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Category: Nonfiction

Blog Tour & Giveaway: In My Father’s Country by Saima Wahab

[ 25 ] May 14, 2012

Please join Saima Wahab, author of In My Father’s Country, as she tours the blogosphere with TLC Book Tours.

Don’t forget to enter to win a copy below!

Reviewed by Vera Pereskokova 

Saima Wahab was just a child when her father was taken away in broad daylight – likely sold out to the Soviets by his neighbors – never to return again. Although Saima and her two siblings had an amazing father figure in their Baba (grandfather), they grew up among flying bullets and mortar shells, in constant danger.

When Saima was fifteen, two uncles from Portland, Oregon sponsored her, her brother and sister, and three other cousins to come to the United States. Saima’s father, and later her grandfather, always told her that she was destined for something greater than the typical life of an Afghani woman, and she saw the move to the U.S. as a step towards that destiny.

In 2004, with a bachelor’s degree under her belt, Saima decided to return to Afghanistan as an interpreter, and to try and fulfill the destiny her father had in mind for her. He knew the risks but openly spoke out against the Soviet invasion and Saima thought that if she could help her people in some way, she could also understand his devotion to the country.

At the time of her arrival, Saima was the only college-educated female Pashto interpreter. She was also one of the very few females, American or Afghani, allowed into meetings with high ranking officials on both sides. Many interpreters claimed to know Pashto, but really spoke Farsi, only contributing to the misunderstandings between the U.S. soldiers and the Pashtun, who make up 40% of the population.

As a native of Afghanistan, Saima had the unique opportunity to bridge the gaps between the proud Pashtun and the soldiers who were often bewildered by their new surroundings. For example, few Americans on the ground knew of Pashtunwali, a way of life that extends to how Afghans treat their guests, their women and each other. Saima believed that winning the hearts of Afghans was just as important as military power, and worked tirelessly to improve the relations between the two groups.

Even as an interpreter, Saima was always risking her life and I applaud her courage, and her willingness to share her experiences in In My Father’s Country. I think she started her journey hoping to learn more about her own roots but the resulting book will bring a greater understanding of Afghanistan to many readers.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Crown. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Hitlerland by Andrew Nagorski

[ 2 ] May 11, 2012

Reviewed by Sophia Chiu

Could you have seen Hitler coming? That is essentially the question Andrew Nagorski puts to Americans living in post-WWI Germany in Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power.

Hitlerland chronicles their impressions on Hitler, his party, and ‘the German people’ from the aftermath of WWI up to the United States entry into WWII, relying mainly on written testimonials of American diplomats and journalists. Some actually met Hitler before and after he came to power. Although not strictly necessary to read Hitlerland, some familiarity with the conditions in Germany between the World Wars will help make sense of the story.

Nagorski focuses on the American reaction to the events they witness, not necessarily detailing the broader context. For example, the Americans knew that Jews were becoming Nazi targets, but this figures mostly as eyewitness accounts of the Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass), not a detailed account of what German Jews endured in Nazi Germany. Indeed, one theme is that Americans were somewhat privileged foreigners and only the most astute could foresee the threat that Hitler represented.

Hitlerland is immensely readable. Nagorski gently provides reminders about who the core characters are throughout the text. However, as much as the author wanted to focus on “telling their stories—and whenever possible, letting those stories speak for themselves,” there was a hint of judgment on those who foresaw what was to come and those who could or would not, and those who saw that America needed to become involved and those who wanted to remain isolationists. Perhaps that is unavoidable with the luxury of hindsight.

Nonetheless, Hitlerland gave me a more nuanced view of this moment in history. Although it inspired me to learn more about 1920s Berlin as a vibrant cultural capital, Hitlerland is an enjoyable read more about Americans living and passing through there than about Germany per se.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

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

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Review: Survival Mom by Lisa Bedford

[ 5 ] May 10, 2012

Reviewed by Jennifer Rasmussen

Survival Mom is a disaster preparedness book written by a mom with the intent to teach readers how to prepare for disasters ranging from mild (weekend snowstorm) to large (financial collapse).

I wanted to like this book. I really did. I like Lisa Bedford’s blog, I follow her on Facebook, watched her episode of Doomsday Preppers, and think she really knows her stuff. Unfortunately, I think the editing staff over at Harper may have gotten in the way of her putting out a tremendously successful book. Sadly, this survival book went the way of every other one on the market, and turned into an encyclopedia of knowledge. Granted, it’s really helpful knowledge, but there’s not a single photo, the margins are crammed to overflowing with tips and bullets and lists, and it’s just hard to sit down and digest.

The information is very worthwhile and Lisa did a stupendous job of drilling down to the details of what every home needs to have on hand in the event of a disaster, how to get started on food storage, and other necessary basics. If she’d have been able to present it in an easy-to-read format, I could have easily given it 5 stars. As it is, I’m forced to give it a 3 because of its encyclopedia-like nature.

I do think that Survival Mom would be a great resource for an established prepper to keep on the shelf, but will be far too overwhelming for a beginner.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Jen Greyson writes supernatural thrillers and corporate training guides and tries not to mix the two. You can find her free ebook, How to Build a Writing Platform that Works: The New Path to Publishing, at her website, http://TheSurvivalMama.com.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by HarperOne. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.
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Review: Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden

[ 6 ] May 9, 2012

Reviewed by Alyssa Katanic

“Wow!” “Intense!” Blaine Harden’s Escape from Camp 14 is definitely both, and expertly written. Harden is an experienced journalist who has written for the Washington Post, The New York Times, and has worked as a reporter for PBS Front Line (among many other excellent credentials). He doesn’t leave journalism behind as he develops the story of Shin In Geun, the only known person to have been born in and escaped from North Korea’s toughest political labor camp.

As so many average Americans, I have to admit that I am very “my little corner of the world” focused – but I am nosey! Thus, I love the opportunity to take a look at other cultures via well written books. Sometimes these stories can offer us pictures that are hard to look at, and that makes them all the more important to face. This is true of Escape from Camp 14.

Shin In Geun saw many horrible acts of violence and killings from an early age; in fact, his first memory is that of witnessing an execution at the age of four. Until he escaped in his early twenties, Shin’s life was focused on finding enough food, working to keep out from under the guard’s club, and snitching on fellow prisoners in order to gain favor (aka more food). Being born there, he knew no other life, and sought no other life, until an older man entered the prison and told him of life (and FOOD) on the other side of the fence. Since escaping, it has been very hard for him to adjust to “being human” and gaining emotion and love for self and others.

With Harden’s vast experience and professionalism in getting the story right, Escape from Camp 14 not only tells the story of Shin, but also the story of North Korea. The entire country has become like a prison for its people, and the risks and adapting issues that defectors from North Korea face are immense. Though some scenes may be hard for us to face, Escape from Camp 14, as a whole, is an important look at the lives of those who are living it right now on the other side of this small world.

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Alyssa is a wife and stay at home, homeschooling mother of five, with two boxers, two cats, a soft shelled turtle named after Bob the Builder, and 7 frogs (admittedly a homeschooling project gone froggy). In all her spare time, she loves to read and believes that there is no such thing as having too many books!

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

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Review: Lessons in Letting Go by Corinne Grant

[ 2 ] May 6, 2012

Reviewed by Nina Longfield

Corinne Grant, Australian comedian and television presenter, offers a candid account about the year she decided to clean up. Lessons in Letting Go is a memoir on letting go of the things (tangible and intangible) that were holding her down. As she combs through her belongings, Grant comes to realize that each thing, be it an item, a box or a pile, seems to have an emotional leash leading back to herself. The book progresses through the clutter with stories reflecting back to Grant’s childhood in rural Australia, her estranged relationships, and her internal emotional battles. Lessons in Letting Go is not so much a book about cleaning house as much as it is a metaphorical release of emotional baggage.

Corinne Grant’s writing is readable, entertaining, often funny, and sometime poignant. Although I never got the sense that her house was on par with hoarder houses that sometimes pop up on the evening news, Grant did convey a deep sense of frustration and anxiety regarding the clutter in her life. Her connections as to why she kept things are profound and personal.

Lessons in Letting Go is not necessarily a self-help book, as the book-stores seem to shelve it as, but there is a lot of useful information within these pages regarding the things we acquire and the things that sometimes take over our existence. It was was a surprisingly pleasant read. I enjoyed Corinne Grant’s honest inspection of her cluttered life.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Nina Longfield is a writer living in Oregon’s fertile wine country. When she is not reading or writing in her spare time, Nina enjoys hiking in the hills surrounding her cabin.

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: How to Listen to Great Music by Robert Greenberg

[ 2 ] May 4, 2012

Reviewed by Caitlin Busch

Before beginning this book, the reader should know it is part of a continuing education series, perfect for the avid and/or adult student or hobbyist musician. But no one should assume it’s a dry old textbook! I found it to be quite the opposite: How to Listen to Great Music reminded me of my university days. While reading, I re-experienced, with sweet nostalgia, “listening” to an engaging lecture by beloved professor on a favorite subject. Now, I didn’t actually study music at university, but I have a background in piano, violin and orchestra which may make me more prone to enjoying this text than those with non-musical backgrounds – or at least those who aren’t interested in composed (a.k.a. “classical”) music.

Even with my musical background, How to Listen to Great Music is a bit of a beast, due to the amount of material covered in about 300 pages. It is a very complete history of Western music from 1600 – 1900 (the common practice, or what we call “classical” music), bookended by brief exposés on ancient and twentieth century music, and interspersed with lessons in musical syntax, trends, trivia and charts of specific compositions. Greenberg’s major point is the importance of the relationship between the development of Western music and Western society to contemporary listeners. Hearing the music in the right historical, national, and theological context is not only edifying – it makes a difference when attending performances! 

Vocabulary is presented clearly and a glossary is included for quick reference. This book also includes a separate index of compositions, organized alphabetically by composer. At first, I wished the selections were organized by period, but then I wouldn’t have been able to learn to identify them by listening for the technical and stylistic indications discussed by Greenberg.

Greenberg’s voice is charming and his asides are well-timed. He reviews important information just as the reader may start to feel overwhelmed – much as any good professor would. The material never goes dry (a risk with such an academic topic) because of the relatively quick interchange between lessons in music history and musical syntax. Greenberg himself obviously enjoys what he does and demonstrates so throughout the book – even by using humorous chapter titles and making puns on them in the text.

Anyone with an interest in composed (“classical”) music will enjoy How to Listen to Great Music. I do not believe readers with a deeper background than mine in composed music would find this text condescending. Those who make music as a hobby or attend performances regularly will certainly find pleasure in this read – whether they’re already familiar with the material or not. It is a truly thrilling review of the common practice – what we commonly call “classical” music – which includes enough music theory to bring new depth to the listening experience. Highly recommended for readers new to composed music or anyone looking for a refresher course on Western music history!

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Caitlin is a fiction writer who also dabbles in poetry, creative nonfiction and acrylic painting. When not reading, she enjoys hiking, cooking and spending time with friends and pets. She earned her B.A. in English from the University of Portland and currently resides in Louisiana.

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

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Review: Bake by Tina Bester

[ 2 ] May 1, 2012

Reviewed by Jen Kulman

Bake by Tina Bester is just such a beautiful book – high quality photos and a carefully laid out format make it a true pleasure to look through. The front and back covers are thick and slightly textured, the endpapers are heart-patterned fuchsia, and the beginning of each chapter is marked with scarlet pages. Every recipe has its own full page photos, and my gosh, are they terrific. The end result is that Bake manages to be both comforting and inspirational. I want to invite people over and serve plates that look exactly like these.

Published in London, the measurements are, of course, in metrics. I only made it four recipes in before deciding that I didn’t care. The photographs of Pat Fraser’s Shortbread and Double Chocolate and Pecan Nut Brownies convinced me it would be well worth my time to do a bit of conversion. You may have to do a bit of swapping, like using cookies instead of digestive biscuits for the cheesecake crust, but I didn’t note any unusual ingredients. Castor sugar appears frequently, but that is called superfine sugar here, which you can make at home by whirling regular sugar in a coffee grinder or food processor.

Divided into six sections of Biscuits, Cakes, Meringues, Sweet Tarts and Pastries, Savory Tarts and Old-Fashioned Pies, and Breads and Buns, there are treats to tempt every appetite. The German Apple Pie is a traditional apple pie, divided into six portions and baked in cereal sized bowls. Ah, to be served your very own bowl of steaming apple pie with a domed, sugared crust. That’s pretty perfect. In the opposite direction, I was just as taken with her Butternut and Sage Triangles, which consist of steamed butternut squash wrapped in phyllo pastry and folded into neat triangles. Through the browned pastry, you can just make out the outlines of the buttered sage leaves tucked inside.

Bester’s goods are built on the basic baking blocks of butter, sugar, cream, fruit, and chocolate. One of the last recipes in the book, Country Buns, requires just five ingredients and one hour of rise time. For that, you get six classic buns – big fluffy torpedoes with slash marks on top that bed for lashings of real butter. The Chocolate and Orange Truffle Meringue Tarts look like a dessert you would find in an upscale restaurant, but her directions are so easy to follow; I’m certain I could make these. Four piped dollops of meringue line each tart, with the peaks a lovely toasted brown, and their bottoms nestled firmly in a pool of rich chocolate.

Bake is an amazing book, although my copy is already marred with turned down page corners, marking my selections.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Jen lives in Michigan with her husband and six year old son. She writes reviews of children’s books on her blog, FIRR-Kids and loves filling her own shelves with cookbooks.

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: A Wedding in Haiti by Julia Alvarez

[ 2 ] April 29, 2012

Reviewed by Krista Castner

I’ve been meaning to learn more about Haiti, especially after the devastating earthquake that struck that country on January 12, 2010. When I saw Julia Alvarez’s new book A Wedding in Haiti I thought that it would be a good way to get more insights into the two countries. The book recounts Alvarez’s recent personal experiences in the Dominican Republic and in Haiti before and after the 2010 earthquake.

A Wedding in Haiti was really informative. The many little black and white photos sprinkled throughout the book really helped personalize the people and places that were being discussed on the pages. Through the book I learned more about the desperate poverty in Haiti, some Haitian history, and about the strength of the human spirit to transcend what sometimes seem to be insurmountable obstacles.

As the story opens Alvarez relates how she and her husband Bill befriended a seventeen year-old migrant worker named Piti. Piti had crossed into the Dominican Republic illegally to work on a coffee farm. As their unlikely friendship grew into an almost foster parent role on the part of Alvarez, she promised Piti that one day she would come to Haiti to attend his wedding. That day came sooner than expected in 2009. True to their word Alvarez and her husband Bill returned from Vermont to the Dominican Republic, and along with a rag-tag group of fellow travelers who joined the trip, drove over the border into Haiti in Bill’s new pick-up truck.

The first half of the book is about the journey they took to reach Piti’s small family enclave in a remote part of Haiti in time to attend the wedding; and the return trip from that wedding. The second half of the book describes returning to that same enclave a year later. This second trip took place months after the January 12, 2010 earthquake. This time on the way back the traveling party detoured through Port-au-Prince before returning to the Dominican Republic.

Alvarez also shares what it feels like to visit her parents in the Dominican Republic and witness their further decline into Alzheimer’s dementia. Alvarez writes with honesty and insight even when it comes to disagreements that she has with her husband and how frustrated he sometimes makes her feel. I recommend this book if you want to learn more about Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Alvarez writes with a clear eye and compassion in her heart.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Krista lives just outside the urban sprawl of Portland, Oregon. Lamentably, her work as a technical writer and business analyst often interferes with her reading which is a true passion.

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

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