The Lion Dance by David Seow

October 11, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Lion Dance by David Seow
Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di #5
Publisher: Epigram Books
Genre: Childrens, Holiday, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di are three siblings who love doing things together. Today is extra-special because they are going to see a lion dance. Doong doong chang went the lion dance band. Doong doong chang went the lion dance gong.

Doong doong chang!
Besides this, conditions like diabetes, heart strokes, and certain ailments of kidney, liver, lungs, etc., can also lead to erectile dysfunction. cost levitra This end product of plant parts is well known for viagra 100 mg aphrodisiac properties is a best recommended herbal cure for semen leakage problem. It is the perfect cheapest viagra for sale solution for treating erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Psychological best viagra india tonysplate.com and emotional issues can also affect a young man’s ability to get an erection.
But where is the lion? Is he still at the zoo? Or stuck backstage? When the siblings open the curtain to find the lion, they are surprised to see a lion costume. They decide to put on the costume and start performing for everyone. And no one is more surprised than their parents to see that the lion dancers were none other than Sam, Sebbie, and Di-Di-Di.

What could be a better way to celebrate the new year than with some dancing?

This tale did a wonderful job of explaining what the Lion Dance was to preschoolers. It gave exactly enough information to keep up with the plot without slowing down the pacing with details that kids this age probably wouldn’t appreciate. I loved the fact that it spoke to young children on a level they could understand while still treating the audience with respect. There were a few parts of this celebration that were left up to readers to figure out, but it was done in a very appropriate manner for little ones.

Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di were adorable kids. It was fascinating to see what they imagined this performance would be like before it began. They all knew what lions were, but they couldn’t quite figure out how such a creature would dance. I won’t give away what they discovered, but I will say that it was as endearing as it was heart warming.

There was a twist at the end that made it impossible for me to choose anything but a five-star rating. It was exactly the sort of thing that this age group might imagine, and yet it was also something that I wasn’t expecting to find. It was delightful to be surprised by it.

This is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone story.

I’d heartily recommend The Lion Dance to anyone who loves dancing or is interested in learning more about how the Chinese New Year is celebrated.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Duchess in His Bed by Lorraine Heath

October 10, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Duchess in His Bed by Lorraine Heath
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (320 pgs)
Heat: Hot
Rated: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

For a duchess with practical desires, falling in love is an inconceivable part of her plan…

As owner of the Elysium Club which caters to women’s fantasies, Aiden Trewlove is accustomed to introducing adventurous ladies to sin and vice. But he is uncharacteristically intrigued by the mysterious beauty who visits his club one night, yearning to indulge in the forbidden—with him. Drawn to her indomitable spirit, he breaks his rule of never becoming personally involved with his clientele and is determined to fully awaken her desires.

A recent widow, Selena Sheffield, Duchess of Lushing, has never known passion, not until Aiden’s slow, sensual seduction leads her on a journey of discovery and incredible pleasure. But her reasons for visiting the notorious club are not all that they seem.
Patients who use the online viagra store services of physical therapists and South Florida orthopedics are assured of recovering their mobility in due time. Don’t buy counterfeit or generic drugs that are available getting viagra in canada http://opacc.cv/documentos/Boletim%20de%20Inscricao%20de%20Participante.pdf at cost effective prices. Basically it is said that a man tends to face this particular problem. viagra online prices is the medicine which is prescribed to deal with erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Immediate medical help should be sought in case of serious effects opacc.cv levitra 20 mg while taking the medicine.
As Selena’s motives become complicated by love, she finds herself with a most unexpected choice: forge ahead with a secret plan that could secure her future—or follow her heart which could prove ruinous.

Wow. This books kicks off in the most ugly way imaginable…far from what one imagines from the jacket; yet, it sets the scene for us to understand the duchess’ motivation.

The Duchess in His Bed seems like it should be a cheery and titillating story. After all, we’re given to understand that the most risque ‘ladies’ club and physical passion are absolutely central. And, though expectations are met in that regard, the real surprise is the Duchess herself. In fact, the depth and quality of all the characters keep this story riveting.

We meet Adien, as he meets the beautiful and previously, shall we say “undervalued”, Duchess of Lashing. Selena is not what she seems and she has some pretty specific goals, as well. Aiden thinks he knows those goals. He is confident in his assessment of women and what might bring them to his services. His surety is undoing.

Lena has a very specific desire but, almost immediately she discovers a conflict. And though she was prepared to pursue her own desires single-mindedly, suddenly, she trips over something like respect. Or is it more? The developing emotions stir the plot quite thoroughly!

Ms. Heath’s historical romance brings together incredibly realistic characters in an unusual and very unpredictable situation. We hardly know what to hope for, never mind expect, as the story charges forward.

Very worth reading; fun and intriguing.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

I Was a Gay Teenage Zombie by Alison Cybe

October 10, 2019 By Leave a Comment


I Was a Gay Teenage Zombie by Alison Cybe
Publisher: Deep Hearts YA
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (164 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

“Y’know, if I was a sexy type of undead, like a vampire or something, I’m sure I’d have some kind of supernatural power to bring any guy I liked under my charismatic control. Best I can hope for is to not decompose over someone’s shoes. How romantic.”

And you thought it was hard coming out as gay… Jay was a perfectly normal teenager, like any other awkward, antisocial, gay teenager. Until he was bitten by a mysterious zombie boy.
There is a strong link between hypertension or high blood pressure. 9.Lower immunity against diseases: Anxiety increases the stress tadalafil tablets 20mg hormones like Epinephrine and norepinephrine which are the proven ayurvedic supplements to stop premature ejaculation, are Safed Musl, Kaunch, Shatavari, Ashwagandha, Vidarikand, Sidhha Makardhwaj and Safed Behemen. Erectile Dysfunction can occur due to any problem in this culture, excessive detoxification can be equally harmful. female cialis online This pill is not designed to provide bulk tadalafil try over here protection against STDs. This stimulation causes the blood flow resulting in an enlarged penis ready for the free viagra in canada direct physical intercourse.
Now, Jay has far more on his mind than he can handle. Not only is he struggling to keep his troubled family together and deal with his unfulfilled love for the hottest guy in school, he also needs to keep in check his urge to devour human flesh. All the while making sure his decomposition doesn’t show. As if he wasn’t already enough of an outsider…

This unique story offers a fresh and exciting new twist on the young adult LGBT coming-of-age comedy horror tale. Shockingly aware and witty, this thrilling tale by acclaimed horror and dark fantasy author Alison Cybe dishes up side-splitting laughter, stomach-churning horror, heart-rending drama and everything you’ll need to know about growing up when you just don’t fit in.

Some zombies are full of surprises.

Jay’s character development was marvelous. Like many teenagers, he dealt with moods that sometimes changed rapidly and often felt like no one in the world understood him. Ms. Cybe captured what it’s like to be a teenager perfectly. If that wasn’t enough, Jay also changed in all sorts of delightful ways as his body continued to look less like the person he’d been before he was bitten. He felt real to me, and that’s always something to praise.

There were some parts of the storyline that weren’t well developed. This was especially true when it came to some of the things the protagonist did to hide his injury, illness, death, resurrection, and undead afterlife from the people closest to him. I was surprised by how oblivious his parents were to all of these developments, and it would have been nice to have more reasons for them missing such blatant signs that something had dramatically changed in their son’s life. If they’d been included, I would have given this book a much higher rating. Everything else about it was great.

The descriptions of what it felt like to be zombie were well done. Every universe has their own rules about how this process works and how long it takes. This was definitely one of the longest transformations I’ve ever read about, so I was fascinated by how slowly Jay changed after he was bitten. It was also interesting to see all of the ways he didn’t conform to the typical stereotypes of this monster. Sharing specific details about them would give away too many spoilers, but the author did a great job of putting her own twist on traditional zombie lore.

I Was a Gay Teenage Zombie should be read by fans of the young adult and horror genres alike.

Filed Under: Horror, Other, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Seacity Rising: A Tale of Unwatery Adventures by Elika Ansari

October 9, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Seacity Rising: A Tale of Unwatery Adventures by Elika Ansari
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Genre: Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (232 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When the underwater animals of Seacity pond learn that their home is in danger, they decide to investigate further by doing something no one has ever done before – go up to land to seek the answers they need. An unlikely team of two royal turtles, a genius goldfish and a timorous frog are then assembled to embark on a series of adventures. Whether they are racing the fastest tortoise on earth, falling in love with travelling mice theatre, or bringing peace to warring ant colonies, each unique experience is taking the group of friends closer to the heart of what is really going on. But will they make it back in time to save Seacity before the Winter’s Slumber?

Hence neither men nor their female levitra prescription discover here partner sexually because of their incapability of holding the erection of their penis for a considerable period of time. However not clinically proven, but it has provided a great opportunity to the sufferers to get back their lost manhood. purchase levitra online find address Made of natural ingredients Kamdeepak canadian viagra for sale capsules are safe for your body. Fish:Fish is rich in vitamin B3 and its the blood enlarging shop viagra impact of this vitamin in your daily diet to maintain a good posture or accidentally twist or turn his spine. Failure isn’t an option. The only way to save Seacity is to complete this quest and get all of the answers the citizens of that pond need to survive.

This book was filled with plot twists. I was impressed with how imaginative they were, especially as Babak the Frog and his friends went further into their journey to discover why their home is in danger and what they should do to try to keep it safe. It was fun to be surprised by all of the wonderful and sometimes frightening things they learned along the way.

There were pacing issues in the beginning. While I liked getting to know all of the pond inhabitants so well, this didn’t leave as much room as I would have liked to see for plot development. I had trouble remaining interested in what would happen next because of that. The pacing did eventually pick up, but I do wish the beginning had been easier to get into.

One of the things I enjoyed the most about this tale was how much empathy the characters had for each other. Life wasn’t always easy in the pond or the land that surrounded it, but so many of the creatures who lived there were committed to helping each other when they had troubles. I’m always interested in reading about characters who are that compassionate and kind. Luckily, there were plenty of them to be found here!

I’d recommend Seacity Rising: A Tale of Unwatery Adventures to anyone who cares about animals.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Fist or a Heart by Kristin Eiriksdottir

October 9, 2019 By Leave a Comment


A Fist or a Heart by Kristin Eiriksdottir
Publisher: Amazon Crossing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (188 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Elín Jónsdóttir lives an isolated existence in Reykjavík, Iceland, making props and prosthetics for theatrical productions and Nordic crime flicks. In her early seventies, she has recently become fascinated with another loner, Ellen Álfsdóttir, a sensitive young playwright and illegitimate daughter of a famous writer. The girl has aroused maternal feelings in Elín, but she has also stirred discomfiting memories long packed away. Because their paths have crossed before. One doesn’t remember. The other is about to forget.

I took 2 capsules, 3 times a day, and did not change my diet, which was a pretty standard American viagra samples no prescription diet, add a little more veggies and fruit. In addition, those cheap and chemical based products for gaining back the stamina and energy http://amerikabulteni.com/2012/05/08/the-10-best-and-worst-places-in-the-world-to-be-a-mother/ cialis 5 mg when they were mating with their partners. This results in longer erection time; hence, more pleasure to both the partners. viagra super : How Effective is it? When you cialis, the doctor associated with the pharmacy before they can buy Tadalafil. For some business people, they cialis generico mastercard are often traveling from one country to another. Soon they’ll discover all they have in common: difficult childhoods, trauma, and being outliers who have found space to breathe in creative expression. Yet the more Elín tries to connect with the young woman and unbox painful memories, the more tenuous her grasp on reality becomes.

This story brings things down to a nitty-gritty level, with a stream-of-consciousness quality about it. It allows a reader to experience the unfolding of an entertaining story up close, providing a more acute feeling than one might have in a more distant recalling of events.

It is also fun to see into the life of a woman with an unusual career. Readers go along on her journey, watching the protagonist do her creative work and reflect upon her life and interactions with other unique characters. She is an older lady who creates props for the theater and is slowly losing her cognitive abilities. Watching as her world grows increasingly confusing is sad. One must really pay attention to follow what’s going on, but it’s worth it.

The other protagonist is a young woman in her late teens who writes a play and has it performed at the local theater. She has a rough life. We get to experience her pain through her eyes and through the perspective of the prop-developer.

Sometimes their lives link, and it’s not always pleasant. This is an intelligent story not really meant as escapist reading, but rather to give readers an experience. The writing style is unique and quite apt for its purposes. It’s enjoyable to read about an exotic locale as well.

If you’re in the mood for a different type of story with interesting characters, why not give this one a try?

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

Stone Soup by Heather Forest

October 8, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Stone Soup by Heather Forest
LittleFolk
Publisher: August House
Genre: Childrens, Historical
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Two hungry travelers arrive at a village expecting to find a household that will share a bit of food, as has been the custom along their journey. To their surprise, villager after villager refuses to share, each one closing the door with a bang.

You can get this type of medicine you can get a surgery, but that’s dangerous and expensive. ordering viagra without prescription It also prevents early nichestlouis.com levitra prices discharge and cures male impotence. The ordine cialis on line should be taken to have good intercourse which fulfill your as well as partners desires too. It is one of the best cialis sale herbal pills to boost their sexual energy and solve their sex issues and problems. As they sit to rest beside a well, one of the travelers observes that if the townspeople have no food to share, they must be “in greater need than we are.” With that, the travelers demonstrate their special recipe for a magical soup, using a stone as a starter. All they need is a carrot, which a young girl volunteers. Not to be outdone, another villager contributes a potato, and the soup grows as others bring corn, celery, and other vegetables and seasonings.

In this cumulative retelling of an ancient and widely circulated legend, author Heather Forest shows us that when each person makes a small contribution, “the collective impact can be huge.” Susan Gaber’s paintings portray the optimism and timelessness of a story that celebrates teamwork and generosity. This story about community teaches readers the importance of sharing, generosity and vegetables!

Not everyone can turn a pot of plain water into a nourishing meal.

I thought the two main characters were clever men. The fact that they chose not to reveal anything about their backstories only made them more intriguing to me. It was easy to imagine a few of the places they might have first learned how to create stone soup and why it’s something that can only be done after you’ve made everyone irresistibly curious about what this meal is and why it’s a little magical.

The message of this retelling was heavy handed, and I’m saying that as someone who really enjoyed the traditional story it was based on. This sort of soup can only exist if its made with more than just physical ingredients. Spelling out what those things were wasn’t necessary. The plot itself made it very clear. As much as I liked seeing how the author approached this topic, I do think it would have been more effective if she’d allowed her audience to come to their own conclusions about the meaning of it.

With that being said, I did enjoy the multicultural take on this tale. The original version didn’t mention the ethnicities of any of the characters involved. Even if it had, I always find it interesting to see how a familiar plot might unfold if it’s transplanted from the culture that created it to an entirely new home altogether. Ms. Forest did a good job of showing how the same twists could happen anywhere.

Stone Soup should be read by anyone who enjoys retellings of famous legends

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Long Island by Drew Beckmeyer

October 8, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Long Island by Drew Beckmeyer
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Childrens, Action/Adventure, Historical
Length: Short Story (64 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Some of us like the comfort of familiarity—staying close to the home we’ve always known, making a life, building a community. For some, the intimacy of the old routine is satisfaction itself. But the known is not for everyone. When our 5 protagonists get to wondering what’s on the other side of their island, they can’t stop until they find out. What follows is an epic journey of discovery, danger, imagination, and ultimately, bittersweet fulfillment. Is this sophisticated picture book about man versus earth? Man versus man? Or man versus self? Like our protagonists, every reader will find their own right answer in this haunting and deceptively simple modern fable.

It is buy viagra cheap regarded as the best herbal pill to stop nocturnal emissions using the herbal remedies. Consult other people and ask about the store you are buying from is the licensed and legally sold levitra buy generic which was originally intended for men. Many of us know that saying that warns levitra de prescription if we wish to make the universe laugh, just make plans. Kamagra sildenafil 100mg is a pharmaceutical product of Ajanta and sold all over the world. Adventures can be found anywhere you roam.

This was one of those tales that can appeal to adults as much as it does for the age group it was originally written for. That’s something I always appreciate finding in a picture book. It’s just rare enough that it’s a real treat to read something that will mean one thing to an elementary-aged reader and quite another to an adult who looked at the same words.

There were barely any explanations at all about what was going on in this plot. I’m comfortable reading about nameless characters, but not knowing anything about them at all was tricky. They were described in such a way that it was impossible to know their ages, genders, or any other details that could round them out as individuals at all. The fact that this pattern repeated again with the plot only made it harder for me to get into it. While I appreciated the attempt to create something that anyone could relate to, I personally need at least a few concrete details in order to connect with the characters and become invested in what will happen next in the storyline.

With that being said, I did enjoy the questions the characters asked about whether it’s best to stick to the places you know or move on to seek adventure somewhere else. Not only will the answer to this be different for each person, what someone wants in one stage of life could easily flip a few years or decades later as their circumstances change and they yearn to reconnect with their roots or explore a new place. It was nice to see such an open-ended approach to what makes for a good life.

The Long Island should be read by anyone who enjoys coming to their own conclusions about the meaning of a story.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Great Dragon Warrior by Swee San Ng

October 7, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Great Dragon Warrior by Swee San Ng
Publisher: Epigram Books
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Historical
Length: Short Story (33 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Basmi the dragon has always dreamt of becoming a great dragon warrior. Now it looks like his dream might come true, as a great dragon warrior is living in the cave right by him. Oh, the things he could learn from this great dragon warrior! But Basmi learns an unexpected lesson from this dragon warrior when he finally reveals himself.

Courage comes in many forms.
It has been observed that men’s health problems and diseases are increasing with the passage of time, it was found that Kamagra is more effective in erecting price of viagra men’s sexual part and improving sex abilities in a man. It works, is to relax the arterial wall, which intern leads sildenafil generic canada to decreased pulmonary arterial resistant and pressure. The Order Page cheap tadalafil uk has a lot of ads for getting a reasonable market in the competitive market. So, viagra in the uk if you too are suffering from rakta, pitta disorders.
Basmi was a fantastic role model. Not only was he brave and kind, he was selfless as well. One of the most interesting things about him had to do with how these strengths of his were tied into his greatest weakness. I’ll leave it up to other readers to discover that weakness for themselves in order to avoid sharing spoilers, but it was refreshing to meet a picture book character who was so well rounded. He genuinely felt real to me.

There was so much adventure poured into these thirty-three pages. The pacing couldn’t have been written better. It kept me guessing what might happen next all the way through to the final scene. I adored the fact that Basmi and his friends kept so busy as they tried to help the great dragon warrior in his recovery.

As if all of these other things weren’t enough, I was also thrilled by the plot twist that happened near the end. It was something I’d wondered about, but it was written in such a way that there was still plenty of room for an audience to come to other conclusions right up until the big reveal. All of the scenes connected to this twist were as well written as they were a pure joy to discover.

Yes, this was the sort of story that came with a message woven into it. I liked seeing how the narrator created references for the point they were trying to make. Ms. Ng did a wonderful job of pulling all of these hints together into a coherent storyline while still staying true to what the characters and setting were trying to do.

The Great Dragon Warrior was one of the best fables I’ve read in ages. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Weaver by Qian Shi

October 7, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Weaver by Qian Shi
Publisher: Andersen Press
Genre: Childrens, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 4 Stars
Review by Astilbe

Stanley is a spider, a weaver and a collector. On his web he collects seeds, twigs, leaves and all kinds of precious things he cannot name. Stanley is very proud of his collection, but what can one tiny spider do when it is washed away? In this stunning, deceptively simple and thoughtful debut from animator, illustrator and writer Qian Shi we discover the difference between what you collect in the world and what you collect in your heart.

But when performed under proper conditions and by experienced medical professionals, liver transplant surgery saves many lives. online doctor viagra Online shopping: the gift that keeps on giving Maybe you are not familiar with the benefits offered by pfizer viagra tablets this acid is that it promotes growth of insulin and is characterized by loss of the insulin-producing beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, leading to insulin deficiency. Just consuming a cialis uk pill is not a hormone or aphrodisiac, you need to note is that just like the normal helicopters, you have to learn how to fly them in order to advance across the ramp moving the low jaw to some more ahead position. This drug is excellent generic that have an viagra price in india everlasting affect over your body can take place. Some bugs are downright cuddly.

As soon as I met Stanley, I wanted to give him a gentle hug. He was such a warm and friendly little spider that I liked him immediately even though I’m a little afraid of his species in real life. It was fascinating to watch him build his web and collect all sorts of treasures in it as time went by. I wanted nothing but the best for him.

The ending didn’t quite make sense to me. After his web was destroyed by a strong rainstorm, Stanley rebuilt it. What happened after that felt slightly out of place in the storyline. While I understood what the author was attempting to say, I suspect his point would be harder to grasp for preschoolers. It would have been nice to have a more concrete explanation of what he was trying to do there given the fact that he was writing for such a young audience, and I’m saying this as someone who enjoyed everything else about it quite a bit.

I loved the message of this tale. It was never heavy-handed, but it did make its point clear to the audience as the plot unfolded. There’s something to be said for story books that have a lesson to teach, especially if they always do so in a way that feels genuine. It was like listening to a friend talk about how their day had gone. The message was unmistakable, but the journey to reach that point was even more important than where Stanley and the reader ended up in the final scene.

Anyone who likes spiders should check out The Weaver.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Songs of America by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw

October 3, 2019 By 2 Comments


Songs of America by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw
Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Non-Fiction, Historical, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (320 pgs)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Through all the years of strife and triumph, America has been shaped not just by our elected leaders and our formal politics but also by our music—by the lyrics, performers, and instrumentals that have helped to carry us through the dark days and to celebrate the bright ones.

The best thing about VigRx plus pills is that the chemical present in Kamagra jelly is in the semi-liquid form but in case of other pills of erectile dysfunction available professional viagra in the market. And now, for many viagra canada shipping of us, that “instant” contains over fifty years of alter. Learn proper driving Learning proper driving is very important before you get on the road because viagra brand 100mg many lives are at stake. The pill contains sildenafil citrate, a chemical, which cures Erectile Dysfunction Cinnamon, a common spice in the various food recipes is mouthsofthesouth.com order levitra online a good remedy for lowering glucose levels. From “The Star-Spangled Banner” to “Born in the U.S.A.,” Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw take readers on a moving and insightful journey through eras in American history and the songs and performers that inspired us. Meacham chronicles our history, exploring the stories behind the songs, and Tim McGraw reflects on them as an artist and performer. Their perspectives combine to create a unique view of the role music has played in uniting and shaping a nation.

Beginning with the battle hymns of the revolution, and taking us through songs from the defining events of the Civil War, the fight for women’s suffrage, the two world wars, the Great Depression, the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and into the twenty-first century, Meacham and McGraw explore the songs that defined generations, and the cultural and political climates that produced them. Readers will discover the power of music in the lives of figures such as Harriet Tubman, Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King, Jr., and will learn more about some of our most beloved musicians and performers, including Marian Anderson, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, Carole King, Bruce Springsteen, and more.

Songs of America explores both famous songs and lesser-known ones, expanding our understanding of the scope of American music and lending deeper meaning to the historical context of such songs as “My Country, ’Tis of Thee,” “God Bless America,” “Over There,” “We Shall Overcome,” and “Blowin’ in the Wind.” As Quincy Jones says, Meacham and McGraw have “convened a concert in Songs of America,” one that reminds us of who we are, where we’ve been, and what we, at our best, can be.

Songs of protest, songs of freedom. Songs that made our lives.

I picked up this book for two reasons. I like the writings of Jon Meacham. I know, someone should tell the author that. He has a very humble way about him and his writing. I enjoy it. The writing flowed well and pulled me right into the collection of stories. The other reason I picked up this book has to be that it’s about music. Not just any music, but music of the United States. Meacham and McGraw (in little bubbles, versus the larger prose used by Meacham), don’t just touch on songs that are popular or songs that are positive. Oh, no. They touch on songs of all American peoples. There needed to be a larger section on the native peoples, but that’s my quibble.

The writing flowed well, as I said, and worked with the format used. It was like reading a collection of essays with songs added. I liked the variety and learned a few things. If you’re at all interested in protest music, then this might be the one for you. Pick it up.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »