Friday, April 25, 2008

She's Got A Gun

Fiction

Sunday at Tiffany's by James Patterson. "What if you imaginary friend from childhood was your one true love?" Chick book.

Amber Morn by Brandilyn Collins. Christian suspense novel with a creepy author photo.

NonFiction

She's Got a Gun by Nancy Floyd. Gal buys gun because she misses her brother who died in Vietnam when she was twelve. She enjoys shooting, it ties into her feminist ideas, and reads everything on the topic. Ends up shooting competitively. Lots of photos since author is professional photographer.

Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Professor with terminal cancer prepares last lecture on the "importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment."

Large Print

Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith. Latest novel in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

Hold Tight by Halran Coben. Some suspense novel.

AudioBook

Killer Heat by Linda Fairstein. Another suspense novel.

Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman. Suspense again.

Christ the Lord: Road to Cana by Anne Rice. Not a suspense novel. Everyone knows how this turns out.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

A Western and Pat Tillman

NonFiction

Boots on the Ground by Dusk: my tribute to Pat Tillman by Mary Tillman. Pat Tillman's mother writes the book on her kid, his death in Afghanistan, and the resultant exploitation of his death by the Pentagon.

Fiction

Hard Trail to Follow by Elmer Kelton. A western.

Practically Perfect by Katie Fforde. Some chick book.

Cheating at Solitaire by Jane Haddam. Some big house covered in snow on the cover.

Lady of Light: brides of Culder Creek: book three by Kathleen Morgan. Some redhead with a tartan shawl next to a split wood fence in a field on the cover.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Alzheimer's Info and Care

NonFiction

Learning to Speak Alzheimer's: a groundbreaking approach for everyone dealing with the disease by Robert N. Butler, M.D.

Strength in Caring: giving power back to the Alzheimer's caregiver by Mark Matloff, Ph.D.

Voices of Alzheimer's: the healing companion: stories for courage, comfort and strength edited by The Healing Project.

36-Hour Day: a family guide to caring for people with Alzheimer Disease, other dementias, and memory loss in later life, 4th Edition by Nancy L. Mace, M.A. and Peter V. Rabins, M.D., Ph.D.

Forgetting: Alzheimer's: portrait of an epidemic by David Shenk.

Dignified Life: the best friend's approach to Alzheimer's care: a guide for family caregivers by Virginia Bell, M.S.W. and David Troxel, M.P.H.

AudiBooks

Alzheimer's Early Stages: first steps for family, friends and caregivers by Daniel Kuhn, MSW

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Three Mysteries and Two Novels

Fiction

Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz. Follow-up to the comedic doings of the PI firm owning Spellman family from The Spellman Files. "Meet the Spellmans, a family in which eavesdropping is a mandatory skill, locks are meant to be picked, past missteps are never forgotten, and blackmail is the preferred form of negotiation - all in the name of unconditional love."

Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher. Katherine's marriage is shattered under allegations her husban dis embezzling and having an affair with an employee. "How can she survive the loss of what she thought was the perfect life?"

Lost by Roberta Kray. A Brisitsh reporter and cop investigate a missing person's case from twenty years ago. Kray was married to one of the notorious Krays.

Wit's End by Karen Joy Fowler.

Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson. Chief Inspector Banks and Detective Inspector Cabbot work two separate murders in separate towns.

NonFiction Variety Pack

NonFiction

I Don't Believe in Atheists by Chris Hedges. "Critiques the radical mindset that rages against religion and faith...identifies the pillars of the new atheist belief system, revealing that the stringent rules and rigid traditions in place are as strict as those of any religious practice." A response to God is Not Great and similar books.

Right of the Dial: the rise of Clear Channel and the fall of commercial radio by Alec Foege. Clear Channel used to be the fourth biggest media company in the U.S. before it sold off radio and television stations. "Foege takes stock of the company's successes and abuses, showing the ways in which Clear Channel reshaped America's cultural and corporate landscape along the way."

Beautiful Boy: a father's journey through his son's meth addiction by David Sheff. Sheff's oldest son went from good kid to lying, stealing junkie. Sheff's concern for his son's trouble turns to an addiction of it's own. I think he was on morning television the other day.

God's Middle Finger: into the lawless heart of the Sierra Madre by Richard Grant. Travel writer from Tucson heads South into the still lawless Sierra Madre run by drug lords.

Son of Stitch 'N Bitch: 45 projects to knit & crochet for men by Debbie Stoller.

The Hard Truth About Soft Skills: workplace lessons smart people wish they'd learn sooner by Peggy Klaus. Shortcomings in social, communication, and self-management behaviors hinder your advancement more often than any technical deficiencies.

Storming Las Vegas: how a Cuban-born, Soviet-trained commando took down the Strip to the tune of five world-class hotels, three armored cars, and millions of dollars by John Huddy. The subtitle pretty much says it all.

The Road to Wealth: a comprehensive guide to your money by Suze Orman. Revised and updated.

Unlocked: a journey from prison to Proust by Louis Ferrante. Mob connected Ferrante goes to prison and finds sanctuary in books.

Six DVDs

DVD

Atonement starring Keira Knightley. Girl sees sister and guy kissing and "her jealousy drives her to tell a lie that will irrevocably change the course of all their lives forever." I haven't seen it or read the book.

August Rush starring Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell. Stupid concept with young lovers, an evil father, a child secretly sent to an orphanage, child playing guitar to find unknown parents.

Sweeney Todd starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen. I should do a comparison between American and British actors and see which side has the most actors using three names. Guy is released from prison and cuts lots of throats. I've read that there is a lot of splurting blood.

Kite Runner starring [a bunch of Afghanis you never heard of]. I've never read the book. The friendship of two boys is split and years later one tries for redemption. Or something. I always thought this was about kite fighting.

Juno starring Ellen Page, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman. Wiseacre teen girl gets pregnant and picks out adopting couple. Scripted by Diablo Cody whose autobiography about being a stripper, Candy Girl, we have. Garner and Bateman were both in The Kingdom which I watched yesterday evening. That picture was a disappointment.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei. That's a point for the U.S. Two brothers plot to rob their parents' jewelry store and things go badly. Tomei has a nude scene with Hoffman.