Helpful votes received on reviews:
85% (11 of 13)
Location: Ravenna, OH
In My Own Words:
Greetings, fellow avid readers, from beautiful Ohio! I'm a poet, a writer, an editor, a publication designer, a video director, and former music director of a pop/rock radio station. I graduated from Kent State University. Besides Ohio, I've lived in Santa Barbara, CA, and Madison, WI. I have a newspaper column in which I review and talk about books. On my blog, Shine A Light, I have links to th… Read moreGreetings, fellow avid readers, from beautiful Ohio!
I'm a poet, a writer, an editor, a publication designer, a video director, and former music director of a pop/rock radio station. I graduated from Kent State University. Besides Ohio, I've lived in Santa Barbara, CA, and Madison, WI.
I have a newspaper column in which I review and talk about books. On my blog, Shine A Light, I have links to the columns: http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/one-for-the-books/
I love mysteries such as those of Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich. I adore Asian literature, poetry, art, politics, humor, and children's and pop-up books.
Fiction favorites include P.G. Wodehouse, James Michener, Pearl Buck. I like to read to kids and often include their reactions in my reviews.
My philosophy about reviews is that you don't need me to tell you the plot -- there are enough other reviewers who will tell you more than you want to know. I try to tell you other stuff you'd like to know, like other books that are similar and, in the case of a series, what the other book titles are and in what order they were written.
I'm also fond of books on "new age" subjects, esp. zen, spirituality, and legends such as that of Atlantis.
Much love,
-- Mary
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Reviews
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HENRY AND EDSEL offers insight into the characters of Henry and Edsel Ford and what it was that compelled them. The book presents a strong sense of time and the Fords' presence in and contribution to the events around them. The book is filled with interesting anecdotes. The best part for me were the several chapters called "rearview mirror" -- accounts written by eyewitnesses who recorded their version of important events: Edsel's death, the riots, etc. The author also introduced us to some of the hard workers and bright people Henry surrounded himself with in order to get to the top. One person CAN change the world -- but almost never alone.
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If you're a follower of the Kennedy saga, there may be little new material here in the biography, JOSEPH P. KENNEDY. But it's interesting and highly readable. It covers everyone from JPK's ancesters in Ireland to Caroline and John Jr.'s generation. Jackie comes off well. But there are a lot of unpleasant things about Rose I'd never heard before. And there are things I knew about but never knew the truth behind -- like the tragedy of Rosemary. As I read the book, I thought he made statements that would be considered controversial. But as I read on, and looked at the notes and bibliography, I realized Mr. Schwarz did indeed appear to be well informed. It's oddly written, with some really… Read more
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Magdalena Yoder is hysterically funny again in this, the 9th in the Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery with Recipes series. She kept me in stitches with her philosophy of life and her little diatribes on the residents of Hernia. In THE CREPES OF WRATH we are treated to more insights into the Amish way of life -- this time concerning the young people -- and we learn about the new man in Magdalena's life. Myers consistently creates solid books with a satisfying mystery, splendid characters, and a lot of warm laughter.
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