53.
Title: [My Friend Dahmer]
Author: Derf Backderf
Genre: Nonfiction/Graphic Novel
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: June 26, 2014
Rating: ****1/2

Jeffrey Dahmer was once a child, and an awkward teenager. He once hiked through the woods around his house, and went to school.  There, he remained on the fringes of the adolescent teenage social hierarchy, where he gained a kind of acceptance by a few, thanks to his tendency to fake seizures and spasms, which his classmates found hilarious.  This acceptance did not mean the others saw him as a friend - just that they did not actively torment him, as others were wont to do. Backderf's assertion that Dahmer was once his "friend" is a very loose, and generally careless, assertion - he frequently relates how he would avoid socializing with the young man, even as he would at times seek out his diversions. But hindsight is much clearer than foresight, and it's likely that Backderf's present analysis that he "always knew" that something was wrong with Dahmer - that he could sense a kind of threat - is a reaction to the reality that he once sat next to a serial killer in class, snuck him into school pictures where he didn't belong, and called himself a member of the "Dahmer Fan Club."

The title aside, Backderf's well-drawn and well-paced graphic novel provides an interesting perspective to true crime studies. The text generates a level of sympathy for the reviled man, without begging for leniency or arguing that Dahmer has been misunderstood.  Instead, Backderf frequently and consistently recognizes his "friend's" crimes, and looks for roots of his later desires in an ugly and complicated childhood. Backderf asks specifically "where were the adults?" when Dahmer's strange behaviors (such as skinning roadkill and killing small animals) escalate, or his daily binge drinking on school grounds goes unchecked. There's a sense of anxiety in Backderf's history as he tries to alleviate a sense of guilt, which he then projects on to the missing authority figures in Dahmer's life.   

If the honesty of the book is at times drawn into question, the interest of the text remains, and My Friend Dahmer is successful in drawing a portrait of the young man who would become a famous serial killer. 

47.
Title: [Out]
Author: Natsuo Kirino
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Pages Read: 150
Reason Abandoned:  Lifeless characters, and a general sense of drudgery. 

48.
Title: [Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth]
Author: Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos H. Papadimitriou
Genre: Graphic Nonfiction
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Pages Read: 151
Reason Abandoned: Greater responsibilities.  Logicomix, a graphic account of the life of Bertrand Russell and the "search for absolute truth," has great promise.  The art is well-suited to the subject, and the authors carefully balance reader expectations to provide significant information and necessary explanations, while respecting a general sense of intelligence.  This is of the sort of graphic text to which I gravitate, and I hope to return to it once my summer classes have completed.  But for now it must go back to the library. 

49.
Title: [Call the Midwife: Farewell to the East End]
Author: Jennifer Worth
Genre: Memoir
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: June 17, 2014
Rating: ***

This text marks the end of memoir and the beginning of fiction, as far as the PBS show is concerned.  What I appreciate most about this volume is the finality it provides - here, Worth not only tells of her patients, but of the future lives of the nuns, Trixie, Chummy, and the rest.  This kind of resolution is often unavailable for memoirs, and is all the more satisfactory for it.  If for nothing else, I'd recommend this book for just those ends. 

50.
Title: [Zine]
Author: Pagan Kennedy
Genre: Memoir
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Early Review
Date Completed: June 20, 2014
Rating: **

You had to be there, I think.  To a reader greatly removed from the culture which first inspires Pagan Kennedy's 'zine, and suffering from the blog over-saturation which can be attributed to this kind of self-publishing, the text seems shallow.  The reprint includes the original introduction, in which Kennedy cites a few years of "growing up" and growing away from her 'zine, which of course leads her to publish a response and a collection.  As an artifact, it is interesting - I've known of the phenomenon, but only ever witnessed the tail-end, so I did appreciate the opportunity to see the reproductions of one such self-publication.  The content, however, held no interest, and it became a great chore to wade through the original publications to get to her later responses and self evaluations.  Kennedy's memoir is interesting, but I'd far prefer her current reflections than her past work.

All of that being said, I think this would be a wonderful text for someone more invested in this particular cultural movement, the history of social texts, or the recent history of self-publishing.  

51.
Title: [The Dark is Rising]
Author: Susan Cooper
Genre: YA Fantasy
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Pages Read: 100


52.
Title: [The Private Letters of Countess Erzsébet Báthory]
Author: Kimberly L. Craft
Genre: Nonfiction/History
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Purchased
Date Completed: June 15, 2014
Rating: **

Craft herself, in her introduction, states that this collection of letters is intended to serve as a supplement to her text Infamous Lady.  For those, like myself, who have not read her book, Craft provides a brief synopsis, and then jumps into the translated letters of Countess Báthory. I purchased the book in the interest of gaining insight into a feared historical figure, but with no preconceived notions - I was not looking for a gory confession, but had an inkling that a sympathetic scholar may try to salvage her reputation in some way.  The body of material Craft has to work with is distressingly small, which is no fault to her - most of Countess Báthory's letters have been lost or destroyed, so the body of evidence is slim. 

Ultimately, though, this volume is less a text of Báthory's, and more a text of Craft's; the points of interpretations and analysis suffocate the letters, and casts shadows of doubt on the translations themselves.  The text does not well represent Báthory's voice, but rather uses the voice Craft has constructed for the historical figure.  Craft's presence in the text detracts from the interest, and ultimately the book fails to be truly a collection of private letters, and is instead another analysis of Countess Erzsébet Báthory. 

35.
Title: [Princesses Behaving Badly]
Author: Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 16, 2014
Rating: ***1/2

This book is just what it appears to be: a collection of brief snippets from the lives of women who do not always behave as various societies expect.  As with most books of this type, the content is extremely limited, and offers little depth.  However, McRobbie's narrative voice and sense of humor is appealing, offering a contemporary perspective on the often ludicrous and occasionally outrageous treatment these women have faced. 

36.
Title: [Cress]
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Science Fiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 17, 2014
Rating: *****

After a lukewarm reading of Scarlet, which too greatly forces elements fairy tales into a bit of a slapdash story, I was wary of Cress. My hesitancy was completely unfounded, as the third book in the Lunar Chronicles is stellar (I couldn't avoid the pun).  Cress as a figure is sympathetic and interesting, and Meyers does well to weave her story into the narrative she has established over Cinder and Scarlet. Here, the allusions to the story of Rapunzel are well-integrated, flowing naturally into the whole as opposed to being forced by expectations. The further development of the previously-introduced characters is enthralling, with strong development and the promise of an exceptional crescendo.  I am won-over again, and cannot wait for the next (and perhaps final?) installment. 

37.
Title: [American Born Chinese]
Author: Gene Luen Yang
Genre: Graphic Novel
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 19, 2014
Rating: ***

I picked up American Born Chinese on the recommendation of a colleague; unfortunately, I did not find it as appealing as he.  The novel offers several strong messages, and promotes interest through three separate story lines that converge in the end. The artwork is very well suited to the story, and the episodic nature of the organization will keep readers engaged. So why just three stars?  Personal taste - it just wasn't for me. 

Maus: A Survivor's Tale

29.
Title: [Maus]
Author: Art Spiegelman
Genre: Nonfiction Graphic Novel
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Borrowed from Colleague
Date Completed: April 28, 2014
Rating: ****

30.
Title: [Maus II]
Author: Art Spiegelman
Genre: Nonfiction Graphic Novel
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Borrowed from Colleague
Date Completed: April 28, 2014
Rating: ****

I read my first graphic novel in graduate school - Fun Home, which was assigned as part of a Queer Theory course.  Wholly unfamiliar with the genre, impart because of my own English snobbery, Fun Home presented a series of intellectual challenges, and ultimately I found myself drawing on my undergraduate film and art studies to help with my more practiced literary analysis.  Ultimately, the experience was rewarding, and from time to time I again find myself pursuing a reading list of graphic novels (last inspired by the fortuitous introduction to Persepolis).

Recently, a colleague mentioned a new graphic rhetoric text, which I quickly obtained, and just as quickly handed off to another department colleague with far more experience in using graphic novels.  From this same colleague I was given a promising reading list, beginning with Maus by Art Spiegelman (which he kindly let me borrow).  I've heard of the pair before, and knew the general subject, but had never got around to picking them up.  Now, armed with the story of Spiegelman's run-in with the New York Times Bestseller list, I spent an evening curled up with the most wonderful kind of difficult story - that of a survivor.

There are many elements I enjoyed, and some of which I was not fond. I appreciate Spiegelman's choice of anthropomorphic characterization, and cherished his ability to share complex and moving emotion through alien faces.  I appreciated, too, his attempts at honest portrayal - his father, for all of admirable qualities and inspirational concentration Auschwitz story, is not at the time of the story a "good" man: he is miserly, bitter, critical, and racist.   But it is this honest portrayal that I found most unsympathetic; though Spiegelman presents Vladek as he sees him, the angst he feels at his portrayal predominates much of the text, shifting the story from Vladek's survival to Art's attempt at survival - surviving the example and crushing influence of his formidable father. 

I was engrossed from the beginning, and moved only to fetch the second volume once I had finished the first.  That I have not moved so quickly to finish A Death in the Family may say something about my interests and tastes in reading, but I am glad to have finally had the opportunity to scratch Spiegelman off my list.  Now onwards to the other promising reads suggested by my colleague, including Daytripper and The Graphic Canon. 

22. 
Title: [The Savage Garden]
Author: Peter D'Amato
Genre: Horticulture
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: March 17 2014
Rating: ****

Meet Bugrit. 


This adorable little guy, a three-year-old Venus Flytrap, is my new office mate.  I've been long interested in carnivorous plants, and seeing flytraps in terrariums in a museum gift store eventually lead me to look for them locally.  To my delight, one can purchase carnivorous plants from Amazon, and Bugrit is the first of two to arrive.  But there's one problem: I have no idea how to care for my new charges.

The instructions that came with my first plant are invaluable, but Peter D'Amato's name has come up several times in connection to carnivorous plants, and I gleefully snagged a copy of his book at the library.  The Savage Garden is a beautiful text, with stunning photography and high production quality.  D'Amato obviously knows a thing or two about his subject, and offers rich history of each species, as well as simple instructions for cultivating these plants in one's home and garden.   At times, the text can be a bit dry, as I don't share the author's enthusiasm for differentiating between genus and hybrids and how to catalog breedings.  Still, it is clear why this book has such a strong reputation, and I'm very glad for the history and instructions. 

True Story

3. 
Title: [Life Below Stairs: True Lives of Edwardian Servants]
Author: Alison Maloney
Genre: Wikipedia television Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 20, 2014
Rating: **

Alison Maloney's Life Below Stairs has one goal: to capitalize on the popularity of "Downton Abbey."  Not only does Highclere Castle grace the cover of the book, but she frequently cites the show as a source.  For anyone who has neither seen the show nor read anything related to Victorian and Edwardian servitude, this book may hold some new insight.  However, the book is neither "full" nor "complete" as the back cover suggests, and one would likely find greater research from a tertiary encyclopedia.  Not recommended. 

4. 
Title: [The Ghost Map]
Author: Steven Johnson
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 20, 2014
Rating: ***

 
I desperately wanted to love this account of cholera outbreaks in Victorian England; nineteenth-century science and medicine fascinate me, and the book comes very highly recommended from readers I trust. I desperately wanted to lose myself in this book, but I couldn't. There are, in fact, several chapters I find very engaging and interesting, most notably the accounts of Dr. Snow and his efforts to thwart the miasmists. Unfortunately, distractions come in the form of purple prose, which ultimately render my response fairly neutral. The weakest moments are when Johnson strays from the history, and waxes eloquently about imagined lives, which do not always logically follow. Long passages describe the aggressive, malignant, and sentient decisions of bacteria, which read as a lack of focus and unity for the whole as opposed to bolstering the romance of the subject. When passages like these become arduous to the reader, other errors become more prominently irritating, including one which I am very guilty of myself: unnecessary repetition. The same purple prose or anecdotal associations are repeated verbatim over a few pages, detracting from the writing.

The research certainly seems strong, and Johnson demonstrates great interest in his subject, but I wasn't able to rise to the same jubilation. It is, however, far superior to the other nonfiction book I've just completed - Life Below Stairs - and the comparison works to show the superior research and integrity of Johnson, adding a star to my initial review.  Ultimately, recommended. 

78.
Title: [Night of the Living Deed]
Author: E.J. Copperman
Pages: 336
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: November 17, 2013
Rating: **1/2

A (bitter) divorcee and her young daughter buy an old Victorian on the Jersey shore with the hopes of running a sustainable guesthouse, and soon find that the previous owner and a detective haven't quite made a full exit.  As a whole, the novel is one-dimensional, and there is no shred of sympathy to be had for any of the characters.  I was hoping for another crossover between my favorite genres, but this series will not be it. 

79.
Title: Student Essays
Author: 114 Students
Pages:  1,500
Genre:
Medium: Electronic
Acquisition:
Date Completed: November 21, 2013
Rating:


80.
 Title: [The Importance of Being Earnest]
Author: Oscar Wilde
Pages: 
Genre: Drama
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: November 15, 2013
Rating: ****1/2

This was my first semester teaching The Importance of Being Earnest, and my first time in a long while teaching Wilde.  Generally, my students had been complaining about the number of tragedies we read, and most appreciated a turn to comedy.  It went over fairly well, and I focused on an argument of vanity as part of our class analysis, emphasizing that the characters are essentially replicas, that all speak in the voice of Wilde, and that the work is an expression and act of vanity in itself. It was very interesting to read it in the context of his immediate trials, too. 

81. 
Title: The Norton Anthology of Short Stories, [The Oxford Book of Essays], Literature: An Introduction, Pratchett, Roach, and a Poe in a Pear Tree. 
Author: Several
Pages:   38 short stories and articles, 16 poems, misc. chapters on grammar and rhetoric
Genre: Varied
Medium: Electronic
Acquisition:
Date Completed: November 27, 2013
Rating: 

82. 
Title: [No Way to Kill a Lady]
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 368
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: November 24, 2013
Rating: ****

When dynasties fall, colorful characters - and deeds - come out of the woodwork.  In No Way to Kill a Lady the reader is treated to a skeezy cousin, a crumbling castle, and a body in an elevator.  This is one of the more compelling mysteries in the series, with satisfying family melodrama to accentuate a rather curious murder victim. 

83. 
Title: [Little Black Book of Murder]
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 384
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: November 25, 2013
Rating: ****

The most recent book in the Blackbird Sisters mysteries is a bit of a mixed bag.  There is conflict in Nora's job that challenges the suspension of disbelief, and creates a position greater for her than one could believe she has.  However, Martin offers wonderful personal resolution on several fronts, making the novel satisfying in the long run.  

84.   
Title: [Mistresses: A History of the Other Woman]
Author: Elizabeth Abbott
Pages: 512
Genre: Nonfiction, memoir
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: December 10, 2013
Rating: **

 From the title, I assumed it would be a history of the position of mistresses, looking at laws, social expectations, and the changes in affairs throughout history.  Abbott does address much of this, but through encyclopedic memoirs of historically known mistresses.  What begins as an enthralling look at the lives of women who, by choice or (more often) force, find themselves in the beds of married or emotionally unavailable men, becomes as odious as the mechanical sexual chores by the time Abbott reaches Hitler - and there's still another half to go.

Though I have no qualms with the research, which seems thoughtful and as complete as it can be, Abbott's writing is sophomoric, as she uses repetitive catchphrases to describe the same individuals (for example, repeatedly calling Jackie Kennedy "the world's most eligible widow" in the space of a few pages).  The text systematically dismisses wives - unless they becomes mistresses themselves - and shows little sympathy for the men in these relationships, unless it is to reveal them as foolish for their parts in the affairs. 

These stories - from Hagar to Eva Braun, through Marilyn Monroe and on to Simon de Beavoir - are already well known, so much so that the text as a whole is shallow for not giving the reader something more.  Additionally, Abbott butchers the mistresses of literature, writing Cliff's Notes to pad out a chapter that discusses everything from Jane Eyre to The Scarlet Letter, which contributes little and confuses the previously-established focus of the book.

Although some chapters were very interesting, the book as a whole was a chore to read for someone who is already familiar with most of the material.   

  
85. 
Title: [Claimed: Club Sin]
Author: Stacey Kennedy
Pages: 239
Genre: Erotica
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 2013

86. 
Title: [Scarlet]
Author: Marissa Meyer
Pages: 464
Genre: Science Fiction, YA, Revised Fairytale
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: December 24, 2013
Rating: ***

Initially, I was greatly disappointed with Scarlet; I did not find the novel to be nearly as compelling as the first, and I found the character of Scarlet to be forced and awkward, as the association with the fairy tale is clumsy at best.  However, once the parallel plot sequences involving the emperor and Cinder become more developed, the novel shifts, and becomes much more cohesive and thus entertaining.  I was pleased to see Cinder gain a few allies, and to see not only some of her past, but a plan for the future as well.

87. 
Title: [Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond]
Author: Kim Harrison
Pages: 528
Genre: Urban fantasy, short stories
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: December 30, 2013
Rating: **

This is a book for the uberfans, of which I am not one; Into the Woods is a collection of short stories, many of which detail how Rachel and her friends come to be. The stories themselves are sentimental and lacking strong development, providing some detail and intrigue for those who are deeply invested in the Hollows characters, but with little to interest those who may be less enthralled.  In this case, the low rating is indicative of audience: I am not the reader for whom Harrison is writing this collection. 

Catching Up

71. 
Title: [In a Witch’s Wardrobe]
Author: Juliet Blackwell
Pages:
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: September 29, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

Lily once again finds herself neck-deep in an investigation - actually, more than one.  First, she is tasked by Aiden to discover just who killed one Wiccan coven member, and poisoned another (also accidentally poisoning her young daughter).  And if the threat of a murderer isn't enough, a series of vandalisms at the hands of an anti-magic hate group has disrupted the neighborhood. 

The mysteries as a plot device are less compelling to me than the personal relationships; here, Lily is forced to reconcile herself with growing attached to others, and the emotional turmoil that can come just from caring.  As always, I find the personal development very satisfying, and Blackwell's cliffhanger of a conclusion is sure to lead me to her next installment. 



63.
Title: [Gulp]
Author: Mary Roach
Pages:
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Gifted
Date Completed: August 24, 2013
Rating: ****

Mary Roach has been between the sheets, on the edge of the afterlife, in the grave, and out in space.  In Gulp she's back to her roots - the body - as she takes a "trip down the alimentary canal."  After a bit of a disappointment from [Packing for Mars], it was good to see her there.  In Gulp Roach is once again pestering scientists and asking inappropriate questions, and along the way exposes the secrets behind foot testing, flavored pet foot, and Elvis' super colon.  While someone in the field may not learn something new, it kept this general audience member interested and giggling. 

56. 
Title: [Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology, and My Harrowing Escape]
Author: Jenna Miscavige Hill
Pages: 416
Genre: Autobiography
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 2013
Rating: ****

I picked up Hill's memoir on a LibraryThing recommendation, and like the original review I can't help but scoff a bit at the author's claim to a "harrowing escape" - a phrase which inspires images of midnight excursions by leaky raft as one flees a communist state, perhaps, as opposed to arguing with family and inlaws. 

What I appreciated and enjoyed about Hill's story is the information she provides on Scientology - the practices, the beliefs, and the politics. This story could potentially describe any number of cults, and for that I found it supremely interesting and engrossing. However, the narrative itself is often alienating (no pun intended); it's difficult to feel sympathy for someone who already feels so very sorry for herself.  I applaud her efforts to shed light on the institution and its often nefarious practices, but many times in her story it seems that Hill's negative reactions are not to the abuses she experiences growing up in the church as a child or young adult, but rather that she would be exposed to this same abuse as the niece of the church's leader. 

Overall, the story is enlightening, and worth a read.

57. 
Title: [Some Like it Lethal] (#3)
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 320
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 2013
Rating: ****

58. 
Title: [Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die] (#4)
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 288
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 2013
Rating: ****



 59.
Title: [Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too] (#5)
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 272
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 2013
Rating: ****

60. 
Title: [A Crazy Little Thing Called Death] (#6)
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 368
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 2013
Rating: ****

As a typical cozy series, I find I can review most of the books as a whole.  Obviously, I enjoy them - I enjoy the parties, I enjoy the clothes, and I enjoy several characters.  However, Nora Blackbird is a ninny; her sisters and Mick are far more entertaining.  My real problem so far is a question of consistency; one of my biggest pet peeves in serial fiction is a lack of consistency, particularly in character development.  I enjoy watching characters evolve and grow and even take nose-dives into a dark abyss now and again, but one cannot simply be the upright, sensible prude of the family ... and then have sex in a phone booth. Or kiss other men while seeing someone exclusively. I understand that Nora's sense of self and propriety are supposed to be terribly at odds with her personal life, but there are several moments when one has to question just how strict her moral compass truly is. 

61. 
Title: [Murder Melts in Your Mouth] (#7)
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 304
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 31, 2013
Rating: ****

This last read was far more satisfactory than most of the others in the series.  The pacing of the mystery was strong, with a highly satisfying conclusion. emotional and personal matters develop in a far more natural fashion, and for once Nora seems like an actual person.  However, I spent the whole day craving chocolate.

45. 
Title: [The Death of Sweet Mister]
Author: Daniel Woodrell
Pages: 240
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: June 10
Rating: *****

Daniel Woodrell's The Death of Sweet Mister is as poetic as it is repulsive. Though the jacket informs readers that the narrative takes place in the Ozarks, apparently like Woodrell's other works, there is an every-place feel to the story that allows the reader to imagine the events in a time and place of want and need that may be more familiar. It is a story of poverty, crime, and abuse, with a startling conclusion that fully emphasizes the impact of the title.  This is an ugly and at time horrifying LT friend recommendation that moved me as much as promised.


46.
Title: [Dead Men Do Tell Tales]
Author: William R. Maples
Pages: 304
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: June 11
Rating: *****

In one chapter of Dead Me Do Tell Tales, Dr. Maples recounts being asked if his job was anything like a particular television program I've never heard of.  No, he would say, and expressed desire for the protagonist's brilliant assistant that helped the scientist solve cases in mere days.  As such, the good doctor wouldn't likely appreciate a comparison between his life's work and "Bones," but it's just this which first drew me to the book, and I was not disappointed.  Maples is an actual forensic anthropologist, and his book shares his thoughts on the development of the science, its successes, and where he hopes it will go in the future, supported by often gruesome professional anecdotes. I found the former-English-major's narrative to be entertaining and informative, without surging too far above my head.  I've had this on my shelf for some time now, and I'm very glad I finally got around to reading it.  

47. 
Title: [Death on Demand]
Author: Carolyn G. Hart
Pages:
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: June 13, 2013
Rating: ***

Just another cozy mystery, which I'll likely forget in another week.  It wasn't the worst I've read, but it's largely unremarkable. The plot seems to borrow elements from other cozies just like the characters borrow quips from mystery novels I've never read.  I suppose I'm just not enough of a mystery devotee to sympathize with mystery shop owners solving alarmingly frequent murders in very small communities. 

40. 
Title: [Assassination Vacation]
Author: Sarah Vowell
Pages: 258
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 17, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

An excerpt of Assassination Vacation in Housekeeping vs. The Dirt inspired me to pick up Vowell's book; I know shamefully little about presidential history, but the premise of the novel is appealing for anyone with a taste for the macabre or off-beat, so I thought it would be an interesting way to dip my toe into the subject.  And Vowell really seems to know her stuff, from textbook history to asides and anecdotes about the key players that keeps the story interesting and clearly represents the author's slightly quirky voice.

So why just 3.5 stars?  In the middle of the book I turned to my partner and said, "I wish she'd just stop talking.  This book could be so good if she'd just get out of her own way."  Sarah Vowell is a vociferous liberal, which is not wrong by any means, but she's a liberal like some conservatives are Confederate sympathizers: loud and angry with a great sense of superiority that doesn't actually help anything.  I even understand her anger and frustration, because I, too, had to live through the Bush administration and the shameful wars we are still plagued with, but her rhetoric is textbook without any constructive input, rendering the passages as effective as waving a Confederate flag.  Passion is admirable, but passion without action seems sophomoric.  And this is why I chose not to read about politics. 

In a nutshell, Assassination Vacation is a great popular historical text that brings the assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley to a (perhaps under-informed) contemporary audience, drawing lines between places and events through the gaze of someone who demonstrates passion for both her history and her future. 

393 
Title: [The Devil in the White City]
Author: Erik Larson
Pages: 447
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 14, 2013
Rating: ****

Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City, about Chicago's Worlds Fair and serial killer H.H. Holmes is not a book I would have ever found on my own; credit for this read goes to one of my students, who was assigned the book in high school and was shocked that I had never heard of it, given my own reading habits.  A big thank you goes out to her for a fantastic read.

For most of this book I assumed I was reading historical fiction.  In fact, I assumed as much up until my sister-in-law invited me to see a rock opera about "America's first serial killer, H.H. Holmes."  Thus is the narrative style of the text, that it allows for such misconception - Larson's books is a story that seems to imitate true crime writing, as opposed to an overly technical nonfiction account.  As such, I'm sure the scholarship of the text may be suspect to someone who knows the Fair or Holmes better than I, but as someone with no prior knowledge or experience I found the book to be engrossing, and the characters fascinating. 

38. 
Title: [The Midwife]
Author: Jennifer Worth
Pages: 352
Genre: Memoir
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 5, 2013
Rating: *****

Jennifer Worth's memoir of her midwifery training in London in the 1950s is fascinating and entertaining.  The narrative device of childbirth and midwifery is used as a great equalizer that allows Worth to examine and describe not just the obstetric practices of post-war England, but housing and class, education, personal relationships, and evolving culture.  The personalities Worth describes are both bigger than life and entirely natural, and more than once I found a character either strangely familiar, or wishing they were.  The conditions of life in the not-too-distant past seem to be from another world, and yet completely sympathetic to a contemporary American reader, as I viewed it through the lens of a mother and supporter of modern midwifery.  The Midwife (also titled Call the Midwife) is a joy, and I am very grateful I found Megan's original review. 

37.
Title: [Housekeeping vs. The Dirt]
Author: Nick Hornby
Pages: 200
Genre: Column Collection
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 1, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

I had never heard of Nick Hornby or his column, but when I saw a passing mention on Richard's thread I was intrigued; I wasn't sure what to expect from a collection of book reviews, but a library book never hurts.  Actually, what I expected was something either terribly snooty or completely commercial.  What I found was a collection of articles written in a tone I found appealing, about a number of books and authors I've never heard of.  While the articles were amusing enough, and I walked away with one or two items for my next library trip, what I appreciated most about Hornby's book was his introduction.  Specifically, his argument for reading, and the tendency to pass judgement on another's reading habits.  Hornby argues for reading in all genres and types, as best fits the reader - and he argues against snide comments on that material, as someone making the effort to read any book is better than the alternative.  His example of choice is The DaVinci Code, although I'd argue Twilight could take its place today; still, the sentiment is the same, and the snoot is something I remember well from my own undergraduate years, before I started thinking about the works I was reading instead of just reading them because they were "classics."  I also like his encouragement to simply put down books that aren't thrilling: life is too short to be bored with reading. 

38. 
Title: Broadmoor Revealed
Author: Mark Stevens
Pages: 107 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Free Amazon Download
Date Completed: May 3, 2012
Rating: ***

As one could deduce from the page count, Mark Stevens' Broadmoor Revealed: Victorian Crime and the Lunatic Asylum is only a brief glimpse into one of England's Victorian-era asylums.  Idyllic in setting and home to as many sane criminals as deranged artists, Broadmoor is an interesting subject for study, but by no means unique.  Although a number of crimes are discussed in relation to the patients, what I found most interesting were the details of the escapes attempts, and how the Board responded - or failed to, as was frequently the case.  Although I would have preferred greater depth, Broadmoor Revealed is a nice snack for those interested in Victorian crime or mental institutions. 

39. 
Title: Death Comes to Pemberley
Author: P. D. James
Pages: 220 pages
Genre: Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Ebook
Date Completed: May 4, 2012
Rating: *

Death Comes to Pemberley is trite and wooden.  The plot itself is lost in the pedantic text, which lectures as opposed to narrates. James uses dialog to introduce every detail, which leads to cumbersome and often ridiculous conversations, in which Character A reminds Character B that they met the good Doctor five years ago at that dinner party, and that the Doctor now suffers from gout and enjoys a comfortable estate, but went on that dreadful trip last year and is now nursing a sore hip and oh yes is not married and has no intention of seeking matrimony; he'll be here within the hour.  Oh yes, and candlelight merely enhances the darkness and gloom, and Darcy wonders, generally speaking.

Anyone with any knowledge - even passing - of Austen and/or the long nineteenth century will be better off avoid this cumbersome narrative. 

35. 
Title: At Home
Author: Bill Bryson
Pages: 592 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Medium: Ebook
Acquisition: Library book
Date Completed: April 21, 2012
Rating: ***

At Home is not the book I had hoped it would be; focused primarily on the home developed by the Victorians, the book is a brief history of inventions and biographies loosely related to the domestic life we now enjoy.  While I had hoped for more of an evolution of homemaking, what Bryson has produced is very much so in line with A Brief History of Nearly Everything - and as such much more focused on who invented the television and first thought to drill for oil than how people made their beds in the fourteenth century.  Bryson's style is easy to comprehend and his tone gives his books a wonderful personality. 

19.
Title: Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader
Author: Anne Fadiman
Pages: 162 pages
Genre: Essays
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 10, 2012
Rating: ****

Anne Fadiman's collection of short essays on reading and literacy has won a LibraryThing stamp of approval, and I don't believe I can say anything that hasn't already been said. I found Fadiman's text to be good fun, and, as many other LT members, could certainly sympathize with much of what she says.

My particular delight, however, came in proofreading for the copious errors in her text immediately following the chapter on her compulsive proofreading...

20.
Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: Science Fiction/ Fairytale Retelling
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 11, 2012
Rating: ****1/2

Marissa Meyer's retelling of "Cinderella" in Cinder is without a doubt my favorite fairytale retelling to date. Casting the protagonist as a cyborg in a plague-cursed futuristic world allowed Meyer to remain faithful to all of the traditions of the story while introducing her own creative elements. There is nothing surprising in the text - her "twists" can be spotted in the first fragment in which they are introduced - but the narrative remains interesting nonetheless. Cinder is good fun for anyone with an interest in fairytale retelling.

14.
Title: The Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans
Author: Rick Geary
Pages: 80
Genre: Nonfiction Graphic Novel
Medium: Hardcover
Acquisition: Recommended on a list of true crime graphic novels
Date Completed: January 24, 2012
Rating: ***1/2

The Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans is a true crime graphic novel that covers a series of mysterious axe murders/attacks that occurred in New Orleans (obviously) at the turn of the century. Geary's text once again confirms that graphic novels are an excellent medium for true crime, as it allows authors to truly capture the horror of events; what may be unnecessary purple prose in traditional true crime is translated to captivating illustrations that more easily hold the reader's attention and sympathy. While Axe-Man is not a spectacular example on its own, it is an enjoyable graphic novel, and certainly worth a peek for those interested in the genre(s).

10.
Title: Inside the Victorian Home
Author: Judith Flanders
Pages: 416
Genre: History
Medium: paperback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: January 16, 2012
Rating: ***

Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England is a popular (as opposed to academic) text that attempts to use the structure of a typical Victorian household to describe various elements of nineteenth-century British life. The organizational pattern is only marginally successful, as Flanders frequently moves beyond the confines of each chapter to provide broader observations.

But organization is not the only complaint I have with the text. While reading of subjects with which I am extensively familiar (such as corsetry, as a single example of many) I frequently found myself disagreeing with Flanders's interpretations and presentations. Interestingly, I found that the same sources of research that would lead me to disagree with Flanders are also to be found on her list of secondary sources. Such discrepancies were often minor, but ultimately tainted my reading of the text as I considered the validity of the information related to subjects with which I'm less familiar.

11.
Title: Understanding Comics
Author: Scott McCloud
Pages: 215
Genre: Nonfiction Graphic Novel
Medium: paperback
Acquisition: mentioned by a colleague
Date Completed: January 17, 2012
Rating: **1/2

The premise of Understanding Comics appealed to me when a colleague first described McCloud's work: a history of comics and graphic novels told as a graphic novel. Fantastic! Unfortunately, the execution was not what I had hoped for.

Understanding Comics is less a history of the evolution of comics, and more an attempt to find a place for comics in the fields of literature and art history. Far-reaching and often grasping, McCloud presents a malleable definition of "comic" in his attempt to legitimize the genre and find a critical space for the work. As a new fan interested in the genre, I found the text awkward and obtuse.

8.
Title: Feynman
Author: Ottaviani and Myrick
Pages: 266
Genre: Graphic Biography
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: January 9, 2012
Rating: *****

Feynman is a cultural icon; known as much for his practical jokes and lock-picking as his Nobel Prize-winning work in physics, he is a scientist seemingly driven by the sheer joy of knowing. Not scientifically educated, I can follow very little of his work, but having read some of his writing before I know him to be an approachable, friendly, and humorous narrator: he's just plain likeable.

In their graphic novel Feynman, Ottaviani and Myrick present a brief biography of one of the greatest minds in recent history, and their work is just as lively and enthralling as the man himself. Presenting a collection of stories from his college days through his death, the authors allow readers to gain at least a general understanding of the man and his work, without losing a general audience in science that may be impenetrable for some (such as I - but there is physics involved).

I wasn't always pleased with the artwork (which is probably an odd thing to say for a five-star rating of a graphic novel), but the work as a whole is completely charming.