Tales of the Seven Seas: The Escapades of Captain Dynamite Johnny O'Brien
by Dennis M. Powers
Fiction
Book 152

Book Reviews
Captain Dynamite Johnny O'Brien sailed the seven seas for over sixty years, starting in the late 1860s in India and ending in the early 1930s on the U.S. West Coast. This book tells of sailing over the oceans when danger and adventure coexisted every day, tough times, and courageous men in distant places, from the Hawaiian Islands to the Bering Sea. Smell the salt in the air and hear the ocean's rush as the ship sails with hardened men, leaking seams, and shrieking winds.

Beatrice and Virgil
by Yann Martel
Fiction
Book 151

Book Description
Martel's mesmerizing Man Booker Prize-winning Life of Pi (2002) has become a cult classic, its richness of depth and meaning belying the startling basic story line of a young Indian man stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger for 227 days. So it is with Martel's latest novel, also a fable-type story with iceberg-deep dimensions reaching far below the surface of its general premise. Henry, a young author, has written a book that has been successfully received, but the idea underpinning his follow-up work - a combination of fiction and essays thematically linked by his concept that writers shy away from fictional depictions of the Holocaust in favor of strict documentation - results in a manuscript deemed unacceptable by his publisher. Henry and his wife then flee their home country of Canada to live in "one of those great cities of the world," which is never specified. One day Henry receives a packet of materials obviously sent by someone familiar with his once-celebrated status, and in tracking down the source of the packet, Henry encounters what will turn out to be a life-threatening acquaintance with a taxidermist, whose personality is as enigmatic as his stuffed creatures are haunting. Ultimately, Henry finds redemption in terms of his fiction writing but not before facing a leviathan-size example of the human capacity for inflicting cruelty, assuaging guilt, and engaging in creative deception.

God and His Demons
by Michael Parenti
Non-Fiction
Book 150

Book Reviews
"God and His Demons is filled with sparkling insights, sly wit, and beautiful writing of a kind we have come to expect from Michael Parenti. He strips away the virtuous pretenses of self-proclaimed religionists throughout the world, and he does it with evidence and arguments that are historically and biblically informed. A riveting read that I recommend to all." --Julia Scheeres, author of Jesus Land

"Michael Parenti's God and His Demons is wonderfully irreverent, institutionally challenging, and humanizingly relevant -- a recommended read for believers, agnostics and atheists." --Peter Phillips, professor of pociology, Sonoma State University, editor of Project Censored yearbooks

"God and His Demons picks apart the teachings and practices of organized religions with characteristic wit, humor, and incision: vintage Parenti." --Jacques R. Pauwels, author of The Myth of the Good War and Beneath the Dust of Time.

"Pharisees and charlatans beware. In God and His Demons, veteran scholar Michael Parenti turns pen to sword with acumen and rapier wit; slaying the sacred cows of organized religions. God and His Demons is vintage Parenti. A great book, much needed, which will hopefully be widely read. Parenti defiles the true religious defilers like no one else can -- with stunning underreported facts, a wry smile, and world-class wit." --Mickey Huff, associate professor of history, Diablo Valley College, co-editor of Censored 2010

Grains Of Sand: The Fall Of Neve Dekalim
by Shifra Shomron
Non-Fiction
Book 149

Book Description
Grains Of Sand: The Fall Of Neve Dekalim puts a human face to the people of Gush Katif as it closely follows the story of an Israeli family from pre-Intifada II until the Disengagement, which was the expulsion of Israeli citizens from Gush Katif in the Gaza Strip in 2005. The reader is given a rare opportunity to look into the hearts and souls of Gush Katif residents. This novel is historic fiction based upon the author's life and experiences in Gush Katif, as well as those of friends and neighbors. It vividly reflects the thoughts and feelings of the people who lived there during those difficult times. The author, a teen at the time she wrote this book, was herself an expellee.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls
by Steve Hockensmith
Fiction
Book 148

Book Description
With more than one million copies in print, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was the surprise publishing phenomenon of 2009. A best seller on three continents, PPZ has been translated into 21 languages and optioned to become a major motion picture.

In this terrifying and hilarious prequel, we witness the genesis of the zombie plague in early-nineteenth-century England. We watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naive young teenager into a savage slayer of the undead. We laugh as she begins her first clumsy training with nunchucks and katana swords and cry when her first blush with romance goes tragically awry. Written by acclaimed novelist (and Edgar Award nominee) Steve Hockensmith, Dawn of the Dreadfuls invites Austen fans to step back into Regency England, Land of the Undead!

The Last Leaf: Voices of History's Last-Known Survivors
by Stuart Lutz
Non-Fiction
Book 147

Book Description
When we read about famous historical events, we may wonder about the firsthand experiences of the people directly involved. What insights could be gained if we could talk to someone who remembered the Civil War, or the battle to win the vote for women, or Thomas Edison's struggles to create the first electric light bulb? Amazingly, many of these experiences are still preserved in living memory by the final survivors of important, world-changing events.

In this unique oral history book, author and historic document specialist Stuart Lutz records the stories told to him personally by people who witnessed many of history's most famous events. Among many others, Lutz interviewed:

-the final three Civil War widows (one Union and two Confederate)

-the final pitcher to surrender a home run to Babe Ruth

-the last suffragette

-the last living person to fly with Amelia Earhart

-the final American World War I soldier

-the last surviving employees of Thomas Edison, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Harry Houdini.

The wide-ranging stories involve humor (the 1920 Olympic medalist who stole the original Olympic flag), tragedy (the last survivor of the 1915 Lusitania sinking), heroism (the final Medal of Honor recipient for actions on Pearl Harbor Day), and eyewitnesses to great events (one of the last scientists at the first nuclear chain reaction, and the final Iwo Jima flag raiser).

In more than three-dozen chapters, Lutz blends background information in a lively narrative with the words of the interviewees, so that readers not familiar with the historical episodes described can understand what occurred and the long-term significance of the events.

A book that truly makes the past come alive, The Last Leaf will fascinate not only history buffs but anyone who likes a good story.

Lists That Saved My Life
by Angel Tuccy
Non-Fiction
Book 146

Book Description
Lists That Saved My Life As a perpetual list-maker and working mom, Angel Tuccy shares her secrets for balancing family, career and her personal life with the use of Lists That Saved My Life. Discover how Angel takes everyday trials and turns them into manageable lists. Gain valuable insight and helpful tips on: * Saving Money * Saving Time * Running a Household * Setting Priorities * Getting Help from Your Family ...And getting all those daily details under control! Lists That Saved My Life is the very tool all working moms have been waiting for. You'll find yourself referring back to the lists again and again.

Exuberant Skepticism
by Paul Kurtz
Non-Fiction
Book 145

Book Description
For over three decades, philosopher Paul Kurtz has been a strong advocate of scepticism, not only as a philosophical position, but also as a fulfilling way of life. Contrary to the view that scepticism is merely a negative, nay saying, or debunking stance toward commonly held beliefs, scepticism as defined by Kurtz emerges reborn as 'skeptical inquiry' - a decidedly positive philosophy ready and able to change the world. In this definitive collection, editor John R Shook has gathered together seventeen of Paul Kurtz's most penetrating and insightful writings. Altogether these essays build an affirmative case for what can be known based on sound common sense, reason, and scientific method. And as each essay cogently and convincingly explains, so much can be known, from the natural world around us to the moral responsibilities among us. The work is organised in four topical sections. In the first, 'Reasons to Be Sceptical', Kurtz presents compelling reasons why the methods of inquiry used by the sciences deserve respect. In short, science provides reliable knowledge, without which humanity would never have emerged from the age of myth and widespread ignorance. In the second section, 'Scepticism and the Non-Natural', Kurtz shows how sceptical inquiry can be fruitfully used to critique both paranormal claims and religious worldviews. He also investigates whether science and religion can be compatible. In the third section, 'Scepticism in the Human World', he considers how sceptical inquiry can be applied to politics, ethics, and pursuit of the good life. Realising the essential connections between scientific knowledge, technological power, and social progress, Kurtz has understood, as few other philosophers ever have, how the methods of intelligence can be applied to all areas of human endeavour. The volume concludes with Kurtz's authoritative reflections on the sceptical movement that he founded and has led. As he never tires of explaining, the forces of blind faith and stubborn unreason still fight for control of the mind, so the sceptic can never rest. If there is a brighter future for humanity, a future in which every person enjoys a realistic opportunity for the pursuit of excellence, Kurtz's exuberant scepticism can show us the way.

The Leap: How 3 Simple Changes Can Propel Your Career from Good to Great
by Rick Smith
Non-Fiction
Book 144

From Publishers Weekly
Smith (The Five Patterns of Extraordinary Careers) examines the commonalities among individuals who transcended their dull day jobs to launch truly extraordinary careers. He is most taken with identifying what precipitated their leap into authentic and meaningful work, interviewing hundreds of people to craft replicable steps that everyone can use to initiate a personal and professional evolution and achieve remarkable success without taking reckless and unnecessary risks. His examples of highly profitable leaps include Sara Blakely, who went from a fax machine sales person to the owner of SPANX, a highly successful women's clothing line; Frances Hesselbein, who went from a stay-at-home mom to the executive director of Girl Scouts of America; and Brad Margus, who channeled his feelings of futility over the rare and terminal disease his two sons inherited to become a genetics expert on the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council. Smith's book - a lively readable romp - motivates without preaching and gently coaxes readers to overcome innate fears and to use their greatest passions to bring about fulfillment.

Shocking Cases from Dr. Henry Lee's Forensic Files
by Dr. Henry Lee
Non-Fiction
Book 143

Book Description
Dr Henry C Lee is highly regarded throughout the law-enforcement community as one of the most talented and experienced forensic scientists in the world. He has also received widespread public recognition and media attention through his association with sensational criminal investigations, including the the JFK assassination, the suicide of White House counsel Vincent Foster, the Chandra Levy homicide, 0J Simpson, Jeri Ramsey, and, most recently, the Caylee Anthony cases. In this book, Dr Lee and critically acclaimed mystery writer Jerry Labriola, MD, team up again to present another true-crime page-turner on five notorious incidents: The Phil Spector case: Legendary music mogul Phil Spector was charged with murder in the death of actress Lana Clarkson, found slain in his mansion. But has Dr Lee produced forensic evidence suggesting her death was a suicide? The Brown's Chicken massacre: The savage murder of helpless employees of a restaurant in Palatine, Illinois, was left unsolved for over a decade until the painstaking forensic skills of Task Force and Dr Lee eventually identified the killers; and, Genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina: Dr Lee discusses his role in the excavation and, in some cases, the identification of hundreds of bodies in the former Yugoslavia. The evidence he uncovered was later used to build a case against suspects indicted by the International War Crimes Tribunal. It also includes: Murder in the Sacristy: The brutal murder of a nun in a Toledo, Ohio, church had bizarre ritualistic overtones and remained unsolved until a priest was prosecuted twenty-six years later - the same priest who had conducted the nun's funeral service! Dr Lee testified at the trial of the priest and here he demonstrates how the perseverance of law enforcement officials and forensic scientists eventually solved the crime; The shooting of a Connecticut state trooper and the unintentional shooting death of a fourteen-year-old young man: Dr Lee discusses the dual hazards of police world - being killed or injured in the line of duty and the accidental killing of innocent victims or suspects. In Hartford, while racial tensions threatened to spin out of control, Dr. Lee reconstructed the shooting of an young African American by a police officer. His diligent work defused hostilities that nearly led to a riot. Combining fascinating details of forensic science with a vivid narrative, this is must reading for true-crime readers and forensic science lovers.

The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World
by Jacqueline Novogratz
Non-Fiction
Book 142

From Publishers Weekly
Novogratz combined her twin passions for banking and philanthropy after she left a lucrative corporate banking position to work with women's groups in microfinance, the pioneering banking strategy that won Muhammad Yunus a Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. Her work merging market systems with development and social empowerment led her to create the Acumen Fund for entrepreneurs in developing nations, which she describes as the opposite of old-fashioned charity. Novogratz also focuses on her own developmental path as she charts her evolving views of capitalism and how she will change the world. Unfortunately, she stumbles when she strays into biographical territory, relying on cliches to bolster her professional decisions through a personal lens. The book is most interesting when it touches on the difficult decisions that Novogratz and her team must make about financial empowerment -- should they charge interest on loans to poor women? Can working women find acceptance in a patriarchal society? But these dilemmas are facilely glossed, keeping the book in an uncomfortable limbo between a personal narrative and a primer on globalization.

God's Brain
by Lionel Tiger and Michael McGuire
Non-Fiction
Book 141

Book Description
Two distinguished authors radically alter the fractious debate on the existence of God and the nature of religion. Taking a perspective rooted in evolutionary biology with a focus on brain science, renowned anthropologist Lionel Tiger and pioneering neuroscientist Michael McGuire -- a primary discoverer of serotonin's crucial role in brain chemistry -- elucidate the perennial questions about religion: What is its purpose? How did it arise? What is its source? Why does every known culture have some form of it?

Their answer is deceptively simple, yet at the same time highly complex: The brain creates religion and its varied concepts of God, and then in turn feeds on its creation to satisfy innate neurological and associated social needs.

Brain science reveals that humans and other primates alike are afflicted by unavoidable sources of stress that the authors describe as "brainpain." To cope with this affliction people seek to "brainsoothe." We humans use religion and its social structures to induce brainsoothing as a relief for innate anxiety. How we do this is the subject of this groundbreaking book.

In a concise, lively, accessible, and witty style, the authors combine zoom-lens vignettes of religious practices with discussions of the latest research on religion's neurological effects on the brain. Among other topics, they consider religion's role in providing positive socialization, its seeming obsession with regulating sex, creating an afterlife, how religion's rules of behavior influence the law, the common biological scaffolding between nonhuman primates and humans and how this affects religion, a detailed look at brain chemistry and how it changes as a result of stress, and evidence that the palliative effects of religion on brain chemistry is not matched by nonreligious remedies.

Concluding with a checklist offering readers a means to compute their own "brainsoothe score," this fascinating book provides key insights into the complexities of our brain and the role of religion, perhaps its most remarkable creation