The full title of this book is Mindless Eating Why We Eat More Than We Think. It’s not exactly a diet book, but, if you use the hints and tricks outlined in this book, you might end up a few pounds lighter next year than you would have been otherwise.

“Mindless eating” seems to be the eating we do without realizing it. We eat because its “time” to eat, not because we are hungry. We eat a bunch of food at parties, and, since its all little snacks, we don’t realize just how much we ate when the party is over. We eat more when we are eating with friends than when we are eating alone. We eat more if we eat dinner while watching tv, or if we eat breakfast while reading the newspaper, than if we ate at the kitchen table, with no distractions.

Wansink uses his years of studies and experiments to help the reader find ways to lose weight without realizing it. Did you know you burn more calories if you put ice in your drink than if you drink it without ice? Did you know that if a food has more variety to it (such as the many different colors that M&Ms have in a package), we will eat more of them than we would if they were all one color? Most people don’t know these kinds of things. But, even if they do, they don’t remember them when they are actually eating food.

The way to lose weight fairly painlessly seems to be two things. One is to be aware of all the little tricks out there that are influencing you to eat when you aren’t hungry. The other is to make sure that you change your eating habits without doing something that will make you feel deprived.

There are tons of facts in this book, complete with detailed descriptions of the studies that were done. It’s an interesting read, even for people who aren’t looking for a diet right now.

Here is a book that makes you want to take a vacation to Venice. Berendt is the author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I was as impressed with this second book as I was with his first book. Both are rich in detail, making you feel as though you have not just passively read a book, but, instead, have walked around the places he walked while writing the book. It’s like taking a mini-vacation, without the expense.

Berendt arrives in Venice shortly before the Fenice, (a famous Opera house), burns down. Who did it? Was it an accident, or done on purpose? What reason could someone have for setting fire to one of Venice’s most loved buildings? These are the questions hanging in the air over Venice for most of the book, much like the smoke from the Fenice itself. Nothing is certain, and it takes a long time for prosecutors to get the trial going. All the while, endless speculation continues. Even when the trial is over, things are not necessarily concluded.

Berendt also takes the reader right into the heart of what it is like to live in Venice as a Venetian. He explains the social customs, the way the government works, the difference between someone who is considered to be a true Venetian, and someone who is not one. (It takes more than simply residing in Venice for years). He describes the city, and the fire in the Fenice so vividly that the reader can just about see it. Berendt also does a wonderful job of describing the many eccentric people he met while he was in Venice. A man who makes and sells rat poison, a famous painter, a family of glassblowers, poets, rich people, poor people, extremely rich people, relatives and loved ones of dead famous people, even a man who enjoys dressing up in different military costumes is described. He tells the stories of the people, and attempts to sift through what is truth, what is lies, and what is exaggerations, in a city where the lines between these things tend to blur.

At times, it was a bit confusing to keep track of just who all the different people were, and what some of the Italian phrases Berendt used meant. There are two handy indexes in the back of the book. One defines the people, and the other defines the Italian, and both make the story easier to comprehend.

If you enjoyed Berendt’s other book, you will enjoy this one just as much!

At first glance, you might think this book is some sort of agricultural textbook that you would need an English-Ukrainian dictionary to help you decipher. At least, that’s what I thought. Instead, I was happy to find a book about a family, (written in English), that was funny, and heartbreaking, and compelling. This book is a gem!

Nadezhda and Vera are two sisters, (now both adults), who do not get along with each other. Nadezhda, the youngest daughter, grew up in England during a time of peace. Vera, ten years Nadezhda’s senior, grew up in Ukraine while the war was going on. After their mother dies, the sister’s relationship becomes even more strained. Part of the reason has to do with money. The other reason is that Nadezhda wants to learn more about “the old country”, and the lives of her family before she was born. Vera would rather not talk about it, and especially the struggles and the scary stuff.

Two years after the death of their mother, their father decides to get married to a Ukrainian immigrant. He is in love, and believes he is saving her from having to go back to the Ukraine and a difficult life. His daughters believe he is getting swindled by a much younger woman who only wants to get married to stay in the country, and also so she can take his money. The sisters band together to put a stop to this.

It is clear that Valentina, (the woman their father is smitten with), is no sweet valentine. She yells, she smokes, she dresses “like a tart”. She disappears to the homes of other men overnight, or for days at at time. She brings her teenage son to live with her new husband, and demands he pay for a private school for the son. Valentina also wants new cars, a new stove, all the things that signify to her a good life in America. She doesn’t want to pay for any of them herself, though. And, try as they might, the sister’s have an extremely difficult time getting rid of her. Things get much worse before they get better.

Some of this book is funny, in a “Jerry Springer” show kind of way. Some of this book is incredibly sad, especially the parts where people are treated very badly. It is all woven together, with the past next to the present, and has many layers. The book is about a dysfunctional family struggling to get along and help each other. The book is about how the same world seems so different to each person, because each person’s experiences, good or bad, colors what they see. The book is about the cultural differences between immigrants and natural citizens. The book is about hope for a better future, in spite of the current problems one is facing. The book is about growing older and finding a way to remain dignified. The book is about a lot of things.

All along, the father is himself writing a book about the different kinds of tractors found in the Ukraine, and how each one affected the lives of the people who used them. The book is written in Ukrainian, and is sometimes translated into English when he reads it to people who don’t understand Ukrainian. He has been working on the book for a long time. At first, it just sounds like something he passes the time with. Looking deeper, the reader can see that this is how the father communicates his feelings. When he is happy, he writes about how wonderful a certain tractor made the lives of the Ukrainian people. When he feels sad, he writes about the changes in the tractors that caused people to have harder lives. When things go sour between him and Valentina, he writes about a tractor of a similar name, in an unfavorable light. Its a very clever way to introduce the deeper feelings of a character who doesn’t want to talk about how he feels.

This book was a quick read. I found myself wondering at the end of each chapter what would happen next. Will the sisters succeed in getting their father a divorce from this crazy woman he married? What bizarre thing will Valentina do next? How is this all going to work out, especially now that this new problem has come up? I really enjoyed this book.

Naslund has written a captivating novel of historical fiction about the life of Marie Antoinette. Anyone who is familiar with history will know the main events that occurred, and, of course, what happened to this Queen of France at the end of her life. Even knowing that, however, it is still well worth it to read through the 520-some pages of this book, because it is so well written.

Naslund writes this story entirely from the viewpoint of Marie herself, giving the reader the treat of hearing the private thoughts of a Queen. Included are some letters Marie writes to friends and family, and also some letters written to her from her loved ones. At times, it almost feels like you are reading a private diary. This style successfully makes Marie into a real person, into a woman not so different from many of us, instead of just some Queen from a history textbook we had to read about in school.

The story starts with Marie, who is only fourteen years old, going through a ceremony to change both her name and her nationality. She is taken from her family, to a foreign country, to marry someone she has never even met before. Her husband is next in line to be King of France, and is about the same age as she is. Both are awkward and unprepared.

After that, no aspect of her life is private anymore. The whole of two nations want to know everything. Has she has sex with her husband yet? Did she get her period this month, or is she pregnant? When will she give them another heir to the throne? She doesn’t have her first child until many years after her marriage, because her husband doesn’t seem interested in sex. Even when she gives birth, she has an audience of many, watching the baby emerge. Imagine the pressure she must have been under!

Naslund has done a great job with all the little details of the story. I could easily picture each painting and sculpture described in the book. I could almost see the dresses and jewelry the women wore and how the styles of fashion changed as the years went by. Naslund makes the reader feel as though she is actually in the sumptuous rooms and colorful gardens Marie enjoyed.

From the time she was married, Marie has a court of nobles surrounding her. The group held dances, went on hunts, gambled, flirted, and spread rumors about each other. Some rather nasty rumors about Marie were published in newspapers and flyers, and sent around France. This sounds very similar to how many famous political figures and celebrities are treated by the media today. It must have been stressful.

Marie Antoinette became a very devoted wife and mother. The people of France loved her, as did her many close friends among the nobles. Naslund makes the reader like Marie as a person. This makes things that much more dramatic when things start to go badly. The American Revolution happens, which sparks the revolution in France. Suddenly, it seems, the people of France hate the King and Queen. Marie, and everyone she loves the most, are in danger, and many tense decisions and bold actions are taken. I found I couldn’t put the book down, even though I knew what the final outcome would be.

It cannot be easy to write a work of fiction about a historical figure who is so well known. Naslund does an impressive job with this book.

Cockeyed is a memoir by Ryan Knighton. The book tells the story of a man who is diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa as a teenager. In the years that follow, his eyesight continually degrades until (at the close of the book) he is left with a tiny sliver of vision in one eye. The book begins with Knighton’s tales of being a teenager in suburban Vancouver. At the time, the author hadn’t yet realized how bad his vision was, and this lead to a few accident-prone experiences while operating motorized vehicles. Specifically, how he almost ran a guy over while driving a forklift, and how he trashed his dad’s car while night driving. The book progresses through Knighton’s experiences as a teacher in Korea and covers everything he learns along the way about how to function in the world as a blind person. The author’s style of storytelling is infused with enough humor and sarcasm to make each chapter a pleasure to read. He doesn’t try to manipulate the reader through cheap “woe-is-me” tactics. Instead, he makes things very conversational. It’s like he’s saying, “You know what it’s like for a blind guy to use a public restroom?”, and then he relates his observations on the matter. And in the book, he does cover everything from every day events (like using a public restroom) to the emotional struggles he faced in his relationship with his long-time girlfriend, Tracy.

I enjoyed this book on many levels. The memoir is well-paced, and is a quick read. Knighton’s style is smooth and personable, and as stated above, he does a good job of including the reader in his stories. I also found I could relate to the book on a personal level. I am legally blind, and while my vision isn’t as low as Ryan’s, I tend to encounter the world in much the same ways as he. Specifically, the way he talks about his relationship with Tracy. He does a great job of relating just what it’s like to be the “blind half” of a couple, and how that can put certain strains on the other half, and more importantly, how lucky he is to be with someone who can handle these conditions.

I would definitely recommend this book. Fans of memoirs or anyone just looking for a good read should enjoy Cockeyed.

Do yourself a favor, and just skip this series.

I read the first two books, and was largely unimpressed. (From the little bit of research I have done, it seems the the third book in the series does not yet exist. Who knows if it ever will?) This was a series aimed at Teens, which, I find can be hit or miss. Some teen books are wonderful. Some, like these, are not so well written. It seemed to be about vampires, and so, it got my attention. I gave it a shot.

The first book in the series is called Bloodlust. Jason a high-school senior, and his sister, who might be a sophomore, just moved to California with their mom and dad. They move into a very exclusive, very rich, gated community, (an opportunity they have thanks to the connections from their Aunt).

Part of the book is about Jason noticing the differences between California and Michigan, where they came from. I only found that interesting because I just moved to California from the Midwest, and noticed some of the same things that the main character did. But, would anyone who has always lived in California find this interesting? Would someone who never lived in, or visited, California relate to this? I doubt it.

There used to be a popular tv show called “Beverly Hills 90210″. Ever seen it? I think Alex Duval has seen the show, because the basic story line is similar. Kid from Midwest moves to rich California area, and adjusts. This is not a new idea. Duval might have also watched the currently popular teen series “The OC”, because he gives Jason a offbeat geeky sidekick named Adam, who is not a part of the In Crowd, to hang around with, (only Adam is a film geek, whereas Seth in the OC is a comic book geek).

I had two major problems with this book. First of all, you know from just glancing at the cover that there are vampires involved somewhere in this book. Its a given. But, instead of going with that, Duval takes us slowly through the book as Adam and Jason go from noticing that something is odd with the popular kids, to finally figuring out that they are vampires. What was the point of dragging that out?

I had another problem with this book. Early on, Jason goes to a big party, and there is a lot of underage drinking going on. Not a big surprise, we all know that this goes on, so, I’m not faulting the author by showing some of that. At the first party, Jason doesn’t drink. He is on the swim team, and is trying to stay healthy, so he doesn’t have an interest in drinking. He also thinks that some of the way the other kids are acting when they drink is pretty stupid, and doesn’t want to be like that.

I thought it was kind of cool of Duval to introduce a main character who wasn’t a drinker, without doing it in an “After School Special” kind of way. He’s not drinking because he is an athlete. But then, at the second party, Jason gets upset because he’s not getting the attention he wants from the popular girl he has a crush on, and so, immediately starts drinking. After that, Jason drinks at every party, but doesn’t get out of hand with it or anything, as if that somehow makes him just as responsible as he was before. How disappointing.

I read the second book in the series, called Initiation, hoping it would be a better book. It wasn’t.

Duval seemed to be stuck on the word “ass” in this book. Characters are always calling each other an “ass”. In one case, the word “asshat” is used. They worry about “looking like an ass”, and warn each other not to “act like an ass”. The word “asinine” appears once, just for some variety, I guess. I am someone who uses swear words on a daily basis, and even to me, the swearing seemed excessive. Especially when you consider that this book is aimed at teens, and, since most of the characters are high schoolers, it means that in reality the eleven and twelve year olds are the ones who will pick up this book to read. Did you really need that word, and all its varieties, that many times?

Part of this story involves a friend of Jason’s from Michigan, Tyler, who just spontaneously decides to visit him in California. Duval attempts a story line directly from an “After School Special” with this book, giving Tyler a drug problem. Tyler is addicted to Ritalin, a prescription drug that Tyler has not been prescribed, and has run into trouble back in Michigan because he owes his dealer a bunch of money. Duval might have been going for the trite “drugs are bad” story line, but if so, fails miserably. He still has teens drinking at parties, which none of the characters see as either “bad” or in any way related to being addicted to drugs. I don’t like the mixed message it sends to the young readers the book is marketed to.

Neither one of these books had much to do with the vampires in the story. You know they are there, you know who they are, but that’s all you get. Both books involve Jason trying to stop a vampire from killing people, but not even in a cool “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” kind of way.

Like I said, save yourself the bother, and skip this series. I wish I did.

Max Brooks, creator of The Zombie Survival Guide, brings you World War Z. These are the stories of the survivors of the war between all of humanity and the walking undead. Details are given about how to survive, (including what armor and newly created weapons worked well, and also, what did not work at all), how different countries dealt with this new kind of war, (some failed spectacularly, some were better off), and how individual people responded to the economic, social, and cultural changes brought about as a result of The Zombie War. Brooks even goes so far as to report back on what happened to the environment, how different animals were affected, and the new psychological disorders people developed after the dead started rising and trying to eat people. The book is done in a series of narrative interviews, which is a little different from how The Guide was presented.

This book was so good, it gave me nightmares! Even better, it wasn’t the “I will never sleep again” kind of nightmares, it was more like the “I am in the middle of a Zombie movie! What do I do next?” kind of nightmares. I was very impressed. The book will be available September 12. Fans of the Zombie genre will not want to miss out on this one!