Reviews

Dennis McFarland’s The Music Room is one of those novels that you don’t forget. I first read it 20 years ago. When my aunt recently mentioned it, I immediately knew the book she was talking about. I decided to read it again. Alcoholism, suicide and divorce figure prominently, yet it’s still a lyrical, poetic work of beauty, sensitivity and dark humor.

Dr Junger is certified in internal medicine and cardiology and practices in New York City. He has also studied Eastern medicine in India and is currently director of integrative medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC. After experiencing a variety of health issues himself and trying different options, Dr Junger tried a detox program and found his symptoms eliminated.

Ysabel, by Guy Gavriel Kay, blends history and fantasy, facts and imagination. Ned Marriner, a 15-year-old from Canada, travels with his father to France. His father, a famous photographer, is there to shoot pictures for his next book.

A great, true-life adventure story appeals partly because you, the reader, can find yourself thinking something like, "These are real people and they were crazy enough to do this stuff!"

This cook book is full of great recipes for everyone. The colorful photos of what the recipes also helps the cook visualize what the dish is suppose to look like.  The recipes are simple and explained so that anyone can understand them.  The details of each recipes include a nutrition analyses per serving and ingredient options.

This was the graphic novel of the Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich. Did not really care for the this graphic novel about Barnaby and Hooker. The characters are the same as the Plum series. It did not seem to make a lot of sense between the graphic pictures and what the characters were saying and doing. I would hope that Janet Evanovich returns to writing laugh out loud mysteries and not waste her time on graphic novels.

I have added a new name to my list of heroes - Daniel Ellsberg. As a child, I remember hearing his name and knew that he was in some way connected with the Vietnam War and what was referred to as the Pentagon Papers. The Most Dangerous Man in America, (on DVD) tells the story of Daniel Ellsberg and the pivotal role he played in American history. in the 1950s, Ellsberg served as a Marine Corps officer, then went to work for the Rand Corp, a military thinktank.

In Allen's debut novel we meet the Waverly sisters Claire and Sydney in their hometown of Bascom, NC. The Waverly family has lived in Bascom for generations and their unusual garden is the stuff of legends in the area. The Waverlys and their garden have somewhat of a curious reputation due to their garden and its plants that have special powers.

This Is Where I Leave You is about death, divorce and dysfunction and it is hilarious. Shorty after Judd's wife leaves him for his boss, Judd’s father dies and his mother announces that his father’s last wish was for the family to observe shiva, a seven day mourning period during which friends and family visit the home of the bereaved. Seven days is a long time to be cooped up in your childhood home.