reviews

Drip, drip, drip… Author:  Jon Gertner The poles were where all the glamour was.  International fame and glory was assured men like Peary, Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton even if they didn’t reach their respective goals, particularly if they died (or almost died) trying.   But there was another frigid locale that attracted the attention of explorers and served up equally thrilling adventures, although it didn’t present as sure a route to worldwide adulation.  In The Ice at the End of the World, science journalist Jon Gertner reveals why, even though the age of exploration may have ended, the icy wastes of [...]

Father Tim Encounters Health Issues and Depression Author: Jan Karon Father Tim and Cynthia have finally returned from their ministry on White Cap Island to their beloved Mitford. It’s back to the usual cast of characters, each with their own foibles (many hilarious) and challenges. We have Fancy Skinner and Joe Ivey locked in a haircut price war that leaves Father Tim terrified of ever getting his shaggy locks shorn again. Percy is experimenting with the Grill’s menu, the Man from the Attic has returned and is now the local heartthrob (until the gossip gets vicious), Father Tim continues to [...]

Waiting for the Worms Author: Nick Cutter The Troop jumped on my radar based on a recommendation by Stephen King. This story of a lost Boy Scout troop starts on an out-of-the-way island with five pre-adolescent boys and their rugged yet sensitive scoutmaster. They are cut off from the world, back to nature, working on those badges and nurturing the sort of tenuous surface level relationships that evolve from all forced group dynamics. Enter a stranded boat, a very sick and ravenous man, a sudden storm, a military quarantine, and boys becoming men as the clock ticks and they try to [...]