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Just finished listening to several World War II novels. "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" which told about a Japanese family interned in the U.S even though they are "Americans" living in Seattle. "Sarah's Key" A young jewish girl who survives the War. "Skeletons at the Feast" the story of a group of Prussian refugees trying to get to the American lines rather than face the advancing Russians. Skeletons was definately my favorite of the three. I am not a big World War II novel fan (believe it or not) but somehow these all came my way and all were interesting and good but rather sad stories.

Minnie wrote: ""I've been reading quite a few books about Africa since my daughter is doing a semester abroad in South Africa"
Hi Julie,
I'm interested in your daughter's visit to South Africa, is she studying on..."

Hi Minnie -

My daughter Rachel did her internship with Ocean's Research at their Mossel Bay, South Africa location, where they study marine predators - aka great white sharks. I reminded her several times that there are lots of sharks off the coast of California, but it didn't have the same appeal as traveling half way around the world. She returned to the states yesterday, and I'm happy to say that she still has all of her fingers and toes. Here is a photo that she emailed us from her camera.


One of her jobs was to "chum" for sharks by waving fish heads and guts in the water. Does that sound at all safe??

Kerry wrote: "Just finished listening to several World War II novels. "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" which told about a Japanese family interned in the U.S even though they are "Americans" living in ..."

Hi Kerry - I really liked Skeletons at the Feast . Thanks for recommending Sarah's Key. I think you're the 5th person who has mentioned that book - definitely have to listen to it.

If you can stand 1 more WWII book, I have been telling everyone about City of Thieves by David Benioff. It is about the siege of St. Petersburg at the end of WWII where 2 young men are sent on the nearly impossible task of finding a dozen eggs. Beautiful book - definitely one of my favorites from 2009.

Julie at All Ears wrote: "Minnie wrote: ""I've been reading quite a few books about Africa since my daughter is doing a semester abroad in South Africa"
Hi Julie,
I'm interested in your daughter's visit to South Africa, i..."

It doesn't sound safe but it must surely have been an adrenalin rush! And South Africa is I believe one of the few countries in which certain sharks are a protected species so some of the biggest of say, Great White sharks are found here. Glad she's safely home and hope she enjoyed her stay.

I have just finished The Appeal by Grisham. It was extremely well read by Michael Beck. He has the ability to create a mellifluous southern accent that charms you into listening,but the story as such was a disappointment. I believe Grisham had an agenda and he merely used the book to articulate a specific concern that he had. There is a lot of "Tell" and very little "Show" so i'ts not a book I can recommend but the reading is at all times, excellent.

Julie at All Ears wrote: "Does that sound at all safe??"

Funny...and NO! Tell Rachel to keep watching the fingers and toes!

Julie at All Ears wrote: "My daughter Rachel did her internship with Ocean's Research at their Mossel Bay, South Africa location, where they study marine predators - aka great white sharks. "

Too Cool!! Your daughter sounds like my kinda person between the horsie stuff and this. I have a degree in Wildlife Biology and spent time chasing large animals around too - though i never got the chance to play with sharks. Very cool!

I typically don't post regular books here but I just finished one that you may not have heard of yet since it was just released last month. Coppola: A Pediatric Surgeon in Iraq is Chris Coppola's story of two deployments in Iraq, one from January 2005 - May 2005 and one from Sept 2007 - January 2008.

What makes this book so outstanding is that Chris gives us a view of what happens in an Army Hospital in Iraq without preaching and with pretty brutal honesty. It's like sitting down with him over a beer (or near beer in Iraq) and talking with him about his day.

The stories he tells are related without a lot of medical jargon and if he uses a term that most people aren't familiar with he then explains. He tells of successes and he relates times when he feels he failed... even though it's obvious to most that his "failures" could not have been helped.

The writing is simple and straight forward. What is gripping is the subject and the fact that this isn't fiction - it's what really happened.

I don't care what your politics are about the war, you will learn something and be moved by Coppola's stories. I loved this book - i could relate to his longing to be home and his fierce commitment to the kids in Iraq. It's well worth your time.

Just listened to Cheating Death by Sanjay Gupta. Do you know how long you can survive under water without breathing? Longer than you think. This book boldly goes into the gray zone between life and death to shine the bright light of science where few have the courage to look. Sanjay Gupta offers some very interesting research results and amazing survival stories about our bodies and their ability to recover from accidents and injury if given the right care. But this care has only recently been discovered and it's not always obvious what is best. Forget CPR, better and easier to do CCR. The definition of death is not so clear anymore.

Inner Peace for Busy People by Joan Z. Borysenko


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Although I gain a tremendous amount of insight from personal growth books, I also often come away feeling guilty. Yes, I should eat less sugar, and sleep more, and meditate, and stretch after running. I am always stymied - how to I fit all that in? I could wake up earlier, but then I should sleep more... And that is why I loved this book. Inner Peace for Busy People gives practical advice and exercises for reducing stress without adding a tremendous amount to that already growing 'To Do' list.

Silvertongue by Charlie Fletcher


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The final book of the Stoneheart trilogy. Definitely a great series to recommend for young adults - fast paced, great narration, good plot and I really liked both of the teenage heroes - Edie and George. Fletcher makes this a bit of a coming of age story as they both mature and overcome hurdles from their pasts. Narrator Jim Dale - excellent as always!

The Warden by Anthony Trollope


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The first of the Barsetshire Chronicles by Anthony Trollope. Set in mid 1800's England, Mr. Harding as Warden of a home for the poor. Due to some lucky investments, the Warden receives a sizeable stipend, which was never intended by the original legacy that created the home. Reverend Hardy has the dilemma of choosing between poverty (only 100 pounds a year!) vs. staying in his current comfortable position even though he feels it is morally wrong.

As a Dickens fan, many people have suggested I read Anthony Trollope. I really enjoyed his style, similar setting to Dickens, but not quite the drama of some of Dickens' novels. I have already picked up the next in the series.

I listened to the Simon Vance audio edition of this book. Excellent, excellent, excellent!

I picked up The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan because she is coming to Campbell to speak about her book as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society and O'Connor Hospital (save the date - May 13th!). I found this book to be one of the most touching and personal memoirs that I have ever read. You don't have to be a cancer survivor or have a family member with cancer to be touched by this story. I think anyone can relate to this book - whether you are a daughter, a friend, or a parent. Beautiful story! Here is my review..
The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Yesterday, I finished listening to The Middle Place and wept.

At 36, Kelly Corrigan's life seems perfect. She and her husband are doing well living and working in the Bay Area and she is embracing motherhood with 2 young girls. Even though she is an adult, she still sees herself as George Corrigan's only daughter. Her father, who is described as larger-than-life, still remains a major part of her life. She is in the 'Middle Place' between when our parents are everything and we are the parents. And then things change. Kelly is diagnosed with breast cancer and her father is diagnosed with late-stage bladder cancer. This beautifully told memoir describes Kelly's childhood as a daughter of George Corrigan and her life as she deals not only with her own cancer, but as a family member of someone who has cancer.

This book touched me in so many ways. It reminded me of when my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer - the frustration of wanting a solution, a cure and discovering that there are no formulas or flow charts to follow that provide a 'right' answer. It reminded me of dealing with my parents' health issues remotely - and those 'fun' family discussions among siblings about what to do next. But what made me cry was knowing that all of us who are still in 'the middle place' will eventually leave when our parents die, and although we will be fine living our own lives as adults, there will be a heartbreaking loss of no longer being someone's daughter.

Last night, I finished listening to the last climatic battle scene of 'The Aeneid.' What a wonderful experience. I've been meaning to read 'The Aeneid' for a long time, and after reading Julie's positive report on a simultaneous reading/listening of Dickens's 'Bleak House,' decided to use that approach.

I found the language and rhythm of Robert Fagles' translation powerful and poetic. The audio narration is by Simon Callow. He seems to only have two speeds, overwrought and more overwrought, so that all characters, whether gods or mortals, male or female, sound...overwrought. But he grew on me, and the story, as lovingly gory as any high-definition, three-dimensional cinematic battlefield extravaganza, lends itself to histrionics. Many heads are lopped off, bodies pierced and crushed; much blood is vomited.

This was a great way to digest a daunting classic.

couple books i finished up this morning...



The Western writing school typified by the books from Milkweed press, often doesn't get as much publicity as other segments of the writing world, but for those of us who live in and appreciate life in Colorado/Utah/Montana/Wyoming - it's a rare and wonderful treat to read a Milkweed press book.

Laura Pritchett is a wonderful writer whose first book, Hell's Bottom, was a Pen award finalist and the winner of the Milkweed award for western fiction. I haven't read Hell's Bottom yet, but Sky Bridge was very much worth my time. I had been given glowing recommendations for this book by the group who does the One Book, One City selections and finally got around to reading it myself. Her writing style is very much like Mark Spragg's (An Unfinished Life) and Kent Haruf (Plainsong). Actually, i'd bet that if you enjoyed either of these books you'd like Sky Bridge. I enjoyed it tremendously.



Temple Grandin is one of those iconic figures that reminds us that we can be greater than our circumstances. What i appreciate about Temple is that her books on animal behavior contain down to earth advice that actually works. I learned several new things from this book and am looking forward to trying them out on my pride of kitties.

I really enjoyed the narrator of this book too. Andrea Gallo has a personable manner and clear voice that reminded me much of Temple's actual voice inflections. She also spoke clearly and evenly which is so important when passing along sometimes complex information. I'd be interested in hearing how she does with fiction!

I Just finished The Last Days of Krypton by Kevin J. Anderson.

Anyone who is even remotely interested in comic books knows the story of Superman, the sole survivor of the doomed planet Krypton, sent to Earth in the planet's final moments to seek a new beginning under our strengthening yellow sun. However, few know the true story of Krypton itself. Why was the planet destroyed? When and how? Who were Kal-El's parents, and what were they like? And just who is Zod? All these questions and more are answered in Kevin J. Anderson's The Last Days of Krypton . In this book we are introduced to Jor-El, Lara, Commissioner Zod and the Kryptonian Council and the rest of the planetary society and culture itself. Krypton stagnates under the isolationist rule of the Council. While Jor-El submits invention after brilliant invention, his nemesis Zod plots the overthrow of all. Whatever era of Superman you were a part of, there is something in this book for you. Action, Romance, Political Intrigue, all leading up to Krypton's final moments. If you are a fan of Superman, comic books, or are a newcomer to the Man Of Steel's epic saga, give this book a read or listen.

Jeff at All Ears Audiobooks wrote: "I Just finished The Last Days of Krypton by Kevin J. Anderson.

Anyone who is even remotely interested in comic books knows the story of Superman, the sole survivor of the doomed planet Krypton, se..."

Nice review, Jeff! Do you think this one would be appropriate for kids to listen to also? It sounds like a fun family listen!

Three short novels I read in the past week or so:
The Awakening
Kate Chopin's 1899 telling of a society woman stuck in a loveless marriage seems quaint today, but was ahead of its time then. At times a bit over-wrought, it is still a good tale of self-realization. I hated the ending of the story, but I suppose it would have been considered "romantic".
Grace Colin narrated this edition and I like her very much. I've listened to her before and she always does a great job. 3.5 stars

Cranford
I have not had the opportunity to see Masterpiece Theater's production of Cranford, but I was looking for something that promised some light fun. Cranford delivered that for me. No, there's not much of a plot, the storyline kind of meanders, but I laughed out loud, enjoyed the foibles and triumphs of the Cranford ladies and was sad to part company with them. I loved it.

Nadia May narrated and she's incredible.

5 stars

Podkayne of Mars

Heinlein is of course an icon of science fiction. I've read several of his novels, but this is the first time i'd read Podkayne. I was cruising along listening to typical teen girl story (with a sci fi flair of course) until the last half hour of the story when it all fell apart in an unbelievable and unsatisfying conclusion. I've heard rumors that there is an alternate ending, but both my audio and the book I own do not have this ending. I'll have to stop by a bookstore and read it there :)

Emily Card narrated. She did a nice job of teenage enthusiasm and I felt like i was listening to Podkayne's journals. Nice job.

3 stars - would have been 4 if the ending had been better.

I recently finished , The Black Echo by Michael Connelly. Michael Connelly is probably one of the most popular mystery authors in our store and after many proddings from members, I decided to try one of the Harry Bosch novels. The Black Echo is the first in the Harry Bosch series and is a classic police detective murder mystery set in Los Angeles. Bosch is a complex and compelling hero. A Vietnam veteran, he is bright, smart and capable, but also shows a lonely and vulnerable side to his personality. The mystery revolves around a body of a former veteran found in a pipe. At first it appears that the man died from a drug overdose, but Harry soon discovers a complex plot that involves much more than a simple murder. I loved the plot twists and the characters in this book. Excellent narration by Dick Hill, this book is fast paced and hard to put down.

I try to listen to something warmer and lighter after a murder mystery, so I picked up something from the humor section.
Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Famous People Who Returned Our Calls by Carl Kasell


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a collection of some of the best interviews from NPR's show, Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me. Perfect if you are looking for something to make you laugh aloud. It features an eclectic group of guests including Paula Dean, Michael Pollan, Neil Patrick Harris, and more. Very funny - perfect for a road trip with other friends.

Julie at All Ears wrote: "I picked up The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan because she is coming to Campbell to speak about her book as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society and O'Connor Hospital (save the date - May ..."

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I cry a lot. I've been tearing up a couple of times of day, every day, my entire life. I especially like to weep when listening to audiobooks. Whenever I travel by air, I love to listen using noise canceling headphones which allows me to tune out ambient noise and tune into my book. My best in-flight weepers have been Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton, The Good Earth: Classic Collection by Pearl S. Buck and The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. But listening to The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan has taken the weeping thing to whole new level, by adding intermittent burst of laughing out loud to the mix. Can you imagine the poor soul that has to sit next to me!

Seriously, The Middle Place is one of the most real and touching books I've read/listened to in a long time. Maybe it's because Kelly speaks with such unadulterated honesty about those things most dear to us; our relationship to our parents, spouses, siblings, children, and friends. My book club gals of 20 years and I are close, but even so, some topics seem too difficult to get into. The Middle Place prompted an honest and touching conversation of the challenges we all face as we pass through our own middle place. We're not alone in this. It is part of our humanity, one to celebrate and cherish, even in our most difficult moments.

Please join us on May 13, to Celebrate More Birthdays with Kelly Corrigan at the Campbell Heritage Theatre followed by dessert and book signing. Full details can be found at OR at

All Ears Audiobooks is a proud supporter of this event and the local group of women who have created it to benefit the American Cancer Society and O'Connor Hospital Foundation. It's going to be an amazing evening. Bring your Mom for Mother's day, book club friends or anyone with whom you want to celebrate more birthday's.

Look for us in the theatre lobby selling Kelly's books including her latest best seller Lift . Can't wait!

Lilly at All Ears Audiobooks wrote: "Julie at All Ears wrote: "I picked up The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan because she is coming to Campbell to speak about her book as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society and O'Connor Hosp..."

Great job ladies!! Such a worthy cause. I wish i was about 1500 miles closer! :)

More recent listens:


By Alexander McCall Smith

Precious Ramotswe is a great character and the characters she is surrounded by are terrific! I very much enjoyed this installment especially the little philosophical gems scattered through the story. Wonderful fun read. 4 stars

by Stieg Larsson

I probably would never have gotten around to reading this if my book group had not decided to read it. But they did so i decided to try listening to it. Simon Vance was fantastic as the narrator.

I enjoyed the story line, the twists to the plot that could be figured out before the reveal, and of course Lisbeth Salander. Salander is one of the best literary characters I've encountered in a long time. Simon Vance as narrator was outstanding!

What I didn't enjoy was the computer hacking explanations (it dates a story horribly), the long financial market explanations and the violent scenes. So, for me it was a good read, but flawed.

3.5 to 4 stars depending on my mood :)


Jonathan Safran Foer

This is one of the best books I've ever listened to. I LOVED it. I'd give it 6 stars if i could :)

I loved the brutal honesty of Oskar's struggles to deal with his dad's death. The juxtaposition of WWII bombings and the 9/11 tragedy was incredible. The courage and strength and foibles of the people Oskar meets is wonderful. Old Mr. Black is fantastic!

The audio production was perfect with the ensemble cast, especially since the story lends itself so perfectly to an audio performance.

Nature Notes for 1906 by Edith Holden

This was a wonderful, short interlude much like picking up a small volume of poetry. Edith Holden's observations on the changes in the fields and forests around her home during the year 1906 is littered with quotes, sayings, poetry and observations from her wonderfully observant eye. This is not challenging reading, but instead a pleasant diversion into the woods and fields of the moor area of England. Beautiful, poetic and fun.

My biggest complaint about the audio was that the narrator didn't leave enough time between the quotes and poems for them to be digested. I felt like i was being hurried along through the reading.

4 stars

Three recordings I enjoyed very much -

by Susan Brind Morrow

Morrow ties the lives of people into the natural world around us and weaves natural history with cultural history. It's a beautiful and interesting synthesis. Julie - this might be an interesting book for your biologist daughter. The book deals with the natural history of critters in the Finger Lakes region of New York state, but the story it tells applies in other places too. I even picked up a few tidbits of knowledge from the book too.

by Greg Mortenson

As a volunteer I've had the opportunity to be involved in some pretty amazing things and work with some incredible people. At this moment i'm involved with the renovation of a new domestic violence shelter, working with a local animal shelter as an adoption counselor, serving on the board of a professional women's service organization and working with troubled kids in equine assisted learning. I get to see small and large miracles happen almost weekly and so when I say that someone is MY inspiration it has to be someone that makes VERY big things happen on a regular basis. I know two such people. One is binh rybacki who is the founder of Children of Peace International. binh cares for over 6000 children in Vietnam, fights the sex trade and the government, and runs local schools for the native villagers. You can see her work at .
My other inspiration is Greg Mortenson. While i've never had the opportunity to get to know him like I do binh, I've been a supporter/follower of his work as soon as I heard about it. I have supported women's education in Pakistan for years through the professional women's group I belong to so getting involved with the CAI was a no-brainer.

Three Cups of Tea was a great book, but I liked this one better. Mortenson's field crew is an interesting collection of "misfits" that calls themselves "the dirty dozen". These amazing men have become the heart and soul of the Central Asia Institute and the work they accomplish is mind bending. Mortenson's tenacity and flexibility in dealing with the crisis he faces is truly amazing.

Mortenson has figured out what many NGO's have not - that the projects completed in a remote area need to belong to the people in the area, not to the NGO. While the Taliban have killing teachers, burning schools and harassing students, only ONE of the dozens of schools the CAI has built was at all effected. They received threats and the village elders were so angry that they stood up to the Taliban and told them to leave. This is the power of having the village own the school.

Some of the stories Mortenson tells are really touching, some just funny, and some made me shake my head in wonder at the sheer tenacity of some of the people involved in making these schools happen. The only thing that was kinda weird about the recording was that it was narrated by woman. This isn't that strange, but the book is written in first person and so when she says "I did...." i had to make the mental insertion that it was Greg who did.... It took a little getting used to.



by Eric Metaxas

When i started this book i knew absolutely nothing about William Wilberforce. I'm glad I got to know him. It is a shame that history classes do not teach more about him, since not only was he instrumental in ending the British slave trade but he was the founder of many organizations designed to help the poor throughout England and then in India. His wake up call to those in power of how they should be helping the helpless formed the foundation for many organizations we take for granted today. A worthwhile and inspiring read.

I have finished listening to two different books by the same author, one I loved, one I found a little trying but interesting. The first which was long but easy to get through (14 CD's) was Before You Know Kindness by Bohjalian. A great family drama that was at times difficult to listen to (the family's various tragdies so heartbreaking) and reminded me at times of some of Picoult's stories. But it really grew on me and I came away finding it a throughly enjoyable listen. The second this author's latest "Secrets of Eden" I found intriguing at first and generally love books with a variety of narrators but this felt like it went on way too long (9 CD's) and could have been less than 3 CD's and told the story much better. I would say don't waste your time with this one--there are so many great listens out there. Right now listening to "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks and am Loving it. The narrator is great and the story intriguing.

I (finally) finished Stardust by Joseph Kanon, read by T. Ryder Smith

This would have been so much better if it had been much shorter. Several of the many storylines could have been cut without damaging the central plot. And the main plot is good: Man does believe his brother committed suicide in post-WWII Hollywood. His search for the truth turns up all kinds of unsavory characters and secrets. Meanwhile the threat of the "Red Menace" and what it means to the movie industry hangs over everything. There are enough plot twists and turns to keep you going - barely. Smith's narration is excellent. He gave every main character a very distinct voice and his performance of the McCarthy-style hearing is absolutely brilliant. With a lot of editing, someone could make this into a good movie.

Kerry wrote: "I have finished listening to two different books by the same author, one I loved, one I found a little trying but interesting. The first which was long but easy to get through (14 CD's) was Before..."

Hi Kerry - I love Bohjalian's writing, but I hadn't heard of Before You Know Kindness - I'll have to give it a try. Have you listened to Skeletons at the Feast (I think it came out in 2008)? I think it is my favorite book by him and the audio version is really well done. It takes place in Germany at the end of WW II. Mark Bramhall narrates it and he does an excellent job with the German and Scottish accents - and such a heart wrenching story!

I've recently finished 3 really good audiobooks - all of them 4 - 5 stars. Life is good when you get 3 books like these in a row...

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have been eager to listen to this book, partly because of the large range of opinions from people who have checked this one out. I've seen people only get through a few cds before giving up on it and people who have loved it so much that they've read/listened to the book multiple times. After finishing it, I can understand why. The Elegance of the Hedgehog is the story of 2 characters who live in an apartment building in Paris. Paloma, a 12 year old resident of the apartment is bright and inquisitive and has decided that rather than become a vacuous member of the bourgeois (like the other residents), she will commit suicide on her 13th birthday. The other main character is Renee, the concierge of the apartment, who outwardly behaves just as a concierge should - is brusque and overweight, dresses in frumpy clothes and watches daytime television all day long. But, underneath this disguise is a self-educated Renaissance woman who appreciates art, music and Leo Tolstoy.

The book starts out VERY slowly changing narrations between the 2 characters. Chapter after chapter is filled with their musings on life and living in the apartment. This is the point that many people decide to give up on this book. But, my advice is 'Stick With it'. About a third of the way into the book, the story picks up and the characters really begin to shine. The audio narration is perfect. Barbara Rosenblat is the voice of Renee, the crabby 'hedgehog'-like concierge. Even without following all of her long philosophical diatribes, I began to really like this complex character. The voice of Paloma is performed by Cassandra Morris who is spot on with her innocent child-like voice.

Now I want to listen one more time and really pay attention to the beginning - definitely a winner.

Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Alex Rider series is probably targetted at middle grade readers, but I love them. Crocodile Tears is the latest addition to the series which stars Alex Rider, a teenage British boy who, in between school and sports, juggles a few critical missions for MI6. In this story, Alex has to save the world from a meglomaniac who create disasters so that people will donate to his non-profit. What a great plot and the action is fast and brilliant. Fun choice for a family road trip!

The Devil You Know by Mike Carey


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The setting for this story is present day London, with one little twist - ghosts definitely intermingle with the living and everyone is aware and pretty much co-exists with them. When there is a problem and a ghost gets out of hand, then you can always call up Felix Castor, professional exorcist. Felix has been recruited to exorcise a red-veiled ghost who has taken up haunting an archive museum, but ends up unraveling a complex mystery involving prostitution and a wide circle of villains - both the living and the undead variety. Felix is the perfect wise-cracking protagonist. The plot is fast with many twists. This book will satisfy both the sci-fi/paranormal as well as the detective mystery buffs.

A couple very different reads:

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

I hadn't come across the Benedict Society before this February, but in the course of sorting books for the charity book sale i help with, i found a copy of The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey - the 2nd book in the series. I was immediately intrigued and tossed in my money for the book. Noting that my new book was a sequel, when i came across the first story on a library audio download site, i couldn't resist.

What fun! The four orphans have such wonderful gifts and it's sooo great to see heroes that use their gifts and brains instead of having super powers or use magic. The oddball selection process for who is going on the dangerous mission and the cast of characters the four orphans work with is a delight. And the villain, who has a few quirks of his own, is wonderfully evil and devious.

I would heartily recommend this book as a great family listen. 5 out of 5 stars

And... Now for something completely different...

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Let me remind you that I have a background in biology, grew up on a farm, and am pretty much comfortable with death in all of its facets - human or animal. I'm not particularly interested in having myself or any member of my family or friends becoming a cadaver any time soon, but the topic of what we would like to have happen to our bodies after death has been the subject of some interesting and heated debates among that group. With the current concerns about the ecological effects of crematoriums and the concern about the amount of space taken up by traditional burials and the simple fact that many people are squeamish about donating organs or bodies for science, this is a topic that, while we don't debate it often, does bring up an array of interesting and often personal issues that don't get talked about otherwise.

With that said i've been wanting to read this book for a while. Roach's writing style includes a lot of well... morbid humor. At the same time the book has a lot of information. The first part of the book covers the adventures of cadavers in the name of science. After that she takes off into current and future choices in the funeral industry with odd sidelines into cannibalism and medical uses of cadavers. What to do with Grandma's remains has never been such a complex question. I did learn that Colorado State University is involved in the quest for an environmentally sensitive method for remains reduction. Very interesting!

A very interesting read. 4 out of 5 stars

Have just finished listening to 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs. Usually my husband drives and I just listen but I drove a short distance and listened to a portion of the book and took in nothing! I rewound and listened while my husband drove which was much easier for me. A good enough read, I like Tempe and I liked the sort of starting at the end and moving back to it approach.
Incidently, I do not know how anyone can talk, text or even listen on a handsfree cell phone while driving. My attention was divided whilst listening to a book. Imagine if I was having a heated discussion over the phone!!!!

Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes by Tamim Ansary


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'll be the first to admit that I don't really like to read non-fiction. Although I find the occasional story of an important event in history interesting, a whole book - 17 hours of dates and facts? I was pleasantly surprised when I picked up Destiny Disrupted. A book about human history from an Islamic viewpoint, Ansary relates this as a series of stories. He throws in humor, insight and ties many of the events to today's world - I found the book captivating. And I felt that I really learned quite a bit. The western version of history focuses so much on Europe and the Americas that many pivotal events mentioned in this book were completely unknown to me. Definitely an eye opener.

The author narrates the book himself. Although I don't think his narration is as rich as a professional reader, his accurate pronunciation of names and places enhanced the audio experience.


The Black Circle by Patrick Carman


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The 5th in The 39 Clues series, this book takes Dan and Amy Cahill to Russia where they learn about yet-another-famous-relative, Anastasia, the last surviving member of the ruling Romanov family.

This series is great as far as getting kids hooked and reading. It also throws in some history and culture at the same time. But each book in the series is written by a different author. I loved the first book which was authored by Rick Riordan. This one is written by Patrick Carman and I found the writing to be a bit juvenile. Dan and Amy Cahill are children, but he spends too much time talking about their eating habits (basically junk food) and child-like behavior. It was almost condescending, especially since these kids have managed to thwart villains and solve puzzles all over the world. They are smart and capable protagonists, so the emphasis on child-like behavior seems out of place. Still a fun plot and as always, you're left wanting to grab the sequel.

Tsar by Ted Bell


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have not been keeping up on my reviews but I listened to this book probably finished it in early April. I love anything written by Ted Bell. He doesn't disappoint in this latest novel.The ending of this book makes me think there is a sequel coming for Alexander Hawke. I think the lovely Anastasia did not die in the end but will show up in the next installment and give Sir Alex the child she was carrying when the air ship blew up while she was on board.Part of the story revolves around two huge air ships like Zeppelins only larger. It seems like a possibility for future travel where instead of flying in a jet or taking a luxury ocean liner you take a Luxury Air Liner with gourmet chiefs, 1st class cabins, etc.The basic plot is a mega rich Russian wants to reestablish the Tsar in Russia and he is to be that Tsar and take back all the territories of the old Soviet Union. He feels that a strong Russia is needed to bring peace to the world and he is willing to do anything and kill anyone who stands in his way. For a time I sort of bought into this megalomaniac's ideas until his true nature finally reveals itself in the end.I highly recommend this book and all the other Alex Hawke novels. The narration is great and it is hard to stop listening to this action packed adventure. I want to be Sir Alexander Hawke.

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The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have recently begun listening to the Wheel of Time series from Robert Jordan. I had read the books many years ago and have been waiting for the last installments in the series. One of my brothers was addicted to this fantasy series and while we were waiting for Jordan to finish both my brother and Robert Jordan passed away.

Everyday as I listen to this book I am reminded of my brother and that we shared a love for this series. I feel my brother close to me as I listen to a story we both had read some years ago. With the time that has gone by since I read the series I am finding much of the story almost new. I know sort of generally how the books will go but many of the details had left my memory and I am enjoying anew the feelings I had when I first picked of this tale.

This first book is the one that grabbed me when I first read the book and the audio version is equal if not better than my memories of first reading "The Eye of the World". There are 2 narrators one for the men side of the story and the other for the women. Their voices are great and the story is totally engrossing.

It is a derivative of Tolkien's Lord of the Ring trilogy set in a more adult world with sex and some graphic violence and death. The sex is PG rated, no heaving breasts nor rising man hoods but at least these are humans not Hobbits and these humans fall in love, have jealousies, are tempted by beautiful evil women, and generally struggle with human emotions. Still like the Hobbits these five young adults from "The Two Rivers" are naive and reluctant heroes and heroines.

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The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I recently finished listening to this book, set previous reviews for the general impressions of the series. In this book we are introduced to a new set of people from a strange land. These folks are very scary yet they are not from the dark side they are looking for the Dragon Reborn.

The Sean Chan sp? are a totalitarian type people where death is the punishment for failure. They have to be defeated by the Dragon or they will take over the world. I think this is one of the most compelling books in the series and Rand finally comes into his own as The Dragon Reborn.

Great narration and one heck of a story. Still feeling close to my brother as I listen each day. Maybe Charles has heard the ending to this tale from the author's own mouth? Love and miss you Chuck!

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The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Listened to this with my wife on a road trip to and from Utah. I slept through parts of the book of course not while I was driving. She loved it and didn't sleep through any of it.It was great to get a little history lesson on Queen Katerine (Henry VIII first wife). I don't know how much is true but this Princess is one of the great female protagonists of any story.Great narration and for those who like Historical fiction I think this is a book you are going to love.

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The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I finished the 3rd book and it was better than I remembered. Jordan's plots and action is very dense in these first 3 books. I was getting frustrated with his last couple of books because it seemed he wasn't getting to the end of the epic tale and if my memory serves there wasn't really much action just a continuous build up. This read reminds of why I loved this series when I first read the books.

It is sort of ironic that the title of the book is "The Dragon Reborn" and the actual Dragon is hardly mentioned in this book. We get to know Perin, Matt, Nyneve, Egewene, and Elaine. Rand (the dragon) only really shows up in the beginning and the end of the book.

A real page tuner or in my case CD turner. I am taking a short break and will listen to at least one different author before I go to book #4 still I am not sure how long I can wait.

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Two Years before the Mast: A Sailor's Life at Sea byRichard Henry Dana Jr.

Richard Henry Dana's adventures on a merchant ship in the early 1800's, rounding the Cape Horn to get to California are a vivid reminder of what people went though to get from one place to another in this vast country. It is also a great adventure story with a fascinating cast of characters.

Dana was a Harvard student, who decided to try out life as a sailor. What he learned was that the life of a sailor is not very easy or romantic. In fact, after witnessing the brutal flogging of two men on the journey out (one man was flogged for defending the other from the flogging) Dana returned to his upper crust life and spent a great deal of time defending sailors rights at sea.

I thoroughly enjoyed his adventures. 5 out of 5 stars.



The Glass Castle byJeannette Walls

Jeannette Walls is one of the most amazing people i've had the pleasure to run across. A while ago someone gave me a ticket to hear her speak and I went. I had not read her book, knew nothing about her, (gossip and celebrities are not my thing - i avoid them like the plague) I just knew that she was highly recommended by this friend. I spent the evening listening to a tall, stately woman tell stories from a childhood that was not what you would expect from such a poised, well-spoken person.

When she finished i was intrigued by the craziness of her tale and how she held no bitterness towards her parents. During her Q&A session people were trying to get her to admit that she lived in an abusive home and she just passed it off. "It was what it was." She did not make excuses for her parents, she just accepted the way they were. This was a woman who had grasped the truth that the only person you can change is yourself, and while you can point out to people that a problem exists you cannot force them to change. She remade herself from a dirt poor kid whose parents were not the best into an educated savvy person who has made a satisfying life for herself. I was impressed.

I walked out of the talk promising myself that I would read her book some time. So, I finally got around to it and of course I enjoyed it immensely. In fact I enjoyed it so much i'll probably read her second book, about her grandmother, Half-broke Horses.

5 out of 5 stars

Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore

From the inspirational to the absurd. Christopher Moore is a favorite of mine - I've read Lamb and listened to Fluke (great fun with all the whale calls in the recording) so i was expecting more bawdy, crazy mayhem and that's exactly what i got.

Coyote Blue has some great made up fables about the famed trickster god, Coyote, which include such details as espresso bars and how Coyote loses his ass gambling.

This is not a book you want to think about too deeply, but it is a great light comedic read. I listened to a lot of this while working and I had to stifle a few chuckles - can't bust up laughing while working in an engineering office :)

Fun! 4 out of 5 stars

Requiem for an Assassin by Barry Eisler


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
So far pretty darn good!

It turned out to not finish as strong as it started. Way too much angst for the Assassin, John Rain, and he was pretty stupid for a cunning assassin. I could figure out stuff well before our super assassin and his constant worries about his girl friend and worries if he is a good guy or a bad guy seemed incongruous to a 50 plus year old assassin who had been killing people since Viet Nam.

Still I enjoyed the plot and for a time found Rain to be a compelling protagonist. The audio narration is great, Scott Brick did the narration.

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Little Bee by Chris Cleave


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
One thing for sure - either you'll love this book or hate it. This was last month's selection for my bookclub and we were pretty evenly split between really enjoying it and absolustely hating it. I fell into the 'loving it' camp. I completely agree with the common complaint of the plot having some unrealistic turns and the story line being depressing and not upbeat. But, I fell in love with the voice of Little Bee. The title character is a Nigerian girl who has been detained in a British refugee center for 2 years. From the beginning of the book, you know that she has experienced some cataclysmic horrific event, but are shown just tiny glimpses of what that might be. However, she maintains an optimistic, almost naive outlook on the world. Through her narrative, I could understand how Nigeria and a western country like England are light years apart. Although the 'I hate it' group found the book depressing, I found her story to be heroic and even funny at times. I listened to this in audio and just loved the narration. The story switches POV between Little Bee and Sarah, a British journalist. I could have sworn that there were 2 narrators, but Anne Flosnik performs both parts. Her Nigerian accent for Little Bee was impecable. Give this book a shot - you'll either love it or hate it.


Lift by Kelly Corrigan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A short book that can be finished in a single sitting, Lift is a letter from Kelly to her daughters. In this book she describes the unique and special love that exists between parents and children. Filled with both funny and poignant stories of her childhood as well as her children, Kelly perfectly captures the amazing experience of parenthood. There were so many times when I wanted to shout 'Yes! That's exactly how I feel.' Whether it's convincing her single friend that even the difficulty of parenting alone is worth the reward of having a child to describing the vulnerability all parents feel when a child is ill, she captures the essence of being a parent. Listening to a book like this makes me wish that I could express these emotions to my own children.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I picked this book up because someone recommended it as a good family road trip book - and I completely agree! The main character and detective in this mystery is Flavia de Luce, a precocious 11-year old girl who likes to dabble in chemistry and has both the curiosity and confidence needed to get her in big trouble. When a man is found murdered in the family's vegetable garden, nothing can stop Flavia from solving this mystery. Although the content in this story is perfectly fine for family listening, Flavia's extensive vocabulary make this not quite a children's book. This is a great listen for fans of Cozy mysteries like 'The Cat Who..' or M.C. Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series.


And saving the best for last...

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Admittedly, I am a huge Dickens fan. I have read many of his books and enjoyed all of them. His bizarre characters, complex plots, and humorous dialog resonate with me. That being said, David Copperfield stands out as being one of the my favorites. With the audiobook classics, I usually listen only while driving. I can only take so much of the elaborate prose and sentences that span an entire page. But I found myself completely mesmerized while I was listening to Simon Vance's recording. I brought the audiobook with me everywhere and finished the book (almost 34 hours) in under 2 weeks. Brilliant and unforgettable.

Erak's Ransom by John Flanagan


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love this series! Although this is the 7th book in the series, it is only the 3rd one I've been able to complete. I listen to these with my 11 year old son and once he gets hooked he brings the book with him everywhere and finishes it without me. There were parts of this book when I was tempted to listen ahead, so I can understand the temptation.

The series is a medieval adventure focusing on a group of warriors who protect the kingdom of Araluen. Will, the Ranger's Apprentice, is a teenage boy on the brink of completing his apprenticeship as a Ranger. He is part of a small party sent to a desert kingdom to offer ransom for a captured king. But their plans are interrupted when violent sandstorms erupt and a warring nomadic tribe appears. Adventure and story telling at its best! One of the thing I love about this series is that not only does it have a page turning (track forwarding??) plot, but the characters are well drawn. In this book, Will worries about his promotion to a Ranger. Will he live up to everyone's expectations? How can he appear brave and confident when he is uncertain and scared inside? These are perfect books for teens and pre-teens. But, I have to say that I love these books and I am not alone. It is one of the more popular series that suits children and adults.

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This story is a series of long letters written by the White Tiger to the Chinese Premier before he visits India. It is the story of how he escapes the poverty of 'the Darkness' as well as a confession by a murderer. Although from the beginning of the book, the White Tiger confesses his crime, I found him to be very likeable with a surprisingly naive personality. But what made this book a 5-star read for me was his vivid and at times oddly humorous portrayal of poverty in India. Even as the White Tiger moves his way up from the poverty of the villages to the 'working poor' in the cities, his life as a live-in servant is very bleak. I know many people in the US who have moved or contemplate moving to Asia because of the quality of life - servants who will cook, drive, clean, and run errands for very low wages. What an easy and luxurious life. But that easy life is built on the backs of these servants and the total disregard for other people is appalling and revealing.

Excellent narration by John Lee. This book is on my short list for a bookclub selection! 5 stars.

A couple interesting reads:

Loving Frankby Nancy Horan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this novelization of the story of Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney's love and life. Joyce Bean does a great job of bringing out Mamah's voice and the story is of course, very compelling.

This is such a great multi-layered story. Beyond the obvious threads of Frank and Mamah's romance and wake of suffering that it caused others, there's the issue of the press (which isn't any better today), women's suffrage, how to deal with those whose life philosophies do not match ours (are we truly any better with this issue?) and issues of class and privilege.

This is a haunting story of personal choices that hasn't really lost any of it's importance from when it happened almost a century ago.

If you haven't run across these before, there's two great videos on youtube from Nancy Horan on her writing this book. No spoilers, I promise.








The Elegance of the HedgehogbyMuriel Barbery
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Paloma and Renee. Paloma, 12 years old and able to see the world in a different light than all her peers. Renee, 54, inexplicably (well at first until you learn why) keeping her intellectual light firmly planted under a basket. Brought together under unusual circumstances. Both giving vent to their thoughts and ideas about life.

I LOVED Paloma's ramblings. I enjoyed Renee's, too, since, after all, I am a 54 year old (in a month) woman who is well read, loves classical music and theater, and hates the TV. The supporting cast of characters are brilliant - even the 4 footed ones. Barbra Rosenblat and Cassandra Morris's narrations are wonderful.

So why not a higher rating for this book?

Renee's expositions were at time a bit long... and I hated no HATED the ending of the book. It was the most obvious and blatant plot device I've encountered in a long time. If Renee had been reading a book where this happened she would have been furious! I was not expecting happily ever after, but I was expecting something that made sense with the characters. It was as if the author wanted one more exposition from Renee and this was the only way she could think of to get it. If the book had ended right after the birthday party I would have easily given it a strong 4/5.

With that said I still found it a worthwhile book. It is not a fast moving story, but it is interesting!

I just finished listening to was one of the "Dragonriders of Pern" books from Anne McCaffrey. It is a series I started years ago and plan to finish. It wasDragonsblood which is written by Todd McCaffrey but follows Anne McCaffrey's series. I enjoyed the book, they are simple in many ways but I listen mostly when exercising so they are easy to keep up with. My daughter reintroduced me to them after years forgotten. I have started reading (listening) to more books with the change in lifestyle that I started last October. I have lost weight and regained one of my favorite passions books.

Donna wrote: "A couple interesting reads:

Loving Frank


I found the ending of this book to be a real shock. Did you already suspect or know how it was going to end? I thought it was especially heart wrenching in audio.

Donna, I love your comment about The Elegance of the Hedgehog!. Most complaints I've heard is that the ending wasn't a happy one. For a book of this caliber, I don't expect a happy ending but your complaint is one that I hadn't even considered! You might be right that Renee would have hated the way it ended - definitely food for thought!

Patti wrote: "I just finished listening to was one of the "Dragonriders of Pern" books from Anne McCaffrey. It is a series I started years ago and plan to finish. It wasDragonsblood which is written..."

Hi Patti,

I'm go glad to see that audiobooks are not only bringing book back into your life but adding exercise also! Looking forward to seeing more reviews!

Best,

Julie

Patti wrote: "I just finished listening to was one of the "Dragonriders of Pern" books from Anne McCaffrey. It is a series I started years ago and plan to finish. It wasDragonsblood which is written..."

Hi Patti!

McCaffrey is probably one of the most prolific and amazing writers out there. And I've read probably 3/4 of the books she's written. I had not payed attention to her for a while and didn't know that Todd was even writing with her. Interesting. Did you find any style differences between the two?

Have you tried out any of her non-scifi/fantasy books? She writes a mean romance/mystery too! I very much enjoyed The Lady and I had to read Black Horses for the King to my daughter at least a half dozen times.

Julie at All Ears wrote:
I found the ending of this book to be a real shock. Did you already suspect or know how ..."

I knew how their story ends so that wasn't a surprise to me. And Horan does a great job with it, walking a fine line between sensationalism and dry facts. I was terribly impressed with her writing through out the last chapters of the book.

Concerning "Hedgehog" - i have no problems with unhappy endings - life is that way - but i have problems with sudden derailments of the story line and out of character actions. The same result could have been achieved in so many other ways that would have fit the story so much better. ah well... :)

I just finished Robert D. Kaplan's "Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts".

If it is possible to romanticize the United States military, this book does it. Robert D. Kaplan, in the crash journalism style of writing I enjoy, embeds himself with various crews of the four military divisions. He spends time on rifle ranges with the U.S. Marines, experiencing the organized chaos of underway refuelings aboard the USS Benfold, fighting claustrophobia on a nuclear submarine, and base-hopping with the A-10 Warthog pilots of the Air Force.

I expected this book to be a sort of travel narrative that revealed the realities of war, but instead this book reveals the intriciacies of enlisted life. If anything, this book is a good insight into military culture, complete with hierarchy, terminology, soldier opinions, motives and experiences. This book would be good for any military afficionado, but seems spiked with an overly patriotic "Support Our Troops" bias. I'm looking forward to trying a few other books along this military narrative line that hopefully won't pull as many punches as Kaplan's "Hog Pilots" does.

I just finished The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, read by Simon Vance.

Vance's narration was the best thing about the book unfortunately. The story was a big disappointment. If this book was a filled with suspense as some other reviewers wrote, I must have slept through those parts. A bachelor doctor from humble beginnings finds himself treating one of the servants at Hundreds Hall, once a great British estate now barely holding together. He becomes involved with the family, although he's constantly butting up against the difference in social classes. Strange things start to happen at Hundreds, but what's behind it. It sounds like it would make a great story - and it would have, if Waters had really let the story play out. Instead the ending left me with a kind of huh? response. Characterizations and descriptions are brilliant, but the plot seems lacking.

Two that have been around a while...

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

I've read 4 of Chevalier's books, Fallen Angels, Lady and the Unicorn, Virgin Blue and this one. Of these, I'd say Girl has the tightest writing. Ironically Chevalier is not one of my favorite writers, but her subjects are very interesting to me and I admit to having Burning Bright sitting in my to be read pile and I'm considering acquiring her latest novel.

This said, while i occasionally wished she had phrased a scene or line differently, i very much enjoyed this book. And listening to it via audio was a real treat since it is written in the first person. I have read Girl twice before for book club discussions and since it had been at least 7 years since i had read it I decided to try the audio version of it. Great fun. Ruth Ann Phimister does a wonderful, understated reading of Griet's voice. You cannot help but feel that she exactly captures the tone and emotions of this interesting young woman.

I would highly recommend the audio version - especially for anyone who might want to revisit Griet's world.

Timeline by Michael Crichton

I have of course read the Jurassic Park series (why watch the movies when the books are SO much better?) but hadn't read any other Crichton novels. One of my nephews has been after me for years to read Timeline, so when I came across it at All Ears, I decided it was a good time to give it a try.

Wow! What fun!!! I loved the audio - John Bedford Llyod's narration is wonderful and the book really lends itself to an audio rendition. This is of course the sort of pseudo-science book where you have to suspend belief and go with the premise, but beyond that it's just a great old fashion adventure story. The ending wasn't a surprise (at least for me) but Crichton does a good job building suspense anyway. Good summer listen!

I just finished listening to Blue Heaven. I enjoy this book, and will listen to other books from the author.

Wanted to write a quick blurb about Mike Carey's "Felix Castor Series"

Book 1 : The Devil You Know

This is a great book for any fans of the paranormal, but still looking for a good mystery. Felix Castor is a retired exorcist, having taken a job that was too hot for him. He stays in the top floor with a practicing pagan and old flame named Pen, and occasionally visits his friend Raffi who is housing one of Hell's major demons inside him, due to a summoning gone bad. Castor takes one last job, just to make ends meet, and is hired to exorcise a ghost from a local archives building. A guy like Castor, though, just can't do the job and take the money no questions asked, and those questions starts a chain of events that causes all sorts of weres, zombies and demons to begin hunting him, not to mention the occasional human with friends in high places.

This book is chock full of wry British humor, slang and a variety of local accents. By the end of the book, you'll be wondering who-dunnit while juggling a dictionary of salty Brit phrases.

A great series to try for fans of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series or Kim Harrison's Dead Witch Walking series.

A bit of history and a classic...

The Lewis And Clark Journals: An American Epic Of Discovery Library Edition by Gary E. Moulton

This particular edition of the Lewis and Clark Journals was produced as a synopsis for the "common man" derived from a 13 volume set created by the University of Nebraska. Gary Moulton provides commentary and an extensive introduction to this compilation of not only Lewis and Clark's Journals, but also the journals of the other men on the trip.

Lewis and Clark's journey is, of course, one of the greatest adventure stories in American history. It is also a wonderful look into the country's past, providing insights into it's social, geographic and natural histories. I could not help but smile when the men, camped in Idaho, make comment of how they are longing to get back into the United States.

Moulton's introduction is fairly comprehensive - by itself it provides a good outline of the journey out and back. The compilation of the journals is great - the journal's writer is identified previous to the text and the contents are arranged chronologically so some events have 3 or 4 journal entries from various participants in the event.

Patrick Cullen provides the narration and he does a fairly good job. His voice works well for the adventures he reads about. My only complaint is that there was nothing done to distinguish audibly between the journal entries and Moulten's comments. It was particularly jarring when after the first day's journal entries there is a comment that they camped near an Interstate Highway. It might have been better to have another reader do the inserted comments.

This is the third version of the Lewis and Clark journals that I have read and probably my favorite. The inclusion of the other men's journals really adds a great deal to the story. A nice rendition of an amazing adventure!

Daddy Long Legs byJean Webster

Written in 1912 Daddy Long-legs is the story of an orphan girl, Judy Abbott, who is plucked out of an orphanage by a rich benefactor and placed into a women's college where she becomes a graceful socialite and budding author.

The story line is fairly predictable, especially since this is written in 1912, but I did enjoy Judy's spunk and her willingness to try out new ideas. Basically a cute, don't think about it too hard read.

I just finished The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan. I thouroghly enjoyed the book and the reading. A delightful "listen"