This was great! Religious jokes that were mostly lighthearted and occasionally thoughtful, but never offensive. The two authors seem to take their faiThis was great! Religious jokes that were mostly lighthearted and occasionally thoughtful, but never offensive. The two authors seem to take their faith very seriously, but not themselves. They approach this book with warmth and dignity, and they depict believers as honest, flawed, and eminently lovable. This made a great readaloud for my family. Delivers plenty of laughs....more
Stephanie’s back, and it’s great! This has to be a bit of a return to form for this series. I was a little worried after Gabriela featured so prominenStephanie’s back, and it’s great! This has to be a bit of a return to form for this series. I was a little worried after Gabriela featured so prominently in a recent book, but here, Stephanie shines in all her glory! She has leveled up a little, and is much more competent as a bounty hunter than she has been in some earlier books, but she is every bit as wacky and lovable. Add in some memorable moments with Lula, Grandma Mazur, and even Grandma Bella, and hilarity will ensue. I was glad to see the love triangle going strong, and Ranger—too often shoved to the background—is prominent here. If you like silly action-adventure, it’s hard to find something better than this. So Stephanie’s no Jane Eyre. So what? Enjoy the ride; this one’s a doozy....more
Garfield as you've never seen him before! The main premise of the story is that each of Garfield's previous lives shaped something about his personaliGarfield as you've never seen him before! The main premise of the story is that each of Garfield's previous lives shaped something about his personality. This collection of Garfield tales re-interprets the well-loved feline and showcases a variety of styles, genres, and iterations. Consequently, Jim Davis and his team had more freedom to play with the character; things happen here that could not be done in a typical installment of Garfield's established timeline. See? Jim Davis was reimagining his characters before it was cool!
The storytelling AND artwork vary dramatically between the tales, one of which is even in prose and not comics; and this works well, as each of the nine lives stands apart from every other one. The tone changes, too, with some slapstick, some gentle fun, some horror, and even some noir. The stories can't even be said to take place in the typical Garfield universe, as one might be set on a more magical or even spiritual plane, and one takes place in a city run entirely by humanish cats who wear clothes and have humanoid forms. Since this book pushes the boundaries of Garfield's character, it involves some things that maybe are a bit . . . unorthodox. One of the stories involves a scantily-clad woman and a man who spanks Garfield with a paddle (a possible fraternity hazing?) while another tale implies some romance for Garfield involving a lady cat, alcohol, and a convenient couch. The tone is in many places darker than in other Garfield stories, and sometimes things even border on the macabre. There is, for example, a tale in which a homeless cat (not Garfield) asks for someone to bury him, and another story involving people experimenting on and then dissecting animals. Not for the faint of heart!
These stories are, on the whole, very well-crafted, and the creativity involved is just astounding. Shining through all of it, of course, is a love for Garfield and a desire to play with his character a little bit, to try him out in different circumstances and styles, and (as Jim Davis put it), to stretch him to the limits of the imagination....more
A fun, charming book that makes a great readaloud for families. This humor is perhaps not the most intellectual style in the world, but it is a terrifA fun, charming book that makes a great readaloud for families. This humor is perhaps not the most intellectual style in the world, but it is a terrific hoot! Good clean jokes for kids and kids-at-heart....more
A good family readaloud, perfect for kids! This book offers a nice way to share a laugh, to spend an evening, or even to pass time during a long wait A good family readaloud, perfect for kids! This book offers a nice way to share a laugh, to spend an evening, or even to pass time during a long wait (or a long car trip). This book doesn't have a lot of really long jokes, but it's a fun journey filled with what I've heard called second-grade humor. Good clean fun....more
How charming! Jennifer Beckstrand sure has a light touch, and this series is a lot of fun. I enjoyed this prequel, set during the Korean War, and whilHow charming! Jennifer Beckstrand sure has a light touch, and this series is a lot of fun. I enjoyed this prequel, set during the Korean War, and while there are some somber moments in the story, I am delighted that Beckstrand's sense of humor still shines through. Recommended for fans of the series....more
Once upon a time there was a life-affirming story about a man on a bridge who was contemplating jumping. That story was the film It's a Wonderful LifeOnce upon a time there was a life-affirming story about a man on a bridge who was contemplating jumping. That story was the film It's a Wonderful Life, and while it has long been a favorite film of mine, even as I child, I recognized that I couldn't wholly relate to George Bailey. He is heroic in a way that most people aren't. So is his life is worth living? Sure! He rescues drowning children, helps people keep their homes, gives away money so others can go to college, and does a whole lot of things that most people never could. It's a great movie, but it has very little to do with ordinary people. What about people who are just grateful not to mess up things for someone else. Where is the life-affirming quirky story for the rest of us?
Well, here. This is it. Anxious People. It's also a life-affirming story about a man on a bridge who is contemplating jumping. It's about a bank robber and hostage drama. It's about "idiots"—Backman's word. It's funny. It's whimsical. It's sad in many respects, but it's also buoyant and hopeful and clever. It gave me a few good belly laughs, and that's always good. The characters are quite memorable, and while it's not perfect, I do think it's excellent. It is quite different from every other book I've ever read, and that's saying something. Here is to be found hope, not just for the George Bailey types, but also for the people who spend their lives trying to do the best they can for the people they love. Sometimes they even succeed....more
History in a comic-book format. Very interesting subject matter, but not a lot of depth. Quite funny in places: the author flat-out admits that he madHistory in a comic-book format. Very interesting subject matter, but not a lot of depth. Quite funny in places: the author flat-out admits that he made up dialogue just to get a good joke. And for anyone worried about credibility, he makes it very clear which speech-bubble comments are made up and which ones are verified. A fun romp through history....more
I love languages, and I had recently begun trying to learn German when I stumbled upon this little gem. It’s funny, and it highlights, from the point I love languages, and I had recently begun trying to learn German when I stumbled upon this little gem. It’s funny, and it highlights, from the point of view of a frustrated student, some of the more bewildering aspects of the German language. I think most English-speakers attempting to learn German could relate to this. I believe German is a beautiful language, but even so, I agree that its complicated rules can seem strange to outsiders—even more so than other foreign languages in the Indo-European family. I studied French before I ever studied German, and French has gendered nouns, and different forms for the word “the,” and different forms of the word “you,” and a bunch of different cases. So does German. Yet somehow, they seem more logical in French than they do in German. For example, in French, “le” (“the”) is always masculine, and “la” feminine. Easy! The most confusing thing that happens is that both become “les” when they’re plural. But German is stranger. German has three genders, not two, and the word “the” changes not only for gender and number, but also for case. So “der” is masculine nominative, but something “der” can also be feminine if it is an object. “Die” is feminine singular, but it can also be plural—any plural. And don’t get me started on pronouns. In German, “Sie/sie” can mean “she” or “you” or “they.” And this tendency to reuse words can be quite challenging to someone unfamiliar with the language. Enter Mark Twain’s narrator, who describes the German language’s idiosyncrasies in an over-the-top style that, oddly enough, seems reminiscent of Saxony’s tradition of over-the-top humor. The narrator here imagines the German language as being the result of a single “inventor” who was deliberately trying to confuse people. Bizarre premise, I suppose, but it works. I also give credit to Twain for taking the time to mention some aspects in which German is better (easier? clearer?) than English. That was a welcome shift in perspective. My biggest criticism lies not with the book itself, but with the specific audio edition that I heard. The narrator, Rainer, was difficult to understand. I had the distinct impression that he was talking strangely in order to be silly, but I think the text is funny enough to stand on its own. I just kept thinking of Dr. Seuss’ book The Lorax, in which the Once-ler sounds “as if he had smallish bees up his nose.” That’s exactly how I’d describe it. All in all, an interesting read. It pokes fun at the German language without ever disparaging its people, and its teasing tone is both lighthearted and, at times, self-deprecating. You can agree or disagree with his comments, but it seems clear that this is meant all in good fun....more
Once again, Jennifer Beckstrand has crafted a tale with humor and charm. Quite a lot happens in this second installment of the series: An environmentaOnce again, Jennifer Beckstrand has crafted a tale with humor and charm. Quite a lot happens in this second installment of the series: An environmental activist struggles to promote change in his community while still being true to his Amish faith. A shy and obedient young woman learns to stand up for herself and be strong. And a young man slowly realizes that his best friend may be in love with his fiancée . . .
Well-crafted characters, serious hardship, and just a touch of warmth combine to make a memorable story....more
Delightful, for a bunch of reasons. Here are some: • Lovable characters. I found myself rooting for them, laughing with them, and hoping for a happy eDelightful, for a bunch of reasons. Here are some: • Lovable characters. I found myself rooting for them, laughing with them, and hoping for a happy ending. And it wasn't just the leads. I found the supporting characters, especially the two grandparents, to be a lot of fun, too. Lots of warmth. • Humor. It's not overblown, but it is definitely a strong undercurrent in this novel. Very well done. • Christianity. It's respectfully portrayed without being overly preachy. Jennifer Beckstrand has a way of incorporating aspects of faith into her plot with just the right light touch. I greatly enjoyed reading this. What a sweet, refreshing novel!...more
The tone of this one feels different. The bad guys here are really scary; apparently, Stephanie’s grandmother has already been kidnapped once, and theThe tone of this one feels different. The bad guys here are really scary; apparently, Stephanie’s grandmother has already been kidnapped once, and they are still gunning for her. And yet, neither Stephanie nor her grandma seems especially concerned, and Stephanie still goes into dangerous situations unprepared. That sort of ineptitude was funnier in lower-stakes stories where her family wasn’t directly threatened, but it seems oddly chipper for this context. Ranger is in this one quite a bit, which is great. I think we don’t get enough insight into his character to connect to him well, but then, his mysteriousness is part of what makes him so attractive in the first place. Lula is funny, even Stephanie’s mother has a chance to shine, and Morelli’s moments, though few, are both sweet and interesting. I am impressed at the way his character still feels fresh after all these books.
There are new characters here, too. I’m probably in the minority, but I didn’t care for Gabriela. For one thing, she isn’t in the book very much (or she’s in the background) so it’s hard to get invested. For another thing, she isn’t funny, which would be okay for other novels, but this is Stephanie Plum, where even the recently kidnapped, presently threatened, widowed newlywed is cracking wise. In addition to this, Gabriela is mysterious, beautiful, brilliant, thin, athletic, skilled in the martial arts, wealthy (maybe? she wears designer clothes), knowledgeable, and practically perfect in every way. She’s neither quirky nor flawed. In other words, she’s just not all that interesting. I know that she’s going to be the main character of a different series, and I’m guessing that the tone of that series will be quite different from this. I might like her better in her own novel. I don’t dislike her here—I simply don’t feel much of anything. The other new character here is meant for this book only, which is too bad because he was the most interesting part of the novel for me. He’s one of Stephanie’s FTAs, and he’s neurotic, loyal, anxious, and surprisingly sweet.
Ultimately, in deciding what to rate this book, I looked at my enjoyment of it. In that respect, this one is great, as always. 27 books in, and Evanovich still has her sense of fun. In addition, all the returning characters feel real and true to form. There is a little bit of growth for some of them, and there are a few really touching moments. Perfect for any fan of the series. Four and a half stars, rounded up....more
This well-crafted book gently guides readers toward stronger writing skills by listing common examples of redundancies. Many of these were ones that IThis well-crafted book gently guides readers toward stronger writing skills by listing common examples of redundancies. Many of these were ones that I had often heard before, and for some of the ones I hadn’t, a quick Internet search showed that they are indeed in common use. Richard Kallan doesn’t demand that people stop using these phrases—indeed, in one section he points out that the use of multiple synonyms can even be desirable. They don’t alter the meaning, but they help convey the intense emotion involved in the statement. Moreover, this is more than just a dry grammar guide: humorous illustrations and snarky comments add a layer of fun to everything. Astute readers will notice that not all of his redundancies repeat the same idea. For example, as a flautist, I have played duets with other woodwind instruments. So if I were referring to two vocalists performing, I’d need to call them a “singing duet” for clarity. In other circles, say, an a cappella choir, such a description would be unnecessary. And I don’t know how he got the idea that “good Samaritan” is redundant. The person in the parable was from Samaria, and he did good deeds: two very different, though obviously not exclusive, concepts. But while a few of this book’s “redundancies” are questionable, it still made for a highly enjoyable read. Interesting, witty, and well worth reading....more
My review, like this book, will be short and sweet: This collection of essays is sure to brighten many people's holidays. Sweet, uplifting, and with jMy review, like this book, will be short and sweet: This collection of essays is sure to brighten many people's holidays. Sweet, uplifting, and with just enough humor to see us through, this volume is another success from a remarkable mother-daughter team. Look here for a glimpse of their holiday experiences, for wisdom, a little chaos, and a lot of warmth....more
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