I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong

I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong

by Carol6 Comments
In general, microbes are not something I spend much time thinking about. I wash my hands to hopefully keep away germs, take my probiotic pill, and that's about it. I'm not one of those people who carry around a can of Lysol, which apparently can be a good thing. "So, here’s the irony: toilets that are cleaned too often are more likely to be covered in faecal bacteria." I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong made me think about the vast array of microbes in our world - helpful, harmful, and ones that can be both or neither. Yong touches on the evolution of microbes; the history of microbiology; symbiotic relationships among microbes; symbiosis between microbes and higher organisms; dysbiosis (unbalanced microbiomes that harm their hosts); how scientists study and identify microbiomes; research studies aimed at seeding hospitals and buildings with 'good microbes'; and much more. He writes in an entertaining, easy to understand way. He makes microbes fun. My family is probably...
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The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

by Carol9 Comments
The Hound of the Baskervilles was a re-read for me. I've read or listened to most of the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels over the years, but I always enjoy them. Sir Henry Baskerville needs Sherlock's help. He's inherited a house in Dartmoor, at the edge of the moor, in rather unpleasant circumstances. The former landowner, Sir Charles died of a heart attack, apparently while feeling from a giant hellhound, the family's curse. After a brief time in London, Sir Henry heads off to his new estate along with Watson, who has strict instructions to stay with Sir Henry and to especially never let him go out onto the moor alone. Holmes can't go with them because of some reason or other. We meet all the locals, including the servants of the house and the neighbors, a bug collector and his wife. To complicate issues, there's also an escaped convict lose in the area. It's a good solid mystery. Watson is his loyal...
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The Italian Party by Christina Lynch

The Italian Party by Christina Lynch

by Carol11 Comments
There are so many secrets in The Italian Party, personal and professional. Scottie and her new husband, Michael, move to post-war Italy for Michael's job. He's opening a new Ford Tractor store in Siena. Except we learn quickly that it's just a cover, he's actually in the CIA, a fact he doesn't share with Scottie. We also learn one of Scottie's secrets early; she's pregnant and The baby is not Michael's, but those are just the tip of the iceberg. Secrets, both theirs and others', unfold throughout the story against the global backdrop of the "Communist Threat" and a citywide horse race that seems like the big event of the year. Scottie's teenage Italian tutor was supposed to be in the race, but he's disappeared. Scottie is determined to find. Scottie is interesting. She's beautiful, seems maybe not so bright, but she's fun and friendly. Truth is she's as smart, and sly, as any of them. She is definitely guided by...
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Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith

Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith

by Carol17 Comments
There are some classics that I wonder why it has taken me so long to get around to. Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith is one of those. It's a dark, psychological thriller that shows anyone can be capable of murder, given the right, or wrong, circumstances. As the blurb states, Guy Haines and Charles Anthony Bruno meet on a train. Guy tells Bruno the story of his problems with his wife, who he wants to divorce but who is putting up obstacles left and right, even though she's pregnant with another man's child. Bruno, meanwhile, tells Guy about his meany dad and suggests they trade murders. Guy declines, he's basically a good guy after all, but he fails to realize that Bruno is an alcoholic psychopath, who, after killing Guy's wife, expects Guy to follow through with his end of the deal. That's where the bulk of the novel, and tension lies. Bruno is manipulative and black-mailing; Guy never knows...
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Comfort Food by Julia Bettelheim

Comfort Food by Julia Bettelheim

by Carol4 Comments
Comfort Food by Julia Bettelheim has a wonderful variety of recipes, from soups and main dishes to desserts and cookies, even some specialties from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The author has lived and worked in a variety of places, which shows in this collection. A lot of the dishes sound delicious and I want to try them, like the potato pancakes with mushroom sauce, pastitios, and hummingbird cake. I do wish it had a few more photos, though. Last night I made the "Perfect Tuna Rolls" and was very happy with how they turned out. I served them with mashed potatoes and peas, as the recipe suggested. Perfect Tuna Rolls 1 tub of ricotta cheese (250g) 1 can flaked tuna (440g) 2 eggs salt and pepper 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 packets puff pastry ½ cup grated cheese ¼ cup milk Makes about 8 rolls. Preheat the oven to a moderate temperature. Mix the ricotta cheese, drained tuna, one of the eggs, grated cheese, salt and pepper and lemon juice in a bowl all together...
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Anatomy of a Scandal by Sara Vaughan

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sara Vaughan

by Carol2 Comments
Anatomy of a Scandal is a very timely courtroom drama. Just a warning, there is going to be a minor spoiler here. I don't think I can help it. Handsome, charming James, a Junior Home Office Minister, is accused of rape by an ex-lover. Sophie is his wife who believes, at least at first,  that he could never have done such a heinous thing. Kate is the lawyer determined to prove him guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt- and she doesn't have any doubt. The story flowed well. It's not a nail-biting thriller, but it's tense and emotion-filled. We see James and Sophie in their college days, along with their friends. We know what they were like then and who they became. We learn that some things change, and others don't. It's a story that sucks you in, but I'm not sure I really enjoyed it. First, there's never any doubt for the reader about James guilt, just whether the jury will believe...
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