Recent Reads - If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't)

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't) by Betty White - Everybody loved Betty White. Absolutely everybody. She was sweet and funny, and we all thought she would live forever. This particular memoir was written about ten years before this beloved actress did pass away, and it's been on my To-Read list for many years. It was a delight to finally read it.

Betty starts out with a Foreword in longhand, and in a couple of places in the book she mentions that she writes exclusively in longhand. She makes quips about getting older and seems quite willing to laugh at herself, but always with cheerful optimism and a sense of gratitude and appreciation for all that she has in life. The book is a series of short anecdotes and reflections organized into sections. She talks about her career and some of the people she's been lucky to work with, about friends and how she likes to spend her time. 

Although there's a whole section of stories about animals, stories and mentions of her pets and her love for animals are sprinkled throughout the book. Betty was well-known as an animal lover and she worked with many animal welfare groups like the SPCA. 

Her positive attitude and joy in life comes through in every little story. She was kind and gracious to everyone―no jokes at anyone's expense, and you won't find her dishing any dirt. Betty was the consummate good sport about everything, and in my opinion she represented the best of what Hollywood has ever had to offer. She was one of a kind.

This is a book featuring a character that works with animals for the March 2023 Mini-Challenge.

This is a book with a subtitle (#1) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2023

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Shirley, I Jest! A Storied Life

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

Shirley, I Jest: A Storied Life by Cindy Williams - Comedian and actress Cindy Williams tells a collection of stories about her career in this memoir. The first chapter summarizes her growing up years until she went to a theatre arts college. From there she tells stories about waitressing to make ends meet while beginning to work in show business, her early roles, and experiences while travelling and filming. I found the stories about filming American Graffiti to be the most interesting, because it was a movie that really launched her career and several others! Of course, what I - and most people - most associate Williams with is the iconic show Laverne & Shirley, so my favorite section of the book began when she told about how she and Penny Marshall were asked to play the characters on an episode of Happy Days, and how that led to the spinoff series that they starred in. I loved reading about the friendship and adventures that the two of them shared off screen, as they seemed to get into almost as many comedic scrapes as they did in the show. Anecdotes about some of the many comedians, actors, and directors that Williams rubbed shoulders with and worked with over the years are included as well and are entertaining. The book has the conversational feel of sitting down with Williams and having her tell you her life story. While told chronologically, there is the sense that there are little rabbit trails and asides along the way. It was a quick read and although not as engrossing or as funny as I had hoped, it was a sweet glimpse into the backstage life of the beloved actress. RIP Cindy.

This is a book written by a comedian (#40) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2023

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The Only Woman in the Room

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict - This novel reads like an auto-biography, as it's written in first person as if from Hedy Lamarr's personal journal. Author Marie Benedict wove together the facts about Lamarr's life and paints a haunting picture of the beautiful actress who was also a brilliant inventor.

The story begins with Hedy Kiesler's stage acting in Austria, following a performance that brought her to the attention of a wealthy and influential arms dealer, Friederich Mandl. The much older man pursued the young actress, who eventually agreed to marry him, at least in part because his power and influence could keep her and her parents protected in an increasingly anti-Semitic country. (This was in the early 1930s) Hedy had given up her acting career upon her marriage, and soon found out that her intellect and keen mind were not respected at all by her husband. She was an art object that he liked to show off at dinner parties. But while acting as Mandl's hostess, she had access to the political powers of Europe, and was privy to vast amounts of sensitive information about armaments, political maneuvering, and military plans and secrets. 

As her husband treated her more and more like a prisoner, Hedy accumulated all this sensitive information, and she also realized that anyone with Jewish roots was unsafe as Hitler's Nazis gained power. She carefully planned her escape from Austria, and eventually made her way to Hollywood after an introduction to Louis B. Mayer, where she found success as a glamourous actress, known for her exceptional beauty. She also struggled with her sense of guilt for escaping Europe and not sharing what she knew about Hitler and his plans, or about the strengths and weaknesses of the weaponry and military plans.

Hedy was finally able to team up with a composer to invent the "frequency hopping" communication system - or spread-spectrum technology - designed to help guide torpedoes to their targets while thwarting enemy attempts to jam the signals. This brilliant invention, patented by a gorgeous movie star and a composer, is the basis of the technology used in modern wireless communication. 

Much of Hedy Lamarr's life story is bittersweet - she was rarely acknowledged for her brilliant mind, only for her looks. She won personal victories in escaping her abusive first marriage and creating a technology to defeat the weapons Hitler was using on innocent people, but she had trouble in all her personal relationships and her frequency hopping invention was dismissed by the US military because it came from a woman. The only woman in the room.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Patrick: A Spark in the Darkness

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

Patrick: A Spark in the Darkness by Jessica Dunn - This novelized version of St Patrick's life is based in large part on his autobiographical "Confessions", and tells his story simply but dramatically. This version is appropriate for adults, teens, and even pre-teens. The hard conditions and suffering of slavery are presented in a straightforward but very brief way, not glossing over the pain or injustice but not portrayed in graphic or gratuitous detail. 

Patrick was a careless and somewhat selfish young Roman citizen in Britain, until he was captured by raiding Irishmen. Still in his teens, Patrick was sold into slavery in Ireland, where he bitterly resented the hardships and humiliations he faced while forced to tend sheep. After he begins worshiping with a small band of Christians, he also embraces God, and his attitude changes. He becomes more loving and kind, takes pride and pleasure in doing his work well, and as he learns to trust God, he also learns patience in suffering. He also learns that he can be free in spirit even though he is enslaved, and he learns to endure the taunts and threats of the druids and his pagan captors.

Eventually Patrick is able to escape but his journey takes another turn as he winds up in Europe for a time after a shipwreck. He is finally reunited with his family in Britain, but grows restless as he thinks about his Irish friends. One night he receives a vision of a letter begging him to return to Ireland, which he recognizes as a call from God. He returns to Europe to study and after years of waiting and preparation, he finally returns as a missionary to Ireland, patiently and boldly preaching peace and freedom to the people who once were his captors and tormentors.

Teens and adults who are interested in a biography of the patron saint of Ireland would find this an excellent read, and younger children might enjoy it as a read-aloud.

The original version of this review originally appeared on Homeschool Coffee Break as part of the Online Book Club for March 2021. Once again I was slow to remember to share it here.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Sojourner Truth: All Men (and Women) are Created Equal

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee - thank you! 

Sojourner Truth: All Men (and Women) are Created Equal - The bold speeches of Sojourner Truth and her passionate fight for freedom and equality were instrumental in bringing about important changes in the laws and social attitudes, so it makes sense that young people should learn about her life and background. This biography does a wonderful job of telling her story honestly and respectfully, and with great story-telling style.

The Prologue introduces the feisty former slave speaking up at a convention for women's rights in 1851, with the phrase that many recognize - "I have plowed and planted and gather into barns, and no man could have done as much. And ain't I a woman?" And after that intriguing introduction, her story begins at the beginning - with a child born into slavery and her early years. Belle, as she was called by her parents, was tall and strong from an early age, and was passed from one owner to another throughout her childhood and teen years. Some were relatively kind and some were horribly cruel. Belle was given in marriage to another slave, and had four daughters and a son. Freedom was promised and then snatched away from Belle, and finally she ran away. Through the kindness of a Quaker family and various other people, she found work, built a new life, and was eventually able to reconnect with the children she'd left behind.

Her spiritual journey is told in the book as well, and it had as many ups and downs as her quest for freedom. She became a Christian and believed she had received a mission from God - to speak up for the needy and the oppressed, so she decided she needed a new name. She called herself Sojourner after a verse in Psalms about being a stranger and sojourner, and she took the last name Truth, saying that she had only one master at that point - God, whose name is Truth.

Sojourner traveled all over the United States, speaking in churches and many gatherings and doing all she could to end slavery and suffering, and later in support of equal rights for women. She met, influenced, and worked with many great leaders of her day, including Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and President Abraham Lincoln.

Although written for a younger audience in an easy-read style, this biography was an inspiring and interesting page-turner for me as an adult. I learned a lot about this great lady who fought tirelessly for freedom through her many personal trials and against great odds.

From the publisher:

They're bold. They're fearless. They're adventurous. They have a faith that can move mountains. They're women of courage.

This series of easy-read biographies celebrates the lives of women who lived lives committed to changing the world for better. What set them apart? The willingness to live courageously for Christ, even in the midst of impossible situations.

In Sojourner Truth, you will meet the tall, powerful former slave and abolitionist whose biblically-based call for equality -- for both African Americans and women -- secured her a place in American history.

Wherever she appeared, the wise words and electrifying presence of Sojourner Truth brought audiences to their feet. The lengthy shadow cast by her near-six-foot frame and the challenge to injustice issued by her stinging speeches have secured her a place in American history -- a place as a woman of courage.

Get inspired by her story, celebrate her legacy, and learn that God can use each of us for mighty things . . . if we have courage.

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Mosaic (March Memoir for #collaboreads)

This post contains affiliate links.

Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far by Amy Grant - I picked this book up a couple of years ago - maybe more than that - but for whatever reason I never got around to reading it. I've admired Amy Grant and enjoyed her music since very early in her career, so now that I've finally read this collection of her thoughts and stories of what has shaped her as a person and an artist, I feel that I know her a little better, perhaps a bit more personally. Sort of like interacting with someone online, and then being able to speak to them on the phone. Interspersed throughout Amy's memories are the lyrics to the songs that were inspired or related to the events and emotions she tells about. It was a quick read, but an enjoyable one.

Riveting. {What part of the book could you NOT get enough of?} The little glimpses of being part of Amy's family and home. The everyday things like having trouble dragging oneself out of bed in the morning, getting groceries, staying connected to family and friends, juggling commitments - and how seemingly small events stand out in memory because of the poignancy of the moment or the realization that God was speaking and working in it.

Elements. {How did you relate to/care for the characters?} Amy seems just as warm and human in this book as she always has in her music. I also enjoyed learning a little more about her family, who all seem to be lovely people as well.

Associate. {What other books are like this one? Does it remind you of a TV show or movie with its themes and characters? Did it serendipitously line up with things going on in your life or in the news right now?} I haven't read very many memoirs, or at least none that I remember well at this point. I think this is different from those that I have read in that the stories Amy tells in it are not in chronological order. They are, as the subtitle says, pieces of her life, almost as if jotted down as the memories occurred to her.

Design. {You know you judged this book by the cover. What did you think of it? How did it relate to the contents of the novel?}  I love the sweet cover photo of Amy, which is very like many of the photos that appear in the covers of her albums. The meaning of the title Mosaic isn't really reflected in the cover art, but it is explained in the Introduction.

Stars. {How many out of five do you give this book? Would you recommend this book to a friend?} 4.5 stars. I would recommend this to all of Amy's fans, and I think especially to those who have followed her career for a long time. The insights into the personal experience that shaped her song-writing would be appreciated by anyone who has loved those songs and perhaps wondered.

This review is linked at Rachel A. Dawson for #collaboreads (Memoir March)

©2008-2016 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - Loyal In Love

Loyal In Love by Jean Plaidy - I have read a number of Jean Plaidy's biographical novels, and the historical novels she has written under other names, and generally I enjoy them. This story in the Queens of England series was interesting, but not a favorite of mine. It is the story of Henrietta Maria, the French Princess married to Charles I of England. As usual, Plaidy delivers a novelization of history that is rich in detail and background, and highlights the personalities of historical figures. However, in this case I didn't find Henrietta Maria to be very likable, so I often found myself rather unsympathetic to her in a tale told from her point of view. 

Henrietta was self-centered and short-sighted, and for most of her life cared only for her opinions and desires. She was staunchly Catholic, having been raised in France, and part of the purpose in marrying her to Charles of England was the hope that she would be able to turn the Stuarts and England itself back to Catholicism. In her loyalty to her religion, she offended many in England by refusing to be crowned as Queen (because it was a Protestant ceremony), and stubbornly quarreled often with the nobility and even with Charles I over religious matters. She was fiercely loyal to Charles, however, and they were devoted to one another and to their children. When Oliver Cromwell's Puritans came into control of the Parliament and clashed with Charles, Henrietta worked tirelessly to help Charles hold his throne, even traveling to Holland to request support from the Prince of Orange. Later, after Charles I had been captured and executed by the Roundhead Parliament, Henrietta turned her scheming to try and help her son Charles regain the throne.

Henrietta never gave up her hope that her son Charles would win back his throne, but she also sparred with each of her children over religion, refusing to see one of her sons because he would not convert to Catholicism. She felt that she was always working for the good of her children, but as I was reading, I felt that she was meddlesome and judgmental, imposing her own opinions and preferences on all those around her. Although I didn't really like Henrietta very much, I did enjoy reading her story and learning a bit more about her side of the story during this tumultuous period of England's history.

By the same author (as Philippa Carr): The Black Swan, The Changeling; The Witch From the Sea; The Lion Triumphant; The Miracle at St Bruno's.

(Book #34 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesdays: August 12, 2014

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

The shots were coming faster and one came so near that when it buried itself in the ground the soil came up and was spattered over our clothes and faces. I was hurried through the village to the ditch which surrounded it and Henry made us all lie in this so that the shots could whistle over our heads and where, apart from a direct hit, we could be safe.

~Loyal in Love by Jean Plaidy, page 258

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - Sinner's Creed

Sinner's Creed by Scott Stapp with David Ritz - Those who are familiar with the rock band Creed will probably also remember the enigmatic personality of its front man, Scott Stapp. Some tried to give the band a Christian label, but it didn't quite fit, and the band members certainly weren't promoting that label themselves. There were plenty of spiritual undertones and Christian images in the lyrics, though. In this memoir, Scott Stapp tells the story of his journey of depression, addiction, and faith; and provides some background for the songs he wrote.

Scott was raised in a Christian home, and learned early to love God, and greatly admired his stepfather. Scott admits he wanted to be the hero for his family, and was driven to excel at everything he tried. His relationship with his stepfather grew more strained over the years, until Scott finally ran away from home. He experienced some successes and many failures in his initial struggle to make it on his own and get through college, and eventually formed the band that became Creed. Through the years, he also struggled with his faith - trying to reconcile the God of love his grandfather had believed in with the judgmental and demanding God portrayed by his stepfather; and wanting to be close to God, yet continuing to make poor choices and falling into depression, addiction, and self-destructive behaviors. Scott tells how the band became a success, how his own life became more unstable, and how the eventual breakup of the band sent him into further depression and self-medication. Through the faithful love of his wife Jaclyn, Scott finally learned to trust in the grace and forgiveness of God, and rediscovered his faith.

As I read this memoir, I was reminded that unfortunately Christians don't always accurately portray God to those around us - Scott's ability to understand a loving heavenly Father was hindered by the abuse and perfectionist expectations of his stepfather - and that Christians don't always judge correctly - I had the impression that too few Christians reached out to Scott and recognized that he was wrestling with sin and faith and needed the support and prayers of a church community. Scott Stapp's story is also an encouraging reminder that God is faithful and that His Word is powerful and He promises that it won't return void, but will accomplish what He wants. (Isaiah 55:11) Scott's childhood faith and study of the Bible meant that he knew Scripture well - and that knowledge helped him when he needed it most, and was instrumental in guiding him back into the right relationship with God that he had longed for.

The lyrics Scott wrote for each of the four Creed albums are included at the end of the book, as another expression of his struggles and growth, and reading them after having read his story emphasized just how much a songwriter can bare his soul in his music.

(Book #28 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesdays - June 17, 2014

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

In less than a year I'd gone from being a scholarship student with several different offers to a guy who had been expelled and was now eking out an existence at minimum-wage jobs. Where I had once been filled with optimism, I now felt cynical. My concept of Christian justice had been shattered by a college dean. My notion of a loving heavenly Father had been smashed by an abusive earthly father. I felt I had no choice but to fend for myself, spiritually and materially. 

~Sinner's Creed by Scott Stapp, page 83

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesdays - March 18, 2014

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. It says anyone can play along, so I am going to try it! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

The Frenchman's death troubled me greatly, but not in the manner I suspected. I spent little time worrying over whether Girolamo would strike again, unexpectedly, by poisoning Caterina now that he no longer suspected her of infidelity.

~The Scarlet Contessa by Jeanne Kalogridis, page 235

I had kept my hand under the pillow, and as the figure moved, I curled my fingers around the grip of the tiny mother-of-pearl pistol Aunt Dove had given me in Italy. With one smooth gesture, I leaped up to a sitting position, opening the lantern and levelling the pistol at Mr. Rowan.
~City of Jasmine by Deanna Raybourn, page 79

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {Hillbilly Heart}

Hillbilly Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus - This is one of those books that I wouldn't have sought out or even noticed, except that it was on the library's 7-day display and for some reason it caught my eye. I figured it would be interesting to read Billy Ray's side of the controversies that have followed him and his daughter Miley Cyrus. It turned out to be a fairly good read, in which Billy Ray tells about his growing up in a small community in Kentucky and how he got started in music. His story is full of ups and downs, and is told with humor and (I think) honesty. He admits that the song that made him a star, "Achy Breaky Heart", is one that you either love or hate, and shares lyrics to a number of his songs and how he wrote them. My own favorite has always been "Some Gave All" and not surprisingly, that is the one that he calls his favorite and his signature piece. He refers often in the book to his Christian faith, but like the rest of his life, that seems to have gone through many ups and downs over the years. He also talks quite a bit about voices he has heard, and while he says that he doesn't understand that and knows it probably sounds crazy, he is just telling it how it happened. I'm not in any position to be able to judge whether his Christianity is genuine or not, and since he and Miley have made fairly public claims to be Christians in the past, that was one aspect of his biography that I would have liked to know more about. My impression after reading it is that he seems completely sincere in what he believes, but the stock he places in things like hearing voices, fortune-telling, and Native American spiritualism sort of muddy the waters. He does tell how his daughter Miley got started in the entertainment business and the effect on him and the rest of the family; he mentions some of the controversies over her behavior and her relationships, but leaves that rather open-ended. Overall, this was an entertaining read, sort of a rags-to-riches story. Billy Ray presents himself as a pretty ordinary and humble guy, who has wanted to have a stable family and make a positive difference in the world more than anything else, and that's what has driven his ambition to succeed and his belief in his music.

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {Tchaikovsky}

Tchaikovsky by Roland John Wiley - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a colorful and tragic character in so many ways, so I thought that his biography would be very interesting. I was a bit surprised that my own library system didn't have much choice at all when it came to biographies of this great composer, however. This one by Wiley may have been the only one written for adults, if I remember correctly. It was held by the college branch of the library, which should have tipped me off that it was more textbook than anything. I hesitate to say that it was painfully boring, because if I had been a college student and had this work as assigned reading, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it compared to most textbooks. But compared to the enjoyable biographies of composers by Jeremy Siepmann that I'd recently read, this was much too dry and detailed to hold my interest. Wiley followed a similar format to the Siepmann books - a chapter describing his life, activities, and correspondence during a particular time period; then a chapter describing the music composed during that period. However, this book was so densely packed with minutiae and footnotes that I skimmed over large portions of the "everyday life" chapters, and actually skipped most of the "music" chapters. It was just too much detail. And without the compositions to listen to, I wasn't much interested in reading page upon page of description of the musical devices used in an opera or song cycle I wasn't even familiar with. I now know a lot more about the background and character of Tchaikovsky, and a great deal about what he and his correspondents thought and felt about his music and life circumstances. As a detailed and annotated biography and description of his compostions, this is a very thorough study, but it is not exactly an attention-grabber.

Recent Reads {Beethoven: His Life and Music}

Beethoven - His Life & Music by Jeremy Siepmann - Since I thoroughly enjoyed Siepmann's biography of Mozart, I was quick to grab his similar work on Beethoven.  Siepmann tells Beethoven's story in the same engaging, readable style with chapters about his life alternating with chapters describing his music.  Siepmann draws from letters and writings of Beethoven and his family members and associates to give a well-rounded view of this often troubled, but brilliant composer.  The chapters about the music were also very interesting, and accessible even to readers without an education in music.  The book captures the tragedy and the triumph of Beethoven's life well, without passing judgment.  The books comes with two CDs of the music referenced in the book, and sidebars throughout the book direct the reader to the track mentioned.  Unfortunately, the library copy I read had only one of the two CDs with it, so I missed out on some of the music.  I highly recommend these books, and wish there were more in this style about other composers.

By the same author:  Mozart: His Life & Music

Recent Reads {The True Saint Nicholas}

The True Saint Nicholas - Why He Matters to Christmas by William J. Bennett - This little book was a great read for the Christmas season, and would be a good  choice for a family read-aloud too, in my opinion.  Bennett retells what little is known about the historical Nicholas of Myra along with many of the legends and stories that have been told about him over the years, and also explains how the stories of this good bishop traveled the world and were embraced by so many cultures.  And how in more recent history, he became Santa Claus and part of Christmas traditions even though his feast day is at the beginning of December.  I thought Bennett did a nice job of putting the fantasy and magic associated with Santa into perspective in its place in the celebration of Christmas.  If I remember, I may get this book next December to read aloud with my kids.

Recent Reads {Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt}

Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt by Joyce Tyldesley - I decided to read this biography because I'd recently read a couple of novels set in Cleopatra's Egypt and was curious as to how accurate some of the fictional portrayals of the queen, her court, and her city were.  While the book was definitely interesting and went into great detail separating the myth from the facts about Cleopatra, it is not exactly light reading and is probably more "scholarly" than would appeal to the casual reader.  Much of what most of us think we know about Cleopatra has been influenced by the popular movie portrayals so our concepts of what she looked like and how she behaved have been modernized and shaped by Hollywood to a greater extent than we are aware of!  Tyldesley gives a great deal of background on Egypt under the Ptolomaic dynasty, and explains the culture and politics and many other details exceptionally well.  One thing I found confusing at times was that the book was arranged more topically than chronologically.  However, I learned much that was new to me and very interesting.