Tag Archives: Commentary

03.24.17
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Book Review #30: “Angels & Demons”

angels-and-demons

Image Credit: Amazon

I originally thought The Da Vinci Code was the first book to feature Robert Langdon, but I was proven wrong!

This was a HUGE book. I wanted to finish it last week, but it was so dense that it took me until 11:00 p.m. last night to finally finish. It’s 616 pages total!

To be blunt, I have several praises, as well as several criticisms.

I was instantly drawn into Robert Langdon’s world. Brown hooked me within the first few sentences. I was along Langdon’s side from Harvard, to Switzerland, to Vatican City, to Rome. It was a bit of a whirlwind at first, and then you get plunged into the worlds of CERN,  Vatican City, the Catholic Church, history, and symbolism.

Trying to figure out the puzzle that Brown laid out kept me interested. A scientist at CERN is brutally murdered, and he has connections to both the scientific and religious communities.

I liked Vittoria Vetra almost immediately. She’s feisty, gorgeous, and a great addition to Langdon. Langdon is the main character, but there were times that Vittoria was faster, and took control, and I liked it! She’s a smart cookie, and I knew Robert would be attracted to her.

The menagerie of twists and turns made me feel like I was on a high-speed ride through Europe! It was exhilarating. There were several days where I flew through multiple chapters and dozens of pages.

I applaud Brown’s dedication and commitment to historical accuracy, and being totally up front about not fictionalizing any locations, historical figures, or places (There’s a disclaimer in the very beginning). It felt even more real!

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However, I had several issues with this book. There were three particular instances where I feel Brown is almost too graphic in his writing. As an aspiring writer of fiction, I know that, at certain times, it’s necessary to be graphic to illustrate and illuminate, But, Brown’s style was too much for this reader. I almost gave up every time. I almost didn’t want to find out what happened next. Some of it almost made me sick.

But, I pressed on.

Toward the end, as the intensity was reaching its peak in Vatican City, where decisions needed to be made quickly – Brown inserted this multiple-page speech by the Camerlengo (papal chamberlain) that just dragged on and on. I got the significance – The man was addressing the cardinals at a critical point in the conclave – but it could have been much shorter! Maybe dedicate a page or two, but not five or six! I felt so impatient during that section. I wanted to skip the entire speech and get just back to the action!

Finally, I hated the ending. It felt abrupt, it felt weird, it left me hanging a bit. It wasn’t a cliffhanger, but I hated how nonchalant it felt. I won’t give it away, but I felt a bit empty when I closed the book.

My first thought was, “That’s it? That’s how you end this ridiculously long book? Wow…”

After sleeping on it, I realized this morning why he ended it the way he did, but I still wasn’t happy about it!

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If you’re looking for a thriller that involves conspiracy, mystery, secret societies, art history, exploring historic sections of Europe, and learning a lot about the Catholic Church – This book is for you.

Overall, I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone for this one. I’d heard of the movies, but haven’t seen them. The first few pages of The Da Vinci Code I read about a month ago made me curious about who Robert Langdon is and how he got himself into such a twisted web of history, religion, and murder. It’s an exciting book, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of him, and what happens next.

Despite my issues with Angels & Demons, I’m still motivated to read the other books with protagonist Robert Langdon – The Da Vinci Code (2003), The Lost Symbol (2009), Inferno (2013), and Origin (October 2017). Look for these reviews over the next few months.

3 out of 5 stars.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.22.17
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Writing Prompt #50: “52 Weeks of Gratitude Challenge” (Week 12)

Week #12: Your Favorite Personality Trait

After much internal deliberation and debate, I think I’m most grateful for my compassion. I was raised that way, and I’m also grateful that it’s stuck with me all these years.

There have been several times where I was at a crossroads, and having compassion was one of the choices I could make. Although difficult sometimes, usually I’ve chosen to take the high road, and show compassion to others.

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Compassion, however, does come with a bit of a price. I was a literal doormat for years, especially when I was younger. I was so naive. I would give so much of myself, only to have a few select people walk all over me, and straight up take advantage of me.

Example: I tried to be friendly and sweet with some of the popular girls (cheerleaders, etc.) in middle school – Boy, did that backfire.

It happened with my ex-boyfriend, John – I was so compassionate towards him, that I ended up in an abusive relationship with him for the better part of four years.

It happened more recently with another former friend, J. – He saw my compassion immediately, and that turned into an ugly infatuation situation (meaning him being infatuated/obsessed/in love with me/wanting to kiss me, etc.) that I couldn’t break free of for a good long while. He blocked me on Facebook almost a year ago. It hurt a little at first, but to be completely honest, I’m far happier this way.

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I still give a lot of myself now, but I’m much more knowledgeable about people being mean-spirited and using others for their own gain.

I’ve scaled back a few friendships because of this. It was tough making that type of decision, but I’m grateful that I stuck to my guns. I’ve found that I’m far happier when I’m aiming my compassion at the people, places, and things that I truly care about!

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I leave you this Wednesday with a quote from Nelson Mandela:

“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronizingly – but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.”

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.21.17
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Commentary #50: “Students Turn the Tables on a Journalist”

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Image Credit: Ask Ideas

I read several advice columns, on almost a daily basis:

I don’t always agree, but several letters have made me think about certain things in my own life, such as dealing with certain friendships, how to consider money matters, and how to help the environment in different ways.

Last Monday, I stumbled upon an intriguing headline:

I don’t normally read “Parents Talk Back,” but I felt like I needed to read this one.

And, I was right.

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Scenario: The columnist is approached by her daughter. Daughter asks mother to come talk to her middle school classes before starting a unit on investigative journalism.

Mother agrees, and creates a lesson plan with the teacher. Her ideas: Discuss the First Amendment, explore how the free press works, the different types of news sources, and examples of investigations.

She taught this lesson six times, to groups of 40 students. That’s 240 students! Armed with candy, she encouraged the students to answer and ask questions.

She later received over 100 notes from the students, thanking her for the enlightening discussion.

Here’s some of the responses:

  • “I learned a lot of new things about how to gather information on public files.”
  • “I’m taking journalism in high school, and I wasn’t that excited about it, but now i am! Can’t wait for that class.”
  • “Who knows — you may have possibly inspired a future journalist.”
  • “It gave me new insight on the steps reporters take to write a story and how they’re viewed by the public. My favorite part was when you explained the impact of journalism on real world issues.”
  • “My favorite thing you said was that reporters helped bring bad things to light.”
  • “My favorite thing you said was that investigative journalists don’t do it for the money, they do it for the truth.”
  • “My favorite thing you said was you’ve been a journalist for 20 years, and that’s a record to me, because most people quit because people say mean things.”

I found myself re-reading this column a few times over the last week. It’s awesome that one woman made such an impact on 240 students, in one day!

Reading this column has inspired me to look into opportunities of sharing my varied knowledge on topics such as reading, writing, journalism, mass media, blogging, donating blood/blood drives, and maybe even the world of healthcare.

I’m not sure where this will lead me, but I’m excited!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.20.17
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Awesome Authors #3: John Grisham

John Grisham Quote

Image Credit: AZ Quotes

This installment of Awesome Authors covers one of my all-time favorites, John Grisham. I give partial credit to him for leading me to pursue my Paralegal Studies degree, and developing my initial interest in the field of law. I aspire to own all of his books, someday! I need to pre-order his newest book, Camino Island.

He’s smart, sharp, and he writes really good books!

The Pelican Brief (1992)

The Pelican Brief

Image Credit: Wikipedia

This was the first Grisham book I read. My own copy is well-loved. I tend to re-read it at least once or twice every year.

The movie adaptation (1993) is one of my absolute favorites! Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington were perfect co-stars.

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The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town (2006)

The Innocent Man

Image Credit: Wikipedia

This book sparks the clearest memory for me – I stumbled upon it in high school, at the Chesapeake library, probably right after it was published. I love true crime stories, so I remember flying through it. I have my own copy, so I’ll probably re-read it at some point in the near future.

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The Whistler (2016)

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Image Credit: Amazon

You can check out my review of Grisham’s latest work here:

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A Time to Kill (1989)

A Time to Kill

Image Credit: Wikipedia

I don’t remember when I first read it, but I didn’t realize it was his first novel until much later!

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Theodore Boone series (2010-present)

Image Credit: Wikipedia
Image Credit: Wikipedia

I have some catching up to do, but I’ve read Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (2010), and Theodore Boone: The Abduction (2011) thus far. I found both of them at the Chesapeake libraries, and I’m working on getting copies of all six books.

I need to read Theodore Boone: The Accused (2012), Theodore Boone: The Activist (2013), Theodore Boone: The Fugitive (2015), and Theodore Boone: The Scandal (2016).

Theo is a good kid, and Grisham is a decent writer for kids!

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A large number of Grisham’s novels / original works have been adapted for the screen:

  1. The Firm (1993 film, 2011-2012 TV series)
  2. The Pelican Brief (1993)
  3. The Client (1994 film, 1995-1996 TV series)
  4. The Chamber (1996)
  5. A Time to Kill (1996 film, 2011 stage play)
  6. The Rainmaker (1997)
  7. The Gingerbread Man (manuscript, 1998)
  8. A Painted House (2003 TV movie)
  9. Runaway Jury (2003)
  10. The Street Lawyer (2003 TV pilot)
  11. Mickey (2004)
  12. Skipping Christmas (Christmas with the Kranks, 2004)
  13. The Associate (TBA)
  14. The Testament (TBA)
  15. Calico Joe (TBA)

He’s also published four collections of short stories, and three works of non-fiction.

What about you? Have you read any of John Grisham’s books?

Come back in late April for another installment of Awesome Authors!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.15.17
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Writing Prompt #49: “52 Weeks of Gratitude Challenge” (Week 11)

Week #11: Someone Who Inspires You.

There are so many people that inspire me – It’s really hard to pick just one person!

When reviewing the prompt this past weekend, I thought of my mom’s mother – My Grandma Grace. Some of you have seen me mention her on the blog before. She was an amazing woman!

She lived to be 96. This year will have been her 100th birthday!

Born in 1917, in West Virginia, she lived through the Great Depression. She went to college in Ohio, which was still relatively unusual for women back then. She married my grandpa just five days before D-Day in 1944, at an Army base in Texas. Grandpa proudly served in the Army and fought in World War II.

After he got out of the Army, they moved to Florida. She worked as a social worker, and was a dutiful housewife. My grandpa was a successful businessman in Miami for many years, owning/managing furniture stores and other businesses. My Uncle Richard was born first, and then my mom came along two years later.

I was very lucky to have her in my life until I was nearly 25! She was a wonderful caregiver for Grandpa, who passed away in August 2008. I loved traveling to Coral Gables to see them several times a year – Over the years, I gained a great appreciation for Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Miami, and the surrounding areas.

She was incredibly wise, and super smart. She loved doing the crossword puzzle in The Miami Herald every day, and she nearly finished it before the day’s end, every time. She taught me how to play to Scrabble. She also taught me that Oreos simply taste better when they’ve been frozen!

Grandma Grace inspired me to do, and taught me, many things:

  • Take good care for my possessions
  • Travel the world
  • Learn how to cook good food
  • Visit the library early and often
  • Going to church is important, and also a wonderful source of socialization
  • Read, read, and keep reading
  • Always send thank-you notes
  • Find a craft that you love (Hers was with her church group, making place mats out of greeting cards!)
  • Call your family and friends frequently
  • Keep up with current and world events
  • Enjoy your family for as long as possible

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.10.17
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Hot Topic #19: The Water Crisis in Flint, and Others

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Image Credit: Michigan Radio

This particular issue has been running through my veins for a good while now – No pun intended.

The purpose of this post is to review the events of what’s happened with the water in Flint, Michigan. In addition, I want to highlight other cities that have or have had their own water crises.

In my humble opinion, this is simply unacceptable. Everyone needs water to survive!

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a person can live about a month without food. However, one can only survive about a week without water.

Lack of clean, safe water leads to further illness and disease, and ultimately, death.

Flint, Michigan

One of the most recently updated articles about the crisis in Flint comes from CNN:

In a nutshell, the city officially switched water sources in 2014. At that time, Flint’s water supply fund was $9 million in the hole. Flint has gotten its water from Lake Huron since 1967. But, nearly three years ago, the source was switched to the Flint River while a new pipeline was under construction.

The Flint River was not being treated with an anti-corrosive agent, which violates federal law. Because this agent was not added, when the supply was switched over, lead from old pipes started to contaminate the water.

Lead exposure is known to cause adverse health effects, particularly in children and pregnant women. There are medicines that reduce the amount of lead in the blood, but further treatments have not been developed.

Since then, it’s been disaster after disaster. Finger-pointing back and forth, multiple lawsuits, and tons of bureaucratic red tape. All the while, the residents have been holding the bag – All they want is to be able to use their tap water again.

Among other things, tests have come back positive for horrifying things over the last few years, such as Legionnaire’s disease, total coliform bacteria, disinfectant byproducts, and bacteria buildup. Even Flint’s General Motors plant stopped using the city water because high levels of chlorine were corroding engine parts.

Flint has been in the spotlight for another reason – About 40 percent of its residents are African-American. There have been multiple claims / allegations that race has been a factor in the crisis, as well.

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Here’s some more information. The timelines were immensely eye-opening.

Other Cities in the U.S.

After the Flint crisis broke loose, other cities in the U.S. started reporting elevated levels of lead in their water supplies.

A simple Google search of “water crisis in America” immediately hits upon an article, dated March 2016, from CNBC, titled, “America’s water crisis goes beyond Flint, Michigan.”

Another startling article, titled, “America Is Suffering From A Very Real Water Crisis That Few Are Acknowledging,” is more recent. This was published just a few months ago, in January. It cites several sources, but most striking is one report from Reuters that states shocking statistics. There are 3,000 localities in the U.S. alone that have lead levels at least double the amount in Flint.

That’s just insane.

Like Flint, many of these communities have what’s referred to as “legacy lead,” meaning that most are former industrial hubs that have crumbling paint, old plumbing, and industrial waste.

However, many of these localities have not been in the national spotlight. Most of these areas have had to fight the poison on their own.

With that said, there are multiple problems here. There is data showing contamination, but funding has not been increased or allocated to fix the plumbing, pipes, or water supplies. While recent focus has been on lead, there are water supplies all over this country that are tainted with numerous hazardous metals and elements (mercury, arsenic, chlorine, etc.), bacteria, and other things that are far from safe.

Around the World

It’s no secret that other cities and countries on our planet don’t have regular access to clean, safe drinking water.

A quick Google search lists numbers of at least 1.1 billion people on our planet that have scarce water.

Here’s several links that illustrate the worldwide water shortage:

What Can We Do?

At this point, you may be feeling helpless, or confused, or sad. So, what can we do?

  • There are multiple charities that are dedicated to providing safe, clean water to water-scarce areas.
  • Educating others about these issues.
  • Spreading awareness.
  • Harvesting rainwater.
  • Researching and advocating new technologies.
  • Decreasing the effects of climate change.
  • Pursuing cleaner means of energy.
  • Consuming products that use less water.

Source: Conserve Energy Future

We may not be able to change the world right now, but educating others goes a long way!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.08.17
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Writing Prompt #48: “52 Weeks of Gratitude Challenge” (Week 10)

Week #10: List Five Things You Like About You

  1. I love my physical features. I love that I have a good mix of my mom and my dad. Most of you know that my mom and I have the same face shape, and look very much alike, with the exception of our hairstyles. On several occasions, people have recognized me as my mom, both in person, and especially over the phone. I have my dad’s hair, skin, and eyes. I feel unique!
  2. I love that I love to read and write. These two are two of my biggest passions!
  3. I love that I’m no longer embarrassed about my American Girl dolls. I felt sheepish for several years; I felt un-cool talking about it. No more!
  4. I love that my interest in mass media has continued after college, especially since I didn’t go into that field for my career. The state of our country is troublesome right now, but I’ve tried really hard to keep up with the current events.
  5. I love that I’m left-handed! I’m a proud southpaw.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.03.17
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Commentary #49: Rec’d and Wreck’d – Music Albums!

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Image Credit: Shealea at That Bookshelf Bitch.

Here’s the links to my previous Rec’d and Wreck’d posts:

Ready?

Here we go!

The Rules:

  1. Download the Rec’d & Wreck’d header and include it in your post.
  2. Specify what you’re going to Rec’d & Wreck’d. If you were tagged to do a Rec’d & Wreck’d post, let us know and mention the person who tagged you.
  3. List three things you would recommend (rec’d). Rave until your heart’s content.
  4. List three things you would like to wreck (wreck’d). Rant until your heart’s content.
  5. State your challenge for the next Rec’d & Wreck’d post. Here’s an example:
    Rec’d & Wreck’d challenge:
    – Type: Books
    – Genre: YA Contemporary
    – Prompt: I’m looking for a book that can make me ugly cry
  6. You can open the challenge to all your blog readers, but you should nominate at least seven (7) people to do your challenge.
  7. Do not forget to link back to the original post on That Bookshelf Bitch. That way, more people can learn about the feature and join in on the fun!

Rec’d

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Image Credit: Wikipedia

(1) Glee: The Music, Volume 1 – Many of you know that I am a huge “gleek.” I’ve loved the show from Day One. The same goes for most of the music. I own most of the CDs. This CD will always be my favorite. It has a great mix of songs from the first season. “Don’t Stop Believin'” is my favorite, but they also feature “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Sweet Caroline,” and “Defying Gravity,” to name a few. If you haven’t listened to their music, I highly recommend it!

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Image Credit: Wikipedia

(2) …Baby One More Time, Britney Spears – I begged and begged my parents for this CD! I had a huge poster of Britney on the back of my bedroom door. I finally got it for one of my birthdays, and I think I wore it out with my CD player!

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millennium_cover

Image Credit: Wikipedia

(3) Millennium, Backstreet Boys – This was another CD that I begged for and pleaded. My parents gave it to me for one of my birthdays. My favorite song is “I Want It That Way” – And yes, I did dance in front of my mirrored closet doors, singing into my hairbrush!

Wreck’d

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Image Credit: Wikipedia

(1) A Thousand Different Ways, Clay Aiken – I tried SO HARD to love this album. But, it just didn’t sit well with me. I absolutely loved Measure of a Man (2003) and Merry Christmas with Love (2004), but this one was disappointing. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but it’s not my favorite.

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playon

Image Credit: Wikipedia

(2) Play On, Carrie Underwood – As much as I love Carrie and her voice and her music, I regretted buying this album. This one has the least amount of play time for me. Similar to Clay Aiken, I loved her albums Some Hearts, Carnival Ride, and Blown Away, but not this one. Her singing felt different, and a little strange.

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(3) I can’t actually come up with a third one – I can’t! I love most all music. I tend to have love/hate relationships with individual artists, or a certain song, rather than a particular album.

That’s all!

Do you have any Rec’d and Wreck’d recommendations? I’d love to hear them!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.01.17
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Writing Prompt #47: “52 Weeks of Gratitude Challenge” (Week 9)

Week #9: How Did You Do & Feel?

I feel really good about this challenge right now. I’m really glad I picked Wednesdays for these posts – They’re in the middle of the week, and it gives me a chance to compose my thoughts over the weekend, if need be. I’m happy with my progress so far!

Come back next week for more!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

02.26.17
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Book Review #29: “The Whistler”

the-whistler

Image Credit: Amazon

This was another book that I picked up with the generous Barnes and Noble gift card from my parents. John Grisham has always been one of my favorite authors – I give partial credit to his writing for getting me interested in the legal field!

When I bought this book, this marked one of the first times I bought an author’s newest book within a few months of its release. With Grisham, I’ve typically found copies of his books at libraries and thrift stores. However, as I’m wrapping up my Paralegal Studies degree, I’m finding that I want to read as many new legal-themed books as I can get my hands on, even if it is fiction.

The Whistler is a powerful thriller, full of twists and turns. I liked the setup of the Board on Judicial Conduct (BJC) – Grisham followed a different angle of the legal profession with this one. 

I liked Lacy and Hugo working together. I’m partial to books set in Florida, too.

No spoilers – But there’s a big bombshell almost smack in the middle of the book that made me stop reading for almost a whole week. It was too painful!

To be honest, I almost gave up on the book altogether.

However, once I picked up the pieces from the bombshell and soldiered on, it got better. At the end, I felt it was a very long book. I thought it could have been about 100 pages shorter. There were several characters that weren’t crucial to the overall story, and they muddied the waters quite a bit. It got a bit confusing to keep up with, and that always bothers me with novels.

Despite a few pitfalls, I liked the structure of the book. When I got completely engrossed, it was really hard to put the book down. I found myself flying through 4-6 chapters for several nights in a row!

Grisham disappointed me a bit with this latest work, but The Whistler had enough drama, mystery, and intrigue to keep me interested!

3.5 out of 5 stars.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂