Moses, Kate Cakewalk
Dial see Random 2010 351p 26.00
978-0-385-34298-8 hs/adult VG
Moses’ memoir depicts a childhood in a dysfunctional family that was a recipe for disaster. However, at the end of each chapter she includes a sweet recipe culled from the bright spots in her life. A fascinating tale of heartbreak and cravings that attests to the strength of the human soul.
Her mother, a fun person when the children (two younger brothers) were young becomes neglectful as they get older; her father is straight laced and increasingly verbally abusive. Her family moves across the country from California to Pennsylvania and then to Alaska. Moses gets through the worst times that includes lack of friends, loss of parental care, and lack of self esteem, via her love of junk food that eventually expands to encompass learning to bake gourmet fare as she matures. When Moses leaves home to attend college in California, she comes to learn that she loves literature and is a gifted writer. Her view of herself changes as she goes out into the world, away from her family and sees that she is a valuable being. She continues to struggle when her new husband abandons her and the new baby but the strength she gained through her past tribulations allows her to heal and love her family. At the end of each chapter, Moses includes a sugary recipe culled from the bright spots in her life. This is a fascinating tale of heartbreak and sweet cravings that attests to the strength of the human soul. Funny, literate, honest, and very delicious. Recommended for high school libraries. Weinraub, Tina
Showing posts with label Dial(Random). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dial(Random). Show all posts
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Grice, Gordon Deadly Kingdom
Grice, Gordon Deadly Kingdom
Dial see Random 2010 325p 27.00
978-0-385-3362-1 ms/hs E-BN
Grice reports, in conversational tones, about the darker side of the animal kingdom. Like seeing a car accident, you want to look away but must keep reading. Section on further reading and index. This nature writer sometimes starts the chapters with a tale about his contact with a particular species and then goes on to tell some gruesome stories about the havoc the animal has wrought on other animals as well as humans. The tone of the writing is darkly humorous yet factual. For example, Grice writes in his chapter on elephants: “Unattached young males--the most aggressive cohort, in elephants as in humans...” Grice’s view of animal encounters acknowledges both the beauty and the hazards in an unsentimental manner. There are occasional black and white photographs interspersed among the text at the appropriate places as well as one at the beginning of each chapter. Grice provides a section on further reading that is chatty and shows the depth of his fascination with writings about animals. An index rounds out the book. Additionally, the cover is a work of art that will attract anyone walking past it. After reading this book, I might look at my own adorable pet dogs in a totally different manner. Readers who have an interest in animals will want to read this book. Reading this title is like seeing a car accident; you want to look away but feel compelled to keep looking, or in this case keep reading.
This is an excellent selection for upper middle school and high school libraries. Recommended for Tristate Books of Note for 2010-2011. This is an excellent selection for upper middle school and high school libraries. Recommended for Tristate Books of Note for 2010-2011. Weinraub, Tina
Dial see Random 2010 325p 27.00
978-0-385-3362-1 ms/hs E-BN
Grice reports, in conversational tones, about the darker side of the animal kingdom. Like seeing a car accident, you want to look away but must keep reading. Section on further reading and index. This nature writer sometimes starts the chapters with a tale about his contact with a particular species and then goes on to tell some gruesome stories about the havoc the animal has wrought on other animals as well as humans. The tone of the writing is darkly humorous yet factual. For example, Grice writes in his chapter on elephants: “Unattached young males--the most aggressive cohort, in elephants as in humans...” Grice’s view of animal encounters acknowledges both the beauty and the hazards in an unsentimental manner. There are occasional black and white photographs interspersed among the text at the appropriate places as well as one at the beginning of each chapter. Grice provides a section on further reading that is chatty and shows the depth of his fascination with writings about animals. An index rounds out the book. Additionally, the cover is a work of art that will attract anyone walking past it. After reading this book, I might look at my own adorable pet dogs in a totally different manner. Readers who have an interest in animals will want to read this book. Reading this title is like seeing a car accident; you want to look away but feel compelled to keep looking, or in this case keep reading.
This is an excellent selection for upper middle school and high school libraries. Recommended for Tristate Books of Note for 2010-2011. This is an excellent selection for upper middle school and high school libraries. Recommended for Tristate Books of Note for 2010-2011. Weinraub, Tina
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