When the Game is Over ...

The latest book by John Ortberg, When the Game is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box" is a stirring reminder of the brevity of life and of the importance of those intangibles that make life meaningful. Using the analogy of games, Ortberg reminds us of the importance of playing by the rules, playing to win, understanding that defeat is temporary, and many other practical lessons for living the Christian life. In particular, we all must remember that our time on earth is limited and "when the game is over, it all goes back in the box."

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Campy Children's Mystery

The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen is an extremely campy and fun children's book. Written for 10-12 year olds, the book pokes obvious fun at the older "series" books. The main characters are all stars of their own book series, many of which fall into the trap of cliche and stock writing. Regardless of your age, if you enjoyed reading Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew, you will enjoy this modern spoof of a mystery.

P.S. Nobody really dies in this book - but many series are murdered by satire.

Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory

Continuing my Tudor England kick, I just finished the Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory. This story is about a young Jewish woman, Hannah Verde, who gets pulled in the court of Edward, Henry VIII's son, by Lord Robert Dudley and his father. The Dudleys are intrigued by Hannah because she has the Sight- an ability to see future events.

Hannah's position becomes precarious as loyalties in the court shift and sway between Edward, Lady Jane Grey, Mary and Elizabeth as well as between Catholicism and Protestantism. Hannah must navigate all this while negotiating the demands of her Jewish heritage and her betrothed.

The Queen's Fool shows another side to the English court - that of an insider who has no stake in how the conspiracies spin.

Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich

Pistol Pete Maravich was not only one of the greatest basketball players of all time; his style of playing influenced an entire generation. Pete was a true superstar - but how did he get there and what made him tick? This fascinating biography traces the life and career of Pistol Pete Maravich, but more importantly, it traces the relationship between Pete and Press Maravich - Pete's father and coach. Following his short pro career, Pete became an evangelical Christian and that experience transformed him. Yet, the same qualities that made him a superstar on the court also transferred to his post-game life. Tragically, he died of a heart attack at an early age, but as the author points out - father and son shared so much through the years that it is not surprising they died within a few months of each other!

If you like sports - this is a fun biography to read about an unconventional player and his coach - his father.

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

Innocent Traitor is the story of Lady Jane Grey, who reigned as the Queen of England for only 9 days.

Her claims to the throne were distant but due to the turmoil surrounding Henry VIII and his 6 wives and the various religious affiliations of his heirs, the Duke of Northumberland sought to place her on the throne. He sold this plan to Edward VI and his councilors by emphazing Lady Jane's strong protestant beliefs. Lady Jane's supported the plan, believing that with Jane's ascention to the throne, they would be power behind the throne.

Unfortunately, they did not gain the support of the populace and Lady Jane was dethroned by Mary, Henry VIII's oldest daughter.

This novel shows the intrigues of the royal court and how innocent people can be pulled into schemes without any intentions of their own.

Imperial Legend by Alexis S. Troubetzkoy

A Russian tsar defeats Napoleon, triumphs in Paris, begins reforms in his own country, and then fakes his death and lives out the rest of his life as a monk in Siberia.

Sounds stranger than fiction, right? Sometimes the truth is.

In Imperial Legend, Troubetzkoy examines that records and the circumstances of the death of Russian Tsar Alexander I in 1826. Alexander had lived a robust life until moving with his ailing wife to Taganrog for her health. Then he mysteriously became ill with a sickness scholars have not been able to identify and died. His body languished in Taganrog for several months while the court in St. Petersburg sorted out who was to be the new tsar. When his body was finally delivered to St. Petersburg, only the immediate family viewed it at midnight in the darkened church.

Several years later a monk named Feodor Kuzmich appeared in Siberia who was much loved by the people, but seemed to have some amazing talents for a monk. He carried himself well in any situation and spoke several languages. His correspondence was found in the personal effects of several Russian dignitaries including that of the future tsars, Nicholas I and Alexander II.

Speculation has been rampant that Feodor and Alexander are one in the same, that Alexander gave up the throne to live his life away from the burdens of ruling a large country.

Troubetzkoy's book details the history of the Romanov family and the coup that placed Alexander on the throne as well as the speculation about Alexander's death and the investigations into it.

Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Size 12 is Not Fat is the first book in the Heather Wells Mystery series. It is written by the author of the Princess Diaries series but this series is directed toward adults. Heather Wells is a washed up pop star who recently dumped her boyfriend when she caught him cheating on her. Her mother ran away to Brazil with all of Heather's fortune, leaving Heather penniless and careerless. She has also started putting on a little weight. In an attempt to get back on her feet, she gets a job as an assistant resident director for a dorm - I mean, residence hall - in New York City, so she can take a few classes for free. In Size 12 is Not Fat, a co-ed is killed elevator surfing and while the police are comfortable writing the incident off as an accident, Heather is not. She decides to do her own investigating and finds a completely different explanation and the killer.

The series is continued with Size 14 is Not Fat Either where a cheerleader's head ends up in a cafeteria stew pot. Not wanting her dorm to be labelled the 'death dorm', Heather investigates this crime also, even though her friends warn her not to. Through her investigation, Heather learns about the initiation rituals of sorroties and fraternities and some secrets about the basketball coach. Heather again finds the killer when the police have come up empty. Perhaps, Heather should think about a major in criminal justice.

The third book in the series Big Boned is scheduled for publication in January 2008.

Little Women, revisited

Since the Wednesday Readers were reading Little Women, I decided that I would read it again also. I probably hadn't shared the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy since I was in high school. I also discovered that my cherished version of this classic only contained the first part; it ends with Meg and Mr. Brooke's engagement. I had no idea about Jo and her professor (for which I was very excited) and Amy and Laurie (which I was not.)

It's fun to rediscover old favorites and see what new things touch you at this point in your life.

Tiara Club by Beverly Brandt

The Tiara Club is about of group of Southern women who have spent their lives being pinched, taped and paraded through beauty pagents. These women have decided to form a support group to share experiences and to compete--willingly or reluctantly--each year in the Ocean Sands Shrimp Queen Festival. Two weeks before Georgia's ex-husband is going to marry her bestfriend, a cooking show descends on the town and the show's host sets about finding out the secrets so many of the people in Ocean Sands are hiding. Why won't Georgia tell anyone that she is the inventor of the fabulous Miracle Chef? And why does she want it to fail in the competition against the professional chef? How does she really feel about her bestfriend's upcoming wedding and why does she drop everything to be at her mother's side whenever she calls saying she's lonely? And why does Georgia's mother hate her sister so much?

All this and more lies hidden behind the sleepy facade of Ocean Sands.