graphic of header for ecommunication food for thought

ISSN:1544-8312		Spring-Summer 2018
Judy Vorfeld, Publisher		Issue 101

Judy's Corner

What are some of your favorite books? Who are some of your favorite authors?

Responses from subscribers

Clair: Thank you for keeping me on your mailing list! I enjoy your newsletter and I especially enjoyed seeing some of your favorite authors, so thought I would share a few of mine with you, since we seem to have considerable overlap in our reading menu. I suspect you are probably familiar with many I am listing.

I will start with some local or regional authors: Donis Casey's Oklahoma Territory mysteries are great (she is a local retired librarian I met at an author event at the Tempe library). I also am fond of Jon Talton (reporter who used to live here and writes mysteries set in Phoenix), Sinclair Browning (AZ ranch mysteries), Tricia Fields (Tucson mysteries), retired reporter Betty Webb's local PI series and her zoo series, and, of course, J A Jance (3 series, 2 set in AZ). I like the Ellah Clah SW Native American police procedurals of the David and Aimee Thurlo as well as Tony Hillerman's and his daughter's.

I love the self-deprecating humor of David Rosenfelt's dog mysteries. I like the characters and setting (Venice) of Donna Leon's police procedurals but not the corruption she acknowledges.I like the characters in the Minnesota police/high tech mysteries of PJ Tracy. Years ago I read Nicolas Freling's wonderful European mysteries but can't find them to reread in any of my local libraries. I am fond of the odd characters in Adler-Olson's Scandinavian series.

Just for fun: I haven't read it since I was in high school, but I really loved reading a novel about the American Revolution from the perspective of a Tory (Oliver Wiswell by Kenneth Roberts).

For the nonfiction/professional part of my life, I am a big fan of Oliver Sacks; I am currently fascinated by the new approach to teaching math (Jo Boaler What's Math Got to Do With It) (hey, which of those 2 letter words should be in caps?) - also see YouCubed online.

Personal update: I am pretending I am retired but am working toward writing a new book, one for teens who don't read at grade level (what librarians call high/low) about how you can figure out what is true (fake news, misleading advertising, etc). I have been volunteering with Arizonans for Children as a group home tutor for almost a year and a half now, but I would like to reach more struggling middle school students since our school system is so incredibly underfunded and teachers need all the help they can get.

Mary: Thanks for a great newsletter! Loved reading about your book reading, of course. So many authors I can refer to for this winter's reading time- wonderful :)(I thought your description of Rain of Gold quite elegant - will have to search out that book.) You asked your readers "what have you been reading"- Currently I'm reading a book by Chuck Klosterman (first thing of his that I have read) called "But What If We're Wrong? Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past" Quite a different look at our assumed knowledge. He points out how all through history, humanity has been quite sure that whatever knowledge they had at hand has to be true. And then over time, generally it is learned that it wasn't so true, after all. I'm not too far into the book but am finding it an exceptional view of what could be. Definitely a different perspective. And that is something I appreciate- different perspectives :)

Another book I have a hold on at the library is "Wild Things -The Joy of Reading Children's Literature as an Adult" by Bruce Handy. Quite a number of holds on it so am hoping it is a great read! And your many useful links are always treasured.

Jan: Darlin Sis. Always love your communication expressway. And your sound opinions about this and that. This time literature and your favorites which I loved. I don't think I have found that great amazing author that captures me, except sometimes John Grisham when he's got a good one going. Camino Island is one. But right now I am also reading "LARA" By Anna Pasternak, granddaughter of the famed author of Dr. Zhivago. You know if I think it's worth your time. Love you muchly dear Sis! PS. Did you ever read the book, Fortune is a Woman? If not, I recommend it.

Hal: I just finished editing my new book, scheduled for Nov-Dec release: HEALTHCAREPRENEURS . . . 2020 Survival Handbook for Practice Growth & Development Now! For healthcare providers of every type and specialization, this is a hand-held fast-paced walk through successful business world strategical and tactical applications. (Prompted by ongoing healthcare-tangle news of hundreds of medical practices closing and skilled doctors literally walking away and changing careers . . . heart transplant surgeon to horse-trainer, e.g., because of insurance and government over-regulation stress).

I just started teaching again — a series of practical application workshops for business owners/ managers/ entrepreneurs at Tennessee Tech University. Yes, I'm still working on the sequel to my first novel, HIGH TIDE and on the 5-camera video editing (for PBS-TV) of the stage musical FEARLESS! for which I edited the book, and served as producer of last summer's successful eight-performance premiere. I continue to coach and consult small businesses and individuals in person and by phone and email.

Grammar Tip -

Punctuation at the end of a sentence where quotation marks are involved. According to Gregg Reference Manual, periods and commas always go inside the closing quotation mark. This is the preferred American style.