The Sherlock Holmes Companion: An Elementary Guide / Daniel Smith - Book Review

The well-known saying, “Elementary, my dear Watson!” immediately springs to mind on hearing the title of Daniel Smith’s enlightening work on the great detective, The Sherlock Holmes Companion: An Elementary Guide (Aurum Press; ISBN 978-1-78131-404-3). That the contents of this guide are anything but elementary, however, becomes clear when one sees how wide-ranging and diverse they are.

A thoroughly revamped edition of a work that was first brought out five years ago, the Companion is a joy and pleasure to behold, being as much a wonderfully illustrated gift book as an incisive entrée into the late Victorian world of crime and detection, in fictional form, as probed by a passionate lifelong Holmes devotee. The backbone of this book is provided by one-page synopses of all four of the Sherlock Holmes novels and fifty-six short stories in Doyle’s canon, given in as close a chronological order as is possible, given the extensive debate that has arisen around such an issue. Although there are a few spoilers in these overviews, by and large they can comfortably be read not only to remind one of plots that might be eluding one’s memory, but as an enticement, in the case of those who have not, as yet, read the works, to, in fact, do so.

Interspersed with the plot summaries, and starting with a social and political chronology of the years 1879 to 1903 (being the period from Holmes’s first reported case ‘The Musgrave Ritual’ until his official and final exit from the pages of detective lore, at least as emanating from the pen of Doyle), a wealth of information is presented regarding the background to the author’s prolific output, and as to the form that such literary masterpieces have taken since. That Doyle’s writings have stood the test of time, and are still, even in this digital age, as revered as ever bears witness to the universality of his themes, the depth of his characterisation, and the abiding interest of his subjects, which readily translate into modern-day sagas, as can so clearly be seen in the riveting, and still currently aired, television series, Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

It is only fitting that a biographical sketch of Doyle be followed by profiles of his key creation, the Great Detective Sherlock Holmes, as well as of the recorder, and narrator, of the tales, his close friend, Dr John H. Watson. The latter discussions are of great interest to anyone coming to Doyle’s work for the first time, as it is seldom that one’s reading is likely to be in chronological order, and with each story revealing only those aspects of the characters that are relevant to the plot, a broader, more comprehensive view of their backgrounds should prove to be enlightening as to the context from which the characters emerge Additional insightful chapters that fill one in on different aspects of the character of Holmes include ‘Holmes as the Detective-Scientist’, ‘Scotland Yard and the Police’, ‘Holmes and his Pleasures’, ‘Dr Joseph Bell’, ‘Holmes in the Town and in the Country’, ‘The Literary Lineage’, ‘Holmes and the Curious Affair of the Missing Woman’, and ‘Holmes and his Politics’. Pieces on Holmes’s arch nemesis, Professor Moriarty, as well as on other villains, provide valuable insights into the darker side of Holmes’s world, revealing how they came to be so “irredeemably horrible”. The publication of Doyle’s work is covered in chapters on the Strand Magazine, and on the illustrator (one of many) Sidney Paget’s contribution to the lasting image of Holmes and Watson out on a case. In covering Holmes’s legacy, Smith explains how he has become such a celebrity that he is now known as “one of the world’s most enduring ‘brands’”.  Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collection at Marylebone Library in London, Catherine Cooke discusses her concern with the Collection, as well as with the Sherlock Holmes Society of London.

In a series of interviews entitled ‘Holmes and Me’, actors of stage and screen who have been intimately involved with producing their own accounts of the Great Detective and his constant companion, Dr Watson, reveal how they became interested, and involved, in doing so. Those interviewed include Roger Llewellyn, Philip Franks, Douglas Wilmer, David Burke, Edward Hardwicke, and Mark Gatiss. In addition, the writer and military historian Caleb Carr discusses how he coped with the challenges encountered in writing a new Holmes story, and Bert Coules, head writer on the BBC project to dramatise Doyle’s entire cannon for radio for the first time, shares how he transformed literature into the spoken word for public consumption. This aspect of The Sherlock Holmes Companion is rounded off with a comprehensive discussion of ‘Holmes on Stage, Screen and Radio’.

Overall, this is a wonderful volume, and would make a wonderful gift for anyone who is keen on Doyle and his abiding creations, the Great Detective and his comrade in arms, Dr Watson. Want to know whether The Sherlock Holmes Companion will be a valued addition to a friend’s library? Check their DVDs, and if they have a box set of ‘Sherlock Holmes’ or ‘Sherlock’, you’ll know that it most definitely will.

Coloring Animal Mandalas / Wendy Piersall - Book Review

Who ever thought that, as an adult, you could self-administer art therapy through opting for coloring in pictures? If you haven’t heard about it yet, doing so might seem too close to retreating into one’s second childhood for comfort. However, one of the most sophisticated nations, if not the most sophisticated nation, on earth, France, has come up with just such a form of seeking stress relief. With over 350,000 sales in the bag, the publishers of 100 Coloriages Anti-Stress are coining the market in creating therapeutic manuals featuring the most involved pictures of artworks from the Middle Ages, patterns that are enough to turn Austin Powers think-alikes into spasms of ecstasy, and the most apparently intricate landscaped gardens that have ever been framed.

Now, from the pen of the lifelong artist, Wendy Piersall, comes a collection of thirty wildlife designs that will have you reaching for your crayons, paints, and felt-tip pens in the blink of an eye. Not only will coloring these wonderfully seductive and intriguing pictures in provide you with relief from the hurry and scurry of everyday life and its seemingly ever-present demands, but you will also be able to reach a little closer to your own personal Nirvana. Each of the pictures is, in fact, a mandala (Sanskrit for “circle”), which is a means of retreating from the world that has been used for eons as an aid to meditation and healing. So both old and new impulses are catered for in this diverse mix of lions, dragons, peacocks and unicorns, among other creatures of both real and fantasy worlds.

If you are a parent, why not join your kids in their coloring-in activities—after all, you can legitimately give yourself time off, while participating in an enjoyable pastime with them as well. If you are a harassed employee, who desperately needs to put your feet up at the end of a hard day’s work, yet who cannot abide to face another evening of same old, same old TV, why not relax by focusing on a quiet and soothing way of spending some hard-won “me” time, helping to create an artwork that will look beautiful with minimal effort, and experience, on your side? 

Coloring Animal Mandalas (Ulysses Press; ISBN: 978-1-61243-350-9) might just also set you free from stereotypical thinking regarding “age-appropriate activities,” and open you up to a whole new world of self-exploration and delight. Just give Piersall a chance to take you there, and you won’t be looking back, but only forwards to your next colorful creation!

Experimental Ruminations / Ali Znaidi - Book Review

The Prologue to renowned Tunisian poet Ali Znaidi’s Experimental Ruminations (Fowlpox Press, 2012), which consists of two lines from Leonard Cohen’s Book of Longing, suitably sets the tone for the poems, including a number of sonnets, that are contained in this chapbook: “I followed the course / from chaos to art”. That the current work is, most clearly, a work of art, can be seen in the great care that is taken by Znaidi in presenting the poems, both sequentially, within the book as a whole, and structurally, in terms of each individual poem.

From emptiness emerges “full dream”, as the first sonnet in the five that start this chapbook proclaims. The sonnets, although not in traditional sonnet form, but written in free verse, as many of Znaidi’s poems are, nevertheless have the intent of sonnets, in that they focus on conveying an overwhelming emotion, which is, essentially, based on a paradox that is implicit in the human predicament.  The poet’s brave and confrontational approach to life can be seen in the climax to Sonnet 2, where he welcomes the daylight that follows on “the murk of the night”.

Znaidi’s sensitiveness to the deeper workings of an artist’s mind are voiced in his third sonnet, which compares smashed butterfly corpses adorning the walls, mural-like, as a result of the insects having lost their way during a solar eclipse, to a canvas that might astound even Salvador Dali. The greyness and bleakness of life to an individual who longs for the greenness and freshness of the prairie is heightened by Znaidi’s repetition of “grey” in Sonnet 4, where the monotony of the landscape is only alleviated by the inner eye of the imagination.

The poet’s appreciation of the vulnerability of the downtrodden is expressed through the startling juxtaposition of “giraffe people” with “The little snail / [that] doesn’t like to be trodden”. His urgent appeal to “autograph lovers” to “Please, think of little snails!” is striking in its poignancy. That Znaidi is at home with elements of domesticity can be seen in his “A Sonnet for a Clothesline”, where a preoccupation with a clothesline embodies his concern with the linearity of life’s progression over the fluttering transience of “[b]eautiful sparrows”.

The grittiness and depth of Znaidi’s grasp on the fundamental wellsprings of life (which he holds in common with Leonard Cohen, so little wonder for his appreciation of the singer-songwriter, as evidenced in the Prologue) is conveyed in terms of “an endless orgasmic trembling / of lust” in “A Dying Lust”. The elemental nature of things stripped bare of the need to conform to the stifling demands of a society that is concerned more with external show than inward emotions and feelings is revealed in the personified encounter between clothing and the body in “against suffocation theory”. A riveting contrast between maturity, in the form of spent passion, and the lightness and fleeting happiness of youthful fancy can be seen in “Snow Is Made up of Aphrodite’s Teeth”. 

The seriousness of “A S/tar”, which reflects how the world besmirches that which is essentially refined and noble, is alleviated by the relative levity of “Stainless Wit in Every / Direction”, which is an ironical reflection on the questionable uniformity of structure that an electronic networking medium, such as Twitter, has on the multifariousness of messages that it relays. Znaidi’s delight in playing with words can also be seen in “A”, where homophones are bandied around with glee. That the poet has a penchant for experimenting with poetic form as well as with poetic diction can be seen in his use of “A Little Haibun”.

The political undertones of “a new kind of brew”, in his awareness of the presence of “infusion+fermentation”, show that his interests are anything but ephemeral. The immediacy of the visual imagery that permeates Znaidi’s work is explored in the many aspects of the colour blue that he evokes in “a blue composite”. In addition, the fecundity of the poet’s sensual awareness of the body corporeal once more comes to the fore in “Ease is a Pair of Stockings Torn Away”.

Ali Znaidi, a Tunisian secondary school teacher of English, lives in Redeyef, Tunisia, and has had many of his poems published in a wide range of magazines and journals worldwide. In addition to Experimental Ruminations, Znaidi has published three other chapbooks: Moon’s Cloth Embroidered with Poems (Origami Poems Project, 2012), Bye, Donna Summer! (Fowlpox Press, 2014), and Taste of the Edge (Kind of a Hurricane Press, 2014). His collection of flash fiction, titled Green Cemetery (Moment Publications, 2014), is of landmark importance, as it is the first Tunisian flash fiction collection to be originally written and published in the English language. The diversity of his interests and the fundamental universality of his concerns make him a poet to be reckoned with on an international front.

Sceadu: Your Shadow Holds a Secret / Prashant Pinge - Book Review

In Sceadu: Your Shadow Holds a Secret (Prashant Pinge; ASIN: B00NVCV0I0), award-winning author Prashant Pinge brings another world to life, inhabited by fearsome beasts and magical creatures, in his latest novel for young adults. On his website, he utters what might, at first glance, appear to be a disclaimer. While waiting to write his magnum opus, which drew him out of bed in the middle of the night, but which he has still to write, he states, “I happily string words together in my quest for Nirvana.” As with his writing, although what he has to say appears, on the surface, to be simple and straightforward, yet the inner depths of the tale that he has to tell soon emerge. In short, you can regard Sceadu: Your Shadow Holds a Secret as an adventure story, and stick with that, if you like, but you would be far better off being aware of the magic and mystery of his source material, which should enrich your reading experience immeasurably.

That Pinge also has an abiding interest in psychology, mythology and ancient history comes as no surprise, in that he delves into the depths of his human characters psyches in revelatory detail. Each such character is well-rounded and soundly reasoned out in terms of motivation, with Sceadu being multi-layered in texture, as well as in plot. When Matilda, frustrated by her siblings’ and cousins’ inattention to her discovery of another world, goes there by herself, leaving them to follow in her wake, she opens up countless opportunities for them to explore a fantasy world filled with goblins, imps and faeries, as well as many other lesser known creatures of myth and legend. The world of the extraordinary and fantastical definitely holds appeal for Pinge, as he has already had a short story “The Dark Rising” published in a collection on the paranormal, entitled The Killer App and Other Paranormal Stories: Look Beyond the Normal.

Even though Sceadu is aimed at a young adult audience, where the text is also likely to go down well is in the older learner’s classroom, where discussions can be held regarding the use of imagery and metaphor, and where the meaning of some of the more advanced vocabulary used can be explored. Pinge’s keen-eyed and sensitive description of the environment and the setting in which the action takes place is alternated with heated exchanges between the human characters, which might also be fun to role-play. His dialogue is true-to-life and nuanced, clearly showing the differences between the older and younger members of the family.

Sceadu is such a worthwhile and invigorating read that it is quite likely to spawn a cult following, who will soon be asking for more stories in the same vein. It also holds great potential for being converted into a screen play. For a glimpse of what the book holds in store, why not check out the book’s enticing preview at http://www.prashantpinge.com/?

I, Emma Freke / Elizabeth Atkinson - Book Review

For anyone who has ever felt out of place growing up, I, Emma Freke (Carolrhoda Books; ISBN: 978-0-7613-5604-2) is an absolute treat. The novel starts with the central character, Emma, feeling totally out of sync with her world, a world that she shares with her bohemian and irresponsible mom, who is a single mother, and her maternal grandfather, an Italian immigrant known as Nonno (whose nickname for her is Emma-roni). Her only friend is a Liberian, Penelope, who was adopted by a lesbian couple whom Penelope calls the “Grey Moms because they both had gray hair and looked more like grandmothers than mothers.” Emma spends all her spare time looking after her mom’s bead shop. As a keen organizer, she thrives on the sense of responsibility that doing so nurtures in her. If she is not sorting beads into their right compartments, Emma is forever making lists: “What You Need to Be an Adult”, “How to Sound Normal” and “Which Subjects are Off-Limits with Donatella”, among others. In fact, one could almost swear that she suffers from OCD—that is, until one day she goes off to attend a family reunion that is so strictly run that she rebels against the rules and makes friends with a cousin who is hiding away in a cabin in the adjoining woods.

 

Despite (or perhaps because of) the eccentric and idiosyncratic behavior of many of the characters that populate I, Emma Freke, a great deal of down-home common sense fills these pages, so that reading them is not only an enjoyable but also an enlightening experience. Although aimed at a pre-teen audience, baby boomers who grew up in the 1960s are just as likely to enjoy this unconventional and stimulating tale. The characters, no matter how ostensibly whacky they are, are well-rounded and thoroughly credible. The pioneering spirit of both the female and male protagonists are likely to hold great appeal for any youngster who thinks outside the box and who has difficulty with conforming to the expectations of a norm-driven society.

 

No stranger to small town life, Elizabeth was raised in the town of Harvard, a cozy New England village in central Massachusetts. As well as working as a freelance writer for the past two decades, Elizabeth has taught English Literature, as well as worked as a children’s librarian and co-executive director of a local arts foundation. Her debut middle grade novel, From Alice to Zen & Everyone in Between, was included in the Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of 2009. I, Emma Freke has been awarded the Gold Moonbeam Medal for Pre-teen Fiction, as well as having been nominated for a number of other prestigious awards.

Enough Salt and Pepper: A Mischievous Dog Adventure / Janice Stump Clark - Book Review

Enough Salt and Pepper: A Mischievous Dog Adventure (Tate Publishing; ISBN: 978-1-61739-011-1) is a tale of three dogs, an English bulldog and two Scotties, is both enjoyable and instructive. Told in five-line rhyming stanzas, the picture book is colorfully illustrated and should both amuse youngsters as well as encourage them to want to try hard to be good and to care about others. Each stanza is accompanied by an appropriate biblical verse taken from the Amplified Bible version of Psalms, 1 Samuel, Proverbs, Isaiah or Galatians.

The three dogs, Sergeant, the bulldog, and the two Scotties, Salty and Pepper, all have unique characters. While Sergeant is selfless and giving, the two Scotties are forever getting up to mischief, for which they let Sergeant take the blame. Sergeant’s modest character is revealed in that he prefers to wear nothing at all, unlike Salty, who likes to have bows in her hair, and Pepper, who proudly sports a red collar. As an example of the appropriate use of biblical verses, the verse accompanying the stanza describing their outfits is one taken from 1 Samuel 16:7b: “For man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Clark tells not only of what they get up to in their yard, but also of their adventures one day when they decide to embark on a tour of the neighborhood. And, don’t worry, they all do come back home safely afterwards!  

 

Janice Stump Clark is a multidimensional author, artist and educator, who has spent three decades motivating learners to strive to attain their best and to abide by sound ethical principles. Her love for dogs is borne out by her sharing the Ozark tree farm on which she lives with her husband and grandson with several exceptional dogs. Her key mantra, according to her Facebook page, is “Life is amazing. Savor each moment. God is good!” I do hope that Janice has more stories about the fun threesome to share with her readers, as children will most probably easily become attached to the spunky trio. In addition to making perfect bedside reading, Enough Salt and Pepper should make ideal reading for quiet time at Sunday school outings.  

What's the Trouble in the Forest of Kerfubble? / Roger & Jennifer Sulham - Book Review

A family of hares living down by the lake in the forest of Kerfubble hears “a terrible noise / [that] made them quiver and quake.” Fearing that a monster is on the loose, they hop away as fast and as far as they can. On their way, they meet a whole host of different forest creatures who join them in fleeing the site of the noise. In turn, they meet up with Bobo the cat, two otters, a raccoon, a beaver, a fox, a deer, a bear, and a dog, who leads them all home to his master who lives on a farm. What the farmer does about it, and the lessons that are learned conclude this woodland tale.

 

In rhymed verse, What’s the Trouble in the Forest of Kerfubble? (Inkblot Press LLC; ISBN: 978-0-9826414-9-1) is a delightful foray into the world of the imagination. The variety of animals portrayed should be enough to pique the curiosity of all children. Those who have not been exposed to many animals in the wild will benefit from learning their names. The concept that animals, some of which young children might even be afraid, such as the fox and the bear, can also be frightened by something should help them to relate more closely to animals living out in the wild. Fear is also such a commonplace emotion that they should find it comforting to realize that they are not the only ones to feel afraid. The imagination of the creatures, as they visualize an increasing number of fearsome monsters chasing them, should also help to stimulate the imagination of the young reader. That the animals all finally resort to seeking the help of a farmer also shows young kids that when they are afraid, they should seek out the help of someone who is older and wiser, who will help them with resolving any issues about which they are concerned. 

    

What’s the Trouble in the Forest of Kerfubble? was written by Roger Sulham and illustrated by his wife, Jennifer Sulham. The bright colors and collage-type textures, which appear different for each type of animal, are appealing and exciting. Roger Sulham has the following to say about the illustrations:“The eye catching illustrations are a unique blend of hand painted paper, rice paper, felt, and patterned paper. This mixed media collage gives the artwork a textural, homemade feel. The mixed media collage style does increase both time and expense of production, yet we feel the added depth and warmth are worth the effort.” This is a great book for those who would like to introduce their children to a range of forest-dwelling critters – I just wish that such colorful books were around when I was a kid!

Prose to Go: Tales from a Private List / edited by Irene Davis; Fred Desjardins and Davis, Irene; Desjardins, Fred; and Florio-Graham, Barbara Florio-Graham - Book Review

Florio-Graham’s spirited introduction to Prose to Go: Tales from a Private List (Bridgeross Communications; ISBN: 978-0-9866522-1-9) introduces the reader to a literary-minded coterie of friends that are bound together by their addiction to writing. Coming from all walks of life, including broadcasting, technology and education, they have contributed to this collection of short non-fiction pieces with accounts and revelations gleaned from their past. Their intimate portrayals of both the ups and downs of everyday existence are heartwarming in their sincerity and stimulating in their humorous portrayal of family and friends.

 

Grounded in almost three decades of active involvement in the Professional Writers' Association of Canada, Florio-Graham, together with her fellow editors, Irene Davis and Fred Desjardins,

have sifted through mounds of writing by 23 talented professionals, many of whom have had extensive experience of writing and publication, in order to come up with this memorable and fascinating collective biography that describes their daily travails and mixed fortunes in miniature.

 

Under “Misadventures,” among others, you’ll travel with alpacas, remove a toilet seat from around a toddler’s neck, grapple with a pest invasion, and rekindle the warmth of past attachments. In “Rear-view Mirror” you’ll look back on a Jewish childhood in Kensington, Toronto, spend time in Fort Smith, see Christmas from inside a Santa suit, be birthed with spina bifida, and lots, lots more. “What In the World” will enable you to share in celebrating the Rolling Stones, collecting geological marvels, baking pies for fall fairs, and becoming aquafit, among other activities of equally soul-stirring nature. “Love and Loss” will leave you surmounting writer’s block, mourning for a loved one that has passed away, and admiring the mementos bedecking a Christmas tree. “Exit Laughing” will add mirth to your life, regaling you with the funnier side of chlorination detail, crickets, and compliments, as well as sundry other topics. Prose to Go: Tales from a Private List ends with a short biography, including the website addresses, of each of the contributing authors, so that you can contact them or read more of their work if you would like to do so.         

 

Relatively short as the pieces may be, with nearly all being about three or four pages in length, they nevertheless share a wealth of experience with you. Start with dipping into one or two stories at a sitting and you are likely to find that you read for longer than you had originally intended. Ideal reading for relaxation and entertainment, these stories could also easily be read in bed at the end of a long day, or while you are feeling indisposed due to ill health or bad weather. There’s no need to stay marooned indoors—curl up by the fire in the company of this wide range of friends and you definitely won’t feel alone!  

The Map across Time / C.S. Lakin - Book Review

C.S. Lakin writes the following of The Map Across Time: A Fairy Tale: “I know it sounds arrogant, but it is my favorite book in all the world and it is comforting, inspiring and moving. And because there is so much in there about me and my struggles in life, my dreams and hopes, it is a part of me I wouldn’t want to be without.”

 

The second tale in the Gates of Heaven series, The Map Across Time: A Fairy Tale contains many of the elements that are also present in the first, The Wolf of Tebron, and then some more. Both tales are set in a mythical world that is permeated with a sense of both good and evil—a world in which the leading protagonists are required to battle not only external forces that seem to be beyond their control, but also their own inner demons of fear, anxiety and self-doubt. The tales are most definitely coming of age novels, in which the well-rounded characters come 

increasingly into their own as they both literally and metaphorically navigate their way across a landscape that is lovingly, though at times fearfully, depicted. C.S. Lakin may be a writer of fantasies, but she is also at heart very much the realist, who is fully aware of the complexities of living in a diverse world. Her sensitive appreciation of all things both natural and supernatural resonates throughout her work, in which she not only shows her heightened appreciation for the tangible aspects of our existence, but also her sustained awareness of matters transcending our mortal coil. Lakin expresses a deeper intent with the series, which she voices in a statement regarding her broad purpose in writing this series of adventure tales for adults: “Although these books are clearly future-based and involve Scripture and allegory, my mission is to reconcile a lost world to God, for as my characters wander lost through the pages of my books, my readers wander with them, until they find they are home.” Coming home to self and to the microcosm of the wider world that surrounds one is thus pivotal to both The Wolf of Tebron and The Map Across Time. Both works, in addition to being inspiring and deeply moving, are also highly accessible, on no matter which level you read them.

 

Ideal for the general reader, who does not need to be faith-based to enjoy it,The Map Across Time can be read on its own, as, although the themes and part of the story have some bearing on the earlier The Wolf of Tebron, the story can also be considered to be self-contained and capable of standing on its own two feet. For any avid follower of fantasy, I would most definitely recommend investing in the whole series as it appears—you will most definitely not wish to miss out on any of the tales, and I look forward to the day when the Gates of Heaven series comes to rival other, much less meritorious, works of fantasy that have so come to dominate the mass media market in recent years. 

Life in the Cathode Ray Glow: Stories about Growing up in the '60s and '70s and Other Fiction - Book Review

The first twelve stories in this volume, though containing elements of the author’s own childhood and teenage perceptions and experiences, are, nevertheless, fictional. With an inherent distrust of biographies, fiction is the only medium that Sikes considers to be authentic enough to relay most of the truth about life. As he writes in the “Afterward: Telling Stories”, “the act of reducing a life to book length makes the person seem much more interesting than he or she actually was, and once the events are recreated and twisted with commentary and description, what’s there isn’t really accurate.” Sikes’ concern with the truth has led him to prefer writing fiction to rehashing his own personal reality as a form of renegotiating the truth. To Sikes, fiction contains “enlightening hints at universal truths…[and]…insights about people and life in general.” In such vein, he invites one to read his collection of short stories, Life in the Cathode Ray Glow: Stories about Growing Up in the ’60s and ’70s and Other Fiction (CreateSpace; ISBN: 1-4505-6169-1).

 

Reminiscent of Bill Bryson’s finest, the first twelve tales in the volume are amusing, insightful and true to life. All of them have some trenchant point to relate and leave one thinking more deeply about some aspect of our human existence, though they are in no way preachy. The deeper meaning of one’s experiences is brought home without hitting one over the head with gospel truth. In fact, it came as quite a surprise to me that Sikes had already written an acclaimed spiritual non-fiction book called Keeping it Between the Ditches: Living the Christian Life.

Provocative and stimulating are two words that I would definitely choose to use in reference to his latest collection. The narrator of the first twelve tales appears to be the same young lad, whose fictional experiences reveal not only interesting aspects of those whom he encounters, but also a solid upbringing in an ethically sound home. They are enough to make one long once more to revel in the childhood encounters of yesteryear. The other five tales are told from a variety of viewpoints, and are more stream-of-consciousness and character sketches than the conventional sharp and slick beginning—middle—end of the traditional short story. No matter the protagonists or the setting, though, this collection is well worth reading and thinking about.

 

Sikes is a prolific writer, having had many of his short stories, essays, and poems published in a variety of publications and webzines, such as USA Today, The Wilmington (Delaware) News Journal, Out and About, Poor Mojo’s Almanac, Cornerstone, Focus on Teachers, and The Nazarene Standard. No matter your age, you should find something about which to reflect in his writings. Sikes’ honesty and integrity shine out from these pages, and are most refreshing in these days of over-the-top hype and gutless mudslinging. Do read him—he’s well worth it.    

Adventures of Rusty & Ginger Fox / Tim Ostermeyer - Book Review

This charming picture book tells of two red fox cubs that set out to explore the forest and the animals that live in it. Along the way, they encounter a wide range of forest-dwelling animals: deer (a doe and her fawn); a wolf (with “sharp teeth, big ears, and a fluffy tail”); a cougar (with a “hungry look in her eye”); a black bear cub (with “black fur and long, sharp nails”); and a family of bobcats (with “pointy ears and whiskers”). For each of the animals in Adventures of Rusty & Ginger Fox (Synergy Books; ISBN: 0-9845040-0-1), Tim Ostermeyer provides a fact page, giving information about their physical characteristics and behavior. The combination of the story of the two fox cubs, which is told both in words and in pictures, as well as the details of what kinds of animal they are, makes for an interesting and informative read. The full-color photographs that Ostermeyer provides of all the animals clearly show the type of setting in which each can be found, as well as the way in which they move and position themselves. And, what’s more, the story does not end there…

 

Enclosed by the forest is a mysterious lake, in the middle of which is a small island, towards which the two fox cubs swim, together with their parents, who have just joined them. On the island, they encounter not only a treasure chest, but also two little girls, who are only too eager to open the chest to see what’s inside. I won’t spoil the ending by saying what happens, apart from that the story ends altruistically, if somewhat improbably. By the way, humans are also given a fact sheet of their own.

 

I actually found the ending rather contrived, and would have much preferred to see the girls finding proof of the animals’ presence in the forest (such as their paw prints) and tracking them down, so that they could take photos of them in turn. But then, unfortunately, I am not the author, and perhaps my ending would have been overly predictable. Also, alas, my photographic skills are not a jot on Ostermeyer’s, who has had a lifetime of experience of taking photos, and who has won over 250 first-place awards for his photography. That he has a genuine interest in wildlife is not to be doubted, making this picture book a wonderful read for anyone who wishes to inculcate a love of the outdoors in their children.

The Promises She Keeps / Erin Healy - Book Review

Three strands of character come to interweave themselves ever more closely in this exciting faith-based suspense novel. Chase, an autistic artist, together with his mindful and concerned sister, Chelsea, and Chase’s insightful helper, Wes, form a strand that is permeated with love, not least that which is bestowed on all those around him by Chase. Another strand is that formed by the rising musician, Promise, who is determined to leave a lasting legacy for the world when she dies from the debilitating effects of the cystic fibrosis that is devouring her body, though not her spirit. The final strand is composed of Porta, an aging witch, and her son, Zack, who is at odds, not only with her, but sometimes, it seems, with all whom he encounters. The characters are all strongly drawn, and contrast markedly with one another, yet blend together so well that, ultimately, their inextricability from each other seems inevitable.

Each of the strands is affected in some way by a malady that renders it physically, emotionally and spiritually vulnerable to negative impacts from elements outside its immediate sphere. Yet, what renders it most susceptible to such influence also enables it to survive, although in altered form, and to become more truly whole. The Promises She Keeps (Thomas Nelson; ISBN: 978-1-59554-751-4) has been criticized for not being more overtly Christian in its message, as only one of its characters, Chase, ever expresses himself in such a way—after all, he has memorized four different translations of the Bible, so that it is only fit that he tends to utter biblical verses to evince his innermost feelings. The themes of the novel are where the Christian timbre of the work emerges most distinctly, though. The redemption that can be attained through sacrificial love, innocence, the nature of life and death, as well as good and evil, are all central elements of this taut and well-paced, yet thought-provoking, work.

Just as the underlying message of this book resonates throughout the whole, so, too, does the concern of the main characters with some aspect of the arts. Chase draws all whom he encounters as trees—whether good or bad. Wes, for instance, he sees as “a good presence, an emergent rainforest tree with sprawling buttress roots that rested on the top of the soil”, whereas the malevolent presence of Porta he sees as “an alien species, a noxious weed that did not belong on the Shore with the people he loved.” The artistic concerns of the other two strands—music and modeling in the case of Promise, and the visual arts and photography in the case of Porta and Zack—are more self-serving than Chase’s talent that he strives to share with all around him. The inclusion of various forms of art in The Promises She Keeps, apart from being central to the overall plot, gives added strength to the story and broadens the vista that Erin Healy opens up for us.

Truly a remarkable book in many ways, the work has already garnered a large audience, due to its falling into a number of different genres—mystery, suspense, alternative romance, Christian fiction, and the esoteric. No wonder that it has such a wide appeal, which, when complemented with a style that is highly accessible and smooth-flowing, makes The Promises She Keeps a read not to be missed.

The Floundering Time / Katey Weselcouch - Book Review

In her debut graphic novel, Katey Weselcouch covers the final week in the senior year of a group of young women at a liberal-arts school who still have a range of issues to work out before entering the world of adult responsibility. As can be imagined, as this stage Emma and friends are more set on partying and clubbing than on seriously considering their futures. Although, on the surface, The Floundering Time might appear to be trivial and of scant lasting value, the dilemmas that are faced by the largely female protagonists are very real to those of this age.

 

How best to navigate around the tricky world of relationships, expanding sexuality, and the wider society are a few of the many issues that are explored in this novel. Okay, the work does have a number of failings, such as the limited range of the dialogue, the stereotyping and two-dimensionality of especially the secondary characters, and the lack of impetus and overall direction of the plot, but then the work has been titled The Floundering Time for a reason—unless college goers are focused single-mindedly on their studies, or on a particular cause, such as politics or religion, this phase in one’s life does tend to be one of experimentation and of trying to sort out what really makes one tick. So, although the vagueness and indecisiveness of the characters might alienate those readers who are looking for a text with greater meaning than The Floundering Time appears, at least at first glance, to have, the angst expressed by the youngsters who people these pages is, in fact, relevant to, and reflective of, their setting and circumstances.

 

The expectations and limitations to which we are prone when first setting out into the post-teenage world of relationships are the key foci of The Floundering Time. The transgendered nature of the two male protagonists and the flirtations between the female characters should be of interest to young readers who are, as yet, indecisive about their own sexuality. The appeal of foreign places is catered to with references to the narrator’s experiences in Paris during the previous year, based on the author’s own encounters with the Parisian lifestyle while studying abroad. Music and culture also gets a look in with references to the punk and indie rock way of life.

 

The illustrations, done by Weselcouch herself, are all, apart from the cover, in black-and-white, showing mainly the changing moods of the characters themselves, as well as their encounters with others. The lack of capitalization and use of cursive throughout might bother some, as well as might the amount of swearing and blasphemy used in the text. However, that The Floundering Time truly reflects “simultaneous intensity and stillness,” as the author intended, is indisputable. 

When I Was a Child: Based on a True Story of Love, Death and Survival on the Kansas Prairie / T.L. Needham - Book Review

In When I Was a Child: Based on a True Story of Love, Death and Survival on the Kansas Prairie (Outskirts Press, Inc.; ISBN: 978-1-4327-7136-2), the semi-fictionalized account of how the members of one family survive a range of misfortunes that beset them and of how they manage to struggle through the dark dust bowl days prior to and during the Great Depression, is counterpoised against the experiences of the main protagonist, Louis Pfeifer, during World War II. The juxtaposition of childhood days spent on the Kansas prairie with Pfeifer’s experiences as an 82ndAirborne paratrooper, his involvement in the air drop into France on the eve of D Day, and his incarceration as a prisoner of war in Germany until the end of the war successfully maintains a taut air of suspense throughout the book. One wish that I had, though, was that Needham had used the services of a professional editor, as, especially towards the end of When I Was a Child, the occasional sentence fragments and typographical errors disturbed the free flow of the text to a certain degree.

However, in addition to the riveting storyline, to which many growing up in this region of the States should be able to relate, the characterization is very well done. So vivid a portrait does Needham paint of the central characters that you are clearly able to empathize with them as they endure the sundry miseries that life inflicts on them. Even when Louis’ father is imprisoned for sexually abusing his oldest daughter, he seems more of an everyday hero for managing to keep his large family together through the toughest of times than he does a villain. Needham clearly shows how it was only the loss of his wife in a blizzard of which he was the sole survivor that drove him to such exigencies. The importance of the Catholic faith to all members of the family is revealed in the strong ethical principles that sustain them through thick and thin, making this a story that should appeal to all who share the same faith.

 

T.L. Needham, a native of Kansas City, was raised on the stories of survival and agrarian hardships described in this book. His mother, Geraldine, was the dearly beloved sister of Louis Pfeifer, whose wartime exploits are dealt with at length in When I Was a Child. It was largely through her that he could relate so closely to the previous generation’s stoicism in the face of what must, at times, have seemed like a barrage of never-ending woes.   

 

When I Was a Child, despite its somewhat disjointed style, is a worthwhile and motivational read for all ages. The POW scenes, though unsettling, are not of such a graphic nature that they are likely to upset any readers, no matter how old they are. For the older generation, the wartime scenes should bring back memories of stories that their parents might have told them.   

 

Letters to Millie / Neal Powers - Book Review

All the action in this sequel to Millie’s Honor takes place between Friday, September 10, 1976 and January 26, 1977. The prologue introduces us to a deeply psychotic character called Byron Donovan (think the chief protagonist in A Clockwork Orange), who is maimed not only mentally and emotionally, but physically as well: “That’s how I got crippled. I was kicking this black kid in the head when Thornton tackled me sideways like. It wasn’t no accident. Knees aren’t supposed to bend like that.”

Powers has the knack of describing a character in a few lines that convey the essence of that individual’s persona. For example, Bud Oswald he describes in the following words: “If it weren’t for the sheriff’s uniform, he could have passed for a college professor. He wore glasses and had a scholarly look about him.” (Middle-aged Gleekville, here we come!) The action comes quick and fast, with the linear progression of events being easy to follow, and many of the chapters being as short as two to three pages.

The emotional depth of the plot lies in the way in which the characters suffering from repercussions of the past adopt their own ways of coping with the challenges of the present. Key among such is the effects of the Vietnam War on the lead character in Letters to Millie (Universe; ISBN: 978-1-4502-3716-1), Raymond Thornton. Powers’ concern with and compassion for those afflicted with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), from which Thornton suffers, is of particular relevance bearing in mind the number of armed forces personnel returning from the conflict situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, so that, although the story is set in the 1970’s, it has a great deal to say about the modern-day psyche. The stresses which affect even those living in relatively small communities are also explored in Letters to Millie, as the small town of Raleigh is rocked by a wave of violent crime. As Raymond Thornton helps Sheriff Bud Oswald, who is himself starting to suffer from night terrors, solve who is behind the devastating crimes, which threaten to unsettle the stability of a closely knit community, the relationships between the different characters are seen as forming a supportive network which helps to retain the dignity and sanity of the individuals involved.

This thought-provoking thriller is relieved by the author’s somewhat macabre sense of humor. When a key baddy gets poisoned, stabbed, shot and left for dead on the rubbish dump, only to be crushed under a bulldozer by his own father, the key question is how many times a guy can die. No doubt Powers has had to develop such a survival skill due to his own somewhat traumatic past. The novelist has real-life knowledge of PTSD, as he himself was diagnosed with the disorder, which he developed as the result of an eleven-year career investigating aircraft accidents for the FAA. Powers explains, “Letters to Millie examines serious topics – drugs, murder, war – but the book is actually a love story that describes the role family and friends play in helping us survive tragedy. My intent is for readers to come away with a renewed sense of hope in the power of community.” Powers achieves his intent very well indeed, and even if you haven’t yet read Millie’s Honor, try to get your hands on this novel – you won’t be disappointed!

Letters from Sweetwater / Dr. Dale Garland - Book Revival

Reading like a biography rather than a novel, Letters from Sweetwater (Revival Nation Publishing;

ISBN: 978-1-926625-31-7) covers the lifespan of its protagonist, Jesse Garmon, who has much in common with its author, Dr. Dale Garland. After all, they share the same birthday, attended the same public schools, earned doctorate degrees from Indiana University, are practicing optometrists, and have lived a good deal of their lives in the same locale—North Carolina. If you aren’t already in love with the majestic mountains and the tumbling streams of that state, believe me, by the time that you finish reading this well-honed tome, you sure will be. And, just as a mountain takes some effort to climb, or even to view from afar, at first the sheer 438-page length Letters from Sweetwater might appear to be daunting. However, once you allow yourself to ease into the flow of the text, you should find yourself succumbing to the sheer glory of it all.

Not an easy novel to read, with its multiple characters and many subplots,Letters from Sweetwater is, nevertheless, the more rewarding and thought-provoking, the longer that you spend on it. A novel of epic proportions and imbued not only with the spirit of the backwoods, but also with a keen sense of awareness of the bigger picture into which each of our lives ultimately fits, whether we wish it to be so or not, Letters from Sweetwater will bring out the rapture in your soul. Full of incidents that lead one to ponder the deeper meaning of life, this work is redolent with significance and filled with a deep sense of joy and tranquility, almost in spite of its being a high-class and sophisticated whodunit. Don’t forget that the author came to this work with a lifetime of writing behind him. As an optometrist for over thirty years, Garland took up creative writing to relieve some of the stress and tension associated with being a health care professional. Starting with poetry, he gradually worked his way up to short prose, until, at the age of 73, he finally produced this magnum opus. And magnum opus it is—as he himself says, “Having spent most of my life in North Carolina, I wanted to craft a novel that combined all of the elements of Southern living that I love: faith, family, friendship and majestic mountain settings. I’ve always admired the Southern tradition of storytelling, and I finally gathered the nerve to tell a story of my own.”

If you are looking for a straightforward story with no underlying themes, complexities and subtleties, this pièce de résistance is not for you. Letters from Sweetwater is a novel to be savored like finely matured old whiskey—if you try to rush through it, I can guarantee that all you will do is find it a deeply frustrating experience. So, read it over a holiday or when you have nothing else to do but taste, reflect and enjoy. The afterglow is bound, I guarantee, to linger much longer…     

The Twisted Path Home / Fae Bidgoli - Book Review

Told mainly in the form of flashbacks to her previous existence, which she recalls with the assistance of a renowned psychiatrist, Dr. W.A. Carter, The Twisted Path Home (Dog Ear Publishing; ISBN: 978-160844-517-2) unveils the parallel lives of Arezoo, an Iranian woman living in Berkeley, California, in the 1990’s and that of Sogund, a twelve-year-old child bride living in the remote village of Golabad in Persia in the late 1800’s. The close association between the two comes about through them both having to escape the tyrannical patriarchal rule of Islamic fundamentalism in order to assert themselves as caring, loving women who both have compassionate, loving roles to play in their respective communities.

Fae Bidgoli felt driven to write this novel in an effort to bring greater awareness to the barbaric practice of child marriage, which remains a tradition in developing societies around the world. Only by pretending insanity can Sogund escape the harsh treatment inflicted on her by her much older husband. However, her fleeing to a position on the roof whenever her husband comes home ultimately leads to her release from bondage, in that it makes the religious authorities of the time take action on her behalf. By taking such a bravely defiant stance, she secures not only her own freedom, but also that of her two fellow wives, with whom she has developed close emotional bonds. The Twisted Path Home is, therefore, an affirmation of the power of female bonding, specifically in opposition to repressive religious regimes.

Not that all men in The Twisted Path Home are portrayed as negative male stereotypes – far from it, in fact, as Robert, Arezoo’s second husband, is shown to be a “wonderful, loving and caring husband”, whose job as a journalist compares favorably with that of Arezoo, who is a university professor. However, Arezoo, too, had to flee her earlier marriage to a man who repressed her every instinct to be fully self. Although the main characters in this novel attract our empathy and understanding as readers, the facilitating role played by Dr. Carter is rather one-dimensional, but perhaps that is just as well, as it is the role of the women that is of primary importance in this novel.

Bidgoli, similarly to the chief female protagonists in The Twisted PathHome, was also born in a remote Iranian village into a family that didn’t believe in education for girls, and a community that fanatically followed the Islamic religion. She, her husband and their two daughters immigrated to America, where she earned a master’s degree in economics from the University of San Francisco and built a successful real estate career. She was also the first woman in her family to get divorced, in defiance of the dictates of her traditionalist parents and conservative upbringing.

The Twisted Path Home deserves to be included in the recommended reading lists of any community college course concerned with human rights, and should make ideal reading for any person who is interested in the empowerment of women across the globe. 

Hurricane Mia: A Caribbean Adventure / Donna Marie Seim - Book Review

For any child between the ages of 8 and 12 who loves the sea, this middle reader is a must. A modern-day adventure story of a girl and her kid brother, who are packed off to their Gram and Gramps, who live on a remote island in the Caribbean, is both heartwarming and inspirational.

The multicultural and empathic nature of the text should appeal to anyone who is exposed to a multiplicity of different cultures. How the heroine, who is almost an anti-heroine at the start of the story (many a tween, even though they might find it hard to admit, should be able to relate to her peevishness and selfishness), comes to realize that, by insisting upon having her own way, she endangers the lives of others makes this a fine coming of age novel.

Hurricane Mia (Peapod Press; ISBN-10: 0982691106; ISBN-13: 978-0982691106) is filled with believable characters, who are so intriguing that, if you haven’t visited the islands, you long to do so. The interplay between the local inhabitants of the islands and the newcomers, who long for their cell phone connections and ready internet connections, is amusing and true to life. One cannot help but admire the pluckiness of the locals, who make the most of the relatively scant resources which are available to them. Yet even they are not perfectly adapted to life in such a harsh climate – when one thinks of the Caribbean, one tends to think of balmy turquoise waters and blissful days spent lounging under tropical skies, but in Hurricane Mia there is inclement weather, as the title suggests, and sting rays and hammerhead sharks that can harm you.

This is a world in which you soon, as a child, have to learn to accept your responsibilities. That Neisha, the quintessential island girl, is unable to swim comes as a shock both to Mia and her brother, Jack. “‘You can’t swim? Your dad is a fisherman! You live on an island! How can you not know how to swim?’ The words flew out of Mia’s mouth like bullets.” In such an environment, one not only sometimes has to fight the elements, but the conflicts between the characters themselves sometimes seem overwhelming, as, for example, the antagonism between the willful Mia and her Gram, whom she regards as over-restrictive and demanding.

The novel is beautifully illustrated with numerous drawings by Susan Spellman, and includes a glossary, a reference list, a study guide and activities. In short, it is not only a delight to read, but also a springboard for young imaginations. Donna’s love of children and children’s literature radiates throughout this reader, making it an inescapably good buy. Do get it – you won’t be disappointed! 

Mad Dog Justice / Mark Rubinstein - Book Review

Just as thrilling as its predecessor, Mad Dog House,at the hands of noted physician and psychiatrist Mark Rubinstein, comes Mad Dog Justice (Thunder Lake Press; ISBN: 978-0-9856268-0-8), a tale of running from the recrimination that follows on the heels of the murder of a loan shark, whose untimely end one might have thought was inevitable. However, when it is the so-called “good guys” that perpetrate what could be called “street justice” is the crime involved any less heinous and devastating for those who are left behind? Not, it seems, when it involves the uprooting of entire families and the disruption of the workplace. When does order become reduced to mayhem, and when does law, or, at least, taking the law into one’s own hands, become disorder and chaos?

As one might expect from such a professional practitioner of the arts, the questions surrounding ethics that lie at the heart of Mad Dog Justice make it far more intriguing than a mere thriller or everyday detective story. Though the pulse does quicken and the blood and sweat do pour forth, this novel is much more than a quick read. The tension of the plot does sweep one onwards and away from the mundanity of everyday existence, but there is a depth to this work on which one can dwell for some time.

Who to trust, and who to distrust, and whether trust is possible at all in a world that is torn apart by violence is a core issue of Mad Dog Justice. In one of the few places in the book where the philosophical depth underlying the psyche of the leading protagonist is shown, the uncertainty of the daily stresses that flummox us all is revealed: “…when it comes to people and money and greed, you never know. When money is at stake, plenty of people lose their sanity. They no longer act rationally. You just can’t know what drives people to do what they do in this world.” And who better than a psychiatrist and medical professional to tell us that?

This work should appeal to all those who enjoy a great escapist read, with the haunting anxiety that besets the lead characters being disturbing enough to make one’s flesh crawl. You’ll no doubt heave a sigh of relief at the end of the book, but then be itching for more of the same. Mad Dog Justice is an intoxicating read that will have you hankering for more…guaranteed!

Folk Tales and Fables of the Gambia, Volume 3 / Sukai Mbye Bojang - Book Review

Who is not acquainted with the riveting work Roots: The Sage of an American Family by Pulitzer Prize winning author, Alex Haley, which not only hit the New York Times Best Seller List in late 1976, but went on to become a highly acclaimed TV miniseries, one of the best of all time? As you no doubt remember, the story starts with the discovery of the (since disputed) fact that Haley’s forebear, Kunta Kinte, was abducted from a small village called Juffure in The Gambia by slave traders, who shipped him, as they did so many tens of thousands of others, across the Atlantic to be sold into slavery in the then so-called “New World”. Despite the grimness of much of its subject matter, who, on reading “Roots”, has not been attracted by the rich descriptions of African people and wildlife residing in the country of Kinte’s birth? In Folk Tales and Fables of the Gambia, Volume 3 (Educational Services; ISBN-13: 987-9983-901-07-8), both the cultural practices of the Gambian people and the behavior traits for which such animals as elephants, hyenas, snakes and tigers are well-known, are portrayed in all their uniqueness and richness, making this a collection of short stories to be treasured by both old and young.

The moral emphasis of the tales in no way dissipates the pleasure that author Sukai Mbye Bojang wishes to instil in her readers, and, although the intended target audience is youngsters of school-going age, in the light of the amount of tourism that the Gambia attracts, this book, as well as its two predecessors, should make ideal reading for those intending to visit the country. The stories are not only amusing and enlightening, but they also serve as a valuable introduction to a country that, being the smallest on the African continent, has tended to receive relatively little press coverage.

If you are interested in sharing the enjoyment of a good story about Africa with your children and grandchildren, look no further than this series, which, in some ways, is reminiscent of Arthur Ransome’s tales of children with their waterside pursuits. The Gambia is, after all, a country that was formed along a major waterway leading into the African interior. Similarly, this series provides a conduit into the African soul, albeit one with marked British influence. The country did, after all, only gain full independence from British rule in 1965, and English remains its only official language.

With the current volume focusing on tales from the Wollof and Jola tribes, and previous volumes containing stories sourced from the Mandingo, Wollof and Fula tribes, Bojang intends to include fables from the Serahuli tribe in her next volume in the series of Folk Tales and Fables of The Gambia. Personally, I look forward to reading her forthcoming work very much indeed.