Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis : Starting with the discovery of Pompeii, this non-fiction book tells about the people behind historic discoveries and the invention of modern day archaeology. Review : I've been trying to check out something educational whenever I make a visit to our local library and, as I was walking through the non-fiction section, this book happened to catch my eye. I gave it a read and it turned out to be an interesting book. I think the thing I liked best about this book is the way it doesn't just talk about important discoveries, like Pompeii and the Rosetta Stone; it also gives some intriguing detail about the people responsible for those discoveries. As a result of this, I learned a lot. I think the part I enjoyed most was the section regarding Egypt and Napoleon's failed expedition. While it was a military failure, but without it, we may not know nearly as much about Egyptian history as we do today. I also loved the story about Champollion, the man who used the Rosetta S...

Synopsis: Years after his father went insane at the haunted Overlook Hotel, an adult Danny Torrance is an alcoholic who has been forced to use his psychic abilities to defend himself against the starving ghosts that are still pursuing him. When he begins communicating telepathically with 13-year-old Abra Stone, he realizes she is in danger from a group of psychic vampires that feed on people like them. Who's in it? The movie stars Ewan McGregor , Rebecca Ferguson , Kyliegh Curran , Cliff Curtis and Emily Alyn Lind . Review: As I've said before, I'm not normally a big fan of movies based off of Stephen King books and usually don't go out of my way to watch them. However, my oldest daughter wanted to see this film and I added it to my Netflix DVD list as a result. We finally watched it this weekend and, unfortunately, it wound up being exactly what I thought it would be. The reality is, not all Stephen King books work as movies. There was some potential with this one,...

Synopsis: When she enters her home, it takes Army intelligence officer Amy Cornwall thirty seconds to realize her husband and daughter are missing. A single phone call from their kidnapper delivers an ultimatum, free an unknown prisoner from military custody in the next 48 hours or her family will be killed. Review: I've never been interested in reading James Patterson. However, my daughter recently purchased this book for me as a birthday gift and that prompted me to give it a try. While I still wouldn't quite classify it as a genre I'd be interested in reading on a regular basis, I will say I enjoyed the book more than I was expecting to. Amy Cornwall is an intriguing character. Her husband and daughter were in danger and I could sense genuine concern from her but, at the same time, she managed to treat the situation with a somewhat unemotional approach, finding clues from neighbors and the local service station security cameras before ditching the burner phone the kid...

Just some bird photos taken earlier today, while my youngest daughter was finishing up her school work.  

Synopsis : The first time Perry Mason meets Virginia Colfax, she is climbing down the fire escape leading to the Garvin Mining, Exploration and Development Company one floor above his office and he is certain she was carrying a gun. When that gun is later used to murder Ethel Garvin, Mason must defend her husband, Edward, against the charges. Review: I had some free time on Sunday and was able to plod through the rest of this book, which I started a few days earlier. Unfortunately, while I've enjoyed most Perry Mason books lately, this one fell a little short of expectations. On the surface, the book does have an intriguing plot. Even though the actual evidence against him is limited at best, Mason's client, Edward Garvin, does seem like the most obvious suspect, both because his estranged wife seemed to be making an effort to take over his business and because she was accusing him of bigamy after confusion regarding their divorce. My biggest problem with the book is it winds...

Synopsis: Unable to walk without the assistance of braces or casts until he was 7 and living in the poorest part of Jacksonville, LeRoy Butler defied the odds to become a 12-year National Football League veteran. His autobiography tells the story about how he overcame poverty and academic issues to achieve this. Review: Time certainly does fly. I intended on reading this book when it was first published and, the next thing I knew, it was 17 years later and I realized that never happened. Fortunately, the library happened to have a copy. After finishing it yesterday, I have to say it was worth the wait. I knew about Butler's inability to walk when he was a child but this book revealed a lot more about his life than I knew about. His story about growing up in an impoverished area was a real eye opener, whether it was the story about watching one if his friends get gunned down over a bicycle or talking about how his mom used to need to hide the amount of groceries she was buying to ...