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  Book Review:   “I’ve long been fascinated by the story of the Navajo code talkers and the role they played in World War Two. In that part of the conflict that was fought against Japan in the Pacific Ocean, Navajo Marines used their native language to create an unbreakable code. Because they were Marines, that part of the U.S. military that leads all others into the thick of battle, they also saw some of the heaviest fighting of the war. If any American servicemen deserve to be honored, it was these Navajo.” (Joseph Bruchac) “Code Talkers” is a good read, pitched at middle grade kids but enjoyable for older ones as well. It is a straightforward account of the Navajo code talkers valor and ingenuity during WWII told from the point of view of a 16-year-old recruit who lived to tell the tale. As a war story, it neither glamorizes combat nor moralizes over the atrocities of battle. Rather, it attempts to tell the tale as a teen boy may have experienced it, proud, scared, c...

  Book Review: Monsters vs humans is a popular theme in fantasy and sci-fi fiction which Victoria Schwab puts an interesting spin on in “This Savage Song”. Are people actually some of the most monstrous… are some monsters more humane… is something as beautiful as a song the most powerful weapon of all? This dystopian novel follows the stories of a badass teenage girl and a shadowy boy/monster and how their lives entwine as their worlds fall apart. The book is beautiful and bloody, with enough tension and plot twist to keep thrill-seeking readers fully engaged. It is refreshing to read a book that doesn’t drag anywhere in its 427 pages and still manages to evoke poignancy and a certain amount of depth. All in all, an excellent offering by Schwab. Recommendation: a delightful mixture of thoughtful thrills, heart pounding action, and gritty gore. If that sounds like your jam, check it out. I’ve got lots of copies on hand. Mr. Wedel   Author – Victoria Schwab Publish...

  Book Review A little gem of humor and keen insight, Cipolla’s “The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity” is a must read for anyone wanting to live wisely with their fellow man. At first glance one might think the book is just a good-natured jab at humanity, much like Gary Larson’s “The Far Side” comics, but it is actually a serious assessment of how people are with one another in this far from perfect world. Cipolla builds the book around four general observations: 1.       Always and inevitably, everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation. 2.      The probability that a certain person is stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person. 3.      A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person or group of persons while himself deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses. 4.     Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging po...