Monday, May 13, 2013

Bookish Review: Between Man and Beast

Between Man and Beast is a really interesting true story about the discovery of the gorilla. I had no idea that for many years the gorilla was considered a mythical creature. Paul Du Chaillu was the intrepid explorer who ventured into parts of Africa that had never been explored by non-natives before. The information and specimens he brought back shed light on the true nature of the gorilla, but even as he gained slight celebrity, he also faced intense scrutiny, and many questioned his tales and his findings. His discoveries came at the height of the evolutionary debate spurred by Darwin, and the discovery of the gorilla was feared by many for what it might mean for the debate. Since he was not really a trained explorer, he didn't have the precise measurements and pinpoint accuracy the scientific community demanded, and more and more people questioned whether he made it all up. Determined to clear his name, he ventures back to Africa once again. Monte Reel brings to life an extraordinary and under-appreciated explorer. It's a really interesting read.

Note: An e-ARC of this title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley, which was much appreciated, but did not affect the content of my review.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Bookish Review: Jane Austen Goes to Hollywood

Jane Austen Goes to Hollywood is a re-telling of Sense and Sensibility for today's teens. When Hallie and Grace Weston's father dies, he leaves everything to their step-mother and half-brother and they--and their mother--are left with nothing. Luckily, their mother has a generous relative, so they find a place to live, but it is in LA, not their hometown of San Francisco. Everything seems to be turned upside down, and Grace is the only one taking their situation seriously. Can Hallie and Grace both find love and a way to start over in their new life?

Fun read, clever retelling. Teens should enjoy.

Note: An e-ARC of this title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley, which was much appreciated, but did not affect the content of my review.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Bookish Review: A Bat in the Belfry

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I was expecting a typical cozy mystery, but this was less fluffy than I expected. The book has a lot of characters and multiple points of view. The main character is Jacobia--aka Jake--Tiptree. Her son Sam also plays a role, as does Sam's friend, who becomes a suspect for the murder of a young girl in town. The book is set in a small town in Maine, and the setting is almost a character in its own right. The ending was a little anti-climactic, but overall it was a very enjoyable read. It was more compelling than I predicted, and kept me turning pages. The book is part of a series, but I haven't read any of the others--you don't need to to read and enjoy this one. But I may pick up another mystery from Sarah Graves for my next vacation read.

Note: An e-ARC of this title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley, which was much appreciated, but did not affect the content of my review.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Bookish Review: Homeward Bound

The subtitle of the book is "Why Women Are Embracing the New Domesticity," but the book is actually more balanced than that, as it explores why both women and men are feeling a pull to domestic life, moving away from the corporate life to homesteading, small goat farms, knitting, homeschooling, organic cooking--and blogging about it along the way. Emily gives a nice historical perspective of various women's movements and incarnations of feminism over the years and how some see some women's desire to stay home, cook, and take care of family as a step backward and how some of these women see feminism and the promise that women can have it all as a lie--and if we can't have it all, then maybe I want to choose baking a pie over trying to climb the corporate ladder. Emily nicely elucidates how laws in the United States do little to help working mothers--or working fathers--balance working and family and how, given how the economy is today, people don't see the security or the promise of a good future in their jobs, and some would rather scrape by doing what they love and have the time to spend with their families than make more money and have their whole lives be work. Emily covers Etsy, mommy blogs, the rise of DIY, homesteading, etc. I thought her analysis was nicely balanced, covering multiple sides of the issue. I thought it was a really interesting read.
Note: An e-ARC of this title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley, which was much appreciated, but did not affect the content of my review.