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Category: Gift Ideas

Review: Cinderella: An Islamic Tale by Fawzia Gilani

[ 10 ] March 20, 2012

Reviewed by Leigh Adamkiewicz

As anyone who was forced to watch Barney can tell you, it’s tricky to keep a child-friendly story from becoming mind-numbing. This is especially true of any tale that has been as told to death… or has an something to teach. But those who are looking for a classic story in a different setting might be pleasantly surprised with Fawzia Gilani’s Cinderella: An Islamic Tale. Not only does this lovely picture book rise to the Attention Span Challenge, it tells its story in a very refreshing way.

In modern retellings Cinderella’s story is often co-opted to showcase materialism as proof of the heroine’s birthright. Of course Cinderella’s a good person. She’s just been given a Fendi bag. And a pink Valentino ballgown! And the shoes! Dear God, I think they’re Jimmy Choos!

It was refreshing to see a good soul as Cinderella’s best reward rather than a bespangled ball gown. She’s given lovely clothes to wear to the ball, but they are not the be-all and end all of her personality. The prince’s eye may be caught by her beauty but his heart is captured by her faith. The king and queen don’t send out the shoe because they think Cinderella will look good on their son’s arm, but because they know a devout, clear-eyed mind is a prize in and of itself.

For those whose knowledge of Islam is non-existent, the book provides a glossary to the vocabulary words sprinkled throughout the story. While the placement of one or two of these vocabulary words might be awkward, the journey back to the glossary is never an unwelcome one.

The colors in Shireen Adams’ illustrations are exactly what they should be: lush, sweet and lovely. The rainbow of greens and blue gives a sense of the world beyond pulling Cinderella from the dry brown walls of her small, cruel world. And the little hits of foil on the ubiquitous shoes are a light, delightful touch. The pencils themselves are a bit sophomoric, the work of a person with enough study to be an excellent student, but not a master yet. But these occasional technical issues never distract enough to interrupt the soothing flow of this quiet tale.

It’s easy to feel a sense of peace after completing Fawzia Gilani’s Cinderella. This humble version of the classic fairy tale is a gentle reminder that victory comes as much from a peaceful soul as a beautiful dress and a dramatic confrontation.

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Leigh is a fearless writer who never met a genre, subject, or format she didn’t like. She has written professionally for the past six years and enjoys biking, exploring odd corners of Northeast Ohio, and discovering those good books she hasn’t read yet.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by The Islamic Foundation. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Edwardian Country Life by Helena Gerrish

[ 2 ] March 4, 2012

Reviewed by Poppy Johnson

As coffee table books go, Edwardian Country Life does not disappoint the reader yearning for photos of the English countryside.

Henry Avray Tipping lived for 1855 to 1933. He was a man who was best known as an academic, a writer and a collector. His hobby included visiting the great country houses in the UK and writing about his experiences in Country Life, a magazine of the time. Tipping wrote extensively as an authority on houses, furniture, landscaping, and gardening. He also restored older homes, and bought several estates in Middlesex, Oxfordshire, and Monmothshire.

Edwardian Country Life chronicles the contents of a diary which is a year in Tipping’s life as an Edwardian gentleman. He was born in France to cultured parents and lived in various chateaus during his childhood. His father was an educated man and he was encouraged to study architecture. Tipping’s mother, who was a Quaker, raised four sons with Henry being the youngest. After his other brothers died, he was the sole heir of his parent’s estate.

This book reviews Tipping’s impressions of his life and how he chose to influence others. He is described as the type of man who today would be on the board of directors of major corporations, and in his time he was a member of many local and prominent society organizations. He worked to ensure that people were able to enjoy open air spaces and what we now call “green spaces” in communities around the UK.

Edwardian Country Life is a coffee table hardcover version of the life of Tipping and includes photographs as well as quotes, anecdotes and stories of his life. I especially enjoyed the full color photos of the gardens, landscapes and copies of Tipping’s personal letters. His comprehensive work as a garden designer gained him recognition even after his death. His work at Country Life and his legacy in developing gardens was of enormous influence to other architects, landscapers, and natural designers. Edwardian Country Life is the perfect book for anyone interested in architecture and the history of the region, or anyone wanting to learn more about Tipping and his enduring legacy.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

After a decade of working in several NYC law departments and teaching, Poppy decided she enjoyed writing full-time. She currently works as a freelance writing consultant, and lives with her husband and sons on the East Coast.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Frances Lincoln. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Wildlife Photographer by Chris Gomersall

[ 3 ] February 18, 2012

Reviewed by Caleb Shadis

When I first opened Wildlife Photographer: A Course in Creative Photography by Chris Gomersall, I was merely expecting a nice coffee table book with lots of pretty pictures. What I got was so much more. Gomersall has spent the better part of 30 years photographing wildlife and nature, though birds are his speciality. I must say that his experience shows through every page. Yes, he has wonderful photos to share, but he also provides plenty of good advice.

Gomersall doesn’t go into all the technical details of setting up each shot. He describes what he did and what he was looking for and covers the basics. He instructs with stories and explains that the photos should be telling stories of their own. I enjoyed reading Wildlife Photographer; Gomersall has an easy way with words. It is obvious that he has a wealth of knowledge and care deeply about the subject.

Overall, Gomersall’s photographs are absolutely beautiful and these alone make the book worthwhile. If you are interested in photography, especially wildlife photography, I’m sure you can learn something from this book.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Caleb is a software engineer and amature woodworker living in southern Minnesota. He has more hobbies than he has time or money for, and enjoys his quiet time reading.

The review copy of this book was provided free of any obligation by Frances Lincoln. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Style Me Vintage: Make-Up by Katie Reynolds

[ 3 ] February 14, 2012

Reviewed by Wendy Fitos

Style Me Vintage: Make Up by Katie Reynolds is the second book in the Style Me Vintage series and covers makeup looks from each decade starting with the 1920’s. The book is targeted for makeup artists as well as women looking to create a look for a party, so the application techniques are very clear and concise.

Many of the looks featured in this colorful book can be easily worn today by slightly changing up the colors and refining the technique if the look needs to be professional. The Marlene Dietrich look from the 1930’s is very classic and would work great for either the office or a cocktail party. The Audrey Hepburn look from the 1960’s can be seen today in many style and fashion magazines. What is refreshing about Reynolds’ technique is that it isn’t picture perfect in terms of application, but the angles of the pictures make it easy to see each step of the application without having to try too hard.

Reynolds gives a short list of what is needed to create the look, quick tips and several pictures for an easy application. She transforms one decade to the next and makes it fun by using a picture of a model from the actual decade and then a picture of her modern day recreation.

Style Me Vintage: Make Up would be great for teen or themed parties as few materials are required to recreate the looks inside. It would also work well for a woman who is trying to give her current makeup a trendier look without having to spend a lot of time.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Wendy Fitos is a makeup artist and esthetician with 22 years of experience. Her goal is to educate women on how to create looks that will meet both professional and personal styles. Wendy lives in Cleveland, Ohio and enjoys reading and exercising.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Pavilion. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Express Makeup by Rae Morris

[ 3 ] January 31, 2012

Reviewed by Wendy Fitos

Rae Morris’ third book, Express Makeup, continues to showcase her talent and creativity in the beauty world. Morris hails from Australia where she became an “accidental” makeup artist when she had to assist on a photo shoot with supermodel Naomi Campbell.

Express Makeup is filled with simple and easy tips that can help any woman look beautiful. The first section of the book covers specific makeup products and how to use them properly, while the second section includes numerous finished looks that can be easily recreated.

Here are just a few tips that I found very helpful:

  • Highlighting

Never use white or silver greys to highlight your skin. Only use these colors for highlighting the inner corners of your eyes.

  • Achieving a Glow to the Skin

For youthful, wrinkle-free skin, you can use luminizer all over the face by adding a few drops of luminizer to your moisturizer.

  • Eyeliner (LOVE this one)

To get a dramatic liner look that looks clean and neat, apply lots of kohl pencil to the inner rim of each eye. Tape your eyelids and color in with a black eye gel. Take it along your entire top eyelash line, then pull off the tape.

Express Makeup is especially well done because it is well illustrated and not wordy. Many how-to books often involve pages of instruction and very few pictures. As a result, it can be difficult to grasp the concept of application. The colorful pictures in this particular book make applications easy, even for beginners. Morris also uses different ethnicities in her demonstrations so any woman can benefit from this book.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Wendy Fitos is a makeup artist and esthetician with 22 years of experience. Her goal is to educate women on how to create looks that will meet both professional and personal styles. Wendy lives in Cleveland, Ohio and enjoys reading and exercising.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Allen & Unwin. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Dreaming of Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly

[ 6 ] January 30, 2012

Reviewed by Meg Massey

Kay is unlucky in love and bored at her job, until she inherits a property from a friend. Inspired by her favorite Austen novels, Kay buys a bed and breakfast in seaside Lyme Regis. Much to her surprise, her bed and breakfast is booked up by actors filming an adaptation of Persuasion in the area. Among them is handsome movie star Oli Wade Owen, and Kay finds herself falling for him almost instantly.

Unbeknownst to Kay, the movie’s screenwriter, Adam, with whom she’s formed a fast friendship, has fallen for her. But when she gets the bright idea of playing matchmaker for Adam and actress Gemma, she’s setting herself up for a romantic disaster right out of the pages of Emma. And when Oli doesn’t turn out to be the hero she’s imagined, her whole world is turned upside down.

A delightful ode to all things Austen, Dreaming of Mr. Darcy is the second book in Victoria Connelly’s Austen Addicts’ trilogy. Anyone who loves Austen’s novels will enjoy this read as it contains numerous references to her life and works. Much like Emma herself, Kay fails to see the true love right in front of her throughout most of the novel. When she does realize that Adam is in love with her, will it be too late?

If you pick up this novel, you’ll fall in love with Connelly’s characters, and her delicious prose. It’s a fantastic escape from the everyday, and a step into the romantic seaside of Lyme.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Meg lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Ryan. Library professional by day, freelance writer by night, Meg writes about life, entertainment and everything in between on her blog.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Sourcebooks Landmark. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Close to Paradise by Robert Fisher

[ 3 ] January 10, 2012

Reviewed by F. Scott

When I win the lottery . . . I’ll take Close to Paradise, by Robert Fisher, with me to go house-hunting around the Bay of Naples. A picture book with plenty of text also, its main title is correct, but the subtitle isn’t quite accurate—it really is just as much if not more about the residences and their residents/caretakers, past and present, as about the gardens themselves.

Fisher starts us off just north of Naples on this tour of houses and gardens, which are in the “Italian language with an English accent.” The English are responsible for many of these spots from about the mid-nineteenth century on, having discovered them on grand tours. Many of the little Edens go back 2,000 years to Roman times, or, as Fisher over-repeats himself, to Homer’s Odysseus and the songs of the Sirens. But certainly every shade of royalty from the Angevins to the Bourbons put their stamp on these marvels of nature transformed by human hands.

We shall eventually turn the corner around Sorrento—where, it is again over-repeated—the Italian poet Torquato Tasso lived, but not until we do the 600-lbs. gorilla in the room is Mount Vesuvius. If you don’t have a view of the still-active volcano, you ain’t in this book.

Four parts will eventually lead us to the “Belvedere of Infinity” on the grounds of the Villa Cimbrone in Ravello—“Naples and Environs,” “Capri and Ischia,” “Sorrento and the Sorrentine Peninsula,” and “The Amalfi Coast.” Along the way each villa outdoes the last. Don’t settle on Capri before you’ve seen Sorrento and the little area around the peninsula to the south.

But, of course, the stars of the book are the photos, where I’m struck by the presence of the human hand—ancient, medieval, and modern—in the most enchanting pictures. Plants, trees, and flowers are great and all, but we should remember that gardens are really the work of humans. The English, especially, had a penchant for lawns, which some of us know take a lot of work and plenty of water. Yet, nature does provide the canvas . . . and some pretty good views.

The texts for each location name the flora—of which bougainvillea seems to be mentioned most often—but the people who found, bought, tended, cherished, improved, and inhabited the places are the focus of Fisher’s serviceable prose. Among the more famous of those folks are the Emperor Tiberius (seems he had 12 villas on Capri!), Richard Wagner, the Swedish physician and author Alex Munthe, elevendy billionaire William Waldorf Astor, Greta Garbo, Graham Greene, and Rudolph Nureyev.

And don’t forget the almost-human—seems Munthe’s miniature baboon (didn’t realize there was such a thing), named Billy, used to raid the liquor cabinet when the humans were out and cause havoc on Capri. You can’t make that up.

My main issue here is with the complete absence of maps. After every short chapter, I went looking again for the maps to see where exactly to find the place. But the pictures will have to suffice for now.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

F. Scott has been to Naples, Capri, and Sorrento. He one day hopes to return and turn the corner.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Frances Lincoln. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Baffin Island by Alastair Lee

[ 4 ] December 16, 2011

Reviewed by Caleb Shadis

Baffin Island is the fifth largest island in the world. The beautiful island is part of Canada and has very long winters. As the title suggests, Baffin Island: The Ascent of Mount Asgard is a photo journal of Alistair Lee’s trip to Mount Asgard on Baffin Island and his ascent to the top.

The pictures in this book are simply incredible! Mount Asgard is a something else, the sides are sheer for thousands of feet and the shape is unforgettable. Lee went with a crew with the intention of climbing this mountain. Complete insanity if you ask me, but I’m just glad he took pictures along the way.

Lee tells two stories through the book: one of the Norse gods, which were on everyone’s mind since many of the mountains are named after them, and the group was planning to climb Asgard, the home of the gods; the other is of his experiences climbing the mountain. Personally, both stories seemed too incomplete – I wanted to know more details or less (mostly more!). Luckily, the photos more than made up for any shortfall in the telling of tales.

Baffin Island is a beautiful book and an excellent coffee table book. I learned a little about geography, rock climbing and Norse Mythology all in one.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Caleb is a software engineer and amature woodworker living in southern Minnesota. He has more hobbies than he has time or money for, and enjoys his quiet time reading.

The review copy of this book was provided free of any obligation by Frances Lincoln. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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