“I looked at the terraced hills and noticed how the people had changed the earth, taming it into dizzying staircases of rice paddies; but the Chinese looked at the people and saw how they have been shaped by the land.” – Peter Hessler About “River Town” is the first book by American writer and journalist […]
Book Review: Konstantin by Tom Bullough
Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one cannot live in a cradle forever. About “Konstantin” is the third book by English author and polymath Tom Bullough. The story is based on the biography and discoveries of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the nearly deaf ‘father’ of Russian space travel and a pioneer in his field. “His groundbreaking […]
Kids are like candy.
Here I am again bright (nah) and early (ugh). I’m making the same mistake of asking my picky 8-year-old what he wants for breakfast. It will be Nutella or some such travesty, I’m sure of it. My 2-year-old will ask for her banana smoothie as usual, which I gladly provide. But the Nutella request will […]
Book Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green
She taught me everything I knew about crawfish and kissing and pink wine and poetry. She made me different. About Some probably know John Green from his YouTube vlog “Vlogbrothers” and his entertaining educational videos. “Looking for Alaska,” released in 2005, is his debut novel and has been awarded numerous prizes. The story can be […]
Book Review: I Read the Book by Meggy Finn
About “I Read the Book ” is about a little cat who is hesitant to read out loud and its friend, a fox, who shows patience and empathy by encouraging his buddy to overcome their shyness. For readers… ….that read to their toddlers or young first readers. Rating “I Read the Book” is an adorably […]
Book Review: The Passage by Justin Cronin
„Before she became the Girl from Nowhere – the One Who Walked In, the First and Last and Only, who lived a thousand years – she was just a little girl in Iowa, named Amy.“ (page 3) About The Passage by Justin Cronin reached third place on the New York Times bestseller list after its […]
Twice the Wor(l)ds.
‘Oh darn, I’m the mom!’ I hate it when that happens. Hi, I’m Conny. The mom of an Austrian-Chinese family of 4 living in California. I have an 8 year old son who thinks he is Calvin from “Calvin and Hobbes” (which I openly lament but secretly celebrate). And a 2,5 year old daughter who […]
Sometimes I hide from my kids
I’ve always loved reading. Well, at least since I was about 10 years old and discovered the Harry Potter books. They got me hooked for good. Hell, I even have a Literature degree because of my love for books. Since having kids though, it became increasingly difficult to find the peace and quiet one craves […]
Book Review: A Fine Balance
“Holding this book in your hand, sinking back in your soft armchair, you will say to yourself: perhaps it will amuse me. And after you have read this story of great misfortunes, you will no doubt dine well, blaming the author for your own insensitivity, accusing him of wild exaggeration and flights of fancy. But […]
Book Review: Alex & Me
This is a true story. An incredible story. It is about a Harvard researcher and her subject – the African Grey parrot, Alex. After 30 years of collaborative research and groundbreaking discoveries, Alex passed away in 2007. Ms. Pepperberg then wrote down their shared experiences, and the result is this wonderful book. The author, in […]