Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front 1941-1945: Images of War

The point here is that this a photo book of the Waffen SS, the Battle SS, of the Third Reich from 1941 -1945. And it is a good one.   The images in this book are amazing and they are so detailed and in depth that its hard to believe they weren't altered or changed by a computer.  This book was so interesting and I couldn't put it down until I finished it.

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: Selected Works

This is an amazing book about an astounding woman.  Sor Juana made such a difference to the people and the places she lived in.  This was one of the best books about Spanish culture and someone with so much influence.  The author really does a great job of capturing the full effect this amazing author had on her culture and her time she lived.  I will recommend this book to all my friends and family and let them see for their selves how amazing this book was.

The Chia Cookbook by Janie Hoffman

Here's a great opportunity to take a serious look at chia and learn more 'about foods with health enhancing powers.' As Hoffman descibes it, 'these minuscule seeds from the mint family have an astonishing amount of omega 3's, protein, fibre, calcium antioxidants and more.'
Obviously for Hoffman they have been a miracle food.
Janie Hoffman is the founder of Mama Chia, an organic chia-based food and drink company in 2009.
These credentials give substance to what is an exciting voyage into new possibilities for a healthy regime. As she says and proves you can do more with chia than sprinkling it your food for a healthier lustre, and this cookbook helps to achieve that goal. There are hints on buying, storing and using.
The peach chia jam was a winner in the just ended peach season. Caprese baked eggs, smokey baba ghanoush, and much much more.Yum!
This book explodes with interesting and exciting ways to enrich your nutritional regime

Disney During World War II: How the Walt Disney Studio Contributed to Victory in the War

This gorgeously illustrated and eye-opening book reveals the little-known role that the Disney Studios played in the Allied victory in World War II. Almost every single page in the book contains a fascinating photo illustrating Disney's war effort: from a poster about propaganda featuring Donald Duck, to fascinating storyboards for the controversial film, "The New Spirit", to a film short about Hitler directed by a Goofy specialist, to vivid poster art for anti-Nazi short "Chicken Little 1942". Also included is art from short films made to entertain the soldiers, such as "The Army Mascot of 1942", which featured Pluto (there's a great picture of Pluto feeling the effects of swallowing a wad of army tobacco). With fabulous titles such as "Sky Trooper", "Donald's Tire Trouble", and "Private Pluto", the material about these movies offers a fascinating peek into the psychology of the war effort. Baxter includes an amazing chapter on Disney's collaboration with Roald Dahl (the genius author behind Willy Wonka, and other children's classics). Written with a masterful grasp of his subject, this is a wonderful book for any Disney fan, as well as history and World War II buffs.

A Backpack, a Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka: A Memoir

"A Backpack, a Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka: A Memoir" by Lev Golinkin is a personal, insightful book I hated finishing. Golinkin is a born story teller and his writing mesmerized me as he tells the story of his escape from the Ukraine before the collapse of the Soviet Union and eventual immigration to the USA. It's an amazing story told with rich, vivid descriptions that bring the pages to life. This is a heart wrenching tale that had me emotionally involved with it. The story is sprinkled with bits of dark humor and heart warming moments that keep the book from getting too emotionally heavy.

Joan of Arc: A Life Transfigured

It's difficult to write a book on a figure like Joan of Arc. First, there's the competing claims about her claims. Do we interpret her through a religious lens that accepts the possibility of the supernatural. Do we approach it from an Enlightenment perspective, where a demythologization is the goal. A hagiography or a de-personalizing often are the results.

Harrison navigates the task as well as I've read. She provides a significant look into the life and the overall background of Joan of Arc, including the cultural and religious issues, and how the narrative has been used in the midst of broader political contexts.

She does not commit to a purely religious perspective, but she understands it well and she seeks to portray as accurate a picture of Joan as possible in light of today's knowledge and interpretive tools.

Very high quality research, very well written, great balance of narrative and interpretation. A model for historical biography.

A Fine Summer's Day: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery

Another five star hit for the Author's of this book! I love their work and have read every one, including the Bess Crawford novels and their other two stand alone books. I was excited to see this was a prequel to the first Ian Rutledge novel as I had often wondered about his relationship with Jean. Now I know! The characters were very believable for this time period, just before World War I. The mystery was a little different and it was fun to try and figure out who the "bad guy" was and why. (which I was able to do about halfway through). I did detect a small error which didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book at all. At one place in the book, the word "tire" was used in place of the British word, "tyre". A truly enjoyable read. Waiting for the next one to be published.