DVD
Extras: the complete first season and Extras: the complete second season starring Ricky Gervais, and a bunch of big, big, big stars. Gervais wants to be a big-time actor but is stuck as a film extra. He approaches various big, big,big actors for advice. Luckily for the viewing audience all the big, big, big actors - playing themselves - are bat crap loony.
NonFiction
Navy Cross: extraordinary heroism in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflicts by James E. Wise, Jr. and Scott Baron. Twenty sailors and Marines from Afghanistan and Iraq. Other recipients are from Vietnam, Korea, WW2 and WW1. The Preface says " The word 'hero' has been abused to the point where today anyone might be crowned with the title. In truth, however, a hero is someone who puts his or her life on the line for others."
Later in the preface the authors say how medal disbursement - specifically the Navy Cross - is proportionately lower than in Korea and Vietnam. But I've read many accounts of "medal inflation" in Vietnam where friends would nominate one another to assist in career advancement. I would bet the number of medals also depends on the unit. A group of guys who are in gunfights all the time must constantly be risking themselves for one another and frequent heroism most seem normal. A unit with little enemy contact that gets in a big gunfight, under the same circumstances as the other unit, may seem super heroic.
I'm glad I don't decide on the awards.
Fiction
Lady Killer by Lisa Scottoline.
Large Print
Stranger in Paradise by Robert B. Parker.
Caroline's Child & Dr. Texas by Debbie Macomber. Volume two of the Heart of Texas series.
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