"What if . . .

. . . the Trans-Atlantic slave trade was reversed?" This provocative idea is the core of the alternate history presented in Blonde Roots by Bernardine Evaristo. Kidnapped as a child from her impoverished cabbage farm in Europa, Doris is bought, sold, and enslaved in prosperous Africa before eventually being banished to the plantations of the New World. Stripped of her family and identity, Doris is given a slave name, Omorenomwara, and forced to conform to the Aphrikan culture. Told as a personal narrative alternating between Doris and her owner, Captain Katamba, readers get an insight into the mores and attitudes fueling the slave trade, as well as the inner-conflict felt by those involved. By flipping the roles, Evaristo manages to describe a very dark and bleak chapter in human history in a brand new light. HM

mystery lovers everywhere

The mystery genre is one of the most widely read type of fiction today. This genre while usually involving some puzzle to solve can also feature history or historical figures, a strong sense of place or some theme, like cooking or horse racing. Some series you might not be familiar with such as the one by Louise Penny, featuring Inspector Gamache, and taking place in a northern Canadian town. The inspector is a fine and honorable man, a likable fellow and although mild mannered, he is also a great detective. The first book in the series is Still Life.
Kerry Greenwood writes a series taking place in Melbourne about Corinna Chapman,baker extraordinaire, who live and works with a series of unconventional characters. You will be hungry after this one! The first book in the series is Earthly Delights.
England post-WWI is the setting for Jacqueline Winspear to write the series featuring Maisie Dobbs. Maisie was servant girl but was mentored by several powerful figures because of her intelligence. The losses suffered by a generation involved in the war is explored as well as the role of intuition in solving cases. The first book in the series is titled by her name Maisie Dobbs.
One of the most popular of these offbeat series is written by Laurie King about Mary Russell, who we meet as a teenager as she come across a retired Sherlock Holmes and becomes his pupil. The first and one of the finest in the series is The Beekeepers Apprentice. This series well written,explores exotic locals and features a strong woman lead.
All you mystery lovers out there; what mystery series do you read?

Learning the business of McDonalds

Flipping Burgers to Flipping Millions by Bernard Kelly is full of practical advice of learning to adapt, saving your money and following your passion. He advises "Save a little bit, often enough, for long enough, and it will become an enormous fortune." There are local farmers who did what Kelly advises and now find themselves wealthy. I never see them at the mall. They have gardens and fix their equipment themselves. They are satisfied and feel like they have enough. Frugal is a word that describes some very wealthy people. Kelly says the American Indians asked themselves, "How will this decision affect the seventh generation of our people?" but few people now think beyond themselves. Step 1 is to get a job, any job to get started. Step 2 is to be a great employee and work hard. Read the book to learn steps 3-7. STE

Vacations that Won't Stretch your Budget

100 Best Affordable Vacations by Jane Wooldridge and Larry Bleiberg is a National Geographic book divided into American, Into the Wild, Quest for Knowledge and Body & Soul. There are suggestions for learning history, exploring folk arts and even "follow the barbeque trail from North Carolina to Texas. There are even tips for geting free tickets to television shows in Los Angeles. You will find something to do this summer that you haven't done before and probably never thought of doing. It is even fun to read if you are staying home! STE

Teen-Adult Crossover: A Mooo-ving Story

Looking for your next Epic Read? Look no further than Libba Bray's Going Bovine, winner of the 2010 Michael L. Printz Award.
Cameron Smith just wants to coast through high school (and life) with as little effort as possible. But then the unthinkable happens: He is diagnosed with a rare and particularly vicious form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (a.k.a. mad cow disease). Within weeks, perhaps days, he will die. Bummer! As Cameron wastes away in the hospital, he is visited by Dulcie, a pink-haired, punk rock angel with a bad sugar habit. Dulcie promises Cameron that if he goes on a quest to find Dr. X, a mysterious mad scientist who went missing several years ago, he will not only save the universe from certain destruction, he will also be cured of all ailments. Armed with a magical, health-protecting wristband from Disney World and accompanied by Gonzo, his paranoid roommate, Cameron reluctantly accepts the challenge. Cameron and Gonzo journey from Texas to Florida. Along the way they jam with a ghostly jazz musician, narrowly escape being brainwashed by a bizarre happiness cult, pick up a very strange companion who may (or may not) be the Norse god Balder in disguise, party at the world's biggest Spring Break bash, and dodge evil fire giants. Finally, Cameron accomplishes his mission...with some very unexpected results. Loosely based on Don Quixote, Going Bovine will appeal to readers on many different levels. Don't hurt your happiness. Check out Going Bovine today!--AJL

all that glitters...

Judith Miller's Costume Jewelry is another lavish and beautifully photographed reference about costume jewelry. Miller appears on the BBC's "Antiques Roadshow" and has authored more than 100 books on collecting. This volume first explores the subject by era, from ancient times to the 21st century and then by major designers such as Trifari and Adele Simpson. There are also chapters on galleries and future designers. A wonderful book to use as reference or just enjoy. ML

Immortality

When Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with terminal cancer in the early '50s she didn't know that samples of her cells were taken and grown in a lab. These aggressive cells, known as HeLa, grew into an immortal cell line used in labs around the world. HeLa cells were well known in the science world, being used in medical and scientific research. These cells even flew on the space shuttle. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is the story of the HeLa cells but much more importantly this is the story of Henrietta Lacks and of her family, who knew nothing about these cells for more than 20 years. SG