Seldom Disappointed: A Memoir, by Tony Hillerman

Since I have read all of this author’s Navajo mysteries I was interested to learn more about his life. Hillerman was a World War II vet whose childhood during the Depression was spent in rural Oklahoma. A combat wounded infantryman, he saw battle action in Europe. College on the GI bill lead to his newspaper career and later a life in academia. A fascinating 20th century life, the author narrates the audio version. Take a look at the book for the photos of his family, army buddies, friends and collegues.

RATING: * * * * Very, very good
Reviewed by: KH

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Old Glory: American War Poems from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terrorism, edited by Robert Hedin

For National Poetry Month and Patriots’ Day: This collection of nearly 200 poems reflects on both past and modern wars, representing all types of poetry, various points of view, and a wide range of emotions: love of country, sacrifice, tragedy, and glory, as well as disillusionment and dissent.  Each poem is accompanied by a brief biographical note on the poet for context:  John Ciardi, for example, was a B-29 gunner and flew sixteen combat missions over Japan in World War II; Louise Bogan lost a brother in World War I.

Rating:  **** Very, very good
Reviewed by:  stc

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The Cradle, by Patrick Somerville

A beautiful first novel about family,  connection, and more things than you would think could fit in a novel this short. Pregnant Marissa asks her husband Matt to find an old family cradle, and Matt’s search turns into a road trip of another kind entirely. Along the way the story goes back in time with Matt’s memories, and forward in time to the story of Renee, a children’s book author who has just seen her son off to Iraq. The stories of Matt and Renee connect at the end, not unexpectedly. And Matt does find the cradle, but that’s not really the important thing he finds.

RATING: **** Very, very good
Reviewed by: stc

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Our Point of View: Fourteen Years at a Maine Lighthouse, by Thomas and Lee Ann Szelog

The authors lived in a lighthouse keepers house in Mid-Coast Maine for fourteen years. Thomas Szelog is a professional photographer who captured the natural and the man made events that happened on the lighthouse grounds during those years.   Well written text accompanies the poignant photographs.

RATING: * * * * * One of the best books I’ve read
Reviewed by: Nancy J.

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The Inspired Garden: Twenty-Four Artists Share Their Vision, by Judy Paolini

Everyone who is a gardener is an artist and this proves the point.  It is a spring time treat to not only view the gardens of professional artists but to also see their artwork.  Inspiring and just beautiful to read and view.

RATING: * * * * * One of the best books I’ve read
Reviewed by: Nancy J.

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West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story, by Mir Tamim Ansary

This book grew out of an email composed by the author that was widely forwarded after Sept. 11th. Ansary is an Afghan-American who paints a picture of life in Afghanistan in the 1950’s and 1960’s and what it has meant to him to have a foot in two worlds, American and Afghani. I found his meditation on his late father especially moving. The author himself reads the book on cd version.

RATING: * * * * Very, very good
Reviewed by: kh

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