Review 508: Traffic

Traffic by Paul Josephson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book in the Object Lessons series took on a serious tone to the subject. The book is of a small size and usually these series books are usually quickly read books.

In looking at traffic, the focus was on safety and traffic calming measure, specifically with the speed bump. It has many different names, one of my favorites is in Russian it is referred to a the sleeping policeman. These roadway bumps can take on several different forms, but they are there in order to calm traffic and speeds. With slower speeds pedestrians and bicyclists can share safer roads. One of the best things about speed bumps are they are very low cost and easy to add to the roadway.

Other safety features in the automobile was discussed, such as seatbelts, interior design changes and airbags, all to make the car safer in the event of an accident. The book did have a leaning towards looking at the regulations of the United States, but other countries were often mentioned. There was a chapter on Brazil and longish one on Russia. The county with the strictish measures of safety does have the lowest number of fatalities per 100,000 persons, this is the Netherlands at 3.9, worldwide the average is 18.

Overall the book does come together as a cohesive unit, but many of the chapters felt like individual essays, somewhat disjointed from one to another. The speed bump was the one consistency throughout.

Review 507: Dust

Dust by Hugh Howey
My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars

This isn’t really a review of the book, it’s my reading experience…there’s all sorts of reviews already written so didn’t feel like a summary of what happened was necessary.

The first book in this series I had low expectations and was blown away by the book. I read it quickly and enjoyed it quite a bit. The second book took me years to get to, this is why I don’t like series, there can be a long time lag between reading the books and yep, I forgot the details of the book, but not the overall arch. Book two was a prequel type anyway, taking place many, many years before book one.

In any case I didn’t enjoy book two so much. Maybe it was the high expectations after book one. So going into book three I wasn’t sure how I would take it. Turns out somewhere in the middle. I definitely liked it more than the second book, but not nearly as enjoyable as the first. I think there was something unique with the first one and after that none of the other books could live up to it.

In any case, I’m glad I didn’t wait many years, between book two and three. It was nearly a year between these two, but not so long ago that many of the details were forgotten.

I liked the conclusion to this book, it was quite satisfying.

Review 506: Bad Animals

Bad Animals by Sarah Braunstein
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars



A woman working at a library is let go. She loved, absolutely loved working at the library. And with her precious daughter off at college and barely contacting her, the library fulfills her purpose. When suddenly jobless and her husband out of town for an extended period Maeve Cosgrove clings to the library. Going over and over what happened, with that troubled teen. 

Then the famous writer that she had sent many letters to in the hope he would come speak to the library, well he agreed and even wants to write his next book based on one of the patrons. Maeve becomes a liaison between him and the writer. 

The book was okay, read mostly during a vacation.

Review 505: Time Squared

Time Squared by Lesley Krueger
My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars


A unique concept for a time travel book. At first it was a little confusing; decades would go by but the characters acted as if it was only months. It only became obvious that the world was changing when technology started to change dramatically. Later characters and situations changed significantly as well. It starts, and takes place for most of the book in the 19th century, but doesn't stay there and briefly visits the 16th and 17th century and of course the 20th and 21st.

Our main character is Eleanor Crosby who lives with her Aunt Clara since her father died, who was a minister. It is time she gets a husband. She has a dear friend Catherine. The Denholm brothers are visiting their area, Middleford, Yorkshire and the eldest is the most attractive catch, as the heir to the family castle, while the younger in uniform about to head out to war.

There’s a quite a cast of characters, the above being the most important, and they all seem to reappear in each time line. The book is held as being a romance through the different eras where Eleanor is trying to be with Robin. It is that in a way, but much more.

It’s an uncommon book and the ending does try to provide some reasoning for what all came before, but I was not much of a fan of that. Despite that part I did enjoy the way the book worked and the style of writing. It was an intriguing book.

Review 504: That Quail, Robert

That Quail, Robert by Margaret A. Stanger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A short book written in the mid-60's about a quail that became a pet. An abandoned quail egg hatched and the family attempted to send the quail back into the wild, but it was having none of it. They named the quail Robert and this book is about how its habits and human loving nature impressed many people.

At the time the news of Robert was spread about, made its way into newspapers and even a stint on a network channel. Robert had many visitors, people who loved animals, those of disbelief until they saw the quail, and all other sorts.

The author was not the family parents, instead a friend and nearby neighbor. An occasion came up where the family was going to Europe for several months to attend their son’s wedding, taking a steamer across the pond. They couldn’t take Robert, not leave the bird alone, so the author became the next home of Robert’s. Even during these three months the visitors kept coming.

The book relates Robert’s daily habits and preferences and those times of illness or troubles, rare as they were.

It is an adoring book. I used to live where there were coveys of quail around my yard all the time. I miss seeing them and this book helped fill that small hole, albeit temporarily.