Something to Tweet About

Welcome To Subirdia

By John M. Marzluff

The weekend of February 12^th, will be the Great Backyard Bird Count.  Every year Participants are asked to count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the four-day event and report their sightings online at birdcount.org. Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and you can participate from your backyard, or anywhere in the world.  This book is a wonderful complement to that coming attraction.  Its appeal spans bird lovers, and naturalists who are looking for insights into the evolution occurring all around us.

The author’s other name is James W. Ridgeway, Professor of Wildlife Science at the University of Washington.  The many stories, studies, and examples specific to Seattle and many of its named suburbs, including the Edmonds Ferry line are particularly fun for local readers.  Some of his bird studies spans across the United States as well and also reach into many other nations around the world.  The book discusses the fascinating ways that many varieties of birds, and some other background animals, are adapting to the conditions of the increasingly developed world.  We may know that so many of our actions and decisions affect our feathered friends, but this book explains that cause and effect, and also provides practical strategies that can improve the environment for our nature’s neighbors too.  As the author says, “we learn about each bird’s place in the web of life and begin to see ourselves within that web as well.”

The book includes many beautiful sketches depicting the birds and stories discussed throughout the book.  Jack DeLap is the artist.  His illustrations have appeared in a variety of other books and publications as well.  His appreciation for the lives and souls of these little creatures is apparent in every picture.

What I mostly appreciate in this book that the author laces science deftly between the everyday examples and explanations.  I learned so much because he kept my interest alive.  Instead of lecturing at me, this Professor conversed about a topic so obviously dear to his heart.

I’m a bird feeder, and I learned so many interesting things about the birds that my feeder is attracting.  The author shows ways that these creatures are not only adapting, but also evolving.  As the author says, “Evolution is not something that happens only in the abstract eons of geological time.  It is happening right now, in your own backyards.  You are a force, as potent as the glaciers of the last ice age, shaping your feathered neighbors.”  This book gave me hope that with understanding and education that people like the Professor is spreading, nature will prevail.

For those of you looking for something with a little more of the naturalist’s scientific information, yet still enjoyable reading, another book by the same author is Gifts of the Crow.  If you’re especially a crow fan, you’ll really enjoy this exposition into the smart behavior of these birds, and the others in the “corvid” family.

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .

He's The Last Policeman

The Last Policeman

By Ben H. Winters

All is not as it appears, right from the start of this novel.  It looks like a suicide, and yet rookie detective Hank Palace isn’t sure of that.  Still, he wonders what the point is to investigate further.  It’s only a feeling he has that it could be murder, and what will it matter when the world is certain to end in six months.  That’s right, the major twist in this novel is asteroid 2011GV which is on a direct heading to earth, and nothing will stop it. The science is undeniable.  The end of the world has been announced.  The only questions left are the date and the precise location.

Life on earth has changed with this asteroid news.  People, including other police officers, are walking off their jobs to pursue their bucket lists and other end of world desperate pursuits.  Is there any reason now for Detective Palace to investigate what by all accounts appears to be suicide?  With the end of the world a certainty, suicide has become sadly epidemic.  Is it really so hard to believe this one?  No one else seems to care, including the dead man’s family.  Is perseverance in this world to do the right thing, despite circumstances, part of human nature?  How important is one man’s death?

It’s a fascinating character study to see questions of motive in this new light, with the asteroid approaching.  The end of the world changes everything from a law enforcement perspective.  The dead man worked in the insurance industry, which is affected in its own way by the world news.  Is there motive there for murder?  Or motive for suicide?  When the detective notifies the man’s family, curious dynamics ensue.

Hank Palace is struggling with his own personal and family issues throughout this novel as well, which brings another dimension to his job and to the chaos around him.  This novel combines the best of detective investigation with philosophical debate and science fiction.

Ben H. Winters is the author of eight novels, including most recently World of Trouble (Quirk), the concluding book in The Last Policeman trilogy.  The Last Policeman was the recipient of the 2012 Edgar Award, and it was also named one of the Best Books of 2012 by Amazon.com and Slate.  As I read, I was working side by side with Detective Palace to uncover clues, follow leads, and to seek meaning in a human life.

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .

Glimpse the Mind of a Great, Free Solo Climber

Alex Honnold is probably the most famous adventure athlete in the world.  He’s a world class free solo climber, known for climbing without the help of ropes, equipment, or a partner.  He’s been known to scale 2,000 feet with only shoes and a chalk bag for “equipment”.  He doesn’t always solo, but when he does it’s truly breathtaking.  This is a sport with a history, but Alex’s new generation has brought a new edge to it.  He climbs up a vertical wall with his fingers finding tiny cracks and spots to hang onto, and just-barely toe holds.  Weaving his way like a spider man, he’s setting not just solo climbing records, but also speed records.

I don’t know anything about the skills or requirements for soloing, mountain climbing, bouldering, or alpining.  I’m just a regular hiker.  Yet this book is so well written I was fascinated throughout, and learned so much about the sport.  The book’s design is well done, with the narrative decidedly split between Alex Honnold’s stream of conscious thought about the climbs he’s describing, and the narrative by the co-author David Roberts.

A veteran mountaineer who's written 30 books himself, David Roberts was the one behind Alex's book project. Alex's primary interest in the book is that he hopes it will push readers in their own climbing ambitions.  The included color photos of spectacular climbs are incredible, interspersed with photos of Alex’s van life and his growing up.  The book recounts seven incredible climbing achievements, starting out immediately on page one with the climb that began his fame, free soloing Moonlight Buttress, which is a 1,200 foot high, nearly vertical sandstone cliff in Utah’s Zion National Park.

I was one of the fortunate in the sold out crowd recently when Alex Honnold gave a talk in Seattle and a book signing.  Alex said this was the biggest crowd he'd ever spoken in front of, and he said that's a tribute to Seattle's climbing community.  And that didn’t even take into account the line of people outside that went all the way down the block hoping for a last minute spot in the sellout crowd.

Before you judge him as crazy, Alex would remind you that there's 20 years of practice and dedication behind his climbing choices.  "If I thought I was going to die I wouldn't do this."  He chooses what he climbs and does a lot of both mental and physical preparation.

His physical preparation includes lots of gym training.  He also often does a climb roped first in order to see how hard it is, and also to determine how tired he will get.  His mental preparation includes detailed thinking through the whole experience and visualizing.  He also does heavy thinking on the ground about his approach.

He insists that it's all well thought through in advance, and then on the wall it's an enjoyable experience.  On specific tough “pitches” he'll be intensely focused.  As an example of the proportion - for most climbs the easy, relaxed part of the solo, for Honnold, could be about 1,500 feet and the hard solo requiring 100% of his focus could be about 500 feet of it.

As far as dying, Alex insists that what matters is what you do before you die - thought provoking, as is the book.

He splits climbing into consequence and risk.  The consequence - if fall, die.  The risk - he can control some risk. He judges the risk by how confident he feels from the preparation he did.  What’s optimal?  Alex aims for high consequence, with managed risk.

Alex formed the Honnold Foundation after his life altering experience on a climb in Chad in 2010.  It's an environmental nonprofit that helps raise the standard of living around the world.  Proceeds from his book go to his Foundation.

Did you know that Alex's support was instrumental in saving our nearby Index for climbers?  A world traveler, he’s a native Californian through and through.  His very favorite climb and his original training ground are Yosemite and Half Dome.  He also loves Rainbow Wall in California.

Alex’s favorite thing is feeling like a tiny dot on a huge expansive rock all by himself.  Soloing gives him a deep satisfaction, especially because it's such a slow, methodical process.  He’s committed to continually improving himself and his performance.

Despite his amazing accomplishments, Alex is a very humble person.  His nickname is Alex No Big Deal Honnold, stemming from his nonchalant demeanor.  His book will surface your appreciation for nature, and for people who passionately follow their dreams to wherever they lead, whether to the next granite wall, or to the next Honnold Foundation goal improving the lives of others.  Don’t pass up this book and the chance for a glimpse into the mind of a great free solo climber.

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .

Alone on the Wall

By Alex Honnold with David Roberts

Hooti Couture Memoir Delights

Alligators, Old Mink & New Money

By Alison Houtte & Melissa Houtte

All avid readers delight in good books, but to unexpectedly discover a gem when you’re not expecting to is a special treat.  I was doing fashion research; yes there is such a thing, and this book I had selected for research turned out to be a delightful read.

This memoir begins with the author’s life growing up in Miami.  Alison is co-author of her memoir with her sister, who is a journalist.  Highlighted from the start is the embarrassment her mother was to Alison and her siblings, because of how her mother dressed.  She dressed in vintage, shopping at Goodwill and church rummage sales.  The family experiences are precious and full of good natured humor.  As her adult life progresses, Alison ends up embracing vintage and even owning her own, famous shop in Brooklyn.  Don’t you just love irony?  Alison’s life takes such interesting turns from Miami to Brooklyn.

As she grows up in Miami, she is able to do some modeling.  That leads to a surprising opportunity to live and model in Paris.  The descriptions of her life in Miami are vibrant, and her descriptions of the modeling life in Paris and later in Europe are exciting and fascinating.  The humor intertwined in her reflections on her family life in Miami continues throughout this book of her life’s adventures.

After the runway and fashion magazines in Paris, becoming owner of a vintage shop, Hooti Couture aka Hooti’s, in Brooklyn is an intriguing turn of events.  Reading about her evolution as a small business owner is compelling.  And how her knowledge of her product, vintage, grows!  She sums up her business philosophy so well, “I’m a little secondhand shop in Brooklyn, but I cater to each client like she’s in Bergdorf’s.  I think the success has come with the service and price points. It’s great, fun stuff in a fun environment and we get new merchandise weekly.  I buy with love, what I love.”  And don’t let this quote mislead you, she did carry men’s vintage as well and had some very loyal male customers.

Getting back to fashion research, there is plenty of good advice, solid designer knowledge, and interesting history for fashion lovers, flea marketers, and thrift store addicts.  If you haven’t explored vintage before, this book will open a whole new world to you.  If you are already a vintage fan, you’ll learn even more.

Alison has an eye for style and a keen sense of value, and many tips to pass along.  Her business philosophy is simple, “keep it fresh, cheap and chic!”

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .

Media Murder Thriller

Author A. C. Fuller and me

The Anonymous Source

By A. C. Fuller

Seize the opportunity this Saturday 10/24 at noon to meet A.C. Fuller at The Edmonds Bookshop, and hear firsthand the way he spins a thrilling tale.

This media thriller engages you from its very beginning, which is 9/11.  When the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center, Macintosh Hollinger was in his executive offices on the 99^th floor of the South Tower.  What happens to him that day is not what his loved ones believed.  A. C. Fuller skillfully reveals a story of intrigue that whirls around a fast changing media business, and also around a cast of characters, each with passions that boil so close to the surface. 

A year after the attacks, a young newspaper reporter in New York is seeking excitement and a fast break into flashy television news.  He’d been disappointed by his assignment to a bland court circuit, until now with the beginning of the Santiago trial.  He knows this media-circus story will finally land him on the front page and will keep him there for weeks.  What he doesn’t know is that he’s about to start down a trail where he’ll uncover the scoop of a lifetime.  So why then does his editor bury the story?  And it can’t be some coincidence that his source turns up dead.  What ensues will test this reporter’s courage and integrity.

Now Alex Vane is a reporter in the midst of a violent media conspiracy.  He needs to solve the mystery before more people end up dead, before he could end up dead.  Who is the anonymous source that seems to be helping Alex?  What is motivating this anonymous source?  Is he really helping Alex?  And how does any of this relate to Macintosh Hollinger?  You’ll be eagerly analyzing along with Alex as he tracks down facts, interviews people, and investigates clues using the newly emerging internet and other turn of the 21^st century technology.  In the end, it’s a mix of reporter’s intuition and some old fashioned common sense that puts it together and reveals a secret that leads back to the tragic morning of 9/11.

This author has been an observant witness to the unprecedented media reporting changes of this timeframe.  A. C. was a freelance reporter, and previously taught Journalism at New York University.  He’s currently an English teacher at Northwest Indian College on the Olympic Peninsula, and fortunately for readers he’s also now a published author.

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .

Forgotten Hollywood Remembered

Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History

By Manny Pacheco

It was October 2010 that author Manny Pacheco visited Edmonds, Wa as an honored Hollywood guest for the Edmonds International Film Festival.  Bringing Hollywood to that small town was such a treat, and one of many of his tours.  His fascinating book shares incredible stories of the character actors and supporting players who brought American history to life on the screen during the days of old Hollywood.  The author brings his additional insight, analyzing these actors’ body of work to show how they have also created history themselves.  As the author says about these actors, “We can see by type-casting, or through intentional choices, the development of a career with some meaning.”  Enhancing his story about these actors and their historical works are some delightful pictures of them, their films, and also the real historical people and events.

Savor the personal stories of award winning supporting actors such as Claude Rains, Ward Bond, Walter Brennan, Thomas Mitchell, William Bendix, Donald Crisp, and others.  See how their personal histories also reflect American history.  There’s great trivia too.  For example, do you know who holds the record for appearing in more movies nominated for Best Picture awards than any other actor in history?  You’ll also learn little known factual information about the American history events and people depicted.

Manny Pacheco is steeped in the world of Hollywood.  He’s been a broadcaster in Los Angeles and Southern California for over three decades, and he’s a thirty year member of the Screen Actors Guild.  A student of history and a movie fan, he’s blended his two passions in this book.  He keeps very busy with an engaging website that also includes interviews, events, and articles.  He also has other books, including Son of Forgotten Hollywood Book 2 published in 2012.

After reading this book you’ll want to watch some of those old time movies and see these legendary performances for yourself.  So sing along . . . .

“Hooray for Hollywood

That screwy ballahooey Hollywood

Where any office boy or young mechanic can be a panic

With just a good looking pan

And any barmaid can be a star maid

If she dances with or without a fan”

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .

You'll Enjoy Playing - Saul's Game

                                           Homeland Saul’s Game

By Andrew Kaplan

There are lots of ways to tell a good story.  This is the second novel in a prequel series that’s a tie-in to the Showtime Homeland series on cable.  In this case, if you discover the television series and like it, you’ll love the book.  And also, if you first discover the books and like them, you’ll love the television series.

These stories are about fictional characters in the CIA fighting the war on terror, defending the homeland.  If you’re looking for passion, you’re definitely going to find it in this book.  These characters are so passionate in their beliefs and in their actions.  The action is constant, and the situations are desperate.  Throughout, you’re never sure exactly who you can trust as the plot takes turns around each corner.

The heroine is Carrie Mathison, a CIA operative.  Her boss is Saul.  The characters are incredibly real, with amazing strengths and chilling flaws.  It’s fascinating to see how the strategies and undercover plays unfold.  You have to wonder how closely fiction might reflect reality.  The life depicted of an operative in the Middle East and Iran is heart pounding.  The books give you a more in depth background and feel for the thoughts, emotions and backgrounds of all the characters than the television series platform allows.  Books also give a more in depth understanding of the issues facing the Middle East today.  For those fans of Nick Brody, the Marine POW caught up in the CIA intrigue, he and his story are included in this novel.

The author, Andrew Kaplan is a former journalist, war correspondent.  He served in both the US Army and also in the Israeli Army during the Six Day War.  He’s worked in military intelligence and has been a consultant with groups that advise governments.  He’s the author of several spy thrillers, including the Scorpion series, as well as this novel, and the first in this series – Carrie’s Run.  Saul’s Game is the winner of the 2015 Scribe Award for the best original media tie-in novel of the year.  The Scribe Awards are selected each year by the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers to honor excellence in licensed works that tie in with other media such as television, movies, gaming, or comic books.

Just like the incredible Showtime series, which is available on DVD, Andrew Kaplan’s books leave you wanting more.

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .