Clever Presentation of Math Concepts

 

Math sometimes seems arcane and unconnected to the real world, particularly to high school students struggling with algebra. This book attempts to make difficult concepts understandable through language and pictures rather than mathematical formulas. I found it a fascinating approach and easy to understand.

The book covers three major topics: topology, analysis, and algebra. I found the topology section best adapted to his approach. The algebra section got more complicated with more words than pictures. I particularly liked the section on science. Physicists use lots of math and sometimes it obscures their ideas for general readers. This book made a valiant effort to bring the math into the real world.

I recommend this book if you’re intrigued by math, but are afraid of being confronted by numbers and equations. I hope it draws more people into exploring math without fear and with an idea of how it relates to the real world.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

An Irish Rags to Riches Story in the Victorian Era

 

Blackie O’Neill had a difficult childhood losing both parents and burying his sister. His luck began to change when he travels to Leeds to work for his Uncle Patrick. Blackie is a success becoming a designer and builder in his uncle’s company. He also has the good fortune to meet a kitchen maid, Emma Harte, who has big ideas of her own.

Emma Harte is the main character in A Woman of Substance and this is the prequel. I loved Blackie’s character as he grows from a teenager to a successful business man and friend of Emma. The problem is that the book isn’t just the story of Blackie and Emma. The book is filled with other characters who will become important in later books about Emma, but the sheer number makes it difficult to remember who they are. Frankly, I thought it distracted from Blackie’s story.

The book paints a picture of the class differences between the wealthy and poor and gives an excellent picture of Leeds at the end of the Victorian era. However, the story slows in the middle I felt the author was trying to do too many things in a single book. Still, it you’ve read The Woman of Substance, you’ll enjoy learning about the early years of Blackie and Emma.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

A Real Life Cold War Spy Tale

 

The tale begins with a package received by the American Embassy in Bern, Switzerland. The cover letter asked that the enclosed package be forwarded to J. Edgar Hoover. The choice of Hoover at the FBI was deliberate. Agent Sniper, otherwise known as Lt. Col. Michal Goleniewski, being a Soviet agent, knew the CIA had been infiltrated by Russian agents. However, it took three years for Goleniewski to be actively recruited and then the CIA was the contact.

Goleniewski as head of the Polish espionage service spied on the Poles and sent the information back to Moscow. Although it isn’t explained in the book, he somehow became disenchanted with the communists and decided to sell his services to the US instead. Over the years, Goleniewski provided extremely useful information to the CIA, but eventually the Russians were aware of his activities and he had to escape to the American Embassy in Berlin with his mistress.

The first half of the book is the story of Goleniewski’s activities as a spy. It is well researched, well paced and very entertaining if you enjoy spy stories. The second half of the book is equally well researched, but much drier. It is the story of his increasingly troubled relations with the CIA. He eventually became mentally disturbed calling himself the heir to the Russian throne, Aleksei Romanoff.

Unlike James Bond stories, this one doesn’t have a happy ending, but it is a realistic, detailed picture of spy-craft during the cold war and a behind the scenes look at Washington politics in the espionage world. If you’re interested in the cold war and particularly espionage, this is well worth reading.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

A Colorful Way to Explore the Zodiac

 

The twelve signs of the zodiac are featured in multiple pages for each sign. I like the fact that there are both pictures associated with each sign as well as sayings and descriptors of the personal characteristics that typify the sign.

Some of the pictures are quite intricate, but others are simple. The two types of pictures makes the coloring book suitable for all age groups. As the author says, don’t be afraid to color outside the lines.

Coloring can be both relaxing and creative. I don’t draw well, but I enjoy deciding which colors to use to enhance the drawing.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

Excites Your Creativity

 

I love these coloring books. I can’t draw well, but colors are important to me. I love deciding how to enhance the drawings with colors of my choice. It stimulates your creativity. I particularly liked the section in this book where finished colored plates by readers were displayed. Some of them were truly wonderful and provided inspiration.

Some people have complained about the repetition of plates from other books. I thought it was a great idea. It gave me a chance to try new color schemes on the plates I’d already done.

I highly recommend this coloring book. It can be relaxing to fill in these wonderful pictures. It always makes me feel more creative and even spills over into other work.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

Murder: A Medieval Monk, or a Live Murderer

 

St. Anne’s in Knaresborough, in Yorkshire, is an ancient church with a history of ghostly doings. A medieval monk seeking revenge is rumored to walk the church at night looking for victims. The Reverend Clare Wilcox is the latest victim. She was found bludgeoned to death in the church where she had gone to meet a parishioner.

DCI Oldroyd and Sargeant Andy Carter are assigned the case. Oldroyd finds it hard to believe that a ghost is killing people, but with no obvious murder weapon and parishioners convinced of the reality of the ghost, he has a difficult time. The case is personal for Oldroyd. Clare Wilcox was the protege of his sister Alison, also a cleric. The weather is no help. Knaresborough experiences a snow storm that has Oldroyd and Andy spending the night in the church complete with a visitation from the ghost.

This is another delightful glimpse of Yorkshire. I am always drawn into the story as much by the description of the area as the plot. Oldroyd is unperturbed by the unusual aspects of the case and works step by step to uncover the truth. I particularly like mysteries where the detective gathers information and finds clues rather than violence and chasing criminals.

The interactions between the main characters are well done. However, I did miss Stephanie, Oldroyds other assistant. She made only brief appearances. The plot moves well and keeps you guessing about the motives of the people in town and particularly about the method of murder. I recommend this one. It’s part of a series, but this book can be read as a standalone.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.