When you hear the words, Sistine Chapel, you envision impressive Christian art. According to this book, Michelangelo's masterpiece has very little Christian symbolism on it. Due to his anger at the Pope and the Catholic Church, Michelangelo's work of art was influenced by Kabbalistic teachings. He hid many messages in the paintings on the ceiling. Some as a mockery to Pope Julius II (was that putti (angelic figure) "giving the fig" to the Pope's portrait? At times, I wished I had an oversize book of the ceiling to see these hidden messages better. There is a poster included within the book cover, but due to the plastic cover, it is inaccessible. Brief chapters on the life of Michelangelo are also included. After reading this book, you'll never look at Michelangelo's work the same again.  --SS

July 15, 2008 

 The great warming:  climate change and the rise and fall of civilization by Brian Fagan

The cover illustration on this book is a painting of a medieval harvest. I expected a discussion of Europe during the Medieval Warm Period, that time from about 800 AD to 1300 AD when wine grapes grew in England and Greenland really was green. That, however, was only the beginning. Fagan also covers the effects of the climate shift in other areas of the world, from Timbuktu to Easter Island, and California to Peru.  --MM

July 10, 2008 

 For the love of a dog:  understanding emotion in you and your best friend by Patricia B. McConnell

Radio talk show host and animal behaviorist McConnell shows how understanding emotions in both people and dogs can improve owners' relationships with their pets.  She provides examples of how owners can observe dog behavior to help dogs be better behaved and owners to be better owners.  Not just a dog training book; there are touching stories of person-pet interactions.  --SB 

The Professor and the madman: a tale of murder, insanity, and the making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester

A fascinating story of the creation of the OED and one of its most prolific contributors, Dr. William Chester Minor, an American surgeon locked up in England's Broadmoor criminal insane asylum for murder.  --NG

July 2, 2008 

 Cry rape:  the true story of one woman's harrowing quest for justice by Bill Lueders

Patty was a legally blind single mother, sharing an apartment with her adult daughter, when an intruder held a knife to her neck and raped her.  She reported the rape to the Madison police, but was bullied into recanting her story, and was subsequently charged with obstruction of justice for filing a false report.  Lueders is a journalist who followed Patty's case through the courts.  It is a shocking, painful book to read, showing how in some cases the justice system abuses the very victims that should be helped.  --SB 

June 30, 2008 

First there was "The Dangerous Book for Boys" followed up by "The Dangerous Book for Girls". Now there's this book. If you're a dog owner, this book is a hoot. Written by dogs, to be read by dogs makes it fun to read. Some chapters included formal rules of fetch, how to choose and bury a bone and how to make your owner look like an idiot. Though humorous, there are sections of serious material - courageous dogs in history and canine performances in the movies to name a few. Even the book dedication fits is appropriate for this book - "For Marley"  --SS

June 30, 2008 

In 1914, seven adults and children were murdered at Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Taliesin was also destroyed by fire. Amongst the murdered individuals was Mamah Borthwick Cheney, Wright's lover who he built Taliesin for. The book begins with a look at Wright's childhood and the disastrous marriage of his parents which affected the future life of Wright. We also learn about his controversial relationship with Mamah Borthwick. The book reads slowly in the beginning, but the pace does pick up leading to the murders. Interesting to find out that after the fire at Taliesin, Wright never designed another Prairie-Style house. Fire also was also prevalent in his life. This is my first biography I've read on Wright and wonder if all biographies depict him as a person with very strange beliefs and opinions about life.  --SS

June 24, 2008 

 Extraordinary jobs in sports by Alecia T. Devantier and Carol  A. Turkington

Extraordinary jobs with animals by Alecia T. Devantier and Carol A. Turkington

Not your average career books.  Careers covered in these are ones that you will find in most books (zookeeper, dog groomer, hockey player and sports agent) and many I've never seen in a career book (sports mascot, zamboni driver, pet waste removal specialist and pet cemetery owner).  Each career profile includes an overview, pitfalls, perks, outlook, salary range, education/experience, and personal attributes.  Each profile also features an individual in that career.  Associations, web sites and other book resources can be found in the appendices.

Other books in the series that the library owns and some careers they cover:

Extraordinary jobs in leisure

Human cannonball, paintball park operator, wine consultant

Extraordinary jobs in media

Helicopter news reporter, movie critic, fact checker for magazines

Extraordinary jobs in the service sector

Beer tap cleaner, mystery shopper, AAA hotel rater

Extraordinary jobs in health and science

Dolphin researcher, set medic, aromatherapist

--SS 

 Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade 20 minutes meals 2 by Sandra Lee

When I look at cookbooks, I want one that has recipes with "normal" ingredients.  This book fits my criteria.  Each recipe entails two pages--one for the recipe and one with a picture of the food item.  Simple, easy to make recipes.  Sandra also includes brand names for the ingredients she uses; Hormel, Swanson, Fresh Express, etc.  I'm going to try the Turkey with Portobello Sauce, Spinach Salad with Mangos and Mandarins, and Maple Sweet Potatoes.  Sandra Lee is host of the Food Network show, Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee.  --SS 

June 16, 2008 

 The lost Supreme:  the life of dreamgirl Florence Ballard by Peter Benjaminson

Florence Ballard was the founder and best singer of the group The Supremes.  The character Effie in "Dreamgirls" is based on her.  Unfortunately her resentment of Diana Ross's ambition got her fired from the group.  She ended up on welfare until her death in 1976.  --NG

June 12, 2008