Tomorrow will be the birthday of Pulitzer Prize winning Author Michael Shaara (23 Jun, 1928 – 5 May, 1988). Mr. Shaara’s book, The Killer Angels has been one of my favorites American Civil War novels and his son, Jeff, continues with the tradition. Books by Michael Shaara 1 ) Michael Shaara was born to Italian immigrants who spelled their name Sciarra (pronounced the same). 2 ) Mr. Shaara was born in Jersey City, NJ and graduated from Rutgers, the state university. 3 ) He served in the 82nd Airborne Division during The Korean War. 4 ) Before he started selling stories, Mr. Shaara was an amateur boxer and a police officer. 5 ) in the 1950s Mr. Shaara sold science fiction stories to magazines of the genre. 6 ) Mr. Shaara taught literature in Florida State University. 7 ) Michael Shaara wrote 5 novels (The Broken Place (1968), The Killer Angels (1974), The Noah Conspiracy, (also known as The Herald – 1981), Soldier Boy (1982) and For Love of the Game which was published posthumously in 1991. 8 ) In 1972 Mr. shaara had a horrible car accident in which he was nearly killed and never fully recovered. 9 ) After…

Article first published as Book Review: The Stonecutter: A Novel by Camilla Läckberg on Blogcritics. About: The Stonecutter by Camilla Läckberg is the third novel in the Fjallbacka mystery series. The series features policeman Patrik Hedstrom who works in a small town in Sweden. 480 pages Publisher: Pegasus Language: English ISBN-10: 1605983306 My rating for The Stonecutter – 4 Buy this book in paper or elec­tronic format More Books by Camilla Läckberg Thoughts: I chose to read The Stonecutter by Camilla Läckberg (website | Twitter) because I read one of her previous books, The Ice Princess (my thoughts), and enjoyed it. There is another book in the series called The Preacher which I have not yet read. This book has a different structure than the previous one I read, the story alternates between past and present, while the time shifts (at the beginning of every chapter and are not confusing one bit) have very little to do with the actual mystery, I felt that they do come together skillfully at the end. I did find the book exciting, Ms. Läckberg’s growth as an author is evident. The author juggles many issues during the story. Some have much to do with the…

Dr. Seuss told us years ago, “The more that you read, the more you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” This is great advice for children of all ages. There is no better way to travel worldwide and learn about life and people and everything else than by reading! With the distractions of video gaming, TV viewing and listening to music on an IPod, a parent or caregiver needs to be a bit savvy with electronic gadgets to entice youngsters to broaden a child’s horizons into reading the classics. Picture Coutesy of http://kidsoffthecouch.com/ 1. E-readers E-readers are relatively inexpensive, ranging from less than $100 to $300, and come with an instant tap into the world of classical books from the e-book vendors and local public libraries. Kindle offers a Premium Membership for an annual fee which allows the member to borrow and return e-books for free. 2. Public Library Offers Check with your local public library for the latest form of digital books. Digital books come in various forms from recordings on compact disc to a digital player resembling an IPod. These types of digital books are often theatrical quality with voice changes and…

Article first published as Book Review: The Risk Agent by Ridley Pearson on Blogcritics. About: The Risk Agent by Ridley Pearson is a fictional mystery/thriller taking place in China. The book is the first of a new series. The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy of this book— use the Raf­fle­copter form at the end of the post to enter. 432 pages Publisher: Putnam Adult Language: English ISBN-10: 0399158839 My rating for The Risk Agent – 4 Buy this book in paper or elec­tronic format More Books by Ridley Pearson Thoughts: The Risk Agent by Ridley Pearson (website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest) is a whirlwind of a ride through the business world of China. While I don’t know enough about the business world in that part of the world, that part of the novel certainly seemed authentic to me and made for a fascinating read. It seems that in China many companies, especially those who are not based in China, have a habit of giving incentives to government officials in order to gain the upper hand in the bidding process, or simply just flat out to get a job. Much like elections “incentives” (campaign donations), the act is frowned on officially but…

Article first published as Graphic Novel Review: The Art of War from SmarterComics: How to be Successful in Any Competition by Sun Tzu, Illustrated by Shane Chester on Blogcritics. About: The Art of War from SmarterComics: How to be Successful in Any Competition by Sun Tzu, illustrated by Shane Chester is a graphic novel of the famous book. Many think that this famous book is only about war, but truth be told, its lessons could be applied to management and management styles. 80 pages Publisher: Writers Of The Round Table Press; 2nd Edition edition Language: English ISBN-10: 1610660102 My rating for The Art of War from SmarterComics –4 Buy this graphic novel today Thoughts: The Art of War from SmarterComics: How to be Successful in Any Competition by Sun Tzu, illustrated by Shane Chester depicts Sun Tzu’s masterpiece by highlighting the main teachings of the classic guide. The artist portrays Sun Tzu as he guides the reader through the pages and applies the principles of the Art of War to modern life and management issues. While some folks have issues with this book (see the comments section of my post), I feel that the teachings are timeless. The situations in…

It’s not too late, it’s really not. You can still buy your dad a gift for Father’s Day, especially with the speed that eBooks or gift cards can be delivered. Here are my top 5 recommendations for father’s day gifts which your dad would love. For the History Buff: Wash­ing­ton: A Life by Ron Cher­now This mar­velous Pulitzer win­ner book breaks the wooden image of Wash­ing­ton and brings out the char­ac­ter of the man we all learned about with all his charm and personality. For the Conspiracy Theorist: Ene­mies: A His­tory of the FBI by Tim Weiner – A marvelous book which about tells of the 100 year his­tory of the famous orga­ni­za­tion. Mr. Weiner is a Pulitzer Prize win­ning author and a for­mer New York Times reporter who wrote largely about Amer­i­can security. For the Ambitious Dad: The Art of War by Sun Tzu While The Art of War was certainly written with ancient Chinese generals in mind, it applies to all types of management and could be read over and over again (the book is about 64 pages) with new insights every time. The gift that keeps on giving. For The Square Dad: Inside Delta Force by Eric L. Haney Do you ever wish your square…

Yesterday was the birthday of Harriet Beecher Stowe (14 June, 1811 – 1 July, 1896). Stowe is known mostly for her novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin but she was an avid writer all of her life. Picture from Nation’s history is embedded in portrait of a famous writer – boston.com Books by Harriet Beecher Stowe 1 ) Uncle Tom’s Cabin was originally slated to be a short series in an abolitionist magazine 2 ) Stowe was often criticized for not having firsthand knowledge of slavery. In response Stowe published A Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin which revealed her sources. 3 ) After the American Civil War, Stowe bought a home in Florida and started schools for African American children. 4 ) It is said that Stowe danced in the streets when Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation. 5 ) When Stowe met President Abraham Lincoln he reported to have said: “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war!” 6 ) Uncle Tom’s Cabin sold 300,000 copies. 7 ) In 1853 Stowe was welcomed in England as a literary hero. 8 ) In November 1857 Stowe was one of the original contributors to The Atlantic along with Ralph Waldo…

Article first published as Book Review: The Art of War by Sun Tzu on Blogcritics. About: The Art of War by Sun Tzu is an ancient Chinese military treatise. The book, a classic within the science of military studies is only attributed to the high ranking general and was believed to have been complies during the last spring and autumn of the Warring States period(either 476 BC or 453 BC). 62 pages Publisher: Simon & Brown Language: English ISBN-10: 1936041758 My rating for The Art of War – 5 Buy this book in paper or elec­tronic format Thoughts: I first heard of The Art of War by Sun Tzu when I was in the military. I heard of the book in passing and read a bit more about it when I got home, but never picked up a copy until several years later. The first thing which struck me was how short the book was, but the more I read, the more I realized the wisdom behind the book. The second, third, forth and more I read this book I stopped for contemplation about what Sun Tzu’s words mean to me, how I implemented his advice both in the military and outside of it and the mistakes I made, how can…

About: Equal of the Sun by Anita Amirrezvani is a fictional book taking place in 16th Century Iran. The story blends a mix of historical and fictional characters to create an intriguing novel. The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy of this book— use the Raf­fle­copter form at the end of the post to enter. 448 pages Publisher: Scribner Language: English ISBN-10: 1451660464 My rat­ing for Equal of the Sun— 4 Buy this book in paper or elec­tronic format More Books by Anita Amirrezvani Thoughts: I have never heard of Iranian princess Pari Khan Khanoom so I was thrilled to read Equal of the Sun by Anita Amirrezvani as my introduction to this fascinating woman. The book’s fascinating descriptions of Persian traditions and culture is its biggest strength and most captivating aspect. The parts which looked into court life, palace intrigue and royal family politics were especially appealing. Most of the book focuses on how the cultural conventions pertain to the women in the court. The story is told through the eyes of Javaher, a eunuch (by choice!) who is working for Princess Pari. Some of the graphic aspects of the story made me, as a man, feel very uncomfortable including a…

Another Tuesday and another post of Tightwad. I’m reading a pretty good mystery right now called The Risk Agent by Ridley Pearson so I thought I’d look up some free and/or affordable eBooks Please note: The prices for the post are current at the time of the post, please pay attention to make sure they haven’t changed before purchase. Authors: If you’d like your book to be fea­tured on Tight­wad Tues­days please email me. For the Kindle: Daily Deal Carbs & Cadavers (The Supper Club Mysteries) by J.B. Stanley Divorced, overweight, and shy, former English Professor James Henry moves back home to help his recently-widowed father. After arriving, James joins a supper club for dieters. When a mysterious death strikes fear in their small community, the club members dodge delectable temptations by working together to find the killer. Yesterday’s Price: $8.58 Today’s Discount: $6.59 Kindle Daily Deal Price: $1.99 (77% off) THE ACCIDENTAL HERO by Joshua Graham (A Digital Short) A ruthless hitman confronts his destiny in a startling tale of redemption. The Murderous Fire (Unnatural Death Investigations, Book #4) by Ryan Clover Death is never as simple as it seems. The Unnatural Death Investigations is a mystery thriller series…