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I’ve been using Twitter to gush periodically while reading Hawk. I linked to Brust’s Twitter account in those tweets and he usually obliged me with a retweet, a favorite, and when I’ve been especially lucky, a response. I’m of the opinion that not enough people know and love this guy’s work. I consider it my sovereign duty as a voracious reader and as a bookseller to spread the good name of Brust. So as soon as I finished the last sentence and left Vlad to retrieve his cloak, I immediately turned to Twitter to release my giddiness and inquire as to the publication date of the next Vlad novel. I was met with a message saying Twitter is under maintenance and to “check back soon”. Sigh. For those of you who haven’t read any Brust, let me give you some background on his Vlad books. I believe he started writing them in the early eighties (I don’t have internet access right now and my books are all in temporary storage in my RV) and is thankfully still writing them to this day. I was going to write a short synopsis of the series up to this point, but the book jacket of Hawk does that very succinctly, so I’ll quote that instead. Vlad Taltos was an oppressed and underprivileged Easterner �" that is, a human �" living in Adrilankha, capital of the Dragaeran Empire. Life was hard. Worse, it was irritating. Then Vlad made a great discovery: Dragaerans would pay him to kill other Dragaerans. Win-win! The years of Vlad’s career as a crime boss and top assassin were cut short by a revolution, a divorce, and an attack of conscience (not necessarily in that order). In the midst of all that, he broke with the Jhereg, the Dragaeran house of organized crime. He’s been a marked man ever since. The world that Brust has created is detailed down to the very last aroma of Adrinlankha (never a good smell) and invented food that I desperately want to try (kethna, which I’ve always imagined tastes like chicken falling off of a spit, and klava, a beverage ten times better than coffee). The wit and humor in the midst of death and adventure brings me back book after book. So finally, his latest installment: Hawk. I checked it out from the library on December 2nd and read it in such short installments to make it last longer that I had to renew it in order to avoid late fines. I finally caved yesterday and read 80 pages in one sitting which brought me almost to the climax of the storyline. I held off on that until today. It officially took me 26 days to read and I’m already ready for the next book. Hawk introduces us to a Vlad who is really tired of wandering, hiding, and not seeing his family. He realizes that if it’s going to stop being this way, he’ll need to be the one to facilitate a plan that gets the Jhereg off his back for good. And he believes he’s come up with one. But first, he needs to live through a couple of assassination attempts (one of which made me gasp out loud) and attract the attention of those who are trying to kill him with a money-making scheme that will hopefully get them off his back. In the midst of his planning, hiding, and trying to stay alive, we’re given some memorable scenes with Sethra Lavode (the undead enchantress of Dzur Mountain), the Dragonlords Morrolan and Aliera, Kragar (Vlad’s former go-to man who now runs Vlad’s old business), Loiosh and Rocza (Vlad’s two reptilian familiars �" have I mentioned Vlad is also a witch?) and my favorite of all: Lady Teldra. Pages 184 and 185 were a special reward for those of us wondering what really became of Teldra and I admit this sentence gave me chills: “…pleasure washes through me that I have not been forgotten”. I continue to be astonished at how Brust is able to keep his books fresh, new, and captivating every time. There is never a dull moment or a feeling that you’re reading the same story over again and best of all, his series only gets better with every reread. The Dragaeran Empire is a place I’m really glad I don’t live in (I wouldn’t stay alive longer than, oh, maybe 5 hours) but one that I’m deliriously excited to visit every chance I get. And I know that when reviewing a book, you’re supposed to mention something that you wish the author had done instead or some failing on behalf of the storyline, but honestly? I’ve got nothin’. It was perfectly enjoyable from start to finish, it had two gasp-worthy moments that stopped my heart both times (first fight scene early in the book and The Kragar Scene with a brief appearance by Aliera), and the ending was so well executed, I cheered. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Mr. Brust. Please keep writing. I don’t care how long it takes for the next novels; as long as they’re coming, I’m content with that.

(Review originally posted on shelftalker.wordpress.com & submitted to Netgalley.com, where I received the advance copy) ****************THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVEN'T READ RIPPER YET.*********************** Being that the author is an old college friend of mine, I expected, as I did in Ripper, that my bias would get in the way of how I really felt about this book. I figured I would read through it, enjoy it, but in the back of my mind, there might be this niggling disappointment that I wouldn’t want to admit to in order to save her feelings. Thank god THAT didn’t happen. I am not one drawn to mystery novels, nor do I much care either way about Jack the Ripper. I saw the movie From Hell with Johnny Depp and was vaguely blas� about it. Despite all of this, Reeves was able to draw me in, hold my attention and deliver a Ripper story that left me wanting more. ***spoiler alert*** Renegade picks up where we left off in Ripper. The Conclave is gone, Max is still alive in the shadows, and Arabella Sharp is returning to her work at the hospital. But life does not return to normal, nor can it, while the Ripper continues his plans. Newly murdered bodies show up in the graveyard, eviscerated fishermen are washing up on the shores of Scotland, and despite Abbie’s best intentions, Max has her right where he wants her all along the way. As she contemplates her feelings for the two physicians who love her, William and Simon, she must also contemplate two events from her past that haunt her to this day. And in the midst of all of this, there are rumors of the existence of a once-thought-only mythical creature patrolling the seas…a connection to the Conclave or another mystery altogether? The characters continue to evolve as the reader’s loyalty is challenged several times; is Simon actually the better partner for Abbie or will William prove worthy? Who is Richard when he’s not playing the part of a butler and can he be trusted? Are Inspector Abberline’s investigations leading him on the right path or is he too blinded by his suspicious nature? What I enjoy most about this series is the strong nature of its main character, Arabella. She does not play the heroine-in-distress easily, having defended her own life and those of her friends by single-handedly killing the members of the Conclave in the first novel. Abbie knows how to handle a knife, yet can sit with her grandmother for tea time. She is honest about her emotions, her passions, and what she wants most in her life (to be a physician in a time when female doctors are hard to come by), yet realizes that what comes first is to rid her world of the Ripper and his murders. She may be scared for her life along the way, but she never shies away when it comes to saving the lives of her friends and boldly staring death in the face. She is an ever-evolving character who is not perfect, who admits her flaws, and who is all the better for doing so. My only critique is that I would have liked to have seen Richard and Abberline fleshed out a bit more this time around. They’re both such intriguing background characters who I have latched onto and want to know more about. Reeves answered a mysterious statement made by Simon in the first book (“You should know your butler better.”) with another mystery to string her readers along and spoken as a truly impatient reader, I hope that we get even more satisfaction in the next book. Abberline was a love-to-hate-him character in Ripper, but stayed more in the background in Renegade. Although his major scene with Abbie brought a bit more humanity to him, as he stumbles down the alley after they part ways, he also stumbles from the narrative into the shadows again. I’m excited to read his story; to find out why he is the way he is and if there will be redemption for him. Well-written, engaging, and a strong follow-up to Ripper, I am already anxiously awaiting the third installment in this series: Resurrection, its publishing date set for 2014, according to Flux. But in the meantime, I will enjoy the story that has been given to us so far and think about what’s in store for us in the next novel, given the unexpected twist in the last two pages. (And just wait until you get to the confessional scene…)

The message I sent Cory Doctorow seconds after finishing this book: @doctorow YOU OUTDID YOURSELF. Just finished Pirate Cinema two secs ago. BRILLIANT. Victorious fist pump at the end. Thank you for this. He wrote back: @clarasayre Thank you,CLARA! I love technology so much. :)

I am a HUGE fan of Microcosm Publishing to begin with and regularly order from them several times a year. Having already owned Making Stuff and Doing Things by them, I was excited to order another DIY book, especially from Matte Resist, of Resist Zine and Resist Instrument Works. This book did not disappoint...with sections titled Bicycles, Home and Garage, Gardening, Educating Your Children, Musical Instruments, and Everything Else, it covers a lot of subjects that interest me. I really liked the section about buying a house...it follows Matte and his wife Rachael's experience buying their house. Easy to read, very interesting, and incredibly helpful....I highly recommend it.

I finished this book just two minutes before sitting down to type this. I agree with the other reviewer; this is the type of book where you genuinely miss the characters after reading the last page. I had no idea what to expect from this story, but it took me on a much grander adventure than anticipated. It's a story about loss, about courage, about family, about imagination, and about being true to oneself. But it's so much more.

Inspiring, gripping, adventurous story about gamers all over the world banding together as the Webblys to fight for workers rights and fair compensation. I didn't always understand the gamer-ese, but that didn't matter or detract from the story at all...I had a hard time putting the book down, cried toward the end, and cheered when I finally reached the last page. Absolutely on par with Little Brother as one of my favorite books by Doctorow.

EXCELLENT book with simple reason for eating healthier along with very good recipes. For those who don't want to be preached at, but who simply want a resource, I highly recommend this book. She even provides a pantry list to get you started!

As much as I yearned to love these books and add them to my bookshelves at home, I just couldn’t. While the storyline was intriguing enough and the characters likeable (especially Lina), what bothered me the most was the lack of a climax in all three of the stories. And when the story line began driving toward a climax, the author chose instead to veer away from it and let our imaginations do the work (which I normally wouldn't be opposed to, but there were a number of chances to make the plot exciting which the author skipped over). All in all, I wanted this story to have more punch than it ever did. I found myself skimming through The Prophet of Yonwood pages at a time in the hope that I’d come across a more interesting passage. And although I agree with the author when it comes to the dangers of religious intolerance and fanaticism, I felt dragged down by the constant harping on how these two things make the world bad. The not-so-underlying message throughout The Prophet of Yonwood that the Disaster that led to Ember being built underground was caused by religious wars was its own character and I wish she hadn’t been so heavy-handed with it. Okay, what did I like? The storyline (Honestly! Aside from my aforementioned disappointments with it, the story arc was fantastic)….I love dystopic literature and this one sucked me in: underground city, adventure, demolished cities above ground, people living off the land and creating civilization again, etc. The characters…Lina, a strong female who really carried the story, is 12 years old, a newly christened Messenger in Ember, and incredibly devoted to her baby sister, Poppy. Doon, a 12 year old radical who stands up to authority and joins with Lina to save his city, is incredibly inspiring, even as he struggles with what is right and what is wrong.

If you never read another book in your life after this, you need to make time for Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools. Both books need to be required reading in schools, in the government, in the military, and in every American household. The immense simplicity & reward in investing in education for girls and women in Pakistan and Afghanistan far outweighs the destruction of civilians and their way of life...if we want to promote peace and a safe way of life there, this is the way. It's worth the time, money, and patience.

Having watched the tv show first, but also following Belle on Twitter and reading her online blog, I was very interested in reading her book. Really loved it...it gives you a perspective on call girls that, I'll admit, I've never read before: that of a woman who wasn't forced into prostitution, who doesn't have a manipulative pimp, and who, on the whole, leads a fairly normal and productive life. And she makes it clear that not every woman has this experience, obviously. Very sexually graphic, again obviously, so I suppose if you're faint-hearted, you may not want to read it....but I would highly suggest it to anyone who holds an interest in the sex trade discussion as a viable resource for the other side. Anyone who has seen the show will recognize various scenes in the book, but the book is quite different than the show. Being a fan of both, I don't feel that anything is taken away by this, however.

One book, split into four books, with the same characters throughout, BUT such a change in plot with each book that it caught me a bit off-guard sometimes. I almost gave up on it in the beginning because it is very Harry Potter-esque, but this time, the characters cuss quite a bit, find themselves in sexual situations that involve more than snogging, and tackle the idea of magic in a much more pessimistic, "real life" way than HP ever did. The ending wasn't what I expected and, to be honest, felt a bit weak, but ultimately, I'm glad I persevered and read through to the end.

Wow oh wow. What a fantastic addition to vampire lore. The authors take the idea of a vampire and make it logically work into science and biology and then unleash an epidemic of them on New York. The first half of the book had me on the edge of my seat and I never quite relaxed after that. Can't wait for the next one already!

While I believe that this is an important read since it gives an unflinching view of the Iraq war from the Iraqi side by a Lebanese female journalist (how many civilians were killed rather than the actual targets, how many widows and widowers we made instead of ridding the world of terrorists, and how many children had to pay the price for this war), for me, there wasn't a good balance between that and the author's story of her infertility and how desperately she and her husband wanted to have kids. I do understand that the reason why Zahra and Hawra played such a huge part of her life was because of her infertility story and I don't wish to come across as unsympathetic, but the infertility part of the book dragged for me and I ended up skipping through some pages of it. (I just re-read that and it makes me sound very unsympathetic...as someone who has no interest in having her own children and would rather adopt, I had a hard time relating to Jaber's desperate need to spend years and money on fertility options. That's why I skipped through those parts...) However, all in all, a very good and powerful book.

Somaly Mam IS an inspiration to women around the world. Her story of being sold into sexual slavery and then managing to get out of it AND to make it her life's work to help other girls (some as young as eight years old) to escape the slavery in Cambodia is something that every single person should read about. Slavery is still happening in the world today and it is hidden because it is glamorized as an exotic thing for tourists to do. It needs to stop and these women and girls who have been terrorized by it need to be freed.

A really excellent story that, unfortunately (in my opinion), was bogged down by not so great writing, too many details, and unrealistic dialogue. The ending was a bit confusing too (she's setting this book up for a sequel, right?), but overall, it was honestly a great, great story. Good twists, good commentary on environmental issues, but not as good overall as I was hoping.

I've never been the biggest fan of the Peter Pan story, but thought I'd give this a try, since it's always been such a huge seller at the bookstores I've worked at. I finished it and I liked it; I didn't love it, but it was fun to read about the "real" reasons behind Peter being able to fly, why he has no parents, how Captain Hook lost his hand, why Peter doesn't age and where Tinkerbell came from. I haven't decided if I'm going to continue reading the series; maybe this summer...

I think, with just this book, I am now officially considering myself a fan of Emily the Strange and must now find more of these books to acquaint myself with her. Funny, quirky, and thoroughly enjoyable....I loved the premise of her having amnesia and not knowing where she is or how she got there, but for some reason, it never really bothers her all that much. Setting the book up as her diary, along with Polaroids she takes of her surroundings and drawings of the cats who live with her in her lean-to add to the quality and fun of the story. Like I wrote, I've never read any Emily the Strange before this, but this has certainly piqued my interest in them. I guess this title comes out in June '09, so I'll have to wait awhile before I can buy it for a few friends of mine who, I think, will enjoy it also.

I didn't finish this book. It was too much a copy of Harry Potter for me to enjoy. I mean, an orphan (whose eyes are commented on by various characters) raised in the non-magical world who goes back to the magical world via the subway and participates in a multi-part contest (one part is an underwater contest where all the contestants can swim and breathe underwater and another part is a maze with deadly mythical creatures in it), while living in a castle with his brainy female friend (who has a pet cat that is more than what she seems to be) who sneaks around the castle with him using their invisibility caps and avoids a Snape-esque character and a Draco-esque character bent on getting them kicked out? I'm sure I'm forgetting other similar aspects, but that's enough for me. I wish this book had a bit more originality to it because it has the potential to be really good.

I was a bit skeptical about this when I started it because I wasn’t sure I wanted to read a whole book written in poetry form. But Chaltas’ use of words, imagery and poetic language made the story a gripping one. She takes the subject of domestic abuse and doesn’t shy away from it, but is also not gratuitous with it either. Anke is a young woman whose father is abusive to everyone in the family but her. The title comes from her feeling that she is simply furniture in the house, nothing more. Being ignored and overlooked is just as traumatizing to her as her brother being beaten and her sister being sexually abused. As I mentioned above, the entire book is written in poetry form. It is from Anke’s point of view and reads as though we’re sneaking a peek into her diary. Because of the graphic nature of her words, I felt twinges of guilt reading them, as though I was invading another person’s privacy. But the one thing that Anke wants and desperately needs is for someone TO notice what’s going on in her family and help them. She soon realizes SHE may need to be the one who helps and it all starts when she makes the volleyball team, against her father’s orders and learns for the first time that confidence can flourish in even the most seemingly impossible situations . Very quick read (finished it in a day) and highly recommended.

Very inspiring story from a photojournalist who has seen the world and then has her entire life changed by a tragic bus accident in Laos. Though not Buddhist, she relies on the Buddhist faith, breathing techniques, and meditation to heal herself, though her doctors claim she will never walk again. She proves them wrong and then some.

I could not have had a more different idea of where this book was heading than I did. I figured it to be a fluff YA book that I could read on the bus and suddenly I'm in the middle of a discussion on ethics and how much technology is too much technology.....this was a FANTASTIC read from start to finish. I'm so glad I picked it up on a whim.

A decent story that had some good twists that I wasn't expecting, but a bit too short of a story for me. I wanted the characters fleshed out more so that I really felt a lot of empathy for Cosmo. Again, not a bad story, but could have been better.

Absolutely my favorite book of the year. I've read the Twilight series and I like it, but this doesn't compare. The depth at which I cared for and empathized with the character, Wanderer, is credited to Meyer's attention to detail, emotion, and clarity of story. I could barely put the book down while reading it...I want to write so much, but I don't want to ruin it for anyone. Let's just say, the story went in places I wasn't expecting and the ending really threw me....I highly recommend this to everyone.

I read this whole book hoping it would get better and it never did. The premise was intriguing enough (especially with the author note at the end), but it felt forced, especially when the twins discover what they have in common with Gabriel. It was simply, "Oh! You're like us!" and then everyone accepts it and moves on. No questions asked. The ending was a bit too cookie-cutter also and the last sentence made me roll my eyes. All in all, I wasn't very impressed.

I really enjoyed this book. I think The Foretelling was better, but I don't mean that as a slight on this one. Hoffman's writing style and characters are always mesmerizing to read...each character is believable and a bit dreamy and there's a strong sense of empowerment I get when I read her books, especially as a female. I really liked how when characters spoke in this one...their words are italicized instead of in quotations. It gave me the distinct impression that I was inside Estrella's head, listening in on her thoughts and the thoughts of others around her.

Amazing. Simply amazing. And terrifying when you think about how close we are to this becoming a reality in America. A real page-turner that opens your eyes and provides a great amount of real world information for the curious at the end of the book...everyone should read this.

I'm not usually one to pick up adult fiction and read it. If I'm going to read fiction, I'd rather hop over to the young adult section and read to my heart's content. But this book was recommended by a friend, so I read it in three days. Not only does Margaret Lea, the main character, love books as much as I do, she perfectly describes the love affair book nerds have with their cherished titles and how passionately we'll defend our book obsession to anyone. Lea works in her father's antiquarian bookstore, writes biographies on obscure people in her free time, re-reads the classics until they're memorized, and is invited to reclusive author Vida Winter's house to finally get on paper Winter's autobiography, which has never been known before. Very captivating storyline and great surprises along the way.

We happened upon the new Doctor Who by chance over a year ago and are now avid fans. The humor, the smart writing, and the perfect casting all come together to make a great show. I loved Christopher Eccleston as the 9th Doctor, but David Tennant steals the show as the 10th. I highly recommend this.

I'm not vegan and probably never will be, but, man, does this cupcake book deliver some amazing recipes....I may never make regular desserts again. I highly recommend the Pistachio & Rosewater cupcakes and the Pumpkin Chocolate cupcakes.

This is hands-down the most offensively hilarious book I have ever read. The British get major kudos for this.....my God, if you like Brit humor at all and you aren't offended by well, everything, read this.

The space I would need to write about how much I love Jasper Fforde's books exceeds what I have available here. Suffice it to say, everyone should pick this series up and read it. It's intelligent, it makes great & nerdy references to everything pop culture and literary, and the storyline is quite original.

Really, truly difficult to get through but only because the horror that these women have been living through is unimaginable to those of us removed from the situation. A must-read for everyone.

This will revolutionize the way you view tofu. And no, I'm NOT being sarcastic. I dare anyone who hate tofu to try any of these recipes. Simply amazing.

The first time I saw that the Harry Potter books would all be available in a box set like this, I wanted it badly. I still want it, but will have to be content with my collection bought over the years as each book was published. I got into HP later in the game than some (there was too much hype surrounding it and I dismissed it as a fad), but astonishingly, it was the first HP movie that brought me into the Hogwarts universe and made me a fan. I devoured the books and the movies and became a regular on Rowling's website. If you still haven't read these books (and as long as you're a fan of fantasy), I would recommend you make these your winter reading project. The stories go in places you wouldn't expect (esp. when starting out with books 1 & 2) and the pay-off in the end is definitely worth it.

Fforde keeps this entertaining series going with First Among Sequels and it's probably my favorite one yet. It's witty, it's funny and we get to experience three different Thursday Next characters! Highly recommended...

So there are lots of books out there showing you how to rip apart/tear/cut/sew back together and generally reinvent your basic t-shirt until it's unrecognizable from the one you bought at the thrift store. Why this particular book then? 1. It has easy to read/easy to execute instructions. 2. More than 1/3 of the book has a "no-sew" option for those of us who haven't had the money for a good sewing machine yet. 3. Not only do you get to reinvent your clothing, you also get an education on the history of the t-shirt, along with fun trivia facts sprinkled throughout the book. 4. Color photos are included to show you what your t-shirt could potentially look like on beautiful, paid models. And finally... 5. Ideas on what to do with the t-shirt scraps after you've made your masterpiece.

If you haven't read Wise Child, read that first and then come back to this book. Now that you've presumably read Wise Child, you get to read Juniper, which goes back in time to tell her life story. Juniper has her own tales of being sent to live with her doran, Euny, against her will and the threat of her evil aunt Meroot brings her into her own power. Experiencing Juniper as a student who is learning not only about her healing skills but also about herself as a woman is fascinating to read after seeing her as the self-assured and humble wise woman that she is in the previous book. Just writing this recommendation makes me want to read my worn copy again.

I'm a pretty firm believer in "if the book art is stunning, the story will be also"...it's back-fired on me a few times, I'm sure, but in this case, it doesn't. If you're picking up Wise Child, go ahead and pick up Juniper. And while you're at it, find a copy of Colman too (the third book in the trilogy that came out 14 years after Juniper - side note: I only learned of this book the other day, so I have yet to read it). Wise Child is taken in by Juniper, the village healer, who is feared by the townspeople because of her powers as a doran (or witch, as they call her). Set in what feels like medieval Britain, the story follows Wise Child as she shuns her teacher, yet slowly learns to love and admire her. It's only when Wise Child's biological mother, Maeve, (a beautiful, yet darkly self-absorbed sorceress) arrives to tempt Wise Child to follow her way of life that Wise Child learns what she is capable of and who she wants to become. Captivating story + great fantasy setting + strong women = a book you need to buy.

These books should all be required reading for middle school students and honestly, if you consider yourself a fan of fantasy, adult or younger, you have no excuse if these aren't sitting on your shelves. Will, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is an Old One, a guardian for The Light. He must collect the ancient Things of Power (wood, bronze, iron, water, fire, and stone) so that the Light may do battle with the Dark and win. Unfortunately, such a brief synopsis does not do it justice, but I don't want to ruin anything for you. And since Cooper sets most of the story lines in Wales, you also get to learn a bit of Welsh... Y maent yr mynyddoedd yn canu, ac y mae?r arglwyddes yn dod.

For a Harry Potter fan who loves to knit, this book was a great surprise for me to come across. Now we all have access to Mrs. Weasley's colorful coat, Dobby's mis-matched socks, and the fun winter hat and mittens that Hermione wears in the movie. All skill levels of knitting are represented, so you can work your way up if you're not prepared to knit the Weasley's clock into a blanket, you can start off by knitting golden snitches to hang on your Christmas tree.

I don't have children of my own and I don't tend to sit around reading picture books, but this book will soon be securing a spot on my bookshelf at home. It is not only hilarious, but utterly creative too. The antics of a young girl (like the above review says, Eloise + Ramona Quimby and I'd also add in Pippi Longstocking) who has her own ideas on how to live her day to day life is artfully portrayed through a collage of mixed-media. What are her ideas? "I had an idea to order a different dinner from my mother... I am not allowed to pretend my mother is a waitress anymore." "I had an idea to tell the sad story of a mother who fell into a volcano... I am not allowed to tell sad stories about volcanoes anymore." My favorite is about nine pages in...look for her George Washington report that she does on beavers instead.

I am just now finishing this book, one in the line of many that I've been reading lately about the Middle East, and I can say with certainty that it is one of the best. It is the life story of Iraq's celebrated exiled poet, Nabeel Yasin, written by Jo Tatchell (a journalist who focuses on the Middle East). The whole book is written in present tense, as though you, the reader, are following Nabeel on his life journey: watching him grow up in a loving household where his mother encourages each of her children to think independently, worrying as his brothers get repeatedly arrested for being enemies of Saddam Hussein, smiling as he marries his sweetheart, Nada, and rejoicing when they welcome their son, Yamam, into the world. They barely escape Iraq with their lives and are unaware at how celebrated (and necessary) his revolutionary poetry is to their fellow Iraqi citizens. Reading this made me want to read Yasin's poetry and learn more about him. It's a gripping read and gives yet another much needed insight into Iraq and its people. If you like this, you'll also like Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez, Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi, and Prisoner of Tehran by Marina Nemat...just to name a few.

I picked this up on a whim and it didn't disappoint. What I liked best about this book is that it proves to the reader that anyone can help anyone. Rodriguez tells her story of being a hairdresser in the US and finding herself in Afghanistan with a humanitarian group feeling as though she had nothing to offer because she wasn't in the medical field. What she finds she CAN offer though, is a helping hand to the women of Afghanistan who are trying to put their lives back together, who are trying to build sisterhood, and who are trying to make a living. Rodriguez helps, but she also receives a lot of help in return.

Tracey is the dean of my cathedral back in Cleveland, Ohio, though I live in Oregon now. Her book and photography, put quite simply, brought out many emotions in me while I read it. She writes with passion, while not ignoring pain and she photographs beauty in the midst of chaos. She is someone to learn from and I count myself lucky to have been under her teachings.

Being a fan of Muscio's writing, I dove right into this book but realized very quickly that this was not a book to zip through in an afternoon. Muscio analyzes our history in a similar style to James W. Loewen, while asking some very important questions (some of which are listed above). Muscio also recognizes how powerful words and names are when used repetitively, so she refers to the current president as "Arbusto" (dig out your Spanish/English dictionary if you're stuck). A very important read for everyone.

Hate the word? So did I, until I read this book. Muscio researches the term "cunt" and finds that it used be an ancient title of respect for women. Intrigued yet? I appreciate the wealth of information that Muscio makes available for women (and men) because this book forces you to stop and think. Even if you don't agree with her every word, it's difficult (if not impossible) to remain in the same mindset after reading it. Not only does she tackle subjects that are generally ridiculed or sanitized for PC reasons (ie. birth control options, rape, sexism against women, prostitution, abortion), but she also discusses her own growth and knowledge of her sexuality and her mother's personal experience with rape. Highly recommended.

The third in a "series" by Lamott, Grace (Eventually) is compiled of new writings, several writings that were featured on Salon.com, and gives all of us fans a chance to further read Lamott's attempts at grace, forgiving Bush, and learning how to be a parent to a teenager who can drive. She's a bit more mellow in this book than she's been in the past two books, but it's still Lamott through and through. There were certain times while reading this that made me catch my breath and then just as quickly, I was laughing out loud on my bus commute home. Highly recommended.

I am still in the middle of reading this book, but I'm already glad I've bought it. Miles writes with a candor and sincerity that is sorely lacking in those who profess Christianity the loudest. She comes by her faith completely by accident, then grabs onto it with such ferocity that I'm jealous at times of her yearning for more knowledge about her newfound faith. Highly recommended for fans of Anne Lamott, for those who lean toward a more radical Christian faith and for those who simply want to know why some of us can still profess this faith in the world of Bush and Robertson.

Lamott's memoir isn't new, but it's a great read, especially if you're intrigued by her two follow-up books, Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith and Grace (Eventually). Lamott, a left-wing Christian feminist with dreadlocks, is not afraid of being genuine and being truthful, even when it comes to her past drinking problems and slowly losing her best friend, Pammy, to cancer. But Lamott has the knack to take even the harshest memory and recollect it with humor and reverence all at the same time. Her candor will make you laugh as you breathe a sigh of relief that you're not the only quirky person to walk this earth. She continues to be my favorite author of all time with every book (and article on Salon.com) that she writes, but this one rates the highest.

Bird by Bird was the very first Anne Lamott book I ever read and also the one that solidified me as a huge fan. You don't even have to be a creative writing student or a writer for that matter to enjoy her thoughts on the writing process and how she got to where she is now. Highly recommended, along with all of her other books.