Book Reviews
‘The Big Skinny’ not the average diet book
King Features — “The Big Skinny” is somewhat unusual for a “diet book.” First, and most obviously, it’s in comic format. Graphic novel memoirs are nothing new, but Lay’s is a particularly accessi...
King Features — “The Big Skinny” is somewhat unusual for a “diet book.” First, and most obviously, it’s in comic format. Graphic novel memoirs are nothing new, but Lay’s is a particularly accessi...
7 months ago | 0 
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‘Bernanke’s Test’ a difficult and heavy, but important read about the FedYou walked into the living room last night and instantly felt terror. Wide-eyed, you couldn’t bear to approach the television. You had remotophobia. Remotophobia: that fearfully sick, averse feel...
8 months ago | 0 | 7 |
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Sports-minded will love alphabet bookSo, Sport… what’s your favorite sport? Are you a nut for a net, or goofy for golf? Do you go bats for baseball? Bonkers over biking? Passionate for the pommel horse? Are you a basket-case for ba...
8 months ago | 0 | 6 |
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Kids, adult fans of illusion will appreciate ‘Harry Houdini for Kids’Have you ever watched a card trick really close? The performer shows you a card and asks you to memorize it. He puts it in the deck and then — abracadabra, poof — it’s gone. But wait, there it is...
8 months ago | 0 | 7 |
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The small stuff matters in ‘Remember the Sweet Things’He did it again. Even though he knows it irritates you and makes you want to scream, he persists in doing that which really bugs you. Is he doing it on purpose? You wonder. Once upon a time, his ...
8 months ago | 0 | 5 |
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‘The Survivors Club’ documents keys to surviving critical, tragic situationsWhat would you’ve done if you’d been on the plane that landed in the Hudson River? Would you have panicked and hoped someone took charge? Or would you have sat frozen, positive you were going to...
8 months ago | 0 | 7 |
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Details in ‘Bones of Betrayal’ may have delicate readers squirming“Say cheeeeese!” As a child, you undoubtedly held “cheese” in your mouth while your mother was on the backside of a camera. Birthdays, picnics, silly backyard days in a blow-up pool, holiday...
9 months ago | 0 | 6 |
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Getting back to a simpler life is not so simple in ‘Made from Scratch’Eggs have gone up in price. So have fruit, milk, cheese and vegetables. In fact, everything you put on your table costs more these days than it ever did before. You try to bargain shop and get the...
9 months ago | 0 | 6 |
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Quirky ‘Little Giant of Aberdeen County’ keeps readers guessing with plot twistsYou know despair when you see it. And you were looking straight at it. The child was on the edge of the playground, all by herself. From the way she was kicking the dirt and from the angle of her ...
9 months ago | 0 | 17 |
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‘Rich Like Them’ offers insightful blueprint to wealthThe sign said “Open Today!” and you couldn’t resist. So what possessed you to go through a for-sale house that you could never afford? Curiosity, sure. But maybe it was a little bit of what-iffing...
9 months ago | 0 | 6 |
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Once-in-a-lifetime buffalo huntHave you ever played the lottery? If you have, you know the drill: plunk down cash, pick your numbers, and walk out with ticket in hand and the hope that you’ll hit paydirt. They say somebody has ...
11 months ago | 0 | 7 |
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‘La Clinica’ documents man’s journey across the bordersIt happened again the other day, and you could just kick yourself. Somebody was looking for volunteers for something, and you — without careful consideration and though you’re short on time and al...
11 months ago | 0 | 7 |
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Messages make up Christmas storyYou never meant to do it. You were out with friends, that’s all, just having a little cheer. The waiter brought you a glass of something bubbly, and in between reminiscing and laughter, the glass...
11 months ago | 0 | 21 |
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‘Outliers: The Story of Success’ teaches how to spot successYour college alumni letter came the other day. You read it, surprised and a little depressed. A first-class slacker you graduated with is a multi-millionaire now. The Guy Most Likely to Succeed h...
11 months ago | 0 | 23 |
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Stars spotlighted in each chapter of tell-all book about ‘Grand Ole Opry’You can’t help it. Your toes have to tap when the radio’s on. Pretty soon, you’re moving your fingers in time to the music, too, and maybe nodding your head. If it’s not the steel guitar that has ...
12 months ago | 0 | 10 |
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Evolution of Turkey Day to be revealed through ‘Thanksgiving: The True Story’The size of a basketball hoop. As big as a tire. Or… larger than a bike rim. No, wait — the size of a small planet. That’s how big your plate will be this Thanksgiving because just thinking of al...
12 months ago | 0 | 10 |
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Mexican culture, history and legends brought to light in ‘P is for Piñata’For practically all your life, you’ve known the ABCs. The alphabet is one of the first things your parents taught you. Even some of your favorite baby toys had the ABCs on them and your teacher mi...
12 months ago | 0 | 8 |
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Lively stories make ‘Beef’ interestingIt might be early to ask, but what’s for dinner? How about steak? Think about it: thick, tender, cooked to within an inch of perfect, topped with mushrooms, dripping with marinade that goes well w...
12 months ago | 0 | 9 |
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108 authors, illustrators makes ‘Our White House’ worth readingHave you ever slept in a tent? How about a teepee? Ever slept in an igloo, a yurt, or a mud hut? Spent the night in a building made of grass or glass, twigs or paper? What about a castle? Have you...
13 months ago | 0 | 7 |
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‘Lore of the Ghost’ isn’t spooky, but rather a peek into haunting legendsYour neighbor has things hanging from her tree, but they’re not fruit. She put up a few rags and some gauzy stuff to make her house look haunted. There are cardboard skeletons in her window and ca...
13 months ago | 0 | 7 |
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‘The Lucky One’ is one of author Nicholas Sparks’ bestWhere did you meet your beloved? Was he a fix-up, a down-load, or a sideswipe as you ran for the elevator? Did you notice him from afar and hope for an introduction? Or was he the passion perpetr...
13 months ago | 0 | 9 |
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Read ‘The Carbon-Free Home’ for ideas to reduce carbon footprintMortgage. Check. Electricity bill. Check.Gas bill. Check. Without a doubt, you write plenty of checks each month. With higher heating bills predicted, rising food prices, and the cost of building ...
14 months ago | 0 | 10 |
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‘The Deceivers’ will appeal to fans of Robbins and Podrug, and newcomersIn this economy, it happens too often. Now it’s happened to you. You lost your job. You think you can find another one quick, but pretty soon you’re downsizing. Restaurant meals are first to go; ...
14 months ago | 0 | 11 |
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Quest for regional cuisine in ‘The Year of Eating Dangerously’The weather is warm, the weekends are sunny and free, and you know what that means… It’s time for you to don your secret identity. You know who you are, and so do your friends and family. You are ...
14 months ago | 0 | 15 |
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Die-hard Western fans won’t find any luck with ‘A Tale Out of Luck’Let’s say someone wronged you. They cut you off in traffic. Stole from you. Backed into your car and didn’t leave a note. Hacked into your computer and left a virus. Things like that make you mad,...
14 months ago | 0 | 17 |
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‘Angel Girl’ may be too powerful for children, but not for adults Do you have lots of friends? You probably have tons of them. You’ve got friends from school and friends from your neighborhood, the pals you’ve got from summer school and the ones you play with at...
14 months ago | 0 | 20 |
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‘Good is Not Enough’ explores more than just minority issues in the workplaceEver since you were a kid, you’ve been told that you could do anything. Now you’re wondering if someone’s been lying to you all these years. You set your sights on business, you got the “right” d...
15 months ago | 0 | 22 |
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‘Swan Peak’ is a thrilling murder mystery novelWhen you go on vacation, you want to see the countryside, maybe travel a little. You want to sleep in, wear sloppy clothes, do things you don’t normally do, and have thoughts that don’t tax your b...
15 months ago | 0 | 18 |
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Immigrants’ stories are inspiring, but repetitive, in bookLet’s imagine for a minute, the unthinkable. Let’s imagine the U.S. government has been overthrown and a powerful, armed group of soldiers has taken over. Chaos ensues. Inflation rises. Education ...
15 months ago | 0 | 21 |
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Gentle murder mystery ‘Obsessions’ has likeable, believable charactersAt some point in your life, you made a promise to yourself. Chances are, it started out as “Someday….” Someday, I’ll travel through Europe. Someday, I’ll track down that classic car I wanted in hi...
15 months ago | 0 | 27 |
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‘Encore’ explores senior citizens working after typical retirementWhy do you work? For most of us, we hold a job down so we can pay bills, have a home, buy stuff. Some of us work because we like the social aspect. For others, it’s the challenge we love most abou...
15 months ago | 0 | 26 |
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Raw ‘From Baghdad to America’ not for pet loversby Terri Schlichenmeyer Guest Writer Much has been written lately about the horrors of puppy mills. Dog lovers would agree: go to the pound, the shelter, the Humane Society, SPCA or wherever the...
16 months ago | 0 | 31 |
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Touching ‘After River’ keeps readers guessingRemember your high school crush? Do you recall the first time you saw him, the way his hair curled, the carefree way his jacket sleeves were pushed up, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled? Fo...
16 months ago | 0 | 30 |
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‘Little House on the Prairie’ audiobook a classic Old West listenHas your family ever moved? Even if they haven’t, you know the drill. Your bed is taken apart, your clothes come out of the closet, and your stuff comes off the wall. All your belongings, includin...
16 months ago | 0 | 28 |
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‘Made in the U.S.A.’ is farfetched, but keeps readers goingWhen you were a teenager and living under your parents’ medieval rules, you probably couldn’t wait to grow up, get an apartment, and have a life of your own. Once you grew up, got an apartment, an...
16 months ago | 0 | 28 |
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Unknown tidbits of early American times come alive in history bookEverybody laughed, but you couldn’t help yourself. Even now, years later, you’re a class reunion remember-when story. It was almost inevitable back then. Every afternoon during high school history...
17 months ago | 0 | 36 |
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‘Queen of the Road’ takes readers on a tripSince way last summer, you’ve been planning your dream vacation. It was always going to be a road trip, somewhat reminiscent of the ones your parents took you on 40 years ago. You envisioned the f...
17 months ago | 0 | 39 |
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Political aficionados will enjoy reading ‘Presidential Courage’According to the U.S. Constitution (Article II, Section 1, Clause 5), anyone can be president of the United States, as long as he or she is a natural-born citizen, age 35 or older, and has lived t...
17 months ago | 0 | 38 |
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‘Gorgeously Green’ offers do-able tips to become earth-friendlyEvery time you turn around, someone mentions “going green.” All that talk is making you positively blue. You already recycle. You buy organic, you re-use grocery bags, and saving gas is a no-brain...
18 months ago | 0 | 32 |
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‘The Compassionate Carnivore’ about dilemma of eating and raising meatThis weekend, it’s time for a family splurge. There’s a restaurant that just opened nearby, and you’re dying to sample the cuisine. Friends who’ve been there say the prices are just right and the ...
18 months ago | 0 | 20 |
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Lower Mississippi life comes alive in bookDid you ever hold an arrowhead in your hand? If you did, you understand the awe that an ancient artifact brings when it’s touched today, centuries later. Many years ago, someone sat in the dirt an...
18 months ago | 0 | 20 |
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Poker players can bet on ‘Bigger Deal’ being an exciting readFootball, theoretically speaking, lasts for four 15-minute periods, not including time-outs. Overall, fans can expect about three hours in — and out of — their seats. Baseball can be over in a few...
19 months ago | 0 | 17 |
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Satisfy the sleuth in you with ‘Where Are You Now’
Did you ever have one of those days where you just want to step away from the world and maybe disappear for a minute? We all go through times when we’re just better-off left alone. Some people, th...
19 months ago | 0 | 16 |
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Geraldo Rivera tackles hot topic of immigration in ‘His Panic’Almost 122 years ago, the nation of France gave America a very large gift. At the bottom of the gift, a plaque immortalizes the words of Emma Lazarus: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled ...
19 months ago | 0 | 15 |
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‘Sit, Ubu, Sit’ a comical love story about adoration and friendshipWhen you’re sick and have to stay home from work, nothing feels better than a warm spot on the sofa, a blanket, comfort food, and comfort TV. Those old reruns make you laugh. They take you back to...
20 months ago | 0 | 5 |
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Dual authors write from experience in true-crime mystery, ‘The Devil’s Bones’So the other day, you were getting something out of the oven and you weren’t paying attention. You grabbed the hotpads, opened the door, and as you leaned in and touched the pan, your arm accident...
20 months ago | 0 | 6 |
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Author cooks up tasty history of food, homeSo you say you had lots of people at your house during the holidays. For days, you bust your tail making hors d’oeuvres, obsessed over the liquid libations list, and cleaned the house until the li...
22 months ago | 0 | 4 |
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Historical mystery starts out slow, but is rewarding in the endThe next time you hold something old — an antique, an heirloom, an artifact — imagine the stories it could tell if it could talk. Someone bought that item new, or made it for a beloved. Maybe it w...
22 months ago | 0 | 4 |
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‘The Hearts of Horses’ book full of beautiful language, blunt story lineIf you could live out your dreams, what kind of job would you want to have? Would you find employment in traveling the world and seeing places you’ve only read about? Or would you work with people...
24 months ago | 0 | 5 |
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Kids who like history, adventure will love book about Daniel BooneDo you sometimes wonder what it was like to live in another time in history? Maybe you wish you had been a sheriff in the Wild West, keeping peace in town and bringing outlaws to justice. Or you t...
2 years ago | 0 | 4 |
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Too much science packed into 'Good Germs, Bad Germs' bookYou brushed your teeth this morning after breakfast. You showered and washed your hair, scrubbed yourself down, put on some antibacterial handcreme, spritzed on deodorant and put on newly-laundere...
2 years ago | 0 | 5 |
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Book about Olympics, athletes deserves a gold medalIf you’re like most kids, you want to be famous. You’d love to be on TV, maybe even get a medal or trophy. You imagine how proud everyone would be, how loud the cheers will sound, and how you’ll l...
2 years ago | 0 | 4 |
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‘After Jackie’ hits a home run with baseball fansThe next time you drive past a group of kids playing an impromptu game of baseball, slow down for a minute and sneak a peek. Is there a little up-and-coming Barry Bonds in that group? How about a...
2 years ago | 0 | 6 |
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Women soldiers serving in Iraq share war stories in ‘Band of Sisters’Think of a warrior, and what comes to mind first? A loincloth-clad athlete with arrows and slings, defending himself in hand-to-hand combat? A robust knight in armor, riding his horse into the ma...
2 years ago | 0 | 5 |
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