Review: The Bartered Virgins by John David Merwin

I don't know about you, but I love watching those shows where people are picking a house or apartment from among a few different options. My favorites are when they're set in exotic locales like Hawaii, Fiji or the Virgin Isles. What I doubt I've ever thought, though, is "I wonder. What is the specific history (down to what time a certain meeting on a certain day occurred), of these locations?" If, unlike myself, you are the kind of person who wonders that sort of thing, then do I have a book for you!


The Twitter² Summary:
John David Marwin's The Bartered Virgins is a very brief historical tour of the history of the United States Virgin Islands. Its devotion to the specific history allows this slim volume to claim authority on the history of these small tracts of land.

The Low-down:
Though The Bartered Virgins is generally well-written, it comes across as rather dry in places. In spite of this, I found it to be an interesting read. It is not a long book, coming in at a meager 96 pages (35 of which is devoted to appendices). If you're the kind of person who is really interested in history for history's sake - you will probably like this book. If, however, you are the kind of person for whom history class was a dull slog through dates, names and places - this is probably not right for you.

Merwin's attention to detail is admirable, but occasionally breaks down the narrative approach for which he strives. For scholars of the history, Merwin's inclusion of the text of treaties and agreements in appendices are wonderful.

The Rating:
3 of 5 Stars (A book to check out from the library, but not to own)

The Link:
The Publisher’s Book Page

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Dorrance Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Reptile by Vincent T. Irving

I've been an avid reader of comics since I was a child. After getting married, I decided to replace them with collected editions. This led me to move toward an interest in graphic novels. As I've delved into the genre, I soon discovered that there were beautiful examples of the form and real stinkers as well. More on this in a moment.

The Twitter² Summary:

Thrown off course, the prince of a far-flung planet lands in the garden of an unsuspecting young woman, who chooses to care for what she believes is a burnt egg, not knowing that the day it hatches would be the day her whole life would change. Reptile is Vincent T. Irving’s first foray into the graphic novel genre.

The Low-down:

Okay, back to the beautiful examples and the stinkers. I'm just going to put it out there up front. This one's a stinker. There's nothing wrong with the concept, it's just everything about the execution that's lacking.

The language isn't realistic. The plot is entirely without direction. The pacing is uneven. The language includes curses for no apparent reason. The art does show some promise, but needs practice and time to refine.

The Rating:

1 of 5 Stars (A book I wouldn't inflict on others)

The Links:

The Publisher’s Book Page

Disclosure of Material Connection:

I received this book free from Dorrance Publishing Company. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Mummy, I Have To Go Potty by Wilma Shine

With the Little One showing a passing interest in learning how to use the restroom on his own, I thought maybe this might be a good choice to assist our efforts to encourage him in this new endeavor. I expected an informed history of the toilet with supporting facts, some evidence to support the author's conclusions or maybe a citation here and there. That is not what I found.

The Twitter² Summary:

In author Wilma Shine’s overview of toilets around the world, she informs the reader what

they’re called, what they look like and how to find them. She also discusses

the special language used for toilets and their contents across the globe and

through the ages.

The Low-down:

Shine's book could've been a cute coffee table book. It could've been the kind of book that would go great sticking out of this magazine rack in a guest restroom with these outhouse pictures on the wall.

You see where I'm going with this?

This could've been a book like that, but it just isn't. It falls short in a couple areas.

First, it falls a bit short in content. Though the majority of the book is on target, the occasional off-topic tangents disrupt the flow. (The one on cats is particularly unnecessary). In addition, the tone of the book is almost tongue-in-cheek in the right way, but off just a bit.

No matter whether you are poor or rich, sophisticated or illiterate - no difference between races - you are bound to this relationship for a lifetime. You simply cannot avoid it.
What goes in "upstairs" must come out "downstairs."
Every meal means a walk to a facility later. Whatever delicious, tasty thing goes in on top must come out in
a smelly substance at the bottom.

Other sections of the book ramble in such a way that the author's intent is unclear.

Public facilities may be a meeting place for homosexuals or homeless people. Graffiti may offer an insight to social behaviour.
Have you ever looked at restrooms in universities? You sometimes wonder how educated people express their feelings.

I'm not sure what my response should be to this. Is this observation? Is it critique? I honestly don't know. And finally, we have the seemingly ever-present stereotypical comment about men.

And why do men always have the lid of the commode up?
When you enter a toilet and the lid is up you immediately know the former customer was a man.

The other aspect that distracts from the reader's experience is the design and layout. The picture quality varies widely from sharp and focused on one page to blurry on the next. It could have also used a book-wide color balance to bring all the pictures in line with each other to look like they are each part of a whole.

I'll probably still stick it in the restroom, but it might be behind a magazine or two.

The Rating:

2 of 5 Stars (A book I had to force myself to finish)

The Link: 

The Publisher's Book Page

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Dorrance Publishing Company. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”