Review: The Wizard of Oz FAQ All That's Left to Know About Life According to Oz by David J. Hogan

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

The Wizard of Oz FAQ is a fact-filled celebration of the beloved 1939 fantasy masterpiece starring Judy Garland. It's all here – from L. Frank Baum and his Oz novels to the complete background story of the movie's conception, development, and shoot, with special attention given to the little-known parade of uncredited directors, casting difficulties, and on-set accidents and gaffes, as well as more than 75 sidebars devoted to key cast members, directors, and other behind-the-scenes personnel.
You'll find a wealth of fun facts: How MGM overworked Judy Garland before, during, and after Oz; why director Victor Fleming had his hands full with the Cowardly Lion and Dorothy's other friends; what it was about Toto that really bothered Judy; the physical horrors of filming in Technicolor; the racial Oz gag that was scripted but never shot; when the Wicked Witch was going to be beautiful; why The Wizard of Oz owes a lot to silent-screen star Mary Pickford; the story of deleted scenes, and a full two weeks of shooting that had to be scrapped; why MGM star Mickey Rooney was part of the movie's traveling publicity blitz; how the Wicked Witch was literally blown off her broomstick one day; the place where lions, tigers, and bears really do live together; singers you hear but never see; the day MGM fired Judy Garland; and much more. Just follow the yellow brick road!

MY TAKE:
If ever there was a book that could be dubbed as the absolute ultimate guide to The Wizard of Oz, this one is it.

In The Wizard of Oz FAQ All That's Left to Know About Life According to Oz, readers learn about everything from the history of MGM, the roles the people at MGM played in the creation of the 1939 movie, the different people involved in the production, L. Frank Baum's life and works, and a great many other things related to the world of The Wizard of Oz movie.

I was surprised at how thorough this book was. It was a bit like IMDB.com + a documentary + encyclopedia. The writing flowed smoothly and although it's clear by the sheer amount of information featured that a lot of work went into this book, you never feel how difficult it must have been to write such a detailed book as this one.

When I saw this book is a definitive guide, I mean it. Ask anything, except possibly the transcript of the movie, and this book has it. It has mentions of the other Wizard of Oz movies, biographies of MGM executives and actors, behind-the-scenes looks, test images, Wicked, errors from the movie, list of covers of  "Over the Rainbow", and even a short discussion of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album.

There are so many things I liked about this book, for example, the test images and the stories on how the elements like costume and makeup were created. I also liked how they were able to create the twister in the movie.

If you're a huge fan of the movie, you'll definitely want to get a copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Applause Theater and Cinema Books for the e-ARC. Publication date of The Wizard of Oz FAQ All That's Left to Know About Life According to Oz is on July 15, 2014.

THE GOOD:

1. It contains a ton of information.
2. You'll learn a lot of new things.
3. The images alone are worth the price of the book.

THE BAD:

1. If you only care about the movie itself, you may find some parts too long and boring. 

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Rumor-mongering can be a lot of fun, but that doesn't mean it's a particularly intelligent pursuit.

READ IT IF:

1. You're a huge fan of The Wizard of Oz.
2. You like collecting movie memorabilia.
3. You like the song "Over the Rainbow". 

RATING:


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Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Dorothy's hair was a particular challenge, probably because variations of hairstyle and color are almost endless, even when the mandate is as seemingly simple as "Kansas girl."

Review: Why Do Buses Come in Threes? The Hidden Mathematics of Everyday Life by Rob Eastaway & Jeremy Wyndham

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

With a foreword by Tim Rice, this book will change the way you see the world. Why is it better to buy a lottery ticket on a Friday? Why are showers always too hot or too cold? And what's the connection between a rugby player taking a conversion and a tourist trying to get the best photograph of Nelson's Column?
These and many other fascinating questions are answered in this entertaining and highly informative book, which is ideal for anyone wanting to remind themselves – or discover for the first time – that maths is relevant to almost everything we do.
Dating, cooking, travelling by car, gambling and even life-saving techniques have links with intriguing mathematical problems, as you will find explained here. Whether you have a PhD in astrophysics or haven't touched a maths problem since your school days, this book will give you a fresh understanding of the world around you.
Author Information
Rob Eastaway is the author of the best-selling Robson titles 'What is a Googly?', 'Mindbenders and Brainteasers' and 'How Long is a Piece of String?' He is also responsible for running the Coopers and Lybrand world ratings for cricket, one of sport's best-known mathematical models. He lives in London.
Jeremy Wyndham is the managing director of a leading market research company. He lives in London.

MY TAKE:
Even though it's been awhile since I actually liked math, I found this book to be quite enjoyable.

In Why Do Buses Come in Threes? The Hidden Mathematics of Everyday Life, the practical significance of some of the theories you were taught in high school is shown by explaining their relevance to seemingly ordinary occurrences.

As you would expect from a book on mathematics, there are plenty of formulas and computations here. Now, I liked math back in elementary, but once I got into the more advanced classes in high school and college, math became a chore. With some of the more complicated computations and formulas in the book, my mind started shutting down a little bit.

That said, there were plenty of interesting things in the book that more than made up for the parts that I wasn't too keen on. For example, there were math magic tricks, how to divide cake evenly for odd numbers of people, and how it's sometimes better to walk in the rain than to run in it.

I also discovered that some of the things I've learned and used over the years actually had names, such as frequency analysis. There are also plenty of interesting theories here that even ordinary people would be interested in, such as why there are certain times that seem to have longer queues than others.

What's even better about this book is the fact that the language is mostly straightforward but not boring. The words and examples used are easy to understand, even for people who aren't math wizards.

Thanks to NetGalley and Portico for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. You will learn a lot.
2. The tone is straightforward but light so you don't feel like your eyes are going to glaze over.
3. There are plenty of practical applications for the things you learn. 

THE BAD:

1. Some of the computations may feel a little too complicated. 

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Surprisingly, you only require 23 children in a class for there to be more than a 50-50 chance that two of them have the same birthday. 

READ IT IF:

1. You like math.
2. You've always wondered how mathematical concepts applied to everyday life.
3. You like learning new things. 

RATING:


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In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

FROM NETGALLEY:

My Year of Epic Rock by Andrea Pyros
Model Undercover: Paris by Carina Axelsson

Review: What Einstein Didn't Know Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions by Robert L. Wolke

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Discover how cricket chirps can tell us the temperature, why you can't unburn a match, why ice floats, and a host of mysteries of modern living — including some riddles that maybe even Einstein couldn't solve. From the simple (How does soap know what's dirt? How do magnets work? Why do batteries die?) to the more complex (Why does evaporation have a cooling effect? Where does uranium get its energy?), this book makes science more understandable and fun.
Author Robert Wolke provides definitive and easy-to-comprehend explanations for things that we take for granted, like the illumination behind neon signs and the mysteries of beverage carbonation. Wolke also dares readers to explore and conduct their own experiments with food, kitchen utensils, and common household products. This fifteenth anniversary edition of his bestselling popular science classic has been completely revised and expanded.

MY TAKE:
I've read quite a few reference and trivia books before, but none quite like this one.

In What Einstein Didn't Know Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions, readers learn the answer to some questions about everyday life and even the answers to some questions they haven't thought about asking before. There are also sections in some of the trivia included wherein readers can try certain experiments and learn additional trivia.

Compared to other books I've read, this book is very heavy on chemistry and physics-related questions and answers. Now, while I enjoyed physics in high school and college, college chemistry was one of those subjects that I understood and studied and promptly forgot once I graduated. As such, there were some parts of the book were I lost interest, particularly the ones I already learned in college. However, there were some really interesting parts I did like, and I did learn a number of cool, new things. One of which was a different and faster way to convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit and vice versa (Celsius to Fahrenheit = ((C+40)(1.8))-40; Fahrenheit to Celsius = ((C+40) divided by 1.8)-40).

The tone of the writing is a bit more sarcastic and funny than your usual trivia books, which is nice and makes the material feel a little bit easier to understand. The book could do with a little more color and creative layout, though.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dover Publications for the e-ARC.

THE GOOD:

1. It's very informative.
2. You'll probably learn something interesting.
3. The writing style is entertaining.

THE BAD:

1. It could use a little bit more color and a more creative layout. 

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

The result is a thoroughly pampered, humored, and overindulged egg.

READ IT IF:

1. You like trivia books.
2. You like chemistry.
3. You like physics. 

RATING:


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Review: Unmasking Juliet by Teri Wilson

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Ever since she was a little girl learning to make decadent truffles in her family's chocolate shop, Juliet Arabella has been aware of the bitter feud between the Arabellas and the Mezzanottes. With their rival chocolate boutiques on the same street in Napa Valley, these families never mix. Until one night, when Juliet anonymously attends the annual masquerade ball. In a moonlit vineyard, she finds herself falling for a gorgeous stranger, a man who reminds her what passion is like outside of the kitchen. But her bliss is short-lived when she discovers her masked prince is actually Leo Mezzanotte, newly returned from Paris and the heir to her archenemy's confection dynasty.
With her mind in a whirl, Juliet leaves for Italy to represent the Arabellas in a prestigious chocolate competition. The prize money will help her family's struggling business, and Juliet figures it's a perfect opportunity to forget Leo…only to find him already there and gunning for victory. As they compete head-to-head, Leo and Juliet's fervent attraction boils over. But Juliet's not sure whether to trust her adversary, or give up on the sweetest love she's ever tasted….

MY TAKE:
If you like eating chocolates as much as you like romance novels, you'll probably enjoy this one.

In Unmasking Juliet, the Arabellas and Mezzanottes are two chocolatier families that are in the middle of a feud. One night, Juliet shares a passionate kiss with a stranger who turns out to be Leo Mezzanotte. Their attraction to each other is strong, but is it enough to end their families' feud.

I'm pretty choosy when it comes to romance novels, but I couldn't resist requesting this one when I saw that the main characters were chocolatiers. I consider myself a foodie so I figured if I didn't like the story, at least I would enjoy reading the descriptions of the food.

It's been a while since I read Romeo and Juliet, but I'm familiar with the story. The story follows the original closely but omits the darker parts, which is a good thing. However, truth be told, I kind of think that the story would have been better as an original one. By that, I mean that the novel's strongest parts are the ones that deviate from Shakespeare's version. The descriptions of food and food contests and festivals are very mouthwatering and make me think of Top Chef and Masterchef. The sweet moments between Juliet and Leo that weren't inspired by a scene from the original were also nice.

The scenes based on the play ended up being a little too saccharine for my taste. The use of lines from the play, on the other hand, sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. It usually worked when it was updated in some way. Adapting a classic like Romeo and Juliet is always tricky, but overall, I think the author did a pretty good job.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin HQN for the e-ARC.

THE GOOD:

1. The chemistry between Leo and Juliet is pretty intense.
2. The descriptions of food will make any foodie happy.
3. This is the perfect book to read while drinking wine and eating chocolates.

THE BAD:

1. Some scenes can feel a little too sweet. 

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

She glanced around at the shelves stocked with boxes of rum-flavored chocolate cigars and rich chocolate desert wines, then at the cases filled with hand-rolled truffles. chocolate dipped orange peels and what he'd been working on for the better part of the evening - Pave Glace, melt=in-your-mouth blocks of hazelnut, saffron, dark chocolate and butter, covered in cocoa powder and meant to resemble cobblestones. 

READ IT IF:

1. You enjoy retellings of the classics.
2. You like chocolate.
3. You like watching shows like Masterchef and Cupcake Wars. 

RATING:


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Review: Shifting Sands Life in the Times of Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad by Kathy Lowinger

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

The stories of three young people who experience the tumult -- in three eras -- as new religions are about to be born.
Dina is a slave, a weaver for the royalty of Ancient Egypt. Summoned to the royal chamber, Dina learns she will move south with the Queen and the Pharaoh to a bountiful oasis, but far away from her family and her Jewish faith. When Moses, a Hebrew who has defied the Egyptians, comes to visit, Dina must make a choice between the predictable life of a slave, or an uncertain one that promises more by following Moses into the desert.
Fifteen hundred years later, Rome's oppressive rule has impoverished young Mattan's family. He sets out from his home in Nazareth to make his own way, joining forces with an old trickster, to eke out a living performing around Galilee. When they come upon a man preaching in Capernaum, their lives change forever as they become followers of Jesus.
Around 622 A.D. Fallah, a Bedouin boy, flees from his desert home to break out of the grip of the blood feud that killed his father. Though he becomes a successful poet in the marketplace of Mecca, he and his brother are condemned to live forever as outsiders in a society dominated by a powerful tribe. Muhammad and his Companions offer them a different future -- if they are brave enough to grasp it.
Drawing on both the historical and the imagined, Shifting Sands brings the past to vivid life. These stories expertly recreate how life might have been for young people living in the time of three of the world's most important figures. Informative sidebars and full-color illustrations add historical flavor.

MY TAKE:
If you like fiction that includes famous figures, you might enjoy this one.

In Shifting Sands Life in the Times of Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, readers are introduced to three people who lived during the times of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, respectively. The story focuses on these individuals' lives and touches upon how they meet or come to know Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

I liked the premise of the book so I was excited to read this one. I liked that you really get a sense of life in those days. I also liked that the notes at the end of the stories and the books helped readers gain a better understanding of the men and the religions mentioned.

Since I'm a Catholic, I was already familiar with the stories of Moses and Jesus. Perhaps that's the reason why I didn't find the first two stories as interesting as the third one. I took a course on world religions in college so I was familiar with Mecca and the Kaaba. However, I've already forgotten the rest of the story and it was nice to read about the prophet Muhammad's life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd. for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. It helps you learn a little bit about Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
2. The stories seem well-researched.
3. The plot twists are interesting. 

THE BAD:

1. Some parts may feel a little boring if you already know the original story. 

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

I tried to take it all in: the rowdy cries of the shopkeepers as they set out their wares for the day, the sharp, sweet smells of spices, the reds and blues and rich yellows of bolts of cloths, the mounds of dried fruits that made my mouth water. 

READ IT IF:

1. You want to learn about Judaism, Christianity or Islam.
2. You like historical fiction.
3. You want to see what life was like during the times of Moses, Jesus or Muhammad.

RATING:


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