“It was 1915, the place was San Francisco, and America’s railroads were stealing the show,” states the author. The trio of exhibits leading this theft were a miniature mock-up of the Grand Canyon spread across an incredible six... Read More

It is a paradox well worth repeating that no single author is ever quite master of his or her literary material: words outwit and outgrow their writers’ best intentions. (That’s why poetry is not journalism.) This humbling wisdom is... Read More

The extent of most Americans’ knowledge of Swedish food probably consists of Swedish meatballs and a vague conception of a smörgàsbord. Swedish meatballs with gravy are here, of course, along with an explanation of smörgàsbord,... Read More

“In the region of the unknown, Africa is absolute.” Since Victor Hugo made this comment in the 1880s, thousands of books have shed light on the Dark Continent. Most authors, including the popular recent trio of Alan Moorehead,... Read More

Autism is diagnosed in one out of 150 children. Since it is a lifelong disability families must cope not only with the day-to-day challenges of autism but they must also make plans for providing a lifetime of care. In "Break on Through"... Read More

You can enjoy Elizabeth Spann Craig’s "Pretty Is as Pretty Dies" (Midnight Ink, 978-0-7387-1480-6) for the mystery, which centers on WHO BLUDGEONED the most hated woman in Bradley, North Carolina. You can also enjoy it for Myrtle... Read More

On the heels of a difficult break-up, political activist and “hippie girl” Raday is set up on a blind date by her cousin George with a big-city policeman and former soldier, Barrett. She is urged by extended family members to go... Read More

In 2005 retired photojournalist Clive Limpkin traveled to India with his wife for a surprise birthday party. Having heard endless stories about the overwhelming poverty glacial bureaucracy and hygienic horrors what he didnt expect was... Read More