October Booknotes

"October is crisp days and cool nights, a time to curl up around the dancing flames and sink into a good book." - John Sinor

Graphic Nonfiction: Law, History

Free Speech Handbook: A Practical Framework for Understanding Our Free Speech Protections by Ian Rosenberg, Mike Cavallaro (Illustrator)

I will admit that when I saw “comics” and “free speech protections,” I was expecting a simple, illustrated walkthrough of free speech rights - most likely one I had heard before. Free Speech Handbook utterly defied my expectations. Far from a simple list of protected freedoms, the book delves fearlessly into the controversies and the thorny regions that inevitably arise with free speech, which is, of course, almost certainly the kind of information you really need to know about the First Amendment.

Each area of protected speech is covered in impressive detail and through multiple case studies, with illustrations that help to break up what could otherwise be an intimidatingly complex subject.

Essence of the Ten Cases Presented

Despite Rosenberg’s best efforts to keep things clear and simple, Free Speech Handbook does deal with complex concepts and legal jargon, but even I was up for the challenge! I was rewarded with a genuinely fascinating look at free speech that left me more knowledgeable about my own rights.

Basic principles of Free Speech

This is a great book to help expand your understanding of our 1st Amendment!  Free Speech Handbook breaks down so much information, and the ten cases presented are extremely interesting. This is a significant book that deserves to be read, and reread, or simply purchased to have on hand for reference. The controversy facing current attempts to restrict our freedom of speech make this my top read of the month!

Nonfiction: Crime, Forensic Science, History

Century of the Detective by Jürgen Thorwald (translated from German by Richard and Clara Winston)

Published in English in 1965, Century of the Detective was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1966 in Best Fact Crime category but lost to Truman Capote's In Cold Blood (an excellent book!).  

Century of the Detective is a historical overview of the rise of scientific criminal investigation, covering the development of forensic science techniques such as fingerprinting, toxicology, and ballistics during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The book examines significant cases and figures that advanced the field of criminalistics in Europe and America.  

It sounds boring but it was truly interesting and, dare I say, “entertaining?” Obviously, stories of true crime involve people, and this book had lots of details that brought the people to life – both law enforcement officials and the criminals they pursued. This is the history of how scientific analysis of physical evidence to link victims, crime scenes, and offenders was developed. 

Truth is more terrifying than fiction. Indeed, the stories of the crimes committed are written in this book without emotion which can be a little overwhelming.  And at 700 pages Century of the Detective is a bit long because of historical details included.  But if you want to understand the history of forensics, Century of the Detective does the job!

Fiction: Crime, Mystery

The Harbor by Katrine Engberg (translated from Danish to English by Tara Chace)

Engberg also wrote the #1 bestseller The Butterfly House which I read four years ago. That mystery also featured Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner doing their job as investigators with the Violent Crimes Department. 

As is typical of Nordic mysteries, The Harbor is dark, atmospheric, unsettling, and suspenseful. 

Fifteen-year-old student, Oscar Dreyer-Hoff is reported missing. Two days later a crane operator at a waste management facility which turns waste into green energy halts the machine when he sees a leg dangling from the bucket. The body is carefully extracted but it is not Oscar. It is one of Oscar’s teachers, Malthe Saether. Then another teacher at the school dies, apparently falling in front of a train. Oscar is still missing. All this adds up to … what? Are these events related?

As the plot progresses it becomes darker and increasingly intense. Parts are quite shocking. There are no super cops here, just hard-working people struggling to combine work and family life. Finally, they weave all the evidential threads together leading to a dramatic conclusion.

Nonfiction: Nature, Philosophy

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer, John Burgoyne (illustrator)

“Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.”

The Serviceberry is a thought-provoking extended essay that explores the gift economy in the natural world. Using the example of a serviceberry tree, which forms a symbiotic relationship with birds, Kimmerer examines how we can foster sharing, generosity, and abundance in human communities. She highlights that, unlike market transactions, the gift economy operates without the expectation of direct compensation, relying instead on trust and mutual care.

“Recognizing ‘enoughness’ is a radical act in an economy that is always urging us to consume more.”

Kimmerer draws parallels to systems like public libraries, which thrive alongside market economies by offering communal benefits without profit motives. Through her reflections, she challenges readers to rethink consumption and encourages a more mindful approach to resources. She urges us to "harvest honorably" with responsibility, restraint, respect, reverence, and reciprocity.

This is a short but thought-provoking book. It takes time to “digest” the ideas, but it is time well spent!

“In the spirit of the reciprocal gift economy, you might consider how you can reciprocate the gifts of the Earth in your own way. Whatever your currency of reciprocity – be it money, time, energy, political action, art, science, education, planting, community action, restoration, acts of care, large and small – all are needed in these urgent times.”

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” -  Lao Tzu. 

The next two books could be a first step in planning a journey!

Nonfiction: Travel, History, True Crime, Mystery

Mysteries of the National Parks: 35 Stories of Baffling Disappearances, Unexplained Phenomena, and More by Mike Bezemek

What a great book! I was expecting a hiking and travel guide with a couple “mysteries” tossed in. Instead, I got that plus ancient civilizations, mysterious vanishings, and history. Part true mystery and part guidebook, this examines mysteries related to American national parks and discusses how travelers can experience the park “mysteries” themselves.

Bezemek captivated my interest with little known and unknown “history’s mysteries.” One of my favorite mysteries is associated with Golden State National Recreation Area which is the site of the mysterious disappearance of the crew of a WWII observation blimp. The blimp crash landed but the crew was nowhere to be found. Their bodies were never found. Also interesting is the mysterious disappearance in the Grand Canyon National Park of a young honeymoon couple who disappeared during their white-water rafting trip down the Colorado River. Again, their bodies were never found.

Some of the natural phenomena stories were more interesting than others. I was riveted with the story of the boy who disappeared under sand dunes at Indiana Dunes National Park and the odd crater in Canyonlands National Park. But the speculation of how the trees in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks got so tall and old was only moderately interesting. 

Finally, I also really enjoyed the way the parks aren’t just backdrops of the mysteries, but they are characters with their own roles to play. From Yellowstone's bubbling geothermal pools to the vast, echoing void of the Grand Canyon, the settings add weight to the mysteries. Having visited a number of these parks myself, reading about these mysteries made me see them through a new lens. 

Travel tips for visiting the parks accompany each “mystery.” It is quite thorough with explanations of which trails to follow, parking information, and available tours. Mysteries of the National Parks isn’t just good reading, it is also a useful, insightful resource.

Nonfiction: Travel, Paranormal

Travels of Terror: Strange and Spooky Spots Across America by Kelly Florence, Meg Hafdahl

Publisher’s Description: “Horror lovers, lifelong best friends, and co-hosts of the Horror Rewind podcast, Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl, have traveled around the U.S. to bring you the most thrill-inducing spots for horror, history, and true crime. They've compiled a list of what to do, where to stay, where to eat and drink, and where to shop to make your vacation-planning a breeze.

They've also delved into the history and pop culture of each spot, revealing hidden gems, most notorious true crimes, women you should know, horror books and movies set in the state, and other strange facts about some of the scariest places around the nation.”

The “spooky spots” visited include Salem, MA; Los Angeles, CA; Marietta, GA; Portland, OR; Providence, RI; Austin, TX; New York City, NY; Duluth, MN; Las Vegas, NV; Pittsburgh, PA; St. Augustine, FL; and Athens, OH.

Travels of Terror is an interesting travel guide, and a quick read. If you are planning a road trip to any of the locations listed above, I wouldn’t buy this book, check it out from the public library. 

Audiobook Fiction: Mystery

The Walker on the Cape by Mike Martin

I was desperate for an audiobook and found this on Hoopla. The cover image attracted me. Plus, the description was okay: “A man's body is found in a small fishing community on the East Coast. First, everyone thinks it's a heart attack or stroke but then it's discovered that he was poisoned. Who would do this and why? Finding that out falls to Winston Windflower and his side-kick Eddie Tizzard. Along the way, they discover there are many more secrets hidden in this small community and powerful people who want to keep it that way.” I decided to give it a listen. 

This is apparently the first in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series featuring Sgt Windflower, a First Nations officer, set in Newfoundland, Canada. Even with all the positive signs, I was disappointed in The Walker on the Cape. 

While listening I kept rolling my eyes. I really don't need to know exactly what he ate for every meal, or how many cups of coffee he drank throughout the day. The characterization was lacking. Windflower’s love interest had no personality apart from being “very nice” and a waitress at the café where he drank multiple cups of coffee. 

Suspense? Windflower had no sense of urgency (except for drinking coffee!). Suspects simply confessed.  Professionalism? Windflower's interrogation technique seemed to veer from asking benign questions to denying people their legal rights, including cutting off pain relief to an injured man. In the end, I thought Windflower seemed like the stereotypical small-town cop not an exceptional one. 

I would pass on this one. (But, hey, I tried to like it!)