Guns, Baseball Cards, Juliana Hatfield and John Lennon Was a Jerk

Biography/Memoir

When I Grow Up by Juliana Hatfield. Hatfield had big success on the pop charts in the 1990s but then had a steady decline in sales. Years later, and now in her thirties, Hatfield was sitting on a dingy couch at a venue and wondered, "Why I am I still doing this?" and took more control of her career.
Hatfield played in Milwaukee on Wednesday evening. I emailed her publicity company a week before asking to do a video interview. The publicity gal, Bobbie, responded back saying she could arrange it. I thought, "Sweet!" Then I thought, "Dang. Now I have to drive to Milwaukee." Turns out I never got an interview. I received an apology from Bobbie on Thursday for not scheduling one.
I was both relieved and disappointed. Relieved I did not have to change my schedule and drive through new snowfall to Milwaukee. Disappointed because I think Hatfield would have been very interesting to talk to. Hatfield is also really good looking; I can write that because my wife never reads these posts.

One Soldier's War by Arkady Babchenko. Here are the facts: 18 year old Arkady is drafted out of college into the Russian Army. Suffering the traditional, brutal, and stupid hazing of the Russian Army Arkady gets little infantry training. Arkady is sent to Chechnya in both 1995 and 1999.
Here is another fact: Never go to Chechnya. Never, ever go to Chechnya. Don't fly over Chechnya. Don't even look at Chechnya on the map.

Bunny Tales: behind closed doors at the Playboy Mansion by Izabella St. James. St. James lived at the Playboy Mansion for two years and was one of Hefner's seven girlfriends. A "tell all story of life at the Playboy Mansion - the good, the bad, and the hard-to-believe."

John Lennon: the life by Philip Norman. I always thought Lennon sounded like and could be a major jerk. I am now vindicated. Norman had been working with Yoko Ono on this until Yoko canned him.

Maus by Art Spiegelman. Both I: my father bleeds history and II: and here my troubles began.

NonFiction

Knitting Noro: the magic of knitting with hand-dyed yarns by Jane Ellison.

U.S. Army Weapons Systems 2009 by the Department of the Army. Missiles, bombs, vehicles, communications.

How to Break a Terrorist: the U.S. interrogators who used brains, not brutality, to take down the deadliest man in Iraq by Matthew Alexander and John J. Bruning. Alexander found that, "with most prisoners, negotiation was possible and psychological manipulation stunningly effective."

Men, Love & Sex: the complete user's guide for women by David Zinczenko. "In this funny and fascinating guide for women, thousands of men confess what turns them on, what turns them off, and what turns 'for now' into 'forever'."

Complete Soapmaker: tips, techniques and recipes for luxurious handmade soaps by Norma Coney.

2009 Standard Catalogue of Baseball Cards edited by Don Fluckinger. I did not make that name up.