John Burnham Schwartz never writes the same type of book twice. Bicycle Days owes much to the bildungsroman template, but its freshness comes from the contemporary Tokyo setting; Reservation Road (recently turned into a film) is a family drama that devolves into taut suspense; and Claire Marvel puts Schwartz's own spin on doomed romance. Now Schwartz returns with The Commoner, markedly different from the previous three novels by virtue of its setting within Japan's cloistered, secretive monarchy. Nevertheless, surface trappings belie the undercurrent running through Schwartz's work: the transformation of melodrama into something authentic, bravura moments made more real and palatable. The Commoner clearly would not exist if not for the real-life trials and tribulations of Japan's current Empress Michiko and her daughter-in-law, Princess Masako.

Tucson-Phoenix rail line requires bold planning, latest technology

Think of this, Tucsonans. Drive, walk or bicycle a few miles or less from home and park your car or put your bike in a secure locker. A few hundred feet away, insert your electronic fare card at a turnstile and board a sleek, new light-rail train that whisks you to your destination in Tucson, or to the high-speed rail terminal next to Interstate-10 on the near-Northwest Side. .

Village: Racino, raceway move could cost Monticello millions

Reader Reaction These discussions and our forums are not moderated. We rely on users to police themselves, and flag inappropriate comments and behavior. You need not be registered to report abuse. In accordance with our Terms of Service, we reserve the right to remove any post at any time for any reason, and will restrict access of registered users who repeatedly violate our terms. Click here if you wish to report inappropriate comments or behavior. .

Blizzard of '78 memories?

Five days after the Blizzard of '78, cars were still abandoned on Route 128 near the Dedham/Westwood town line. As we prepare our 30th anniversary coverage of the storm, we want to hear from you.

Even running errands, Anna is flawless

Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova were spotted at Taste on Ninth and Alton on Wednesday afternoon. Kournikova was also spotted at the Lace Nail Lab on South Beach, ''totally dressed down in sweats and a green pullover and flip-flops, no makeup but gorgeous as ever, getting a mani/pedi simultaneously and requesting her nails be filed square with rounded edges, poring over a recent issue of Harper's Bazaar,'' says our extremely detail-oriented spy. ``She must have been in a rush to get somewhere because she didn't sit under the nail dryer but hopped into her big black Escalade with heavily tinted windows, driving herself.''Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio was seen posing in several bathing suits, including a red number at Nikki Beach for a photo shoot.NFL greats Jim Kelly, Dan Marino and a scruffy Peyton Manning had a quarterbacks gathering at Fort Lauderdale's Café Martorano last Saturday night.

Find out if you’re heading into harm’s way

Travelers who have booked a trip through a tour operator likely won't have to decide themselves whether to postpone a trip, says Harvey Boysen, president of Gulliver's Travel in Fort Worth. The tour operator will make the decision based on reports from local offices.But if you're on your own, or just like to have all the information you can, here are ways to make an informed decision, keep yourself safe and possibly keep your savings intact if the worst happens.1. Find on-the-ground reports.Obviously the most effective way to really know what's happening is talking to people who are there. The key here is geography. Will trouble in Oaxaca affect your trip to Mexico City? News reports don't always pinpoint your vacation spot."You really need to be sure that you have a resource you can turn to for independent information,'' said Pamela Lassers, director of media relations for Abercrombie and Kent in Chicago.

Activist pulls wool over eyes of nation

Global Climate Change", like we are experiencing now, happens every 15,000 years or so. Man certainly has nothing to do with it. It will happen no matter how rich Al Gore gets from selling bogus "carbon credits". We don't cause climate change and we can't "fix" it. Wake up! You are being sold a bill of goods by one of the biggest hucksters in modern history, Al Gore. One of the most obvious examples of this is Iceland and Greenland. When they were originally named, Iceland was covered in ice and Greenland was farmland! Now Iceland is green and Greenland is covered in ice. Did "man" do that? No! And "man" is not melting the glaciers either. It's a NATURALLY OCCURING PHENOMENON. Get used to it and stop making the Environazis rich off your hysteria!! " .

Travels With the Bear

The values include seeking knowledge and finding answers; thinking ahead; planning and organizing; setting and achieving goals; having the courage to try news things; appreciating those around us; having a positive attitude; and having a winning attitude by seeking out guidance and positive role models.

For example, in "Traveling Bear and the Search for Treasure," Traveling Bear and his grandparents head into a cave to search for treasure. Throughout the venture into the cave, T-Bear faces challenges that require him to sustain courage and perseverance in order to achieve the goal of reaching the treasure chest of gems.

In "Traveling Bear and the Yellow Flipper Roller Coaster," T-Bear gets a lesson in thinking ahead as he and his friends Mookie and Chuga spend a day at the Big Top Amusement Park.