Amodini's Book Reviews

Book Reviews and Recommendations

Book Review : Teatime For The Firefly by Shona Patel

Written By: amodini - Sep• 29•13

[amazon_link id=”0778315479″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Teatime for the Firefly[/amazon_link]Title : Teatime for the firefly
Author : Shona Patel
Genre : Historical fiction/Romance
Publisher : Harlequin MIRA
Publish Date : September 24, 2013
Source : Netgalley/Publisher ARC
Rating : 4.5/5

Layla Roy is an orphan who’s been brought up by her progressive grandfather. An influential, well-read man, he is Dadmoshai to Layla. He has educated her and encouraged her to learn and question, in opposition to the social practice of having girls “stay at home and prepare for marriage”. Lively Layla finds love and a lifelong partner in Manik Deb, and moves to the tea gardens of Aynakhal in remote Assam, where he is manager.

As she settles into her new life as the memsahib of the plantation, she has a lot to learn – from the tea “culture” on the tea-plantations to her duties as domesticator-in-chief. When the country’s political climate begins to change, Manik and Layla’s future and well being is suddenly threatened.

The book is set in the 1940s and beautifully describes that time. We see Assam through Layla’s eyes and when she moves to Aynakhal, we get a great look-see into the colonial society of the tea plantations. In her hometown with Dadamoshai Layla meets a diverse set of people – from the very bright and intellectual to the very orthodox and superstitious. She sees things via the prism of her grandfather’s wise counsel, and we experience India’s society – folk-lore, superstition, social customs and more through her. At Aynakhal she is Manik’s wife, the only non-white memsahib, and comes to understand that Manik is looked up to as “mai-baap” by the poor, uneducated populace.

I liked this book because of its captivating characters – the three main ones as well as the carefully etched peripheral ones. In feisty, impetuous Layla, the author has created a likeable and engaging heroine. The book is told from her view-point, and the tale is often tinged with Layla-like humor, even in times when she is beset with worry:

I lay in bed. The small scrabble that started in my stomach was turning into a claustrophobic dread. I had forgotten all about the leopard hunt. Was Fate waiting to deal her final blow? The thought of Manik up on a bamboo platform in the dark jungle, with a man-eating leopard on the loose had all the makings of a catastrophe. All I could imagine were guns misfiring, Manik falling off the machan, the leopard choosing him over the goat. Unchained and wounded, Manik would be the perfect meal on a platter. The leopard would carry him off into the jungle to relish him at leisure, and I would be left lonely and forsaken in this old bungalow.

Dadamoshai is another wonderful character – a man with the courage of his convictions. Especially for those times, he is a very liberal man, strongly committed to a just society and fostering “dignity and self-confidence in a young woman”. Were it that there more enlightened men like him! Manik is a Rhodes scholar, and is a frank, forthright sort of fellow, with “none of the calculated deference and awkwardness of Indian men”. In Layla he seeks and finds an equal partner.

I have to say that I was totally blown away by this lovely, lyrical novel. At the outset, I had expected a pleasant love tale at best, not this atmospheric, historically rich romance. The author writes with great affection for her characters, and it shows in her skilled writing and wonderful descriptions. This spectacular book is a gorgeous, gorgeous read; I’d consider it one of the best books of the year. Highly recommended.

Book Review : The Impersonator by Mary Miley

Written By: amodini - Sep• 25•13

[amazon_link id=”1250028167″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Impersonator[/amazon_link]Title : The Impersonator
Author : Mary Miley
Genre : Adventure/Mystery
Publisher : Minotaur Books
Publish date : September 17, 2013
Pages : 368
Source : Publisher/Netgalley
Rating : 4/5

Leah Randall is a stage actress in vaudeville in the early 1900s. When she is mistaken for a heiress by “Uncle Oliver” she brushes off the incident and the related unsavory job offer. When her finances get strained though, she contacts Oliver Beckett. In short order she finds herself impersonating wealthy heiress Jessamyn Carr, who’s been missing for 7 years. Jessie would now be turning 21, the time when she comes into a large inheritance, and Uncle Oliver has his eye on siphoning off the monies with Leah’s help.

Leah, well-coached, must stand up to hostile scrutiny from the trust-holders of Jessie’s estate as well as Jessie’s cousins – the very same cousins who would stand to inherit in Jessie’s absence. Using her wit and resourcefulness she seems to be doing well enough, but when she finds herself subject to more than one “accident”, she realizes that there might more to the real Jessie’s disappearance than meets the eye.

This book features a very likeable plucky protagonist. Leah Randall has had a hard life, always living life by the skin of her teeth, yet she doesn’t hold any grudges. She is a willing partner in Uncle Oliver’s elaborate deceptive scheme, but her inherent good nature turns her into an underdog worth rooting for. Leah faces many unpredictable challenges as she plays out a role every single day, but has her wits about her, and succeeds in making some friends even in such a situation. The other characters in the book are also well-etched, from the nervous aunt and her large brood, to the nasty cousin who seems to know that she is not Jessie.

This is a fast-paced book, with a lot happening. Yes, the plot is a tad jaded; the doppelganger theme has been much used in films. But Miley manages to make it fresh again, and I have to commend her on making an essentially predictable plot work so well. There were some implausible coincidences in Leah’s favor (and they reminded me of Nancy Drew’s sleuthing adventures) but they were minor irritants, so vested was I in Leah’s well-being. The story is told in simple words, no elaborate flourishes here, but even so works very well.

“The Impersonator” is a good mix of “pleasant reading” and “suspense novel”. Highly recommended.

Book Review : The Widow Waltz by Sally Koslow

Written By: amodini - Sep• 18•13

[amazon_link id=”067002564X” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Widow Waltz[/amazon_link]Title : The Widow Waltz
Author : Sally Koslow
Genre : chick-lit
Publisher : Viking
Pages : 342
Source : Publisher
Rating : 3.5/5

The summary, from Goodreads :

“Georgia Waltz has things many people only dream of: a plush Manhattan apartment overlooking Central Park, a Hamptons beach house, valuable jewels and art, two bright daughters, and a husband she adores, even after decades of marriage. It’s only when Ben Silver suddenly drops dead from a massive coronary while training for the New York City Marathon that Georgia discovers her husband—a successful lawyer—has left them nearly penniless. Their wonderland was built on lies.

As the family attorney scours emptied bank accounts, Georgia must not only look for a way to support her family, she needs to face the revelation that Ben was not the perfect husband he appeared to be, just as her daughters—now ensconced back at home with secrets of their own—have to accept that they may not be returning to their lives in Paris and at Stanford subsidized by the Bank of Mom and Dad. As she uncovers hidden resilience, Georgia’s sudden midlife shift forces her to consider who she is and what she truly values. That Georgia may also find new love in the land of Spanx and stretch marks surprises everyone—most of all, her.”

Georgia and her daughters are used to being rich without having to think about it. When that comfortable blanket of wealth is whipped out from over them, they each need to cope. So this book is a journey of a happily-married, much-in-love woman going from a cared-for wife to single, relatively impoverished responsible-for-everything parent.

This novel is told in first person by Georgia, but daughters Louisa and Nicola Silver-Waltz get their own chapters to tell of their points-of-view. Nicola or Cola is Korean born and adopted as a baby by Georgia and Ben. She, sponsored by parental funds, has taken her time getting her bachelor’s degree and has after, traveled and dabbled in learning culinary skills. As Georgia puts it “no one can accuse her of following a straight path to success”. Louisa, or Luey, the biological daughter is brilliant and at Stanford. Luey is whimsical and irresponsible as is evinced by her dropping a semester at Stanford, unbeknownst to her parents, to accompany her then boyfriend to an elephant camp in Zimbabwe.

Georgia herself, appears to be an entitled, rich woman with a housekeeper, chauffeur, expensive vacations and doodads – every thing she wants. She also, as we discover from her words, has a penchant for sharp-edged commentary. Everything she says has bite. Astute, pithy observations spew from her lips – this is interesting to read, but after a couple of pages also a tad tiring – does one not relax sometimes, soften maybe, in word and thought?

Time is history’s bulldozer. I am no longer a glorious bloom in the ecosystem. I can almost hear people saying behind my back, You should have seen her in college – Georgia Waltz . . . a knockout. I try to evaluate my daughters as the rubbernecker must, gliding with the posture of ballerinas. “Stand up straight, shoulders back.” Every time I said it, I heard my mother’s voice. At least Nicola and Luey listened, they’re tall enough to get away with a slouch. When you’re like me, every quarter inch counts.

Georgia was also very much in love with her now dead husband. His deception has broken her trust, but she still misses him, still yearns for him. While her loss makes me sympathetic, I cannot overlook the fact that I think of her as a little ditzy and impractical; this is a pampered woman who has no idea of her finances – she’s quite at sea when it comes to knowing how much her husband earns or where he puts it. Even though the shock of Ben’s death and deception is great she does not collapse into terror, as maybe a lesser woman would. From that I glean that she is a strong, resilient woman (good quality) who has consciously dumbed herself down into playing the role of society wife, content to let her husband look after her (not so good quality). I look at her daughters in a more kindly light because they buck up and help their mother as best they can, and they are young – when many faults can be forgiven.

The book gives a pretty good idea of the characters via the thoughts in their heads. The plot is quite predictable once the initial seeds of suspicion are sown. The conclusion is hard to swallow, and a little distasteful. “Widow Waltz” has great writing and pace, but I’m only vaguely sympathetic to the spoilt characters. Still it nicely underscores the fact that family is family, messy and supportive and yours for life. For all it’s substance, “The Widow Waltz” is ultimately chick-lit and might make a fine beach read.

Book Review : The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

Written By: amodini - Sep• 11•13

[amazon_link id=”0670026611″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Girl You Left Behind[/amazon_link]Title : The Girl You Left Behind
Author : Jojo Moyes
Genre : Romance
Publisher : Pamela Dorman Books
Pages : 369
Source : Publisher
Rating : 3.5/5

The first half of the novel is Sophie’s story. Sophie is the wife of painter Edouard Lefevre, who has left to fight in World War I. Beautiful Sophie stays back in their little town of St. Peronne with family. They attempt to survive as best as they can by running their little restaurant “Le Coq Rouge”. When the village is occupied by Nazi forces, and the German Kommandant in charge takes a fancy to Sophie and a portrait of hers (painted by Edourad), she must think of a way to use his ardor to reunite with Edouard.

The second half of the book shifts to modern times. It is 2006, and newly widowed Liv Halston, still mourning the loss of architect husband David, finds succor in a painting he had gifted her. She meets Paul McCafferty. As their friendship is about to escalate to something more, Liv finds out that he has been commissioned by the Lefevre family to find and repatriate to them the long-lost painting of Sophie Lefevre. That painting now hangs in Liv’s bedroom, the much treasured gift from her deceased husband.

Both the heroines of this book, Sophie and Liv, are in a sense left behind by the men they love. Their stories also have the common thread of Sophie Lefevre’s painting, a treasured possession much valued by both. Sophie’s story was interesting in its detail of life in those times, and remarkable for the courage displayed by her. Relatively Liv’s story failed to move; I found it a little choppy and deconstructed. And I couldn’t quite believe that artwork repatriation would generate so much public fervor/courtroom drama.

Sophie’s character is strong and selfless, and fairly practical-minded; she takes some very hard decisions to ensure survival. In comparison, I found Liv floundering in her sorrow and a little impractical. Her problems paled in comparison to Sophie’s, and I didn’t quite get her fanciful stance on the painting. Her character seemed inconsistent – she is on the brink of financial despair and unable to deal with it, yet firm enough to take on more debt to fight a courtroom battle over one painting. The romance between Paul and Liv didn’t ring true either which sort of sank the second half of the book for me.

The first half of the book flows smoothly; Moyes has some gorgeous word-play in here. The second half of the book displays inconsistencies which take away from the book. I really liked “Me Before You” and had high expectations for “The Girl You Left Behind”. While it is a pleasant read, “The Girl You Left Behind” doesn’t get quite as good.

Wordless Wednesdays #23

Written By: amodini - Sep• 04•13

Lamp-post Detail: Illa de la Discòrdia, Barcelona, Spain

Book Review : Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Written By: amodini - Aug• 15•13

[amazon_link id=”0143124544″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Me Before You: A Novel[/amazon_link]Title : Me Before You
Author : Jojo Moyes
Genre : Contemporary
Publisher : Pamela Dorman Books (Penguin)
Pages : 369
Source : Publisher
Rating : 4.2/5

Louisa Clark lives in a small English village and works at a local café. When she loses her job she must find another since her family depends on her income. After much searching she finds a job – a rather well-paying one as the care-giver of a quadriplegic. The wealthy man in the wheelchair is Will Traynor, once a successful man leading an energetic dynamic life (“I led a big life”), but now frustrated at his helpless life. Will is cold and almost callous towards Louisa and she in turn is nervous in front of him and his steely-faced mother Magistrate Camilla Traynor. As they get on better terms, Lou realizes that Will puts up a brave front to hide his anger and despair, but she has no idea how fed up he actually is of his life . . .

When you initially read the teaser for a book like “Me Before You” you might think that it would be a predictable romance. Predictable it is not, although it develops nicely as a heartfelt romance. Moyes establishes the characters beautifully. Lou comes from a not very well-off family, and is the older of two sisters. She, at 26, is self-deprecating and doesn’t know what she wants from life. She has lived life cocooned in familiar surroundings. Will, at 35, has been living as a quadriplegic for the past two years. But as is of wealthy men, before the accident which has left him paralyzed, he has lived the life of a worldly, well-travelled man.

Moyes brings these two contrasting characters together and organically develops their relationship from cold hauteur to friendship and more. Louisa sees herself as “an ordinary girl living an ordinary life”. Will, once he has gotten to know her better thinks her “bright” and “interesting”, too bright to be stuck in “this bloody parody of a place mat”. He is constantly egging her on to do more, to get out of her shell, to challenge herself and do something worthwhile with her life. Initially Louisa cares for the anger-filled young man in the wheelchair out of a sense of duty, but later begins to genuinely care for him. He on the other hand, patiently bears through her well-intentioned attempts to cheer him up, and by and by finds himself attracted to and comforted by her. Each assuages the other’s fears, but it may not be enough.

This book and its characters brim with emotion. There is hope and despair and regret, love and affection and anger. Moyes draws her characters sympathetically and with a kind eye. Her book delineates in great detail what life means to a person trapped in a wheelchair, dependent on others for the basic necessities of life – to be fed, washed and bathed, put to bed, turned on a side. It also questions the meaning of hope, and the assumptions we make to keep it alive.

This smart, witty romance has great unforgettable moments. A lovely read, I highly recommend “Me Before You”.

Audiobook Review : Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

Written By: amodini - Aug• 07•13

[amazon_link id=”0307886271″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)[/amazon_link]Title : Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
Author : Mindy Kaling
Narrator : Mindy Kaling
Publisher : Random House Audio
Rating : 4.5/5

After I discovered that I liked audiobooks because they make my walk/commute more interesting, I’ve listened to quite a few. “Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me” is one of the very few non-fiction ones I’ve listened to. It is written and narrated by the Indian-American actress Mindy Kaling (I’m assuming Kaling is a shortening of her last name Chokhalingam; smart – imagine people trying to pronounce that), who played Kelly Kapoor on “The Office”. She was also a writer on “The Office” and now has her own show “The Mindy Project” where she plays the lead character Dr. Mindy Lahiri, a gynecologist. And yes, the “Lahiri” bit of her name is inspired by Jhumpa Lahiri.

Kaling’s “Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me” is basically about Mindy, her life and her opinion on various things: family, career, friends, relationships, guys, guy chest hair, weight gain etc. etc. She makes this all personal by relating anecdotes from her life. Some are funny and some are just painful and/or embarrassing but she does a great job in making them appear hopeful and/or the types of things that you would listen to and learn from (or should).

Mindy has a very distinctive voice (both literally and figuratively) and she narrates the book in a casual, easygoing fashion. What I really like about the book is that in it, Mindy seems honest and earnest and really telling you the story of her life. She goes from her childhood – her brother, her parents – one doctor and one architect, to college to her ambitious move to New York. She talks of sharing an apartment with two other friends, of afternoons and evenings spent karaoke-ing, and her initial attempts at trying out for roles, where she might fit. Her success hasn’t come easy and it was inspiring listening to her recount it with humor.

This book is laugh-out-loud funny. But it is also heart-felt, and in her witty, humorous uptakes Mindy manages to squeeze in some of life’s truths. I especially liked where she talks of getting her values from her Indian parents, her description of their patience and resilience even in times of stress (her mom was doing her residency and her father commuted 2.5 hours to a construction site), and her description of their down-to-earth, but strong marriage :

“I’m not complaining about Romance Being Dead – I’ve just described a happy marriage as based on talking about plants and a canceled Ray Romano show and drinking milkshakes: not exactly rose petals and gazing into each other’s eyes at the top of the Empire State Building or whatever. I’m pretty sure my parents have gazed into each other’s eyes maybe once, and that was so my mom could put eyedrops in my dad’s eyes.”

I really liked the book. I also liked Mindy – she seems nice, funny but practical, with her head screwed on straight, and brains to match. From the get-go she seemed like my kinda gal, because she believes in this just like I do :

“There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it.”

Indeed! Let me sleep. Also I identified with her desi background, which made all her thoughts about family and values (love, relationships, friendships, men vs. boys, commitment, marriage) ring true.

A lovely, lovely listen – highly recommended especially if you are a (desi) female.

Wordless Wednesdays #22

Written By: amodini - Jul• 31•13

Royal Palace, Madrid, Spain

Book review : The Darwin Elevator by Jason Hough

Written By: amodini - Jul• 24•13

[amazon_link id=”0345537122″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Darwin Elevator[/amazon_link]Title : The Darwin Elevator
Author : Jason M. Hough
Genre : Sci-fi
Publisher : Del Rey
Pages : 496
Source : Netgalley/Publisher ARC
Rating : 4/5

In the first novel of a trilogy, Hough builds a futuristic, dystopian 23rd century world. Skyler Lukien is a space-age scavenger, setting off on his missions from his home base in Darwin Australia. Darwin is also home to the Darwin Elevator, a relic left by aliens (called Builders). After the arrival of the Elevator, humans on earth have been beset with the SUBS disease, which reduces humans to an animal-like, sub-human state. The Elevator’s “Aura” seems to provide immunity from the disease and so the Darwin area is now home to the remnants of humanity.  The Elevator is the mode of commerce between earthlings and the Orbitals – humans stationed in space stations, located off of the Elevator.

The Elevator starts having power outages, and it’s Aura seems to be less powerful in keeping SUBS at bay. Tania Sharma, an Orbital scientist has a theory about this, and mentor and rich scientific industrialist Neil Platz promises to help her get data to prove this theory. Russell Blackfield, the commander of Nightcliff, the Elevator port on earth, resents Platz’s power and wants it for himself. As Russell jockeys for power against Platz, Tania and Skyler, who is brought in to scavenge for Tania’s data, might just end up as collateral damage.

Hough has an interesting cast of characters. While Skyler is not the perfect commander he is good and brave, and ready to risk his life to see his crew safe. He is the underdog, small fry on Darwin, subject to the whims of the  arrogant, aggressive NightCliff Commander. This intrepid “SUBS-immune”explorer is supported by his crew of “immunes” – Angus his pilot in training, Jake his sniper, Takai his engineer and Samantha – the lone woman of the crew-members.

Tania Sharma is a rare character in sci-fi; she is of Indian descent. Her mother Prathima was a famed Mumbai beauty (which makes me want to roll my eyes a tad) and her father Sandeep a scientist and close friend of Platz’s. After their death Platz is her guardian and mentor. Tania has grown up to be an intelligent scientist, and a gorgeous beauty – so beautiful in fact, that when Skyler and his crew first set eyes on her they can’t help but stare. There are also other Indian names sprinkled around in the book; there is a Renuka – an old woman who runs a coffeeshop, and Ramesh, a random soldier.

Hough describes this plague-ridden world very well, and gives us a look-see into the lives of humans on earth and those of the privileged Orbitals. Resources are few, and the poor live a life of misery. The quick-witted scavenge and barter; even things like Top Ramen and coffee are prized possessions. The relatively well-off live in garden-topped buildings, while a precious few get to go live in the sanitized environments of the orbiting space-stations.

This novel got off to an action-packed start with a scavenging mission, and Hough keeps up the suspense. Skyler’s forays into SUBS territory are well described – I had my heart in my mouth, hoping the crew would be safe. The book did drag a bit in the middle when we get too caught up in procedural descriptions, but goes back to being action-oriented in the latter half. For a debut, “The Darwin Elevator” is structured and plotted beautifully – there is the mystery of the Elevator, its enigmatic creators and the scheming, hungry-for-power humans, to keep things interesting. And there is a hero worth rooting for.

The great new sci-fi novel is hard to write, but Hough succeeds with this one. Recommended.

Book Author Event : 5 great authors and their books!

Written By: amodini - Jul• 19•13

[amazon_link id=”1451695659″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Oleander Girl: A Novel[/amazon_link]I had the pleasure of attending a Book Event on June 30th, a Sunday afternoon where we got to hear from four different female authors. There was Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni with her recent book “The Oleander Girl”, Saborna Roychowdhury with her book “The Distance” which is soon to have it’s US release, Sweta Srivastava Vikram with one book on fiction, and three books on poetry and Joyce Yarrow with her new mystery novel.

Chitra Divakaruni, an award-winning author, professor and Houston resident, read from “The Oleander Girl” and talked about the inspirations for her many books. It was a pleasure hearing from a great writer who also spoke so engagingly.
 

[amazon_link id=”0615806112″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Distance[/amazon_link]Sweta Srivastav Vikram, an award-winning writer based in New York City, read a passage from her novel “Perfectly Untraditional” and several poems from “Kaleidoscope: An Asian Journey of Colors”, “Beyond the Scent of Sorrow” and “Because All is Not Lost”. She also spoke about her time in the US, her life and inspiration for her work and related anecdotes, with a well-timed sense of humor; she appears to be the rarest of the rare – a funny female desi writer.

Seattle-based Joyce Yarrow, a Pushcart nominee, came next and talked about the creation of her book’s protagonist Jo Epstein (a poet/investigator) and read from her latest book “The Last Matryoshka” (Istoria Books 2012).

[amazon_link id=”1615990348″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Kaleidoscope: An Asian Journey of Colors (World Voices)[/amazon_link]Yarrow also presented a fascinating slide-set showing us pictures of her travel to Russia where she did her research for the book.

Saborna Roychowdhury, a Pushcart Prize nominee and Houston resident, came last and she and her husband read from her book “The Distance”. “The Distance” is being released in the US via Istoria Books, and it has a beautiful new cover with this edition.  Roychowdhury read protagonist Mimi’s lines very expressively (you could see the emotion on her face), while her husband read the male voices of Mimi’s ex-lover Amitabho and husband Neel. Very interesting!
 

[amazon_link id=”1594148872″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Last Matryoshka (Five Star Mystery Series)[/amazon_link]After the reading the authors took questions, and there were quite a few. When asked whether they preferred typing to handwriting while at work, most of them preferred to hand-write to facilitate the flow of writing. When asked about the schedules they set for themselves when writing, Roychowdhury said it best when she talked of forcing herself to write daily even when weighed down by other work and concerns.

I asked them what they all thought of the preponderance of “arranged marriages” in most novels by female desi authors. Vikram said that that was what she saw around her.
 

[amazon_link id=”0984651705″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Six Weeks to Yehidah[/amazon_link]Yes, she said we were all liberal, but that was what was happening around. Maybe we didn’t do the clichéd stereotypical “girl-viewings” but arranged marriages were a part of life and culture and society (I’m paraphrasing here, but hopefully the essence of her reply is clear). Divakaruni’s response was calm and measured and got quickly to the heart of the matter. Indeed she spoke so beautifully, I just wanted to sit there and listen to her talk.

It was a lovely afternoon, and I truly appreciated the intimate setting where one could actually talk to the authors and hear their responses. The panel was very informal, and expertly moderated by Melissa Studdard, author of “Six Weeks to Yehidah”. I am glad to have learnt more about these authors and look forward to reading their books!