eBook – Page 14 – Carol's Notebook

Rethinking Positive Thinking by Gabriele Oettingen

May 15, 2020May 15, 2020 by CarolNo Comments

I mentioned before that I've been doing The Science of Well-Being class on Coursera. Another book the professor, Laurie Santos, mentioned was Rethinking Positive Thinking by Gabriele Oettingen, and she interviewed the author for one of the segments, so I picked it up. If I spend 80% of my reading this year on mysteries and being happy, I think that'll be a good year. The blurb above gives a good summation of the book. Oettingen and others have done a lot of research on wishes, how they affect our actions, and what helps us achieve or not achieve them. She shares the results of a lot of studies, mostly college kids - who are probably the easiest to recruit - but other groups too. She also shares individuals' experiences, people she's worked with through training sessions or friends. Interestingly enough, the science demonstrates that it is not necessarily helpful to fantasize about achieving some wish because it makes us feel relaxed, and thus...

London Calling! by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards

May 13, 2020May 12, 2020 by Carol4 Comments

Sir Harry Mortimer and his American wife, Kat, are settling into married life in the small town of Mydworth. London Calling! is the third in the Mydworth series and can be read as a stand-alone, but since they’re each only a little over 100 pages, it might just make as much sense to go back and meet Harry and Kat at the beginning. They make a good couple. They’re both smart and resourceful. Kat is definitely a “modern woman” for the times, the late 1920s, and Harry seems quite happy that she can ride a motorcycle and throws a mean hook when she needs to. Harry is a nice, friendly, refined man who can also be tough when it’s called for. This time around they head to London to find the daughter of Glenys and Aubrey Spense. She's gone to try her luck at making it big as a dancer, but the couple hasn't heard from her. Actually, the wife is...

The Fashion in Shrouds by Margery Allingham

May 8, 2020May 7, 2020 by Carol3 Comments

This mystery sees Albert Campion visiting his sister, Val, who is the top designer at a fashion house. Their family approves of neither of them, but the way. Val has been working on dresses for the actress Georgia Wells. Campion has found the skeleton of Georgia's former fiance in a garden, apparently suicide, and that story hits the news. Another death follows, another man connected to Georgia, and Val may be in trouble, dragged into the scandal. Campion must unravel the clues to get to the root of the mystery. My favorite part of this book is the return of Amanda Fitton. She is a joy and a wonderful crime-solving companion for Campion. The mystery is well-done and fair. I like the fashion/entertainment industry setting and the characters were an interesting mix. I wish the women had been dealt with a bit better. Val and Georgia are both independent women at the top of the careers. I wish they would spend less...

Dancers in Mourning by Margery Allingham

April 30, 2020April 29, 2020 by CarolNo Comments

My problem with Dancers in Mourning is that while the plot itself is well-done, Campion is not his usual self. He's over-emotionally involved and it's affecting his decisions and involvement with the case. To start off, Campion visits the theatre with ‘Uncle’ William Faraday, who has found his mostly fictional memoir turned into a hit musical comedy. The star is dancer Jimmy Sutane, who is unsettled by a series of practical jokes and needs Campion's help. Campion and Faraday head to Sutane’s house, where they meet a group of theater/musical people. Not long after their arrival, another guest is dead, maybe accident, maybe murder, hard to tell. That's just the first of the deaths, there are three or four more before the killer is found. Clearly, one of the people in the house is a murderer, and Campion has his suspicions. The problem is that Campion has fallen in love with Sutane's wife. I wish he hadn't. First off, he barely knew...

Coronavirus: A Book for Children by Elizabeth Jenner, Kate Wilson, and Nia Roberts

April 27, 2020April 27, 2020 by Carol2 Comments

Coronavirus: A Book for Children is free from Nosy Crow publishing to download or read-online. The book answers key questions in simple language appropriate for 5 to 9 year olds: • What is the coronavirus?• How do you catch the coronavirus?• What happens if you catch the coronavirus?• Why are people worried about catching the coronavirus?• Is there a cure for the coronavirus?• Why are some places we normally go to closed?• What can I do to help?• What’s going to happen next? The facts are presented in a clear, easy to understand way, even while admitting that we don't know everything about the new illness yet. It's calm and concise. It talks about how we can catch the virus and what happens if we do, but isn't scary about it. The illustrations are colorful and inclusive. We learn why it's best to stay home right now, but acknowledges we, children and adults, can be worried and bored and angry and that's...

The Automaton’s Wife by Vered Ehsani

April 24, 2020April 21, 2020 by Carol4 Comments

The Automaton's Wife is an amusing, quick read, although I do suggest reading the first in the series before this one. Bee continues her adventures in Africa with the help and also complications of her friends and family. This time around she meets a large bat, her husband's ghost has seemingly disappeared and her horse is posessed by a snake spirit. In the meantime, a local woman has been found dead in a mysterious manner. I like the Kenya 1899 setting and the author provides a brief fact or fiction section after the story. Bee and her family don't fit in, but they are doing their best. Bee tries to keep an open mind when dealing with people, but she is a part of her British culture. Bee also learns a few things about her past that puts her prejudices in a different light. It's a cute series. It's light and enjoyable. And Bee is fun to hang out with....