Columbine by Dave Cullen

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The shooting spree at Columbine ten years ago was one of the most horrific things I had ever seen. Kids shooting kids; ohmigod, words fail me. Since then, there's been a lot of copycats, from Virginia Tech to the shootings of Amish schoolgirls; and that doesn't even consider all the school shootings that have taken place overseas. I shudder to think of it. But I've always have been interested in what motivates people, what makes people do what they do, so when this book became available at my library, I snatched it up at once! It took me two weeks to get through it as my schedule has been rather frantic, but it was thoroughly researched, and written in such an understandable manner, that I hated to have to put it down to attend other things. So, here at last is my review; I hope it might convince a few of you to read this excellent book.

Dave Cullen was one of the first reporters at Columbine in 1999, and he explodes the myths that surround the school shooting at Columbine ten years ago. Based on ten years of research, Cullen left no stone unturned to learn what made two teenage boys go on the killing rampage at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999 that left 13 dead. Immediately after the massacre, theories abounded about what could have driven Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold to kill. These assumptions included: they had been bullied, they were Goth outcasts, were part of the Trench Coat Mafia and they targeted jocks. It had gotten too much for them and they snapped. Nothing could be further from the truth. Eric and Dylan were smart and relatively popular, and seemed like normal high school kids. But once you looked closer, they weren’t. After looking at their journals, notebooks and the videotapes the boys had made, as well as 25,000 pages of documentation from the investigation, he was able to determine that the shooting, instead of being an act of revenge, had been deliberately planned for almost a year. Eric and Dylan had written up their plans of attack, set up timelines, carefully assembled and tested bombs, and purchased firearms beforehand. Both boys were aggressive, but expressed it in different ways. Dylan focused his aggression inward, and became a tortured depressive. Perhaps bi-polar, he was up one day and down the next. He wanted to die and he saw the planned shooting on April 20th as his path to suicide. Eric was very different; outwardly calm and collected, he was a manipulative psychopath; able to fool people by appearing remorseful or agreeable, even charming if he needed to be, but with no empathy for anyone. Dylan, Eric’s disciple, fed off of Eric’s hatred and anger, and basically did whatever Eric wanted. Cullen also looks at why the police, their parents and the schools all missed or ignored warning signs about Eric and Dylan. Eric had been in trouble on several occasions and had made serious threats against another boy. In addition, his website on which he ranted about how much he hated people, and reported on “missions” that him and Dylan went on to destroy property or explode bombs. A concerned citizen reported the website to police and an officer looked at it, and then wrote up a report almost two years before the Columbine incident. The report was sent to his superior and filed. No action was taken. If the police had monitored the website they would have learned of Eric’s plan; total human extinction. This was a bit grandiose on Eric’s part, but he posted “…I don’t care if I live or die in the shootout, all I want to do is kill and injure as many of you …as I can!” Teachers were alarmed when Eric and Dylan turned in graphically violent papers. Their parents, although suspicious, believed Eric and Dylan when they told them that they had mended their ways. One of the sad things about an event like this is how others will take advantage of the situation. Evangelical preachers, for instance, blatantly capitalized on the shock and grief from the shooting to recruit new members and increase the size of their congregations. They also promulgated an inspiring story about the profession of faith by a victim before she was shot, even though it wasn’t true. School shootings have become ever more common. Numerous incidents have occurred since Columbine. After each one, an investigation is done, gun laws are looked at, school security is tightened. But another shooting always occurs. Cullen delivers a consummately level and even handed account of the massacre in Littleton, Colorado. Perhaps lessons can be learned from his analysis of the perpetuators, lessons that can be utilized to prevent another such occurrence.

Go Down Together by Jeff Guinn

I read a lot of nonfiction as well as fiction and have just finished Go Down Together by Jeff Guinn. It's the true story of Bonnie and Clyde and is just riveting. You won't want to put it down, it's that good! If you're traveling, especially out to Texas and the southwestern states, this is also available on CD Book, and would be great to listen to on a roadtrip!

It has been 75 years since Bonnie and Clyde died in a hail of bullets, but their legend has endured. For those that only known Bonnie and Clyde from the 1967 Warren Beatty movie, they could not have been more different. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow grew up in the slums of West Dallas, Texas during the devastation of the Depression and Dust Bowl. Bonnie was petite, kind and pretty, wanted to be a poet, and longed for excitement in her life. She wrote a poem about their inevitable end called “The End of the Road”, a line of which is the title of the book. Clyde started his life of crime by stealing chickens, and, through his brother Buck’s influence, graduated to cars and then banks. After a brutal and abusive stint at the Eastham Prison Farm, Clyde, who had a ferocious temper, was driven by getting revenge on the criminal system. Bonnie and Clyde met at a party in 1930, and the attraction between them was instant. Together they, with an assortment of other criminals that drifted in and out of the gang, robbed small businesses and banks from 1932-34. Clyde was the muscle and brains of the gang; but he was far from ruthless. If they had to take a hostage, they would inevitably be left off down the road or in the next town, and often given money to get a ride home. Which is not to say that they did not kill, they did if they had to. But mostly they were seen as Depression era Robin Hoods, stealing from the corrupt and greedy banks. The public and press mostly idolized them because of their romantic and rebellious image. Clyde was an inept robber, hitting small banks and getting only small takes. It wasn’t until the murder of a cop (caused by another Barrow gang member due to a misunderstanding), that the public and press turned against them. From that time, their lives on the road were harried and uncomfortable, and they often had to resort to sleeping in their car. After an embarrassing Eastham Farm prison breakout by the Barrow gang in January 1934, Frank Hammer was hired by the Texas Department of Corrections to bring Bonnie and Clyde in, or take them down. Through careful observation and research over several months, he was able to discern a pattern to their movements, and, using an informant, set up the ambush that brought the pair to their grisly end; death by a barrage of firepower. Guinn is an excellent storyteller, and keeps the pace taut throughout. This well researched book by Guinn uses unpublished materials from the Parker and Barrow families. It is is an engrossing read for both true crime fans and the general reader.

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

I enjoy reading women's fiction immensely, and loved this first novel by Sarah Addison Allen. A little magic, romance, small town life, and an unusual family are all elements in this comfortable novel. This would be another great choice for a women's book club.

There’s something special about the Waverly women. Generations of them have tended the garden at their old house in Bascom, North Carolina; an enchanted garden anchored by an unusual, magical apple tree that bears remarkable fruit. For, if you eat the fruit, you will be shown the most important event of your life. Each of the women has a special ability, or gift: elderly cousin Evanelle distributes unexpected gifts because she anticipates the need for the item by the recipient. Claire Waverly’s gift is her cooking; which she turned into a successful catering business; using the charmed herbs and edible flowers from her garden to create dishes to please the appetite and soothe the soul. Since her sister Sydney’s disappearance ten years ago and the death of her grandmother, she has settled into the ownership of the house and gardens and the routine of her life. But then Sydney shows up unexpectedly, with her young daughter, Bay. Sydney left her family to escape both her “otherness” and a broken heart; had a series of boyfriends, and lived “everywhere” until she became involved in an abusive relationship that took her years to escape. Now she’s come home and wants to raise 5 year old Bay in safety. Bay’s gift is the knowledge that everything has its place; and once she comes to Claire’s house, she knows she’s almost where she should be. Claire, used to living alone, doesn’t know how to connect with Sydney initially; but bonds with Bay immediately. As Claire comes to trust Sydney; the boundary around her heart begins to crumble; and she is able to let in the love and goodness of the people around her. Sydney learns to deal with the hurts of the past, and is able to find out what her special ability is. Love shows up for both Claire and Sydney, in places and people unexpected. A lovely book that’s as easy to slip into as your favorite chair.

The Illuminator by Brenda Rickman VanTrease

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Continuing my love of books set in Medieval times is this offering by VanTrease. This was her first novel, and was published approximately five years ago. Although it's a little older, it is still a winner in my opinion. Set in the 14th century, before the invention of the printing press, it focuses on two individuals, an illuminator, Finn, and the widowed Lady Kathryn. It was enjoyable to watch the developing relationship between them. Now available in paperback, this would be a great book club selection.

A medieval illuminator with radical views finds himself sharing quarters with a widow struggling to preserve her independence in this enthralling historical novel set in the 14th century, a time of religious strife. Lady Kathryn, widowed mistress of Blackingham Manor in East Anglia, must be practical to ensure the future of her 15-year-old twin sons. Caught between a greedy church, an unwanted and greedy suitor, and the King’s taxes, Lady Kathryn must tread a very narrow path to survive, and takes in the illuminator and his l6 year old daughter to please the local abbot. Finn is working on illuminating the gospel of St. John for the abbot, but is also secretly illustrating the English words of John Wycliffe, a radical cleric who believes that the Bible should be translated into the language of the common people. Such an act is dangerous because it threatens the Church's authority. As well, a growing unrest on the part of the overly taxed peasants also threatens the social order. Lady Kathryn, however, finds a friend and lover in Finn. Meanwhile, her son Colin and Finn’s daughter Rebekkah become close friends. Colin blames himself for a deadly fire on the estate and flees, leaving Rebekkah, unknown to him, pregnant. Finn’s arrest and imprisonment due to a horrible misunderstanding forces him and Lady Kathryn apart. This wonderfully paced novel has it all, danger and intrigue, romance, betrayal and absolution.

Grave Goods by Ariana Franklin

The third in the Adelia Agular series, this historical transports you back to the 12th century and evokes the belief in the legends of Arthur and the hope of the Welsh that he would return. An absorbing read.

Famous Glastonbury Abbey has suffered a devastating fire, one which uncovered two strange skeletons, one tall and one smaller. Could these be the bones of King Arthur and his queen, Guinevere? King Henry is trying to put down a rebellion in Wales, and needs proof that these bones are or are not the bones of Arthur. If the rebels know that their mythical king will not be returning, he will be able to stamp out the rebellion. He calls up Adelia once again to examine the bones, and put lie to the rumor of Arthur. Adelia and her household leave Cambridge to travel to Glastonbury, where the Bishop of St. Albans, her former lover and father of her daughter, is overseeing the investigation of the fire. Her work is further complicated because much of the Abbey and the town of Glastonbury have burned, there are rumors of Arthur’s return, and several deaths caused by a roving, merciless band of outlaws that live in the forests around Glastonbury. In addition, her friend, the Lady Emma, who was traveling to her mother-in-law’s estate, has gone missing without a trace. Full of signs and portents, the mystery of an ancient king, and a courageous, intelligent woman, this is wonderful historical fiction.

The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin

I so enjoyed Mistress of the Art of Death that I had to reread the next two books in this series. And wouldn't you know it, they were just as wonderful the second time around!


“Fair Rosamund”, Henry II’s mistress, has died a painful death from poison, and his estranged wife, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine is the prime suspect. Fearing that Rosamund’s death is the first move by Eleanor to usurp his power, he summons Adelia Agular from her retreat in the fens of England to learn the truth. Not at all happy to be summoned, Adelia has no choice but to leave the country, and with her infant daughter Allie, and friends Gyltha and Mansur, goes to meet with the King, and Rowley Picot, the Bishop of St. Albans and the father of her child. Adelia and Rowley travel to the murdered courtesan’s home, a tower within a walled labyrinth known as The Serpent’s Tale. Its courtyard is littered with odd implements. Inside one of the rooms, they make a grisly discovery. But soon after they arrive, so does Eleanor of Aquitaine with her retinue. Rowley and Adelia are taken captive and rowed by boat to Oxford. On the trip, Rowley jumps overboard, and Adelia is certain he has either drowned or frozen to death. Trapped in the nunnery of Godstow, where Eleanor is staying until her rebellion begins, she suspects there is more than one killer, but cannot prove anything as the extreme snow and cold keep them inside. But she must find who the killers are before Eleanor launches her attack against Henry and plunges England into civil war. Full of great historical detail, and featuring a fearless woman ahead of her time.

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

Every reader has a favorite time and place that they most enjoy reading about, and my favorite time is the Dark and Medieval Ages. Although the setting could be in any country, ancient England and France are far and away my favorite places. Must be something about wanting to be a princess when I was a little girl, you think? I enjoy strong women protagonists; a rarity of the time, so it was with great delight that I discovered Ariane Franklin's first novel, Mistress of the Art of Death, which follows an unusual woman with a forbidden skill. This is the first is a series about Adelia, the Mistress of the Art of Death.

An intelligent, mesmerizing novel that melds a forensic thriller with great historical detail. In Medieval Cambridge, four children have been sadistically murdered, their deaths blamed on the Jews. A worried King Henry II contacts the King of Sicily asking for their best doctor of death, and doesn’t exactly get what he asked for. Instead, he gets Adelia; a mistress of death; a doctor trained in Salerno, Italy, but still; a woman. However, she can discern, through careful examination of a body, how a person died. Problem is that women with medical skills were often seen as witches, so Adelia must deflect her doctoring talents onto a man; her traveling companion Mansur, a Moor. Her other companion is Simon, a Jew. Adelia’s skills, and the help of Ulf, a young but rough boy, his mother Glytha, and a tax collector named Sir Rowley Picot, lead them ever closer to the man responsible for the heinous killings, but then, too close. Simon is found drowned, Ulf is kidnapped, and Adelia must find him before he suffers the horrible fate of the other children. A great read that transports you back to the sounds, sights and smells of the early Plantagenet era with a vulnerable but spirited heroine.

The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan

I love thrillers, the mile a minute action wrapped up in intense characters and exciting plots. And if there's a vampire angle, I like it even better! This book just came out and I had to read it as soon as it hit the shelves. Enjoy!

When a plane lands at JFK Airport and goes dark, no one has any idea the horror that lies within. Expecting a hostage situation, investigators are stunned to discover all but 4 passengers dead when they board the plane. Suspecting that a disease caused the deaths and fearing a contagion, the authorities call in recently divorced Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, head of a Center for Disease Control team trained to deal with this type of emergency. Goodweather is spending a custody weekend with his son Zack, who he loves very much; a weekend cut short by the emergency call. After they board the plane, Goodweather and his colleague Nora Kelly determine that all the passengers died in the short time between it's touchdown to when the SWAT team arrived. Following standard protocol, the bodies are bagged and sent to morgues in and around Manhattan. And that’s where the trouble begins. For this is not a disease; but something darker, virulent and conscious; a thing that has crossed the ocean to replicate itself on our shores. Goodweather and Kelly note that each corpse has a small, slit like wound on the neck. Alarmed, they request that the survivors not be discharged, but are overruled. Then when they check on the bodies in the morgue, they find they've disappeared. They discover that the disease is a parasitic worm, transmitted by a stinger, whose bite transforms the victim into a blood craving vampire overnight. They team up with aged former professor and pawnshop owner Abraham Setrakian; a man with prior knowledge of the threat they are facing. Setrakian encountered a creature known as the Master while in Treblinka, one of Germany’s death camps; and watched it glut itself upon prisoners too ill to survive. Escaping the camp, he pursued the Master, but never was able to catch him before he slipped away. Now, Goodweather, Kelly and Setrakian try to contain the chaos caused by the rising multitudes of undead using Setrakian’s arsenal of antivampire armaments. But within just a day, the houses of the City begin to go dark. Will they be able to contain the vampires before they take over New York City and prevail against the Master? Full of horror, terror and a sense of pervasive doom, this excellent horror thriller should be read with the lights on. A great twist on the vampire mythos. First in the Strain trilogy.