BookOpinion

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Barnes and Noble has released another rare coupon code for this holiday week. Save 10% off one item! Hurry, this offer won’t last long. Here are the details:

Offer: 10% off one item.
Start date: 12/10/08
End date: 12/18/08
Coupon code: D9E4E3T
Use this link: Click here to go!

(*Some restrictions apply. Coupon can be redeemed once online per customer. See site for complete details.)

I was about seven when my godfather and I spent a couple hours of an afternoon watching “The Andromeda Strain.” At that young age, I became a Michael Crichton fan. Of course, I have seen the movies – Jurassic Park, Congo, Disclosure and the list goes on. His fame in the realm of television cannot be discounted either. Without him, there would have been no doctors Greene, Benton, Carter, Lockhart, etc., etc. I spent many a happy Thursday evening watching ER.

My favorite Michael Crichton book is also his most controversial. State of Fear is a book about many things. At first glance, it is a challenge to the theories behind global warming. But at its core, it’s about how people in power use fear to manipulate the public. I encourage people to read this novel with an open mind, and understand that Crichton’s goal was to bring people together for rational discussion. He was a great believer in the law of unintended consequences. You can see this throughout his works. This law is something I believe to be paramount in any scientific or political discussion. The public and those in power often rally behind what appear to be great ideas without sifting through the rhetoric and analyzing these ideas.

Michael Crichton leaves behind a great legacy, not only some entertaining novels, movies and television (more than most of us can say at any rate), but also, hopefully, the idea that we are at our best as human beings when we thoughtfully examine our actions and move forward understanding in that all we do, we have an impact on the world. Crichton certainly had an impact on my world, and he will be greatly missed.

– Jane Leisteiner

BOOKOPINION REVIEW: The question often arises…is Joel Rosenberg, author of the popular “Jihad” series, a modern day prophet? He says not. However, the uncanny resemblance between fiction and world events that explode ‘after’ the publication of his books, tends to make one consider the issue fairly seriously. If not a prophet, then certainly he has remarkable insight into world affairs that make you take his work much more seriously than most contemporary fiction.

“Dead Heat”, his final book in the Jihad series, is one that you literally cannot put down. It opens with President James MacPherson arriving in Los Angeles to attend the Republican National Convention. Tensions in the Middle East, North Korea, China and Russia are high. The world seems to be taking an enormous roller coaster ride into an unknown future.

Out of nowhere and with no warning, the United States is hit by four atomic missiles…Washington, New York, Los Angeles and Seattle. The cities and their environs are completely wiped out. Vice President Oaks now has the task of determining who has attacked America and why. But with limited resources left in the government to assist him, the circumstances are monumentally staggering. Oaks is quickly evacuated to NORAD Operations Center along with a limited military staff to assist him in sorting out this tragedy.

At the same time, Jonathan Bennett, the primary character throughout the Jihad series, is in a refugee camp in Northern Jordan with his wife Erin who has become extremely ill and is near death. When Jon receives word of the horrific disaster that struck his country, he is devastated. Jon is immediately contacted by the newly sworn-in President Oaks who requests his presence at NORAD immediately.

“I’d like to see you as soon as possible – you and Erin,” the President explained. “Most of our top people are dead. Nearly all the White House and NSC staff are gone. State is gone. Most of the team at the Pentagon. And I’m sure you’ve heard about Langley.”

Jon attempts to explain about Erin’s medical condition, but the President is insistent that both of them return to the United States. After promising to make arrangements to have them relocated to NORAD, President Oaks is satisfied that Jon will arrive home to assist him in determining the government behind this annihilation and how to best retaliate.

But again, events take an unexpected twist in this new world. What follows will have you glued to your seat, trying to comprehend such a scenario. Who bombed America? And why? And against whom will the new president retaliate? And is there even time? All leads point to China…but is that exactly what the real enemy wants the U.S. to believe? And how were the bombs delivered and should more be expected? Chaos, terror and tragedy follow this devastation.

“Dead Heat” is not jolly fun to read…it feels real and with the world in its current politically unstable condition, this work of fiction could easily become a horrible reality. Not for the faint of heart or those who would prefer to hide their head in the sand, “Dead Heat” is a book that may very well give you nightmares. It may also force you to restructure your life into one that is a bit more meaningful and see things in a different perspective.

Joel Rosenberg isn’t just another fiction writer. He once was a political columnist for World magazine and has worked with such notables as former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli deputy prime minister Natan Sharansky. Currently, he writes commentaries for National Review and manages a weekly e-mail update known as “Flash Traffic” for business and political leaders. For further information, you can visit www.joelrosenberg.com.

I’ve always loved political thrillers in the manner of Tom Clancy and the late Robert Ludlum. But Joel Rosenberg comes under a different category. I recommend “Dead Heat’ unreservedly. Prior to reading this book, however, be sure to pick up the other books in the Jihad series…otherwise, you will be somewhat lost as to who the characters are. Perhaps “Dead Heat” is just fiction, perhaps it is something more…either way, you will not be able to put it down!

- Elizabeth Channery

Perhaps Mark Twain or F. Scott Fitzgerald once stayed there or perhaps it is a home with a library stacked floor-to-ceiling with novels and great volumes. There is something about bed and breakfasts that appeals to booklovers of all kinds, whether it be the historical charm of a restored inn or the peaceful serenity of finding a good place to simply sit and enjoy a good, long read. Here are some bed and breakfasts that especially appeal to anyone with a passion for all things literary.

A Respite for Booklovers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

What is in a name? Well, by any other name The Alexander House Booklovers’ Bed and Breakfast would be just as sweet. However, the name does say it all. This is a retreat for those who love everything about reading, from the sweet, musty scent of old books to the magic of being transported to faraway lands and other times. Each of the guest rooms has its own literary theme. The Jane Austen room is decorated with touches of Regency England and includes a bathroom with a clawfoot tub. The Langston Hughes room is 1930s Harlem, with vintage furnishings and large portrait of the famous writer. The Robert Louis Stevenson room is a nautical-themed retreat. There is a Mark Twain Reading Room filled a vast collection of books, from classic or contemporary fiction to history to politics to art and music. Afternoon tea and an evening refreshments are all part of the fun. If you can tear yourself away from your favorite novel, the village of Princess Anne, Maryland, offers much to attract. Travelers can take the ferry to Smith and Tangier Islands, walk along the seashore, rent a kayak and take tour of the Tangier Sound and much more.

Enjoy Book, Bed and Breakfast in Jay, New York

Literature is all around at the Book and Blanket, a historic inn located in the Adirondack Mountain town of Jay, New York. Each of the guest rooms is named for an author, such as the Jack London Room or the F. Scott Fitzgerald Room. A cozy nook is named for James Thurber, who wrote a short story while staying in the town. There is a library, of course, and guests are encouraged to read to the heart’s content. Read on the front porch swing or curl up and relax in the privacy of your guest room.

Curl Up and Read in the Nation’s Capitol

Located in a restored 19th century Victorian rowhouse, The Akwaaba Bed and Breakfast, is charming inside and out. The rooms are stunning, each individually decorated with its own theme. The Zora Neale Hurston room includes a brass king bed, antique writing secretary desk, bay window with a view of 16th street and a guest bath with a two-person Jacuzzi tub. The Inspiration Room is another memorable room featuring an ensuite clawfoot soaking tub. The opulent Writer’s Suite is its own little apartment featuring a galley kitchen, and main room that serves both as a living room and bed room. Find more Washington DC bed and breakfasts here.

Oregon’s Sea Coast Perfect for Booklovers

What could be more restful than reading a book in an library overlooking the sea? That’s just what you’ll find at Sylvia Beach Hotel. Curiously, the hotel is not named for a beach, but Sylvia Beach, a famous patron of literature. There is definitely a touch of whimsy here. Guest quarters are organized into three categories, Classics, Best Sellers and Novels. The Classics rooms include a fireplace and a deck overlooking the ocean. Each of the rooms is named for a different author, playwright or poet, from Dr. Seuss to Jane Austen to Oscar Wilde. The Table of Content Restaurant will leave you chuckling over the name while enjoying award-winning cuisine in an oceanfront dining room. Find more Oregon bed and breakfast inns here.

Concord’s Hawthorne Inn Beckons to Booklovers

There could hardly be a more quintessential writer’s town than Concord, Massachusetts, once home to Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Hawthorne Inn, named for the aforementioned author, and rests across the street from that author’s home. The house next door was residence to both Alcott and Margaret Sydney, who wrote The Five Little Peppers books.  The inn itself rests on land once owned by its namesake, and features charming guest rooms decorated in period style with antiques.  Several rooms are named with literature in mind, from the romantic Sleepy Hollow room with its canopy bed to the Alcott Room, which includes original paintings and a view of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s home. Find more Massachusetts bed and breakfast inns here.

 –Jane Leisteiner

BOOKOPINION REVIEW: It feels like years that I have been eagerly awaiting the second in this fascinating series by Wendy Alec. And Book 2 is every bit as intriguing, inspiring and fascinating as the first. I literally could not put it down. For those of you not familiar with Book 1, the story revolves around the suggestion that Lucifer, Michael and Gabriel were originally angelic brothers and covers the agony of the break away into his own realm by Lucifer.

“Messiah - The First Judgment” picks up where Book 1 left off…namely, after the fall of Lucifer and the approaching birth of the Jewish Messiah. We travel through the early years of Jesus while Lucifer, being fully aware that his adversary, the Nazarene, is the only one capable of undoing his evil machinations. Confrontation of brothers is followed by repeated confrontations serving merely to enhance the rebellious attitude of the fallen one into an uncontrolled fury.

One of the more moving scenes illustrated so beautifully by Wendy Alec is the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. Lucifer asserts his rights by deed that Jesus is to be driven into the barren lands for forty days without food or drink…thus He is weak, faint from hunger and exhaustion. But the encounter between the two does not quite meet the evil expectations of the tempter. Enraged and defeated, Lucifer is thrown violently into the desert and the Nazarene is ministered to by Michael and legions of angels who, with bated breath, have witnessed the entire event.

And if you have never completely understood the significance of the willingness of Jesus to die on the Cross, you will after reading the chapter revealing the mystery and divine will of God regarding this event that changed history forever. In the words of Jether the Just, imperial angelic monarch and ruler of the twenty-four ancient kings of Yehovah, “He takes the place of the murderers, paeodophiles, adulterers, all that enact the darkened deeds of the Race of Men…that those of the Race of Men who would accept His sacrifice may go free.”

Several of the descriptions by Ms. Alec are incredibly horrific…one in particular caught my attention immediately. The following is an excerpt:

“Moloch’s barbarous satanic vandals wrenched Jesus of Nazareth’s spirit from the bruised and battered body on the cross. Instantly it took on the same form as the body it had inhabited, though it was of a different, more ethereal substance. Otherwise, it was identical. Moloch’s fallen host manacled Jesus’ wrists and ankles with heavy iron fetters that ripped cruelly into His tortured flesh. ‘Your sorceries are spent, Nazarene!’ Moloch leered. ‘Bind His mouth!’ he commanded. The butchers bound Jesus’ mouth with filthy cloth soaked in deadly nightshade, then brutishly hauled Him onto their shoulders, seizing Him in a vice-like grip. Moloch raised his whip. Instantly, they were sucked violently downward as though by some ferocious centrifugal force. Downwards..downwards, thousands of miles downward, towards the molten core of the Earth, the party of the damned descended. Down through the mouths of seething volcanoes. Through boiling seas of molten lava, until they emerged into the strange, churning violent world of floating continents and upside-down mountains that raged at 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The blast furnace that was the outskirts of hell.”

What follows is a scenario that many of us are already familiar with. However, “Messiah - The First Judgment” loses nothing in the telling and this fictionalized account of the fall of angels and redemption of men is nothing short of beautiful. I cannot recommend highly enough this engaging sequel by Wendy Alec to anyone who is interested in this genre of literature.

– Elizabeth Channery

BOOKOPINION REVIEW: “Eat This Not That” is definitely not one of those “can’t put it down, sit up til midnight with mainstay chocolate” type of books. It’s more of a manual of how to eat sensibly not only just when dining out but also during the holidays (when we all tend to pack on the pounds). David Zinczenko also covers how to shop at the supermarket, what beverages to avoid like the plague, what foods are “mood” foods for stress, fatigue, etc. and even how to guide your children through the endless maze of unhealthy fast foods.

This little book (small enough to pack inside a moderate sized handbag for easy access) is loaded with great tips that are targeted to help you lose belly fat and reshape your body. You can learn to cut empty calories and take advantage of foods that are high in nutrition but also taste good. Yes, even at fast food restaurants.

“Eat This Not That: Thousands of Simple Food Swaps That Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds-or More!” begins with giving you 10 Top Swaps. For example, if you order McDonald’s Big Mac rather than Burger King Whopper with cheese, you save 220 calories and 18 grams of fat. Or if you choose the Panera Chicken Caesar Salad as opposed to Chili’s Chicken Caesar Salad, you save 450 calories and 42 grams of fat! That is a huge difference!

You will discover the eight foods you should eat every day (and substitutions just in case the recommended food is repugnant to you), the twenty worst foods in America (avoid like the plague) and how to eat at your favorite restaurants without packing on the pounds. There is a great little chapter called “The Menu Decoder” that you won’t want to miss that covers everything from seafood to pretzels.

What to eat (and not touch) at the ballpark, preferable snacks for the movies and what to choose from vending machines are also covered in some detail. And you may definitely want to keep “Eat This Not That” handy when shopping for groceries. Eliminating unhealthy choices is a snap when you have all this information right at your fingertips.

The credentials of Davide Zinczenko and Matt Goulding are impressive as well. David, editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine has also authored The Abs Diet and The Abs Diet for Women. He has appeared on Oprah, 20/20, Good Morning America and Primetime Live. And Matt is the food and nutrition editor of Men’s Health. It would appear that these guys know what they are talking about.

This book is not a diet book…just intelligently presented information in a format that makes choosing delicious and healthy food simple. I highly recommend this little, easy to digest, book to anyone interested in dropping a few pounds and especially recommend it to parents who want to present their children with better choices not only when eating out but when dining in as well.

– Elizabeth Channery