Kate’s 2¢: “Call Upon the Water” by S. K. Tillyard

“Call Upon the Water” by S. K. Tillyard

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   Boris Hiestand did an excellent job of reading this tory for the NLS. I could never have pronounced all the Dutch streets, towns, and areas as well as he did.

   While the Engineer Jan Brunt’s career building dikes and channels to drain water from swamps to make tillable soil in Nieuw Amsterdam (soon to become New York) is successful, Eliza, the wild woman from the fen in the old world, soaked up his map skills and his heart, she is highly successful in Virginia.

   In many ways, this story is complicated, difficult to understand,  and the ending is an uncomfortable cliff-hanger.

From the WEB:

Stella Tillyard’s latest novel is Call Upon the Water (published in the UK under the title The Great Lev. Stella Tillyard  (born 1957) is a British novelist and historian. She was educated at Oxford and Harvard Universities and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Her bestselling book Aristocrats was made into a miniseries for BBC1/Masterpiece Theatre, and sold to over twenty countries.

   Winner of the Meilleur Livre Etranger, the Longman/History Today Prize and the Fawcett Prize, she has taught at Harvard; the University of California, Los Angeles; Birkbeck, London and the Centre for Editing Lives and Letters at Queen Mary, London.[2] She is a visiting professor in the Department of History, Classics and Archaeology, Birkbeck, University of London, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.[3]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Call upon the water DB99236

Tillyard, S. K. Reading time: 8 hours, 26 minutes.

Read by Boris Hiestand.

Historical Fiction

Nieuw Amsterdam, 1664. Engineer Jan Brunt has set up a comfortable life for himself when he receives word that disturbs his peace. He remembers moving to England in 1649 and the woman he met there. Jan educates Eliza, but she uses her learning to sabotage him. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

Downloaded: August 22, 2020

Kate’s 2¢: “An elephant in my kitchen: what the herd taught me about love, courage and survival” by Françoise Malby-Anthony with Katja Willemsen

Kate’s 2¢: “An elephant in my kitchen: what the herd taught me about love, courage and survival” by Françoise Malby-Anthony with Katja Willemsen

“An elephant in my kitchen: what the herd taught me about love, courage and survival” by Françoise Malby-Anthony with Katja Willemsen

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I enjoyed Lawrence Anthony’s “The Herd Whisperer”, so when the NLS sent “An Elephant In My Kitchen” written  by his wife after his death, I started listening to Roshina Ratnam read  the rest of the story.

   There were a variety of references to the events in “The Herd Whisperer”, but, still plenty of things happened to keep this story moving along. Some of the things were horrendous and sickening, yet other things were heart warming and hopeful.

From the WEB:

Malby-Anthony was born in the South of France, brought up in Paris and has lived in South Africa since 1987. She founded the Thula Thula game reserve in 1998 with her late husband, the renowned conservationist and bestselling author Lawrence Anthony.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

An elephant in my kitchen: what the herd taught me about love, courage and survival DB97344

Malby-Anthony, Françoise; Willemsen, Katja. Reading time: 8 hours, 27 minutes.

Read by Roshina Ratnam.

Animals and Wildlife

Nature and the Environment

Widow of the author of The Elephant Whisperer (DB 85906) shares what her life was like running the Thula Thula game reserve after his death. Discusses combating poachers, issues with employees, the elephant herd’s matriarch who didn’t like her, and the arrival of a lost baby elephant. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anthony was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. In the 1920s, his grandfather, who was a miner in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England had migrated to the area to work in the gold mines. His father, who ran an insurance business, went about establishing new offices across Southern Africa; Anthony was raised in rural Rhodesia (now called Zimbabwe), Zambia, and Malawi, before settling in Zululand, South Africa.[4]

Following his father, Anthony also started his career in the insurance sector, though subsequently started working the real estate development business. Meanwhile, he started working with Zulu tribespeople, by mid-1990s, his passion for the African Bush inspired him to switch careers, when he bought the Thula Thula game reserve, spread over 5,000-acre in KwaZulu-Natal starting his career as a conservationist.[4] A turning point in career came when he was called by a conservation group to rescue a group of nine elephants who had escaped their enclosure and were wreaking havoc across Northern Mpumalanga,[5] and were about to be shot. He tried to communicate with the matriarch of the herd through the tone of his voice and body language, eventually rescued them and brought to the reserve, and in time came to be known as “Elephant-whisperer”.[1][4]

In the following years, he established a conservation group, The Earth Organization in 2003, and his efforts lead to the establishment of two new reserves, the Royal Zulu Biosphere in Zululand and the Mayibuye Game Reserve in Kwa Ximba, aimed at providing local tribe people income through wildlife tourism.[4]

Anthony had a reputation for bold conservation initiatives, including the rescue of the Baghdad Zoo at the height of the US-led Coalition invasion of Iraq in 2003, and negotiations with the infamous Lord’s Resistance Army rebel army in Southern Sudan, to raise awareness of the environment and protect endangered species, including the last of the Northern White Rhinoceros.

Anthony died of a heart attack at the age of 61 before his planned March 2012 conservation gala dinner in Durban to raise international awareness for the rhino-poaching crisis and to launch his new book, The Last Rhinos: My Battle to Save One of the World’s Greatest Creatures.[2] Following his death, there were reports that some of the elephants he worked to save came to his family’s home in accordance with the way elephants usually mourn the death of one of their own.[3]

www.grahamspence.comActions for this site

GRAHAM SPENCE is a journalist and editor. Originally from South Africa, he lives in England. Together he and Lawrence Anthony wrote Babylon’s Ark: the Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The elephant whisperer: my life with the herd in the African wild DB85906

Anthony, Lawrence; Spence, Graham. Reading time: 13 hours, 9 minutes.

Read by Jon Huffman. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Animals and Wildlife

Nature and the Environment

“An elephant in my kitchen: what the herd taught me about love, courage and survival” by Françoise Malby-Anthony with Katja Willemsen

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I enjoyed Lawrence Anthony’s “The Herd Whisperer”, so when the NLS sent “An Elephant In My Kitchen” written  by his wife after his death, I started listening to Roshina Ratnam read  the rest of the story.

   There were a variety of references to the events in “The Herd Whisperer”, but, still plenty of things happened to keep this story moving along. Some of the things were horrendous and sickening, yet other things were heart warming and hopeful.

From the WEB:

Malby-Anthony was born in the South of France, brought up in Paris and has lived in South Africa since 1987. She founded the Thula Thula game reserve in 1998 with her late husband, the renowned conservationist and bestselling author Lawrence Anthony.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

An elephant in my kitchen: what the herd taught me about love, courage and survival DB97344

Malby-Anthony, Françoise; Willemsen, Katja. Reading time: 8 hours, 27 minutes.

Read by Roshina Ratnam.

Animals and Wildlife

Nature and the Environment

Widow of the author of The Elephant Whisperer (DB 85906) shares what her life was like running the Thula Thula game reserve after his death. Discusses combating poachers, issues with employees, the elephant herd’s matriarch who didn’t like her, and the arrival of a lost baby elephant. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anthony was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. In the 1920s, his grandfather, who was a miner in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England had migrated to the area to work in the gold mines. His father, who ran an insurance business, went about establishing new offices across Southern Africa; Anthony was raised in rural Rhodesia (now called Zimbabwe), Zambia, and Malawi, before settling in Zululand, South Africa.[4]

Following his father, Anthony also started his career in the insurance sector, though subsequently started working the real estate development business. Meanwhile, he started working with Zulu tribespeople, by mid-1990s, his passion for the African Bush inspired him to switch careers, when he bought the Thula Thula game reserve, spread over 5,000-acre in KwaZulu-Natal starting his career as a conservationist.[4] A turning point in career came when he was called by a conservation group to rescue a group of nine elephants who had escaped their enclosure and were wreaking havoc across Northern Mpumalanga,[5] and were about to be shot. He tried to communicate with the matriarch of the herd through the tone of his voice and body language, eventually rescued them and brought to the reserve, and in time came to be known as “Elephant-whisperer”.[1][4]

In the following years, he established a conservation group, The Earth Organization in 2003, and his efforts lead to the establishment of two new reserves, the Royal Zulu Biosphere in Zululand and the Mayibuye Game Reserve in Kwa Ximba, aimed at providing local tribe people income through wildlife tourism.[4]

Anthony had a reputation for bold conservation initiatives, including the rescue of the Baghdad Zoo at the height of the US-led Coalition invasion of Iraq in 2003, and negotiations with the infamous Lord’s Resistance Army rebel army in Southern Sudan, to raise awareness of the environment and protect endangered species, including the last of the Northern White Rhinoceros.

Anthony died of a heart attack at the age of 61 before his planned March 2012 conservation gala dinner in Durban to raise international awareness for the rhino-poaching crisis and to launch his new book, The Last Rhinos: My Battle to Save One of the World’s Greatest Creatures.[2] Following his death, there were reports that some of the elephants he worked to save came to his family’s home in accordance with the way elephants usually mourn the death of one of their own.[3]

www.grahamspence.comActions for this site

GRAHAM SPENCE is a journalist and editor. Originally from South Africa, he lives in England. Together he and Lawrence Anthony wrote Babylon’s Ark: the Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The elephant whisperer: my life with the herd in the African wild DB85906

Anthony, Lawrence; Spence, Graham. Reading time: 13 hours, 9 minutes.

Read by Jon Huffman. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Animals and Wildlife

Nature and the Environment

Conservationist relates his experiences caring for a rogue herd of elephants on his South African game reserve. Describes his misgivings in accepting them, challenges faced with both the herd and local communities, lessons learned from individual elephants, and the joys and sorrows he encountered. 2009.

Kate’s 2¢: “White fragility: why it’s so hard for White people to talk about racism” by Robin J. DiAngelo

“White fragility: why it’s so hard for White people to talk about racism” by Robin J. DiAngelo

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

A few take-aways from this book:

–DiAngelo states that we all have prejudices. Discrimination is when we act on those prejudices.

–Instead of saying, for example, that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier to play baseball, DiAngelo says the statement should be; Jackie Robinson was allowed to play baseball by the whites.

–Today’s white nationalists…recognize the importance of distancing themselves from explicit expressions of white supremacy.

–The white racial frame…explicitly and implicitly re-enforces the white supremacy as ideal, leaving “others” as inferior.

–If we are equal, why do we live separately?

–Systems of oppression are deeply and not over-come with simple passage of legislation, ie. Same sex marriages, American with Disabilities Act.

–We can’t change what we refuse to see. Aversive racism is subconsciously directing choices white make.

— A racism free up-bringing is not possible, because, racism is a social system embedded in the culture and the institutions.

— Am I actively seeking to interrupt racism in this context…How do I know?

— “White Rage” by Carolyn Anderson

— The paradigm needs to change, so that whites don’t become defensive when racial insults are brought to their attention.

— Take the initiative and find out on your own, to break with the condition of whiteness that makes us apathetic about racism and prevents us from developing the skills we need to interrupt it.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robin J. DiAngelo (born September 8, 1956)[1] is an American academic, lecturer, and author working in the fields of critical discourse analysis and whiteness studies.[2][3] She formerly served as a tenured professor of multicultural education at Westfield State University and is currently an Affiliate Associate Professor of Education at the University of Washington. She is known for her work pertaining to “white fragility”, an expression she coined in 2011.

   She has written that her “experience of poverty would have been different had [she] not been white”, reflecting that although she feels that she faced “class oppression”, she also benefited from “racial privilege”.[7]

   There are many youtube presentations by DiAngelo, if you’d like to do further research.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

White fragility: why it’s so hard for White people to talk about racism DB91860

DiAngelo, Robin J. Reading time: 6 hours, 23 minutes.

Read by Amy Landon. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Social Sciences

Bestsellers

Antiracism educator explores counterproductive reactions white people have when discussing racism. Topics include the intertwining of racism and white supremacy, racism after the civil rights movement, the impact of race on the lives of white people, defining the term “white fragility,” and more. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2018.

On the other hand:

Here’s another perspective written by Todd Wood, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, who flew special operations helicopters supporting SEAL Team 6, Delta Force and others.  After leaving the military, he pursued his other passion, finance, spending 18 years on Wall Street trading emerging market debt, and later, writing.  The first of his many thrillers is “Currency.”  Todd is a contributor to Fox Business, Newsmax TV, Moscow Times, the New York Post, the National Review, Zero Hedge and others.

By L. Todd Wood – – Tuesday, September 26, 2017  [Carole Lynn updates: He wrote this when all the kneeling crap started, and it applies more so now!]

I know of no white person alive today in the United States who has ever legally owned a black slave, or any slave for that matter.  Almost 700,000 mostly white men died 160 years ago to end slavery.  Jim Crow ended generations ago.  Yet black America, for the most part, is still locked in inner-city gang violence and economic hardship.  Why?

Is it because America is racist?  Is it because of some overhanging white supremacy?  Is it because of the Illuminati?

No, unfortunately, it is because of black culture and the adoption of Democratic Party government dependency.

We have just had eight years of the first black president.  Black athletes, and entertainers, routinely earn multi-million dollar incomes.  I can easily name several black billionaires without even trying too hard.  A large percentage of black America is very successful.  But, it is not enough.  Too many black youth are being left behind.

And it is no one but black America’s fault.

No one can solve this problem but black America.  No one can throw enough money at it.  We’ve tried that.  Black America needs to look in the mirror and stop blaming others, especially white people.

I am obviously white and conservative, and I served in the military, which, during my time, was as color blind as you could be. I can also honestly say I don’t give a damn what color your skin is, neither do any of my friends.  I do care about your actions.

Blacks are around 15 percent of the population.  Depending on what study you look at, they commit around 40 percent to 50 percent of violent crime in America.  Of course, there is going to be a problem with police.  And, of course, there are some bad policemen.. However, those bad apples do not kill black people statistically any more than they kill white people.  Even Harvard said that recently. If you were a cop, and you had to work in a neighborhood infested with crime and murder, wouldn’t you act differently than in a neighborhood where there was little crime?  The most effective thing black America could do to improve its relationship with police is to significantly reduce violent crime where they live.  Yes, that means change the culture of where you live and your community.

I for one am tired of being blamed.  I am tired of dealing with people who only want something from others.  I don’t oppress anyone.  I don’t hold anyone down.  I’m tired of getting on the D.C. metro and seeing white people being harassed by roaming gangs of black youth with their pants around their knees.  Yes, you want a white person uncomfortable?  That makes me uncomfortable.  It’s our nation’s capital and it’s embarrassing.

Blacks have nothing but opportunity in America.  Try finding the same opportunity anywhere else in the world.  If you are born in America you’ve won life’s economic lottery.  Take advantage of it.

The problem is this generation has been taught an agenda of cultural Marxism by our education system.  They’ve been taught to be a victim, and it’s still going on.   All you have to do is watch the young black, female student at Yale screaming at the college president to understand that.  Blacks in America don’t even know how good they got it.

Don’t kneel when my anthem is played.  Too many people died for that flag.  You are free to protest but not then.  I am free to not watch, or pay to watch you play if you do that.  The NFL should make it a rule that you stand for the national anthem.  There is no free speech to disobey a private employer on private property.  This would solve the problem immediately.

The NFL has deeply offended most of America.  They will pay an economic and reputational price, as they should.

We have a real cultural problem in this country, the result of the Leftist multicultural agenda.  Multi-ethnicity is perfect and should be encouraged..  Having more than one American culture is destroying the country.  But then again, that is what the Left wants.

Do Black Lives Matter?

It is your job to determine if this is a racist rant or just a review of factual data…

WHAT IF ALL THE BLACKS SUDDENLY LEFT AMERICA, WHICH IS 13.3% OF THE TOTAL US.POPULATION:

Amount of people in poverty would drop – 34%,

The prison population would go down by -37%,

Welfare recipients would go down by – – – 42%,

Gang members would go down by – – – – – 53%

Chlamydia cases would go down – – – – – – 54%,

Homelessness would go down – – – – – – – -57%

Syphilis would go down  – – – – – – – – – – – – 58%.

AIDS & HIV would go down by – – – – – – – -65%

Gonorrhea would go down – – – – – – – – – – -69%,

Average ACT scores would go UP – – – – – 5.5 points.

Average IQ would go UP – – – – – – – – – – – -7.4 points,  putting us 3rd in the world tied with Japan,

Average SAT scores would go UP almost – – – – -100 points,

The average income for Americans would go UP over $20,000 a year,

BUT DEMOCRATS WOULD LOSE 76% OF THEIR VOTING BASE!!!

And, many criminal defense attorneys would have to find another line of work

Yes, Black lives DO matter!

Kate’s 2¢: The views expressed by these two authors are their own and may or may not reflect Kate’s personal view.

Kate’s 2¢: “On fire: the 7 choices to ignite a radically inspired life” by John O’Leary with Cynthia DiTiberio

“On fire: the 7 choices to ignite a radically inspired life” by John O’Leary with Cynthia DiTiberio

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I was tempted to list the seven choices, but, then decided you might not read the book. It is a very moving, emotional story of tragedy, terror, renewal and hope; not to mention the perseverance of John and the network of people who surrounded him during the dance of his life.

From https://johnolearyinspires.com

Once expected to die, today John O’Leary teaches others how to truly live. As an internationally acclaimed speaker, bestselling author, and podcast host, John helps hundreds of thousands of people to live inspired each year, sharing his insights and inspiring message with emotional storytelling and unexpected humor.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

On fire: the 7 choices to ignite a radically inspired life DB84569

O’Leary, John; DiTiberio, Cynthia. Reading time: 6 hours, 39 minutes.

Read by David Rutherford. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Psychology and Self-Help

Bestsellers

The author survived a terrible fire when he was nine, and the experience and recovery inspired him and changed him for the better. He looks at the turning points in his life and shares how he overcame challenges. Bestseller. 2016.

“On fire: the 7 choices to ignite a radically inspired life” by John O’Leary with Cynthia DiTiberio

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I was tempted to list the seven choices, but, then decided you might not read the book. It is a very moving, emotional story of tragedy, terror, renewal and hope; not to mention the perseverance of John and the network of people who surrounded him during the dance of his life.

From https://johnolearyinspires.com

Once expected to die, today John O’Leary teaches others how to truly live. As an internationally acclaimed speaker, bestselling author, and podcast host, John helps hundreds of thousands of people to live inspired each year, sharing his insights and inspiring message with emotional storytelling and unexpected humor.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

On fire: the 7 choices to ignite a radically inspired life DB84569

O’Leary, John; DiTiberio, Cynthia. Reading time: 6 hours, 39 minutes.

Read by David Rutherford. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Psychology and Self-Help

Bestsellers

The author survived a terrible fire when he was nine, and the experience and recovery inspired him and changed him for the better. He looks at the turning points in his life and shares how he overcame challenges. Bestseller. 2016.

Download On fire: the 7 choices to ignite a radically inspired life

Kate’s 2¢: “Family Pictures” by Jane Green

Kate’s 2¢: “Family Pictures” by Jane Green

“Family Pictures” by Jane Green

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   This cartridge was one of the outomatically sent stories from the library. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was read by Martha Harmon Pardee, my all-time favorite reader.

   I enjoyed the story and was delighted as the jilted women discovered the inner strength to become successful in their own right.

   One of the important points, among many, was that Eve’s eating disorder wasn’t going to get better until she decided to get healthy.  

JANE GREEN IS THE AUTHOR OF TWENTY NOVELS, INCLUDING EIGHTEEN NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS, ONE COOKBOOK, AND VARIOUS SHORT STORIES.

She is published in over 25 languages, and has over ten million books in print worldwide.

She has been part of the ABC News team, has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and has made regular appearances on TV and radio.

She contributes to a number of newspapers and magazines, and had a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.

A graduate of the International Culinary Institute in New York, Green is an avid cook, amateur decorator, and passionate gardener. She is also a regular storyteller for The Moth. Her first story for The Moth, Greener Grass, was video taped and subsequently went viral on Facebook, with over three million views.

A resident of Westport, Connecticut, she lives there with her husband and a small menagerie of animals.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Family pictures DB76673

Green, Jane. Reading time: 10 hours, 58 minutes.

Read by Martha Harmon Pardee. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Family

Sylvie and Maggie live on opposite coasts and both have husbands who travel constantly for work and children nearing college age. When Sylvie’s daughter meets Maggie’s in New York City the lives of both families implode. The two families struggle to recover–with surprising consequences. Some strong language. 2013.

Download Family pictures

Kate’s 2¢: “Vulture peak” by John Burdett

“Vulture peak” by John Burdett

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   What the trailer doesn’t mention is that the story also involves the sex trade and how selling body parts doesn’t differ all that much from male, female, and those in-between prostitutes selling their bodies  or whatever body part the client wants.

   Stephen Hogan, The narrator, uses character voices and it is, sometimes, difficult to understand the heavily accented, foreign speech.

   This story isn’t for the faint of heart, as there are descriptions of sex, surgeries, mutilations, and sorrow.

   I did, however, like learning more about the countryside in Bangkok, Thailand, parts of China, and beyond, but, no way, am I going there to visit.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Burdett was born in London, England, the son of a London policeman.[1] Burdett is a former lawyer who practised in Hong Kong. As of 2007, he split his time between southwestern France and Bangkok.[1]

   Burdett is an English crime novelist. He is the bestselling author of Bangkok 8 and its sequels, Bangkok Tattoo, Bangkok Haunts, The Godfather of Kathmandu, and Vulture Peak. His most recent novel in this series, The Bangkok Asset, was published on 4 August 2015.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Vulture peak DB96488

Burdett, John. Reading time: 10 hours, 54 minutes.

Read by Stephen Hogan.

Suspense Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

Royal Thai Police detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep is put in charge of an attempt to stop human organ trafficking. He sets in motion a massive sting operation that involves the diabolical co-queenpins of the international body-parts trade: the Chinese twins known as the Vultures. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2011.

Kate’s 2¢: “Duma Key” by Stephen King

“Duma Key” by Stephen King

“Duma Key” by Stephen King

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I enjoyed hearing David Hartley Margolin read this lengthy, supernatural,  Horror Fictional story. King does not let his readers down with this 2008 evidence of his mastery of the craft of writing .

   It has been a long-time policy of mine, to read whatever my children were reading. So, when my middle school aged daughter began reading Stephen King and Ann Rice, I did too. While I didn’t think these authors stories were age-appropriate for my middle school student, I became hooked on King.  BTW: I didn’t think some of the required reading list books were age-appropriate, either! Suck as “Canterbury Tales” for high school students

“Remember the truth is in the details…” is one of the rules of drawing a picture. Edgar’s pictures combine beautiful sunsets with ‘found items’, although he doesn’t realize his seemingly random choices are being directed by an ancient, evil little China doll.

   King’s fore-shadowing and back-flashes fill in the story, progressing the narrative arc to its gruesome conclusion.

From Wikipedia

Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. His books have sold more than 350 million copies,[2] and many have been adapted into films, television series, miniseries, and comic books. King has published 61 novels, including seven under the pen name Richard Bachman, and five non-fiction books.[3] He has also written approximately 200 short stories, most of which have been published in book collections.[4][5]

King has received Bram Stoker Awards, World Fantasy Awards, and British Fantasy Society Awards. In 2003, the National Book Foundation awarded him the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.[6] He has also received awards for his contribution to literature for his entire bibliography, such as the 2004 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and the 2007 Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America.[7] In 2015, he was awarded with a National Medal of Arts from the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts for his contributions to literature.[8] He has been described as the “King of Horror”, a play on his surname and a reference to his high standing in pop culture.[9]

His other Pen names John Swithen, and Beryl Evans.

   StephenKing.com Home

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Duma Key / BR17475 – Volume: 5

King, Stephen.

A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Supernatural and Horror Fiction

Bestsellers

An accident left self-made construction millionaire Edgar Freemantle brain damaged and without an arm. When Edgar’s rage results in divorce, his therapist suggests he spend a year painting in Florida. With his phantom arm’s help, Edgar soon produces incredible, but dangerous, artwork. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2008.

Downloaded: June 19, 2020

Download Duma Key / – Volume: 5

Kate’s 2¢: “The Red Dress” by Abbie Johnson Taylor

“The Red Dress” by Abbie Johnson Taylor

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   What really amazed me about this story is that, after 25 years,  the girl can fit into the dress she wore to her high school prom.

Besides My Ideal Partner and The Red Dress, Abbie Johnson Taylor is the author of a novel and two poetry collections. Her work has appeared in Magnets and Ladders, Labyrinth, and other journals and anthologies. She is visually impaired and lives in Sheridan, Wyoming.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The red dress DB98282

Taylor, Abbie Johnson. Reading time: 5 hours, 38 minutes.

Read by Kristin Allison.

Human Relations

Eve wore a red dress that her mother had made for her to her prom. After her date cheats on her, she gave away the dress, causing a rift with her mother. Twenty-five years later, she is married with three children, and her high school reunion is approaching. Some strong language. 2019.

Downloaded: June 10, 2020

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Cornucopia: Silver Lining

Silver Lining

by Kate Chamberlin

   My mastectomy surgery and radiation therapy are behind me, although the under-lying beat of my dance with cancer continues. The silver lining of my breast cancer has burst into a bright, sunny day. As I smell the roses and Hosta Lilies; taste the fresh parsley and chive from my herb garden; and feel the galloping horse-tail clouds scud across the Franciscan azure sky, whisking down to tousle my curly locks. My days are busier than ever.

   Due to the ‘shelter in place’ restrictions posed by the insipid Covid-19 Virus pandemic, many meetings are virtual via the computer and telephone. I have virtually toured the Inside and outside of Mt. Rushmore, learned how the first American Flag was made and preserved, explored several sections of the Smithsonian Institute, attended the inter-national Continental Congress of the Daughters of the American Revolution, participated in many interesting and informational focus sessions of the American Council of the Blind’s Inter-national Convention, and met wonderful people via the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester at the Brown Bag Friday meetings, and Wednesday night seminars.

   These virtual meetings have been great, but, more and more venues are opening up. Soon, I’ll need to decide which meetings I want to attend or not. The hassle of what to wear, what adaptive equipment I’ll need to take to enable me to fully participate, and find a driver to take me. I’m hoping some of the meetings will continue to be virtual. It is so much easier to sit in my study and dial in to the meeting, not to mention safer for my health.

   My immune system is still compromised by the cancer and radiation, so, I’m cautiously starting face-to-face meetings slowly and with my family. On Saturday, August 15, our daughter and 8-1/2 year old grandson came over to cook dinner in honor of our 50^th Wedding Anniversary. In the early evening, another grandson brought his new puppy, Rocky Blue,  in to meet us. It wasn’t a huge party for our Golden Anniversary, but it was very meaningful in so many ways, so let the beat go on in this beautiful silver lining of life.

Kate’s 2¢: “Shoulder The Sky” by Anne Perry

“Shoulder The Sky” by Anne Perry

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I was confused by the mention of greenish poison gas, thinking she must have meant ‘brownish-yellow mustard/Sulphur gas, but, the chlorine poison gas has a greenish color. Whatever it was, it was devastating and a prime example of man’s inhumanity to man.

   This story certainly posed a moral dilemma for Reverend Joseph Reavley.  How does a priest reconcile his moral, ethical, and the reality of war when his own faith is being sorely tested?

   The ‘Peace-maker’ still hasn’t been identified or, at least, I didn’t pick up on what his name was.

   George Holmes, with his British accent does a great job of reading the story for us. On the surface, it is a great one and, looking under the narrative, you could have a great debate about the efficacy of war, to mention one under-lying topic.

From the WEB:

Anne Perry is an English author of historical detective fiction. Born in London in 1938 as Juliet Marion Hulme, she was convicted of participating in the murder of her friend’s mother in 1954 in New Zealand. She changed her name and returned to England after serving her sentence. Perry published her first novel in 1979.

Shoulder the sky: a novel DB59439

Perry, Anne. Reading time: 12 hours, 43 minutes.

Read by George Holmes. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Historical mystery fiction

Chaplain Joseph Reavley from No Graves as Yet (DB 57506) journeys to the Flanders war front in 1915 to help the wounded. When a hated military correspondent is murdered, Reavley probes into the mystery of his own parents’ deaths caused by the unknown “Peacemaker.” Some violence. 2004.

Downloaded: August 11, 2020

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No graves as yet: a novel of World War I DB57506

Perry, Anne. Reading time: 14 hours, 9 minutes.

Read by George Holmes. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Historical mystery fiction

Spy Stories

England; June, 1914. Reverend Joseph Reavley, a professor at Cambridge, and his brother Matthew, an intelligence officer, investigate their parents’ suspicious deaths. Their father, a former politician, had alerted them that he possessed a secret document–now missing. Meanwhile, a pacifist student at the university is murdered amidst rumors of war. 2003.

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