Miscellaneous Reading
In Alphabetical Order by Author Then Title

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The Napoleon Connection
by Claude Brickell

The Napoleon Connection is a Da-Vinci-Code-like mystery set in the French Quarter of present-day New Orleans. Hired by one of that city's more prominent citizens, young, accomplished art historian Michael Bennington must discover the whereabouts of a priceless artifact--believed to be a rare jewel--curiously missing from the city's famed Cabildo historical museum. Bennington dives into the assignment with an uncanny passion--his specialty is 19th century jewels--and ends up taking a virtual roller coaster ride through the city's fascinating historical past, uncovers both real and purported, if not positively bizarre, local legends, descends into the city's eclectic alternative undergrounds and even encounters a quasi-religious, sexually-provocative Roman Catholic cult. The first installment in 'The Jewel Trilogy,' The Napoleon Connection is an introduction into the entertaining exploits of the likable Bennington character.

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Siren of the Waters
By Michael Genelin

"In the end, we must acknowledge that we have been held spellbound by a master storyteller. Highly recommended.”—Library Journal Starred Review

“A truly fine novel. It’s filled with exactitude of place and people, taking us into a world that seethes with dangerous secrets. On that treacherous journey, Michael Genelin makes unfamiliar worlds seem knowable, and does so with great style.”—Pete Hamill, author of North River

“A terrific novel by a man who knows crime, knows Europe, and knows how to write. Siren of the Waters is a genuine pleasure.”—Thomas Perry, author of Silence

Jana Matinova entered the Czechoslovak police force as a young woman, married an actor, and became a mother. The regime destroyed her husband, their love for one another, and her daughter’s respect for her. But she has never stopped being a seeker of justice.

Now, as a commander in the Slovak police force, she liaises with colleagues across Europe as they track the mastermind of an international criminal operation involved in, among other crimes, human trafficking. Her investigation takes her from Ukraine to Strasbourg, from Vienna to Nice, in a hunt for a ruthless killer and the beautiful young Russian woman he is determined either to capture or destroy.

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Adventures of a Continental Drifter
By Elliott Hester

Elliott Hester had just about had it–had it with pay cuts, had it with increasingly angry passengers, had it with low morale and had it with the always-present threat of danger. So when an enraged passenger had a meltdown over the in-flight meal, the veteran flight attendant took advantage of the leave of absence his airline offered and bought a ticket that took him around the world. He traveled to six continents–he decided Antarctica was way too cold–on a budget of about $60 a day, taking 34 flights on 14 different airlines and riding in 22 long-distance buses, cars and trains. Not surprisingly, he met many "characters" and had many adventures along the way, such as the corpulent Tahitian transvestite who tried to seduce him on a local bus or the very friendly Russian hooker, and not to forget the "Kamikaze-style" flies that plagued him in the Australian Outback. In Buenos Aires, people stared at him not with malice but with fascination ("Blacks in Argentina are as rare a sight as Mormons in South Central Los Angeles."). In Bangkok everyone from immigration officers to taxi drivers insisted he was a boxer ("You strong body. Mike Tyson."). He is taken aback by the pristine condition of the Singapore subway ("Walking into the Singapore subway is like stepping into the lobby of the Ritz."), although the city-state's Draconian laws got to be a bit overwhelming. But there's much more: India, Ethiopia, Egypt, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Greece and Spain. Hester (whose reports appear regularly in the Tribune's Travel section) is a terrific travel companion–funny, self-deprecating and exceedingly open-minded. – Chicago Tribune

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French War Brides in America 
By Hilary Kaiser

In 1944 and 1945, millions of American soldiers took part in the Liberation of France. It was impossible for these GIs, who brought with them freedom, health, and wealth, to avoid fraternizing with French women. Some 6,500 Franco-American marriages would later take place. Many of these women would cross the Atlantic to join their husbands, following the example of their compatriots who had wed doughboys after World War I. From the very beginning, such flirtations provoked the irritation of conservatives in France and of puritanical Americans. The former feared the debauchery of their young women, the latter the subversion of their boys. As for marriages, many difficulties first had to be overcome. Fearing an expensive inflow of war brides, who would benefit from free transportation to the U.S. and later acquire American citizenship, the U.S. Army and Washington put up obstacles. Many Americans also had a very sceptical attitude towards the integration of these brides, since French women--often dubbed "Oh-la-la girls--had the reputation of being frivolous, difficult to handle coquettes. This book, a collection of oral histories, tells the story of mademoiselle and the GI by following the destinies of 15 French war brides--three from World War I and 12 from World War II. All of these women encountered cultural shock as they discovered an opulent and open society, but one which was also materialistic and racially segregated. But the women got on with it and survived. Although about half of the marriages ended in divorce, only about 150 of the women returned to France. Most of them, in their own way, lived the American Dream. Today these women are both French and American. They reflect the image of a successful betrothal between two cultures.

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Thank You For Firing Me!
by Kitty Martini and Candice Reed

Unfortunately, unemployment is on the rise—leaving many people anxious about how to recreate themselves and renew their careers after being fired. This fresh, funny, and smart guide will be their life saver, providing them with the information they need to thrive even in this tight economic environment. It will help jobseekers and prospective entrepreneurs figure out what they really want to do next, understand the changing job market, and find work in growth areas such as green technology. There’s also advice on retraining, freelancing and independent contracting, and Internet marketing options, as well as a chapter devoted specifically to women.

Personal interviews with workers who changed their lives after getting laid off—and who are now doing what they love—offer additional inspiration -- see Adrian Leeds' story in

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A Small Moment of Great Illumination: Searching for Valentine Greatrakes, The Master Healer
by Leonard Pitt

When Leonard Pitt first caught a glimpse of Valentine Greatrakes, it was in a footnote in a history of science: “seventeenth-century Irish Healer” was all it said. Little did Pitt imagine that this accidental distraction would provide fodder for such a long adventure. Renowned for his healing powers, Greatrakes stood at the center of one of the great controversies of his age involving scientists, theologians, physicians, and philosophers. Many proclaimed his cures a miracle. Others denounced him as a quack.

Recent court battles affirm that the conflict between science and religion still rages, but what was the debate like in its earliest flowering? A Small Moment of Great Illumination visits England at the height of the Scientific Revolution to find the answer embodied in Greatrakes. Claiming he could heal others simply by touching them, Greatrakes became the target for a rising contest between the clergy and laymen who would champion the emerging scientific theories of the day. This biography traces his ascendance in the high societies of England and Ireland and his relationships with those who supported him despite the apparent contradictions of their respective fields.

This book pieces together the life and times of an enigmatic, though forgotten, figure. chapter 15!

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Places in Time
by Maxine Rose Schur

Maxine Rose Schur set out to see the world. With high spirits and little money, the author traveled not only far geographically, but emotionally, toward the hearts of others. She faced the violent grief of a Mexican sheriff, celebrated a wild elopement in Turkey and was initiated into a mysterious daily ritual with an Iranian forest ranger. Looking back, she tempers her youthful encounters with mid-life wisdom, capturing the spirit of all those she met, and evoking cherished places in time. ISBN 0-9649497-5-X, Floreant Press, 2005

 

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The Bright Side
by Max Sindell

Hi! This book is for you, not your parents. This whole process you're going through is tough. Believe me, I know. I've been there. Divorce ran in my family even before I was born. My parents were divorced when I was six, and I've had multiple stepparents, new families, and half-brothers. Divorce is a mixed bag, and it's easy to get overwhelmed with the huge changes that are taking place in your life. With so many disruptions, it's hard to focus on everything that's going wrong and everything you think you've lost. But this book isn't about that. When I went through my experiences with divorce, I was lucky enough to have my family and friends all help me with good advice. They helped me see the bright side of all these new experiences, and they helped me keep a level head and a positive perspective. In this book, I've put together the most important stuff I figured out to try to make this whole thing a little easier for you to deal with. I wrote this to be a practical book that deals with the everyday situations of divorce, and The Bright Side is full of useful information, like tips on traveling through airports alone, managing your schedule between two houses, or how to tell your parents that you won't take sides. Most important is The Divorced Kids' Bill of Rights, seven inalienable rights that kids have and need to know. So take a look--it's not that long. I hope it helps you out and makes your life a little easier. --Max Sindell

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Come and Go Molly Snow
by Mary Ann Taylor-Hall

Opening in a haze much like the one experienced by the main character, country singer Carrie Marie Mullins, Taylor-Hall's novel clears up a bit as the reason for Carrie's depression becomes clear. She has lost her young daughter in a tragic accident and lives in the shadow of her own childhood, which was marked by her father's suicide. She is slowly recovering under the care of two elderly women who keep her busy with housework and ask no probing questions. Meanwhile, her band needs their amazing country fiddler back, and her chance at stardom hangs in the balance. Taylor-Hall has composed a beautiful, moody novel with a character that will live in readers' hearts. Denise Perry Donavin --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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How She Knows What She Knows About Yo-Yos: Stories
by Mary Ann Taylor-Hall

"Everybody out here knew that she was a woman without a man," Jana, the narrator of "Advanced Beginners" realizes about her small farming community, then admits: "it was only natural that they should wonder why--she wondered why herself." The protagonists in Mary Ann Taylor-Hall's How She Knows What She Knows About Yo-Yos are all women without men, yet one would never mistake any of them for Bridget Jones. In fact--most pleasant of surprises--these stories aren't really about men at all: they're about place, and the complex web of personal history that binds people to it. Whether her fiction is set in Kentucky or the Caribbean, Chicago or England, Taylor-Hall's women enact a complex dance of movement and stasis, lighting out for the territory or setting down roots. Alone but not lonely, they crave sex but not necessarily companionship, a piece of earth to call home but not necessarily domesticity.

In the delightful title story, a young woman raised as a fundamentalist stretches her wings in the wake of her mother's death. Unfortunately, the only way she can think to rebel is by building a stone wall between her property and the Baptist church. To convince her otherwise, it takes an itinerant yo-yo salesman (would that such a creature actually existed!), some dancing, candlelight, and a painful--and somewhat belated--loss of innocence. "Banana Boats" follows an elderly first-generation American as she grows forgetful, mourns her Chicago girlhood, and tends her ailing husband with his dreams and lies about distant lands. ("Her faraway place had always been a man," she remembers.) Other stories follow a writer's love affair with a remote English village and a young woman's quixotic efforts to become a farmer, leaving her "sometime lover and spiritual advisor" behind in town. Throughout, Taylor-Hall has such a lovely, light touch with character and scene that it's easy to forget how perceptive she is about women's lives. Read these stories once for enjoyment, then once again to sound their considerable depths. --Chloe Byrne --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Detox Your Finances: The Ultimate Book of Money Matters for Women
by Justine Trueman

When times are tough and your money isn’t going as far as it used to, it’s vital to stay on top of your finances. But at times it seems that the world of money is aimed at men and it can be a daunting place for women. That’s why Justine Trueman’s "Detox Your Finances" is the ultimate accessory for the modern gal. It’s easy to read and packed full of indispensable insights. Now is the perfect time to detox your finances and make your money work for you.