Tag Archives: reviews

Good Reads: Tracy Chevalier & Barbara Vine

Posted on February 4, 2013 by

In 1850, Honor Bright leaves England for Ohio, accompanying her sister Grace who is engaged to be married. Grace dies on the voyage and Honor is left to face the many challenges of adjusting to life far from home. On … Continue reading →

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Revisiting Middle-earth: The Hobbit

Posted on December 27, 2012 by

“Want to see The Hobbit after lunch?” my son Nathan, soon to turn 26 asked his father. They were meeting before the holidays, during the workday. Though each wished they could skip out from their respective offices, each knew he … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Family, Grandchildren, Movies & TV, parenting, reviews, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Haunted by “Homeland”

Posted on December 23, 2012 by

  We’ve become addicted to Homeland, Showtime’s award-winning thriller series about Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody’s return to the US after being held captive in Afghanistan for 8 years. Subjected to torture and isolation, he’s having trouble reconnecting with his wife and two … Continue reading →

Posted in Knitting, Movies & TV, reviews, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

A Few Fall Books: Kolpan, Trigiani, & Ephron

Posted on October 17, 2012 by

Magic Words: The Tale of a Jewish Boy-Interpreter, the World’s Most Estimable Magician, a Murderous Harlot, and America’s Greatest Indian Chief by Gerald Kolpan How can you not read a book with that title? Browsing the new fiction shelves of … Continue reading →

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Factory Tours: From Poultry to PEZ

Posted on October 11, 2012 by

“How many of you had eggs for breakfast?” my mother would ask a group of squirming school children or scout group on a field trip, and a few would raise their hands. Their tour of our family’s poultry farm began … Continue reading →

Posted in daughters, Education, environment, Family, food, Grandchildren, holidays, parenting, reviews, teaching, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Summer Reading Round-Up

Posted on August 20, 2012 by

Summer… and I’m reading mostly novels. I love to browse the library shelves that offer new titles as well as reserve books I hear about. Alice Hoffman’s The Dove Keepers, tells the story  of four women, who lived in 70 … Continue reading →

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Hoping “Hope Springs” Brings Hope

Posted on August 13, 2012 by

Hope Springs, the new movie staring Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones isn’t a comedy, despite what the ads say. There a few funny scenes and lines, and it does have a happy ending.  Getting there however, is awkward and … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, Family, Movies & TV, reviews, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

The Dark Knight Rises: No Holy Smokes, Batman!

Posted on July 30, 2012 by

Don’t expect to hear Robin spouting any “Holy Armadillo”  in the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises.  Don’t expect to see any comic book onomatopoeic action words like “POW!” or “BAM!” accentuating every punch and kick.   Don’t expect to … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, Education, Movies & TV, parenting, reviews, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Leonard Pitts Jr.’s Freeman

Posted on July 16, 2012 by

Imagine a man walking from Philadelphia to Mississippi, hoping to unite with the woman he loves and hasn’t seen or spoken to in 15 years. That’s Sam, a runaway slave who fought in the Union Army, and is working in … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Civil Rights History, Reading, reviews | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

Kluge’s Master Blaster: A Saipan Serenade

Posted on April 16, 2012 by

“It all starts with a place. Where I’ve been is what 
I write about.” P.F. Kluge’s quote headlines his website.  And place is the main character in his latest novel, The Master Blaster. I breezed through; its pacing as swift … Continue reading →

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