Nightmare House by Douglas Clegg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I know Doug, and I had already read this book. But re-reading it by listening to the audio version, I spooked myself to the point that I turned on the dome light in my car and checked to make certain no one was hiding in the back seat. 
The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History by John M. Barry
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Two things kept me from enjoying this book. The first was that it could have used some editing. It was so long that Audible split its audiobook file into three parts, and a huge portion of the first section was concerning, not the 1918-1919 pandemic, but the history of medical education in America. The second was petty on my part, I admit, but it was slightly annoying that the author kept referring to John Hopkins University as “The Hopkins”. The nickname just seemed too informal for the context of this book.
The listening was much enhanced by the narration by Scott Brick, however.
Posted in ex libris
Tagged American history, book reviews, books, epidemics, Goodreads, history, illness, influenza, John M. Barry, literature, wars, WWI
Shake the Devil Off: A True Story of the Murder that Rocked New Orleans by Ethan Brown
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
The author finally admits, when the book is almost complete, that he is sympathetic to the murderer. He stops shy of this admission, actually, writing that his wife felt he was, to the point of being angry with him. This book is an apology for the murderer, and the author forgot that the murder was not a quick act of passion, but rather a planned, gruesome saga that involved living with the corpse for over two weeks, and setting up a horrid tableau in order to scar those who followed the instructions in his suicide note. Brown works so hard to exonerate, somehow, the murderer from the full guilt of his crime that the book becomes a history of the war at some points.
Posted in ex libris, the Empress Anisa
Tagged literature, murder, criminology, history, victimology, books, New Orleans, Louisiana, war, Ethan Brown, Zack Bowen, Addie Hall, Hurricane Katrina, Goodreads, book reviews
Comfort Knitting and Crochet: Afghans: More Than 50 Beautiful, Affordable Designs Featuring Berroco’s Comfort Yarn by Norah Gaughan My rating: 5 of 5 stars Splendid. Could only be improved by the addition of a spiral binding. View all my reviews … Continue reading
I was injured at work, and now am home, fidgety and helpless, unable to do anything except stare at the television (tv without knitting! o, the humanity) or read. Using my good left arm, I’m propping up books and reading, reading, reading. Currently on deck:
Mary, Called Magdalene has made me realize how much I do not know about the history and vocabulary of religion. In my one-handed peckings online, I’ve found two amazing words of such:
Acheiropoietos: A name of the image of the Lord in the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, which is said to have been initiated by St. Luke, and completed by angels.
Acheiropoeta: The same legend attached to a picture.
Pneumatology:
n.
1. The doctrine or study of spiritual beings and phenomena, especially the belief in spirits intervening between humans and God.
2. The Christian doctrine of the Holy Ghost.
I cannot travel right now to beautiful places, to monuments and libraries of the world, to see for myself. I can’t even dress myself! But my books, ah, my books…
Posted in ex libris
Tagged literature, psi, history, horror, horror literature, religion, Christianity, Italy, Margaret George, St. Mary Magdalene, Egypt, Martin Dugard, James Patterson, Egyptology, King Tut, botany, Amy Stewart, Peter Haining, demented domiciles, hauntings, ghosts, acheiropoietos, acheiropoeta, pneumatology
…Apparently, we are delusional from fever right now. I hope that’s the cause. Bin Laden hunter: I wanted to haul him to US alive. Okay, hooray for initiative. That’s the American spirit: if it needs doing, why, get up, get … Continue reading
It’s the little things. Originally uploaded by Carla216 Even when you’re 38 years old, it can still give you a little moment of happiness when you discover your cereal houses a toy. Thank you, Cheerios, for my Princess Fiona water-squirter. … Continue reading
I was finishing Blind Faith, the story of Rob Marshall’s murder-for-hire of his wife, Maria, and I was struck by a comment made by an anonymous acquaintance.
See, Rob Marshall wanted to have it all:
wife-be-gone, her life insurance money, girlfriends galore, and no loss of social standing.
His neighbor summed it all up so perfectly:
Rob’s problem, I should say, one of his problems, was that he could not distinguish. He mistook an erection for a vocation. (371)
Posted in ex libris
Tagged criminology, Joe McGinniss, literature, murder, New Jersey, Toms River, true crime, violence
Carla
