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Kansas Bookworm June 27,
2005
Rob Miller: John Muir,
Magnificent Tramp. (Forge, 19.95, ISBN 0-765-31071-6) Biography
Very readable
biography of the Scottish-American naturalist California has chosen to
represent it on the States Quarter program.
Muir.who emigrated to
the U.S. at 11 with his family, was an inventive genius who could have
amassed a huge fortune, but chose instead to spend his life protecting the
natural world. No hermit, he was happily married and adored his two
daughters.
Muir’s biography,
fittingly, is the first in Forge’s American Heroes series.
Lillian Stewart Carl:
The Secret Portrait (Five Star, $25.95, ISBN l-59414-307-2) Mystery
Scottish-American Jean Fairbairn has left 20 years of teaching British
history to produce the magazine Great Scot, covering Celtic myths and
legends.
Into her Ediburgh
office comes George Lovelace, retired professor, who has moved back to his
native Scotland. He wants her to take a coin he’s found to the national
museum to have it authenticated – and purchased, if they want it. They
most certainly will–the mint gold Louis d’Or is from Bonnie Prince
Charlie’s hidden horde.
A fast-paced trip
through treasure troves, Jacobite legends, ancient deaths, ghosts,
paranormal stuff, and even a light touch of romance.
Allan Guthrie: Kiss
Her Goodbye (Hard Case, $6.99, ISBN 0-8439-5355-1) Mystery
Joe is an enforcer
for Edinburgh loan shark Cooper, one of the toughest in a field with no
lily-livered softies. Trouble enters his world when his daughter is found
dead, an apparent suicide. Then he’s arrested for murder. He needs to
find out who is framing him, and meet out his own justice.
Hard Case is a new
entry into mystery publishing, specializing in just what the name means.
This is a very gritty novel, meant for those who miss Phillip Marlow, Sam
Spade, and Mickey Spillane.
Margaret "Peggy" Baker
glencoe@knetconnect.net |
