SURVIVE!: my fight for life in the High Sierras by Peter DeLeo

A very interesting and tough book to put down. It starts with the author piloting a small plane with two friends as passengers on a sightseeing trip in the California Sierras. A wind shear hits the plane and it crashes, the rest of the book describes DeLeo's incredible trek through the cold and snowy wilderness, with minimal clothing, no food or water, 16 broken bones, and an amazing driving desire to save himself so he can save his friends who were injured more severely than he and stayed with the plane. After 50 miles and 13 days he finally walks out of the wilderness and back into civilization. A compelling read!

Spinning Through the Universe: A Novel in Poems from Room 214 by Helen Frost

April is National Poetry Month, so I found myself in the poetry shelves and decided to try a volume. "Spinning Through the Universe" is a short novel of poems written from the perspectives of the students, teacher and custodian of Room 214, an average classroom in an unnamed school. The poems range in subject from new kittens and lost bikes to home troubles, homelessness, and larger issues of identity and friendship. Though the year is not easy for the students of room 214, the genuine caring that they have for one another is touching and uplifting.

In addition to creating diverse voices for each of the characters in Room 214, Frost also demonstrates her talent as a poet by using many different and sometimes difficult styles of poetry. Everything from haiku and sestina to a crown of sonnets show up in the work. An index explains each of the poetry forms used in the book and gives suggestions on how to write each form of poetry.

The Beast in the Garden by David Baron

You may have read my review on the book Ghost Walker by R. D. Lawrence. This is another book about cougars that was recommended by Regan for me to read to further my knowledge and understanding of cougars. It's been an interesting winter and spring interacting with the cougar research folks in the area, and learning the particulars of the two mama cougars who frequent my ranch. This book documents what happened in and around the city of Boulder, Colorado in the late 1980's. The city itself being very "green" with a majority of it's residents open minded and pro wildlife. The city acquires thousands of acres of land surrounding it as a greenbelt and refuses to allow hunting, which enables the deer population to skyrocket. Deer in people's yards are commonplace. Cougars make a comeback and their population also booms, and soon cougar sightings are common, also. Then domestic animals start disappearing from suburban homes, and then the cougars become habituated to humans and lose their fear of them. What happens next is inevitable. A great nonfiction read written by a science reporter for NPR, it certainly broadened my knowledge and understanding of cougars. Highly recommended read for those of us who live in cougar country.

Runner, by William C. Dietz

Imagine a far future where many planets whose one time technological advances have deteriorated, including the automated planet shuttles, have fallen into disrepair. Jak Rebo is a runner, a person who gets paid to travel and deliver goods, messages, and in this case, a 10 yr old boy who may be the next spiritual leader, makes an epic journey in his effort to deliver the boy to a different planet. A mix of SF, fantasy, and high and fun adventure awaits you in this hard to put down read of 424 pages. Deitz, is a seasoned SF writer from the Seattle area.

Dating is Murder by Harley Jane Kozak

Many of us have been looking in vain for someone to compete successfully with Janet Evanovich and her spicy Stephanie Plum series (One for the Money, etc.). On a different coast—California rather than New Jersey—and without the plausible excuse for running into bad guys—Plum works for a bail bondsman--Kozak’s graphic artist Wollie Shelley still manages to find the laughs, the unusual situations, and a supporting cast of likeable characters just like Plum. She has a cockeyed view, which is both funny and human—“the term “think tank” brought to mind people sitting around in swimsuits, dangling their feet in water as they pondered grave issues of international importance”. Maybe it won’t take you as long as it did for Wollie to smell out the bad guy but while you are dashing around LA she will keep you entertained.

Tea with Jane Austen by Kim Wilson

Tea with Jane Austen is an interesting concept book: it discusses Jane Austen's life and world with well-researched detail. The focus of this slim volume is the British tradition of tea time, and particularly Jane Austen's love of tea.

Full of interesting facts (such as the dark side of the tea-trade) and strange old recipes, Tea with Jane Austen is a book with a very specific appeal. If you like Jane Austen and the history of the regency period, you may find this book very interesting. If such historical anecdotes do not interest you, this book may not be your cup of...well, you know.

Outside the Not So Big House, by Julie Moir Messervy and Sarah Susanka

I bet I’m not alone in thinking: hmm…now that the snow has melted, what on earth should I do with the yard? Thank goodness for the library. There are tons of books on gardening and landscaping available, including the new Outside the Not So Big House, written by the creators of the Not So Big House books.

A useful tool for dreaming big but building small, Outside the Not So Big House offers insight into architectural and landscape design. The book is lovely to look at, with many beautiful pictures of showcase homes and gardens. Using these showcase homes as examples, authors Susanka and Messervy give the reader an architectural vocabulary to use when talking about what he or she most wants in a potential home landscape. Whether creating a sheltered space from which to enjoy a view or a well-laid path to guide guests through the garden, the reader learns what elements of landscape design most appeal to the human eye.

Practically speaking, though, Outside has some drawbacks. The book focuses primarily on landscaping new homes or doing complete renovations of older homes. Folks interested in making minor changes to their existing house and yard may find the book does not address their particular concerns. Also, most of the landscapes ideas featured in the book are extremely expensive. In short, this book is fun to look at for ideas, but offers less in the way of practical advice for the average homeowner.

The Ghost Walker by R. D. Lawrence

After a visit to my remote ranch home by a group of researchers from WSU doing a study on cougars who informed me that they have been tracking two different female cougars, each with kittens, via radio collars, and that they have been calling my mountain their home for the last few months, I figured that I should bone up on cougars. After a few chapters I remembered reading this book shortly after it was published in 1983. It is a great account of the fall, winter and spring when he left civilisation behind to further his study on cougars by living in the wilderness about 90 miles from Revelstoke, B.C. Chock full of facts about the wild cats, I learned enough to continue to feel comfortable wandering the wilds of my homeplace. Besides being fact filled, it is a wonderful story of the wilderness and all his adventures through the 10 months he spent there without ever seeing another human.

Mindscan by Robert J. Sawyer

This is a fun, fast moving SciFi novel. Jake Sullivan has a problem with his blood vessels in his brain which he inherited genetically from his father who became a vegetable because of it. Jake jumps at the chance when the technology comes to be able to transfer his conciousness into an android form, while his old "real self" goes to retire on the far side of the moon and finds a new cure for his problem, the new Jake falls in love with another mindscaned android on earth. While a major court case to determine if mindscanned people are actually legally who they used to be, the old Jake wants to go back to earth and resume his old life. As you can imagine there are a few complications...

The Princess Diaries (Volumes 1-4) by Meg Cabot

Mia Thermopolis couldn’t be more embarrassed. Her mother is dating her Algebra Teacher; the boy she loves doesn’t know she exists and, guess what? - Mia just found out she’s a princess.

These popular novels are full of drama and humor. Though Disney made a movie out of the series, don’t expect the books to be anything like it. Grandmere, the queen of Genovia, more resembles an evil stepmother than Julie Andrews, and Mia does not make a flawless ugly-duckling-to-swan transformation in just one make-over. Instead, her coming-of-age is far more awkward and, consequently, engaging.

The books are truly addictive, but at the same time, I found the characters were hard to like. Mia is highly insecure and selfish, and unlike the movie, she is not very endearing. The other characters, like Mia’s best friend and her awful Grandmother, are even less likable. Though the concept is intriguing (hmmm…what would I do if I were a princess?), the execution of that concept is a little less than regal.

The Sisters by Robert Littell

Complexity is Littell’s trademark in his fasincating CIA-based novels. And that’s what I like about them. Nothing is straight forward, nothing is what it seems, and everything has purpose and meaning, although perhaps not the purpose or meaning that they say. The Sisters was originally published in 1986 so the battle is with communists, but Littell's knowledge of Soviet Russia and the Cold War mentality of the CIA ring very true. Great characters—all with their own twitches including a young women named Kaat who collects words that begin with the letter ‘a’—and imaginative spins on the world as we know it—or perhaps only think we know, Littell delivers a bizarre world of spies and spying. Sign on and, of course, tell no one what you know.

Avalon High by Meg Cabot

At first glance, Avalon looks like any other high school. There are your popular kids, like Will the quarterback, Lance, Will’s best friend, and Jennifer, head cheerleader and Will’s girlfriend. And then there’s Elaine, the new girl. She’s tall and geeky; her parents are professors of medieval literature and chronic nerds. They keep old swords in the house and even insisted on naming Elaine after the Lady of Shalott, some chick from the Arthur legends that killed herself over a guy.

But when weird things start happening at Avalon High, it looks like all those old legends about Camelot and King Arthur might be true after all. Could Elaine and her friends really be the re-incarnation of Arthurian heroes? Would that explain why Elaine and Will feel like they’ve met before? And does that mean that Will is fated to die?

Avalon High is an incredibly fun read, especially for those who are familiar with the Arthur legends. The book offers romance, humor, magic, high school dramatics, and fun twist at the end. The plot may be a little predictable (if you know the Arthur legends, you have a pretty good idea of how the story goes), but the ride is well worth taking.

Neuromancer, by William Gibson

Written way back in 1984, Gibson dreamed up and wrote about several high tech things years before they ever came about in reality, such as the internet. In this postmoderm, cyberpunk classic he is responsible for coining the phrase cyberspace, among several others, again way before their inception. The story is a bizarre, twisted tale that is most difficult to follow (or even understand) beyond what is happening on the surface, yet one just while reading there is much to ponder underneath the storied words. Well worth reading, even if you don't wish to delve into the deeper realm beneath the story. Definately a Sci Fi classic written decades before it's time.

Desert Solitaire: a season in the wilderness by Edward Abbey

I had read all the cult classics about Hayduke and the rest of the Monkey Wrench Gang, but never done any of Abbey's more serious work and figured that winter was a great time to. The book takes place in Utah, mostly describing one summer season he worked as a Park Ranger in one of Utah's National Parks before it got a paved access road into it. Abbey spends quite a lot of time describing the minutae of the desert, the animals, insects, and the heat. So it was a good choice for winter wandering. I personally very much enjoyed the read, but could only take it in fairly small doses. Besides the minute descriptions, I also rather enjoyed the short stories of some of his adventures, which included a raft trip down the Colorado pre Glenn Canyon Dam.

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

Jared Grace and his brother and sister hate their new house on the Spiderwick estate. It’s ugly, old, smelly, and it appears that a small animal has been living in the walls. But then Jared discovers a book that his Great-Uncle Spiderwick left in the attic. The book appears to be a field guide to . . . fairies?

Written as five short books, the Spiderwick Chronicles are an accessible and incredibly well-written series. The Grace children are likeable, believable characters, the fairy-world they explore is fascinatingly portrayed, their adventures are nothing short of page-turning, and there are many wonderful references to fairytales and fairy-lore. On top of all that, the books are full of beautiful illustrations by DiTerlizzi. Parents and kids alike are bound to be enchanted by these fun books. I would highly recommend this series to anyone who is a kid at heart and believes in fairies. (I know I do!)

The Water Mirror by Kai Meyer

Set in a magical version of Venice, Italy, The Water Mirror tells of a fantastical world where mermaids swim through the canal-streets, two outcast magicians feud in an abandoned alley, and the whole city lies under a 30-year siege.

When orphaned Merle is sent to work for one of the magicians, she makes some amazing new friends. Eventually, she finds that she is the only person who can save Venice.

This mesmerizing book reads like a walk through someone else’s dream. Strange new characters appear on every page, but you find yourself believing this surreal story all the same. The book is a trilogy, and ends rather abruptly, much like waking from a dream.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

When Ella of Frell was born, a careless fairy gave her a gift: the “gift” of obedience. Ever after, Ella is magically compelled to do everything she is told. Rather than becoming obedient in her heart, however, Ella becomes a rebel, doing her best to resist the curse and free herself from other peoples' orders. In the process, Ella grows into a determined young woman, brave and kind.

What follows is a fabulous story of adventure, courage, friendship, and a hint of romance. But the best part of the fairytale is Ella, whose delightful personality lights up this terrific story and makes it dazzle.

Note: If you liked the movie "Ella Enchanted," try reading the book - the story is quite different, but just as much fun!

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy

It is 1792. The Reign of Terror grips Paris, France, and hundreds of aristocrats are being sent to their deaths at the guillotine. Only one mysterious person dares to stand up to this bloodshed: the elusive Scarlet Pimpernel. Though no one knows who he is, the Scarlet Pimpernel saves the innocent from death, employing incredible disguises to escape the French revolutionary government and bring his charges safely to England. Naturally, the French government doesn't like this much, and sends its best agent to track the Pimpernel down.

Written in 1905, this tale of espionage and secret identities has been credited as the grandmother of James Bond and other super-spies. The book's only negative aspect is that the good Baroness Orczy occasionally falls prey to the snobbery of her aristocratic rank and the prejudices of her time. However, in spite of these lapses, the story is filled with wit, swashbuckling, and a good dose of romance. This novel remains a classic for a reason.

Only You Can Save Mankind by Terry Pratchett

Johnny Maxwell is your average teenage kid. He avoids doing homework and spends most of his time hanging out with friends or playing video games. One night, while playing the computer game “Only You Can Save Mankind,” a strange message flashes across the screen: We wish to talk. We surrender.

Rather than obliterating the alien’s spaceships in order to set a new high score, Johnny nobly accepts the game aliens’ surrender. Then things really start to get weird. The game aliens expect to be properly treated as prisoners of war. They demand safe passage back to their home planet, as well as several thousand orders of hamburgers and fries to feed their fleet.

In this mind-bending, reality-warping novel from Terry Pratchett, nothing is quite as it seems. How are the aliens able to enter Johnny’s dreams from the game? Why is everyone else’s copy of “Only You Can Save Mankind” now broken? Is this all a dream, or is it real? And will Johnny be able to save the alien race from the most dreaded enemy of all – humans?

Set during the first Gulf War, Only You Can Save Mankind is a crazy tale of real and virtual warfare that is as darkly funny as it is insightful. As Pratchett writes in the introduction: “On your computer: games that look like war. On your TV: war that looked like a game. If you weren’t careful, you could get confused….” Indeed.

Five Poets of the Pacific Northwest

One of the advantages to spending a lot of time in the library is that occasionally you find some rare treasure of a book hidden among the bestsellers. Five Poets of the Pacific Northwest is an older anthology; it was complied in 1964, shortly after the death of notable northwest poet, Theodore Roethke.

All of the poets in this small anthology are northwesterners, either by birth or inclination, and all have been noticeably influenced by Roethke’s work. The similarities end there, however, for all five have distinct styles and differ greatly in subject matter. Some write about loss in a lyrical style much like that of the Chinese poets, others focus more on simple, earthy language to describe the landscape of the northwest and their travels through it.

This is a lovely little volume, well worth reading for anyone fond of poetry and the beautiful northwest.