The Genesis Secret

Tom Knox's Genesis Secret tells the suspenseful yet intelligent tale of reporter Robert Luttrell. Sent on a supposedly simple assignment about the excavation of Gobekli Tepe in Kurdish Turkey, the oldest remains of human civilization and apparent Garden of Eden. Rob is quickly drawn in to the mystery of Gobekli Tepe, why the locals are resisting the dig, and, ultimately, the death of the lead archaeologist. Back in the UK, a string of brutal murders are being committed and investigated by the Scotland Yard, especially Detective Forrester. Eventually, a connection is made and Forrester and Luttrell must work together to discover the Genesis secret and, more importantly, catch the crazed murderer. 

The Genesis Secret  is a fairly intense read, not one you can necessarily read at the beach or with distractions around, especially at the end. I mean, James Joyce is referenced! It's a good book; though slow to start, once it all starts to come together it gets hard to put down. However, it is rather violent and grotesque and the language is, at times, obscene and responsive to the violence. The characters attempt to be real and relatable, but fall short. I was more captivated by the story line and desire to solve the mystery than the fate of the characters. I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. 3 & 1/2 stars. 

Judging the Past

I love reading historical fiction. You know that. However, some of my favorite historical figures are, well, not exactly the best people. But one thing I always think about is how we can't compare the morals and actions of our predecessors to our morals and standards. For example, look at Henry VIII. He was a terrible womanizer and executed how many people? But look at his surroundings.  His father had only secured the throne a few years back as a result of the cousins' war.  If Henry VIII couldn't provide an heir, the country would be thrown into turmoil once more.  This is not to excuse his actions, but merely to put them into context and give them some perspective. No doubt he shouldn't have cheated, or killed, any of his wives, but were women valued then? Were men, especially the nobility, expected to be faithful? No!! That was part of their power, part of showing the court who was in charge.  One didn't necessarily lose respect by having a mistress then as one loses it now. Think former President Clinton and Newt Gingrich. Henry, on the other hand, was a beloved king. Men wanted to be him and women wanted to be with him.  He wasn't judged then as harshly as he would be by committing the same actions now, because they didn't have the same standards during his reign. It's impossible to judge him, or any other historical figure, by today's standards. We have to look at the whole picture or it's simply unfair. 

The Leviathan Trilogy: Leviathan, Behemoth, Goliath

In Scott Westerfeld's best work, the Leviathan Trilogy featuring Leviathan, Behemoth, and Goliath,we meet some great characters and go on an exciting adventure through alterna-history's WWI with both an Allied and an Axis perspective. The trilogy has elements of both steampunk and fantasy as well as threading in truths and actual people from history (Westerfeld includes an afterward correcting some of his alterna-history).  It was a lively exciting read that I highly recommend to any reader. I give it five stars. Westerfeld, you hit your mark with these works. Read on, my friends.

Before Versailles: Before the History You Know . . . A Novel of Louis XIV

Before Versailles  by Karleen Koen introduces us to a younger Louis XIV than we are used to.  This is Louis before he became the great sun god that we know him as today. This is a newly wed Louis trying to establish himself as a king, trying to decide what kind of king he wants to be and who he can trust. 

The story is not only told around Louis, but many characters at court tell their story and their interaction with the king.  Sometimes there are almost too many characters, but one can only fault history. 

Equally the main character as Louis is Louise, a lady-in-waiting to the king's sister-in-law, Henriette. Louise is new to court, and she, too, must decide who she wants to be and who she can trust. 

I began  Before Versailles with some trepidation; I wasn't sure how dense the reading would be.  Once I got used to Koen's style, I really enjoyed the novel. I learned a lot about XIV that I never knew before and now I want to read more about him.  I recommend this to any historical fiction junkie like myself, or anyone wanting to learn more about France and Louis XIV's early days. 

Antelope Island

Last weekend, Cassidy got a scholarship to go to a conference about student affairs up at SLCC, so we jumped at the opportunity to head up north and get a quick visit in. The conference was Friday, so I got a sub for work and planned to have my mom come up to Salt Lake so we could play. Turns out, that was the day Jenn was flying back home from Louisiana and my mom already had plans to be in Salt Lake to pick her up. How convenient! 

Mom and Jordyn picked me up and we headed to the City Creek Mall. Despite the rain, we had a lovely time! 

We did some window shopping and had gyros for lunch before heading to the airport to get a very pregnant Jenn. While waiting, we saw some cute missionary homecomings as well as a marine meeting his baby for the first time. Tender! 

Saturday we went up to Antelope Island. Grandma Carma wanted to go after she found out that her great-great grandfather Briant Stringham was sent to Antelope Island to tend cattle. His father-in-law Fielding Garr was originally sent their by Brigham Young. There's a ranch on the island that was the Garr family ranch. The original house and other buildings are still there and open for the public. I had never been their before, so it was fun to see all the historical sites as well as the animals. 

Since I took so many pictures, I'll just let them show you our day! 

Dylan, Whitney, me, Cass, Pyper, and Morrell outside the Garr Ranch House

Dylan trying to rope a "cow"

 

Pyper "roping" hers! 

Cassidy roping Pyper

Pyper on the horse, trying to throw the rope

Pyper loved feeding the horses!

Cheese!

Pyper and the "buffalope"

Climbin' Rocks!

Cass and Morrell

I got so close the buffalo! er . . bison!

See?? Close! I was scared to get closer though

See all that white? Cass thought it was salt from the lake, but he went down and touched it, it was just foam! Salty, salty foam! 

After our fun, we got a late lunch, and then a much needed nap! All that fun and walking wore me out! 

The Pig War

When I joined goodreads, one of the first things I loved, ya know, besides the whole thing about it being a website for books, was the giveaway section. For real? Free books? I was all in. Still am, if you want to send any my way! :)

The first book I received was The Pig War by Mark Holtzen. In exchange for the free book, they like the reader to review it. Perfect. I review all the books I read anyway! But since I did get this book for free, I took reviewing it a little more seriously than I would do otherwise. I read with more of an analytical eye than I usually do, so I will be pointing out things I didn't like or feel should have been clarified, but I do it with the aim of being helpful, not harmful!  It's obvious though the writing that Holtzen cares deeply about his novel and this story is dear to his heart; writing a novel is no small feat! The Pig War is a cute book, but it's obviously a first novel and just isn't quite there yet.

Our main character, Kell, has been marooned to the island of Mobray with his younger sister Grace to stay with their grandfather, who they'd never really met, as their parents are stuck in a foreign country. While on the island, Kell discovers an old revolver and ancient journal. While investigating their origins, he is directed towards The Pig War, which he'd never heard of before. [Neither had I!] In their research of The Pig War, Kell is set on a crazy adventure, and on the way, Kell learns about The Pig War, his aloof grandfather, and maybe a little about himself! 

The first problem I ran into with The Pig War, is that I didn't know how old Kell and Grace were. It made it hard to understand them as characters because I didn't know if their behavior was unique or stereotypical. The character development and consistency throughout was a problem. Kell and Grace didn't seem true to life. A kid like Kell is hard to find these days. At one point in the novel, he says he wanted to spend his summer doing "research." He doesn't say what he wants to research, just that he does, which I found odd. He just doesn't seem like any 12-year-old I know. [And I work with 6th graders!] Bookish, yes. Borderline obsessed with books and knowledge over anything else? I don't know. It made it hard to connect with Kell because I found him so stereotypical yet unreal. It almost would have seemed more real to me if The Pig War took place in the seventies or eighties. Folks were less distracted by electronics back then. It's almost like Kell would have fit in better back then, seemed more real. [Does that make sense?]

I also was unsure about the novel's demographic. I didn't know if it was written as an adult, for adults, looking back on his coming-of-age summer or for the young boys themselves. Ultimately, I decided that The Pig War  would be a good book for advanced middle school readers. It's strong on narrative, instead of action, which is more difficult for lower level readers, and the age of the characters would definitely appeal to readers that age. So it would be great for smart sixth graders. Unfortunately, my sixth graders are required to read novels with over 150 pages, so I can't recommend this to any of them for their school work. And heaven knows they don't read out of class! This also puts The Pig War in competition with the beloved Rick Riordan and Suzanne Collins.  

Overall, [oh, I'm so cliche! It's late, don't hold it against me!] I found The Pig War to be a good first novel from Holtzen, despite the fact that I read it like a draft. As previously mentioned, because I got it for free, I wanted to be as helpful and honest as possible. The Pig War just isn't *quite* there yet. Which, really, is good. Authors who succeed at their first novel (ie: SE Hinton) seem to go downhill, and I would like Holtzen to go up as a writer. We all want to improve in our endeavors. So, Holtzen, keep writing! And readers, at least give the back of The Pig War a read. You just might love it! 

The Zookeeper's Wife

One of my dearest friends recommended this book for me after she loved it. It's a war story, surrounding WWII, dealing with the German invasion of Poland and the ghettoization, concentration, and killing of the Jews.  Zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski struggle to raise their family and save their zoo, all while hosting an array of Jewish "visitors" on the zoo grounds. It's an interesting story, and clearly heroic, but I honestly found the writing a little dry. There was a lot of (to me) unnecessary background information. It felt more like a senior thesis than a book. However, it is non-fiction, which is usually on the drier side. I just was expecting it to be a little more exciting. Sometimes I think maybe I have this problem where I want all books to be fiction? But I do enjoy autobiographies. So I'm just not sure. Maybe I'm the problem? Either way, this was a good book, just not exactly a thriller. I give it a half-hearted recommendation. Read on!

The Paris Wife

I've never been much of a Hemingway fan, though as a self-proclaimed vivid reader, I desire to be well versed and am familiar with his text. That being said, I was excited to read Paula McLain's The Paris Wife, the story of Hemingway's first wife, Hadley. I'm not so interested in the works of the "Lost Generation" -- but their lives have proven to be interesting, and I do need to give their works another go.

Ernest and Hadley were newly married on their Paris arrival, and he was not yet the literary genius many now consider him to be. It was interesting to read of The Shakespeare and Company, Sylvia Beach's bookstore and a gathering place for many of the "Lost Generation." We get to meet the Fitzgeralds, Zelda and F Scott; Gertrude Stein and her lover Alice; Ezra Pound and Dorothy Shakespear. Joyce is talked about but not present. Throughout the novel we see Hemingway's writing process and the journey to The Sun Also Rises, as well as see the connections from the writing to real life. Sadly, Hadley is not a character in The Sun Also Rises, and that is when the descent of their marriage occurs.
 
The Paris Wife is a love story, yes, but it is also a desperate story, a story about a writer, a story about ghosts that haunt, a story of how a couple can seem so solid, how a woman can still love a man, and their marriage cannot last. It is a love story and perhaps a tragedy. Hadley always loved Ernest, at least cared for him; he held a special place in her heart. But not so for he. 

I really liked this reading, it was thick in content, but enjoyable. It made me want to write more. It made me want to read about Zelda and Fitz (for it seems that he was Gatsby). And isn't that what good books do? Make you want to read more? Make you want to live your life just a little different? 

I have not really been exposed to the "Lost Generation" before, other than in school, and it was really neat to read about their lives and how their work was so intertwined with their very being. I can't say that I loved this book, but I highly recommend it.

Queen's Own Fool

As ya'll know, I'm a fool for historical fiction, and I'm kind of on a YA FIC kick.

Also, I love Jane Yolen. 

The Devil's Arithmetic? My favorite Passover book.

Briar Rose? So creative! I love the mix of fairy tale with the Holocaust.

I used to read a lot of Holocaust novels.

Turns out, I've actually read this book before. I still enjoyed it though.

I wouldn't really recommend it to a kid who struggles with reading, but it's a great  book for a nerd like me. Mary Queen of Scots? She's a total powerhouse. I've read non-fiction about her! So yeah, Queen's Own Fool was great. Not my favorite Yolen, but still a good read!

Torn

In the last Missing book, Katherine and Jonah are sent to 1611, alone. Time is unraveling. And it's up to them to save everything.

This book was my least favorite of the series. I did enjoy it, but it got a little too time travel-trouble-y for me. It was exciting but it got a little confusing at the end.

Sent

The second book in the missing series, Sent is very much my favorite. It mixes science fiction, historical fiction, and time travel! Plus they travel to just about my favorite time in English history!!

At the end of Found, Jonah and his sister Katherine grab on to their friend Chip and are hurtled back in time to the 1400s. Chip and Alex, who was sent before Chip, are the missing Princes in the Tower. And it's up to these kids to fix time and save the day.

Of School Houses and Sunburns

Yesterday and today the seventh graders of CMS had a field trip, half going each day, and I was asked to help out at the Iron Mission State Park Museum both afternoons. Yesterday I worked in the school house as the school marm. I got a switch and everything! It was really fun to show the seventh graders what school was like back then! Today I was a mover, helping the groups move from one activity to the next so I spent most of my time outside. It was a nice day and I got a little rosy! They had great activities: the school house, candle dipping, bread baking, brick making, a stagecoach activity, a handcart pull, and a game like baseball -- where I spent most of my time today. It was hilarious to watch the kids who really play ball try to remember to hold onto their bat as they ran to first base. It was a great day and I loved how it was both fun and educational for the students! 

Unfortunately, a lot of state park funding is being cut right now and the Iron Mission Museum may be getting cut! Museums don't generate a lot of income and rely on outside funding to stay opening; hence them being cut as funding is cut. I really would like to see the Museum stay open! Sometimes they're a little boring, but it is open year round and it's part of our history here in Utah. I would hate to see it get cut. 

9/11: Where were you?

Whenever something big happens in our history, people ask where you were. Where were you when JFK was shot? Where were you on Pearl Harbor? Where were you on 9/11? 

I was in ninth grade when the twin towers were hit. We had been reading To Kill A Mockingbird in class. We all had to do little presentations on the novel, and I had gotten my friends to be in a skit for mine. We were practicing before school in Mrs J's room. I'm not sure who turned on the tv or why -- probably Mrs J heard the news first. And we watched the footage of the planes hitting the towers. 

I didn't really understand what was happening. I didn't understand why it was such a big deal. I was so innocent for a 14-year-old. And I didn't understand the political ramifications of this at all. 

Everyone started talking about war. I was worried there would be a draft. I had read lots of books on wars - Revolutionary, Civil, World - and had a misconception about the way war is waged today. I thought my dad would go to war, Mom would have to go back to work. My friends would finish high school and leave, maybe leave early. I knew people used to lie about their ages. I thought I'd never get married. Or if I did, my husband would be gone for the war, maybe die. 

I was a little paranoid. And thought it was the early 1900s. But I worried. All I have to say is that I'm glad things didn't go as I imagined. But that is where I was.

Where were you?

Facebook & Famous Relations

{{So there is this app on facebook that shows you your famous [and famous Mormon] relations. And if your facebook friends have enabled this app & are related to you as well, that will also show up! Here are some of my famous relations, but for your convenience///reading pleasure, I have limited the Mormon relations to 6th cousins, because I have a ton of 8-10th Mormon Relations since all of Utah is related!}}

• David Haight, 3rd Cousin


• Gordon B Hinkley, 6th Cousin


• Spencer W Kimball, 5th Cousin


• George Albert Smith, 6th Cousin

  

Other Famous Relations

• Susan B Anthony, 5th Cousin


• Emily Dickenson, 7th Cousin


• Walt Disney, 7th Cousin


• Thomas Edison, 7th Cousin


• Eli Whitney, 4th Cousin


• Orville & Wilber Wright, 6th Cousin


• Mark Twain, 7th Cousin

 

Who are you related to? And If you do the app, 

see if you're related to me!

Nefertiti

 

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

We have all heard of Nefertiti, Queen of Egypt.  Moran tells her story from the unique perspective of her younger half-sister, Mutny. Nefertiti married Pharaoh Akhenaten, and together they appeared to be quite heretic due to Akhenaten's choice to worship the sun, Aten, as the only Egyptian God. 

They story starts as Akhenaten is still Amenhotep, after the Sun God Amen and his father, and his older brother, and heir, is still alive. It is implied that Amenhotep/Akhenaten kills his sick brother to hasten his own path to the throne. 

Nefertiti and Mutny are still at their parents' home, and the story shows the path of Nefertiti to marry Akhenaten and for her to become Chief Wife and Queen over Akhenaten's first wife. This is important because Nefertiti's father and Akehnaten's mother want Nefertiti to reign in Akhenaten's heretic ways, which is imperative to the storyline, as well as the happiness and support of the Egyptians to Akhenaten. 

Mutny, our narrator, as the younger sister, is thrown into Nefertiti's life as a constant support. Nefertiti walks all over her and demands her presence, to the point where Mutny has no life of her own. 

I strongly recommend this book. I really enjoyed it. Moran explained the importance of the Gods in Egyptian life, as well as the relevance of the change from Amen to Aten. The relationship between the sisters is very real, and the writing is great. I feel like I really got to know Mutny while learning a little bit about Egyptian history. Moran's Nefertiti should definitely go on your list.

[Aside: Nefertiti reminds me a lot of Anne Boleyn. And now that I say that, Akhenaten and

Henry VIII do have quite a few similarities themselves!]

Am I Unpatriotic?

I have recently been accused of being unpatriotic, which is, of course, showing a lack of love for one's country.  Now, I'm not the first person to stand up and die for my country, but I am most definitely American, am I not? 

I say the pledge.

I  support the troops. 

I vote. . . when I remember 


I believe in and support the constitution.


I have studied up on American History.


I would love to see American historical sites. 


But . . . I'm also more versed in British Monarchs and their consorts than American Presidents. I would take a trip to the Tower of London over D.C.  I would meet Queen Elizabeth II over President Obama. I have multiple non-fiction and historical fiction novels taking place in Europe, but none of early America. I'm much more fascinated with European History than American. But I grew up with American History. My ancestors settled the colonies.  Other ancestors settled the West. I know their stories.  I've heard them all my life. 


Perhaps I'm more interested in histories of the monarchs than of the presidents, because the histories of Europe are much more personal.  No American president had a sister as Queen of France.  No American president had their wife beheaded.  No American president rebelled and started a church of his own (although a presidential candidate did . . .).  No first-lady sucked at English, had an almost impotent and very incompetent husband.  


Clearly I'm more into the gossip rags than the political import. But does that make me unpatriotic?

The Virgin Blue

I really didn't like this book!

Okay, that's out of the way. So The Virgin Blue is about this girl, Ella, who moves to France with her husband. Turns out, she's of French descent, but her folks emigrated during the Catholic/Huguenot problems. In stereotypical novel fashion, she starts researching her ancestors, and librarians are more than happy to help her, going out of their way and spending their own time to research her family. The French must be a very helpful people.

Then the novel will flash back to Ella's ancestors. I enjoyed these parts much more, which I have found is generally a problem with this sort of novel. I am always more interested in one of the two stories, usually the historical.  Maybe if it was used more sparingly, as a frame, or a bookend, I would be able to stand it better. 

With these history books, especially Catholic/Huguenot ones, an element of magic is generally present in the women. I'm kind of fascinated by this idea; that men have religion and women have magic. Rephrase: There is a certain mysticism to these women and their rituals, but it isn't like they're casting spells. Just that they believe in a spiritual goddess or female power to help them. This, of course, becomes a major problem for Isabelle, the ancestor, in this book. 

Spoiler: Ella cheats and it bothers me. I don't like her character at all.

And to finish my unclear and scattered review of this book, I feel like Isabelle's story ended quickly and unclearly (whereas she could have an entire novel to herself) and Ella's was unnecessarily drawn out. It was just weird. It got really staccato-y at the end, especially Isabelle's story. I just didn't like it at all. Don't read it.  

The Gideon Trilogy

Linda Buckley-Archer

A few months ago, I ran out of books to read. Okay, just kidding. But I wanted to read something light in the form of juvenile or young adult fiction. So I went through Matthew's books and found  The Time Travelers. It's about two kids, city-boy Peter and farm-girl Kate, who accidentally end up in 18th century London. The series continues -- as various problems arise from time travel -- with The Time Thief and Time Quake. 

Buckley-Archer brings an interesting perspective to time travel, and does it in a manner that does not get two confusing and tangled up, as most do, which is why I generally do not dabble in time travel literature, but she presents it in a clear, understanding manner. There is no traveling to the past or the future and hiding from themselves, no meeting themselves in another age, none of the usual time travel problems found in fiction. Of course, there are problems to the time travel, which is discussed most clearly and efficiently in the third novel, but they are more of the moral and ethical dilemma. 

I really enjoyed this series. It was a light easy read and was perfectly suited to reading over the course of months, whenever I found the time during my busy school schedule. Surprisingly, Matthew never finished the first book, claiming he didn't like it.  Both my mother and I feel that he would have enjoyed it if he had finished. It's promoted as a book for kids who love Harry Potter, and I definitely support that assessment. I highly recommend this series for children of all ages :)

Eugenics Today

As we know, I am a huge nerd. This means that at work I listen to a rather educational sort of podcast. Yesterday it was one from 'How Stuff Works' about eugenics and it really got me thinking. The concept is nothing new to me, and I have problems with the hiding of it in American History, but the apparent current relevance of it is new knowledge for me. There is a program called Project Prevention where this woman will pay addicts for being sterilized or getting a long term IUD. The purpose of this is to prevent pregnancy of addicts.  The numbers of unwanted pregnancies are huge, resulting in miscarriages, still births, and sickly children.  The babies are often premature, addicted, and have problems throughout their lives.  Many end up in foster care, which can be just as harmful and deserves a post all of its own, and later become addicts. Their addicted parents are unable to take care of them and the burden is shifted to the state. 

Financially, for the government (and perhaps even the parents) the $300 one can garnish from sterilization is much better than pregnancy and child related costs.  The children are generally unwanted by the parents in the first place, and are merely a financial burden for the state. For the children, it is much better to not be born in that sort of situation. It seems to be a win-win. 

And then enters the problems of eugenics, improving the genetics of the population for the benefit of further generations. Eugenics has a negative connotation, especially for its use by Nazi Germany, to promote a supreme race. Project Prevention also appears to be targeting minorities, but one must remember that the minorities over-represent themselves socio-economically in poverty, drug addiction, etc, but Project Prevention is determinedly not racist. Another problem is that they are apparently bribing these women, buying their reproductive rights, who are not even in their right mind to make that sort of decision. Some feel that the money could be better spent providing care and help for the addicts, to help them to make their reproductive decisions on their own and aid them to be better mothers to the children they already have, and eventually regain custody of their children in foster care. 

Initially, this seemed like a good idea to me. These people have ruined their lives and are bringing children -- who have no choice in the matter - to this earth with no means to provide for them. I am all about taking care of children and making the world a better place for them. I like to pretend I am analytical and logical and that I can look at things without feelings. Financially this is great. But then I start to think about it. And it's totally legal, and the women are choosing to take the money and get sterilized.  But what is to stop shelters or recovery centers from making sterilization a requirement? Or even the government? Who gets to make these decisions?

In case you forgot . . .

I'm a complete nerd. I am completely fascinated with the history of the British Monarchy. I love King Henry VIII. I love Anne Boleyn.

I even love Mary, Elizabeth, and Mary Queen of Scots. And I super love, albeit mainly from pity, Lady Jane Grey the nine days queen. Her story is tragic.As you can see, I love history, especially historical fiction. (shout out to Philippa Gregory! I actually spent part of this weekend's drive to Cedar listening to a podcast of hers on Henry and his women, in addition to one by Allison Weir)

And now, I love The King's Speech and George VI. (I'm also super grateful that his brother abdicated. Both he and Wallace Simpson were Nazi lovers) I really found this film to be absolutely brilliant. I'm not well read on George VI but I still enjoyed the movie a lot. Now, I have to be honest. I have a problem with this movie being rated R, insofar as many R rated movie ARE complete smut! I mean, look at movies like The Hangover or Pineapple Express. Those movies do not interest me at all, on any level. And to give them and The King's Speech and equal "badness" rating is completely beyond me.

So there you have it. I'm a nerd. You know, just in case you forgot.