The Pharoah - Life at Court and on Campaign by Garry J. Shaw (nonfiction)

A pretty zippy read for a work of scholarly nonfiction.  I enjoy when an author explains how we "know" what we know, for instance, ancient sources or archaeology.  The beautiful pictures shed light on the conclusions in the text.

Secrets of the Parthenon DVD (PBS Nova)

Short and cool, neat.  I stayed fascinated, and learned a lot.

The Second Empress (A Novel of Napoleon's Court) by Michelle Moran (historical fiction)

Pretty darned good fluff.  Fun, interesting, tragic, and even informative.  The author switches between three narrators, Maria Louisa (the second empress of the title), Pauline Borghese (Napoleon's sister), and her half-Haitian chamberlain Paul Moreau.

A Whispering of Spies by Rosemary Rowe (historical mystery)

Set in the Roman colony of Britain, the endlessly twisting story leaves no one a chance to understand what happened.  I think the language may have been meant to imply a non-native's attempt to sound Roman, but it was stilted and hard to read.

Creole Belle by James Lee Burke (fiction)

All I can say is WOW.  Five stars and then some.  This is a mystery in a series, and too bad I've never run across it before.  Set in contemporary New Orleans, it is scary and suspenseful, funny, really sad, and can even be lyrical, especially when setting the scene in southern Louisiana.  The description of the unreality of the beauty, tragedy and mayhem impressed me.

If I read another book by Mr. Burke and it is just as good, Walter Mosley's crown as my favorite living author may be in danger.

Venice: A New History by Thomas F. Madden (nonfiction)

Who knew all this stuff?  Truly great nonfiction writing here, breathtaking, fun, adventurous, exciting, chock full of cool people, artists, battles.  Warning:  this is going to make you want to visit.

The Lost Battles: Leonardo, Michaelangelo and the Artistic Duel that Defined the Renaissance by Jonathan Jones (nonfiction)

Art history can be dry, but when we're talking about the artists who changed our conception of art, changed our vision of ourselves, Mr. Jones is lyrical and exciting.  Full of insights about the art of Leo and Mike, art as a whole, artists, and history itself.  Five stars.

10 Pounds in 10 Days by Jackie Warner (nonfiction)

Ms. Warner is an expert, highly paid, but we can take issue with several aspects of this program.  Naturally it is one long advertisement for her website and weight-loss products, but that could be positive if a dieter was able to go to the forums and get support, however, anyone with sense knows that losing 10 pounds in 10 days is not good for your heart, and doesn't bode well for long-term success.  Ms. Warner attempts to address this by giving two further phases for the program, each adding a few more calories.
The exercise program contains several important elements, such as progression, variation, and intensity.  It also has four different exercises for the biceps - useless.  The eating plan is very restrictive, as you might expect to be able to lose so much weight quickly.  It also has no substitutions, making this impossible for anyone with food allergies or strong preferences.