Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life by Sally Bedell Smith

Who is the man who would be king?  What is he really like?  Will he ever be king?

Sally Bedell Smith gives us an insider's view of the life of a man who has waited his entire life to be king.  At age 68, he is set to inherit the throne from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II upon her death.  So what's a prince to do until that day?

Prince Charles is like many of us.  He deals with insecurities, overbearing parents, and a feeling that he doesn't know the direction his life should be heading.  Most of us muddle our way through, find our way, and settle into our lives.  Most of us, however, are not the future king of England.

Prince Charles leads a life of opulent luxury, but he also is passionate about agriculture, helping the poor, providing opportunities for underprivileged school children, and architecture.  He has spent his life behind the scenes working to fund his charities so others can benefit from the resources.

Again, like many of us, he has made some terrible mistakes.  His marriage to Diana was not good - right from the start.  His continued affair with Camilla was a royal scandal, and his decision making skills were not always up to par.

What we see as we read about Charles is his human-ness.  How would any of us deal with the daily pressures of royal life?  Would we deal well with always being on? Could we deal with the press prying into every aspect of our daily life?

If you are fascinated by the royal family (and I am), this might be a book you choose to pick up and read.  Bedell Smith is frank and shares a lot of information about the man who waits to be king.

The Others Series - Written in Red, Murder of Crows, and Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

What did I read in August?  Well, August tends to be one of the busiest months of the year. (May is a close second.)  If you are in education, you know exactly what I am talking about.  However, in my downtime, and there wasn't much of it, but when I did have a chance to read, I picked up the books from the Others series.

Meg is trying to get away.  She isn't sure who she is trying to get away from or where she is going.  She just knows she has to be away from the Controller who keeps Meg and many others girls under his complete control.

Meg somehow ends up at the Lakeside Courtyard which is a series of businesses that are run by the Others.  The Others think of humans as prey, and human law does not apply within the confines of the Courtyard.  If a human ventures into the Courtyard or its lands after hours, a wallet or other identification will be supplied to the police, and the person will be considered missing/dead.

Meg would be in danger as she enters the Courtyard after hours, but for some reason, she doesn't smell like prey.  Meg also has the ability to sense danger, and can foretell the future when she has visions.

Simon doesn't like humans, but he wants to try an experiment with Lakeside Courtyard.  He wants the Others and humans to understand each other a bit more, and learn from each other.  He hires Meg as the Human Liaison in the mail room. Her job is to track and sort packages for the Courtyard.

What Simon soon realizes is there are people looking for Meg.  Very important people are looking for Meg.  People who have a lot of influence and money are looking for Meg.

What do these people want with Meg?  What will happen to Meg if they get to her?  What does it mean for the universe if Meg is captured?

This series takes a look at the world from the view of the animals and nature that inhabit it.  Humans have been know to wreak havoc on the natural balance, so their control must be limited. However, humans are a hearty breed, and they are always pushing back.

This book is very different from other fantasy books I have read.  It is yet another lesson on what happens if we humans are not good stewards in our world.