Good Reads & Views

Flora Mirabilis: How Plants Have Shaped World Knowledge, Health, Wealth, and Beauty by Catherine Herbert Howell
580.9 HOW

Produced by Howell and staff of the Missouri Botanic Garden and published by National Geographic, this is a readable and beautifully illustrated history of plants with six chapters from Origins (Prehistory-1450), Discovery (1450-1650), and Exploration (1650-1770) to Science (1900-Present).  Each chapter starts with a timeline of significant dates for developments such as scientific knowledge, medical uses, sustenance, and beauty in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and elsewhere.  Every page includes color illustrations drawn from historical botanical prints; and each chapter contains a general discussion along with extended treatment of three or four of the most important plants discovered during that period, such as wheat, rice, and olives during Origins; black pepper, sugarcane and maize during Discovery; and Tobacco, Tea, and Coffee during Exploration.

Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling
FIC Houghteling, Sara

Concert goers are familiar with the music suite written by Mussorgsky for piano and orchestrated by Ravel that was based on an exhibition of paintings in Russia in 1874.  This is a fictional retelling of much more sinister historical events during World War II, when Nazi regimes seized paintings and other property of Jews in conquered countries throughout Europe.  Paintings by artists such as Matisse and Picasso were shipped in hundreds of railroad cars to a central location in Paris where they were displayed for Nazi officials to select what they wanted, including Goering and Hitler, who planned to create the largest art museum in the world.  First novelist Houghteling tells the story through fictional Max Berenzon, who attempts without much success to recover paintings from his Jewish art dealer father’s gallery, and a fictional Rose Clement, based on real-life Rose Valland, who worked in the Paris museum where stolen works were exhibited and secretly kept detailed notes in hopes that her records would help restore paintings to their rightful owners after the war. Unfortunately many Jewish owners were deceased; and subsequent sellers often concealed the provenance of art from the Nazi period.

Live a Little! Breaking the Rules Won’t Break Your Health by Susan M. Love, Alice D. Domar, with Leigh Ann Hirschman
613.04244 LOV

A book that encourages you to loosen up—how can you resist? A physician and a psychologist team up to let us know that it’s OK to eat dessert and skip exercising… sometimes. In this sprightly book, you’ll find refreshingly loose guidelines that help you know how much exercise is really necessary, and how closely you really need to follow all those dietary guidelines. The book is peppered with quick quizzes that help you gauge which health issues you might be taking a little too seriously, and which you might want to give a little more attention. This book is a great counterbalance to the books that dictate exercise and diet regimens that only serious athletes would actually follow, and it also challenges, explains, and debunks some personal health myths.

Out to Canaan by Jan Karon 
CD Book Karon, Jan

This is the 4th title in the Mitford series narrated by John McDonough.  Father Tim is enjoying married life and the adventures continue in the little town of Mitford, North Carolina with his foster son Dooley Barlow and a host of other characters both new and old.  The decision to retire does not slow down the 63 year old rector.  He continues to be there for anyone with a word of advice or to lend a helping hand.  Author Jan Karon creates a feeling of warmth and coziness with the story and her characters. 

These High Green Hills by Jan Karon 
CD Book Karon, Jan

This is the 3rd title in the delightful Mitford series which again is wonderfully narrated by John McDonough.  Father Timothy Cavanaugh marries his neighbor Cynthia Coppersmith and they keep their homes, the rectory and the little yellow house next door.  Barnabas, the dog, and Violet, the cat live separately.  Faith, family and friends continue to be the central theme in the series.  This is another enjoyable chapter in the story.  

Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-time Eater by Frank Bruni
362.1968526 BRU

Bruni tells the hilarious and poignant story of growing up in a very Italian family where life evolved around food. Throughout his growing up years, his college years and his journalistic career (he wrote a book about George W. Bush’s 2000 campaign), Bruni’s weight problems progressed from gluttonous binges and colonic cleansing to bulimia and the liberal use of laxatives and drugs. Ironically, he finally conquers his eating disorder when he becomes the prominent food critic of the New York Times. An honest, well-written book.

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
FIC Larsson, Stieg

This second volume in the Swedish trilogy is another intelligent page-turner full of twists and surprises. Lisbeth Salander -  the brilliant but antisocial computer hacker -  is back and a suspect in three murders. Two writers of an about-to-be-released story on the sex trade are killed and so is Lisbeth’s legal guardian, all three with a gun that has Lisbeth’s fingerprints on it. Lisbeth is one of the most original and interesting characters in modern fiction and this book fills in much of the backstory of her tumultuous past which began with the first book, The girl with the dragon tattoo.

Shelf Discovery: The Teen Classics We Never Stopped Reading by Lizzie Skurnick
813.00992 SKU

In this book, several different authors discuss books from their youth that they consider classics. One characteristic that made them a classic was the fact that young adults wanted to read them over and over again. The book is broken down into 10 chapters or categories of books. These categories include young heroines, girls on the verge, books that will make you cry, runaways, the supernatural, romance, and old fashion girls, among others. This is a great way for readers to remember books they once loved, and to maybe add new books to their list of books they want to read.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
YA FIC Zarr, Sara

Samara Taylor lives in the small town of Pineview. Her father is the pastor of one of the churches in town and her mother was recently sent to rehab, following a drunk driving incident. One Sunday after church, a thirteen year old girl named Jody Shaw is kidnapped while she is on her way to a local ice cream parlor.  Now Samara has a lot of questions, and is not sure where to turn to find the answers. She becomes friends with Jody’s older brother, Nick, and the two of them attempt to sort out their faith and comfort each other through this difficult time in their lives.

Churchill by Paul Johnson
B Churchill, Winston

A mountain range of literature is available on one of the most towering figures of the 20^th century. In this slim volume of just 168 pages, the author chronicles the 90 year life of one of the most complex and fascinating personalities in history with clarity and authority. With vivid sketches of the phases of Winston Churchill’s life Johnson presents a wonderful insight into the man’s character. A short biography definitely worth its larger than life subject.