Dixie Swanson's Blog
February 18, 2012
I've moved, please come visit me!
Hi friends,
I've enjoyed starting my blogs on Goodreads, it's a great site and I will stay active here, but I want to invite everyone to follow my writing on www.dixieswanson.com. I'll be writing about contemporary issues. You can buy my books on this site (The Accidental Senator and The Accidental Presdident, and, in the fall, The Accidental President Returns).
Visit often, as I try to change things up. Leave me messages about the books, what you liked and, yes, what you didn't like.
I hope you'll take away the message that we can take government of the fat cats, for the fat cats and by the fat cats and return it to the people Lincoln intended at Gettysburg: of the people, by the people, for the people.
There's a road map in my books, even though they are novels, and I hope you'll get on board. After all, there are 99 of us regular people for every one of the 1%. And we all just get one vote!
Dixie Swanson
dixie@dixieswanson.com
www.dixieswanson.com
The Accidental Senator
You can also follow me on all the social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter (DixieSwanson1), Google+.
I've enjoyed starting my blogs on Goodreads, it's a great site and I will stay active here, but I want to invite everyone to follow my writing on www.dixieswanson.com. I'll be writing about contemporary issues. You can buy my books on this site (The Accidental Senator and The Accidental Presdident, and, in the fall, The Accidental President Returns).
Visit often, as I try to change things up. Leave me messages about the books, what you liked and, yes, what you didn't like.
I hope you'll take away the message that we can take government of the fat cats, for the fat cats and by the fat cats and return it to the people Lincoln intended at Gettysburg: of the people, by the people, for the people.
There's a road map in my books, even though they are novels, and I hope you'll get on board. After all, there are 99 of us regular people for every one of the 1%. And we all just get one vote!
Dixie Swanson
dixie@dixieswanson.com
www.dixieswanson.com
The Accidental Senator
You can also follow me on all the social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter (DixieSwanson1), Google+.
I've moved, please come visit me!
I've enjoyed starting my blogs on Goodreads, it's a great site and I will stay active here, but I want to invite everyone to follow my writing on www.dixieswanson.com. I'll be writing about contemporary issues. You can buy my books on this site (The Accidental Senator and The Accidental Presdident, and, in the fall, The Accidental President Returns).
Visit often, as I try to change things up. Leave me messages about the books, what you liked and, yes, what you didn't like.
I hope you'll take away the message that we can take government of the fat cats, for the fat cats and by the fat cats and return it to the people Lincoln intended at Gettysburg: of the people, by the people, for the people.
There's a road map in my books, even though they are novels, and I hope you'll get on board. After all, there are 99 of us regular people for every one of the 1%. And we all just get one vote!
Dixie Swanson
dixie@dixieswanson.com
www.dixieswanson.com
The Accidental Senator
You can also follow me on all the social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter (DixieSwanson1), Google+.
Visit often, as I try to change things up. Leave me messages about the books, what you liked and, yes, what you didn't like.
I hope you'll take away the message that we can take government of the fat cats, for the fat cats and by the fat cats and return it to the people Lincoln intended at Gettysburg: of the people, by the people, for the people.
There's a road map in my books, even though they are novels, and I hope you'll get on board. After all, there are 99 of us regular people for every one of the 1%. And we all just get one vote!
Dixie Swanson
dixie@dixieswanson.com
www.dixieswanson.com
The Accidental Senator
You can also follow me on all the social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter (DixieSwanson1), Google+.
February 10, 2012
Deborah Crombie, Present and Past
Deborah Crombie's newest book, No Mark Upon is out No Mark Upon Her is, as always,several books.
Crombie's English police procedurals are interesting in part because Crombie lives near Dallas, Texas. That's right, Texas. She has lived and England and Scotland and that shines through, but I'll bet she logs a lot of air miles.
Crombie writes the continuing saga of Gemma James, a single mother trying to make her way in the male world of policing. In her personal sphere are a number of interesting people, including Scotland Yard's Duncan Kincaid, a superior officer. Over the course of the books, their interaction becomes its own story, and a well done one at that. Anyone who has ever been a single working mother knows the ticking clock of having to pick up a little one and put dinner on the table (MommyRushHour). Of all the things you juggle, you can't drop the ball named Child.
Each book is about a murder and the working through of it sometimes depends on someone else to pick up the slack at home. Then comes the mommy guilt and self-doubt of NOT being there for MommyRushHour.
So we have a story (Gemma the mom and woman) within a story (a murder mystery)... and with Crombie, we also have a story within a (the backstory of the murder. Some go back a generation or more. Sort of like the Russian dolls: to solve the mystery at hand requires solving the mysteries inside.
The only thing that could make the series better is to put a number on each cover. Never, ever read them out of order or you'll find yourself flummoxed.
The first, I THINK is A Share in Death. After that, you're on your own to find each succeeding one. They are addicting, which is the nicest thing this self-admitted bookaholic can say.
And all you do-gooders, back off. I'll read as much as I like, though I don't read while driving, crossing the street, walking up stairs or cooking. I did that a few times with disastrous results. Anyone for take out?
Dixie Swanson
www.theaccidentalpresident.com
Crombie's English police procedurals are interesting in part because Crombie lives near Dallas, Texas. That's right, Texas. She has lived and England and Scotland and that shines through, but I'll bet she logs a lot of air miles.
Crombie writes the continuing saga of Gemma James, a single mother trying to make her way in the male world of policing. In her personal sphere are a number of interesting people, including Scotland Yard's Duncan Kincaid, a superior officer. Over the course of the books, their interaction becomes its own story, and a well done one at that. Anyone who has ever been a single working mother knows the ticking clock of having to pick up a little one and put dinner on the table (MommyRushHour). Of all the things you juggle, you can't drop the ball named Child.
Each book is about a murder and the working through of it sometimes depends on someone else to pick up the slack at home. Then comes the mommy guilt and self-doubt of NOT being there for MommyRushHour.
So we have a story (Gemma the mom and woman) within a story (a murder mystery)... and with Crombie, we also have a story within a (the backstory of the murder. Some go back a generation or more. Sort of like the Russian dolls: to solve the mystery at hand requires solving the mysteries inside.
The only thing that could make the series better is to put a number on each cover. Never, ever read them out of order or you'll find yourself flummoxed.
The first, I THINK is A Share in Death. After that, you're on your own to find each succeeding one. They are addicting, which is the nicest thing this self-admitted bookaholic can say.
And all you do-gooders, back off. I'll read as much as I like, though I don't read while driving, crossing the street, walking up stairs or cooking. I did that a few times with disastrous results. Anyone for take out?
Dixie Swanson
www.theaccidentalpresident.com
January 16, 2012
Downton Abbey
Pardon me, dear readers, if I am have been absent from the blog. I've had such a vicious cold, I feared it might cyber-infect you...
If you are enjoying Downton Abbey on television, you might enjoy an easily readable biography of the Countess of Carnarvon and Highclere Castle at the time in the PBS blockbuster. Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle
She was one of what Edith Wharton called "the buccaneers." Rich, non-English women whose parents married them off to penniless lords of various manors. The daughter got a title, the men, a check. And everyone was happy -- with the notable exception of Consuelo Vanderbilt.
Almina, however, was not American, just the illegitimate daughter and "goddaughter" of a Rothschild and a Mrs. Wombwell. (Don't you just love that name?)
That's the new book. The "old" book on the subject is The Glitter and the Gold the autobiography of Consuelo Vanderbilt. It was thoroughly delightful, even if her marriage was not.
Her husband once famously said to her, "You're not snooty enough to be a duchess."
But it was all to come to an abrupt end with the Great War of 1914-1918, and perhaps I'll write about that next time. After all, I remember my favorite uncle fought in it and I still have a picture of him in his 'doughboy" uniform.
If you are enjoying Downton Abbey on television, you might enjoy an easily readable biography of the Countess of Carnarvon and Highclere Castle at the time in the PBS blockbuster. Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle
She was one of what Edith Wharton called "the buccaneers." Rich, non-English women whose parents married them off to penniless lords of various manors. The daughter got a title, the men, a check. And everyone was happy -- with the notable exception of Consuelo Vanderbilt.
Almina, however, was not American, just the illegitimate daughter and "goddaughter" of a Rothschild and a Mrs. Wombwell. (Don't you just love that name?)
That's the new book. The "old" book on the subject is The Glitter and the Gold the autobiography of Consuelo Vanderbilt. It was thoroughly delightful, even if her marriage was not.
Her husband once famously said to her, "You're not snooty enough to be a duchess."
But it was all to come to an abrupt end with the Great War of 1914-1918, and perhaps I'll write about that next time. After all, I remember my favorite uncle fought in it and I still have a picture of him in his 'doughboy" uniform.
December 28, 2011
Have You Read...?
Ken Follett is a brand. Literally millions of people will buy a book just because it has his name on it. (Ahhhh, the envy of this fledgling author.)
The "new" book is Fall of Giants, a trilogy that spans the Twentieth Century, surely one of the most action-packed centuries in history. It is also a family saga, and deserves a spot on your shelf if you like historical novels.
The "old" Ken Follett book is hard to choose. There are so many. Eye of the NeedleThis book is a classic suspense novel and will keep you up at night, even if you have to get up early the next morning. If you haven't read it, I recommend it highly. Did he love her? Was he capable of love?
As well, Jackdaws is a superb book about English women involved behind enemy lines in World War II. This can be a brutal book, but those were brutal times.
The "new" book is Fall of Giants, a trilogy that spans the Twentieth Century, surely one of the most action-packed centuries in history. It is also a family saga, and deserves a spot on your shelf if you like historical novels.
The "old" Ken Follett book is hard to choose. There are so many. Eye of the NeedleThis book is a classic suspense novel and will keep you up at night, even if you have to get up early the next morning. If you haven't read it, I recommend it highly. Did he love her? Was he capable of love?
As well, Jackdaws is a superb book about English women involved behind enemy lines in World War II. This can be a brutal book, but those were brutal times.
December 23, 2011
Parisian Style
You might have noticed that styles in writing change. In the Victorian era, there was an incredible amount of description. Why?
There was no other way to "paint the scene" of, say, Paris, so the writer laboriously described it. Now, with visual media, the mere mention of the word "Paris" conjures up images in your mind, whether you have been there or not! You may even hear Edith Piaf singing La Vie en Rose as a soundtrack. (By the way, loosely translated, it means a "life in pink" and refers to the pink tint the city takes on at dusk.)
My old book on Paris is the non-fiction classic "Is Paris Burning?"
Everyone who loves Paris should read this book. It is the riveting tale of how a German General saved Paris from destruction. As ordered, he had mined everything beautiful in the city: the Eiffel Tower, the bridges, even Notre Dame. Hitler wanted the city destroyed and every time he called and yelled down the line, "Is Paris Burning?" the general would fabricate another excuse for delay. He would not go down in history as the man who destroyed Paris. Failure to carry out an order by Hitler could result in not only his death, but the death of his family.
Because there were so many factions involved in the attempts to liberate Paris, the cast can be confusing. Just press on and don't worry about them. It's a true story -- no one could make up something this fantastic.
My new book on Paris is the Cara Black collection on a female detective in Paris. She solves crime, each in a different area of Paris, usually taking a physical beating that damages her haute couture bargains in the process. These are popcorn books -- you'll just read them, enjoy them and be done with them. You don't have to read them in any particular order.
There are a million other books on Paris. Maybe I'll return to the topic in April.
There was no other way to "paint the scene" of, say, Paris, so the writer laboriously described it. Now, with visual media, the mere mention of the word "Paris" conjures up images in your mind, whether you have been there or not! You may even hear Edith Piaf singing La Vie en Rose as a soundtrack. (By the way, loosely translated, it means a "life in pink" and refers to the pink tint the city takes on at dusk.)
My old book on Paris is the non-fiction classic "Is Paris Burning?"
Everyone who loves Paris should read this book. It is the riveting tale of how a German General saved Paris from destruction. As ordered, he had mined everything beautiful in the city: the Eiffel Tower, the bridges, even Notre Dame. Hitler wanted the city destroyed and every time he called and yelled down the line, "Is Paris Burning?" the general would fabricate another excuse for delay. He would not go down in history as the man who destroyed Paris. Failure to carry out an order by Hitler could result in not only his death, but the death of his family.
Because there were so many factions involved in the attempts to liberate Paris, the cast can be confusing. Just press on and don't worry about them. It's a true story -- no one could make up something this fantastic.
My new book on Paris is the Cara Black collection on a female detective in Paris. She solves crime, each in a different area of Paris, usually taking a physical beating that damages her haute couture bargains in the process. These are popcorn books -- you'll just read them, enjoy them and be done with them. You don't have to read them in any particular order.
There are a million other books on Paris. Maybe I'll return to the topic in April.
December 16, 2011
Have You Read...?
Dear Reader,
This blog's for YOU...
I find my most common phrase to people I talk with is, "Have you read...?, so that's my title. I'm at home full-time and have the luxury of reading -- a lot.
Here you'll often see a new book and an old book on the same theme. Old books can be new to you, and they are different when you read them at different stages of your life. I'll try to be topical, and I'll only mention books that are, in my humble opinion, are worth reading.
I'll try to pick a different theme for each week. This week's choice is my "Best Christmas Book Ever."
This book is a read-aloud for the whole family. "The Herdmans were the worst children in the history of the world," and when they hear there's food at rehearsals for the church's Christmas pageant, all six of them pile into it. This "old" book hilariously captures the true meaning of Christmas.
Please feel free to write to me before you travel, asking for books set in your destination. All my friends do this and it is fun for me.
My first job was in a bookstore, so I'll be happy to help you select books as gifts for anyone. Think of me as your on-line personal book shopper!
Dixie Swanson
This blog's for YOU...
I find my most common phrase to people I talk with is, "Have you read...?, so that's my title. I'm at home full-time and have the luxury of reading -- a lot.
Here you'll often see a new book and an old book on the same theme. Old books can be new to you, and they are different when you read them at different stages of your life. I'll try to be topical, and I'll only mention books that are, in my humble opinion, are worth reading.
I'll try to pick a different theme for each week. This week's choice is my "Best Christmas Book Ever."
This book is a read-aloud for the whole family. "The Herdmans were the worst children in the history of the world," and when they hear there's food at rehearsals for the church's Christmas pageant, all six of them pile into it. This "old" book hilariously captures the true meaning of Christmas.
Please feel free to write to me before you travel, asking for books set in your destination. All my friends do this and it is fun for me.
My first job was in a bookstore, so I'll be happy to help you select books as gifts for anyone. Think of me as your on-line personal book shopper!
Dixie Swanson
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