Book Review: “Enola Holmes”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Nancy Springer https://www.nancyspringer.com published the book “Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche” in 2021. This is the seventh book in her Enola Holmes series. This book was released today, August 31, 2021. She has published more than 50 works.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’. The primary character in the book is teen Enola Holmes. The much younger sister of the famous Sherlock and Mycroft.

As young as she is, Enola is a very independent woman and every bit as smart as her older brothers. She has also inherited her brothers’ intelligence and powers of deduction. A young woman, Letitia Glover, shows up asking for Holme’s help. Glover received a letter from her brother-in-law that her twin sister had died. She has been unable to learn anything from the widowed Earl of Dunhench. Glover wants to know what happened.

While Holmes does not seem overly interested, Enola jumps into the investigation. She is soon undercover in the Earl’s household. She discovers that the Earl’s first wife also died under unusual circumstances. Enola is sure that there is something amiss.

I enjoyed the 3.5+ hours I spent reading this 259-page period mystery. The book is short. The book is more of a novella than a novel. The book does read much like the original Sherlock Holmes stories. But this mystery is not too difficult. Ms. Springer mostly targets young adults so that can be somewhat expected. If you have access to Netflix you will find their production of an Enola Holmes mystery movie. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “The Afghan”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Andrew Turpin (https://www.andrewturpin.com) published the book “The Afghan” in 2019. Mr. Turpin has published eight novels. This is the prequel or book #0 of his Joe Johnson Thriller series. I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Turpin in September of 2018. You can read it here.

I received a copy of this book through a promotion by the author. I categorize this book as ‘R’ because it contains violence and mature language. The primary character in the novel is CIA operative Joe Johnson.

It is 1988. Johnson has been with the CIA for three years and is assigned to an office in Afghanistan. The CIA is routing assistance through Pakistan to the mujahideen. These Afghani tribesmen are fighting the Russians who have occupied their country.

The Russians seem on the verge of pulling out of Afghanistan. US Stinger shoulder-launched missiles have been sent to the mujahideen through Pakistan. Johnson is tasked with identifying who has stocks of these weapons. He has also been ordered to get access to Russian equipment. Both a Russian Mi-24 attack helicopter and one of their communications vans is on the wish list.

He must go into Afghanistan to make the needed contacts for this information. Crossing the border and making direct contact is against the wishes of the Pakistani government. The Russian KGB is also aware of him and they want him dead. He realizes that he is working with a mole. The Russians always seem to know what his plans are. Johnson must survive these obstacles to get his job done.

I enjoyed the 3.5+ hours I spent reading this 212-page thriller. This is the third of Turpin’s thrillers that I have read. I have really enjoyed them all. Unlike so many thrillers, his characters and plots are very believable. It is readable on its own, though I would read it before the other six in the series. I like the chosen cover art. I give this book a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Add a Display to Your Mac with Sidecar

See my other Mac and macOS posts.

Contents

1. What is Sidecar
2. How Does it Work?
3. How do I Set Up Sidecar?
4. Using Sidecar
5. System Requirements
6. Resources

So what is Sidecar

Sidecar is a feature beginning with macOS 10.15 and iPadOS 13. It allows you to use your iPad as an additional Mac display. I am fortunate that both my Mac and iPad are relatively new. If you want to try Sidecar you need to check that your equipment meets the requirements.

Many can take advantage of this feature when they are traveling with their laptop. It can be equally useful, though with your desktop. I have been an advocate of using multiple displays for years to extend my desktop. Recently the adapter driving the second display on my Mac mini failed. While I was waiting for the replacement to arrive, I tried out Sidecar. I have been very pleased with it. So much so that I now set up my iPad as my third display every time I work on the computer. You can see my desk configuration in the photo above. 

I take advantage of the wireless connection over IEEE-802.4 Wi-Fi. That way I can plug in the USB-C cable to charge the iPad while using it as a display. There are times when I experience a little latency. That would be resolved if necessary by using a wired connection. I don’t do that often as the USB-C ports on my Mac mini do not supply enough power to charge the iPad. Since I am not using an Apple Pencil for graphic input this has not been an issue.

If you have one, you can also use an Apple Pencil on the connected iPad. You can use it for pressure-sensitive drawing or sketching in Mac Apps. You can also use the pencil as a pointing device on the display. Any Mac Apps that support drawing tablets should automatically work with Sidecar [1].

In a sense, Sidecar gives the Mac the touchscreen ability that several users have wanted. If you are contemplating buying a Mac Laptop with Touch Bar, Sidecar lets you ‘try before you buy’.

How does it work?

Sidecar utilizes the same technology as in Continuity. It uses Bluetooth to make the initial connection. Point-to-point Wi-Fi is then used for subsequent data transfers. The virtual display technology built into macOS sends the signal to the iPad. This is over an encrypted data stream for security. The low-latency connection sends video to the iPad. Likewise, user input signals are returned to the Mac [5, 11].

How do I Set Up Sidecar?

Both macOS and iPadOS come with everything you need to run Sidecar. Sidecar must be initiated from the Mac. Apple provides a few different ways to connect your Mac to an iPad [2, 5]. I chose to use the System Preference panel method [8]. Just open System Preferences on your Mac and double-click on Sidecar.

At his point you have three options you can enable for your Sidecar display. First, you can optionally show the Sidebar on either the left or right side of your iPad screen. The Sidebar contains some commonly used controls. Use your finger or Apple Pencil to choose them. I have never used the controls so I have opted to disable that feature to gain a little more viewing space.

Some Mac laptops have a Touch Bar beneath the screen on the keyboard. This feature can be optionally added to the top or bottom of your iPad display. The Touch Bar controls will be for the window displayed in Sidecar. The last option is to allow double tap on your Apple Pencil. There are also multi-touch gestures you can use on the iPad display [2].

Using Sidecar

Once Sidecar is set up you can use it like any other display. To choose how the displays are arranged in relation to one another go to System Preferences. Now double-click on Displays and click on the Arrangement tab. Just drag your Sidecar display to where you want it.

The default mode and my preference is to have Sidecar extend my desktop. If that is the case you can just drag windows between the displays. You can also move the cursor over the green circle in the top left-hand corner of a window (see image above). A drop-down menu will appear and one of the choices will allow you to relocate the window to the Sidecar display.

On the other hand, you might want to use Sidecar in mirroring mode. That way an audience can view your Mac while you draw on the mirrored Mac screen on an iPad. You could also use this on a plane. Watch a video on your laptop while your neighbor watches it with you on the iPad. Best to do that with a cable rather than wirelessly though [12].

You can leave Sidecar on your iPad at any time to access the local Apps. You can take advantage of the iPad’s multitasking so you do not have to terminate Sidecar. Just swipe up from the bottom of the iPad screen. This will take you to the iPad’s Home Screen.

When you are done using the iPad App just touch the Sidecar icon to resume the Mac Display function. This will likely be in the recent-Apps portion of the iPad dock.

If your iPad has a keyboard such as Apple’s Smart Keyboard then it acts as an additional Mac keyboard while Sidecar is running [10]. You can also use multi-touch gestures on the iPad. Gestures must be enabled on the iPad. Go to Settings -> Hone Screen & Dock -> Multitasking. Make sure that Gestures are turned on (green) [4]. The most common gestures are:

• Two-finger swipe to scroll
• Pinch in with three fingers to copy
• Double pinch with three fingers to cut
• Three -finger pinch out to paste
• Three-finger swipe left to Undo
• Three-finger swipe right to Redo

You can use Continuity Sketch to create a drawing on the iPad and add it to a document on the Mac. You can use your finger or an Apple Pencil in Continuity Mark Up. That will let you sign or mark up documents [5, 11].

System requirements

Not all Macs and iPads can run Sidecar. The general requirements are that:

1. Both devices must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID
2. If using Sidecar wirelessly the units must be within 10 meters of each other. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Handoff must be turned on.

For a full list of the requirements check Resources 1, 2, & 3 below.

Mac requirements

1. The Mac must be running macOS 10.15 Catalina or later
2. The Mac must be a: 2016 or later Mac Book Pro, 2016 or later Mac Book, 2018 or later Mac Book Air, 2017 iMac, 2015 iMac retina 5K, iMac Pro, 2018 or later Mac Mini, 2019 Mac Pro

iPad requirements

1. IPad must be running iPadOS 13 or later
2. The iPad must be a: iPad Pro, iPad 6th generation or newer, iPad mini 5th generation or newer, iPad Air 3td generation or newer

Resources

1. Do your Mac and iPad meet the system requirements for the Sidecar feature? 10–22–19
2. Use your iPad as a second display for your Mac with Sidecar
3. Check iPad Mac Sidecar Requirements
4. How To Use Apple Sidecar
5. Sidecar Apple Tech Brief 10–19
6. Sidecar on your Mac
7. Use your iPad as a second display for your Mac
8. Everything you need to know about Apple Sidecar
9. Sidecar
10. Sidecar: Turn an iPad Into a Secondary Mac Display 10–13–20
11. Apple Sidecar explained: How Apple is using the iPad to make the Mac even better
12. Apple Sidecar: Use your iPad as a second screen for your Mac 11–12–19

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Visit my macOS Software Directory page and find new software for your Mac. Currently, there are over 870 titles indexed with more than 270 available for FREE

Book Review: “SOE in Denmark: The Special Operations Executive’s Danish Section in WW2”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – 

The book “SOE in Denmark: The Special Operations Executive’s Danish Section in WW2” will be published in 2021 (September). This is an official history of the unit. 

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘PG’. The story is about the Danish Section of the British Special Operations Executive. The SOE. These agents operated inside of occupied Denmark for nearly five years. 

This is different from many WWII histories as a member of the SOE wrote it shortly after the war. It is the detailed record of the principal agents and their mission. The various leaders and their roles are described. In a sense, it is the operational journal of the unit. As you might expect given its ‘official history’ status it is a very dry and academic read. 

  I enjoyed the 2+ hours I spent reading this 208-page WWII history. While it does have over 200 pages, the narrative part is less than 30% of the book. The rest is reference material. This would be a great asset to a researcher, but it is not exactly a fun read. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this book a 3.7 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 560 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.

Product Review: Benfei Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to VGA Adapter

(See my other Mac related posts) – I have been an advocate of using multiple displays for many years. My primary computer is a 2018 Mac mini. Newer Macs like mine are capable of supporting multiple displays. However even my old 2011 Mac mini could handle two displays. Per the Apple Technical Specification:

Support for the following combination of maximum concurrent display setups:

• Up to three displays:
  • Two displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz connected via Thunderbolt 3 plus one display with 4096-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI 2.0
• Up to two displays:
  • One display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz connected via Thunderbolt 3 plus one display with 4096-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI 2.0

Unfortunately the VGA to USB-C adapter I had been using recently failed. I needed to buy another adapter to connect the display to my Mac. I already have my primary display connected through the HDMI port.

The older display I wanted to use only has VGA input. I did a little online investigation and came across a solution. The USB-C to VGA Adapter, Benfei Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type C) to VGA Adapter Male to Female Converter Compatible for Apple New MacBook on Amazon. The price was under $13 and had 4.5 stars on over 1800 reviews. I ordered one.

As a Prime member, it arrived the next day. I have been using it since the end of July and it has performed very well. I now have a very reliable second display. In fact, I think I have another old display in my garage. If I can find it I will be ordering another of the adapters so that I can have three displays.

If you need to connect a second or third display to your Mac this is an inexpensive way.

If you are looking for Mac software, check out my macOS software directory. There are hundreds of titles listed.

Book Review: “Termination Shock”

Author Gillian Andrews (https://www.gillianandrews.com) published the novel “Termination Shock” in 2019. Ms. Andrews has published 11 novels. This is the first book in her Interstellar Enforcement Agency series.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence. The story is set in the far future. The primary character is Ryler Mallivan Bell. 

Bell is on board the training ship Commorancy. They are unexpectedly attacked and boarded by the Avaraks. Bell is Captain of a freighter and is only there for a three-week space defense course. Bell and a handful of survivors gather for mutual survival. He is the most senior of the group by a few days, so the role of leader falls to him. Bell leads the small group in their escape from the doomed ship. After that, the group seems to fall into one dire situation after another. Their journey is both complicated and sometimes assisted by their young Tyzarab companion, Zenzara. 

The very young girl was aboard the training ship with visiting dignitaries. Bell had saved Zenzara’s life and now, as per the custom of her people, she must repay to him the life debt. Life becomes more complicated after another alien encounter. Zenzara begins to develop into something far more than just an 8-year-old Tyzarab girl. 

I enjoyed the 9+ hours I spent reading this 331-page science fiction novel. On one level I found the plot a little simple and repetitive. It also seemed to gloss over the facts and the laws of physics occasionally. That said, I found the story to be a fun space opera read. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Operation Dragoon, the Second Allied Invasion of France, Takes Place in 1944

While Operation Overlord, the June 6th Allied invasion took place at Normandy, Operation Dragoon was in Provence in Southern France. Dragoon was originally planned to coincide with the Normandy landing. A lack of resources caused the second invasion to be delayed.

Landing at Côte d’Azur on the Mediterranean coast were the US VI Corps and French Army B. The main landing force was from the VI Corps. The 3rd Infantry Division landed on the left at Alpha Beach (Cavalaire-sur-Mer). The 45th Infantry Division landed in the center at Delta Beach (Le Muy, Saint-Tropez). The 36th Infantry Division landed on the right at Camel Beach (Saint-Raphaël). All three of these landing were very successful with relatively little resistance.

The objective of the landing was to prevent the Germans from diverting their forces in Southern France to reinforce Normandy.

Resources:

1. Texas Military Forces Museum – The Texas National Guard was federalized as the 36th Infantry Division in WWII

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 560 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.

WWII Ended on this Day in 1945

The US had dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima August 6th. The Soviets had declared war on Japan August 8th. Their forces had already begun to invade Japanese-controlled Manchuria. The US dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki August 9th. Recognizing what Japan faced, emperor Hirohito made the decision to surrender.

The thought of surrender was not received well by many in the Japanese military. Members of the Japanese Ministry of War and the Imperial Guard attempted a military coup to stop the imminent surrender by the emperor. This is known as The Kyūjō Incident. The coup failed.

At noon Japan Standard Time on August 15, though August 14 in the U.S, Emperor Hirohito announced his acceptance of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. He made a recording which was broadcast to the world. It announced that Japan would surrender unconditionally. Up to that point most Japanese had never heard the voice of the emperor. The four-minute speech is known as the Jewel Voice Broadcast, Gyokuon-hōsō. This brought WWII to an end.

When President Truman announced the news that evening he declared a two-day holiday in the US.

Resources:

1. VJ Day: turning the tide in the east
2. Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day)

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 560 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.

Book Review: “A Conventicle of Magpies: A victorian fantasy adventure”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author LMR Clarke (https://lmrclarke.wordpress.com) published the novel “A Conventicle of Magpies: A victorian fantasy adventure” in 2021. This is the first book in the author’s ‘Bloodskill Duology’. The author has published four novels. 

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence. The story is set in a ‘universe’ where those with ’skills’ can ‘burn’ their own blood to enhance those skills. 

The novel has been categorized as a ‘dark Victorian thriller’. In our timeline, it would be set in the late 19th century. The primary character is 21-year old Rébh Artur, commonly known as simply Rook. She is a member of the Conventicle of Magpies and is an accomplished thief. That is in part because she can enhance many of her skills. She steals what she needs to keep herself, her mother, and her sisters alive. The Conventicle also takes on commissions. These are mostly to right wrongs against the Saosuíasei people. Her people.

The Avanish run the city of Stamchester. They are wealthy and middle-class who have virtually enslaved the Saosuíasei. The Saosuíasei live on the squalid and dangerous side of the river in the area known as the Shambles. That is where Rook and her family live.

The situation is beginning to change and not for the better. A serial killer is haunting Stamchester and one of his victims was a friend. The killer drains all the valuable blood from his victims. The Avanish controlled police are doing little to protect the Saosuíasei. The governor of Stamchester, Kel Dreidchain, would like to clear the Shambles. Replacing the Saosuíasei with more living space for the Avanish. The death of any Saosuíasei is of little consequence to him. 

This all leaves Rook with the challenge of keeping her family safe. She is often out at night when the serial killer is about and must stay clear of his clutches. She must also avoid the raids upon the Shambles by the Governor’s men. When one of the Magpies is imprisoned Rook must take action. She joins with the resistance group Shadow of the Jaguar to free her.

I enjoyed the 6.5+ hours I spent reading this 231-page fantasy novel. The plot of this novel is like many fantasies. What is different is blood being the fuel for those with magical abilities. I am looking forward to the next book I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: “Hitler’s War in Africa 1941-1942: The Road to Cairo”

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author David Mitchelhill-Green published the book Hitler’s War in Africa 1941-1942: The Road to Cairo in 2021. He has published nearly a dozen books, mostly about the history of WWII.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of mild violence. The book tells the story of the German Army in North Africa.  

The book begins with the 1941 arrival in North Africa of a small force of mechanized German troops. Hitler has sent them to support the Italians in North Africa. German forces initially enjoyed a great deal of success. Under the direction of General Erwin Rommel, they were able to reverse much of the Italian losses. 

Rommel went far beyond his orders taking the German Army up to the very brink of capturing Egypt. The struggle for Tobruk occupied both the Germans and the British. The book covers the efforts of both sides in some detail. The British undertook many operations to displace the Germans and relieve Tobruk. These resulted in one failure after another. 

With Montgomery at the head of the British 8th Army, they began to push the Germans to the West. In November of 1942 US and other Allied forces landed in Morocco and Algeria. They began a push to the East. The Allies were able to finally squeeze the Germans from North Africa by late spring of 1943.

I enjoyed the 6.5 hours I spent reading this 279-page WWII history. The author includes many facts and the names of those involved in the North African campaign. He was able to include many brief first-hand quotes or observations. The book is academic but is very readable. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 560 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.