TThe Pagan Book of Living and Dying: Practical Rituals, Prayers, Blessings, and Meditations on Crossing Over by Starhawk with M. Macha NightMare and the Reclaiming Collective.  HarperSanFrancisco, 1997.  Trade paperback, 353 pages.  ISBN: 0-06-251516-0.  Five stars.

At the turning of the year, our thoughts naturally reach out to encompass other cyclical events such as death and rebirth.  Living Pagan in a nonPagan society presents many challenges, not the least of which is arranging for departure to the next life.  This book comprises a crucial resource for any Pagan who is facing death, whether their own or someone else’s.

Overview: Herein the authors cover all of the most important practical and spiritual aspects of death and dying, including the ways in which these touch the caregivers and survivors.  First comes a selection of front matter including an introduction and instruction on how to use the book.  Part One: Pagan Tradition explores such things as the sacred cycle, current practices, meditations, and myths of descent and return.  Part Two: The Pagan View of Death moves on to lessons from death, the land of the dead, and reincarnation.  Part Three: The Dying Process concerns itself with this awesome passage, and touches on everything from preparing for death and working with the dying to the moment of death and what we must do for the dead; it even covers funerals and memorials.  Part Four: Death Has Many Faces looks at the sensitive issues of children, violence, and free choice as they relate to death.  Part Five: Carrying On offers helpful suggestions about making room for grief and practical work.

Features: If you ever wished for an all-around handbook on how to deal with death and related topics, here it is.  The authors have thoughtfully included a wide range of resources such as a list of all the rituals, prayers, songs, chants, poems, and meditations in the book.  Other highlights are a description of Pagan prayer beads and their use, an example of ointment used to prepare a body for cremation, a timeline of grieving and remembrance, a list of ways the community can help, and a set of relevant questions about the dying person and the caregivers that should be answered before death.  The back matter includes instructions on how to make a mask, books on death and dying, samples of a Living Will Declaration and a Durable Power of Attorney, a fine glossary, and a comprehensive guide to the contributors.  Regrettably, there is no index, a significant flaw in a reference of this type.

Recommendations: A must for any coven library, The Pagan Book of Living and Dying offers enough material of relevance to individuals that it also makes a great addition to a private collection of Pagan books.  Every Priest(ess) needs a copy, and I highly recommend it for anyone working in health care too.  Although most useful to intermediate or advanced practitioners, novices should not hesitate to pick it up if they need to deal with death or dying.  The authors present all the content in a clear, calm manner sure to help in stressful times.

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Stephanie Rose Bird is promoting her book, The Big Book of Soul: The Ultimate Guide to the African American Spirit, with a blog tour. Read the rest of this entry »

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The First Civilizations (History of Everyday Things) by Giovanni Caselli.  Peter Bedrick Books, 1983.  Softcover, 48 pages.  ISBN: 0-87226-562-5.  Four stars.

Here is a wonderful guide to early history for young children.  There is no age guide listed, but I’d guess it suitable for ages 5-8.  Full-color pages spill over with interesting pictures, all carefully identified, and narrative text provides considerable background information.  Everything flows in chronological sequence, from the earliest tool-makers through hunter-gatherers into the agricultural period.  Featured civilizations include Catal-Huyuk, Egypt, Minoan Crete, China, and the Etruscans.  Because of the timing, all are Pagan cultures, and the book gives very nice attention to people’s spiritual lives, even showing pictures of sacred objects and shrines.

The First Civilizations is an ideal history text for homeschoolers and for those who want to supplement public school.  Highly recommended.

This review originally appeared in LunaSol.

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Message from the Sparrows: Engaging Consciousness by Taylor Morris.  Heartsfire Books, 1997.  Trade paperback, 278 pages.  ISBN: 1-889797-02-2.  Four stars.

As an introduction to the Sufi belief system, Message from the Sparrows ranges from subtle to blunt, but always remains deeply insightful.  This is the story of a college class on Sufism which the author taught; he uses the students’ experiences to light the way for others to follow.

Overview: Sufism upholds personal experience over book-learning and insists that practitioners question everything so they can learn to live consciously.  I found many of the concepts fascinating and quite Pagan in tone, although Sufism is not technically a Pagan system.  Mystic in philosophy but rigorously practical in application, it challenges many widely-held beliefs and customs.  Message from the Sparrows makes a great accompaniment to other personal-engineering texts like Prometheus Rising and Angel Tech: A Modern Shaman’s Guide to Reality Selection.

Features: The book contains numerous legends and teaching stories to illustrate its points, which alone are worth the cover price.  There is a nice list of works cited and another of recommended reading, but I could wish for an index to all those great little stories.  In general, I liked the conversational tone and the emphasis on concrete examples.  Only one thing bugged me — the author’s assumption that everybody was “asleep” and nobody had done any significant work towards “awakening” before encountering Sufism.  While this makes a certain amount of sense in addressing a small group of college students, it makes a lot less sense in a book aimed at the metaphysical market!  However, it does make the book more approachable by novices.

Recommendations: Despite that premise, Message from the Sparrows remains an excellent book, suitable for more advanced practitioners interested in challenging reality’s little assumptions.  It offers a splendid introduction to a system which often proves easier to demonstrate than to describe.  Finally, folk tale fans will love it for the teaching stories alone.

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An email newsletter crossed my desk, and I’d like to share an excerpt with you.

Darkmatter Journal: Pirates and Piracy

The book, Property Outlaws: How Squatters, Pirates, and Protesters Improve the Law of Ownership in a nutshell, argues that a degree of civil disobedience is essential to thehealth of both tangible property and intellectual property law.  It explores indetail a series of

examples–everything from the history of squatting inthe American West to HIV drug activism in South Africa to mashups andgay marriage–in which such property disobedience played a crucial rolein sparking legal reform or led to needed legal clarification, with aspecial emphasis on technology, innovation, and civil rights.

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This fascinating article turns up a disturbing part of history.

The Dawn of Civilization: Writing, Urban Life, and Warfare
An extraordinary ancient Syrian settlement shines a light on one of the most important moments in human history.
by Andrew Lawler
Discover Magazine
From the December 2009 issue
published online February 3, 2010

http://discovermagazine.com/2009/dec/03-dawn-of-civilization-writing-urban-life-warfare

Joan Oates’s sharp blue eyes spotted something that was not right. Standing on the windy summit of a vast, human-made mound in northeastern Syria, the wiry 81- year-old archaeologist noticed an ugly scar that had been left by a backhoe on one of the smaller mounds ringing the ancient city of Nagar, where she has excavated for a quarter century. Oates had just arrived to begin her latest season at the site, and this blemish on her cherished landscape annoyed her. Two young men on her team volunteered to investigate the damage. They returned, shaken. Jumping into the trench, one of them had come face-to-face with a skull. “Everywhere we looked, there were human bones,” one recalls. “There were an enormous number of dead people.”

More than 100, it turned out, and their remains had rested there undisturbed for nearly six millennia. What Oates’s team found that hot autumn day in 2006 were the remnants of a ferocious battle or a brutal mass murder on a scale unprecedented for such an early date. And the inadvertent discovery lay within sight of what is currently our best and oldest evidence of early urban life. Digging just a few hundred yards away on the main
mound of what today is called Tell Brak, the archaeologists recently uncovered large buildings and extensive workshops from the same period-around 3800 B.C.-as well as imported material and fancy tableware.

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Firebrands: The Heroines of Science Fiction and Fantasy by Ron Miller, text by Pamela Sargent.   Thunder’s Mouth Press, 1998.  Softcover, full-color glossy, 112 pages.   ISBN: 1-56025-164-6  Four stars.

This remarkable book covers the evolution of female characters in speculative fiction from the earliest days up through the 1990s. Here you will find knights, sorceresses, thieves, queens, pirates, starship captains, explorers, and ordinary women in extraordinary circumstances. Some are human, many are not. Some are plausible, others fanciful. Beautiful, ugly, charming, horrifying, harmless, powerful: these are the women of science fiction and fantasy. Come and meet them.

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Artwork and text combine flawlessly to present a history of the genres and motifs herein. Pictures appear in all sizes from thumbnails to full-page spreads. Each is accompanied by a blurb which gives the character’s name, the title(s) of fiction presenting her and its copyright date, the author of said fiction, and a brief description of the character. Analytical text discusses the importance of key works, the introduction of particular motifs, and the changing styles of portrayal over the history of speculative fiction. After a brief introduction, chapter one covers the beginnings to the 1930s, chapter two covers the 1940s to 1950s, chapter three covers the 1960s to 1970s, and chapter four covers the 1980s to 1990s. An “about the authors” section provides fascinating background material; the index, while printed in a teeny font, makes the book much more useful as a reference text.

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Overall, I’m impressed. The quality of artwork varies and for some characters I prefer depictions from other sources, but many are quite striking. It is of course impossible to include all deserving characters/authors in a work of this type, but Miller and Sargent have done a fine job of representing the relevant trends and their attention to detail is gratifying. The characters presented here include not just heroines (female love-object of the hero and/or reader) but also heras (women of great resourcefulness who have their own adventures) and I was delighted to see the steady progression from the former towards the latter over time. This book really shows how much speculative fiction has changed since its beginnings, from the passive Animula to the formidable Cordelia Naismith.

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If you enjoy panels on “Women in Speculative Fiction” such as I and many other folks present at conventions, then you will love Firebrands. It is suitable as a reference for such panels and also for articles or papers on the same topic. It also makes a terrific gift or coffee-table book. Feminists, writers, artists, and femmefans will all enjoy it. Highly recommended.

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Stephanie Rose Bird shares some news about her new book:

I just wanted to share the fact that my newest book, The Big Book of Soul: The Ultimate Guide to the African American Spirit, has been released by Hampton Roads Publishers distributed by Red Wheel Weiser Press. This is a unique book built around the concept of feeding the soul and tapping into soul through the arts, herbalism, crafts, rituals and
ceremonies.

The book is featured here.

I will be interviewed on ABC 7 11 a.m. News on February 3rd about the book and its recommendations to pursuit drumming as a method of tapping into soul. A drumming circle TBA will also be featured during this interview. Tune if in you are in the area. It might also be online. I’ll keep you posted.

Stephanie Rose Bird

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Finnish Magic: A Nation of Wizards, A World of Spirits by Robert Nelson, Ph.D. Llewellyn Publications, 1999. Trade paperback, 171 pages. ISBN: 1-56718-489-8. Three stars.

This book comprises an introduction to the history, culture, mythology, religion, and magical tradition of ancient Finland. The chapters cover key topics such as the Kalevala, the world of spirits, trance work and ritual, the magic of nature, the magic of song, the sauna, sacred times, dancing, and the symbols of magic. Various quotations from Finnish lore appear throughout the book, which is further illustrated with maps, reproductions of Finnish art, and other interesting tidbits. Endnotes follow each chapter. At the back of the book is a brief appendix on the Finnish language, which is not bad but fails to mention that the native language doesn’t contain the “f” phoneme. The bibliography and index are pretty good. While this book doesn’t go into great depth, it’s a nice place to start exploring Finnish matters.

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Finnish Magic is most useful to beginning and intermediate students seeking to learn more about Finland and its native traditions. It’s also a decent addition to a collection of books on different shamanic systems or oral traditions. Recommended.

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Llewellyn’s 2010 Magical Almanac edited by Nicole Edman. Llewellyn’s 2010 Herbal Almanac (Llewellyn’s Herbal Almanac) edited by Sharon Leah. Llewellyn’s 2010 Witches’ Spell-A-Day Almanac edited by Ed Day. Llewellyn’s 2010 Witches’ Calendar by Llewellyn. Llewellyn’s 2010 Witches’ Datebook edited by Ed Day. Copyright 2009.

Llewellyn Worldwide releases a set of annuals each year to guide magical folks through the next year. I’ve been writing for some of these for about ten years now, wow! The Magical Almanac this year is its 20th anniversary edition. If you’re still gift shopping for the holidays, these are very popular with Pagans and other magical people.

The Magical Almanac collects a variety of articles on magical theory and practice, across a range of experience levels. In the center lies an almanac section with a calendar that shows time changes, lunar phases, moon signs, full moons, sabbats, world holidays, incense and color of the day. The numbered day spaces have a little space for you to jot notes. Some of the interesting articles include “Magical Thresholds” by James Kambos, “The Mysteries of Rhiannon” by Mickie Mueller, “Ancient Egyptian Fire Deities” by Denise Dumars, and “Magickal Jewelry” by Raven Digitalis. The Magical Almanac is the best “all-purpose” magical guide for the coming year.
The Herbal Almanac is a specialized guide for gardeners and herbalists. The articles tend to be longer and more detailed than those in other almanacs; the material is mostly intermediate to advanced. Different sections explain how to use herbs for cooking, health, beauty, and crafts. There are also sections on cultivation, herb lore, and moon signs. I enjoyed the articles “Grow Herbs That Give Back to the Bees” by Suzanne Ress, “Indian Herbs for Curries” by Chandra Moira Beal, and “Hidden and Forbidden Herbs” by Nancy Bennett.
I had to laugh over the curry article: My partner, who cooks Indian cuisine, had a very hard time convincing me that asafoetida was edible because all my guidebooks said things like “devil’s dung” and “do not burn indoors” … and here it is, in the spices! It really is a spice, though; in tiny amounts, it’s crucial to the success of some recipes. But to this day, our household nickname for rogham josh (a lamb curry in yogurt sauce) is “Demon-Banishing Lamb.”
The Witches’ Spell-A-Day Almanac is all about learning and practicing magic in small, simple steps. This is a wonderful resource for beginning and intermediate practitioners, or people who have very little time to spare. It consists entirely of brief spells, meditations, and readings most of which can be read and performed in just a few minutes. If that doesn’t sound like much, consider how much more experience you’d have after doing just one spell a day…in a year, that’s 365 spells! Of course, it also functions as a desktop calendar, with a little space for notes after each day’s spell. Holidays, moon phases, and other astrological tidbits are marked. There are additional resources in the back including lunar information and a glossary.
The Witches’ Calendar is a big 12″ x 12″ wall calendar with an illustration above individual day squares. Each month features a short seasonal article; longer articles appear outside the month section. This calendar marks holidays, lunar signs and phases, planetary motion, eclipses, color correspondences, etc. If you want to know when Mercury retrograde is going to wreck your communications, it’s on there. Check out Sybil Fogg’s “Hindu Love Meditation” in February and Melanie Harris’ “Cool Fruit Magic” in June.
The Witches’ Datebook is a smaller spiralbound desktop calendar. It offers the most organizational capacity of the annuals, because its day spaces are the biggest. (I use this one for advance planning of blog posts and other tasks.) It features a few articles in front, plus mini-articles for the sabbats and other topics tucked amongst the months. I was intrigued by Ellen Dugan’s “The Birdbath Faerie Garden” and Magenta Griffith’s “Computers and the Craft.” The calendar section marks the moon phases, signs, planting and harvesting days, and tidbits of magical lore.
All of these are great resources, and they make wonderful gifts — especially for someone in charge of a coven or other group. Just pay attention to the details because these annuals are not really interchangeable. Each one has a different focus, and people who like them often buy several different annuals. Highly recommended.

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Communities Magazine is currently seeking submissions on the topic of “Education for Sustainability.”  This issue will explore the ways in which intentional communities teach members, guests, and other people the principles and practices of sustainable living and working.  Idea submissions are due by Dec. 28, 2009 and final article manuscripts are due by Feb 15, 2010.

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Meditation & Protection: A Guide to Development of Individual Spirituality by Hermit.  AUM Publications, 1990.  Trade paperback, 204 pages.  ISBN: 0-9643827-0-9.  Four stars.

This book offers a wide range of techniques for those who seek to hone their metaphysical skills.  You can take the whole thing and practice it as a system, or you can pick and choose among the numerous exercises to find the ones that most appeal to you.  Much attention centers on meditation and concentration, skills which underlie the magical workings of many traditions.  There are discussions on such things as color, wands and their making, food and water, the Elements, the chakras, and the aura.  Deliberate breathing offers a way of controlling energy flow, and there are techniques listed for breath patterns associated with each of the Zodiac signs.  Stone magic also appears in several forms, accompanied by lists of the spiritual, physical, and emotional effects of various stones plus general comments on their properties.

Most useful to the intermediate practitioner who wants to brush up in these areas, Meditation & Protection also holds appeal for others interested in the exercises which form the heart of this book.  Not specific to any religion.

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Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts: How to Invite Them Into Your Life by D.J. Conway.  Llewellyn Publications, 1996.  Trade paperback, 259 pages.  ISBN: 1-56718-176-7.  Four stars.

For reading on the lighter side, look here.  In this book Conway introduces and discusses a number of mythical creatures from cultures around the world.  Besides Celtic beasts, there are Chinese, Hindi, Babylonian, Greek, Egyptian, and many others.  Interestingly, Conway files them by type and then follows up with variants from other cultures.  Illustrations accompany many of the entries.  The section headings include Unicorns, Flying Horses, Centaurs, Satyrs and Fauns, Gigantic Birds (I and II), Mystical Bulls and Bull-Men, Magickal Serpents, Water-Folk, and others.  The book also features a short section on basic magic: candles, amulets/talismans, and rituals.  A fine bibliography and index accompany the text.

All in all, Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts makes a nice addition to a collection of mythology texts.  If you enjoy studying mythical beasts you should at least take a look at it, and it also goes well with books on Celtic Faery lore.

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A Field Guide to Irish Fairies by Bob Curran, illustrated by Andrew Whitson.  Chronicle Books, 1998.  U.S. $12.95 hardback, 71 pages.   ISBN: 0-8118-2276-1.  Four stars.

Looking for something a little more whimsical than the Audubon guides?  Try this.  Kids will love the cute pictures, and the whole family can learn something about Irish folklore.  An introduction explains about the basic nature of fairies and their relations with humankind.  Then come individual chapters for nine of the most common fairies: the Grogoch, the Grey Man, the Sheerie, Changelings, the Pooka, Merrows, the Banshee, the Leprechaun, and the Dullahan.  Each entry gives the fairy’s alternative names, region of origin, known powers, habits, and other useful information.  Finally a separate section covers lesser-known fairies: the Butter Spirit, Skeaghshee, Far Darrig, and Watershee.

A Field Guide to Irish Fairies is a fine introduction to the fascinating world of the Fair Folk.  I found it reasonably accurate, allowing for the usual variations inherent in any folklore, and the illustrations are just lovely.  Highly recommended.

This review was originally submitted to LunaSol.

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Suzette Haden Elgin has an author website covering her various books and other writings, plus a LiveJournal blog discussing linguistics, science fiction, poetry, eldering, and other interesting issues.  Both sites are absolutely worth your time and attention; go read them.

The Grandmother Principles by Suzette Haden Elgin.  Abbeville Press Publishers, 1998.  U.S. $18.95 hardback, 220 pages.  ISBN: 0-7892-0431-2. Five stars.

All too often, people pay attention to parenting but ignore the crucial issue of grandparenting.  This book helps fill in the gaps for those who may not have had a good role model for being a grandmother, or who would like to add to what they already know.  Suzette Haden Elgin is an accomplished linguist, writer, and grandmother of ten children.  She not only knows what to do, she knows how to present the material in ways that you can understand and use easily.  Being a linguist, she also offers us a word to describe a grandmother’s grown-up offspring, the parents of her grandchildren: they are chadults.  That’s just one of many nifty tidbits you’ll find between these covers.

This book begins with three basic premises: 1) Grandmothers are people of immense importance and authority.  2) Becoming a grandmother is an occasion for celebration.  3) Being a grandmother is both challenging and rewarding.  The 21 Grandmother Principles appear on the back cover and include such gems as “A grandmother is a safe haven,” “It will be finished when it’s finished,” and “Grandmothers plan for the long haul.”  The chapters cover thinking like a grandmother, gracefully getting people to do what you want, emotional work, resources (money, time, energy), emergency procedures, dealing with health and sickness, mythmaking and story telling, recording and passing on your family history, and much more.  A conclusion sums up the main points, and a special “Teaching the Grannycrafts” section explains how to be a good teacher.  At the very end you’ll find a fabulous annotated “References and Suggested Reading” list, a handy index, and several pages for notes.

Having enjoyed the attention of a very competent grandmother during my childhood, I can confirm that these principles do indeed work.  In reading the book, I found that it explained a number of things that had never quite made sense before, and it also gave me a lot of good ideas both for writing and for personal interaction.  So yes, some of the content is of great use to non-grandmothers; just bear in mind that certain techniques work better or only for grandmothers.  In Pagan terms, this book is a wonderful celebration of the Crone years and Crone power, though matters of religion are generally left out.  Indeed, Pagan families often suffer great stress due to non-Pagan relatives; this is a book you can give to your Christian (or Jewish, or Muslim, or whatever) relatives without freaking them out, and it will provide some much-needed social lubricant.

The Grandmother Principles is a must for new grandmothers or grandmothers-to-be.  It is a perfect accompaniment when you break the happy news to your parents that they are about to become grandparents.  It also makes a fine gift at a Croning ceremony, even for a Crone who doesn’t have grandchildren yet.  Suitable for all traditions and accessible to everyone.  Most highly recommended.

This review was originally submitted to LunaSol.

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I’ve done a number of panels at science fiction conventions that span sexual orientation, gender identity, and related issues in speculative fiction and gender studies nonfiction. Outer Alliance Pride Day is collecting posts that promote positive representation of GLBT issues in speculative fiction.  So here is my contribution, the master list of recommended reading from all those panels… Read the rest of this entry »

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Light Years Ahead: The Illustrated Guide to Full Spectrum and Colored Light in Mindbody Healing edited by Brian J. Breiling, Psy.D.  Celestial Arts, 1996.  U.S. $19.95 trade paperback, 424 pages.  ISBN: 0-89087-762-9.  Four stars.

Besides Brian J. Breiling, this comprehensive book boasts many other editors and contributors, most trailing an impressive array of alphabet soup after their names.  The front cover lists such well-known personages as Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D.; John Downing, O.D., Ph.D., F.C.S.O.; Lee Harley, Ed.D.; Mary Bolles, B.A.; and Akhila Dass, O.M.D., L.Ac.  I have seen other books on color, light therapy, and related theories; this one provides far more in the way of clinical expertise, material, and resources.

Section One leads in with a discussion of light as the medicine of the future, followed by a historical overview of light therapy.  Section Two continues this thread with some findings that concern Lumatron treatments, including its applications in cases of Seasonal Affective Disorder, Premenstrual Syndrome, and Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome.  Section Three examines certain neurophysiological effects of Lumatron light therapy, as shown in EEG and neurochemical changes.  Section Four explores, of all things, the use of light in chiropractics.  Section Five links light and acupuncture.  Section Six offers some uses of light in education, suggesting that it may prove useful in treating learning disabilities.  Section Seven discusses the connection between light and enlightenment, or spiritual awakening.  Section Eight presents an extensive list of light resources including light therapy authors, educators, and practitioners; products used in therapy; and educational and resource organizations.   Section Nine contains the bibliography, divided for reader convenience into eleven content categories.  Finally, Section Ten offers the generous and detailed index along with a separate listing of charts.

This is the most comprehensive reference on the subject that I have seen.  I see a lot of books with missing or inadequate bibliography or index sections, but these really stand out.  So does the resource list.  Lavish illustrations fill out the book itself, clarifying many points in the text which might otherwise confuse.  Experienced practitioners share their knowledge freely and cite examples relevant to the reader.  While this book contains a wealth of technical data, it remains accessible to the layperson.

If you have considered light therapy of any sort, you should read this book; you might ask if your practitioner has read it, too.  If you don’t know anything about light therapy, start here.  It may turn you on to the solution to an ongoing problem.  I definitely recommend the book to those involved in healing work, especially if they work with light or color.

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The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters: The Secrets Only Insiders Know by Stephanie Green.  Stephanie Green, 2008.  Ebook PDF, 72 pages.  Available from the HollyShop.   Four stars.

Conventional reference materials often fall short on obscure topics, or even the fine details of common topics.  Holly Lisle has launched a series to fill those gaps.  Each of the “33 Worst Mistakes” books covers a different topic that is popular in fiction but difficult to portray accurately, written by an expert on the topic.

The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters is written by Stephanie Green, who is not only blind herself but also works in producing accessible materials for visually impaired people.  She describes several common and uncommon causes of partial or complete blindness, and the characteristics of each.  She explains some circumstances in which poor vision creates challenges for people, and the clever ways those challenges can be solved.  She relates the misunderstandings between sighted people and blind people.  In general, she gives a sense of what life is like for someone with little or no vision.

The book is divided into 33 “mistakes,” skewed portrayals of blindness that have appeared in fiction and/or culture.  First comes an example of the mistake:

Because blind people see only darkness, my blind character will only see in darkness, and I shall describe his world as ‘the eternal night’, ‘the never-ending black’, the ‘deep nothing’ and other such poetic euphemisms. [page 10]

Next the author explains why the common misconception is wrong, and what the real facts are.  This often draws on her personal experience as a blind woman, her professional experience working with adaptive equipment and services, other friends with assorted vision impairments, and a variety of scientific, medical, historical, and other reference materials.  For instance:

Total blindness is rare. Most people who identify as blind or vision impaired have some degree of vision or light sensitivity. If a person’s eyesight falls within certain parameters, you are considered ‘legally blind’ and eligible for resources from your local blindness institute. [page 10]

The section concludes with bulleted points which summarize the main ideas and/or suggest how these may apply to writing about blindness.    Here is one piece of excellent advice for establishing a blind character:

Before you begin to write about your blind character, you should understand what condition they have and what, if anything, they can actually see. You are then bound by the parameters of this condition. [pages 11-12]

In this manner, the book very effectively steers the writer away from erroneous portrayals (or highlights areas that require extreme care) while providing abundant inspiration for accurate portrayals.

Overall, this book provides a sound basis for character generation and refinement, covering the main ideas and listing resources for further exploration.  Multiple illustrations show some adaptive equipment (such as a foot locator for blind archers) and several tactile alphabets such as Braille.  The author also discusses blind characters in the context of modern, historic, fantasy, and science fiction settings with attention to some challenges and solutions available across the genres.

The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters presents an excellent and informed bundle of information useful for anyone who wants to write about visually impaired characters.  This book will probably save you from making some mistakes; it will certainly save you a lot of research time by gathering materials into a concise form.  If you generally like giving your characters a serious challenge to overcome, but don’t have anything specific in mind yet, this book is also a treasure trove of story ideas and plot hooks.  Highly recommended.

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Al Roker’s Big Bad Book of Barbecue: 100 Easy Recipes for Backyard Barbecue and Grilling by Al Roker.  Scribner, 2002, 2008.  U.S. $15.95 / Canada $18.99 trade paperback, 206 pages.  ISBN: 978-1-4165-9538-0.  Three stars.

This is a very casual and practical cookbook devoted to the art of backyard grilling.  The book is mostly brown ink on white paper, with two sections of colorplates.  It begins with a discussion of barbecue culture and practices, then introduces the necessary equipment.

Subsequent chapters present recipes for different types of food.  “Start Your Engines” features dips and appetizers.  “The Main Attraction” offers burgers, steaks, chicken, pulled pork, and other entrees.  “Side Shows” is all about fruits, vegetables, and salads (not all with grilled ingredients, but designed to accompany such).  “The Finish” presents desserts such as grilled fruit, pies, and ice cream.  “Drinks” provides a variety of beverages.  Of particular note is “Marinades, Rubs, Sauces, and Dressings” which explains how to make and use assorted barbecue-related preparations.

Although mainly written for men, Al Roker’s Big Bad Book of Barbecue makes a good gift for anyone interested in backyard barbecue.  Recommended.

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Howard Dean’s Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform: How We Can Achieve Affordable Medical Care for Every American and Make Our Jobs Safer by Howard Dean, M.D.  Chelsea Green, 2009.  U.S. $12.95 trade paperback, 137 pages.  ISBN: 978-1-60358-228-5.  Three stars.

This book leads the reader through the issue of health care reform.  Its strongest foundation is simply that the author is a medical doctor with wide experience in health care, with patients, with insurance companies, and other aspects of the industry.

Howard Dean’s Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform explores the issue methodically.  It begins by laying out the problems of private insurance and the difficulties businesses face.  Then it jumps into “A Prescription for Healthcare Reform” with a very cogent list of fundamental elements, some attention to politics, thoughts on controlling costs and paying for the benefits.  The author explores who stands in the way of reform (drug companies, insurance companies, etc.) and tries to dispel some false beliefs about health care reform.  Finally, Dean calls for readers to become activists for this cause.

This book does a good job of presenting the background and some concerns, but suffers from considerable bias as the author argues so strongly for his own preferred solutions that he ignores many important aspects and arguments.  Most regrettably, it dismisses without serious consideration all single-payer systems, which are effective in many civilized nations (all of whom except for America, by the way, provide health care for all their citizens) but have been shut out of discussion here at the insurance industry’s behest.  So it’s not a complete or balanced view of the health care reform issue, but it’s a pretty good place to start.

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