Books
Public Information: Coming of Age During the Korean War.
Twenty-year-old infantryman arrives in war-torn Korea in 1952 praying that he can survive a sixteen-month tour of duty. Critical comment: “Public Information is not only a great read, it is also a great tribute to the veterans of a war that is often forgotten.”
Master Gardener: Magic Seeds from the Amazon, Saving the Monarch Butterfly, and Fighting Corruption by Big Ag.
A retired lawyer and Master Gardener battles Big Ag CEO who wants to destroy beneficial but unprofitable magic seeds. Master Gardeners find novel way to protect Monarch butterfly. Critical Comment: “It was well written and interesting enough to keep me reading all the way--stayed up most of the night to finish it.”
High Andes: A Desperate Journey across the Andes to save their Lives and destroy a murderous regime.
A father and daughter’s trekking expedition turns into deathly pursuit across the Peruvian Andes as they try to deliver information that will bring down a corrupt government. Critical Comment: “If you like travel to remote, exotic locations, you will like this novel. Told with enough credibility to feel real, Margenau winds and twists his way through remote mountain passes and unending crises.”
Longevity: What could possibly go wrong with trying to extend life by thirty years?
This fable disguised as a medical thriller ponders the justification for artificially extending human life. Though the tone is light-hearted, murder, mayhem, misdirection, and decapitation are basic plot elements. Critical comment: “The book is an exciting mix of medical thriller, science fiction, and action adventure. Full of danger and intrigue this book is a wild ride from beginning to end.”
National Parks: A delicious satirical send-up of the beltway culture and a paean to our national parks.
In the near future, Congress decides to bail out the country it bankrupted by auctioning off the National Parks. Hardworking agency heads, corrupt legislators, lobbyists, and nefarious buyers tumble through the pages with hilarious results. Spoiler Alert: the parks still belong to the American people. Critical comment: “SNL meets the New York Times. Real problems of greed and shortsightedness in government combined with the head in the sand general public are treated to a makeover worthy of Mel Brooks.”
A selection of Elizabethan Poetry (by Shakespeare, Donne, Herrick, and many others) combined with photographs of flowers that echo the thoughts and sentiments of the poems. Critical comment: A beautifully made book. The author's thoughtfully arranged lovely photographs of flowers and Elizabethan poetry are a delight for the senses.
Adult Humor – Captions on the pictures expose the innermost thoughts of animals, birds, and other creatures. Critical comment: This is an excellent companion, whether in the bathroom or outside, and can hold one's interest for a long time since the pictures tell stories and the short captions speak volumes.