The Seduction of Water...

I just finished listening to The Seduction of Water by Carol Goodman. I recommend it, especially if you are like me and will be listening to the story, rather than reading it.

Iris Greenfeder is an almost everything. She's almost a published writer, she's almost a college professor and she's almost married to her boyfriend of ten years, Jack. Iris's mother, who died when she was ten, wrote two books and no one can find the third. The book is told in first person and is a terrific summer read.

The book is romantic, as the Irish tales Iris's mother, Kay, used to tell her are woven into the story, as well as suspensefull. Will she find her mother's third manuscript, was there one at all? And, how about the hotel she lived in and her parents jointly ran. Will it survive it's fate as the current oweners are thinking of selling it?

Labels: Book Review

Dragon: Hound of Honor

I just finished reading this book by Dame Julie Andrews Edwards and Emma Walton Hamilton and I highly recommend it. Not only is the book a fast read (well, it is a children's book), it doesn't talk down to children like some of them do. The book is recommended for children ages 9 and up. There is some violence, which might bother younger children.

The story is based on the true story, "The Legend of the Dog of Montargis", which should set any curious young reader off on a search for more information about this amazing dog. Dragon, a beautiful Wolf Hound, is present when his master is murdered. He, also, "names" his master's attacker is a most amazing manner. Further, Dragon must battle his master's murderer to the bitter end.

The book contains enough mystery to keep any young reader (and, perhaps their parents) interested to the end.

Labels: Book Review

Team of Rivals

I just started reading this book, but I do like it. This is a different sort of biography of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. Kearns Goodwin tells the story of President Lincoln, along with three of his rivals for the 1860 Republican nomination. President Lincoln, showing a genius that I'm sure we won't see in a president again, choose these three men (William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase and Edward Bates) to be members of his administration.

Seward was appointed Secretary of State. Seward was attacked in an assassination attempt on April 14, 1965 -- he was the second of the Lincoln conspirators victims. (Vice President Johnson was the third target, but his attacker lost his nerve.) In a further twist, Seward had numerous American citizens arrested during the Civil War for disloyalty. Many of these citizens were not told why they were arrested and no trials were held. Interesting.

Chase was appointed Secretary of the Treasury. Chase is the coiner of the phrase, "Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men." He firmly believed in the abolishment of slavery.

Bates, the oldest of the four men, was chosen as Lincoln's Attorney General. Bates served under Lincoln from 1861 to 1864.

The book tells more than I cared to learn about the history of Seward, Chase and Bates, but the rest of the book discussing how they worked together in what was probably our nation's most turbulent times is fascinating.

If you are at all interested in Civil War era -- don't skip reading this book.

Happy Reading!

Labels: Book Review