Arts Week

Arts

This week we each read an arts book from one of the subtopics we laid out for Reading University.  Our subtopics needed to fit one of the following criteria:

Fine Arts - fiction or non-fiction book where a fine art piece or an artist plays a major role in the plot (painting, drawing, comics, photography, and sculpture)
Visual Arts - fiction or non-fiction book where a visual art piece or a visual artist plays a major role in the plot (dance, theater, film)
Music - fiction or non-fiction book where a musical piece or a musician plays a major role in the plot

Books Selected:

Zach (Art - Fine Arts)

Burglars Can't Be Choosers by Lawrence Block
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Bernie Rhodenbarr is a thief.  He steals things for himself, but sometimes he's hired to steal for others.  Bernie is on the job, and things quickly go south after he is hired to steal a special box.  Now he's on the lam, and he needs to clear his name.  This is a fun book with lots of twists and turns.  I will read the others in the series.




Michelle (Art - Music)

The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp
My rating: 3 1/2 of 5 stars

I love the Sound of Music!  It's one of my favorite movies.  The music, the romance; funny and dramatic all at the same time.  I really enjoyed reading about the real "Family Von Trapp".  I loved the little pieces that matched up with the movie, and the real parts that didn't.  I now know that the movie barely scratches the surface of their unique life.  Their ups and downs, riches to rags, their life in America.  If you are a fan of the Sound of Music, definitely give this one a read.



Maddie (Art - Dance)

Chihuahua Confidential by Waverly Curtis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A mystery solved, and a reality show underway.  After solving the murder of Rebecca's husband and getting her funds to make her dream a reality, Rebecca and Geri head out to L.A. for the first official filming of "Dancing with the Dogs".  Geri has been invited to compete with her dog Pepe, and it is expected to be a fun break from sleuthing.  But of course a mystery is afoot on the set of the new show, and one of the judges is murdered!  An activist is blamed and a mysterious package is missing.  Geri must try to solve this mystery before "Dancing with the Dogs" is over or the killer gets away.  But before the end of this treacherous competition Geri shall discover if Caprice is Pepe's true owner and if she is, will Geri be willing to give up Pepe in spite of her own wants?

Dead people, missing dogs, and innocents blamed, will Geri and Pepe be able to discover the true murderer before time runs out?  Or will the killer escape the spotlight without consequence?  This mystery will leave you glued to your seat with each twist and turn.