Book Reviews

If you are looking for some reading, here's what I've read recently:

The Beast in the Bathtub by Kathleen Stevens, illustrated by Ray Bowler. This children's book was an oldie-but-goodie from years past. I love the ridiculousness of it. Good reading for those who need to take a bath; disturbing for those old enough to realize that a child was taking a bath with a strange creature without the parents knowing.

Love and Hate in Jamestown by David A. Price. This was a facinating look at the dynamics of Jamestown, which gave me much needed background on the Virginia history that I teach. I was surprised to learn that the rest of the colonists actually kept John Smith locked up for much of the trip to America. He was quite despised before they even landed. It was a good read, with much reference and inclusion of first hand accounts and primary sources. I had much confidence in the author, since he was interviewed for a documentary on Jamestown that I had seen the week previous.

A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid. A heart-warming Christmas tale about a dog and a mentally challenged boy's family. It was cliche and might as well have an ad for your local animal shelter, but still a decent fiction to get you in the Christmas mood. Luckily, it won't last too long, since it's a small book. Definitely get it from the library, not a the bookstore. If you want a highly entertaining Christmas fiction, check out Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. It is not very cerebral either, but much better.

While we're on the subject of dogs, you MUST read Marley & Me by John Grogan before the movie comes out. It is laugh-out-loud funny the whole way through, even if you haven't had a dog as badly behaved as the canine hero. The book is so good that the movie won't be able to touch it, no matter who they get to star in it. (It will be Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, as a matter of fact, and the movie is coming out on Christmas.)

The Man in the Picture: A Ghost Story by Susan Hill is a spooky tale that is not anything like your typical scare-you-out-of-your-pants ghost story. It is creepy and suggestive, slowly developing like a mist crawling up your spine. It was great to read around Halloween, and it's eerie conclusion stuck with me, bothering me without my actually being frightened. It was mysterious with the tone of a seasoned storyteller, who knows exactly when to extend a pause, insert an intensely descriptive passage, or omit just enough information for you to figure it all out. A quick read, but hard to put down.