In one of the all-time most famous works of classical music (The “Moonlight” Sonata), Beethoven cryptically dedicates the tune to a Countess Guilietta Guicciardi, whom he taught piano to. Julie, as Morrisroe re-nicknames her, did not leave behind much in history, but as detailed in the Author’s Note, she likely had some form of romantic relationship with the Ludwig van Beethoven. Morrisroe imagines this relationship and Julie’s life as a whole in this work of…
Homer’s Odyssey requires no introduction for hard-core fans of literature, but reading this great work in its original translation can be daunting to older kids and young adults. Fortunately, Punter and Fiorin retold this classic in a graphic novel. They maintain the basic storyline and illustrate the action with imagination. Fans of Dog Man and other graphic novels will appreciate this form of one of the best stories ever told in human language. It’s action-packed…
Franz Kafka lived in Germany in the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries He is most well-known for his work The Metamorphosis, in which the protagonist grotesquely wakes up one day as a giant cockroach. The work of this review (The Castle) was started and left unfinished in 1922, two years before Kafka’s death in 1924. It was only published posthumously in 1926 – against Kafka’s expressed wishes in his…
This story begins as a tale following two girls coming-of-age while learning to overcome their need to be accepted, and it ends as a story of justice and triumph of the human spirit over circumstances. Over the way, its action leads the reader to confront the truth about the characters’ secrets and about her/his own life. Lindsey is working as a nanny for a summer about to begin her “real life” as a museum curator.…
Hawthorne is known for his cataloging the Puritan history and culture of New England in fictionalized format. This volume of short stories does exactly that. Hawthorne writes tales about conscience and rebellion against the King of England, about the follies of financial success and the shortcomings of moral excess. I grew up in the American South in an evangelical home. The church taught me moral hand-wringing that allows me to relate to the characters in…
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich Often, I read National Book Award winners from yesteryear, but I don’t follow great writers who are currently alive. I decided that I wanted to buck that trend by reading this work. It tells about an everyman’s search for social justice amongst Native Americans. The story spans the distance from North Dakota to Washington, D.C. Personal Memoirs by Ulysses S. Grant While reading a previous biography on Grant, I…
The Great Influenza by John Berry There is no book more appropriate for our time. This is the best history of the last major pandemic – and the deadliest in history. If you want to learn what will help us overcome COVID, first figure out what helped us overcome H1N1 Influenza. The Plague by Albert Camus One of the modern era’s greatest takes on a pandemic, Camus’ work reminds us what life is really about.…
A release from Dog Man series is one of the most anticipated events in the genre of graphic novels. Filled with humor, this book tells of the tale of an evil mad scientist who sought to wreck the city with his powerful robot. It also tells the tale of Petey the cat and what happens when his son invites Petey’s father to visit. Finally, it tells of a hero in love with cupcakes who inadvertently…
This manual, based off of recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA), teaches the basics of life support when/if one encounters someone in a life emergency. It intends to reach an audience of healthcare providers. It covers CPR, defibrillator (AED) use, rescue breathing, choking-rescue techniques, and naloxone administration for opioid-associated events. The AHA and Red Cross administer trainings with this material. This is the standard for life-supporting rescue and first aid. They also have a…
My daughter is into graphic novels (novel-length comic books), and she asked that I read this book with her. Telgemeier tells her autobiographical tale of growing up with severe teeth problems. You see, she accidentally hit her front teeth when she fell down at age 11. This story shares how the subsequent experiences helped define her coming of age. She does so in a relatable and interesting way through graphic pictures that many youth would…