Amazon.com Review
Author Erik Larson imbues the incredible events surrounding the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with such drama that readers may find themselves checking the book’s categorization to be sure that The Devil in the White City is not, in fact, a highly imaginative novel. Larson tells the stories of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair’s construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor. Burnham’s challenge was immense. In a short period of time, he was forced to overcome the death of his partner and numerous other obstacles to construct the famous “White City” around which the fair was built. His efforts to complete the project, and the fair’s incredible success, are skillfully related along with entertaining appearances by such notables as Buffalo Bill Cody, Susan B. Anthony, and Thomas Edison. The activities of the sinister Dr. Holmes, who is believed to be responsible for scores of murders around the time of the fair, are equally remarkable. He devised and erected the World’s Fair Hotel, complete with crematorium and gas chamber, near the fairgrounds and used the event as well as his own charismatic personality to lure victims. Combining the stories of an architect and a killer in one book, mostly in alternating chapters, seems like an odd choice but it works. The magical appeal and horrifying dark side of 19th-century Chicago are both revealed through Larson’s skillful writing. –John Moe –

As you may remember, this is the book the Detective bought me 5 years ago for Christmas. It keeping with my intention of reading books I already own, I chose it as my book club pick. For various reasons we were delayed a month or so. You’d think that would have given me plenty of time, but of course I waited to start the 400+ page book on Friday evening with book club the following Monday. Though I stayed up to 130am to do it, I finished in time.

Though it isn’t generally the type of book I read (lots of historical facts), I really enjoyed it. I had little knowledge about the Chicago World’s Fair and was quickly overwhelmed with all the information. There was so much that went into the planning and building; it was almost unbelievable. I was almost as intrigued by the part relating to Burnham and the architects as I was about H. H. Holmes, the serial killer.

I did think the author wanted to be sure to get in every little fact that he researched, so at times it was too much. But it was all interesting.

I give it 4 out of 5.

Library books:

Moonlight in Odessa : a novel Skeslien Charles, Janet
Karma Dunlap, Susan
Manhunt : the twelve-day chase for Lincoln’s killer Swanson, James L.
Shiver Stiefvater, Maggie
Hardball Paretsky, Sara
The last Dickens : a novel Pearl, Matthew
U is for undertow Grafton, Sue
Pride and prejudice and zombies [sound recording] : [the classic Regency romance--now with ultraviolent zombie mayhem!] Grahame-Smith, Seth.
Exploration Fawcett Fawcett, Percy Harrison
An autobiography Christie, Agatha
Pride and prejudice and zombies : the classic Regency romance–now with ultraviolent zombie mayhem Grahame-Smith, Seth
The lineup : the world’s greatest crime writers tell the inside story of their greatest detectives Penzler, Otto

Slim (while changing his poopy diaper): Stop, you’re hurting my feelings. [not sure who told him his nuggets were called feelings, but whatever]

Bubba: Something tickles my bottom.

Bubba: WHOA! Go back! I think I just saw Jesus! [as we drove past a house with a giant light up nativity scene]

Bubba: Sometimes when I watch something too long my eyes sweat.

Bubba: [a few days later] How long have we been watching this cause my eyes are watering and I’m sweaty?

Are you ready for something you’ve always wanted? [a tagline in a commercial]

Do you like good music?

Do you like a bargain?

Are there any good books? [the Detective asked me this while shopping at Borders]

I find them all ridiculous.

Any ridiculous questions that you’ve been asked?

We had chicken and pasta in marinara sauce tonight.

That’s all I’ve got for you.

• read my 400 page book club book in three days
• taken a few yoga classes – including at Maya Yoga so I’ve started using my Groupon
• sorted out my too long yoga pants to take to get hemmed
• been good about not buying books as much – only 2 or 3 so far this year
• sorted/donated a bunch of Peanut’s clothes
• gave up soda for Lent
• blogged more regularly than last year
• decreased my impulse purchases – this was also an unspoken, secondary Lent thing. I’ve become quite a bit better at just going home for lunch instead of picking something up and really thinking twice before buying something.

• cleared out a few items under my bathroom sink [I do not need 5 year old perfumed lotion]
• emailed Children’s TLC about my Garry Gribble’s gift certificate
• wrote letters to two friends [actually WROTE letters]
• figured out the Paradise Park incident costs
• finished my taxes and submitted them
• took down the outdoor Christmas lights that the Detective has promised to take down for 2 months
• packed away the last of the Christmas decorations that I’ve been meaning to put away for 2 months
• got out the Easter decorations
• decided to try to only read library books and books I currently own [will write more about this in another post]

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. In 1925, renowned British explorer Col. Percy Harrison Fawcett embarked on a much publicized search to find the city of Z, site of an ancient Amazonian civilization that may or may not have existed. Fawcett, along with his grown son Jack, never returned, but that didn’t stop countless others, including actors, college professors and well-funded explorers from venturing into the jungle to find Fawcett or the city. Among the wannabe explorers is Grann, a staff writer for the New Yorker, who has bad eyes and a worse sense of direction. He became interested in Fawcett while researching another story, eventually venturing into the Amazon to satisfy his all-consuming curiosity about the explorer and his fatal mission. Largely about Fawcett, the book examines the stranglehold of passion as Grann’s vigorous research mirrors Fawcett’s obsession with uncovering the mysteries of the jungle. By interweaving the great story of Fawcett with his own investigative escapades in South America and Britain, Grann provides an in-depth, captivating character study that has the relentless energy of a classic adventure tale. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. –This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it based on Rainy Day Books recommendation. This is not my usual genre, and it did take me a little while to get into it, but then I was hooked. I was fascinated by Colonel Fawcett and what he would do next, how he would do it, and if this trip would be his last. I’d never in my life considered what it would have been like to hike the Amazon, much less in the early 1900’s with very little technology. I am astounded that anyone made it out alive. And if they did, that they would ever want to go back.

I was a little disappointed in the part of the book that happened in modern times. I don’t feel that there was much to that part of the story. It seemed very thin. But maybe the author was too busy trying to survive to have time to take good notes.

I do wonder what happened for sure. I mean, I know he died, but how? And was Z really there? Did it really just sink down? There are some amazing things that tribes did thousands of years ago. I guess we’ll never know, just like the Kennedy assassination and the Holy Grail.

I give it 4 out of 5.

Library books this week:
Dial H for Hitchcock Kandel, Susan
The love dare Kendrick, Stephen
Moonlight in Odessa : a novel Skeslien Charles, Janet
Karma Dunlap, Susan
Shiver Stiefvater, Maggie
Manhunt : the twelve-day chase for Lincoln’s killer Swanson, James L.
Book by book : the complete guide to creating mother-daughter book clubs Hudson, Cindy
Hardball Paretsky, Sara
I dreamed I married Perry Mason Kandel, Susan
The last Dickens : a novel Pearl, Matthew
The lineup : the world’s greatest crime writers tell the inside story of their greatest detectives Penzler, Otto.

Bubba- Dad doesn’t snuggle with you much. [thanks for pointing that out, Bubs.]

Bubba: Is all the poop off my bottom? (as he bends over spreading his cheeks)

Slim: There’s Jesus. [very matter of factly while watching a clip of a bald eagle flying on TV]

Bubba: I read like you do, I just stare at it.

Cop’s Wife to Goldilocks: I think we may be dumber together.

CPA: I think the word ‘douche’ is so funny

So I’ve actually been doing some stuff for Lent this year. I gave up soda. And I’m not loving it. I don’t actually like water or tea or juice or anything other than soda. But it is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I’ve made it two weeks so far, and it hasn’t been as difficult as I thought it would be. I have probably made it harder than necessary as I didn’t get rid of any of the soda we have around the house. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’ve been tempted on a few occasions. Seeing that ice cold Mug Root Beer staring at me from the shelf is tough.

Full disclosure: since Sundays are not meant to be days of fasting during Lent, they are not included in the 40 days. Sundays are meant to be mini-celebrations leading up to the big celebration of Easter Sunday. So I did have one the first Sunday. And 1.5 last Sunday.

I haven’t decided to give it up forever. I may just limit myself to one every so often or allow myself to have them when I go out to eat. But I’m glad to know that, at least so far, I do have the willpower to forgo the main beverage of my life since I was weaned off of formula.

I’ve also been doing the no meat on Fridays things. We had clam chowder the first one and went to a Catholic church fish fry on the second. I really liked the fish fry. They had baked fish, fired tilapia, butterfly shrimp, salad, coleslaw, homemade mac and cheese, baked potatoes, broccoli with cheese, corn, garlic bread, iced tea, regular and decaf coffee, and lemonade. For a donation, a choice of a ton of desserts from cookies to lemon bars to cake to cupcakes to rice krispie treats. Adults were $9, kids $4, and Slim was free. The Detective and Peanut had to get to go boxes as she needed to go to soccer practice. So it was just me and the boys at the table. Man, old people LOVE little kids. They could do no wrong. And Bubba fits right in with his weird habits and hypochondria. We may go hang out there every Friday.

So here’s the tentative menu:

Beer can chicken and roasted mushrooms
Steak sandwiches
Chicken quesadillas
Lobster Bisque with French bread
Frozen pizza
Grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches

I think Peanut looks so sweet here. This was taken in Spring of 2006 in Norman, OK. We’d gone down to visit my dad, Grandpa Joe and his wife, Miss B in the small town they live in, Davis, OK. Since there isn’t much there except for one stoplight, a “new” post office [erected about 30 years ago], and a Mexican restaurant that has the best mug of beer in the history of my drinking [they somehow grind up the pulp of limes and put it on the rim of the chilled mug, like salt on a margarita - we've tried to replicate to no avail], they decided it would be fun to drive an hour north to go to a natural history museum. The kids [only 2 at the time] loved it.

Anyway, this pic makes me think of how sweet and trusting and innocent she is. How she will try anything at least once. I’ve not known her to have a bad time trying something new. And it’s also a little foreshadowing, though not for her. Bubba wants to be an archaeologist when he grows up. As for Peanut, I’m pretty sure that she could end up being anything she sets her mind to.