What a cute book! It was an accident really, the way this all started. Henry wasn't paying attention when he took his first bite, it was one single word out of a book. Henry enjoyed it so much that he continued eating words until eventually, he was eating whole books! Henry got so good at eating books that instead of taking the books apart, Henry was swallowing the books whole! This part made me smile as I thought Henry must be related to the, "I know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a ...." as Henry was beginning to swallow some pretty big books!

This new talent that Henry had discovered was also beneficial for him too. He discovered a reward for all this eating and this is where he should have had some self-control! Henry should have enjoyed his new life and it's perks but nope, Henry had to shoot for the stars.

Another great story by Oliver Jeffers! 

The Making of You by Katharina Vestre would be a good resource for parents and educators of young people looking for a fun but straightforward answer to the inevitable question about how babies develop in utero.  Adults will also appreciate the light and non-controversial approach taken by Vestre, along with her pleasant colloquial tone and personal asides.  Also included are some schematic drawings that depict various developmental stages as an accompaniment to the text, but these are not as precise or detailed as those that would appear in a more academic work. Comprehension of complex topics like genetics and biological chemistry is aided by the inclusion of interesting trivia and riveting scientific discoveries-particularly those that draw comparisons of human evolution with that of insects and other animals. The book’s short format and humor helps to sustain interest and encourages discussion about what can go awry without becoming overly dramatic or didactic. The Making of You is far from comprehensive, however, and can be somewhat confusing when it vacillates between sections that use either a chronological or a systems approach.  Some of Vestre’s anecdotes and asides may also require translation for an American audience who may not be familiar with some of her cultural references (eg. dummy=pacifier). Overall, Vestre’s simple approach and obvious enthusiasm provide a nice alternative for those seeking a quick overview or broad introduction to a fascinating subject.

 

Thanks to the author, Greystone Books and Library Thing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

A captivating and inspiring tale of exploration, human endurance and survival.

In 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton and a crew of 27 men set sail for the South Atlantic on board a ship called the Endurance. The expedition was to cross the Antarctic overland. In October of 1915 the ship became trapped and crushed in Ice and the crew now half a continent away from their intended base became castaways in one of the most hostile regions in the world.

I have had this book on my TBR list for quite awhile and am so glad I finally got around to reading it. I knew a little about the expedition due to the fact that one of the Crew members was an Irish Man called Tom Creen and I would have heard stories of his expeditions down the years but never actually read a book.

This is a slow burner of a read but at the same time compelling and intense. What amazing courage and stamina these men had, they must have had nerves and bodies of steel and withstand so much.
Extremely well written and while not an easy read it certainly had me on the edge of my seat.

I listened to his one on audible and the narrator Simon Prebble was excellent, although I cant help wondering if I missed photos, maps etc in the printed copy which I always find adds so much to a book.

However there is an amazing documentary filmed and photographed by one of the crew on You Tube which I have linked below.

my link text

Highly recommend this one to readers who enjoy adventure stories.

The Incredible Crime was just that - unbelievable.

The plot was utterly ridiculous. For much of the book I was left wondering if there was a crime at all because there was no real plot. All we had was a CID inspector mentioning to our main character, a young woman and daughter of The Master of one of the colleges, that he suspects a drug smuggling operation to be based in Cambridge. 

 

I still have no real idea why the CID inspector mentions this to our intrepid main character. 

 

I also have no idea why it took 80% of the book to get the plot moving. 

 

There was so much stuffing and distraction by a romance sub-plot that the mystery took a backseat until the very end of the book. And I mean the last four or five chapters out of thirty-two. 

 

And as for the romance sub-plot... Gaaah.

I've never been a fan of The Taming of the Shrew.

(spoiler show)

“No,” replied the doctor, “unless a man is in charge of a school, and always seeing rashes, it’s often very hard for him to be sure,” but he took the hint, and if he had been going to ask any more questions he abstained.

   “I suppose now,” said McDonald conversationally, “a general practitioner would find it hard to say a rash like mine was nothing infectious.”

   “That’s it; he would have to treat it as infectious, and if he wasn’t in the way of constantly seeing rashes, it wouldn’t occur to him that it could be chloral poisoning. Well, in the state you are, you must keep in bed for a few days; any chill you got now might turn to pneumonia, and you can’t do better than remain where you are.”

   “That’s all very well, but nurse tells me you’ve smallpox, diphtheria, and measles in the Hospital; I don’t want to catch any of them.”

   “Lord love you, man!” said the doctor, “you won’t catch anything here! or at least you’re a great deal less likely to do so than in any other house!”

   “You really know so well how to deal with your infection?” asked McDonald.

“I should just think so; you’re a lot safer here for smallpox than you are in the road outside,” and with that the doctor went off.

Erm,... What???