Wow, did I get a lot read in October! Here are four more books I read this month, both fiction and nonfiction, including one of the best books I've read in years.
The Knitter's Dictionary by Kate Atherly Atherly is an editor of the online knitting magazine Knitty, which I love and was part of the reason I wanted to review this book. The book is exactly what the title says, an alphabetical dictionary of knitting which should be a welcome reference to many. The field is crowded as there are many such books out there, but this one does provide some benefits other, older books may not: the writing style is conversational, and references are made to things new knitters will probably already be aware of (e.g., the knitting and social media site Ravelry; popular designers such as Amy Herzog). The line drawings are large and clear. My one complaint? The usual knitter dismissiveness of acrylic yarn (which many charity organizations require their donated knit and crochet items be made from) was irritating. Acrylic yarn has its uses and is budget friendly, and it irks me when these self-styled encyclopedias of knitting dismiss it. Otherwise, this is a useful book for new knitters, and for those who want clear explanations of more advanced techniques such as kitchener stitch. Recommended (Net Galley)
Charlie Chan Carries On by Earl Derr Biggers The Charlie Chan series disappeared from publication for several decades, dismissed because of the racist depictions of Chinese people, including Chan himself. While he's portrayed as smart and honorable, a far superior detective to all around him, some found objectionable that his dialogue was not perfect English and he's been descried as subservient and a stereotype. This was my first exposure to printed Charlie, and my honest opinion, as the daughter of an immigrant, was that while he 'sounded' like a stereotype, lots of the people I grew up around spoke imperfect stilted English, very similarly to Charlie. We weren't told in this story how long Charlie has been in Hawaii, so I decided that like many of the people I knew, he grew up in China and learned English as an adult and thus his stilted style of speaking. The warm regard and very clear appreciation of Charlie's skill by Scotland Yard's Inspector Duff belied any internal racism. The story itself was well written and the pace was maintained. The round the world mystery was unique and interesting, and I enjoyed the book, and the ending, very much. Imperfect by today's standards re: characterization, the writing and plot stand up well. Recommended (audio book)
Murder at the Mill by M. B. Shaw Set in the wintry English countryside, this book opens with the murder, and then backtracks for a large part of the middle section to set up the murder. I have mixed feelings about this book. I didn't like the main character, Iris, even though I tried to be sympathetic to her personal crises, and I need to like my main characters. I loved how Lorcan was depicted and treated by his family and the book, and how the complicated family relationship was described. I loved the setting. But the mystery wasn't mysterious--I spied the murderer as soon as they appeared, and also nailed the issues behind several of the characters. Iris has changed a lot over the course of the novel, however, and has emerged a stronger person, so if this is a series, I might give the second one a chance. I'm going to recommend the book, although I'd probably give it a B/C borderline grade. (Net Galley)
Spying onWhales by Nick Pyenson It was a lark that I chose to read this book. I like to intersperse nonfiction after every few novels, and although I have no great affinity for whales or the ocean (in fact, I'm a horrible swimmer), I thought "Why not? I love nature and I love sitting by the ocean and I know nothing about whales." I am so glad I did. I loved this book! It was incredibly informative and very well written. Organized logically, it presented scientific and historical data in an easy, breezy manner. I read the entire book in 4 days. I learned so much, I recommended it when I was only halfway done, and I was sorry when it was over. It is the perfect example of how scientists can and should present science and data in easily digestible, understandable, and, importantly, entertaining ways to a public audience. Kudos, Dr. Pyenson. This isn't an easy accomplishment and he nailed it. Highly recommended. (Net Galley)
