An epic achievement.

The oldest surviving work of Japanese fiction. The heroine tasks her suitors with nearly impossible challenges to ensure they fail.

A sentimental virtuous man navigates an unjust world.

Eugenie is dominated by her miserly father who shelters her and strips away all the joy of those around him. The relentless pursuit of money at all costs on the part of her father prevents her from pursuing her romantic passions and eventually results in giving up on love and living a life of cold, calculating personal transactions.

Challenging to read as Henry James gives nothing away. Yet, a lesson in subtle interactions and reading between the lines.

An adventure built on creativity and imagination with only a crayon as a prop.

Delightful fairy tale of unconventional parenthood.

Historically relevant with flawed, religiously-biased writing.

Katlin Curtice's book is a well-constructed holistic model for incorporating all facets of our life into different realms. These include the Personal Realm, Communal Realm, Ancestral Realm, and Integral Realm. Each of the realms involve various forms of resistance.

As defined, resistance itself is a 'living, breathing being." The Personal Realm was particularly relevant and offered tangible ways to seek wholeness every day. Insights and examples were very helpful.

Of particular interest was the importance of Communal and Ancestral Realms as necessary components of wholeness. This is not intuitive for those who were raised in a culture where individual traits of intelligence and hard work were portrayed as the keys to success.

Kaitlin Curtice has a talent for showing how the multiple facets or Realms come together in an interconnected and vibrant, ever-evolving blend. Some of the examples and analogies worked well, some not so well.

Overall the book has many thought-provoking, insightful lessons and does provide a vision for seeking wholeness every day.

This book was complimentary through Early Reviewer program.

Engaging and colorful way to explain the the circle of life as it relates to the sun. The pattern and repetition of the text harmonizes with the illustrations very well.

Rabbit, Run is by the best of the tetralogy and rated 4 stars. Rabbitt Redux and Rabbit is Rich are weaker novels and rated 3 stars each.

2000

A braid of stories meant to heal our relationship with the world.”

How is the author, Christina Stead, not a household name along with other great authors??

The Man Who Loved Children is no carefree beach read, but neither is To Kill a Mockingbird or the Brothers Karamazov. Written with such intelligence that delves into the depths of human struggles yet displays a ruthless wit into the absurdity of human foibles. Blown away! This 5-star rating is from a reader who rarely denotes many books worthy of this rating.

One of the goals of this book is to improve psychological flexibility, which is the ability to feel and think with openness. Steven C. Hayes presents a very well-structured approach, backed by clinical studies, toward pivoting toward what matters.

This book is divided into three parts. Part 1 explains why we need to pivot and how our thought processes can interfere with healthy approach to life. Part 2 is the heart of the book and describes how to change the course of our thoughts, actions, and lives with 6 methods or 'pivots.' Part 3 provides practical application of the ACT toolkit to many issues we may encounter - unhealthy behaviors, mental health, relationships, work performance, spiritual well-being, illness and disability, and social transformation.

This is a call to action to improve ourselves and our interactions with others to work toward a kinder, gentler sense of community with our family members, our colleagues, our neighbors, and beyond.

I Am a Feminist…is a nonfiction book written by Canadian author Monique Polak with the purpose of encouraging teens to “stand up for equality and speak out against injustice.”
Ms. Polak synthesizes and presents information in a graphically appealing, fact-based, and cohesive manner. The History of Feminism described in 4 waves was particularly informative.

While a much of the book evokes feelings of sadness, outrage, frustration, and disbelief about the struggle women continue to face, there are also inspirational stories and examples of women of all ages who take initiative and do something to make a difference. Of note are the sections of Resources and References in the back of the book to learn more, get involved, and take action.

This is a book worth reading.

An advanced copy of this book was received as a courtesy as an Early Reviewer.

Very warm and beautiful illustrations are supported by the simple English and Spanish text in this children's book in celebration of the attachment between mothers and their offspring in the animal and human world. Supplemental information at the end provides names of each of the animals, their babies, and also the group names in English and Spanish for each page. Cuddled and Carried is described as "A Beginnings Book" as part of a series with the hope of initiating a spark towards interest in the sciences. Additional information can be obtained via the Platypus Media website

Underwhelmed with the caliber of writing for a book on the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list. I initially tolerated the misogyny of the male characters (with exception of the "Stranger," named Valentine Michael Smith, who was an 'innocent") and hoped I could find some redeeming quality to the novel. The author clearly has issues with women and uses the characters to express his offensive views. "Nine out of 10 women who are raped are partially to blame" Seriously?!?!

With that line, I ended my misery with the novel. Save yourself the disappointment and skip this one.

A fairly comprehensive and well-organized manual of resources written by Joan L Green who is a speech-language pathologist with 30 years of experience.

This manual provides a wealth of detailed information with the emphasis on easily accessible computer or notebook applications. The purpose of this third edition is to streamline up-to-date options and reduce the time that it would take to search for appropriate tools to address children's needs. Topics are too numerous to describe here but range from verbal and written expression, to reading skills and reading comprehension, and executive function and focus. Particularly helpful are the subsections describing each application, website or publisher information, brief descriptions and key features, format, and costs involved.

The chapter on Improving Auditory Comprehension is limited and does not mention anything about the benefits of evidenced-based technology, specifically Assistive Listening Devices such as FM systems. Children with hearing impairments are among those listed on page 9 under 'Who Can Benefit from Assistive Technology," yet one of the most important ALDs was left out of this resource manual. I would recommend the author add the recommendation to collaborate with a pediatric audiologist for help in acquiring these devices. The websites for ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) and Harris Communication provides little benefit when the purpose of this manual was to consolidate updated resources.

May 2018 - Between the Acts (4/5 stars)

A visual and linguistic affirmation of the paradoxes of life.
"Gentleness is strength" "Let's stand firm with our fragility "

PLUSES: Insightful and poignant, humorous and witty. Effectively using the text interspersed with colorful geometrically shaped artwork and hand lettering.

"I'm all I've got to work with."

"You have a limited amount of time during which to become an unrelenting beam of light."

"You are the sign you've been waiting for"

Minuses: The text size of the narrative was tiny in comparison with the hand lettering and artwork and did not support the flow of material throughout in a harmonious manner.

Mixed reactions about some of the artwork - At times the playful mix of geometrics, colors, and shapes was refreshing - it felt original and enhanced the hand lettering, and at other times.the artwork felt random and uninspired.

NOTE: I received a promotional copy of this book with the request for a review.

Funny, witty, and heartfelt, particularly for fans of Gilmore Girls.

If you think repeated references to farts are funny, then you may enjoy this. For the rest of us, there were moments in the book that were mildly amusing. Overall way too long and filled with pointless verbosity. More isn't always better.

Rememberance of Things' Past: Swann's Way, read in 2015; Within a Budding Grove, read 1/23/16; The Guermantes Way, read 10/5/17; Sodom and Gomorrah, read 1/31/18; The Captive 1/1/19, The Fugitive 3/1/19; Time Regained 9/1/19

What a gem! Poetry is not usually something that speaks to me, but I saw this book and the title extended her hands out as an invitation - simply, yet powerfully because of 'her' flowers.

There is power in the minimalist way the words and illustrations are arranged that convey the dimensions of a young woman through pain and joy and love and.. life.

The saga of an ex-pat in France - poverty and debauchery. Took me a while to stop flinching at some of the language. Glad I didn't bail.

"Everything is endured--disgrace, humiliation, poverty, war, crime, ennui--in the belief that overnight something will occur, a miracle, which will render life tolerable."

Dostoyevsky is an amazing author; however, this one is not his best. Read [Crime and Punishment] or [Notes from the Underground] instead.

Doctorow delivers a wild ride on the dark side.

An inspiring, yet at times disturbing, story of Nathan Runkle's single minded-purpose to educate and expose the pervasive inhumane treatment of animals in factory farms - and to advocate for change despite insurmountable obstacles.

[Mercy for Animals] portrays the grim realities of many animals destined for slaughter in order to meet the insatiable human demand for meat.

I received this advanced copy of the book at no charge with request for a review.

As relevant as ever in 2017