and fancy) Mother's Day brunch, but it is not to be. An argument between enemies and rivals breaks out that spoils the event ... and then a body is discovered. As the investigation goes on Lucy deals with all sorts of 'mom stuff' as well. A nice cozy series.

And, of course, from the February 11, 2014 post: A Mother's Promise, written by Lisa Humphrey and illustrated by David Danioth. As I said then, and will say again, it's a quiet gem of a book.

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These four books have been hanging around in my 'idea' file for some time now so I am bundling them all together for a hodge podge post. :-)

Four Against the Arctic: Shipwrecked for Six Years at the Top of the World, by David Roberts. An absolutely amazing book about four men who survived a shipwreck in the Arctic Ocean (1743). With minimal supplies and weapons, they survived for six years. (It's a good thing they were all expert hunters, used to the rugged life, and able to do so much with so little).

In June of 1994, author Alvah Roberts, his wife, Diana, and their cat Halifax set out to explore the barren area above the Arctic Circle. They intended to get trapped for the winter together, but a family emergency required that Diane return home. (I'm amazed by how much 'traffic' there was 'way up there!) Alvah and Halifax spent months together, in the darkness, in blizzards and heaps of snow. And lots of polar bears. Come spring, Alvah was a changed man. North to the Night: a Spiritual Odyssey in the Arctic is his story.

Folks are always interested in what the president is doing. What does he like to read, are there favorite movies? Is he up to date on the latest technologies? It's a fine balance here, between being current, but not so current that voters think too much time is being spent on frivolity. What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House, by Tevi Troy explains how this has been done from the time of George Washington to Barack Obama. Sometimes these interests were tweaked a bit to give a different image of the man in charge. It would go well with Spin This: All the Ways We Don't Tell the Truth, by Bill Press from the January 13 post.

Starting at dawn and ending at bedtime, How to Be a Victorian: a Dawn-to-Dusk Guide to Victorian Life, by Ruth Goodman is a fascinating look at a bygone era. The author not only did her homework here, but also made much of the clothing, using the same fabrics and tools then available and then wore them for extended periods of time while doing common chores. The Victorians were certainly much cleaner than I imagined they would be, even though the hot bath or shower we're all familiar with was not common at the time. Dressing took a long time because of all the layers (all with a purpose). Modern day copies may look authentic, but most how have hidden snaps or Velcro to allow for quicker changing. Without clocks in every house hold there were 'knocker-uppers' who went around knocking on windows to wake folks up so they wouldn't be late for work. (Just one question here: Who wakes up the "knocker-upper")?

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Seems the best theme I can come up with here is that all of these took place in Washington D.C. at some point. Not my best connection, but I'm sure it won't be the worst! ;-)

This book requires a pair of glasses to enjoy, fortunately there's a pair tucked in the back. Lincoln in 3-D: Amazing and Rare Stereoscopic Photographs of His Life and Times, by Bob Zeller and John J. Richter is a collection of these special photos gathered from the Smithsonian and Library of Congress. As I looked at each picture I tried to imagine what it would have been like to have seen this technique for the first time.

Would FDR have become President without the polio? That's one of the questions raised in The Man He Became: How FDR Defied Polio to Win the Presidency, by James Tobin. I was captivated by the early chapters on how the virus gets into the body, and then how it either is overcome by the immune system, or goes on to replicate and grow. If a proper diagnosis and treatment had come earlier, would it have made a difference? Even knowing the outcome here this was a fascinating read! Thanks to Constant Reader for the recommendation!

Read My Pins: Stories From a Diplomat's Jewel Box, by Madeleine Albright was one of those delightful finds for me. I had a sort of fuzzy memory that there was 'something' about the pins that Albright wore and this book brought that into a nice, sharp image! At some point Ms. Albright realized attention was being paid to the pins she wore so she started picking them with a bit more care and intent. She explains her choices for when she wore which pin here, and it's a fascinating story. I especially liked that few of them were expensive, most were simple costume jewelry.

I had no idea the desserts for the big dinners at the White House were so complicated! Each dinner had it's own 'theme' and the pastry chef did his homework .... who was coming? Any food allergies? Any designs that could be considered offensive? Then, every thing had to be baked (sometimes in the hundreds), and timed so the meal flowed seamlessly from course to course. All the President's Pastries: Twenty-Five Years in the White House. A Memoir, by Roland Mesnier, with Christian Malard (and translated from the French by Louise Rogers Lalaurie) tells all about doing just this. I was impressed with the author. He knew what he wanted to do from an early age and diligently and doggedly pursued that goal. He moved (always at times of his own choosing) from job to job and place to place to learn more, or something new. There were times he didn't (yet) speak the language of where he was headed. This was the first time I'd read an account of what it was like to be in the White House on 9/11. All in all, a most interesting memoir.

To be clear here, White House Nannies, by Barbara Kline, is not a book about nannies in the White House, but rather the name of a nanny placement service run by the author. Being a parent is a hard job. It's harder when one or both parents have jobs outside the home. It's even harder with a high profile job, especially when there's always someone younger (and childless) waiting in the wings. Finding the perfect nanny can be a challenge (there are some rather interesting requests from parents) but Kline has done so for a long time now and these are some of her favorite stories.

My Senator and Me: a Dog's-Eye View of Washington, D.C., by Senator Edward M. Kennedy and illustrated by David Small is a charming look at "Splash", the dog who went to work each day with Senator Kennedy. This children's book is a nice introduction to how the government functions.

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I groaned out loud this morning when I discovered it was Star Wars Day ... as in May the 4th be with you ... and then decided I could do a quick, unexpected post!

I remember when the first SW movie came out, such fun! I saw it several times and was pleased when The Art of Star Wars, edited by Carol Titelman was published. Sketches, artwork, posters (in many languages), spin offs, cartoons (picture Darth Vader as a hockey goalie!), drawings from children AND, something I thoroughly enjoyed ... the script! Fun, plain and simple. :-)

Naturally I followed that up with The Art of the Empire Strikes Back, edited by Deborah Call with text by Vic Bulluck and Valerie Hoffman. No script this time, but again, wonderful sketches, drawings and final artwork along with descriptions of some of the ships and planets. Be sure to check out the variations on Yoda.

And, to complete my collection, The Art of Return of the Jedi: Including the Complete Script of the Film by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas. This one is a bit 'leaner' than the other two books in that there's the script and the artwork, but no 'extras' this time. Still, it's nice to have the script and the artwork really is amazing.

May the Force Be With You,

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The first Appy book to go on my shelf was The Appaloosa, by Bill and Dona Richardson. Spotted horses have a long history, images have been found in Europe that are 20,000 years old! It was the Nez Perce Indians of the Palouse (areas of Eastern Washington, Oregon, and Idaho) that developed the breed, and where the name came from .. 'a Palouse horse' slurring to Appaloosa. :-) There's more history here, but a warning ... it's sad, and brutal (although not surprising). Then it moves on to chapters on breed characteristics (the mottled skin, striped hooves, white sclera), breeding, showing, and the founding of the Appaloosa Horse Club.

Appaloosa: the Spotted Horse in Art and History with text by Francis Haines has a wonderful collection of pictures showing the Appy in cave drawings, on tapestries, in mosaics, as statues, to the oil paintings of Charles Russell and beyond. There are detailed explanations to go with each, too, which add to the pleasure of reading this book.

The Appaloosa Horse Club is headquartered in Moscow, Idaho and includes the Appaloosa Museum. I've been there a couple of times (although not for years now, and I understand it is bigger these days). On one visit I purchased Appaloosa: a Creative Color Book. Some of the pictures give hints as to what the Appy pattern is and where the spots are, but many don't, allowing the person with the crayons to determine just how his or her Appy will look. Thumbing through it just now I see where two of us who have been at work (hey there TJP!!)

For any of you who like and collect alphabet books, Appaloosa to Zebra: Horses in Rhyme From A to Z , by Christina Wilsdon, would be a nice addition. There are poems on breeds, colors, and horsey activities. My favorite is X (surprisingly) all about horse care.

For fiction, don't forget Ride Like An Indian, to be found in the March 25, 2014 post, and these two fantasy novels by Mary Stanton: The Heavenly Horse From the Outermost West, and the sequel: Piper at the Gate. To be honest here, I don't remember too much, other than the main character was an Appaloosa horse! Still, they are on my 'favorites' shelf so I will move them to the 'to be read' pile and give them a re-read! :-)

And to close, a line from a song by Fred Small and his wonderful CD "Heart of the Appaloosa" a gem of a find from a folk music loving friend of mine who came into work one morning so very long ago now (the format was a vinyl record) and said "You HAVE to hear this song!" He was right, the song (with the same title as the CD) is a history of the Nez Perce and their Appaloosa horses, and what the white man did to them. It is tragic, heroic, and powerful. (The entire CD is amazing, actually, and well worth a listen). The last verse ends with this: "Strong they are, and fearless, and nimble on a hill, listening for thunder, the Appaloosa's living still."

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