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Here is your new thread for 2014. Happy reading!

JANUARY

1. by Marcus Hearn (no photo)
Finish Date: January 2, 2014
Genre: Entertainment
Rating: B-
Review: I'm not from the UK, so I didn't grow up with the Doctor, so much of this book was lost on me. But I enjoy the latest revival so it was still interesting to learn a little about the early days, and I certainly enjoyed reading some of the behind-the-scenes stories of the last nine years or so. I would have liked to hear a little more of the "why" and not just the "what" of the show's history, but it was still enjoyable.


2. by Harlan Ellison
Finish Date: January 5, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: A
Review: In recent years, I've been trying to catch up on some of the literary classics I should have read in High School or college. It then occurred to me that I should do the same in some of my favorite genres. Duh. I had heard so much about this collection of short stories that I decided it was time to read it. This was ground breaking stuff in 1967, and most of the stories can still grab you. A few were difficult to wade through, I'll admit, but overall, they still have the power to make you think.


3. by Dave Eggers
Finish Date: January 8, 2014
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A-
Review: There were times as I read The Circle that I said to myself, "This just isn't realistic. These people couldn't be so extreme. It's over the top." And then I remembered zealots I've known in the past (I know I'm going to offend some people here, but think high level Amway distributors). Suddenly the people seemed more real to me. The Circle is a fictional company - a blend of Google/Facebook/Apple and other leaders in our brave new world of computers, social media and connectivity. How much privacy are we willing to give up? That's the main theme, and the answer here is pretty disturbing, but worth learning.

Good start, Dave and interesting reviews. A couple of things: please add the word "January" in bolded caps at the top of your first post; and you did not add the photos of two of the authors. The books should look like this:

by Harlan Ellison

by Marcus Hearn (no photo)

by Dave Eggers

It takes a couple of tries but it will become second nature after a while. You can see the citation rules on the 50 Books Read in 2014 Introduction. If you have any questions, just let me know and thanks for your participation.

Dave wrote: "1. Marcus Hearn
Date Finished: January 2, 2014
Genre: Entertainment
Rating: B-
Review: I'm not from the ..."

I remember reading dangerous visions as a teenager. Very powerful stories. I still remember some of Ellison's work e.g. " 'Repent, Harelequin!' said the Tick-Tock Man" and "I Have no Mouth and I must Scream".

by Harlan Ellison

4. by Stephen Leacock
Finish Date: January 10, 2014
Genre; Fiction (Short Stories)
Rating: A
Review: This is a collection of short stories that are parodies of classic novel genres, from Sherlock Holmes to Russian angst. And they are funny! A bit reminiscent of Terry Pratchett at times, except that it would be Leacock who might have influenced Pratchett since Leacock started his writing around 1912, and was described in one review I read as "one of the most-read writers in the English language." And I never heard of him until recently. How could that happen? I'll remedy that by reading more of his works, which - in addition to his humorous fiction - include scholarly tomes on political science. His day job was professor at McGill University.

Dave wrote: "4. Nonsense Novels by Stephen Leacock
Date Finished: January 10, 2014
Genre; Fiction (Short Stories)
Rating: A
Review: This is a coll..."

Sounds good. I never heard of him either.

Peter wrote: "Dave wrote: "4. Nonsense Novels by Stephen Leacock
Date Finished: January 10, 2014
Genre; Fiction (Short Stories)
Rating: A
Review: T..."

Me neither. I wonder how he flew under our radar?

5. Ramblin' Man: The Life and Times of Woody Guthrie by Ed Cray no picture

Finish Date: January 17, 2014

Genre: Biography

Rating: A-
Review:
This biography of folk singer and activist Woody Guthrie was an interesting read, and seemed to be well researched. Guthrie himself was a bit of a tall-tale teller, so the author often had to dig through several versions of stories told at different times in Guthrie's life to get to what seems to be the closest to the truth. The only thing that dropped the rating to an A- was the fact that I would have liked to see some photos of the principals. Woody Guthrie has become a mythic figure. This book definitely points out the many warts of the man. As Pete Seeger said, who was likely one of the best friends Guthrie had, "You couldn't stand being around Woody, but you'd miss him when he was gone."

This book does look good, Dave. Go ahead and edit your message to to include the bookcover:

by Ed Cray (no photo)

6. by Jim Butcher

Finish Date: January 21, 2014

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: A-
Review:
This is the latest in a series of stories about Harry Dresden, a wizard in modern-day Chicago. I enjoy Butcher's style overall, although the "wiseassery" may actually have been taken to extremes in this one. They're facing horrible death, for goodness sake. One smart comment or round of banter is fine, but two or three? Still, the Dresden Files continue to entertain me. At one point, Harry Dresden comments that even as he gains more power, the bad guys get stronger too. That's actually quite a credit to the author - to make it believable that the hero is actually facing a situation that he may not survive. That's got to be tough to do in book after book, each villain more villainous than the last.


7. Edited by George R R Martin and Gardner Dozois (no photo)

Finish Date: January 30, 2014

Genre: Short Stories
Rating: B+
Review:
This is an interesting collection of short stories, all based on the title theme - Dangerous Women. Even though Martin and Dozois are known for fantasy and science fiction, these stories cover other genres: mystery, historical fiction and westerns as well as the two you expect. Overall, the quality of the stories is high. Surprisingly, one of the most frustrating is Martin's contribution - a novella from his world of Game of Thrones. In a relatively short space, it just seems that he gets so tied up in all of the different minor characters and their back story or lineage that it just gets downright confusing and you lose track of the story. A relatively minor point compared to the overall quality of the stories. Still, that's the main reason the collection didn't get an "A" from me.


FEBRUARY


8. by John Kenney no photo

Finish Date: February 2, 2014

Genre: Fiction

Rating: B
Review:
This debut novel is well written and well edited, and has moments that are laugh-out-loud funny (although that may be because I have spent a fair amount of my life in advertising too). But it's also a story of a dysfunctional family, a man turning 40 who is really questioning his life (and who wouldn't if you spent much of it writing ads for diapers), and his efforts to turn things around.

9. by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Finish Date: February 5, 2014

Genre: American History

Rating: A
Review:
Loved it. Goodwin weaves together three stories to tell the story of Progressive Republicans around the turn of the century: Roosevelt's, Taft's and that of a group of investigative journalists. I'm sure many on this site are familiar with most of TR's story. Fewer know as much about Taft. And because of the term given to the journalists - "muckrakers" - many of us may have a negative attitude toward them. In fact, though, they were performing a valuable service at a time when the nation needed impartial information.

I especially enjoyed Taft's story because I moved to Cincinnati a few years ago and I've been slowly learning the history of this area. He's certainly one of the biggies in local history.

A book like this always makes me wonder how historians and biographers of the future will write of our current generation of leaders. People just don't write - and save - letters anymore. Without such correspondences, they won't have the kind of first hand sources to really help us get inside the heads of the subjects of future biographers. Ah well...

Dave wrote: "9. by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Dat..."

This one is on my list. Probably right after I finish Passage of Power.

by Doris Kearns Goodwin

by Robert A. Caro

Great, Dave, I have stalled on this book due to time, but I will pick it back up. I like it so far.

by Doris Kearns Goodwin

10. by Farhad Manjoo (no photo)

Finish Date: February 7, 2014

Genre: Non-Fiction/Current Events

Rating: B-
Review:
I enjoyed this book overall, but won't say it was a great read. First of all, it didn't live up to the subtitle. There were no real tips on how to live in a post-fact society. It was more a compilation of examples of people and organizations dodging facts. There are also several examples of psychology experiments over the past 60 years ago or so that help explain how and why we believe what we do.

11. by William J. Bush(no photo)

Finish Date: February 12, 2014

Genre: Musical Biography

Rating: A-
Review:

I've been a fan of folk and acoustic music in general for most of my life, but for some reason, I haven't done much to learn more about the people who made the music. I started to change that last year, reading biographies of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. This year so far, I've tackled Woody Guthrie and now the Kingston Trio, whose records my brother played over and over.

The author is obviously a fan of the group, and admits to friendship with them so it's not an unbiased account. Still, he tries to stay as impartial as possible in describing weaknesses, especially in attempting to explain the breakup of the original trio in 1961.

Probably one of the biggest surprises to me was the casual attitude of singers in the 1950s and 1960s toward copyrights of songs. If a song was in the public domain and a writer changed or added verses, he would claim credit for that song from that point on. But if a later writer changed just a few things, they would often claim copyright privileges. More than a few lawsuits were brought.

If you liked the music of the folk revival in the 50s and 60s, you'll enjoy some of the behind the scene stories.

Dave wrote: "11. by William J. Bush(no photo)

Date Finished: February 12, 2014

Genre; Musical Biography

Rating..."

Brings back memories, Dave. My older brother brought home a Kingston Trio album which we listened to constantly. I loved that group! I may have to take a look at this book.

12. by Joseph Conrad

Finish Date: February 15, 2014
Genre: Fiction
Rating: B
Review:

This is one of those classics that I should have read years ago. I'm gradually trying to read those now. Some of them are a challenge due to archaic language or writing styles that are so different from what we're used to today. Case in point - Heart of Darkness was a little hard for me because I tend to read at every chance I get, even during short breaks. Well, some of the paragraphs in this book run for two or three pages, so it doesn't lend itself to brief reading breaks. Apparently the "rule" that you start a new paragraph each time a new person begins speaking is more recent than 1902.

Having said all that, the book is still an interesting look at how Europeans of the 19th century really thought of indigenous peoples, in this case, those of Africa. Sport shooting? Really? I suspect the author is not exaggerating.

Dave wrote: "12. by


Date Finished: February 15, 2014

Genre; Fiction

Rating: B
This is one of those classics that I should have..."

Nonfiction books on the same topic show that Conrad was not exaggerating; e.g King Leopold's Ghost

by
Adam Hochschild

I totally agree, Peter. The Hochschild book exposes the genocide practiced in the Congo that we never heard about. Excellent book.

by Adam Hochschild

13. by Joe Hill

Finish Date: February 24, 2014
Genre: Horror
Rating: B-
Review:

I enjoyed this book. It passed the time well and had some great moments. But at times, it seemed that the author was trying too hard, stretching things out too much. It could have been a much shorter book.

Ignatius, our hero (or antihero, perhaps) wakes up one morning after a particularly drunken night to find that he has grown a devil's horns. Among other effects, they seem to cause people in his presence to share their darkest, unfiltered thoughts and desires with him.

We learn that his girlfriend was brutally murdered a year earlier. Even though he wasn't convicted, the small town pretty much believes he's guilty, which contributes to making his life, even before the horns - forgive me, please - a living hell.

As the book goes on, we eventually learn the identity of the guilty party. Then we follow Ignatius' efforts at securing justice.



14. by Salman Rushdie

Finish Date: February 27, 2014
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A
Review:

Saleem Sinai is born at the same moment that his homeland, India, is born. He and the others born in that first hour of India's independence are Midnight's Children of the title.

This book is at times a history of India and Pakistan (up to around 1980), at times a story of family life in that culture and time, and at times a bit of a fantasy or mystical tale.

I enjoyed it very much, although I was listening to an audiobook, so I sometimes found it hard to keep minor characters straight.



MARCH


15. by Taylor Anderson

Finish Date: March 8, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction/Alt History
Rating: A
Review:

I really enjoy this series (this is Book #4 of 8 so far). A WWII destroyer in the South Pacific is somehow sent to a parallel universe. The geography is very similar to our world, but evolution took a very different turn at some point in the distant past. There are two intelligent species - one that seems to have evolved from the lemurs of Madagascar and a second that is reptilian based. Yes, the reptiles (the Grik) are the bad guys. VERY bad guys.

Over the course of these first four books, it's fascinating to see how the crew adapts to their situation, building an industrial base to support themselves and help them survive war with the relentless Grik.

But the author goes well beyond the tech challenges and the many battles that are fought. Many of the characters are quite well-rounded (Okay, not all. Some are pretty two-dimensional). But he does a good job of considering the many consequences of two very different cultures coming together - even a hint in this book of religious differences as a Catholic nun begins to make some converts. (I know. You're wondering what the heck a nun is doing on a destroyer. It's a long story, but it is plausible enough).

This is one of those books I read straight through, and I have to get the next volume right away.

Dave, I can relate. After years of time for professional reading only, I'm finally able in my retirement to catch up on all of those classics that sat on the back burner. Heart of Darkness is one that was difficult for me too, but one that has stayed with me.

by Joseph Conrad

Hi Dave, glad to meet another fan of the Destroyermen. I too am enjoying this series and just finished book 4. I agree with your assessment above. It will be interesting to see just how things shake out in the upcoming books. Another aspect I like is that the Destoryermen do not win every conflict. And don't forget the added element of the xenophobic British East India group. I feel there are some twists and turns coming in the next few books.

Read Heart of Darkness in high school and would desire to read it again. Thanks for the post!

Don't forget your book citations, Michael. Thanks.

by Taylor Anderson

by Joseph Conrad

Jill wrote: "Don't forget your book citations, Michael. Thanks.

by Taylor Anderson

[bookcover:Heart of Darkness|11783..."

Sorry about forgetting to do that.

16. by Clay Eals(No photo)

Finish Date: March 13, 2014
Genre: Biography
Rating: C-
Review:

I wanted to love this book. I really did. Steve Goodman is a folk singer from the Chicago area who somehow never managed to have a hit record of his own, but many, many others have recorded his songs and some have had their biggest hits with them (like Arlo Guthrie and "City of New Orleans"). Others who have recorded his songs include Jimmy Buffet (Banana Republics, Door Number Three), David Allan Coe (You Never Even Called Me by My name), Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (Colorado Christmas, Face on the Cutting Room Floor) and many others.

I love Goodman's music, He really was an amazing writer and performer. In fact, he was such an outstanding live performer that some of the headliners he was to open for insisted that they be allowed to play first because he was too tough an act to follow.

So I really wanted to love this book. He deserves a proper chronicling of his story, which ended much too soon at the age of 36 when he died from leukemia (he was diagnosed at age 20, and continued performing through all the chemo and radiation. An amazing story, and I'm surprised they haven't turned it into a made-for-TV drama).

the problem is that the author just got too carried away. Give him credit. He conducted thousands of interviews, including with Hilary Rodham Clinton, who happened to be a high school classmate of Goodman. But he just couldn't edit himself, and apparently, neither could the editor at the publisher. It's 729 large-format pages! There is much too much minutiae in here, even for a serious fan. Much was fascinating, and gave a look at the folk music scene of the 1970s and 80s, but it was just too much.



17. by Jeff Greenfield(no photo)

Finish Date: March 8, 2014
Genre: Alternate History
Rating: B+
Review:

Normally, when I think of alternate history, I think of the sub-genre of science fiction that I enjoy very much. This is not that kind of book.

Jeff Greenfield is a reporter who lived through and followed politics for the last 40 years or so. this book looks at several scenarios where a very plausible change from actual history takes place, and then he runs with possible ramifications.

Much of the book explores the details of various presidential elections and how things could easily have been different. It's a serious effort with touches of humor and irony thrown in along the way that make you smile, knowing as you do, the real history. Sometimes he gives us phrases or statements that were actually spoken, but perhaps not at this time or even by this person.

Occasionally, his attempts to add that touch of irony are the biggest stretches of the imagination, but they're still fun.

He concludes the book by sharing the basis for his conjectures, and more often than not, you nod your head and think yes, that could have happened.

18. Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian

Finish Date: March 22, 2014
Genre: Fiction
Date Finished: March 22, 2014

Review:

I've read several of Bohjalian's novels and enjoyed each of them. This was my least favorite, but still good. A rabid animal rights advocate is accidentally shot by his 12-year-old daughter holding a deer rifle. The conflicts ensue from there. The climax was a little disappointing to me, but there was a nice bit of balance at the very end that tied up a little mystery (although I think he was trying too hard to make us care about that particular little mystery).



19. by Ben Bova

Finish Date: March 22, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: B
Review:
I haven't read Ben Bova in a very long time. They were always a fun read for me when I was much younger. This one was aslo a fun, quick read, but I guess I've matured a bit since I last read him. The science is still pretty solid (I have one quibble about how his nanobots actually act, but how do any of us know for sure?). While his books aren't art, they're enough of a guilty pleasure that I'll be reading more this year.



20. by Michio Kaku

Finish Date: March 29, 2014
Genre: Science
Rating: A-
Review:
My two favorite non-fiction categories are history and science. In this case, I had a glimpse of the opposite of history - the future. The author takes us into labs where the most advanced experiments take place to help us understand the brain and consciousness. He takes experiments like those that are literally creating videos of our dreams (albeit crude ones) and extrapolating these ideas out to see what we might be capable of in the next 50 to 100 years. Fascinating. If you like this kind of book, you might also enjoy his book Physics of the Future, which explores the limits in other categories than the mind.

by

Dave wrote: "18. Before You Know Kindness by

Date finished: March 22, 2014

Genre: Fiction

Date Finished: March 22, 2014

Review:

I've read several of Bohjali..."

Hi, Dave. Be sure to put the author's link as well as his picture, e.g.--
by Michio Kaku

Tremendous progress Dave. Thank you Vicki for your assistance - very much appreciated.

Vicki is correct - Dave - you need to fix 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20 and 21

Sixteen and Seventeen were fine.

If you need some help on how to do the edits - the moderators are here to help.

Also bold and cap the months like JANUARY

Vicki wrote: "Dave wrote: "18. Before You Know Kindness by

Date finished: March 22, 2014

Genre: Fiction

Date Finished: March 22, 2014

Review:

I've read sever..."

Hi Vicki. I've corrected the author links that were missing on a number of my posts. Bentley also mentioned adding bold type to my months. I see no way to do that. Is it a problem with my browser, or is there a trick I don't know?

APRIL


21. by Brandon Sanderson

Finish Date: April 3, 2014
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Rating: A
Review:
This is the second book in a series, The Stormlight Chronicles. Like so many others, I started reading fantasy with Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. In the 1970s, the fantasy genre exploded with many Tolkien wannabes. A few were very good, most were average but fun, and a few just awful. There's a new generation of fantasy writers, and I have to say that Brandon Sanderson is a favorite of mine. His characters have depth. His worlds are distinctively different from each other and his plots are complex and interesting. So complex that it's hard to give a synopsis of this book in a space like this. If you enjoy good fantasy, get the first book, The Way of Kings, and start enjoying.

by J.R.R. Tolkien

by J.R.R. Tolkien

by Brandon Sanderson

Hi Dave,

First great progress but you need to get things on standard and the corrections are minor.

Here is the standard:

Our Required Format:

JANUARY

1. Winston S. Churchill
Finish date: March 2008
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.

First, Finish date: are the words in the standard not Date Finished - please update that first.

Second, you have all the months in caps but you should place them in bold as well. Do you know how to do that? <*b>JANUARY*b> - Just take out the two *'s and it should work. You can also check in the upper right of the comment box in some html is ok for the html set up.

Third, check message three that Jill posted for you and edit the errors she pointed out. The citation that is still incorrect is your book one.

Fourth, number 4 book is still incorrect:

There are all three parts of the citation available - I have shown you below.

by Stephen Leacock

Fifth, Bryan tried to help you with your book 5 located in message 8. He showed you how to edit that entry but it has still not been corrected - Bryan's correction is in message 9.

There are a few other segments that need correction and I will add other areas tomorrow. But I wanted to get you started and let you know that you are making tremendous progress and that we will work with you to get you pitch perfect.

Dave, about bolding - in the box where you type your message, next to the "add book/author" click on "(some html is ok)". Halfway down the page it shows you how to make text bold. It becomes second nature after a while. Bentley detailed it in the message above, but it helps to have all the html possibilities where you can easily refer to them.

Dave we do not want to scare you (smile). We are here to help you work on these things and get things right no matter how long it takes.

22. by Stieg Larsson

Finish Date: April 5, 2014
Genre: Thriller
Rating: A
Review:
This is Book # 2 in the author's trilogy based on Lisbeth Salander and it's just as hard to put down as the first one. As I read it, I was overwhelmed with the feeling that I really wanted Lisbeth to come out of this okay - you know, rooting for the underdog. But when you think about it, when you consider her capabilities, she's only an underdog because it's just her against almost the whole world. Don't bet on the world. Still, the book ends with an unexpected cliffhanger (the first book wrapped up most loose ends nicely), so I won't be waiting long for the third book.


23. by Michael Chabon

Finish Date: April 21, 2014
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: A-
Review:
Michael Chabon departs from his usual modern-day settings to explore a medieval Middle Eastern world. The "Gentlemen" in question are a couple of con men who get caught up in much bigger events than usual and must use all of their skills to save themselves and a nation. In his afterword, he comments on the diversion from his usual genre of novels, saying that he needed a little adventure from his usual writing. While I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the others I've read (The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Telegraph Avenue), it was still quite enjoyable and I applaud any authors who steps out of their comfort zones. If you're not familiar with this author, give him a shot. Start anywhere. The books all stand alone.

by Michael Chabon

by Michael Chabon


24. by Saladin Ahmed
Finish Date: April 22, 2014
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: B+
Review:
This book was a pleasure to read. It's not deep, and nor are the characters. But it was fun, and it provided variety. I read a fair number of fantasy authors, and it was a nice change to explore a world set in a world other than one based on medieval European lands. This is set in an Arabic world with its djinns and ghuls rather than elves and other classic fantasy creatures.


25. by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen
Finish Date: April 27, 2014
Genre: Current Events
Rating: A-
Review:
This was a difficult book to read for two reasons. First, it's hard to appreciate the level of antisemitism that exists in the world. Compared to the rest of the world, It's not nearly as visible in the United States as in many other countries. Second, the language is sometimes a little too scholarly and dry for me, and sometimes over my head. But the examples are vivid and frightening.

The author gives some history of anti-Semitism, which lays the foundation for what he calls today's global anti-Semitism. It's fascinating and scary and sad all at the same time.

Dave wrote: "22. by Stieg Larsson

Finish Date: April 5, 2014
Genre: Thriller
Rating: A
Review:
This is Book..."

Dave, for books 24 and 25 you should add "(no photo)" after the author link. That's the standard for History Book Club reviews.

MAY


26. by Brian Herbert Kevin Anderson (no photo)
Finish Date: May 2, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: C
Review: The continuing series of prequels to the classic Dune by Frank Herbert plod on. It's fun to see one version of how the Dune world became what it is, so I'll keep reading these. But the characters are so black and white - and I mean evil or virtuous, almost nothing in between - that it gets a little tiring after a while. In previous books, we've learned the nature of the Atreides/Harkonnen feud that propels the original series. We've learned the origins of some of the key groups like the Bene Gesserit, the Corrino emperor family, the spice induced navigators, etc. In this book, it's the turn of the human calculators, the Mentats. One of my biggest problems with this book is that the founder of the Mentat school is so indecisive, wishy-washy and weak, you wonder how he could have developed the theories that help others make such reliable decisions. Gee. Does that make this a science fiction mystery that has no solution?

Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1) by Frank Herbert Frank Herbert

27. by Stephen King
Finish Date: May 7, 2014
Genre: Horror/Science Fiction
Rating: B+
Review:
It might seem that there are only so many ways that the everyday world can become totally screwed up, but Stephen King continues to come up with new ones. This story of the majority of the world (or at least the northeastern United States) turned into what seem at first to be mindless zombies by a cell phone signal is not his best, but it's not bad. He seems to bring in elements from some of his other books, and when you think you know what direction he's going, he surprises you.


28. by Jim Harrison
Finish Date: May 12, 2014
Genre: Fiction
Rating: B+
Review:
This book is actually a collection of three novellas. I'm attracted to this author's work in part because he's from Michigan, and sets many of his stories there. As a Michigan native, I enjoy being able to more easily place the settings in my mind. But it's his writing that's the main treat (most of the time).

The first novella, "The Summer He Didn't Die," is set in Michigan's upper peninsula, following the exploits of a recurring Harrison character, Brown Dog, a mixed blood who lives in a pretty shabby trailer. In this story, he's faced with doing his best to raise two kids whose mother is in jail. And he's got pretty good instincts.

The second novella, "Republican Wives," features three very upscale ladies from Bloomfield Hills, one of whom has run off to Mexico because she thinks she killed a man that each of them has had affairs with since their college days. We see the situation from each women's eyes in turn, and you can't help but laugh at their views.

The third novella, "Tracking," was the most difficult for me, and the reason the grade dropped. After the laugh-out-loud antics of the women, this was just too reflective and introspective for me. well written, of course, but not what I was ready for after the first two stories.

29. by Claire North (no photo)
Finish Date: May 13, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: A
Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The title had me expecting some kind of book about an immortal being who dies and is reborn, or perhaps a form of reincarnation in the more traditional Hindu sense. Well, it turned out to be C, none of the above. Or at least not exactly. It seems that there are a small group of people who, when they die, are reborn into the same life where they started, only they retain their memories of their past lives. And some, like Harry, are even more fortunate. He has total recall so he can remember every detail of each past life. Which comes in handy when it's learned that someone in this group is messing with history to the point that the future of humanity is threatened. Harry has to stop him. This group of people came up with a most clever means to communicate with past and future. That's just one element in a well thought out world.


30. by John Paul Stevens
Finish Date: May 20, 2014
Genre: Current Events
Rating: A-
Review:
I know that one man's common sense may be another man's folly, but former Supreme Court Justice Stevens lays out his arguments so carefully and they so often just made so much sense that I was just nodding along in most cases. Of course, major corporations who would rather not see amendments that prohibit them from throwing money at elections will disagree. And for goodness sake, don't even think about any tweaks to the 2nd amendment or the NRA will come after you. Hopefully not literally.

The thing is, though, that Stevens lays out as much as 200 years of court precedents that only recently have been upended by more contemporary interpretations. That's part of what makes the book a little hard to read, and why I didn't give it an A or A+. Sometimes it's a bit challenging to slog through all the cases he presents. But if you take your time and push on, you'll be rewarded.


31. by Taylor Anderson
Finish Date: May 24, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: A
Review:
Another exciting adventure in the parallel world that Taylor Anderson has created into which groups from different centuries of our history have been thrust, and are interacting more and more. Our heroes on the WWII destroyer Walker and their Lemurian allies can't seem to keep up with the number of enemies and potential enemies out there in this very different version of the South Pacific. They continue to fight the reptilian Grik warriors who are learning from earlier encounters and are only going to cause more problems. The British colony from the mid 1800s figure prominently in this book. Will they become true allies, or provide another war front? That's one question answered in this volume. And we learn more about the mysterious Dominion - descendants of a Spanish fleet that arrived in this land around the height of the Inquisition. And it seems that their early leaders kept the worst of that era, and may even have added some of the worst of Aztec sacrifices. Hard to say yet. I'm looking forward to book 6.


32. by Mikal Gilmore
Finish Date: May 26, 2014
Genre: Non-Fiction Essays
Rating: B
Review:
This book is a collection of articles written by the author primarily for Rolling Stone magazine, often when a prominent figure from the 1960s died. From poets like Allen Ginsberg to that big fan of LSD, Timothy Leary, and including many music talents, these articles really do provide at least an overview of pop culture in the 60s.

In the introduction to the book, Gilmore tries to make the case that some of the creative leaps chronicled in the book wouldn't have been possible without drugs. But as you read each biography, you see how destructive the drugs were to individuals and groups. It's hard to feel sympathy for some of these icons who came to hard ends. In most cases, it's obvious that they made conscious choices.

Still, as far as the book goes, I did learn a lot about some of the behind the scenes actions - and some that were public, but I didn't pick up on. I lived through the 60s, but was just a little too young to do more than recognize the names and appreciate the music at the time. So this filled in a lot of blanks for me.

Great progress

JUNE


33. by Loren D. Estleman
Finish Date: June 2, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A-
Review: I've read some of Estleman's mysteries set in Detroit and enjoyed them. I also learned recently that he has written award-winning westerns, but haven't sampled them yet. This is sort of a hybrid - part western, part mystery and a lot of fun with literary characters. It's set in 1920s California, and ex-Pinkertons Charles Siringo and a young Dashiell Hammett team up to solve a mystery that starts when Wyatt Earp has a horse stolen. Along the way, we also meet up with Jack London's widow and Kennedy patriarch Joseph P., who may be part of the web of evildoers. It's well-researched fun.


34. by Bill Bryson
Finish Date: June 5, 2014
Genre: Humorous Essays
Rating: B-
Review: Bill Bryson moved to England and lived there for 20 years or so. Upon returning to the USA with wife and family, a British newspaper hired him to write a weekly column on differences between British and American cultures. This book is a collection of those columns. There's some great humor (or Humour, as he would write for the Brit newspaper), but it starts to get a little old after a while. Maybe read as columns, separated by a week, they will retain their freshness, but hitting you one after another, they start to sound a little too much alike.

Good progress Dave

35. by Joyce Carol Oates

Finish Date: June 6, 2014
Genre: Comedy Play
Rating: C+
Review: This is a play rather than a novel, and I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I know that Oates is a highly regarded author, and I wish I had read some of her novels first. This just seemed like something she knocked out in a hurry. The characters were caricatures for the most part. There were some nice moments, but not enough to win me over.


36. by Simon Schama
Finish Date: June 8, 2014
Genre: History
Rating: A-
Review: This companion history to the PBS documentary was, at times, a little difficult to read, but fascinating nonetheless. I am not Jewish, so I sometimes didn't understand all of the terms he used. Sometimes he explained them, sometimes he assumed we were as informed as he is. Still, I really enjoyed the narrative.

It isn't a traditional history in the sense of a blow-by-blow, year-by-year account. He selected key periods in time that were not only pivotal moments in Jewish history, but also when he had personal documents such as family letters available to help bring the period alive.


37. by John C. McManus (no photo)

Finish Date: June 13, 2014
Genre: WWII History
Rating: A
Review: My dad went ashore on D-Day with the 1st Infantry, and there has been relatively little written about this division. In this book, John McManus focuses on the Big Red One on Omaha Beach, so it was very personal to me. His isn't the first book that has had me wondering how those kids (face it, most were kids) could make themselves do what needed to be done in the face of such withering fire. Why didn't more of them just freeze? But with his many first person accounts, he helps you feel, as much as possible in a comfortable chair, what they faced. I know I'm biased because of a personal connection, but I recommend it.

Did your father ever speak of his experiences, Dave? So many veterans were hesitant to do that. My sister-in-law's father was in the Battle of the Bulge and would not talk about it.

He rarely did. I'm learning now that he said a few things to my oldest brother, who was born while my dad was overseas. My brother is just now sharing some of those stories now, but even those are sparse. I had a boss who was a WWII vet who loved to tell his war stories, but I think he was the exception. I think your in-law's father and my dad were more the rule.

I would agree. I certainly know from close family that Vietnam is never mentioned.......ever. We lost one family member there and several others served in combat. It just isn't talked about, period.

Jill wrote: "I would agree. I certainly know from close family that Vietnam is never mentioned.......ever. We lost one family member there and several others served in combat. It just isn't talked about, period."

Yeah. No war is easy, but that one definitely left a lot of scars.

38. by Henning Mankell

Finish Date: June 16, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A-
Review: I first learned of the Kurt Wallander character through a PBS Masterpiece Mystery program. Knowing that they usually select high quality books for their productions, I decided to check out the books. this is the second in the series and I'm thoroughly enjoying them. Wallander, a Swedish police detective, has an edge to him like so many fictional detectives, and you sometimes want to slap him and say "Be reasonable." but then, I've wanted to do the same thing to Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch and others, so I guess it's par for the course. If you're a mystery fan and haven't explored the Kurt Wallander series, I recommend giving it a shot.

Michael Connelly


39. by William Gibson

Finish Date: June 18, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: B
Review: This book, published in 1984, is considered a science fiction classic now. And somehow I'm only now getting around to reading it. It's considered the first of the "cyberpunk" sub genre, which has never been a favorite category for me. Still, it's an amazing book in terms of Gibson's vision of what a sharp kid can pull off by logging into cyberspace - a term he coined in this novel. And remember that he was writing this before the Mac had even made an appearance, so there wasn't exactly a lot of people using the internet at that time. It's a good story - sort of a modern version of a classic heist story. Our heroes are hired to pull of a "big job," but you never really know for sure who they're really working for or what the real objective is. And when you find out, it fits perfectly with the whole feel of the book.

Not one of my favorites, but still a good read. I can only imagine how it might have felt to read when the concepts he introduced were brand new.


40. by Zan McQuade (no photo)

Finish Date: June 18, 2014
Genre: Essays
Rating: C+
Review: Cincinnati has been my home for all of four years, so I try to read as much as I can about my new hometown. This is a collection of essays, artwork and photos that provide a snapshot of the city. My biggest frustration was that it is a bit of a limited snapshot. I know that one of the issues in this town, as well as in many cities (my old hometown of Grand Rapids, MI included) is the "gentrification" of certain neighborhoods. As it becomes cool to move back into these neighborhoods, the poor, often black population, is forced out by higher rents as the buildings are renovated. It's a real and important challenge, but one essay in this book focusing on this issue would have sufficed, not three or four. Another issue is one that I'm sure frustrated the editor, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating for the reader. The quality of the reproduction of photographs was quite poor. I'm sure they were on a budget to get this book printed, but what may have been some great photos were only slightly better than photocopy reproductions. I enjoyed many of the essays, but overall came away feeling let down.

41. by Orson Scott Card
Finish Date: June 21, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: B+
Review: This is the third book in a trilogy prequel series to Ender's Game, telling us of the First Formic War (Ender's Game takes place approximately 100 years later in the Third Formic war, so I'm guessing another trilogy will begin to fill in the middle war.). Just like Ender's Game, two of the key heroes are young people - one in late teens, maybe 20, and the other a very precocious 8 years old. It's classic adventure with a bit of philosophy on the side. Every time the heroes dodge a bullet, a bigger caliber gun is aimed at them (metaphorically speaking). It's a fun read without quite the depth that Ender's Game had.

Card has a co-author on this one, Aaron Johnston, but for some reason ÀÏ»¢»úÎÈÓ®·½·¨ isn't showing him anywhere I can find.

by Orson Scott Card





42. by Jim Butcher
Finish Date: June 27, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: A
Review: The latest in the Dresden Files series did not disappoint me. Harry Dresden, the wise cracking wizard detective in modern day Chicago keeps rolling along, facing greater foes that challenge him even as he gains new powers as the Winter Knight. Well heck, this time he's facing down the ancient Greek lord of the Underworld. How much tougher can it get?

As I was reading this book, I realized that one of the things I like about Butcher's writing is that he doesn't take a cheap or easy way out. All too often with other authors, I've often asked myself, at a particularly difficult juncture for the hero, "Well why doesn't he just do...whatever." There often comes a time where the hero could get out of a situation by employing a trick or using a power we've seen before. In this book, just as I was beginning to ask myself that question, Butcher steps in with an explanation that fits within the physical laws and rules that he has set up for his world. I liked that.

If you haven't started reading the Dresden Files series, be sure to start at the beginning. They do build on each other.

by Jim Butcher


JULY


43. by Michael Lewis
Finish Date: July 1, 2014
Genre: Finance
Rating: A-
Review: It was suggested to me that I read this book to really understand what was behind the economic meltdown of 2008. I thought I had a pretty good idea of what happened, but this book clarified a number of things for me. It also made me realize that the underlying causes go back much further than most of us realize. And no, it didn't make me any less angry at the greed and stupidity of those who either actively brought it about, or whose supposed safeguards failed miserably. Michael Lewis is able to write about arcane financial terms and traps without being dull. The Big Short isn't always easy to follow, but he does a good job of making the story unfold in a mostly clear and certainly entertaining way.

44. by Michael Connelly
Finish Date: July 12, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A
Review: I don't read a lot of mysteries, but I've always enjoyed Michael Connelly's writing. With his experience as a newspaper journalist in Los Angeles, I trust his portrayal of the city and its crime scene. That and his view of the LAPD (some good people fighting a tough system with its share of prejudice, bias and politics) just feels right. This is part of his Detective Harry Bosch series. Harry, a Vietnam vet (which figures more prominently in the earlier books, but which is never forgotten as part of who he is), has returned to the police force after three years of retirement. A new police chief is counting on Harry doing what Harry has always done best - solving cases. In this case, "open unsolved cases" - the new term for cold cases. The first case he and his partner draw is one loaded with misdirection, connections to the present, and the inevitable politics. As I said, I don't read a lot of mysteries so I didn't have much of a clue to the actual murderer until pretty far into the book. Maybe some of you would have guessed sooner, but I was impressed. There were plenty of legitimate suspects.



45. by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter
Finish Date: July 14, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: B
Review: This is the third book in the "Long Earth" series by these two authors. It has taken me some time to warm up to the series, but I've persdevered because I really like Pratchett's writings, and I've enjoyed some of Baxter's solo books too. But if you're also a fan of Pratchett, this is no Discworld. It's not at all satirical or humorous. Well, that's a bit harsh. There's some hint of the dry humor we come to expect. It's just not on every page.

In the first two books, we've learned that there are a seemingly infinite number of alternate earths that humanity has learned to "step" to. So like the old frontier in America, colonists and explorers have headed out. In this book, a couple of new wrinkles have been introduced. Avoiding spoilers, I'll just say that a break in the usual pattern of earths has allowed a small group to explore Mars - or "a" Mars - without the hassle and expense of breaking free from Earth's gravity well. In the meantime, we're learning about a potential new threat to humanity from within its own ranks - significantly more intelligent offspring. The plots come together - although there are plenty of threads left dangling for another sequel, especially along the space travel story line.

I'm enjoying the series more, and it's well written for the most part, but I won't list it among my favorites.