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Bookworm's Choice 

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch - a novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, is a novel jointly written by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and first published in 1990 The plot of the book concerns an unusual young boy, an unconventional angel, an even more...

Karen Miller-The Godspeaker Trilogy

The Godspeaker Trilogy was written by author Karen Miller. When I picked it up from my local bookstore I had no idea how good this series was. At the time, I was a little bit bummed out because I'd finished reading about 4 or 5 books in a row that we...

The Cat's Choice 

Five Best Cat Books

It is no coincidence that I share a house with a person who tries to treat me well, and to understand me. My person attempts to expand her knowledge about cats in general and about me in particular - a difficult task for her at the best of times. It&...

Slinky Malinki : Literary Cat

Most people only know Slinky Malinki as one of the cats that gets chased by Hairy Maclary, but there's a lot more to Slinky than just a blacker than black cat. Slinky Malinski, that stalking and lurking adventurous cat, traveled his own personal...

The Cat Who

The amazing cat, Kao K'o-Kung, known as Koko to his close friends, is the Cat Who .... can do almost anything. Koko, with his almost supernatural talents, features in twenty nine mystery novels by Lilian Jackson Braun and although his actions fi...

Books by our own Lensmasters 

Hiking My Way to a Novel

On September 25th, 2000, I completed a six-month journey from one end of the Appalachian Trail to the other, a 2,175-mile walk from Georgia to Maine otherwise known as a thru-hike. Along the way, I embarked on another type of journey, a creative adve...

King Arthur by L.A. Wilson

New and unconventional writer, L.A. Wilson has self-published a volume of extraordinary works called The Silurian

Books by S.B. Martin

I was born in a small western state. I reside in Washington with my three children. I have published two books. One is titled, Save Yourself: What My Mother Told Me. This is a memior based on my mother's childhood during WWII. It is about one girl's...

Time Forgets by ILA Golden

Welcome to the Blood, Friendship, and Marriage Saga, where nothing will ever be the same again. Allow yourself to be transported back into a fictionalised version of Ancient Egypt, where real magic, gods, and even the dead seem to control the fate o...

Levinson's novels

I have five in print, so far, and am writing a few more, even as we speak ... So far, they're science fiction - with some mystery, historical, etc threads mixed in.  One won a major award, all have been reviewed all over the place.  You can...

Historical Detective Fiction 

Whodunnits in Ancient Rome

A good mystery novel transports us into another world, engages our mind and stimulates our logical thinking. The challenge in historical fiction is not just to deliver a decent novel - a difficult enough task, but to be accurate to the historical ti...

Historical Fiction 

Best Books on the Legend of King Arthur

From the faraway days of Britain come the stories rooted in ancient Celtic and Germanic imagination, stories of the strongest, the bravest and the best. Tales that have been told and endlessly retold, tales of a chivalrous knight, a powerful warrior...

Sara Donati, Into the Wilderness Book Series

Sara Donati weaves a grand adventure set in the pioneering days of New York, building on The Pioneers by James Fenimore Cooper and mixing in some Jane Austen style characters. This book series could be classified as historical fiction or historical r...

I, Claudius : Classic Books

The Claudius Novels are superb, timeless classics, and if you haven't read them yet, you have missed one of the great works of the 20th century. These two novels by Robert Graves on the Roman Emperor Claudius make up what has to be the greatest...

Island of Ghosts

In the Caucasus Mountains are the little republics of the Ossetians, places small enough, and obscure enough, to be almost forgotten by the world. But here, stories are still told of their ancestors, the Alans, and songs are sung of their greatest he...

Science Fiction Anthologies 

The Year's Best Science Fiction

Gardner Dozois is best known in science fiction circles for two things. He was the editor of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, which he also co-founded in 1976. Since 1984 he has edited 25 editions of The Year's Best Science Fiction a collecti...

Science Fiction Series 

The Revelation Space Universe

The Revelation Space Universe was created by science fiction author Alastair Reynolds. It is the setting for most of his novels and short stories and takes its name from his first novel. It is also one of my favourite SF series of books. The novels...

Dystopian Novels 

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

What is reality? Is my reality your reality? What does it mean to be human? Where, if anywhere, do we draw a line between the value of real and artificial life? In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, author Philip K Dick asks what qualities, if any...

Fantasy 

The Dark is Rising

This sequence of five novels, is a favourite of adults as well as children. They are among the few special books like The Hobbit and the Harry Potter novels which bridge this gap. Like those, The Dark is Rising Sequence of books are fantasy novels....

Good Fantasy Novels: Fantasy Book Reviews

The best fantasy books with brief reviews. I love fantasy as a genre. It takes you into a new world where there are so many new possibilities - but also new dangers and new limitations. This lens lets you discuss Harry Potter versus Lord of the Ring...

Karen Miller-The Godspeaker Trilogy

The Godspeaker Trilogy was written by author Karen Miller. When I picked it up from my local bookstore I had no idea how good this series was. At the time, I was a little bit bummed out because I'd finished reading about 4 or 5 books in a row that we...

Dragon Age Series by James Maxey

Dragons! Lots and lots of dragons; that's what prompted me to pick this book up and I'm glad I did. Werewolves, wolves and dragons are huge selling points for me. If a book contains one of them, you can be pretty sure that I've at least picked it up...

Neil Gaiman 

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch - a novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, is a novel jointly written by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and first published in 1990 The plot of the book concerns an unusual young boy, an unconventional angel, an even more...

Stardust - A Novel By Neil Gaiman

Award winning British author, Neil Gaiman wrote the novel, "Stardust" and in it he weaves a sparking, magical tale that will enchant and enthrall anyone who loves a good tale, well told. If you love stories or films such as "The Princess Bride", "Le...

American Gods By Neil Gaiman

Have you ever wondered what happens to Gods when people stop believing in them? In his internationally acclaimed bestselling novel "American Gods", award winning British author Neil Gaiman tells the intriguing tale of Shadow, an ordinar...

Coraline

Coraline is a novella by the British author Neil Gaiman, which was first published in 2002. Coraline is a fantasy tale in which Coraline Jones, a smart, feisty and curious young girl, home from school for the summer holidays finds herself very bored...

Real Life 

In Cold Blood

I have been fascinated by the author Truman Capote since I first saw the 1967 film, In Cold Blood, based on his captivating 1966 book by the same name. When I saw the riveting 2005 film, Capote, it renewed my interest in the book and the film about...

Criminal Justice and Violent Youth: Last Chance in Texas

In Texas, intensive treatment programs offer violent youth a final chance to change their antisocial patterns of behavior. At the Giddings State School, a treatment facility for the most serious criminal youth offenders in Texas, author John Hubner f...

Angry Young Men and Troubled Boys

Aaron Kipnis is clearly passionate about his subject. As an adult, he has made a strong commitment to helping troubled boys and young men turn their lives around. I'd like to start my review by quoting an important statement Kipnis makes on page...

Books on Poets and Poetry 

The Life & Works of Rudyard Kipling

For many years Rudyard Kipling has been deeply unfashionable. He's been accused of jingoism, imperialism and racism as typified by this poem The White Man's Burden. Take up the White Man's burden- Send forth the best ye breed- Go, bind your sons to e...

Beowulf, Ancient Hero

In the face of danger and adversity they display impressive courage for the greater good of all. They are Heroes. We have always had heroes and Beowulf, great Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century, is the ultimate hero. He is not just any hero,...

Books on Mythology and Legends 

Best Books on Greece and Greek Mythology

Something happened in the islands of Greece a few thousand years ago. Maybe a stray meteorite was to blame, spilling onto the plains of Attica in an invisible cloud of interstellar dust carrying the secrets of lost solar systems. How else can you ex...

Best Books on the Trojan War

The story of Troy has been told over and over in a thousand ways. I grew up with the walls of Troy more real than my own backyard fence. Indeed the backyard fence was the wall of Troy and I was always Kassandra, wailing piteously, when all I ever wan...

Nordic Mythology : Best Books of Skandinavian Stories

The Norse myths are peopled with all sorts of fantastic beings - gods and giants, elves, dwarves and dragons! Like all mythology, if we pay close attention to what the stories are saying, we learn a great deal about what our ancestors thought was im...

Metamorphoses 

Ovid: Metamorphoses and Mythology

Ovid's Metamorphoses is one of the most important sources for our knowledge of Greek and Roman mythology. Ovid based his work on earlier Greek poetry, but much of that Greek poetry has been lost. Ovid is often our only source for these ancient storie...

Inspirational Books 

Strength out of suffering - France Pastorelli

France Pastorelli tells her moving story: that of a mother, a musician, whose life turned to deep suffering because of heart problems. She turned her illness into a source of deep wisdom. Whether are ill or not, this book will give you insight into t...

True Stories of Survival 

Wilderness Survival and Rescue Reading

Ever since I joined a Search & Rescue (SAR) team in September, 2007, I've been reading book after  book about true wilderness survival and SAR stories. I'm an addict, I tell you! In this lens, I'll review and recommend only what...

Classic Books List 

Bleak House

Bleak House is a satirical look at the complicated legal system in London as it consumes the minds and talents of the greedy and nearly destroys the lives of innocents. Dickens's tale takes us from the foggy streets of 19th century London and the ma...

The Wind in the Willows

This classic tale about animals of the riverbank has delighted children and adults for 100 years with the adventures of Mr Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger. It is a lovely story with excitement but without being too frightening. It can open the door to...

Einstein: the Life and Times

Einstein is one of the greatest scientists of the last century if not the entire span of history. He thought like no one else could think, and bent the rules of space and time that had been accepted for all of history. Einstein: the Life and Times i...

Health 

In Defense Of Food

In In Defense of Food the author, Michael Pollan, expands on something most of us already know but might have forgotten. We should be eating real food. His simple seven word diet is a mantra each and every one of us should be repeating many times dai...

Authors  

Charles Dickens :: A Life Documented

Charles Dickens documented his own life in his novels, which are quite autobiographical. You can also trace his actual life, family and travels through genealogy records and documents available online. Photos and proof of Dickens' life are presented...

Charlotte Bronte :: Author of Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte, British novelist and author of Jane Eyre, one of the most popular English novels of all time. The eldest of the three famous Bronte sisters, and one brother, all writers. Charlotte used the pen name Currer Bell and also wrote Shirle...

Strictly Jane Austen

Jane Austen is loved and noted for her witty observations of 19th-century English society. Her works combine romantic comedy with social satire and keen personal insight. With an ever-growing fan base, Jane Austen's novels have also been interpreted...

Wilkie Collins: Inventor of the Crime Novel?

Most famous for his novels The Moonstone and The Woman in White, writer Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) has been credited with inventing the detective novel genre although most of his books could be described as 'sensation novels'. In fact, it's probably...

Elizabeth Gaskell : Author

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (1810-1865) was a well-respected and popular author in her own day and known to modern readers from the television adaptations of Wives & Daughters, North & South, and Cranford. Many of her books dealt with social concerns...

Author Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer (say her name correctly: HAIR) was a prolific author, penning approximately 60 historical romance and detective fiction novels from the 1920s to the 1970s. Her Regency romances, especially, continue in popularity and are still the sta...

Edith Wharton - Intriguing Insights into the American Experience

Edith Wharton (1862-1937) was born into a tightly controlled society known as "Old New York" at a time when women were discouraged from achieving anything beyond a proper marriage. Let us take a look at her works, or revisit those we love, and look...

Richmal Crompton, author of Just William

Although Richmal Crompton wrote 41 novels for adults and 9 collections of short stories, it was her 'William' stories about an 11 year old boy and his gang the 'Outlaws' that she is remembered for. Even during her long life, much to her annoyance, th...

Oscar Wilde Meets his Fate

Oscar Wilde (16 October 1854 - 30 November 1900) was one of the most successful men of the late 19th century. Born in Dublin, Ireland, into an Anglo Irish professional family, Oscar Wilde was famous as a playwright, poet and for his great wit. He we...

Rosemary Sutcliff : Author

Rosemary Sutcliff was first and foremost a great storyteller and said of herself that she belonged to the minstrelsy. With her impeccable historical research, thrilling tales and her own poetic and rich prose, she has gifted us with books which are a...

The Works Of Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman - British born author of fantasy and science fiction novels, short stories, poems, graphic novels and films. Neil Gaiman is possibly best known for "The Sandman" graphic novels, and his books "Stardust", "American...

Peter Berresford Ellis : Author

How do you begin to describe Peter Berresford Ellis? He is an historian, a biographer, a novelist and short-story writer but above all, he is a preeminent Celtic scholar. As a Fellow of three Royal Societies in historical and antiquarian fields, he h...

Author Megan Whalen Turner

If you don't know who Megan Whalen Turner is, you have my deepest sympathies. Ms. Turner is only the author of one of the most brilliant book series ever written: The Thief (a Newbery Honor book) and its sequels The Queen of Attolia and The King of A...

John Bellairs: Gothic Fiction For The Kid In All Of Us

Years before Harry Potter came on the scene, author John Bellairs was writing gothic fiction for young adults. His first was "The House With A Clock In It's Walls", which started John down a path that would include 15 books, before he passed away at...

Bill Bryson - Travel, Language, Humor, Nearly Everything

Bill Bryson is an American author who has written several books on travel in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. He has also written several books on the English language, as well as a book on the history of science, a memoir, and a boo...

John McPhee - A Pioneer of Creative Nonfiction

John McPhee is regarded as one of the founders of "new journalism," a field which includes Tom Wolfe and Hunter Thompson. He does not agree with that assessment. For one thing, other "new journalists" tended to insert themselves into the narrative, w...

Sarah Vowell: The Voice of Violet Writes!

Sarah Vowell, known to many as the voice of Violet in The Incredibles, has also been, with her unforgettable voice, a regular contributor to Chicago Public Radio's This American Life. She has written five books. Her sharp wit, quirky humor, and...

Adventure-Travel Writer, Peter Jenkins

I discovered the writings of Peter Jenkins when I found a used, 25-cent copy of A Walk Across America in a sidewalk book bin. Given my own penchant for wanderlust, the title alone drew me in. And that turned out to be a very well-spent quarter. I...

Andrea Davis Pinkney, Caldecott Medal Winning Author

My daughter brought her reader home from school awhile ago and announced that she had a story to read. This is the point where I usually have a moment of self-pity and I let out a silent groan inside my head. I then ready myself for the story. This t...

John Grisham :: Legal Thriller Author

John Grisham has to be at the top of every legal thriller list. He has lived the life and then written about it with the experience and style that make his best-selling fiction absolutely compelling to read. Read a short biography of John Grisham, i...

Ian McEwan - British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, And Screenwriter

Ian McEwan has been writing fiction since the 1970's and has written many bestsellers and received numerous literary awards and glowing critical acclaim. It is difficult to sum up Ian McEwan's writing...a few words and phrases spring to mind...

Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella (born December 12, 1969) is the pen name of British author Madeleine Wickham. As Sophie Kinsella she has become well-known for the creation of the very successful Shopaholic set of novels, featuring the mishaps of her central charact...

Ian McEwen 

The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan

The Cement Garden" is the first novel written by award-winning British author, Ian McEwan. It was originally published in 1978. The Cement Garden is a beautifully woven, but very dark tale of childhood and lost innocence... The plot of The Ce...

Atonement By Ian McEwan

"Atonement" is a novel by award winning writer, Ian McEwan, first published in 2001. The plot of "Atonement" follows the life of Briony Tallis, from naive teenager to elderly woman. In 1935, Briony 13 years old, an aspiring writer and the youngest...

Enduring Love By Ian McEwan

"Enduring Love" is a novel by award winning writer Ian McEwan, first published in 1997 On an ordinary spring day, while he is enjoying a picnic with his girlfriend, Clarissa, the calm, organised, ordinary life of science writer Joe Rose is turned up...

Saturday By Ian McEwan

"Saturday" is a novel by multi-award winning author, Ian McEwan, first published in 2005. "Saturday" is the story of a day in the life of a 48 year old London neurosurgeon, Henry Perowne. The novel is set on Saturday, 15th February 2003. Henry wake...

The Abbey girls books by Elsie J Oxehnam

In this lens you will find information on the The Abbey girls series of books by Elsie J Oxenham. Elsie Jeanette Oxenham was the author of the Abbey girls series. Her real name was Elsie Jeanette Dunkerley, she used her fathers pen surname when writ...

Unusual Offerings 

Love Letters of Great Men

Love Letters of Great Men started out as a film prop! There is a scene in the film Sex and the City, that sent its mostly female fans flocking into bookshops and desperately searching Amazon for a book that did not exist. Carrie Bradshaw is lying in...

Your Life Sentence ~~ Six-Word Memoirs or Quotations

In the book Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure, famous and not-so-famous writers were asked to provide their life stories in six word sentences. They responded with funny, sad and often poignant quotes that...