Loop the Loop
by Dan Spencer
ISBN-10: 1411639936
Review by Heather Froeschl
The newest thing to hit the nation draws crowds of spectators anxious to marvel at the skies overhead. Airplanes take the stage and their pilots make names for themselves through daring stunts and death defying (for the most) acts. It is 1912 and aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss is stealing the thunder of the Wright Brothers. Or is he? Curtiss planes become much sought after. And the star of the expositions, stunt flyer Lincoln Beachey, outdoes himself with every new trick. When Herkimer Dawes witnesses a stunt show he becomes smitten with the prospect of flying.
Born into considerable wealth, Herkimer is unused to having to struggle for goals. He wants nothing to do with his family's soap making business though, and sets out to become a pilot. It turns out he has a natural talent and his flying is as graceful as that of a hawk. He eventually becomes second fiddle to his own inspiration, Lincoln Beachey.
Herkimer's life is quite the up and down ride. He becomes involved with an up and coming young actress, whose goals include the new flickers. Eloise is not quite what she seems, or at least Herkimer doesn't see her for what she is until it is too late. He travels with expositions where lesser pilots lose their lives in attempts to imitate the great Beachey. His family life is in uproars with his brother a major league baseball player, his sister somewhat timid, and his father working diligently to keep the business afloat.
Will Herk come to emulate his hero or will he continue down his own path with his talent at flying to soothing sounds of Brahms, demonstrating a perfection of flight?
Dan Spencer has a talent for immersing the reader into an earlier time. Opinions, attitudes, social customs and patterns of speech are all a bit different than what we witness in 2005. The feel of his novel, Loop the Loop, is enticing and interesting as one is transported back to the Progressive Era. It is exciting to witness the growth of airplanes, moving pictures, and baseball, as we know it. The story is a personable one, the characters real and humanly flawed. I very much enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone with an interest in aviation, or the early 1900's.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Historical Fiction Review
The i Tetralogy
by Mathias B. Freese
ISBN-10: 1587364042
Review by Heather Froeschl
Lest we forget...an "inmate" barely exists in a concentration camp, a "soldier" lives out his "duties," and the reader witnesses it all. "The i Tetralogy" is a powerful work. It is unforgettable, as it should be when existing as the reminder of those horrible, terrible, inhumane days of the Holocaust. We are reminded so that we will never forget, so that we can see exactly how far humans will go, so that, hopefully, we will never go there again.
Through the mind of i, readers are exposed to the barely living horror of the camp from the view of an "inmate." Here you will witness the zombie-like existence, the wish for the will to die, the endless misery. Read about the madness that crept around, waiting to take its next victim. Come to understand the death of the soul while the body hangs on.
Through the voice of Gunther, readers are forced to see the mind of the guard, the master, the giver of death if he feels generous. Read of his years in the camps, torturing the Jews whom he loathed. Try to understand, if you will, his inhumanity, his heartlessness, his cold and controlling power. And then witness his years living free in America, doing his best to torture the family he built around him as protection.
Through the life of the son of Gunther, examine what the holocaust did to the world, to all of humanity. Try to understand what humanity did to have allowed such an atrocious evil to occur. Read how the truth about a father splits the world of a family wide open only to lay festering in its juices.
This powerful book will likely turn your stomach, give you nightmares, and make you frown through its entirety. And this is good. What better reminder of this evil than to be stark naked about the details? For young adults, who have possibly only read cursory descriptions of the Holocaust, this book will be a slap in the face introduction. This book is not for those under 18. For those who have read moderately, or even extensively on the subject, it compares as one of the best examples. This is a work of fiction, but it is as if Mathias B. Freese channeled the text from those souls who lived it. An intense and powerful book.
by Mathias B. Freese
ISBN-10: 1587364042
Review by Heather Froeschl
Lest we forget...an "inmate" barely exists in a concentration camp, a "soldier" lives out his "duties," and the reader witnesses it all. "The i Tetralogy" is a powerful work. It is unforgettable, as it should be when existing as the reminder of those horrible, terrible, inhumane days of the Holocaust. We are reminded so that we will never forget, so that we can see exactly how far humans will go, so that, hopefully, we will never go there again.
Through the mind of i, readers are exposed to the barely living horror of the camp from the view of an "inmate." Here you will witness the zombie-like existence, the wish for the will to die, the endless misery. Read about the madness that crept around, waiting to take its next victim. Come to understand the death of the soul while the body hangs on.
Through the voice of Gunther, readers are forced to see the mind of the guard, the master, the giver of death if he feels generous. Read of his years in the camps, torturing the Jews whom he loathed. Try to understand, if you will, his inhumanity, his heartlessness, his cold and controlling power. And then witness his years living free in America, doing his best to torture the family he built around him as protection.
Through the life of the son of Gunther, examine what the holocaust did to the world, to all of humanity. Try to understand what humanity did to have allowed such an atrocious evil to occur. Read how the truth about a father splits the world of a family wide open only to lay festering in its juices.
This powerful book will likely turn your stomach, give you nightmares, and make you frown through its entirety. And this is good. What better reminder of this evil than to be stark naked about the details? For young adults, who have possibly only read cursory descriptions of the Holocaust, this book will be a slap in the face introduction. This book is not for those under 18. For those who have read moderately, or even extensively on the subject, it compares as one of the best examples. This is a work of fiction, but it is as if Mathias B. Freese channeled the text from those souls who lived it. An intense and powerful book.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Biography Review
If This Is Heaven, I Am Going to Be a Good Boy.: The Tommy Leonard Story
by Kathleen Cleary
ISBN-10: 0595356982
Review by Heather Froeschl
Biographies can be a hard sell in the book world. Typically, readers will pick up a book about Bill Clinton or Ronald Reagan, Marilyn Monroe or Elvis, or some other such person, famous in name and career. "If This Is Heaven, I Am Going to Be a Good Boy" is about a regular guy, who just happens to be very well known. I'll bet that this biography is a hot seller even if only Tommy Leonard's friends and acquaintances buy it.
Honestly, I am not a runner and had never heard of Tommy nor even the race that he founded, The Falmouth Road Race. But I came away from reading about his life with a purr of contentment that there are still such giving and caring people out there. From his humble beginnings, through his struggle filled teens and into his adulthood, Tommy Leonard showed heart and strength. It is his generosity of self that surely endears him to everyone who meets him. His passion for running, and racing, and all of the camaraderie that accompanies those things, shows through his actions in garnering support for his fellows.
If everyone worked so hard at sharing their passions, as Tommy has with getting people to support running or even don a pair of running shoes themselves, the world would be a happier place. Also known as one of Boston's most personable bartenders, Tommy Leonard is a character to at least read about and smile if you can't meet him in person. For those who have, his biography is surely a joy and fitting tribute.
Kathleen Cleary has done a service in her writing of "If This is Heaven..." in that she shares the story of one of our hero's. Through extensive research and interviews she has gained the necessary facts to portray Tommy's life. It was undoubtedly through personal conversations with him and with those who know him that helped her to portray the heart of the man. Cleary tells a good story, and Leonard is the star character.
by Kathleen Cleary
ISBN-10: 0595356982
Review by Heather Froeschl
Biographies can be a hard sell in the book world. Typically, readers will pick up a book about Bill Clinton or Ronald Reagan, Marilyn Monroe or Elvis, or some other such person, famous in name and career. "If This Is Heaven, I Am Going to Be a Good Boy" is about a regular guy, who just happens to be very well known. I'll bet that this biography is a hot seller even if only Tommy Leonard's friends and acquaintances buy it.
Honestly, I am not a runner and had never heard of Tommy nor even the race that he founded, The Falmouth Road Race. But I came away from reading about his life with a purr of contentment that there are still such giving and caring people out there. From his humble beginnings, through his struggle filled teens and into his adulthood, Tommy Leonard showed heart and strength. It is his generosity of self that surely endears him to everyone who meets him. His passion for running, and racing, and all of the camaraderie that accompanies those things, shows through his actions in garnering support for his fellows.
If everyone worked so hard at sharing their passions, as Tommy has with getting people to support running or even don a pair of running shoes themselves, the world would be a happier place. Also known as one of Boston's most personable bartenders, Tommy Leonard is a character to at least read about and smile if you can't meet him in person. For those who have, his biography is surely a joy and fitting tribute.
Kathleen Cleary has done a service in her writing of "If This is Heaven..." in that she shares the story of one of our hero's. Through extensive research and interviews she has gained the necessary facts to portray Tommy's life. It was undoubtedly through personal conversations with him and with those who know him that helped her to portray the heart of the man. Cleary tells a good story, and Leonard is the star character.
Memoir Review
Adios, Havana: A Memoir
by Andrew J. Rodriguez
ISBN-10: 1598000489
Review by Heather Froeschl
Every American should read the stories of those who have chosen to live here. Those who complain about life in a land of opportunity should consider what other options they have and be grateful. In a memoir of his leaving his beloved island behind in order to make a new life for his wife and himself, Andrew J. Rodriguez brings the reader to Cuba and offers a sense of the insecurity, the lack of privacy and the burning hope for change.
Rodriguez allows the reader to feel his emotions as he made the decision to leave Cuba, jumped through the outrageous hoops to be able to do so, and came face to face with the reality of starting over in the United States. What's more is that he shares the details of his parents' lives, and his in-laws' lives, and the story of his wife's 110-year-old grandfather. Through it all Rodriguez offers to readers the honest memories of his past, not holding back the intimate details of living.
I've always wanted to visit Cuba and through the pages of "Adios, Havana" I was able to do so. I witnessed the beauty of it and the culture that permeates Andrew's story. I also witnessed the deception of Castro and the result of his coming to power. I can only be grateful that I was born in America and mindful that others weren't. Rodriguez shares the details of his coming to America and the struggle to find his own American Dream. Through this portion of the book one is reminded that opportunities are out there and it is up to the person in need of them to find them.
With a style that is open and honest, Andrew's writing is smooth and easy to read. Like chatting with an old friend over coffee, it is easy to be caught up in the tale. Readers will care what happens to Andrew and his family and this personal story tells me so much more than I ever learned about Cuba in school. Here is a family legacy to be proud of.
The book is a must read, in my opinion, and one that you won't soon forget.
by Andrew J. Rodriguez
ISBN-10: 1598000489
Review by Heather Froeschl
Every American should read the stories of those who have chosen to live here. Those who complain about life in a land of opportunity should consider what other options they have and be grateful. In a memoir of his leaving his beloved island behind in order to make a new life for his wife and himself, Andrew J. Rodriguez brings the reader to Cuba and offers a sense of the insecurity, the lack of privacy and the burning hope for change.
Rodriguez allows the reader to feel his emotions as he made the decision to leave Cuba, jumped through the outrageous hoops to be able to do so, and came face to face with the reality of starting over in the United States. What's more is that he shares the details of his parents' lives, and his in-laws' lives, and the story of his wife's 110-year-old grandfather. Through it all Rodriguez offers to readers the honest memories of his past, not holding back the intimate details of living.
I've always wanted to visit Cuba and through the pages of "Adios, Havana" I was able to do so. I witnessed the beauty of it and the culture that permeates Andrew's story. I also witnessed the deception of Castro and the result of his coming to power. I can only be grateful that I was born in America and mindful that others weren't. Rodriguez shares the details of his coming to America and the struggle to find his own American Dream. Through this portion of the book one is reminded that opportunities are out there and it is up to the person in need of them to find them.
With a style that is open and honest, Andrew's writing is smooth and easy to read. Like chatting with an old friend over coffee, it is easy to be caught up in the tale. Readers will care what happens to Andrew and his family and this personal story tells me so much more than I ever learned about Cuba in school. Here is a family legacy to be proud of.
The book is a must read, in my opinion, and one that you won't soon forget.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Fiction Review
The Devil's Halo
by Chris Fox
ISBN-10: 0091794994
Review by Heather Froeschl
This action adventure spy story is a wild ride of a read. From the very beginning readers will be sucked into the story and held captive for however long it takes to accomplish the mission of devouring the entire book.
Terry Weston, a contract CIA agent, is not usually directly in harm's way. His typical assignments don't involve killing machine watchdog men, irrational Russian masterminds, pleading with the Secretary of Defense for do or die assistance, or global failure of the Global Positioning System's satellites. But this isn't your typical story and so Terry takes on an assignment, to retrieve a stolen movie file worth billions, and finds himself in much deeper trouble than he ever anticipated. What's more is that his wife, a power to admire in herself, and their six-year-old daughter, become deeply involved as well.
Nothing is what it seems in the spy world. You can't trust anyone but yourself, and possibly your spouse. This leaves Terry and his wife Maria in some tight spots, but also with the best possible partners they could ask for. Throughout the book their missions turn from one objective to the next, each more dangerous than the one before. Each chapter grows more intense and suspenseful. It basically comes down to the Weston's saving the world...as best as they can.
Chris Fox's "The Devil's Halo" is a well-written web of fictional suspense, technological intrigue, and entertaining story with personable appeal. His characters, as highly specialized as they are, are downright human and likable. His plot is intricate and enticing, fast paced, and well executed. I don't normally read tales of technological intrigue nor those of spy infiltrated storylines, but I very much enjoyed this one. I highly recommend the read to anyone with an inkling of an interest in these things. I wouldn't be at all surprised if this book were made into a movie in the very near future.
The plot has some points that I will not discuss so as not to give them away, but I can say that the ideas presented here are right on target for today's adventure and "what if?" fans.
by Chris Fox
ISBN-10: 0091794994
Review by Heather Froeschl
This action adventure spy story is a wild ride of a read. From the very beginning readers will be sucked into the story and held captive for however long it takes to accomplish the mission of devouring the entire book.
Terry Weston, a contract CIA agent, is not usually directly in harm's way. His typical assignments don't involve killing machine watchdog men, irrational Russian masterminds, pleading with the Secretary of Defense for do or die assistance, or global failure of the Global Positioning System's satellites. But this isn't your typical story and so Terry takes on an assignment, to retrieve a stolen movie file worth billions, and finds himself in much deeper trouble than he ever anticipated. What's more is that his wife, a power to admire in herself, and their six-year-old daughter, become deeply involved as well.
Nothing is what it seems in the spy world. You can't trust anyone but yourself, and possibly your spouse. This leaves Terry and his wife Maria in some tight spots, but also with the best possible partners they could ask for. Throughout the book their missions turn from one objective to the next, each more dangerous than the one before. Each chapter grows more intense and suspenseful. It basically comes down to the Weston's saving the world...as best as they can.
Chris Fox's "The Devil's Halo" is a well-written web of fictional suspense, technological intrigue, and entertaining story with personable appeal. His characters, as highly specialized as they are, are downright human and likable. His plot is intricate and enticing, fast paced, and well executed. I don't normally read tales of technological intrigue nor those of spy infiltrated storylines, but I very much enjoyed this one. I highly recommend the read to anyone with an inkling of an interest in these things. I wouldn't be at all surprised if this book were made into a movie in the very near future.
The plot has some points that I will not discuss so as not to give them away, but I can say that the ideas presented here are right on target for today's adventure and "what if?" fans.
Thursday, October 6, 2005
Religious Outreach Review
Know Peace Within
by L, David Harris
ISBN-10: 1597815489
Review by Heather Froeschl
"Know Peace Within - A Life in Transition" by L. David Harris, is likely the answer to the prayers of many Christians. Reaching out to the masses through this book, published by Xulon Press, Harris offers a hand up and a warm embrace.
Through anecdotes, interviews with pastors and quotes from the Bible, Harris touches on many challenges faced by Christians today. It is his intent to help readers through these challenges and in doing so, help them to a better relationship with God. He offers steps to be taken in building and rebuilding that relationship, a study of identity, and twelve Bible studies for peace among other chapters. He shares his personal stories and revelations with the intent to inspire readers to make a connection, see themselves, and make a change.
The writing in the book is personable, interesting and right on target. I was distracted by more than a handful of typos and misspellings and felt that the author could have done a better job in the mechanics of authorship. He seems to be filling a need with his work though and likely his readers will overlook these mistakes.
While I don't personally agree with the evangelistic content of the book, I can see that many Christians will feel otherwise and L. David Harris is doing what he is called to do. In that, the book is a success.
by L, David Harris
ISBN-10: 1597815489
Review by Heather Froeschl
"Know Peace Within - A Life in Transition" by L. David Harris, is likely the answer to the prayers of many Christians. Reaching out to the masses through this book, published by Xulon Press, Harris offers a hand up and a warm embrace.
Through anecdotes, interviews with pastors and quotes from the Bible, Harris touches on many challenges faced by Christians today. It is his intent to help readers through these challenges and in doing so, help them to a better relationship with God. He offers steps to be taken in building and rebuilding that relationship, a study of identity, and twelve Bible studies for peace among other chapters. He shares his personal stories and revelations with the intent to inspire readers to make a connection, see themselves, and make a change.
The writing in the book is personable, interesting and right on target. I was distracted by more than a handful of typos and misspellings and felt that the author could have done a better job in the mechanics of authorship. He seems to be filling a need with his work though and likely his readers will overlook these mistakes.
While I don't personally agree with the evangelistic content of the book, I can see that many Christians will feel otherwise and L. David Harris is doing what he is called to do. In that, the book is a success.
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
Christian Non-Fiction Review
Know Peace Within
by L, David Harris
ISBN-10: 1597815497
review by Heather Froeschl
"Know Peace Within - A Life in Transition" by L. David Harris, is likely the answer to the prayers of many Christians. Reaching out to the masses through this book, published by Xulon Press, Harris offers a hand up and a warm embrace.
Through anecdotes, interviews with pastors and quotes from the Bible, Harris touches on many challenges faced by Christians today. It is his intent to help readers through these challenges and in doing so, help them to a better relationship with God. He offers steps to be taken in building and rebuilding that relationship, a study of identity, and twelve Bible studies for peace among other chapters. He shares his personal stories and revelations with the intent to inspire readers to make a connection, see themselves, and make a change.
The writing in the book is personable, interesting and right on target. I was distracted by more than a handful of typos and misspellings and felt that the author could have done a better job in the mechanics of authorship. He seems to be filling a need with his work though and likely his readers will overlook these mistakes.
While I don't personally agree with the evangelistic content of the book, I can see that many Christians will feel otherwise and L. David Harris is doing what he is called to do. In that, the book is a success.
by L, David Harris
ISBN-10: 1597815497
review by Heather Froeschl
"Know Peace Within - A Life in Transition" by L. David Harris, is likely the answer to the prayers of many Christians. Reaching out to the masses through this book, published by Xulon Press, Harris offers a hand up and a warm embrace.
Through anecdotes, interviews with pastors and quotes from the Bible, Harris touches on many challenges faced by Christians today. It is his intent to help readers through these challenges and in doing so, help them to a better relationship with God. He offers steps to be taken in building and rebuilding that relationship, a study of identity, and twelve Bible studies for peace among other chapters. He shares his personal stories and revelations with the intent to inspire readers to make a connection, see themselves, and make a change.
The writing in the book is personable, interesting and right on target. I was distracted by more than a handful of typos and misspellings and felt that the author could have done a better job in the mechanics of authorship. He seems to be filling a need with his work though and likely his readers will overlook these mistakes.
While I don't personally agree with the evangelistic content of the book, I can see that many Christians will feel otherwise and L. David Harris is doing what he is called to do. In that, the book is a success.
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