Not just another Winterreise
353213
This is a truly incredible recording; Van Dam's beautiful voice and sensitive interpretation are a worthy addition to what one would think is an overly saturated host of recordings.
Baldwin, as always, is an equal partner, and both musicians let the lyrics and the music speak for themselves.
Join them on this journey - it's worth it!
4916477
This review originally appeared on herestohappyendings.com.

I don't know why I put off writing my review for this book for such a long time.  Winterfolk was a lot different from other books that I've read, and to be honest, it's probably the very first book that I've read with a homeless character as the main character of the book.  This really made it an interesting read, because so much was going on and we really got to understand the modern world from the point of view of a young girl who doesn't have access to the things we do - doing laundry at home, plenty of food to eat, and an understanding of certain people, places, and things.

"The problem with being a ghost - is that no one can see you."

Rain lives in the woods with her father outside of Seattle, where she is part of a small group of other homeless people who call themselves the Winterfolk.  This group lives in tents, scavenges for food the best they can, and treats each other like family.  The problem is?  No one seems to care about or even see the Winterfolk - they are pretty much ignored, and while that has been a benefit to Rain most of her life, she is about to embark on a small journey that proves that maybe she can be seen, after all.

"I take his lead and look around.  Sure looks like a world I used to know - with streets, and cars, and shops, and everything.  Still here after all this time.  Not a ghost town.  Every color represented.  Not just blue, brown, and green.  A different world.  With real people.  All that separated us was a wall."

When she goes into the city with her best friend, where they decide to do their laundry and he has a surprise to give her (a real, honest shower - something she never would get otherwise), he goes missing and causes Rain to explore the city on her own, looking for him, meeting new people, and coming across things that she has never seen or heard of before.

During her journey, she makes new friends, and discovers that people aren't always who they say they are - sometimes for the good, and sometimes for the bad.  As she tries to make her way back to the Winterfolk, where she needs to get ready to pack up and find a new place to stay, since they are going to demolish the woods they are currently living in, she comes across many obstacles that she wasn't expecting, and learns more about herself than she has ever known.

"Strange how some memories stick to you, while others are hard to find.  Some, you  hold - try to feel their edges and figure out their shapes - sort out if it's yours or someone else's."

What I loved most about Winterfolk was definitely how we got to experience the world through Rain's eyes, as she navigates a world that she can't remember much about, or has no real ties to.  It's so different to read a book from a point of view of a homeless girl, as most of the time when we read contemporary novels the narrators tend to be well off or have a home.  This was different, and it was really eye-opening.

While I liked the idea of the book being told from Rain's point of view and how different things were than what we were used to, I have to say that I wasn't really able to connect to a single character in this book, and I think they all felt a bit flat.  I didn't feel that any of them really had any kind of defining personality or traits that made them special; I would have loved to learn more about other characters in the book and feel more meaningful interactions between characters, as well.

It really was both sad and enlightening to look at the world from Rain's point of view, and while it's heartbreaking that there are teens that go through these types of things on a daily basis, it's also the kind of book that can really cause someone to want to try and change things.  It's the kind of novel that's touching and really wants to drive you and inspire you to do something to help change the world - even if it's volunteering in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter.

Note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!
655436
WINTER WORLD provides an overview of the amazing evolutionary adaptations in both physiology and behaviour that the members of the animal kingdom have made to ensure their survival through bitter northern winters. From the obvious means of hibernation by bears and chipmunks, through the use of torpidity and intense shivering to control body heat in the presence of low external temperatures, to the wood frog which under certain conditions can survive being frozen completely solid! How bizarre is that? Nature and the universe is truly stranger than we might ever mentally ponder even in our wildest fits of imaginative creativity.

Heinrich is that wonderful combination of first rate scientist, skilled outdoorsman and superb writer whose talent makes his science and his passion accessible to those of us less knowledgeable in the field. Heinrich's obvious delight in sharing his discoveries makes the reading of WINTER WORLD at once informative, charming and exciting.

Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss
2621866
Very interesting technique. I think it will give me something new to try this winter while I'm hibernating and avoiding the snow. Thanks for the inspiration!
3767117
In 'Winter' Len Deighton not only tells a riveting story, but skillfully depicts the era of the Wiemar Republic and Nazi Germany.  Dieghton's protagonists, Peter and Puali Winter, show two very different views of the  events of the time.  While Pauli embraces the Nazi Revolution, Peter is  skeptical.  Thier points of view ultimatly allow readers to understand the  moral and ethical questions the people of Germany had to ask at the time.  Wonderful.
888638
The Invasion of Tork isn't your typical Christmas story with family dinners, presents and laughter. Instead, you get a little Christmas miracle.

The writers' characters are always believable. It's easy to see Tork walking the streets, alone, looking for shelter, a place to belong to.  Same with the romance, it feels real and heartfelt, no gimmicks. What Al Stewart brings to this great writing duo is the poetry, play with words. He creates beautiful imagery even of the darker side of life.

I started reading the story and completely forgot it was suppose to be part of a Holiday anthology. It is a beautiful story that just sucks you in. Yes, perhaps not very Christmassy at the beginning but then something happens and I think Stewart and Davis actually capture the true meaning of Christmas.
4917856
You don't have to be a Rothfuss superfan or as another reviewer put it, a special snowflake, to enjoy this work. If you have read his other books its worth trying. I'll take a bit of authenticity any day over a series writer who plugs in new character names and churns out disturbingly similar story after story.
4612248
Here's another CD that I expected to hate, but Paul Winter won me over once again with a delightful recording. It is tempting to knock his mixing of wilderness sounds and music as a gimmick, but the fact is that with Paul Winter, they never sound like a gimmick. The man believes in what he is doing, and his sincerity wins over jaded old listeners like me. This truly is a musical celebration of the Northern Rockies, and I thank Paul Winter and musicians and engineers for letting me sit in my comfortable chair and take such a journey.

 No, I don't especially care for the painting that this CD promotes, and the New Age ambience of it all turns me off, but I find the end result musically captivating, and the audiophile in me marvels at the masterly blending of natural and synthetic sounds that make this CD a sonic showpiece. And let me say once again that if you ever get a chance to see Paul Winter perform live, by all means, do so. You'll be treated to a most rewarding evening.
1151514
Lets get something straight.  This is *not* meant to sound like Scarlet.., Ultraviolet etc.  This is 'technically' a side-project from Andy and Julianne.  It is a mellow, almost ambient soundtrack to winter.  I found *almost* all of the album to be wonderfull to listen to on Christmas morning, opening presents, the smell of roast potatoes drifting from the kitchen to the living room.  The fact that there are covers of 'the snowman' and 'last christmas', should scream that this is a different type of offering from AAE, and it sounds it!  Do not expect what some may call 'The All about eve sound'.  Juliannes' vocals once again wash over you like a warm breeze, and the production whilst not of a big budget offering, is adequate to instill the mood that was intended.  Go into this with an open minded approach, and reap the rewards!
4065916
A different type of story. I really enjoyed this story. It reminds me of few stories I have read before but this one different in many ways. The main characters are orphaned children in a winter world that they must adjust to. Amongst the cold winter you do not go out at night. The watchers have been all too known for taking people away or just killing them. I really liked the way this story moved quickly not leaving you guessing or wondering why so much information was given. The author gives you plenty of information to know what is going on and still allow your imagination to roam.
3490461
Last autumn, I met the author of "The Everlasting Snowman" at the Rag Apple Lassie winery in North Carolina and bought the book. I'm always looking for enchanting picture books about the Yuletide season, love, and service to read as part of my holiday meditations. What first drew me in were the watercolor illustrations, washed in shades of blue, lavender, pink and white that recalled Michigan winters, but also reminded me that I had entered a fantasy world where snowmen talk and share their view of the world. The story follows the life of a snowman family throughout the year and shares the advice a snow child's parents give when faced with the little one's sadness about the brief span of a snowman's life.

The story works on several levels. At its base is a charming story of talking snowmen that children can enjoy. Taken on a spiritual level, the story may open up discussions for both children and adults. First, the snowman tale illustrates one form of everlasting life, a common theme in Christian theology. From a Buddhist perspective, the story might foster discussion about the impermanence of life and how we humans cope with that reality as well as the rhythms and circles of life that we all experience. Finally, the book presents a way to introduce natural science to children by showing how a natural substance, water, is preserved in several forms on earth and is essential to life on our planet.

I thought I had purchased a simple tale of talking snowmen and got a small treasure of wisdom. "The Everlasting Snowman" is worth adding to your winter reading list.
1620720
I just recently discovered Schubert's lieder, and so I can't bring any expertise to bear, but I want to register my strong recommendation for this disc in Matthias Goerne's Schubert Edition series on harmonia mundi.

Unlike&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Winterreise/dp/B00K1Q3UNC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Winterreise</a>, the first of Schubert's lieder I heard, this is a diverse set encompassing many moods, many seasons as it were.  "Winterreise" is powerful, a masterpiece, but it is bleak and harrowing, plunging the listener into the emotional depths.  "Erlkonig" is warmer and sunnier by comparison, including several of Schubert's best-known and most melodic lieder.  Goerne's baritone is rich and velvety, and Andreas Haefliger's piano is senstive and perfectly expressive.

Those more knowledgeable than I have praised this disc, but let me add the voice of a new Schubert lieder fan and say that this makes an excellent introduction!  It certainly adds to my appreciation of their range, and is simply beautiful music with wide appeal.

It must be said that the 58-page booklet on sturdy glossy paper is a major benefit, with the poetry/lyrics in German, French and English on facing pages so the listener can easily follow and learn German in the process!

(verified purchase from a large brick-and-mortar bookstore)
4572908
This was the first book I've read by this author, and is the second one to be released in English. Part of a popular series, this is actually apparently the 6th book featuring Pia Kirchhoff and Oliver von Bodenstein as German police detectives who work near the Taunus Mountain region north of Frankfurt.

The body of a young girl turns up in a local river and evidence indicates a history of long term physical and sexual abuse. No one has reported her missing, and the first step in this police procedural is to identify the victim. In alternating points of view, other plot lines are developed that indicate there is more to this body dump than first thought. The investigation becomes even more complex when the star of a popular local TV show, Hannah Herzmann, is brutally attacked just when she was about to produce an expose of monumental proportions that involved a woman with multiple personality disorder who had been treated by Hannah's own therapist. It seems that some very powerful people might be running a child pornography ring and they will do anything to keep their secrets.

I could not put this book down and found many surprises along the way while reading this unpredictable thriller. I loved the setting and the characters -- I feel I must be missing something by reading out of order in the series, but this was very satisfactory as a stand alone. I highly recommend it and will definitely be reading&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Snow-White-Must-Die-by-Neuhaus-Nele-2013-Paperback/dp/B00GOHKSPU/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Snow White Must Die by Neuhaus. Nele ( 2013 ) Paperback</a>&nbsp;shortly as well as the soon-to-be released English translation of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Ice-Queen-A-Novel/dp/0312604262/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Ice Queen: A Novel</a>.
142164
Summary:

Naturalist Bernd Heinrich applies his unique blend of science and writing to the many innovative ways in which animals survive winter. Migration and hibernation are famous examples, and Heinrich investigates these phenomena in enough detail so that the reader can appreciate how amazing they really are. He also explores a host of other methods of survival, never allowing us to lose sight of a couple of key concepts that mark the difference between life and death for the untold billions of winter residents. The first is the idea that all behavior and physiology has evolved over the ages since animals first managed to coexist with the strange and frightening conditions that mark the advent of winter. The second is that each individual creature must maintain a positive energy surplus over the cold winter months; all winter survival strategies are predicated on the idea that a creature must stoke its inner fire with energy of some sort.

  Along the way, Heinrich interweaves his own experiments and experiences, leaving us with vivid pictures of his encounter with a fatally wounded snapping turtle, and watching a beaver lodge as the sun rises, for example.

  The signature winter animal that Heinrich returns to time and again is the kinglet, the world's smallest perching bird that somehow manages to eke out a living despite the fact that it weighs no more than two pennies. The kinglet is a fitting choice for the tireless Heinrich, because he unearths a variety of survival strategies that the kinglet employs, yet still leaves an air of mystery around this amazing bird, whose presence in the cold winter woods is still not fully explained.

The Good and the Bad:

  Heinrich's writing remains impeccable. His own enthusiasm for his subjects leaps from every page.  In contrast to so many nature writers, Heinrich is someone who derives a spiritual boost every time he walks into the woods, yet doesn't attribute this to any actual spirits. Heinrich is a man of science, first and foremost, and his childlike wonder at each stirring creature destroys the stereotype of scientists who study nature without truly understanding it.

  The concepts are explained  in simple terms that we can all understand, and I found the mix of science and entertainment to be spot on. The chemical reactions that a bear undergoes while hibernating is educational and interesting; the story of a man who crashes through the ice onto a hibernating polar bear is entertaining.

  I have nothing bad to say about this book. Heinrich is at the top of his game, and shows no sign of slowing down.
1949651
Anne Rice has delivered her second installment in the "The Wolf Gift Chronicles," and "The Wolves of Midwinter" is a huge success! The sequel to "The Wolf Gift" begins with Yuletide at Nideck Point. It is a very important time of year this year for Reuben Golding, and for the Distinguished Gentleman of Nideck Point: Felix, Margon the Godless, Stuart, Sergei, and the others. It is a time of celebration not only of the Christmas season, but of the beginning of winter, a crucial event for the Morphenkind.

The events that closed the story of "The Wolf Gift" are behind them, and soon, the celebration begins. Felix has prepared Nideck Point to host a local Christmas celebration, one that the house had been well noted for in the past. Utilizing her clear and concise use of description, Rice has painted a perfect portrait of the Yuletide season and the numerous festivities that abound in the story, putting the reader in the midst of Felix's celebration, where strange faces lurk within the crowd.

Rice has also introduced several enthralling new characters; one of which is the enigmatic Lisa, the devoted housekeeper that sees to all of their needs. What is it about her? She's not one of them, but what is she? An aged Morphenkinder from Felix's past, a strange character named Hockan, has returned, and a female Morphenkinder, Berenice, has been added to the fold. But one character in particular stands out, representing Anne Rice's talent for created new worlds and great characters within them. Elthram is the leader of the Forest Gentry, the legendary spirits that dwell in the Nideck forest. But are they spirits, or are they something else?

In keeping with her page-turning reputation, Rice has weaved a tale that keeps us reading, as supporting characters are pushed to the forefront in deep continuation of their stories originally introduced in "The Wolf Gift." Characters like Laura, Phil, and Jim further the story along. And of course, what would any Anne Rice horror novel be without the bloodshed of the guilty? There is plenty. One such instance is the secret celebration of Modranicht, the Yuletide gathering of the Morphenkind in the forest. Rice makes us remember well her use of dark characters in their own dwelling, and soon, the scene segues into an explosively terrifying eruption that is Anne Rice at her greatest!

"The Vampire Lestat" and "Lasher" were second, follow-up novels in their respective series.' "The Wolves of Midwinter" will sit comfortably among them.
2568499
Very interesting follow up to The fall of Giants which focused o n First World War whereas Winter of the World is about the second World War.  A good perspective from the German, Russian and Allies side.  It is very readable and you certainly get caught up in what the various characters are about, and how they are interlinked throughout the narrative.
2251023
I was introduced to Arnold Odermatt's work at the Chicago Art Institute, some years ago. I found his photographs evocative, often amusing, and sometimes haunting. His use of black and white photography with the often spectacular backdrop of the Swiss countryside, never grow tiring. Each photograph tells a story. Odermatt has obviously taken care year after year in the setup, use of lighting and selection of angle of his pictures. His story notes that his fellow police officers often complained about the length of time he would take setting up for each photo.

This book not only includes a number of car crashes, but also interesting looks at often mundane police work. Odermatt seems to have a knack of turning everyday events into fascinating visual commentary. For me, this is not only art, but also as a nice historical document. A slice of the visual history of life in the Swiss Alps following the Second World War, leading up to the time when the modern highways worked their way through these remote Swiss ski towns.

Having seen a number of Odermatt's other photos, I wish this volume would include more of them. I've found so many of them thought provoking. That being said, if you have the money (these books always seem to be expensive) and the interest in Odermatt's work, I highly recommend this book.

tschs