On The Back Early in history of the English language, the word grammar and glamour meant the same thing: the power to charm. Roy Peter Clark, author or Writing Tools, aims to put the glamour back in grammar with this fun, Engaging alternative to stuffy instructional. In this practical guide, readers will learn everything from the particularities of punctuation to why effective writers prefer concrete nouns and active verbs. The Glamour of Grammar gives readers all the tools they need to “live inside the language”- to master grammar to hone meaning, to read with a critical eye, and to enchant thought their writing. With this indispensable book, readers will come to see just how glamorous grammar can be. My Thoughts Grammar is my biggest issue as a blogger. As I am sure many of you have noticed from reading my blog posts I am not a good speller and punctuation? HA! Forget about it! (Sadly I even took children’s literature classes in college and they still did not help me … [Read more...]

  On The Back In January of 1976, Paul Solotaroff went off to college as a skin-and-bones loner in platform heels and David Bowie mullet. When his father drove out to campus to bring him home at term’s end, Paul was 190 pounds of shrink-wrapped muscle, having discovered the alchemies of the campus weight room and the new miracle of steroids. It was the summer that disco swept New York, and the city, nearly bankrupt and besieged by crime, forgot its troubles in a riot of sex and dancing that cranked till four in the morning. Paul quickly discovered that his ripped physique made the velvet ropes swing open- as if by magic- at the hottest nightclubs New York had to offer. And his biceps threatened to tear the sleeves of his Nik Nik shirts as he met willing young women on dance floors populated by Gotham’s elite. My Thoughts Let me start out by saying, when I read books it is usually in my car while I am waiting to pick up my daughter from school. This book The Body Shop … [Read more...]

On The Back A new adventure! The dynamic canine detectives, Penny and Rio, escape from the backyard for the first time in search of a valuable diamond collar lost by Hannah, the beautiful show dog. During their search for the misplaced treasure, they encounter Ted, the loveable and energetic collie, Sarge, the belligerent and forceful German shepherd, and an obstacle of epic proportions. But just when it feels like Penny has reached the end of the adventure, the prize is ripped from her grasp. Solving this new problem will take all the ingenuity and determination these dog detectives can muster. My Thoughts You might remember my past review on Penny and Rio! Now there is yet another fun adventure! Penny and Rio: The Diamond Collar Adventure by Jennifer Swanson! My daughter was so thrilled when this book arrived. She loves the first two books and so I knew she would jump at the chance to read another one. I was right! When I opened the package she screamed “Penny and Rio.” Penny … [Read more...]

  On The Back Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I,53)? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium (Cd, 48)? How did radium (Ra,88) nearly ruin Marie Curie’s reputation? And why did tellurium (Te, 52) lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history? The periodic table is one of our crowning scientific achievements, but it’s also a treasure trove of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. The fascinating tales in The Disappearing Spoon follow carbon, neon, silicon, gold, and every single element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, conflict, the arts, medicine, and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. My Thougths The scientific table of elements is something that has always been interesting to me but also very hard to understand. Sam Kean author of The Disappearing Spoon has generously broken down the table into mote simple terms that made it easier for me to understand. At first I … [Read more...]

    On the Back With rumors of infidelity straining Greg and Tess MacAvoy’s marriage, the couple head out on their sailboat one early summer day to celebrate their wedding anniversary, hoping the roughest waters are behind them. But in an accident off Nantucket, they mysteriously drown, leaving behind two small children as well as the three couples who have long been their closest friends. Tragedy brings to the surface long-simmering conflicts and emotions, and the MacAvoys’ six grieving friends find themselves unprepared for the revelation of secret upon secret as they struggle to answer the question: What happened to Greg and Tess? The Castaways probes the boundaries of friendship and forgiveness as it tells a page-turning story of passion, betrayal, and suspense, filled with the perfect details of summer island life that have made Elin Hilderbrand’s novels beloved bestsellers. My Thoughts The beginning of this book was very confusing for me. It … [Read more...]