The Week in Review: 11.16.2018

Between the Covers

Finished last week:

I’m a sucker for memoirs so was excited to pick up DRYLAND: ONE WOMAN’S SWIM TO SOBRIETY by Nancy Stearns Bercaw.  Bercaw had been a collegiate swimmer who qualified for the Olympic trials.  Swimming was very much a part of her identity so when she married actor/director Allan Nichols and traveled the world with him and their son she didn’t really know how to cope and turned to the bottle.  While they were living in Abu Dhabi, she realized she was imbibing too much and vowed to quit.

I think Bercaw has an important story to tell but didn’t deliver like she could have.  She focused on her swimming (back in her glory days) and her drinking rather than on her recovery, which is what I was hoping to read about.  I listened to the audio version and thought Donna Postel did a fine job – she was great with voices and accents but, in the end, I thought the book was good, but not great.  (My friend Stacy sent me this book.)

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It’s not too early to think about holiday gifts and if you have a curious youngster or a budding scientist on your list, I have the perfect book for you.  TRY THIS EXTREME: 50 FUN & SAFE EXPERIEMENTS FOR THE MAD SCIENTIST IN YOU by Karen Romano Young is perfect for inquisitive minds.  The book opens up with safety guidelines and tips for working with chemicals, heat sources, and electricity.  Each experiment is rated on a difficulty scale and lets readers know if an adult is needed.  It also lists concepts investigated and the time and tools required.  Next it lists directions in a clear and concise manner and includes color photos (by Matthew Rakola) of young people conducting the experiment and lets you know if they were successful or not.  I tried a few of the experiments and thought they were fun and age appropriate and the directions were easy to follow.  The back of the book has a few suggestions for science fair projects and lists science standards for each experiment.  I wish I’d had this book when Vance was young because I know he would have loved it.   This book is great for kids 10 and up.  (Review copy provided by Media Masters Publicity.)

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I listened to BOLD & BRAVE: TEN HEROES WHO WON WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE by Kirsten Gillibrand but would like to see a print copy since it’s illustrated by Maira Kalman.  Senator Gillibrand shares information about ten  women who were brave enough to fight the accepted standards of their day.  Some of these heroes are well known, like Susan B. Anthony, and others, like Jovita Idár, are not.  I enjoyed the information shared but do wish there had been more.  Still, it’s a great introduction for early readers that will hopefully make them want to know more.  (Review copy provided by Penguin Random House.)

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Currently reading:

• TONY’S WIFE by Adriana Trigiani
• BECOMING by Michelle Obama

On the Screen

I enjoyed Monday’s episode of Dancing with the Stars for the most part but thought Joe and Jenna and Bobby and Sharna were the weakest dancers.  I was shocked when Juan Pablo and Cheryl were voted off and think Bobby was too.  Next week’s final should be interesting.

Off the blog

• I went to see Sarah McCoy when she was at a Fiction Addiction.  The event was a lot of fun because Sarah is passionate about her latest book, MARILLA OF GREEN GABLES, and the series that inspired it.  She also gives great hugs so you need to go see her if she comes near you.  I got her to autograph a copy of MARILLA OF GREEN GABLES for one lucky reader.  If you’re interested in reading it, fill out the form below and I’ll draw the winner next week.  (Open internationally.)

• I finished my 3,000 piece puzzle and there’s a piece missing.  I’ve hunted all over for it and keep hoping it will show up somewhere.
• After several days of fall, winter decided to come back.  It’s been cold (high in the 40s) and wet all week.  We’re ready for more seasonal temperatures and sunshine.
• I managed to walk at least three miles every morning, even with all the rain, and averaged just over 16,100 Fitbit steps a day.

What’s going on in your corner of the world?