The Book of Kells: An Illustrated Introduction to the Manuscript in Trinity College, Dublin by Bernard Meehan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a souvenir of my short visit to the Book of Kells exhibit during a visit to Dublin.
The text explains the history, some of the more important folio pages, the materials used, and some of the decorative themes. The text had too many reference notes to make smooth reading for me.

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The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone---Especially Ourselves by Dan Ariely
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I heard about this book through an interview with the author plus advertisements and recommedations through BN.com and goodreads. I enjoy well-written nonfiction which interprets current social science research.
This book answers a question of who is more dishonest: bankers or politicians. It explores how altruism may contribute to dishonesty. There really is a what-the-hell effect. We poor humans, how easy it is for us to rationalize our impulses!
I recommend this to all readers, and I think this book is an excellent choice for book club discussions.


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The Front Porch Prophet by Raymond L. Atkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was a Free Friday section from Nook in 2011, and now it is no longer free. Its current price of $3.82 is affordable for this entertaining novel about A.J. Longstreet, his friend Eugene Purdue, and other family members and friends.
I recommend it to those readers who enjoy the novels by Fannie Flagg and Jan Karon.

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A Knight of the Word by Terry Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second of The Word and the Void section of the 24-book Shannara series. The story of John Ross and Next Freemark continue in this book.
It is entertaining and page-turning. It is set in a pre-apocalype era with warnings to us readers that homelessness and domestic violence are problems where our society should provide assistance or don't be surprised that demons and feeders grow in power.
I recommend it to fans of the series.



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The Desert Realm by National Geographic Society
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of many books on my National Geographic Society shelf, and I read all the text which accompanies the amazing pictures of the seven major desert regions of Earth.
The text teaches without boring. This was published in 1982, and some of the questions about the promise of jojoba oil seem dated. The Landsat photos were wonderous at the time, and now we have earthobservatory.nasa.gov available on our home computers.
If this book is still on your bookshelf, I recommend the text and the pictures.

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Dark Legacy by Anna DeStefano
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Free Friday from Nook 6-17-11, and I did not finish reading it. The synopsis was interesting, but the author did not execute the story-telling well enough for me to finish the book. I was constantly jarred out of the fictive dream because the author named one of the male leads, Jarred. I don't think changing the spelling of his name to Jared would be enough to keep me reading.

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Exploring America's Scenic Highways by National Geographic Society
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I ownh a shelf of books by National Geographic Society, and now I have the time to read them cover to cover instead of only looking at the pictures or reading only a chapter while planning a vacation.
I appreciate the writing by the authors: Leslie Allen, Toni Eugene, Christine Eckstrom Lee, Tom Melham, Cynthia Russ Ramsay, Gene S. Stuart, Jennifer C. Urquhart, and Suzanne Venino. Their different voices tell the different stories of the distinct American scenic highways. The principal photographers are Terry Eiler, Dewitt Jones, and Steve Wall. These photographers had to do more than stop at scenic overlooks to capture the regions of continental America. I have been fortunate enough to travel four of the eight, and this book whetted my appetite to travel the rest.
I recommend this for armchair travelers and all those ready to explore.

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