By Stephen Gould

This book presents the story of a boy who discovers that he can teleport himself to anywhere in the world. That in itself is a pretty amazing thing to consider. He is faced with a few limitations. For example he can only teleport or “jump” to places that he has been and can clearly remember.

The story that evolves around his new found ability is pretty interesting and actually quite believable because it is surrounding a person with potentially normal problems, with only a few unfortunate but believable ones added to the story.

Overall the story predictably escalates, to some rather less predictable sequences of events. I enjoyed the story because the main character isn’t a superhero that everything goes well for and he acts as I hope I may act in a similar situation.

Besides the primary antagonists in the story who are agents of the NSA he also seeks throughout the story to find a way to reconnect with his abusive father and deal the the death of his mother who is killed by terrorists while trying to build a healthy relationship with his girlfriend all while dealing with being able to teleport to anywhere in the world.

The story is dynamic and a great read.  It is pretty interesting if you like mild science fiction set in believable settings. It is a bit older and written to take place in a pre 9-11 society (though aspects of this story deal with issues of terrorism that are almost insightful to our world today).

There is a movie made on the premise of this book, but the story is almost totally different. It is okay, but at times is weird.

The movie and the book are both 3 out of 5 stars.

by David Mccullough

1776 is a wonderful book that looks closely at the events surrounding that fateful year that was so important in the formation of the United States of America. The writer is really a great narrator of events and does an amazing job of considering all applicable accounts and presenting the story from all the participants perspectives.

The book covers primarily the wars and maneuvers of the opposing army’s but also includes important information and involvement that the continental congress had.

One of my favorite parts of the book is that it also considers very closely the primary characters that played a part in the military actions and their personal ideas and characteristics. This helped to paint an even more illuminating picture of the events that occurred during this years time.

This book actually covers about 18 months of time, primarily to give important background information leading up to the main events of 1776 and a few major events that occurred in the first few weeks of 1778.

Overall I liked this book. It really clearly illustrates how many times the war was almost won and lost by both sides.

The book is a great piece of work about the revolution of the United States of America. If you want to learn more about this era, then this is a must read. It gets a 4 out of 5.

Michael Nichols and Mike Fay

This book is a photo book by Nichols, an accomplished National Geographic Photographer, and a journal of writings by Fay that documents a year long journey through the Congo Jungles to document the natural diversity present in an area almost untouched by man.

The book has wonderful writing and the photography is absolutely amazing documenting amazing animals, natural vistas, and the unfortunately carnage and brutality that follows man and the greed we often posses.

I personally own several books of photography and only purchase what I consider to be quite amazing, and this tops all that I have. I highly recommend the quality of the content but also the presentation of it in the folio case that is included. I at first balked at the price (actually for more than a year) but seeing the final product I lament that I waited at all to buy it.

This story was also documented in National Geographic Magazine in a three part series that was presented over a year or so period. I new the work was momentous from the mere glimpse you get from these three separate articles.

So if your interested in Africa at all, this is a must see and read. It does an amazing job at showing the diversity present and what can be potentially lost if it isn’t protected and active preservation practices put into place.

It gets a 5 out of 5 stars.

Unfortunately it is expensive and quite a large product so most bookstores aren’t likely to carry it, especially now that is has been around a while. It is worth the cost, if it holds any interest for you!

Last Place on Earth (National Geographic) (v. 1&2)

By Walter Isaacson

This biography by Isaacson is quite impressive. It explores a wondrous American life that all Americans owe something to. Franklin played an extensive part in the formation of our country and how it is today. He was the only person present at the signing and creation of all our countries important original documents. This books goes into great detail about… all the aspects of Benjamin Franklin’s life that we have records of, the good and bad.

This book does much more to illistrate Franklin’s life than does his autobiography because it connects us to the clearest picture of reality available for the events of his life rather than the prideful ideas that he puts forth in his own perspective alone.

Franklin was an amazing person that did amazing things for his entire life, but he also had his faults. That is one reason that this book shines, its coverage of his mistakes and character flaws. He had a lot of pride in his life, and he definitely struggled in his family relations (perhaps one of the only areas that I have great disrespect for his choices and actions). Through this however he espoused many great and important ideas. Some of the ones that really hit home for me was the importance of compromise at times of prudence and an adage that he used for his political work and all areas of his life “why conquer your enemies when you can seduce them?” Very important lessons that many people will never learn.

So overall, if you have ever had any interest at all in the life of Benjamin Franklin, the founding of the United States of America, or the founding fathers of this country this book is a must read!

This book gets 5 out of 5 Stars, and is a great read.

This autobiography is one of the best books I have read in a while. It blends a great record of an amazing life into a wonderful self help book. Taking the contents of this book…at face value will make this a great help to people who desire to become better people based on good moral and working values.

This book written by Benjamin Franklin is written as words of advice to his son whom he hoped would see the benefit of some choices he could make and become the type of person he could be proud of and his father (who was writing it) could be proud of.

The only really unfortunate thing about the book is that it didn’t really get a bit more of Franklin’s focused attention. Almost everything he touched or was involved with in his life turned out wonderfully well. It is understandable though that while he was involved in the formation of the United States major documents of importance he didn’t have time to lecture his son in this form (especially because at that time he was estranged from his son).

The biggest disappointment is that the biography doesn’t include more about his later years and his personal perspective on some the involvement he had with major historical events, and relationships he had cultivated.

The book has a great prose, isn’t horribly preachy especially in a nice self deprecating way and goes by much too quickly.

Overall this is a great self help book, and includes many great maxims and morals for life in general. If you want an in depth overview and perspective on the person that Benjamin Franklin was definitely read Walter Isaacson’s biography on him Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, which is an amazing look into all we know about him.

This book gets 5 out of 5 Stars

Household Repairs

By Cindy A. Christiansen

A Romantic Comedy

Following up her first novel Legacy of Lies, Household Repairs is a Romantic Comedy that is a great piece of work by the up and coming author Cindy A. Christiansen. Household Repairs follows two characters, Tatum Stewart and Ryan Bulldarren, through a comedic and increasingly romantic chain of events that circulates around what appears on the surface to be simply a series of household repairs and these two people trying to escape the oppressive influences of family members with quite a bit of comedy and some potential romance but beneath this is actually a series of events that threatens Tatum’s safety as a gangster tries to direct and control them so that he can claim what he feels is his rightful inheritance of prohibition period riches hidden by his mob boss grandfather in the basement of Tatum’s rustic home. Ryan turns out to be more than a talented repair man; he becomes Tatum’s only source of hope and protection as events unravel around her. The characters are almost instantly at each others throats in frustration, passion, and eventually love in what is a well written and fun story.

Overall this story has a good basis for its comedic nature and for me just the right amount of romantic/love interactions (for some this may not be enough…). The story has the right amount of complexity to be funny and interesting, and the characters are continually changing, humorous, and fun to follow to see what will happen next. Also great is that the book isn’t really predictable and keeps you hooked with each new twist and turn.

This is a great book, and worth the read if you enjoy the Romantic Comedy genre.

This book gets 3 out of 5 stars, and is worth your time!

This book will be published by Wings ePress (www.wings-press.com) and you can buy it from their website here, check it out!

For more information about Cindy A. Christiansen follow this link.

Fablehaven

This is yet another Magic book. Yes. Well this one is pretty good, compared to others it lives up to expectations. Reading this book had me laughing and interested for most of the book. This is pretty good for a kids book being read by an adult. Overall I can’t wait to read it with my kids (they are still interested in mainly eating them so it is a while more before we get into chapter books).

This book follows two kids being watched by their grandparents while their parents go on a very long cruise. They at first are bored being with their grandparents in the middle of nowhere but soon find through a journey of discovery that they are surrounded by an amazing preserve of magical creatures.

They have fun times and also quite of few struggles throughout the book. Overall they grow in character and learn important lessons while saving the day (mainly caused by their own mistakes ironically). This book has morals every parent would want their kid to learn!

Overall I give it a 4 out of 5!

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Fablehaven

By Jon Krakauer

This is a tale of a young man and his search for his own self and how it ended in his tragic death.

This book follows Chris as he journeys through America experiencing life and trying to discover what is out there for him. If pieces together the little known path that Chris traveled for more than 2 years up to his untimely death by starvation in the Alaska wilderness.

This book isn’t a fiction at all. It analyzes as much as possible the things that influenced the young man and choices he made that led to his end. It also makes the case that Chris didn’t in fact go out to die, but to live and in the process several unfortunate events led to his death.

As with most of Krakauer’s writings there is good research, strong opinions, but also a certain amount of fair objectiveness that leaves the reader to discern for themselves what actually may have occured.

Overall I give it a 4 of 5 stars, and a good read if you dig the documentary investigation type of books.

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Into the Wild

The Pearl

by John Steinbeck

This is a really short book compared to others. It is also a parable meant to help the reader understand how things could affect their own life if they came into it.

The story follows a fisherman and the changes that come into his simple life as he finds a pearl that is extremely large and of great value. He sees the grandiose potential in front of him because of the pearl he now has but sadly experiences very quickly the negative effects that follow the supposed fortune.

Overall the simple story is written well and striking to read. The imagery of the book is beautiful and fluid. I definitely enjoyed the book. If you get a chance read the book. It won’t take long, but is worth it.

Overall I give it a 5 out of 5 stars!

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The Pearl