Book Thread number ?

[jen]

Re: Book Thread number ?

Read The Only Rule Is It Has to Work: Our Wild Experiment Building a New Kind of Baseball Team by Sam Miller and Ben Lindbergh. Really interesting - I enjoyed this one a lot. Two Baseball Prospectus writers get themselves hired as "baseball operations analysts" to introduce advanced analytics to an indepdent league team. I also liked their honest assessments of the limitations of advanced stats (and the people involved), so it's appropriate for people on both sides of the coin.

[jen]

Re: Book Thread number ?

Working my way through the Spenser books by Robert Parker. A thoroughly enjoyable smartass. Just finished #4.

[Probert]

Re: Book Thread number ?

Recent Reads


The Lost Order (Cotton Malone #12) by Steve Berry The latest Cotton Malone finds him investigating the Golden Circle in a plot involving lost Confederate Gold and the Smithsonian. A bit unbelievable like a lot of Berry’s work but a good read.

Fields of Honor: Pivotal Battles of the Civil War by Edwin C. Bearss I enjoyed this book. It is exactly what it says it is on the book jacket a collection of battlefield tours conducted by former National Park Service Chief Historian Ed Bearss. Personally I have visited all the major battlefields that are covered in this book, some of the battles leading up to them that are covered in brief I have not, but I could see where if you have not visited Shiloh battlefield and only have a cursory or no knowledge of the battle you would have trouble with that section in this book as any other battle. Even for me some of the troop movements were tough to follow, for instance there are multiple generals in each army with the same name, General Anderson, Gordon, Davis for example so figuring out which is which is sometimes difficult. The same for units of states like Missouri and Maryland , the 20th Maryland was moving up, is this a Confederate or Union unit. This book is definitely tailored to the Civil War buff not a casual follower or newcomer to the Civil War.

The Yankee Years by Joe Torre, Tom Verducci So this book mainly covers the latter half of the Torre Yankee years despite the title, I’m guessing Torre covered those in his first book. I enjoyed it as he tells of the demise of the Championship teams, though still making the playoffs every year and the World Series occasionally. The disruptions in team chemistry from some of the players brought in, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield and others including the most prominent A-Rod. The demise of the pitching specifically pitchers that were not ready for NY like Kevin Brown, Kei Igawa, Jeff Weaver, Randy Johnson and Javier Vasquez is also telling. Also the decline of his relationship with The Boss, which coincided with the decline in George Steinbrenner’s health and the turning over of the running of the team to other family members and confidants. Good book for a Yankee fan.

Dunkirk: The History Behind the Major Motion Picture by Joshua Levine Pretty good overview of the events leading up to the Dunkirk evacuation and how the evacuation happened. Tells it from several different viewpoints, soldier, politician, high command, ship captains and pilots in the RAF

Manhunt (Michael Bennett #10.5) by James Patterson Short Michael Bennett book shot about a terror event at the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Michael has to deal with FBI bureaucracy and a Russian consultant to try and track down the suspect. Ok

The Exile: BookShots by James Patterson (Goodreads Author), Alison Joseph A pretty good Patterson bookshot about Finn O’grady a former policemen in exile in London who receives a call from an ex-girlfriend who needs help. He reluctantly returns to Ireland to become involved in a mess he thought he had left behind as the bodies of his girlfriends family starts to pile up. Can he get to the bottom of it.

The Empty Throne (The Saxon Stories #8) by Bernard Cornwell My major issue with this book is the lack of warfare. Only a couple of minor skirmishes and a engagement at the end lots of internal politicking regarding Saxony and Mercia. It was interesting that really other than a couple of other instances two of Uthred’s children have a major impact upon the storyline. Still a very good read.

Killer Smile (Rosato and Associates #9) by Lisa Scottoline This book follows Mary’s “cold case” which was brought up in the last book and continues in this one. She is investigating the suicide of a young Italian who dies at an internment camp during WWII. Ironically this cold case becomes dangerous as Mary, other lawyers and people begin to get targeted. What is so unusual about this case? Good read

Befriend and Betray: Infiltrating the Hells Angels, Bandidos and Other Criminal Brotherhoods (Befriend and Betray #1) by Alex Caine, Daniel Sanger Interesting book about a professional informant who working with US and Canadian law enforcement infiltrates many different criminal gangs; Triads, KKK, Banditos and Hells Angels. The book mainly deals with his infiltration of the Banditos and Hells Angels. Interesting look inside the biker gangs and their rivalries with others.

Streams of Silver (The Icewind Dale Trilogy #2) by R.A. Salvatore I am not liking the second trilogy, I am reading them in timeline order not the order they were written., as much as the first. This is basically a quest of the 4 heroes of Icewind Dale; Regis, Bruoneor, Wulfgar and Drizzt to retake the ancestral homeland of the dwarf. Hunted by a vile assassin and wizards seeking to find the Crystal Shard from the first book of the series. The story just didn’t seem to flow as much and was choppy at times.

Last Call (Jack Swyteck #7) by James Grippando Decent Swyteck novel which mainly focuses on his good friend Theo. When a man from Theo’s past escapes jail it throws a whole series of events about the death of Theo’s mother years before into the limelight. Hunted by people who want to keep their secret, Theo and Jack seek to bring them to Justice.

Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS by Joby Warrick While this book is about the Rise of isis the bulk of the book tells the story of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi his early life in Jordan and then his rise as the most dangerous man leading the insurgency in Iraq. The last third or so of the book tells how his organization morphed into Isis after his death.

Twelve Hours (Dan Morgan #4) by Leo J. Maloney A short Dan Morgan story which finds him in New York attempting to stop a major terrorist attack in New York. Okay for a short story.

Surprise Ending by Jeffery Deaver Interesting short story about an author who is brought in by the police to try and come up with a plan to catch a criminal, good plot twist.

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire #4) by George R.R. Martin If you are a fan of the TV show you probably will not like this as much as the first 3. Daenrys and Jon don’t appear and it has a lot of plotline and character development that was left out of the series. A lot of maneuvering and development in Dorne and the Sparrow and various religious orders. Also a lot of Brienne of Tarth. Ok but not as good as the first 3.

The People vs. Alex Cross (Alex Cross #25) by James Patterson This book follows the trial of Alex Cross who is on trial for killing members of the Gary Sonji cult. Of course he couldn’t solely do that but also be involved in the case that Sampson is working on involving the disappearance of young women who are being held and video is being sold on the internet of them. Pretty good book as the last few Cross books have shown improvement.

Deep Freeze (Virgil Flowers #10) by John Sandford In this book Virgil Flowers returns to the scene of a previous crime Trippton, nook 8 Deadline. A woman is found dead in the river and Virgil is called in to rule out foul play and also while he is there can he help a private investigator help find someone who is making X-rated Barbie’s. Typical Flowers book, lots of double entendre’s, fishing and wilderness talk and his unorthodox method of investigating. Good read

[Probert]

Re: Book Thread number ?

Recent Reads Part 2

Two Kinds of Truth (Harry Bosch #20) by Michael Connelly Harry Bosch is working cold cases in San Fernando when the call comes in of a double homicide at a pharmacy. The department leans on the grizzled veteran to help them get to the bottom of it. At the same time one of his old cold cases is being reopened with new evidence pointing to anther killer. Another good Bosch effort from Connelly with a little Mickey Haller thrown in.

Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands (Lonely Planet Country Guide) by Danny Palmerlee, Carolyn McCarthy, Michael Grosberg, Lonely Planet Typical Lonely. Planet book. Helped me plan out my free time Quito before and after my Galapagos trip. and what to do on my free time in the Galapagos.

American Titan: Searching for John Wayne by Marc Eliot A good biography of the Duke, John Wayne, detailing his early struggles in life. His entry into the film world after an injury sidelined his football career and his long upward path to movie stardom. Interesting details of his relations with co stars and directors especially John Ford. It also plays on his politics and his activities during the McCarthy Era. Interesting fact that I did not know is that he did not serve in WW II. I had always figured that he at least served making propaganda films like many stars.

The Closer by Mariano Rivera A good biography about the greatest closer of all time. His early start in Panama. His signing as a pitcher even though he had limited experience on the mound. A short history of his journey thru the minors where his met future teammates like Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada. Then it follows his highs and lows as closer for the most recent Yankee Dynasty.

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough A nice effort from McCullough about the Wright Brothers early life, how they developed their gliders and their various versions of the Wright Flyers. How they put on exhibitions featuring flying to the public and inspired others to flight.

Black Skies (Dan Morgan #3) by Leo J. Maloney Another Dan Morgan adventure starts with the Secretary of being kidnapped in Pakistan. As the team and other US operators try to find him, the team may have uncovered a more sinister plot that will affect the whole US.

Fatal by John Lescroart Ok but not on par with a Dismas Hardy Book. This book is about a woman's affair with a man she met at a party that set a whole range of murders in motion affecting her friends and family.

Diary of a Succubus by James Patterson (Goodreads Author), Derek Nikitas Luckily this was a bookshots or I may not have finished it. A book. about a succubus trying to protect her "girls" from demons that are hunting them. Ok at best

Shutter Man (Jessica Balzano & Kevin Byrne #9) by Richard Montanari Interesting Byrne and Balzano novel. He appears to. have fast forwarded the plots as Jessica is now an ada and Byrne is alone on the police force. When people connected to Kevin's old neighborhood start to get killed he wonders if and how it is connected to his past. As he investigates will some of his old friends be implicated

The Ghost Mountain Boys: Their Epic March and the Terrifying Battle for New Guinea--The Forgotten War of the South Pacific by James Campbell Pretty good detaIled book on the battle for New Guinea and the soldiers who fought there. The ineptitude of upper command who refused to provide them with the materials they needed, equipment, malaria drugs and heavy firepower to assault the Japanese positions.

[Probert]

Re: Book Thread number ?

Recent Reads

The Rooster Bar by John Grisham Interesting Grisham novel about a bunch of students at a diploma mill law school who figure they have nothing to lose by practicing law without a licens and hatching a plot to take down the hedge fund manager who owns their school and they feel has ruined their lives. Pretty good though parts of it are a little unbelievable.

End Game (Will Robie #5) by David Baldacci The latest Wil Robie book finds him and Jessica together again trying to track down the disappearance of their handler Blue Man in Colorado. Looking amongst the various hate groups in the area and delving into his past they must find if he is still alive and who abducted him. OK read

House Rivals (Joe DeMarco #10) by Mike Lawson Joe DeMarco may have met his match in this book he is pitted with political fixers like himself. Going out to the Dakota’s to help out an old friend of Speaker Mahoney’s he finds himself investigating a billionaire and his political fixers.

Ice Capades: A Memoir of Fast Living and Tough Hockey by Sean Avery As a Red Wings fan I loved Sean Avery when he played for my team and didn’t when he was playing against it. Interesting biography of a superpest the current answer to the goons of old. The player who seeks to annoy the other team and get them off their game and take unnecessary penalties. Very good look at the current NHL and the various differences between types of players and coaches. I still don’t know exactly how Sean feels about John Tortorella though. A unique character on and off the ice a good read.

Warriors of the Storm (The Saxon Stories #9) by Bernard Cornwell The latest in the Saxon chronicles finds Uhtred battling against the Northmen who have invaded Mercia again. This time he allies himself with his son in law to try and drive the Northmen from his land once and for all. Good read.

The Last Man in Tehran (Kyra Stryker & Jonathan Burke #4) by Mark E. Henshaw The fourth Red Cell book starts off with Haifa being infected with radiation by a bomb. Israel is out for vengeance against the Iranians who they hold responsible and being aided by a mole inside the CIA. Kyra is tasked with helping the FBI find the mole. When her suspicions run counter to the FBI’s she must place herself at risk to find out the truth. Good read.

The Halfling's Gem (The Icewind Dale Trilogy #3) by R.A. Salvatore Didn’t like the Icewind Dale Trilogy nearly as much as the intial trilogy set mainly in the underworld. This book follows Drizzt and Wulfgar’s pursuit of the assassin Artmis who has taken their friend Regis and is delivering him to be killed. The book is in essence a chase scene as they struggle to catch up before their friend is killed. OK

Yakuza Diary: Doing Time in the Japanese Underworld by Christopher Seymour This book is not a history of the Yakuza per se but a series of interviews conducted by the author of various Yakuza and what he observed by watching them. It was okay and some of the chapters and portraits of the Yakuza members were better than others.

Born to Run (Jack Swyteck #8) by James Grippando The latest in the Swyteck series finds him involved in National Politics when his father is tapped to be Vice President after the current one dies. When he gets a cryptic email that says I can make your father President he becomes involved in a case that may lead all the way to the top. Okay but kind of an unbelievable storyline.

The Winter Fortress: The Epic Mission to Sabotage Hitler’s Atomic Bomb by Neal Bascomb A very good detailed book about attempt to keep heavy water produced in Nazi occupied Norway from helping the German with their Atomic bomb research. It details the various Norwegian partisans who after escaping to London volunteered to go back and help the efforts and the people on the ground who helped despite the threat of retaliation. Several plans and actions were taken some successful and some utter failures as they struggled to delay any attempt by the Nazi’s to get the atomic bomb.

Lady Killer (Rosato and Associates #10) by Lisa Scottoline Another Rosato and Associates book that does not have any courtroom scenes and is very much Mary and little else of the law firm. One of the “mean girls” from Mary’s old school comes seeking her help. After the woman rebuffs her attempts to help her she disappears and Mary is thrown into tracking down the woman because by letting the woman down she has lost the trust of South Philly. Definitely not one of the better Rosato books.

[jen]

Re: Book Thread number ?

Just finished The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women. I had to stop reading this book a few times because it made me very angry, but it was really, really interesting. You will send Christmas cards and Easter baskets to OSHA after you read it. It's about the women who painted watch dials with paint that contained radium in the 20s and 30s, and their resulting problems and the radium companies' actions. Radium is GOOD for you. It'll brighten your smile! Go ahead and put it in your mouth!

[The Rube]

Re: Book Thread number ?

"The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*" by Mark Manson

I am awaiting delivery of this book. Figured I should add the finishing touches to my overall attitude. I have heard it's an excellent book.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Book Thread number ?

"The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*" by Mark Manson

I am awaiting delivery of this book. Figured I should add the finishing touches to my overall attitude. I have heard it's an excellent book.

I spent a year combing through that genre, and he was one of the very few writers that didn't annoy the p155 out of me with obviously embellished stories, or bad advice.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Book Thread number ?

I’ve got nowhere else to put this, but Bloom County has been amazing the past few days with the Lair series.

I love frank so much.

[Kepler]

Re: Book Thread number ?

Finished A Moveable Feast (Hemingway). He's an as-shole, but it's still good writing. I really recommend it.

Have re-started, for about the 7th time, Sketches from a Hunter's Album (Turgenev). I know I'll never finish it. The stories leave me so out of sorts and disturbed that I have to think about them for about a week after each one, and eventually I just get exhausted.

[Probert]

Re: Book Thread number ?

Recent reads

The Midnight Line (Jack Reacher #22) by Lee Child The most recent Reacher book finds him trying to hunt down the owner of a West Point class ring. This drags him into a ring of drug dealers pushing pharmaceuticals across the heartland of America. Good story though in some cases a little more detail would have made the story better especially at the end.

The Take by Christopher Reich A new book from Christopher Reich which has an ex-con turned investigator Simon Riske being hired to retrieve an object that was stolen from a Saudi Prince. The kicker for Simon, the thief is a man who ratted him out, sent him to prison and tried to kill him. Filled with Russian and American spies, gangsters and cops he speeds thru France trying to retrieve the letter. Good book and looks to be the first in a new series from Reich.

Red Alert (NYPD Red #5) by James Patterson (Goodreads Author), Marshall Karp Ok NYPD red book, as is par for the course with Patterson books this one has multiple plotlines, a bomb goes off at a charity event and 4 rich developers are targeted by a bomber. A documentary film director is found dead and Zach Jordan is investigating a robbery at a high stakes poker game. It’s ok but I think the multiple storylines tend to distract from the story.

The Deceivers (John Wells #12) by Alex Berenson This book deals with terror in the Homeland as John Wells is sent to South America to get information about a terrorist attack and whether there are more to come. Typical of the series he finds himself left out all by himself with no help as he struggles to stop the next attack.

Friendly Fire (Jonathan Grave #8) by John Gilstrap This Jonathan Grave novel takes him back to one of his earlier rescues when a young man he rescued from a pedophile violently kills the man and is charged with murder. Since the man is a ghost and the kidnapping and rescue were never reported the young man may end up going to prison. Grave and Boxer must track down what the murdered man was doing in an attempt to save their former client and get to the bottom of what the murdered man was up to. Good read.

The Wrong Side of Goodbye (Harry Bosch #19) by Michael Connelly This Bosch novel finds him off the LAPD working as a private detective and part time volunteer for the San Fernando PD. He is tracking down an heir but also involved in the hunt for a rapist from his cold case files, a case that suddenly turns hot and puts him into danger. Good Read

Operator Down (Pike Logan #12) by Brad Taylor The latest Taskforce novel finds their Israeli friend Aaron kidnapped and it coincides with their case of tracking an American arms dealer. Drawn into a coup attempt in Africa and the potential for nuclear triggers being sold to terrorists they have to break out all the stops to rescue him and stop the coup. Good read.

The Infiltrator: My Secret Life Inside the Dirty Banks Behind Pablo Escobar's Medellín Cartel by Robert Mazur A very good book about a customs agent who infiltrates the money laundering operations of the Medellin cartel. Detailed operations on how dirty money is moved in and out of the United States, how the cartels and corrupt banks like BCCI operated. The sheer idiocy of superiors, politicians and other agents out to grab glory who put the undercover agent’s life in peril is particularly telling. For instance, he details how the operation had to be wrapped up in October so the head of the office could get a big headline and get promoted to a bigger job. Excellent read though for a mob book a little dry since many of the plot lines revolve around the movement of money.

The Savage Day (Simon Vaughn #2) by Jack Higgins I’m reading the older Jack Higgins books and this book is pretty good. It style is very similar to the later Dillon novels, including a Brigadier named Ferguson. This book finds Simon Vaughn, rogue and arms dealer going into Northern Ireland to try and recover a shipment of gold hijacked by the IRA. Good back and forth in a typical Higgins plot.

Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz An interesting tale of a writer who after seeing the Civil Wars in Bosnia comes back to the US and spends time amongst Civil War reenactors and other people who want to re-live the Civil War. Interesting tales of the towns and battlefields he goes to and the interesting characters he meets. There was one section where he went off the rails in search of characters and places from Gone with the Wind that I had no interest in.

The Winter King (The Arthur Books #1) by Bernard Cornwell This is the first book in Cornwell’s take on King Arthur. I enjoyed it but I could see where people who are looking for the mystical Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table would be disappointed. This depicts Arthur as a Warlord, Merlin as a Druid and many of the knights of the round table as less than chivalrous fellows. If you enjoyed the Saxon chronicles you will probably like this.

Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer: The True Story of the Man Who Recruited Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames by Victor Cherkashin, Gregory Feifer I enjoy reading books about Americans who decided to spy against their country and this is told from an interesting perspective, the KBG man who helped run two of the most dangerous spies against America Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames. I think the recruited used in the title is a bit of a misnomer since both Ames and Hansen were walk ins who volunteered their services they were not recruited. Cherkashin is one of the ones who decided that they were legit people with information they wanted not moles sent by the US. Also has a nice perspective on Cold War spying and the strengths and weakness of both the KGB and CIA/FBI. As he states in the opening of the book this is not James Bond stuff it’s the basics of intelligence gathering and the recruitment of agents.

[Kepler]

Re: Book Thread number ?

This is so mean.

[Probert]

Re: Book Thread number ?

Recent Reads

Fifty Fifty (Detective Harriet Blue #2) by James Patterson , Candice Fox Interesting series it picks up where the last book left off with Harriet’s brother on trial for being a serial killer. She is once again sent off to the Outback while several of her colleagues try to clear her brother. One of the better Patterson series.

Poison (Dismas Hardy #17) by John Lescroart So after a step away from Dismas Hardy with the book Fatal, Lescroart is back to Hardy in this one. A bit gun shy from his last case where he was shot, Hardy is debating whether to pull back his workload or retire when he is contacted by a former client who is charged with murder and he jumps back into the thick of it. Nice parallel police investigation along with the Hardy storyline. Not the best of the Hardy series but a solid effort.

Origin (Robert Langdon #5) by Dan Brown As the recent Langdon books go I would rank this below Inferno and well above the Lost Symbol. Langdon is called to a conference in Spain by a former student who has a big announcement on the origin of species but is killed before he can release his proof. Langdon and the museum director, who just happens to be engaged to the Prince of Spain run around the country attempting to find and release the presentation.

The Russian Five: A Story of Espionage, Defection, Bribery and Courage by Keith Gave A story of the Detroit Red Wings Russian Five unit from the early cup winners. Excellent story on how they came to America in a variety of ways. How they adapted to life in the US and the NHL and how Scotty Bowman put them together and let them play to help the Wings to back to back Stanley Cups. Would have been nice if the books had some photo’s in it.

The Night Crew (Sean Drummond #7) by Brian Haig Sean Drummond returns along with Katherine Carlson, his love interest/frienemy from an earlier book. Tasked with defending a young national guardswoman in a case similar to Abu Grave he struggles to get to the bottom of it while some of the other defense attorney’s are ending up dead. It was okay but for whatever reason didn’t like it as much as some of the earlier books.

The Rising Sea (NUMA Files #15) by Clive Cussler, Graham Brown Kurt Austin returns trying to see why the sea levels are rising after determining that it is not due to global warming. His crew ends up in Japan battling against the Yakuza to try and determine how it happened. It was okay but the Austin books are probably my least favorite of the Cussler series’.

The Late Show (Renée Ballard #1) by Michael Connelly This book introduces Connelly’s new detective Renee Ballard as longtime mainstay Harry Bosch is getting a little long in the tooth. While different from Bosch Ballard has many similar personality traits, a problem with police authority, part of which put her on the night shift. An unending search for justice which occasionally pits her against her partner and a cowboy type approach to the system. Enjoyed this book which has her investigating, “on the books” an assault against a streetwalker left for dead and “off the books” a mass shooting incident which later claims her former partner. Good read.

Afraid Of The Dark (Jack Swyteck #9) by James Grippando Interesting Swyteck book where he is defending a person held at Guantanamo who is then found to be wanted in Florida and an American and he defends him there. Found the plot to be highly unbelievable and they stuck his FBI agent girlfriend Andie, in her undercover role it appears solely to fill some holes in the plot. By far the worst of the Swyteck books.

The Flame Bearer (The Saxon Stories #10) by Bernard Cornwell Thought this was the last of the Saxon Chronicles but it seems as if I just caught up to Cornwell. This is all about Uhtred final assault on Beddenberg to retrieve his ancestral castle from his cousin. Along the way he is face with tough choices between, allies, friends and faces some of his storied rivals throughout the series. Good read

In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors
by Doug Stanton A book about an incredible story of survival for the survivors of the USS Indianapolis who were sunk by a Japanese submarine after delivering the components for the atomic bomb. Thrown into the water the sailors struggle to survive shark attacks, hypothermia and lack of water while the Navy is completely unaware that the ship has not arrived. It examines the various faults of the navy; not sharing Ultra intelligence which indicated a submarine was in the area, ignoring and not investigating the SOS call thinking it was a Japanese trick and simply marking them as overdue or arrived without following up on their whereabouts. It follows the story of Captain Mcvay the only ships captain court martialed during the war for losing his ship who was tried over the objections or Admiral Nimitz and Spruance, the commanders in theatre. After his conviction it covers the attempts to clear his name. The best part is the stories of the survivors and their struggles in the water to stay alive.

Orphan X (Orphan X #1) by Gregg Hurwitz A very good debut novel in which a young orphan is transformed into a weapon to be used against the enemies of the United States ala Jason Bourne or Splinter Cell. When he becomes disenchanted he disappears and during the novel he is trying to help people using his distinct skills when the government comes hunting him good read

Secret Missions of the Civil War by Philip Van Doren Stern This is a book filled with numerous short stories of secret missions of the war. Some were ones I was interested in hearing about; the NYC Draft Riot, St Albans Bank robbery, Morgan’s ride etc. The main issue I found was that these were taken from the actual source documents or articles written, usually by the participants, shortly after the Civil War. As a result many of these were dry and not that interesting while the event itself was. It would have been nice if the author had polished up these stories in order to make it more readable.

Solo by Jack Higgins A concert pianist who is an assassin runs down the daughter of an SAS soldier while fleeing the police. This sets the stage for the Higgins novel where the vengeful father seeks to track down his daughters killer.

King of Capital: Sandy Weill and the Making of Citigroup by Amey Stone, Mike Brewster A pretty good biography of Sandy Weill and his rise thru the ranks to become one of the richest men in America.

[jen]

Re: Book Thread number ?

Still working my way through Robert Parker's Spenser books. There are a LOT of them. I did not know until I started them that the TV show Spenser for Hire was based on the series. Now I kind of want to watch it (never have), although it's probably quite dated at this point.

Catfish Alley by Lynne Bryant - got this recommendation from a magazine somewhere. It's about a Southern white woman who is on a historical committee, and works with a group of older Southern black women to add historic places from the black community to a tour. This makes it sound really boring - but it wasn't. The stories of their lives, pre-Civil Rights era, were very engrossing and it was well-written.

Also, I read the Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons - WWII historical fiction, pretty chicky. A Russian teenager and a Russian soldier (who is American) fall in love, but her sister was in love with him first. And then, war. Couldn't put it down. There was one chapter that was very pron-y, and it felt out of place, because the rest of the book was not. It was like she wrote the book, then stuck the porn chapter in later. Anyway, I got to the end (I don't think I'm spoiling anything, this is not a new book), and I thought Alexander was dead, and I was bereft and ****ed off... but I thought, it's not really his story - it's more her story. A few days later, I was looking at Goodreads, and noticed there's a whole series, and it turns out he's ALIVE. So I read the second book, not as good as the first, but still pretty good. Not as much porn, because they spend most of the book apart. I also read the third book (they live together in the U.S., more porn, their son goes to Vietnam), but it was very boring compared to the first. Disappointed.

[The Rube]

Re: Book Thread number ?

"The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*" by Mark Manson

I am awaiting delivery of this book. Figured I should add the finishing touches to my overall attitude. I have heard it's an excellent book.

Late on a review, but this book is all the awesome. It makes no excuses on its attitude and frankness. Great book.