Dirty Diplomacy by Craig Murray

If you are one of those Americans who believe we are a perfect country and the moral leaders of the world, then this book is not for you. On the other hand, if you want to get a better picture of why it is that most of the world sees us as a bully nation and some of the major corruption in our government, then you will want to read this one.

Craig Murray was the British Ambassador to Uzbekistan during the time that the U.S. declared the "War on Terror" and attacked Iraq. The U.S. became allied with Uzbekistan which was being led by a dictator, Karimov. His regime was infamous for torture...especially of Muslims and political dissidents. As Ambassador, Murray tried to expose the corruption in the government, but ran into constant opposition from his government and the U.S. because they needed the military base the U.S. had established in Uzbekistan for staging attacks in Iraq.

At the heart of this book is whether it is ever appropriate or useful to use torture as a means of getting government and military intelligence. I feel extremely strong about this, now, after reading this insightful book. I highly recommend the book, but be prepared to become disillusioned if you are a starry-eyed American.

The Four Agreements:A Toltec Wisdom Book by Don Miguel Ruiz

An interesting book of philosophy on how to become truly happy in your life by living four principles: 1). Be impeccable with your word; 2). Don't take anything personally; 3). Don't make assumptions; and, 4). Always do your best. The author is a Toltec shaman.

Georges by Alexander Dumas

Georges is the first published novel by Alexander Dumas.I had never heard of this book until I was looking for a book for my Olympic Reading Challenge for the country of Mauritius. I was also unaware, until I started reading about this book that Dumas was actually a mulatto. The central concept in Georges is how mulattoes have been dealt with historically. Many interesting themes in the book...colonialism, prejudice, honor, etc. It has elements of swashbucklers and pirates, romance, heroism. It has been said that Dumas also began the development of some of his more famous characters (the Three Musketeers and the Count of Monte Cristo) within this novel. Georges was a very enjoyable read and interesting on so many level. Dumas was clearly a brilliant writer.

Keeper of the Night by Kimberly Willis Holt

Keeper of the Night is the story of the emotional aftermath of suicide and how it affects the members of a family. Highlights the importance of getting psychiatric help to help deal with the emotional crisis that results for family members. Some powerful insights into the emotional struggles along with how different people deal with such a loss in their lives.

Set in Guam, the novel is also a lovely exposure to the people, culture, and traditions of this country.

Gay Neck: The Story of a Pigeon by Dhan Gopal Mukerji

I seemed to enjoy this book a lot more than the average person on Goodreads! I thought the writing was almost poetic in its descriptions of things. I was fascinated by Mukerji's descriptions of Indian life and culture and more exposure to the Hindi faith. I learned a lot about birds and training of pigeons that was very interesting to me. I also had no idea of the role that pigeon's played as messengers during WWI. More than anything, I appreciated the wisdom the writer shares about how we should treat each other through his story of pigeons. It was a beautiful parable which I appreciated very much!

Santa Evita by Tomas Eloy Martinez

I wish I knew how much of this book is fact and how much it is fictionalized and speculation. Martinez specifically calls it a novel, but he is also so very careful about his sources. The book is the story of Eva Peron, focusing on the handling of her corpse after she passed away from cancer at the age of 33. Extremely interesting and engaging!

The Magic Gourd by Baba Wague' Diakite'

This children's story from Mali is beautifully illustrated by the author. He gives insight into the culture of Mali as he uses symbols from mud cloth patterns to enhance the message of the story. The book becomes not just a tale from Diakite's native Mali, but an insightful and educational piece for children. Excellent!