76.
Author: Louise Penny
Title: A Rule Against Murder
Publication: Hardback, 2008
Pages: 322 pages
Genre: Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: September 27, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Louise Penny does not need another glowing review for the Chief Inspector Gamache series; those who have made it this far into the series already know full well what to expect from Madame Author, and she still does not disappoint. Instead, I would like to share a personal response that has been building as I make my way through the series:

I loathe Beauvoir.

Gamache's second-in-command makes my skin crawl. Even when other unappealing officers are involved in the narrative*, Beauvoir seems like the real monster on the team. And yet, it is her ability to present such a detestable individual as one of the "good guys" that makes the series so compelling.

Penny's characters are people, with all the flaws ad undesirable characteristics that the term can imply. In Three Pines there is no true good and evil, because the town is made of life, and not fantasy.


* I would also like to say that I was very pleased with the resolution involving this particular team member in the last book. I won't say anything more, for fear of spoiling another reader's enjoyment.

76a.
Author: Garth Nix
Title: Abhorsen
Publication: Paperback, 2003.
Pages: 102 pages out of 512 completed
Genre: YA Fantasy
Acquisition: Intended as a teaching text for 8th grade
Date Completed: never
Rating: 1 star out of 5

It is rare that I abandon a book, but after 102 pages I am putting down Abhorsen for good. It is in no small way my own fault; I did not realize that it is a later novel in a series, and I picked it up because I had heard wonderful things about this volume in particular.

After 102 pages I still had very little idea what was going on, and absolutely no emotional or intellectual attachment to any of the characters. Making it through a handful of pages felt like a chore, and just looking a the cover leaves me feeling annoyed.

My rating of the book is based purely on my present experience, and is in no way indicative of whether or not I feel others should pursue Nix's series. Reading time is too precious to waste on unappealing books, so I will be moving on to other things.

I've officially met my goal of 75 books in 2010!

75.
Author: Gail Carriger
Title: Blameless
Publication: Paperback, 2010.
Pages: 355 pages
Genre: Steampunk
Acquisition:
Date Completed: September 17, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

The Parasol Protectorate series is delightfully silly and entertaining in every way, and Blameless is no different. The most recent book picks up where the previous narrative ends, and the reader is treated to the story of consequences that arise from Alexia's singular predicament.

74.
Author: Ethan Gilsdorf
Title: Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An epic quest for reality among role players, online gamers, and other dwellers of imaginary realms
Publication: Hardback, 2009.
Pages: 295 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Acquisition: Teaching Text - English 101
Date Completed: September 13, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks is everything that [The Elfish Gene] is not: Gilsdorf's travel narrative is endearing, open-minded, warm, and welcoming. Like Mark Barrowcliffe, Ethan Gilsdorf spent his youth buried in the fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons. And, like Barrowcliffe, Gilsdorf eventually left the realm of fantasy, only to return as an adult to explore the ghost of an interest that remained.

Here the differences end. Ethan Gilsdorf's narrative is accepting of geek culture, even as he expresses adult reservations, and he seeks to explore the world of geekdom with an open mind. Fantasy Freaks sets out to understand just what draws certain individuals to a particular set of interests, and how their experiences influence their personal development. Gilsdorf shares a number of stories as he travels to cons, gaming events, and even joins in for a weekend of LARPing. Unlike Barrowcliffe with his scathing comments and sense of superiority, Gilsdorf allows his research material to speak for itself, and presents his findings with an air of sympathy that will not necessarily impact the reader's own interpretation of the cultural events.

Fantasy Freaks is a celebration of geekdom for those who are (or perhaps simply adore) geeks, and an interesting exploration of fantasy worlds for those who have no experience with the subculture. Gilsdorf's travel narrative will appeal to all readers, and I dare say there's at least one chuckle for everyone somewhere in the pages.

73.
Author: Ruth Brandon
Title: Governess: The Lives and Times of the Real Jane Eyres
Publication: Hardback, 2008.
Pages: 257 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Acquisition: LT 75er suggestion
Date Completed: September 13, 2010
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Ruth Brandon's Governess treats a subject well-known to anyone who has any level of experience with nineteenth-century British novels. Historically, the governess is a sad figure, isolated from all societies by the strange social distinctions her occupation creates. Brandon's presentation of a few selected women seeks to enlighten readers as to the true experiences of this fictional trope, but as a reader I question her proclaimed intentions versus the material she actually presents. Indeed, Brandon presents brief biographies of selected governesses, based on careful research and primary documentation such as letters and journals. However, my own reading suggests that Brandon's true goal is to champion the rights of women - socially and intellectually - as opposed to exploring the occupation and the effects of that occupation on the individuals. Much of Brandon's text is concerned with presenting the shameful realities of women's lives (kept purposefully ignorant, losing rights to their children, and specific maltreatment at the hands of various men), while the material itself is selected based on the fact that the women were at some time or another a governess.

This is not to say that Brandon's text is unsuccessful - rather, it is an interesting examination of individual lives that illustrate larger social problems - but I found the subject of governessing to be, at times, secondary to questions of gender analysis.

If a reader is at all familiar with the lives of the Brontes or Mary Shelly, or even if they've read a novel such as The Tenant of Wildfell Hall or Jane Eyre, Governess will provide no enlightenment. However, if a reader has only a brief understanding of Victorian culture, Governess will provide an interesting introduction to the roles of women in society.

71.
Author: Benedict Carey
Title: The Unknowns: A Mystery
Publication: Hardback, 2009.
Pages: 259 pages
Genre: Mystery, Young Adult
Acquisition: Teaching Text - 5-8 grades
Date Completed: September 10, 2010
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Adjacent is a place to hide the unwanted but necessary. The little island is home to a large nuclear plant, the hard-working families that keep the plant running, and the garbage that is generated by the communities around them. The children of Adjacent spend their time running between trailers, hiding is broken down buses, and watching the garbage come in on large barges.

When the narrator begins on the first page, "[p]eople were praying for something twisted to happen last summer. ... We wanted a problem, and a hairy one, just for something to do," the reader really isn't surprised.

The surprise, though, is that they get what they ask for.

People start disappearing from Adjacent; ordinary people that live on the island, and no one seems to care what is happening to them. But when a local math tutor disappears two of her students are determined to find out what is going on, and work their way through a series of mathematical clues they're sure Mrs. Clarke left behind.

The mystery goes far deeper than they ever expected, and Di and Tom gather together an unlikely group of conspirators to help stop the disaster that is looming.

I purchased Carey's book to kick off my 5th and 8th grade language arts classes at a math and science academy. The mathematical theme of the book flows naturally with the narrative, and the reader is able to develop and theorize along with the protagonists. I believe that The Unknowns will be very appealing both for young readers who have an interest in reading, and those who proclaim that math is just plain boring.

70.
Author: Louise Penny
Title: The Cruelest Month
Publication: Paperback, 2007.
Pages: 401 pages
Genre: Mystery
Acquisition: Resistance is futile
Date Completed: September 3, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache novels are deeply satisfying; as I reached the resolution I experienced that wonderful, comfortable full-belly feeling that only exceptional novels can inspire.

The primary plot of The Cruelest Month focuses on the now-infamous Arnot case which helped to define Gamache; though the case itself was long ago "resolved," the repercussions of Gamache's decisions have never fully dissipated. Now, Gamache and his team must face uncomfortable truths and a world of confrontations in order to support decisions that were honorable.

The secondary plot is the murder of a newer resident of Three Pines; unlike previous novels, the victim is not thoroughly detestable, yet there is no shortage of suspects.

The Cruelest Month is a character-driven narrative, in which quite a bit of development is presented. I enjoyed learning more about some of the principle characters, and was thoroughly pleased when my hopes for certain characters were fulfilled.

69.
Author: John Fleischman
Title: Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science
Publication: Paperback, 202.
Pages: 75 pages
Genre: nonfiction, medicine
Acquisition: Purchased for classroom use
Date Completed: September 2, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Phineas Gage: A popular science book that doesn't underestimate children, and presents a fascinating medical oddity for their enrichment and entertainment.

In Phineas Gage John Fleischman chronicles the adult life of a man who has the extreme misfortune to experience an iron rod fly through his head and out the top of his skull ... and live to tell the tale. Literally, in fact, as he sat chatting with his landlord about the accident while he waited the half hour for the nearest doctor to arrive. Despite the extreme improbability given the state of medical treatment in 1848, Phineas recovers from the incident and goes on to live an additional eleven years. However, the true subject of Fleischman's narrative is not really Phineas Gage as an individual, but rather how he helped inspire the medical community. In life, aspiring surgeons look at Gage's recovery as proof of a number of neurological theories. After his death his doctor finally reveals that his patient's recovery was not as "complete" as first suggested, and Phineas' medical history and remains go on to inspire and enlighten medical minds for decades to come.

Phineas Gage is remarkable all on his own, and Fleischman makes his story available to young readers. I personally intend to use the volume to teach elements of nonfiction in a fifth-grade English class at a math and science academy, and I am looking forward to the feedback my students provide.

Courtesy of Wikipedia, here is Phineas with the tamping iron that caused the damage - and remained at his side even in death - as well as an illustration of the iron as it passed through his skull: