Authors
Ferida's Wolff's Backyard: A Nest!
Ferida Wolff writes: "And then one day, while trimming the bushes on the other side of the yard, a nest with blue eggs appeared! Was this robin protecting that nest even though it was away from the house? And were these eggs actually the robin’s eggs? Other birds lay blue eggs. Plus, within the bush was a different bird that was warning us to stay away. I guess we will have to let nature take its course. If this nest is the robin’s, then when the birds hatch and eventually fly off, the aggressive window banging should stop. After all, parents need to protect their young. But wait, did I just see another robin gathering bits of dry grass and bringing them to the bush by the window?" more »
Jo Freeman's Review of Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath
Jo Freeman writes: Bill Browder has written a political thriller. Covering roughly the decade ending in 2018, he traces his efforts to sanction corrupt Russian officials who had murdered his friend and Moscow lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Law enforcement is a continuous theme. But whose laws and whose enforcement? Of course, Browder and his family had to be constantly on guard against being attacked and even kidnapped by those working for Russia, or even police who thought they were acting on a legitimate arrest order. These “adventures” are what make this book exciting. more »
A Short Poetry Book Review By Diane Girard: Stars In the Junkyard by Sharon Berg: "The poems in Stars in the Junkyard have depth, intensity glimpses of brightness that encourage rereading"
"Stars in the Junkyard is a collection of poems by Canadian writer, Sharon Berg. Her work reveals the kinds of loss, abuse, and betrayal that she, like many other women has suffered and yet, there is hope and sometimes an unexpected tenderness. The poems in Stars in the Junkyard have depth, intensity glimpses of brightness that encourage rereading. Many of them have been published in periodicals in Canada, the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, India and Australia." more »
Jo Freeman's Review of Wilma Mankiller: How One Woman United the Cherokee Nation and Helped Change the Face of America
Wilma Pearl Mankiller had a life of many achievements and many difficulties. She gained fame as the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. She also endured many health problems and hit a few brick walls. Her life has been a popular topic. This is just one of many biographies, in addition to Mankiller’s autobiography... While Wilma was a first, her career gives the author ample opportunity to discuss the role of gender in the Cherokee Nation. Suffice it to say that women as a group had more power than in the larger white society, but less independence. For more on this, you’ll have to read the book. more »