Tate Hallaway: Tall, Dark and Dead

Tall, Dark & Dead by Tate Hallaway

A delightful new comedy about witches, vampires, and the search for the perfect man. Recovering witch Garnet Lacey manages Wisconsin's premier occult bookstore. And a fringe benefit of the job is getting customers like Sebastian Von Traum-piercing brown eyes, a sexy accent, and a killer body. The only thing missing is an aura. Which means he's dead. And that means trouble. So what's a girl to do if she's hot for a dead man walking? Run like hell-and take full advantage of the nights

Jane Geniesse

Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark by Jane Geniesse

My review

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From Goodreads:::::


Never mind that upon her death in 1993, the then 100-year-old Dame Freya Stark rated a three-column obit in The New York Times. Mention her name to most Americans, and it will elicit a "Freya who?" The tales and travails of this romantic traveler, who marched alone into the Middle East from Persia to Yemen, discovering lost cities and creating an anti-Nazi intelligence system along the way, are captured in this compelling biography by former New York Times reporter Jane Fletcher Geniesse.

The author unveils not the fearless wanderer whose mappings and 30 books brought Stark awards from the likes of the Royal Geographical Society and made her a darling of British society. Instead Stark is seen as humble, insecure, and forever caught in the role of perpetual alien--be it when the English-born child grows up in Italy, where her mother lives in scandal, or when she plunges alone into the East, a feat never before accomplished by a Westerner.

An unwilling iconoclast whose love of travel, she would say, began as an infant when her father carried her in a basket over the Dolomites, Stark longed for the social security of the times: marriage and children. Proposals fell through, on occasion her beloved was married, or the romantic emotions she felt went unrequited--and besides, as a friend later pointed out, marriage would have spoiled her with its confinements. Rising above depression, self-imposed ostracism, and her numerous illnesses, Stark learned Arabic and how to climb mountains, map, partake in geographical digs, and find a niche in strange cultures.

Initially ridiculed for her passionate fondness of the Middle East, her writings ultimately generated vast interest for that mysterious part of the world, where she was surprisingly embraced, made privy to political movements closed to most foreigners, and even shown precious Islamic documents. At times a nurse, a war correspondent, a negotiator, Stark was a one-woman revolution of her time. Geniesse's intoxicating documentation of her life not only serves to stir up new interest in Stark's many books; it also ensures that the name Freya Stark will live on long after her obituary is but a scrap of yellowed, crackling newsprint. --Melissa Rossi

Craig Doyle: Travel: Where to Go When

Travel: Where to Go When by Craig Doyle

My review

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From Goodreads:::

The Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Travel series are to be seen clutched in many tourists' hands across the world, and rightly so. If Travel: Where to Go When (edited by Craig Doyle) is designed to be pored over at home rather taken en voyage that has allowed the publishers to produce a handsome, large-scale volume guaranteed to set you dreaming of exotic faraway places.

This is the perfect holiday planner, concentrating on the world's most desirable travel locations, with specific attention paid to when it is best to visit them. The team of consultants (acting under Doyle's expert direction) have provided a series of concise and informative essays on everything from the wonders of the Galapagos Islands to the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, and from the mule trails of the Cinque Terre to the highly civilised streets of Boston, USA. The latter destination is a good example of precisely what the book does well: pithy, not-a-word-wasted essays giving all the essential information on the destination, with a sidebar on the left of the page detailing how to get there, suggested accommodation and restaurants along with all the information about the weather you're likely to need (the latter is particularly useful -- how often have you seen abroad tourists either underdressed or overdressed, not having done their homework?). On the right hand side of the large, eye-catching spreads are historical details -- never couched in dry prose, just a concise and lively presentation of the facts. A major plus, of course, is the sumptuous photography; everything from a brightly painted, flower-bedecked skeleton at the Mexican Day of the Dead to a glowingly lit night canal in Amsterdam does perfect justice to its subject. --Barry Forshaw

Marc Morris: A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and the Forging of Britain

A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and the Forging of Britain by Marc Morris

My review

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Stephen Fry: Making History

Making History by Stephen Fry

My review

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From GoodReads:

Those of us who have already discovered Stephen Fry know him as the brilliant British comedian behind TV series such as Jeeves & Wooster and Blackadder, and the author of two enormously funny novels, The Liar and The Hippopotamus. But his new film (in which he plays Oscar Wilde) and his new novel (this one) represent a somewhat alarming departure from his previous work: They're more serious. Though humor is still an essential ingredient of both, Fry's fans are finally getting to witness the emotional depth that this brilliant polymath usually keeps hidden.

In Making History, Fry has bitten off a rather meaty chunk by tackling an at first deceptively simple premise: What if Hitler had never been born? An unquestionable improvement, one would reason--and so an earnest history grad student and an aging German physicist idealistically undertake to bring this about by preventing Adolf's conception. And with their success is launched a brave new world that is in some ways better than ours--but in most ways even worse. Fry's experiment in history makes for his most ambitious novel yet, and his most affecting. His first book to be set mostly in America, it is a thriller with a funny streak, a futuristic fantasy based on one of mankind's darkest realities. It is, in every sense, a story of our times.

From the Hardcover edition.

Mary Doria Russell: A Thread of Grace

A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell

My review

Amanda recommended this to me, thought I'd like it.


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Review from GoodReads:
published December 6th 2005 by Ballantine Books
binding Paperback
isbn 0449004139 (isbn13: 9780449004135)
pages 464


description

Mary Doria Russell's extraordinary and complex historical novel, A Thread of Grace, is the kind of book that you will find yourself haunted by long after finishing the last page. It opens with a group of Jewish refugees being escorted to safe-keeping by Italian soldiers. After making the arduous journey over a steep mountain pass, they are welcomed into a small village with warm food and clean beds. They have barely laid their heads to rest when news is received that Mussolini has just surrendered Italy to Hitler, putting them in danger yet again. This opening sequence is a grim foreshadowing of the heart-breaking journey these characters will experience in their struggle for survival.

The rich fictional narrative is woven through the factual military maneuvers and political games at the end of WW II, sharing a little-known story of a group of Italian citizens that sheltered more than 40,000 Jews from grueling work camp executions. Rather than the bleak and hopeless feeling that might be expected, the novel has the opposite effect; it reminds us that just as there will always be war, crime, and death, so too will there be good people who selflessly sacrifice themselves to ease the suffering of others. Perhaps best of all, Russell succinctly opens and closes her writing with short pieces that bookend the story with the force of a freight train. Her moving finale wraps up her narrative in the present day, with a death bed scene that's sure to rip the heart out of readers of every faith and ancestry.

On the surface, Russell's third novel may seem quite different from her earlier works. Both The Sparrow and its sequel, Children of God , were futuristic stories about Earth's first contact with alien life forms, but a closer look reveals several similarities. Fans of her earlier books will be pleased to find that Emilio Sandoz, the charismatic Jesuit priest from the first two books, finds new life in Renzo Leoni--A Thread of Grace's charming and haunted chameleon. The two have different circumstances and histories, but both characters are made of the same cloth--tormented by their consciences and plagued by unrequited love. Also similar to her earlier books, the characters in A Thread of Grace don't all enjoy a happy ending. A note in the reader's guide tells us that Russell flipped a coin to determine the fate of some of the characters. This may be upsetting for many readers, particularly those used to Hollywood endings, but it does serve as a frank reminder of the arbitrary nature of war and death. --Victoria Griffith

Edie Eckman: The Crochet Answer Book

The Crochet Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask by Edie Eckman

My review

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L.T. Meade: The Girls of St. Wode's

The Girls of St. Wode's by L.T. Meade

My review

Okay Abigail, you've got me curious yet again...this looks like a young adult/childrens book from years ago taking place in England. Right there you have me, but just looking at the cover design kinda intrigued me as well. So will keep an eye out for it.




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Rene Barjavel: L'Enchanteur

L'Enchanteur by René Barjavel

My review

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would like to get this one to brush up on french.

Fritz Haeg: Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn

Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn by Fritz Haeg

My review

I heard about this idea on tv some time ago and thought that it was a good idea. Just have to have the energy and will power to dig up your yard and start over, LOL.



Wish List


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Manifesto callout, special treatment: Edible Estates is an attack on the front lawn and everything it has come to represent!

Edible Estates is an ongoing series of projects to replace the front lawn with edible garden landscapes responsive to culture, climate, context and people!

Edible Estates reconciles issues of global food production and urbanized land use with the modest gesture of a small domestic garden!

Edible Estates is a practical food-producing initiative, a place-responsive landscape design proposal, a scientific horticultural experiment, a conceptual land-art project, a defiant political statement, a community out-reach program and an act of radical gardening!

Edible Estates is nothing new; growing our own food is the first thing we did when we stopped being nomadic and started being "civilized"!

The Edible Estates project proposes the replacement of the domestic front lawn with a highly productive edible landscape. It was initiated by architect and artist Fritz Haeg on Independence Day, 2005, with the planting of the first regional prototype garden in the geographic center of the United States, Salina, Kansas. Since then three more prototype gardens have been created, in Lakewood, California; Maplewood, New Jersey and London, England. Edible Estates regional prototype gardens will ultimately be established in nine cities across the United States.

Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn documents the first four gardens with personal accounts written by the owners, garden plans and photographs illustrating the creation of the gardens--from ripping up the grass to harvesting a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs. Essays by Haeg, landscape architect Diana Balmori, garden and food writer Rosalind Creasy, author Michael Pollan and artist and writer Lesley Stern set the Edible Estates project in the context of larger issues concerning the environment, global food production and the imperative to generate a sense of community in our urban and suburban neighborhoods. This smart, affordable and well-designed book also includes reports and photographs from the owners of other edible front yards around the country, as well as helpful resources to guide you in making your own Edible Estate.




other reviews (showing 1-20 of 61)


SeriouslyJerome
SeriouslyJerome rated it: 4 of 5 stars
06/13/08

bookshelves: gardening, politics
Read in June, 2008
recommended to SeriouslyJerome by: Kerri
What a great gift from Kerri! And it wasn't even my birthday... it was her birthday!

I thought this would be a how-to book, but the author clearly states it's not. It's more of a brochure/pamphlet for performance art, because that's what he's done - his lawn conversions are part of his artistic & political expression.

It was motivating for me, who is already a convert to the edible landscape plan. It was a couple of years ago that I saw a news report about a local lady who ha...more What a great gift from Kerri! And it wasn't even my birthday... it was her birthday!

I thought this would be a how-to book, but the author clearly states it's not. It's more of a brochure/pamphlet for performance art, because that's what he's done - his lawn conversions are part of his artistic & political expression.

It was motivating for me, who is already a convert to the edible landscape plan. It was a couple of years ago that I saw a news report about a local lady who had converted her front yard into a garden. What I heard was, watering our front lawns (especially in SoCal,) is a complete waste. A waste of water & money. $$$ So my desire to ditch the front lawn has only grown since then. I won't let the boys play out front, so it's not even used for recreation. And we already have strawberries growing out front. After awhile, the whole yard will be converted!

We have big plans for our front yard, which requires money we don't have at the moment, but we can start with what we have....less
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Vicki
Vicki rated it: 4 of 5 stars
07/13/08

Read in July, 2008
This is a quick read, with 4 or 5 essays at the beginning about the tradition and wastefulness of the front lawn, and the idea of planting edible plants in the front. Stories of 5 Edible Estates gardens follow, and then there are several more short bits about people in different gardening zones who have dug up their front lawns and planted veggies. It made me want to read more gardening books!
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Jenn Gardner
Jenn rated it: 5 of 5 stars
01/30/08

Read in January, 2008
I suppose I'm biased because I work at Arthouse, where we currently have a Friz Haeg exhibition on view, and are getting ready to plant Edible Estates Regional Prototype #5 here in Austin - but this is a smart and attractive book about an important topic. Everyone plant some veggies!
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Richelle Reid
Richelle rated it: 4 of 5 stars
08/26/08

bookshelves: currently-reading
Also an inspiring read. I like how it showcases more 'typical' american families converting their front lawns into veggie gardens - and is an honest look at the joys and challenges, and the level of commitment, this kind of a decision makes.
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Kaitlyn Dunnett: Scone Cold Dead

Scone Cold Dead by Kaitlyn Dunnett

My review

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When her career ended with a knee injury, Scottish dancer Liss MacCrimmon returned home to Moosetookalook, Maine. But though teaching dance to the local children, helping her aunt run the town’s Scottish Emporium and starting a romance with neighbor and former classmate Dan Ruskin has kept her busy, she misses the life of a professional dancer.So she’s delighted when her old Scots company, Strathspey, arrives in her hometown. Liss arranges a reception for the troupe and even bakes her own Scottish cocktail scones. But when the company manager, who’s been making life miserable for the performers, bites into one and dies, Liss knows her batch has been replaced. Someone’s hiding something—and Liss won’t rest till the jig is up!

Kaitlyn Dunnett: Kilt Dead

Kilt Dead by Kaitlyn Dunnett

My review

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As a professional Scottish dancer, Liss MacCrimmon has performed strathsprays and reels, jigs and Highland flings until a knee injury cuts her career short. Returning to her hometown of Moosetookalook, Maine, she decides to help her aunt run her Scottish emporium. But when murder rears its ugly head in the idyllic, quiet village, Liss will have to add sleuthing to her repertoire...

Liss hasn't been in Moosetookalook in over ten years, but the quaint little town, nestled in the hilly terrain of western Maine, looks exactly as she remembers it. Only home a day before her aunt takes off on a tour of Scotland, Liss mans the emporium's booth at the annual Western Maine Highland Games. There she gets reacquainted with some old friends and new local characters, including an obnoxious real estate agent and his spoiled girlfriend who insists on ordering a custom-made kilt sewn from a plaid called the Flower of Scotland.

Liss knows a sale is a sale and returns to the emporium that night exhausted yet happy. But her bliss soon turns to dread when she finds the dead body of her aunt's nosy neighbor, Amanda Norris, under a bolt of the Flower of Scotland fabric in the stock room. And if things weren't bad enough, the state police hone in on Liss as the prime suspect.

With the help of Dan Ruskin, a neighbor and former high school classmate, Liss begins her own investigation that uncovers secrets about the residents of Moosetookalook-secrets she wished had stayed buried. Now Liss will have to do some fancy footwork to prove she's innocent while avoiding becoming the killer's next victim...

``

Clemence McLaren: Waiting for Odysseus

Waiting for Odysseus by Clemence McLaren

My review

Very curious to read a retelling of the story of Odysseus. Especially as the original can seem a bit taxing at times.



Will look for this!


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Nancy Springer: Rowan Hood series

Rowan Hood: Outlaw Girl of Sherwood Forest by Nancy Springer

My review

Would love this book!!! With a birth name of Robin/Robyn Wood, you'd think this tale would be right up my alley. Plus another by Nancy Springer...

Nancy Springer and Jane Yolen, must have's for any youngster's bookshelves, especially a young lady.

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From Goodreads:::::
Hurray for Rowan Hood, the girls' answer to swashbuckling Robin Hood! Rowan, a.k.a. Rosemary, is forced to disappear into the woods disguised as a boy after her mother, a woodwife with healing powers, is murdered by the local lord's henchmen. Ro's only option, other than "toiling in some lord's cabbage patch," is to find her fabled father, Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest. Along the way, this outlaw-in-training is joined by a motley crew of characters: a wolf-dog that catches arrows midflight, a giant of a boy with a spellbinding musical talent, and a runaway princess. Rowan finds Robin Hood and his merry men, but she soon discovers her troubles have only just begun.
Packed with magic, valiant warriors, nasty villains, and edge-of-your-seat adventure, this story is also a poignant search for identity and family. Rowan is a fierce female protagonist with a good head on her shoulders. Girls and boys of all ages would be proud to name her as their heroine. Award-winning author Nancy Springer (I Am Mordred: A Tale from Camelot and many others) tells a riveting tale. (Ages 11 and older) --Emilie Coulter





Outlaw Princess of Sherwood: A Tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

My review

Another Rowan Hood book on wish list!


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It has been little more than a year since Etty-once Princess Ettarde, promised to the power-hungry Lord Basil-escaped from her father and joined Rowan Hood's band of misfit teens and outlaws-in-the-making. Etty is so happy, she cannot imagine returning to her old life. That is, until her father appears to reclaim her. King Solon is determined to bring Etty back to barter her hand for peace. He will do anything. Even use his wife, Ettarde's mother, as bait. In a cage. In Sherwood Forest. In winter. Etty will not stand for it. Neither will Rowan Hood. An intergenerational battle of wit, will power, and wisdom follows in this third tale of Rowan Hood.




Lionclaw: Tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

My review

another wish list book and another Rowan Hood story.


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Lionel believes that he is nothing but an awkward coward, and he much prefers playing his harp to drawing a sword. Banished by his warrior father, Lord Lionclaw, he finds refuge in Sherwood Forest and joins a misfit band of outlaws led by Rowan Hood, daughter of Robin. Lionel is loyal and grateful to his good friend Rowan, yet he is also determined to make peace with his father. But when Lionclaw is taken prisoner by Robin Hood one night, he spots his son among the outlaws and vows revenge on him. Suddenly Sherwood Forest is filled with danger, and Lionel wants nothing more than to turn and run. Then Lionclaw's bounty hunters capture Rowan and use her as bait, and suddenly the lion in Lionel is awakened.



Wild Boy: A Tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

My review

Another Rowan Hood book on Wish List


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Ever since the Sheriff of Nottingham killed his father, Rook has run wild in Sherwood Forest, dreaming of his day for vengeance. Finally, he has found his chance. Not with the sheriff himself, but with the evil man's son, snared by one of the mantraps his own father planted to catch outlaws such as Rook. Filled with clashes of sword and emotion, this page-turning installment in Nancy Springer's Tales of Rowan Hood series will leave readers eager to return to Sherwood, where outlaws are often innocent, and survival is no game.


Rowan Hood Returns: The Final Chapter by Nancy Springer

My review

The final chapter in the Rowan Hood series. Wish List


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Guy Longhead. Jasper of the Sinister Hand. Hurst Orricson. Holt, also Orricson, brother of Hurst. To anyone else, just four names. But to Rowan Hood, the gentle healer who has waited two long years to put names to the men who murdered her mother, they are fuel to feed her desire for revenge. And so she leaves the rowan grove that has become her home in Sherwood Forest, and along with her friends, she sets off to seek these men. Yet she finds that the closer she draws to them, the farther she feels from the healer she has become. Nancy Springer has written a dramatic, stirring final chapter to a series that has only grown stronger with each new tale.






~~~~

Nancy Springer: I Am Morgan Le Fay

I Am Morgan Le Fay: A Tale From Camelot by Nancy Springer

My review

Another Nancy Springer book to add to my wish list.


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Nancy Springer: Dussie

Dusssie by Nancy Springer

My review

I didn't know that Nancy Springer was still writing. I read many of her books as a teen and loved them. This looks like a really good read and will add to my wish list.


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Bobbie Hinman: The Knot Fairy

The Knot Fairy by Bobbie Hinman

My review

this looks too cute!!! read the synopsis and really would love to find this book!


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Bryce Milligan: Brigid's Cloak: An Ancient Irish Story

Brigid's Cloak: An Ancient Irish Story by Bryce Milligan

My review

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Gary D. Schmidt: Saint Ciaran: The Tale of a Saint of Ireland

Saint Ciaran: The Tale of a Saint of Ireland by Gary D. Schmidt

My review

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Katherine Dewey: Creating Life-Like Figures in Polymer Clay: A Step-By-Step Guide

Creating Life-Like Figures in Polymer Clay: A Step-By-Step Guide by Katherine Dewey

My review

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Christel Dhom: Making Magical Fairy-Tale Puppets

Making Magical Fairy-Tale Puppets
By Christel Dhom
Hardcover, 72 pages

http://www.thesilverpenny.com/files/rsteinercollegebks/makingmagicalfairytalepuppets-tn.jpg

available at the above website

also at this site on my wish list:

Making Flower Children
By Sybille Adolphi
Paperback, 96 pages


Making Waldorf Dolls
By Maricristin Sealey
Paperback, 155 pages

Creative Felt
By Angelika Wolk-Gerche
Paperback, 91 pages


The Art of Feltmaking
By Anne Einset Vickrey
Paperback, 144 pages with index

Magic Wool: Creative Activities
with Natural Sheep's Wool
By Dagmar Schmidt and Freya Jaffke
Paperback, 78 pages


More Magic Wool: Creating Figures
and Pictures With Dyed Wool
By Angelika Wolk-Gerche
Paperback, 79 pages

Making Fairy-Tale Wool Animals
By Angelika Wolk-Gerche
Hardcover, 80 pages

Little Felted Animals
by Marie-Noelle Horvath
Paperback, 64 pages


You Can Weave! Projects for Young Weavers
By Kathleen Monaghan and Hermon Joyner
Hardcover, 96 pages with index

Rachel Haab: Fairies: Petal People You Make Yourself

Fairies: Petal People You Make Yourself by Rachel Haab

My review

Wish List


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Susanna Oroyan: Anatomy of a Doll: The Fabric Sculptor's Handbook

Anatomy of a Doll: The Fabric Sculptor's Handbook by Susanna Oroyan

My review

Wish List


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Christi Friesen: Dragons: The CF Polymer Clay Sculpture Series

Dragons: The CF Polymer Clay Sculpture Series by Christi Friesen

My review

Wish list


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Have Now::: Maureen Carlson: Fairies Gnomes & Trolls: Create a Fantasy World in Polymer Clay

Fairies Gnomes & Trolls: Create A Fantasy World in Polymer Clay by Maureen Carlson

My review

Wish list book
Now own

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Katherine Dewey: Creating Lifelike Figures in Polymer Clay: Tools and Techniques for Sculpting Realistic Figures

Creating Lifelike Figures in Polymer Clay: Tools and Techniques for Sculpting Realistic Figures by Katherine Dewey

My review

Want this book!!!


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Kathleen O'Neal Gear (and husband): The Betrayal

The Betrayal: The Lost Life of Jesus: A Novel by Kathleen O'Neal Gear

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Checked out of library, didn't get to read. Looks like a well written book by a couple who seem to know their stuff (archaeology/anthropology). From the description here at GoodReads and in the cover of the book, I definitely want to add it to my bookshelves.


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Amy Hassinger: The Priest's Madonna

The Priest's Madonna by Amy Hassinger

My review

Want to read this book. Been interested in Berenger for a long time.



Book cover description:



In 1884 in southern France, sixteen-year-old Marie Denarnaud's family is forced to move when their house burns to the ground. The find a new home in nearby Rennes-le-Chateau, a beautiful village set among hills steeped in history--from stories of a Visigothic presence in the Dark Ages, to tales of Cathar heretics who may have fled crusaders through rumored underground passages, to rumors of gold buried in the caves that perforate the hillsides.



Marie and her family face a chilly welcome in Rennes until the day a new parish priest is assigned to the village. By coincidence, the charismatic young priest is a friend of Marie's mother, and because his presbytery is in ruins, Berenger Sauniere takes up temporary residence with the Denarnauds. Young Marie is enthralled by the passionate Berenger and she revels in his priestly attention, though heavily conflicted by her own growing attraction to him.



Meanwhile, Berenger has attracted the patronage of a wealthy aristocrat who is willing to fund reconstruction of the church. His only condition is that Berenger keep an eye out for anything unusual he might find. Marie begins to suspect that the request has to do with the local legend of a woman who claimed to be descended from the bloodline of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. Berenger grows secretive, even as their affection deepens, and Marie must seek the truth without his help.



Historically lush, full of romance and intrigue, The Priest's Madonna blends fact and fiction. Interweaving scenes of ancient Judea with the spiritual journey of a vibrant and intense heroine, it tells a mesmerizing tale of faith, doubt, forbidden love, and illicit passion.


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Sue Monk Kidd - The Dance of The Dissident Daughter

The Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd

My review

Another library book, looks interesting. Wish list.


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James Vanderkam - The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls

The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Their Significance For Understanding the Bible, Judaism, Jesus, and Christianity by James Vanderkam

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
needs more in depth reading, more that I can get out of it with a library check out. Of all the books at the library dealing with the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammuradi Library, this one seemed the best and the easiest to read or comprehend.



Added to wish list so I can peruse more thoroughly.


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Denise Linn - Altars

Altars by Denise Linn

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Very interesting in that it gives you ideas for a personal altar and pictures. Just a "gives me creative ideas of setup" guide.



Wish List


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Ari Elon - Trees, Earth, and Torah: A Tu B'Shvat Anthology

Trees, Earth, and Torah: A Tu B'Shvat Anthology by Ari Elon

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another library book that needs more in depth reading. Very interesting. Earth centered Judaism.


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Richard D. Bank - 101 Things Everyone Should Know About Judaism

101 Things Everyone Should Know About Judaism: Beliefs, Practices, Customs, And Traditions by Richard D. Bank

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Very basic, rather easy to understand fundamentals that you would need/want to know about Judaism.

Added to wish list, checked out of library.


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Karen Farrington - Historical Atlas of Religions

Historical Atlas of Religions by Karen Farrington

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Checked this out of the library. It is really just a "primary" level book, but it does cover some lesser knows beliefs, and some interesting articles. Rather non-biased too, and I do appreciate that. Of course it covers Judeo-Christian-Islamic beliefs and origins, but also covers Hinduism, Buddhism, Tao, Confucianism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism,Shinto, the beliefs of the Australian Aborigines, Native Americans (north, central and south- I believe), Rasta, Voodoo, Old Norse, Old Greek/Roman, Egyptian, Maori, Easter Island, Quakers, Reformation, Moon, Theosophy, and several more.



Like I said, it's just an overview, introductory book, but a good simple format.


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Learning Irish: An Introductory Self-Tutor by Michael O'Siadhail

My review

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The Irish Cairn Murder: A Torrey Tunet Mystery by Dicey Deere

My review

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Murder-Irish Style....It is mid-October and unexpectedly cold in Ballynagh, the small Irish village that Torrey Tunet, the young American translator and sometime amateur sleuth, calls home. She has just built a fire of peat and coal to warm her cottage when a window frame collapses, letting in drafts of icy air. Asking around for the services of a carpenter, she hires local teenager Dakin Cameron to do a few repairs.Dakin is an unusually helpful and likable young man with something on his mind. When he receives a threatening phone call at the cottage, Torrey resolves to try to help him. It seems that Dakin is the son of Natalie Sylvester Cameron, a beautiful heiress whose husband died tragically two years before. Dakin is distressed because someone is trying to blackmail Natalie-and even more distressed when the blackmail attempts lead to a case of murder. Determined to uncover the truth no matter what the cost-including the ongoing enmity of the local police inspector-Torrey Tunet must call upon all of her wits and courage to find a cunning killer at large....

An Unthymely Death and Other Garden Mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert

My review

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Now readers can join China Bayles in ten puzzling cases-and get a taste of her world. This delightful collection features loads of wonderful herbal tidbits on everything from rosemary to feverfew to catnip; recipes for such to-die-for dishes as a Deadly Chocolate Valentine, Ruby's Applesauce Mint Bread, China's Five-Spice Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry, and McQuaid's Tex Mex-and a host of creative ideas for garden and home. It's a one-of-a-kind collection featuring a one-of-a-kind sleuth-who's worth spending some "quality thyme" with!

China Bayles' Book of Days by Susan Wittig Albert

My review

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A companion treasury from the author of the national bestselling series.

Readers of the China Bayles mystery novels are familiar with the usefulness and wonder of the many herbs the amateur sleuth sells in her beloved Thyme and Seasons shop. Compiled by national bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert at the request of her fans, China Bayles' Book of Days gathers together tidbits and treasures about plants and reveals ways you can put more green into your daily life.

Featuring 365 days of recipes, crafts, gardening tips, remedies, and more, this special volume is a personal calendar of the legends and lore of herbs and also features brand-new essays from the author, clues from China's mysteries, and some special contributions by the irrepressible members of the Myra Merryweather Herb Guild, Pecan Springs's oldest civic organization.

The Battle Between the Moon and Sun: The Separation of Women's Bodies from the Cosmic Dance by Jenny Kien

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Woman's mysterious bleedings in time with moon cycles were first seen as the human embodiment of the cosmic mysteries of birth, death and rebirth and served as the basis for time-keeping. With the rise of absolute kingships in the Ancient Near East, authority shifted from women and goddesses to men and gods. The male sun displaced the cycling moon as dominant deity. This conflict between the moon and sun estranged women from the cosmic dance and led to their social marginalization. Spiritual imagery became solar, an exclusive and masculine imagery recognizing only one truth and demonizing all else. Incorporated into Judaism and Christianity, this imagery became an integral part of Western culture. The history of the Jewish and Christian calendars show how women were excluded from time-keeping, further marginalizing them. This eliminated the natural world from time-keeping, adding to our alienation from nature. To end the Battle between the Moon and Sun a new spiritual imagery must replace the current solar form. The history of the Battle shows that redeveloping the old female lunar imagery could help restore social inclusiveness and a reverence for life.

Reinstating the Divine Woman in Judaism by Jenny Kien

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from Amazon: Great book which focusses on Asherah and G-ddess Judaism


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Cook With Jamie by Jamie Oliver

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rating: 5 of 5 stars
Checked this book out of the library, good basics inside. Good for experience as well as beginner cooks.


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Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly by Gail Carson Levine

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In Writing Magic, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine shares her secrets of great writing. She shows how you, too, can get terrific ideas for stories, invent great beginnings and endings, write sparkling dialogue, develop memorable characters—and much, much more. She advises you about what to do when you feel stuck—and how to use helpful criticism. Best of all, she offers writing exercises that will set your imagination on fire.

With humor, honesty, and wisdom, Gail Carson Levine shows you that you, too, can make magic with your writing.

Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood: A Treasury of Goddess and Heroine Lore from Around the World by Merlin Stone

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Updated with a new Preface

This collection of ancient images of women as goddesses and heroines brings together legends, rituals, and prayers from China, Celtic Europe, South America, Africa, India, North America, Scandinavia, Japan, and elsewhere.

"Every feminist should have a copy of Ancient Mirrors. . . . These are stories to grow up with."
-Sojourner

In the Light of the Moon: Thirteen Lunar Tales from Around the World Illuminating Life's Mysteries by Carolyn McVickar Edwards

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Throughout the year, as it moves inexorably through its phases, the moon is a source of wonder, inspiration, and knowledge for countless sky watchers. Now In the Light of the Moon, a companion to Carolyn Edwards’ popular collection of stories about the winter solstice, presents thirteen lunar tales from around the world. Organized into four sections corresponding to the waxing, full, waning, and dark moons, the book collects stories from Australia, Britain, ancient Egypt, the Maya, Korea, Polynesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India, and the Amazon, among other lands and peoples. By seeking to explain the origins and cycles of Earth’s nearest neighbor and our relation to it, each story entertains, instructs, and inspires curiosity about the eternal mysteries of the natural world. Perfect for Halloween and October's Hunter's Moon, In the Light of the Moon's spirited collection of fascinating stories are also wonderful for any time of year.

The Storyteller's Goddess: Tales of the Goddess and Her Wisdom from Around the World by Carolyn McVickar Edwards

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The Storyteller's Goddess is a collection of more than 30 stories from 20 cultures that celebrate the goddess. They are organized around seven healing goddess principles and are inspired by traditional goddess lore and ancient artifacts. Each one is introduced by placing it in its cultural and historical context, telling the story's origins, and describing props that can be used to invoke that story's goddess--from Kali and Hecate to Shekina, Kuan Yin, Athena, Mary, and Lilith.

The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice by Carolyn McVickar Edwards

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The winter solstice, the day the "sun stands still," marks the longest night and the shortest day of the year (it occurs either on December 20 or 21). Celebrations honoring the winter solstice as a moment of transition and renewal date back thousands of years and occur among many peoples on every continent. Now The Return of the Light makes an ideal companion for everyone who carries on this tradition, no matter what their faith. Storyteller Carolyn McVickar Edwards retells twelve traditional tales-from North America, China, Scandinavia, India, Africa, South America, Europe, and Polynesia-that honor this magical moment. These are stories that will renew our wonder of the miracle of rebirth and the power of transition from darkness into light.

Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth by Dorothy Morrison

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Those who yearn for spiritual meaning but aren't strongly affiliated with a specific religion sometimes feel left out of winter holidays. Yule is like a hot toddy for these chilled and isolated souls. From mistletoe to gift exchanging, Yule explores and exalts the pagan and regional roots to many of our contemporary rituals and celebrations. For example, lights were historically used to decorate winter homes in order to "frighten negative entities and urge the sun to shine," according to author Dorothy Morrison. Many people believe that Santa's reindeer "represent the stags that drew the chariot of the Norse gift-giving goddess, Freya." Beyond all the fascinating trivia, this is also a book that offers fresh approaches to old traditions, such as having a cleaning ritual that ceremoniously sweeps out the old and makes room for the new season or conducting a reverent "tree blessing" ceremony. Morrison also suggests numerous homemade crafts and gift ideas (many are suitable for children), inviting seasonal recipes (such as Yuletide Ambrosia and Dragon's Layer Cake), and a December calendar that lists traditions and rituals for every day of the month. --Gail Hudson