Unasked-For Book Reviews

  Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus , A novel by Orson Scott Card Goodreads describes this book as follows:  "In one of the most powerful and thought-provoking novels of his remarkable career, Orson Scott Card's Pastwatch interweaves a compelling portrait of Christopher Columbus with the story of a future scientist who believes she can alter human history from a tragedy of bloodshed and brutality to a world filled with hope and healing." So, I read this book because my parents recommended it to me years ago.  I remember they both told me that it was a really great read; that the premise of the book was that people from the future, after surviving devastating wars and human caused ecological disasters, have figured out how to both view and travel through time, specifically the past.  They realize that the world would be a better place, and would not have experienced the many horrors and catastrophes that it did, if the transatlantic slave trade had nev...

  The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency , by Alexander McCall Smith is a fun read set in Botswana, Africa. The book takes place in 1993. The main character, Mma Precious Ramotswe was born in 1958 and is 35 when the book primarily takes place. This is important because this was a time before cell phones, unless they were huge, ponderous monstrosities. This was also the very early days of DNA. It was not widespread in the US, and certainly wasn’t prevalent throughout the world yet. It’s important to remember this when reading the book. I really like the character of Mma Ramotswe, who is clever, resourceful, caring, and brave.   I love how she decided that she wanted to be a detective, though she had no formal training in forensic pathology, or criminal justice. She has a drive to help others and a practicality and lack of fear that enables her to become a detective. Precious can resolve most issues without involving the police. She’s really good with language; able to diffuse peri...

  I listened to the audio book of Gods of Jade and Shadow and really enjoyed it.     Goodreads describes the book as follows:    The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore. The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own. Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true. In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins...