In Search of Walid Masoud by: Jabra Ibrahim Jabra

This novel is an outstanding novel of Palestinian Literature. I must admit, this is my first experience of reading Palestinian literature.
It deals with culture, and customs very foreign to me, but quite intriguing . The main character Walid Masoud of the novel just disappears one day.
Masoud is an intellectual that is a member of an organization that deals with the arms struggle against Israel. Walid leaves behind a badly made tape that no one can decifer .

The novel is exciting, but very complicated to understand all the intricates, and how the Western, and Islamic cultures work.

Towards the end of the novel, their is a woman convinced that Masoud is alive with another identity, and living in another city. The woman is so convinced , that she flies to that city to search for Masoud.
The novel is challenging, and a great book.

LD. 10-24-05

Fair Weather By: Richard Peck

This is a novel based on the World's Fair in 1893 that took place in Chicago, Il. It is amazing to me that we still enter one of the Buildings used in that Exposition Fair, yes, it is the Museum of Science, & Industry that most people have visited at one time.

The book begins where we meet the Beckett family who are country bumpkins, but poor farmers that make due with their situation. Even the Granddad lives with the family. Lone behold, Rosie Beckett receives a letter from her sister in Chicago. She is inviting the family by placing the train tickets in the letter envelope. The Mother in the end, gives up her opportunity to go, and lets Granddad go.

The Aunt in Chicago has to buy new clothes for the whole family if they want to go anywhere in Chicago. At the Fair they meet Buffalo Bill, who happens to recognize Granddad Fuller. They had fought in some Wars together.

The book was good, but not one of my favorites.


LRD 10/24/05

Code Orange - Caroline B. Cooney

Code Orange starts off with your normal high school student not wanting to do his science report. Mitty wants to become a rock star and doesn't see the point of doing some science report. At his family's weekend home his mother purchased some old medical texts from the 1890's and in one of them there is an envelope marked Scabs-VM epidemic, 1902, Boston. Mitty handles the scabs and then puts them back in the envelope. As he does more research into Variola Major he finds out that it is Smallpox. As the days progress Mitty believes that he contracted smallpox, as he starts showing symptoms of the virus. He goes on-line and says that he has smallpox scabs and doesn't want them anymore, which gets the attention of the CDC, the FBI, and illegal aliens. Mitty is then kidnapped and held for a few days. Does Mitty have smallpox? Do the illegal aliens want to use him as a carrier to infect major cities around the world, or use the virus for bioterrorism?

Tom Burnham

Eve Green by Susan Fletcher

This won an award for first novel. Eve 21-tears-old remembers back to the year she was 8 and back to other events leading to the present while she waits out a hot dry summer and her first pregnancy. Thats the year her mother died and the year she met Daniel - 16 years older and father of her first child. Its the year she became friends with and lost Billy Macklin who survived being kicked in the head by a horse, the year Rosie disappeared, the year she learned the name of the father she had never seen, who had never seen her. She shares her deep love for Daniel, 16-years-older and an understanding of her father Kiernan who showed her mother how life ought to be lived, gleaned from mementos in her mother's memory box. This is mostly a sweet romance and maybe one for Nicholas Sparks Fans.

JDW10/18/05

The Whispering Road by Livi Michael

In the 1830's in England when parents could not care for their children they were left at workhouses. The food was limited, work hard. Children were sold off to farmers to run farms and apprenticed to any sort of folk. They often died young. Here's a story of two such kids, a brother and sister who escaped and searched for their mother. Surviving was tough. Misadvenventures were many. Death was always just around the corner. Joe hadn't much talent but could survive by his witts. Annie on the other hand who could see ghosts and rarely talked was nearly lost. For teens not yet ready for Dicken's longer tales.
jdw

Chasing Vermeer By Blue Balliett

When I chose this novel, I believed that it was concerning about the Dutch painter Vermeer. Little did I know, the book was to do with strange occurences that happened to two teens Petra, & Calder. An odd old lady makes friends with the teens, & at the same time an invaluable painting by Vermeer vanishes. Lone behold, Petra, & Calder are right in the middle of an International Art Scandal. Petra, & Calder are curious of course, & they pursue clue by clue, as they try to unravel the mystery of the famous Art. They try to rely on their intuition, & of course their problem solving techniques. Also their little knowledge of Vermeer. Petra, & Calder are getting deeper into the problem that the F.B. I. was not able to solve.
The book is a good read. Espcially, for people wh enjoy problem solving, & mysteries.

LRD 10-1-05

Tree Girl By:Ben Mikaelsen

This book is very vivid, & can be thought of as a true story that could happen, & takes place at the beginning in Guatemala, & ends up in Mexico. Gabriela is the oldest daughter of a Guatemalan farmer . He allows Gabriela to attend school , when it should be the oldest, which is a son. Gabriela is called tree girl , because she enjoys climbing them, to see the sun rise, & what's happening around. Many times, & this one time Gabriela saw the guerilla's rape, & murder, massacre a complete town including women, & children.
Gabriela looses her whole family, but her little sister Alicia, goes days without eating normally. She finds berries, & roots on the trail. Gabriela's search for Alicia, & for somewhere safe to live, it becomes a search for self. She (Gabriela) hopes to claim a new life. Gabriela is only 15 by the way, & she eventually finds her youngeer sister who is became a mute from trauma. The little sister, Alicia lost her Mother, & witnessed horrible events. She, & Gabriela are reunited, & weeks of teaching her love, & attention Alicia becomes better adjusted.
To me the book is very exciting, & worth every page.
LRD 10-1-05