The Race Underground by Doug Most

By Daena
Reviewed for Minding Spot

In the late nineteenth century, as cities like Boston and New York grew larger, the streets became increasingly clogged with horse-drawn carts. When the great blizzard of 1888 brought New York to a halt, a solution had to be found.  Two brothers - Henry Melville Whitney of Boston and William Collins Whitney of New York - pursued the dream of his city being the first American metropolis to have a subway and the great race was on.  The competition between Boston and New York was played out in an era not unlike our own, one of economic upheaval, job losses, bitter political tensions, and the questions of America's place in the world.

The Race Underground is peopled with the famous, like Boss Tweed, and Tomas Edison, and the not-so-famous, like the countless 'sandhogs' who dug and blasted into the earth's crust, sometimes losing their lives in the process of building the subway's tunnels.  Doug Most chronicles the science of the subway, looks at fears people had about traveling underground and tells a story as exciting as any ever ripped from the pages of U.S.  History.  The Race Underground is a great American saga of two rival American cities, the powerful interests within, and an invention that changed the lives of millions.  (taken from the front of the book)

It was a time of change and innovation for the United States.  Many inventors were rushing to have their creations patented and entrepreneurship seemed to be the trend of the times.  With so much happening and exciting times ahead, the United States was growing at a magnificent rate.  Two major cities felt the weight of this growth the most.  These were the cities of Boston and New York.  The streets were riddled with people and horse-drawn carriages and were nearly bursting at the seams.  Traveling the streets was treacherous, often with the choice of standing or running for your life.  Two brothers, one in Boston and one in New York, recognized that the growth of their city would not soon end and set out to relieve the crowded streets.

In this novel, Doug Most takes the reader on an adventure filled with frustrations, heartbreak, devastation, political wars, defeats and championship.  If Mr. Most had been my instructor during my school years, perhaps history would have appealed to me.  The author brings history to life with insights in to the feelings of the men who were filled with passion and urgency to bring a subway to their towns.  He give life to all of the characters, from the workers who spent many tedious hours chipping away at the underground tunnels to the corporate giants who provided funding.

I found this book surprisingly fascinating.  Doug Most displays an excellent writing style which made the book nearly seamless as it changed to different years and characters.  The book has, obviously, been thoroughly researched, which paves a way for the reader to feel as though they have been plopped right  down in the middle of the late 1800s to early 1900s.  I not only enjoyed the story, I learned quite a bit about the history of the United States from a unique standpoint.  This was a story of hard times, of frustrations and crushing disappointments.  It was a victory and a tragedy rolled into one.  Mostly, it was a fantastic tale of perseverance and believing in our dreams.  I would recommend this book to anyone with even a slight interest in the building of capital America and the sheer genius of the human mind.

The Treasure of Snake Island by Carole P Roman

By Tina


In The Treasure of Snake Island, the crew of the Flying Dragon is together again and exploring the vast and beautiful oceans in search of treasure.  A colorful sunrise sparks talk of how important books are in learning things.  This is followed by a search for treasure, danger and a great reward.  Once again, the crew learns that through teamwork, friendship, and cooperation, there is nothing that can stop them from exploring and discovering the treats the world has to offer.  (taken from the back of the book)

I love the Captain No Beard books.  They are full of fun and learning experiences.  My children, as well as the children in my care at work, loved each one of these books.  The illustrations are colorful and fun and the characters are captivating.

We Have Winners!!!

OK it's been a week and we finally have winners!!  I know you're all anxious to find out if you won!

First though, thank you to everyone who participated in making this happen.  Everyone has sacrificed time, effort, money and talent to bring you this giveaway.  And for everyone who entered, thank you!

Our grand prize of the Kindle Fire HD goes to:

                                 Nash McGowan

We have ten prize packs listed!

1:  Madonna Dolin
2:  Samii Meyer
3:  Terry Bellender
4:  CharleneScooter Drake
5:  Mihaela Day
6:  Ken Ohl
7:  Tara Woods
8:  Cynthia Painter
9:  Juana Esparza
10: Kathy Osborn

We also have to bonus prize packs to give away!  So if your name wasn't listed...you still have two more chances to win below!

1:  Sue Stiff
2:  Amy Heffernan

Congrats to our winners!  We'll be sending you each an e-mail shortly and you'll have 2 weeks from today to claim your prize.

Sketches of a Small Town... circa 1940 by Clifton K. Meador, MD

By Carrie Anne

For a boy coming of age during the 1930s and '40s, Greenville, Alabama, a small cotton-farming town in the Deep South, was a wonderfully rich environment.  Greenville may have been small, but for author Clifton K. Meador, MD, life growing up there was anything but dull.

In his memoir Sketches of a Small Town...circa 1940, Meador lovingly retells the stories that formed his values and shaped his life.

For young Clifton and his friends, there's plenty of trouble to stir up, ranging from a field fire, to buzzard hunting, to fights between the 'country boys' and the 'city boys', and, of course, girls.  There are also poignant moments, such as the loss of his best friend because of the impenetrable wall of segregation.  And there are quirky characters- the town's sole, somewhat frightening taxi driver; the intriguing, cross-dressing homosexual; and the eccentric agronomy professor turned failed farmer.

Sketches of a Small Town...circa 1940 not only tells one man's story, but also beautifully captures the remarkable people, places and events that characterized a unique lifestyle in a bygone era.  (taken from Amazon description)

I hate writing such a short review, but there isn't much more to say about this book!  That pretty much sums it up!

Each chapter centers on one particular character or memory.  It was such a quick read, I purposely read in bits and pieces to make it last.  Living in a small town now, growing smaller by the minute, I can really relate to the feeling of nostalgia of days gone by.  Things ain't what they used to be, and it's a real shame.

Edric the Hatchling Gryphon by Eric K. Williams,D. Min.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004500786350&fref=ts

Aerek,  woodsman and former soldier, comes across a beautiful yet strange looking stone while hiking deep in his mountain woods.  He shares his discovery with his friend Beecie, and together they find the surprise of their lives.  This is not a stone at all! Itis the egg of a mysterious creature called a Gryphon.  This is the story of their adventures with a hatchling Gryphon named Edric.(taken from the back of the book)

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Gryphons.  Edric has found his own special spot.  If you go onto Eric's Facebook page, you can see pictures of Edric heading off on a pontoon ride!  He's an adorable little Gryphon!

And this was an adorable little story!  The characters are just awesome.  They remind me of when my sons and I play act and get all silly and uppity.  'Why yes, sir!  Your tea will most certainly be done by mid-morning!'  And you know you have to add that wonderful little playful accent!  The entire story is told from Aerek's perspective and so you immediately adopt this wonderful play acting voice for him that reaches throughout the entire story.  Breecie has this fairy like quality to her and every time you're reading a section with her in it, you can just see her filmy little dress blowing in the breeze while she extends her pinky for another sip of tea.

Edric is the sweetest little thing!  From the moment he hatches, he has this wonderful charm about him.  It's difficult to explain.  He's noble and kind and protective, but he still wants his ale and his gold!  I loved getting to be a part of his early years and seeing him knighted and becoming a hero!  The best part is that this is the beginning of his journey, so I'm sure we have a lot more to learn about him.

This sweet adventure story would be great for children ages ten and up.  Honestly, it's a little simplistic for most adults, but the story is still enough to keep you engaged.  There are some great morals enclosed that are gently nudged at you instead of hammered into you. There's also a great battle scene at the end for the adventure seeker.

Paws in the Piazza by Jerilyn McIntyre

By April

"Back home, I was content to be just an ordinary house cat.  I didn't get out much.  But it's different here in Venice."

How different?  Harley quickly finds out after his family arrives in Italy.

He takes up with a group of local cats who roam wild in the alleys and neighborhoods of Venice, and meets the mysterious Angela, a beautiful white Angora who steals his heart.  Then he becomes embroiled in a fierce and ongoing war between his friends and a rival band of cats, and discovers the magical order that underlies life in the enchanting and historic city that is his new home.  (taken from the back of the book)

This book is suggested for children aged 10-14.  Each chapter is about two pages and has quite a few words, but they're pretty basic vocabulary.  Slow readers will be able to keep up with this.

Illustrations are done by Ken Shuey.  There are a few black and white throughout the story but the main attraction is the front cover.  It's colorful with a hand drawn child-like quality to it.

Harley is a fascinating character.  He's just kind of wandering around doing his own thing, very laid back.  However, when Harley is needed, he goes into hero status.

This is a very sweet, endearing story told from the perspective of a cat.  Angela is the last of her royal bloodline and there are those that would mean her harm, but Harley won't allow that to happen.  It's beautiful to watch him protect the girl and then receive a happy ever after as his reward.

Dying for the Highlife: A Dan Reno Novel by Dave Stanton

Jimmy Homestead's glory days a a high school stud were a distant memory.  His adulthood had amounted to little more than temporary jobs, cheap boarding houses, and discount whiskey.  But he always felt he was special, and winning a $43 million lottery confirmed it.

With all that money, everything is great for Jimmy- until people from his past start coming out of the woodwork.  First, his sexy stepmother, who seduced him as a teenager.  Then his uncle, just released from Folsom after a five-year jolt for securities fraud, a crime that bankrupted Jimmy's father.  Mix in a broke ex-stripper and a down-o-his-luck drug dealer, both seeking payback over transgressions Jimmy thought were long forgotten.

Caught in the middle are investigatory Dan Reno and his good buddy Cody Gibbons, two guys just trying to make an honest paycheck.  Reno, fighting to save his home from foreclosure, thinks that's his biggest problem.  But his priorities change when Gibbons and Jimmy are kidnapped by a gang of cartel thugs out for a big score.  Fighting to save his friend's life, Reno is drawn into a mess that leaves dead bodies scattered all over northern Nevada. (taken from the back of the book)

I love Dan Reno.  He's messy and complicated and has the most surprising luck, considering the scrapes he finds himself in.  As a character, he's absolutely fascinating.  He's real and gritty and brilliant and an idiot all at the same time.  He doesn't take any guff from anybody and he knows without making some bucks, he's going to lose everything.  Again.

I met Cody in the last Reno book and he sort of grew on me.  He's kind of a jerk and you get to see his schmuck side in this book.  He definitely comes out as a hero by the end though, which just made me cheer internally.

In Stanton's normal style, we start off with a big exciting hot mess.  It's a great 'what if' story and the most interesting people come out of the woodwork!  Some are good and some are bad and they all want Jimmy's money.  The problem is that most of the story, Jimmy has no idea that he's successfully evading all these people!  He's just out having a good time with everyone on his tail and just when they're about to catch him, he takes off somewhere else!  Jimmy isn't the brightest tool in the shed, and definitely not the most moral, but I found him pretty darn likable with a good heart hidden deep deep deep down inside.

At the end of this grand chaotic mess, we end with an explosive bang.  Once the blood starts flying, it really gets crazy!  I love Stanton's style of build up and then delivery.  As usual, Reno and Cody find themselves in a dire situation.  There's no definite survival and the local cops are riding them pretty hard.

Reno is one of my favorite literary detectives and once again he delivers in this book.  His charisma and wit go a long way towards making this a fabulous read.