Fiction
The Ever-Running Man by Marcia Muller. Sharon McCone is hired by her husband's security firm to track down a bomber attacking their offices. Narrowly avoiding a bombing herself Sharon has to delve into the security company's, and her husband's, past corruption.
Robert Ludlum's the Bourne Betrayal by Eric Van Lustbader. Jason Bourne goes looking his only friend, Martin Lindros, who disappeared investigating terrorists in Africa. Bourne decides to dismantle the terrorist organization himself as they try to collect material and technology for a nuclear bomb.
Non Fiction
101 Best U.S. Wedding Destinations: top destinations for every style and budget by Kathryn Gabriel Loving. Let's see...Florida, New Mexico, Hawaii, Wisconsin, New Jersey. New Jersey!? New Jersey and not New Hampshire? Wait, maybe it was Vermont I got married in. Oh well, same thing.
Critical Perspectives on World Climate edited by Katy Human. Essays and articles are grouped into four categories: 1. The (Pre)History of Climate Change, 2. Role of Vegetation and Methane in Climate Change, 3. Present and Near-Future Effects of Global Warming, 4. Ongoing Debate over Climate Change
World Energy Crisis by Stuart A. Kallen. From the Compact Research series.
Primary Source Accounts of World War I edited by Glenn Scherer and Marty Fletcher.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
New and Nifty Novels
Fiction
High Noon by Nora Roberts. A hardcover by Roberts. Police hostage negotiator Phoebe has a new suitor and a personal threat from a mysterious assailant.
The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. Patterson continues his early retirement with another co-authored book. Lauren is out for revenge after her husband cheated on her. When Lauren does the same she witnesses a horrific crime but fears exposure if she comes forward as a witness.
Large Print
Something More by Janet Dailey. Luke McCallister and the descendant of a outlaw hunt for the outlaws buried gold in Wyoming.
Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin. I got this novel as a freebie during the ALA Annual Convention in Washington D.C. after attending a breakfast by the publisher's parent corporation, Thomson. Thomson is a large company and was hosting several breakfasts to demo and promote their products.
I followed the directions on my invitation for the Sunday morning Large Print discussion at the Renaissance Hotel. I arrived a half hour late at Ballroom B and immediately scoped out the coffee. The tables were already filled and were formed in a big U, with the presenter running a database demonstration from inside the formation, so I found an empty chair along the wall.
After sitting down I figured I may as well get something to eat and walked over to the buffet. I ended up filling my plate and, spying an empty seat, took a spot at a table. As I was eating the presenter talks about business databases and the corporate information contained within.
"Okay," I figure, "the large print portion of the program must be next."
Ten minutes later the presenter finishes and the meeting ends. A salesman comes over to meet me and I find out I'm in the wrong ballroom. Thomson switched ballrooms at the last moment and with my late arrival no one was no host at the entryway to let me know. So, I walk to the room next door, scope out the coffee and have a seat. Afterwards we were told to grab a copy of any titles sitting on display and I took this one.
So, enjoy the novel, but no free coffee for you.
High Noon by Nora Roberts. A hardcover by Roberts. Police hostage negotiator Phoebe has a new suitor and a personal threat from a mysterious assailant.
The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. Patterson continues his early retirement with another co-authored book. Lauren is out for revenge after her husband cheated on her. When Lauren does the same she witnesses a horrific crime but fears exposure if she comes forward as a witness.
Large Print
Something More by Janet Dailey. Luke McCallister and the descendant of a outlaw hunt for the outlaws buried gold in Wyoming.
Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin. I got this novel as a freebie during the ALA Annual Convention in Washington D.C. after attending a breakfast by the publisher's parent corporation, Thomson. Thomson is a large company and was hosting several breakfasts to demo and promote their products.
I followed the directions on my invitation for the Sunday morning Large Print discussion at the Renaissance Hotel. I arrived a half hour late at Ballroom B and immediately scoped out the coffee. The tables were already filled and were formed in a big U, with the presenter running a database demonstration from inside the formation, so I found an empty chair along the wall.
After sitting down I figured I may as well get something to eat and walked over to the buffet. I ended up filling my plate and, spying an empty seat, took a spot at a table. As I was eating the presenter talks about business databases and the corporate information contained within.
"Okay," I figure, "the large print portion of the program must be next."
Ten minutes later the presenter finishes and the meeting ends. A salesman comes over to meet me and I find out I'm in the wrong ballroom. Thomson switched ballrooms at the last moment and with my late arrival no one was no host at the entryway to let me know. So, I walk to the room next door, scope out the coffee and have a seat. Afterwards we were told to grab a copy of any titles sitting on display and I took this one.
So, enjoy the novel, but no free coffee for you.
NonFiction Variety Pack
Monkeys and Apes
Monkey Portraits by Jill Greenberg. One of the best books of the year! Full color portraits of monkeys and apes by celebrity photographer Greenberg. With Rhesus Macaque, Yellow Baboon, Bonnet Macaque, Orangutan, Mandrill, Gibbon, and others. Oh, yeah!
Entertainment
Singing Cowboys by Douglas Green. Biographies and profiles of well-known and little-known film and television singing cowboys. Written by Douglas B. Green a.k.a Ranger Doug from Riders in the Sky. Includes a music CD with music by Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter, Ken Maynard and others.
24: Behind the Scenes by Jon Cassar. A photo and production history of the television series 24. With coverage of past and present characters, actors, and crew. The included DVD has interviews and a photo gallery.
Hobbies
The Joy of Digital Photography by Jeff Wignall. "Remember when taking pictures was fun and having a camera was inspirational? Those days are back!"
Digital Photography Beyond the camera: expert Photoshop and digital know-how for top-quality images and prints by Ian Farrell.
Java Demystified: a self-teaching guide by Jim Keogh. A do-it-yourself Java guide.
New Ideas for Today's Crochet by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss. A variety of women's designs with tops, dresses, and even bikinis.
Crocheted Wire Jewelry: Innovative Designs and Projects by Leading Artists by Arline M. Fisch. "By crocheting with wire, which is as easy to work with as yarn, you can make lacy structures that hold their form while retaining a great deal of flexibility."
Cooking
Mr. Food Diabetic Dinners in a Dash: more than 150 fast and fabulous guilt-free recipes by Art Ginsburg. Fast and easy to make recipes published by the American Diabetes Association.
Monkey Portraits by Jill Greenberg. One of the best books of the year! Full color portraits of monkeys and apes by celebrity photographer Greenberg. With Rhesus Macaque, Yellow Baboon, Bonnet Macaque, Orangutan, Mandrill, Gibbon, and others. Oh, yeah!
Entertainment
Singing Cowboys by Douglas Green. Biographies and profiles of well-known and little-known film and television singing cowboys. Written by Douglas B. Green a.k.a Ranger Doug from Riders in the Sky. Includes a music CD with music by Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter, Ken Maynard and others.
24: Behind the Scenes by Jon Cassar. A photo and production history of the television series 24. With coverage of past and present characters, actors, and crew. The included DVD has interviews and a photo gallery.
Hobbies
The Joy of Digital Photography by Jeff Wignall. "Remember when taking pictures was fun and having a camera was inspirational? Those days are back!"
Digital Photography Beyond the camera: expert Photoshop and digital know-how for top-quality images and prints by Ian Farrell.
Java Demystified: a self-teaching guide by Jim Keogh. A do-it-yourself Java guide.
New Ideas for Today's Crochet by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss. A variety of women's designs with tops, dresses, and even bikinis.
Crocheted Wire Jewelry: Innovative Designs and Projects by Leading Artists by Arline M. Fisch. "By crocheting with wire, which is as easy to work with as yarn, you can make lacy structures that hold their form while retaining a great deal of flexibility."
Cooking
Mr. Food Diabetic Dinners in a Dash: more than 150 fast and fabulous guilt-free recipes by Art Ginsburg. Fast and easy to make recipes published by the American Diabetes Association.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Assorted Good Things
NonFiction
175 Best Jobs Not Behind a Desk by Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin. "Would you rather work outdoors or in a physically active job than be chained to a desk? Fortunately, many high-activity jobs have good earnings and are expected to grow. Now you can easily pinpoint the top-gear gear careers that suit you best."
Precalculus Demystified: a self-teaching guide by Rhonda Huettenmueller. Clear and concise solutions. I just saw that the actress who played Winnie in The Wonder Years, Danica McKellar, has a new math book coming out entitled Math Doesn't Suck.
Critical Perspectives on Pollution Stephanie Watson, editor. Aimed at the high school crowd with essays grouped into the topics Environmental Fallout, Human Toll, Animals in the Wake, and Forging a Cleaner Future.
Fiction
Con Ed by Matthew Klein. A beautiful blonde offers recently release con Kip a chance to swindle her billionaire husband. A con is never as easy as it sounds. But, after the blonde sweetens the deal and Kip finds his son in hock to Russian mobsters the deal is too good to pass up.
Unknown Terrorist by Richard Flanagan. Australian stripper Gina has a brief hook-up with a surfer dude. Gina wakes up to see the surfer's face plastered across the news and proclaimed a terrorist. Gina becomes Australia's Most Wanted and goes on the run.
Rat Run by Gerald Seymour. Seymour always writes really solid thrillers. Usually with a espionage bent, Seymour's last several novels have set his English characters in the Middle East. Former Intelligence Officer Malachy Kitchen was kicked out of the Army under suspicion of cowardice in Iraq. Back in England, Malachy starts his own fight against the local drug gangs in his neighborhood in an effort to redeem his pride and ends up butting heads with a local crimelord who is importing a terrorist in his next shipment.
Medicus: a novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie. A roman Doctor stuck in the hinterlands of Britannia buys an abused slave girl and investigates why all the local prostitutes are missing.
Simply Magic by Mary Balogh. A romance.
Mysteries
In the Woods by Tana French. 23 years ago three children went to play in the woods outside Dublin. Only one was found. Now that survivor is a detective on the Murder Squad and when an identical crime occurs he must use his slivers of memory to try and solve the crime.
Hard Man by Alan Guthrie. The great and mighty Guthrie returns with another tale of Scottish tough guys. Ex-con Pearce is asked to protect a pregnant sixteen year old from her violent, martial-arts-expert husband Baxter. Baxter isn't the father and when he hears Pearce is involved in his wife's protection he kills Pearce's dog. Now Pearce is angry.
Love Kills by Edna Buchanan. Former reporter Britt Montero has been hiding away in solitude for three years ever since her cop boyfriend was killed. Now the Cold Case Squad wants to talk to her at the same time Britt finds out a recent widower may not be just a widower.
Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid. A weirdly tattoed body is uncovered in the English Lake District. Is the local tale that Fletcher Christian snuck back to England from Pitcairn Island and stayed with old friend, and poet, William Wordsworth true? Wordsworth specialist Jane Gresham hunts for the rest of the story about a secret Wordsworth manuscript and finds herself hunted as well.
175 Best Jobs Not Behind a Desk by Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin. "Would you rather work outdoors or in a physically active job than be chained to a desk? Fortunately, many high-activity jobs have good earnings and are expected to grow. Now you can easily pinpoint the top-gear gear careers that suit you best."
Precalculus Demystified: a self-teaching guide by Rhonda Huettenmueller. Clear and concise solutions. I just saw that the actress who played Winnie in The Wonder Years, Danica McKellar, has a new math book coming out entitled Math Doesn't Suck.
Critical Perspectives on Pollution Stephanie Watson, editor. Aimed at the high school crowd with essays grouped into the topics Environmental Fallout, Human Toll, Animals in the Wake, and Forging a Cleaner Future.
Fiction
Con Ed by Matthew Klein. A beautiful blonde offers recently release con Kip a chance to swindle her billionaire husband. A con is never as easy as it sounds. But, after the blonde sweetens the deal and Kip finds his son in hock to Russian mobsters the deal is too good to pass up.
Unknown Terrorist by Richard Flanagan. Australian stripper Gina has a brief hook-up with a surfer dude. Gina wakes up to see the surfer's face plastered across the news and proclaimed a terrorist. Gina becomes Australia's Most Wanted and goes on the run.
Rat Run by Gerald Seymour. Seymour always writes really solid thrillers. Usually with a espionage bent, Seymour's last several novels have set his English characters in the Middle East. Former Intelligence Officer Malachy Kitchen was kicked out of the Army under suspicion of cowardice in Iraq. Back in England, Malachy starts his own fight against the local drug gangs in his neighborhood in an effort to redeem his pride and ends up butting heads with a local crimelord who is importing a terrorist in his next shipment.
Medicus: a novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie. A roman Doctor stuck in the hinterlands of Britannia buys an abused slave girl and investigates why all the local prostitutes are missing.
Simply Magic by Mary Balogh. A romance.
Mysteries
In the Woods by Tana French. 23 years ago three children went to play in the woods outside Dublin. Only one was found. Now that survivor is a detective on the Murder Squad and when an identical crime occurs he must use his slivers of memory to try and solve the crime.
Hard Man by Alan Guthrie. The great and mighty Guthrie returns with another tale of Scottish tough guys. Ex-con Pearce is asked to protect a pregnant sixteen year old from her violent, martial-arts-expert husband Baxter. Baxter isn't the father and when he hears Pearce is involved in his wife's protection he kills Pearce's dog. Now Pearce is angry.
Love Kills by Edna Buchanan. Former reporter Britt Montero has been hiding away in solitude for three years ever since her cop boyfriend was killed. Now the Cold Case Squad wants to talk to her at the same time Britt finds out a recent widower may not be just a widower.
Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid. A weirdly tattoed body is uncovered in the English Lake District. Is the local tale that Fletcher Christian snuck back to England from Pitcairn Island and stayed with old friend, and poet, William Wordsworth true? Wordsworth specialist Jane Gresham hunts for the rest of the story about a secret Wordsworth manuscript and finds herself hunted as well.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Fictional Swedes, Trojans, and Mannies
Manny by Holly Peterson. Holly Peterson's workaholic husband is never around so Manhattanite Holly hires a male nanny - a manny - to be a role model for her troubled 9 year old son. Frazzled career girl Holly is impressed with more than manny Jamie's childcare skills and wonders if he will ground her flighty life or sweep her away.
Innocent as Sin by Elizabeth Lowell. Rand McCree's self imposed exile in the woods has come to an end when he gets the name of the man who murdered his twin brother five years ago. Kayla Shaw escapes a kidnapping attempt to find her accused of laundering money through her banking job. When the killer of McCree's brother targets Kayla McCree is the only one to keep her alive.
Troy: Shield of Thunder by David Gemmell. Blood feuds, fierce battles, and remarkable courage in a sharply detailed tale of the siege of Troy and the competing loves and conspiracies of the Kings involved.
Blood Spilt by Asa Larsson. Larsson is the winner of Sweden's best crime novel award. Scandinavian noir set in the long days of midsummer Sweden. A rural female priest has been murdered and former big-city attorney Rebekah sees parallels to religious murders she was involved in before.
Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. Devoted wife Lauren has a revenge affair when she discovers her husband was cheating on her. Lauren witnesses a brutal crime at the same time as her affair but revealing her knowledge would reveal her infidelity.
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie is asked by Ranger to meet with her ex-husband Dickie to find out if he is up to something shady. When Dickie goes missing, Stephanie is a suspect.
Double Agents by W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV. Another novel following the OSS through World War Two.
Bungalow 2 by Danielle Steel. Tanya Harris gets a call to be sriptwriter for an A-List producer. Living for a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel Tanya leave sher family behind as she is seduced by the glamour of her new job.
Innocent as Sin by Elizabeth Lowell. Rand McCree's self imposed exile in the woods has come to an end when he gets the name of the man who murdered his twin brother five years ago. Kayla Shaw escapes a kidnapping attempt to find her accused of laundering money through her banking job. When the killer of McCree's brother targets Kayla McCree is the only one to keep her alive.
Troy: Shield of Thunder by David Gemmell. Blood feuds, fierce battles, and remarkable courage in a sharply detailed tale of the siege of Troy and the competing loves and conspiracies of the Kings involved.
Blood Spilt by Asa Larsson. Larsson is the winner of Sweden's best crime novel award. Scandinavian noir set in the long days of midsummer Sweden. A rural female priest has been murdered and former big-city attorney Rebekah sees parallels to religious murders she was involved in before.
Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. Devoted wife Lauren has a revenge affair when she discovers her husband was cheating on her. Lauren witnesses a brutal crime at the same time as her affair but revealing her knowledge would reveal her infidelity.
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie is asked by Ranger to meet with her ex-husband Dickie to find out if he is up to something shady. When Dickie goes missing, Stephanie is a suspect.
Double Agents by W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV. Another novel following the OSS through World War Two.
Bungalow 2 by Danielle Steel. Tanya Harris gets a call to be sriptwriter for an A-List producer. Living for a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel Tanya leave sher family behind as she is seduced by the glamour of her new job.
Large Print Fiction
Target by Stella Cameron. The three siblings living in Point Judah, Louisiana are the only survivors of a 20 yeard old mass murder in California. In hiding ever since their childhood commune was slaughtered by it's leader, Colin, the discovery of the bodies leads the murderous Colin back to them.
Hot Stuff by Janet Evanovich and Leanne Banks. Boston southsider Cate Madigan is saving her bartending income to move to a nice and quiet place. Then her missing roommate, Marty, sends her a 120 lbs Bull Mastiff dog for Cate to care for and Cate's apartment is broken into. Now, Cate has stalkers and a possibley dangerous cop after her.
Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson. Eve returns to New Orleans to escape the memory of her friend's murder and the fact that her former lover, Cole, did the crime. When Cole is released bizarre killings trace back to the former asylum where Eve's doctor father used to bring Eve to work when she was a child.
Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella. Officer James Gould is in charge of approving weddings between servicemen and locals in 1944 Naples, Italy. Gould's efficiency against corruption leads to the locals to try and distract him by setting Gould up with a new cook, the beautiful Livia.
Hunter's Moon by Randy Wayne White. Florida fisherman Doc Ford saves a former president from assassination. With only a short time to live, the president decides Ford is the man to spring him from his security detail and help him investigate his dead wife's plane crash in Nicaragua.
Devil Who Tamed Her by Johanna Lindsey. Ophelia's reputation was destroyed when she purposefully wrecked her engagement to the future marquis of MacTavish. MacTavish's best friend Raphael Locke wonders whether Ophelia is all bad and bets his friend her can turn her into a kind-hearted lady.
Double Take by Catherine Coulter. Julia Ransom's psychic husband was murdered and now Julia is struck on the head and thrown into San Francisco Bay. Charlotte Pallack may be the missing wife of Virginia Sheriff Dixon Noble. FBI Special Agents Savich and Sherlock put the clues together.
Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. Members of the knitting class at A Good Yarn yarnshop share their stories and personal turmoils.
Hot Stuff by Janet Evanovich and Leanne Banks. Boston southsider Cate Madigan is saving her bartending income to move to a nice and quiet place. Then her missing roommate, Marty, sends her a 120 lbs Bull Mastiff dog for Cate to care for and Cate's apartment is broken into. Now, Cate has stalkers and a possibley dangerous cop after her.
Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson. Eve returns to New Orleans to escape the memory of her friend's murder and the fact that her former lover, Cole, did the crime. When Cole is released bizarre killings trace back to the former asylum where Eve's doctor father used to bring Eve to work when she was a child.
Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella. Officer James Gould is in charge of approving weddings between servicemen and locals in 1944 Naples, Italy. Gould's efficiency against corruption leads to the locals to try and distract him by setting Gould up with a new cook, the beautiful Livia.
Hunter's Moon by Randy Wayne White. Florida fisherman Doc Ford saves a former president from assassination. With only a short time to live, the president decides Ford is the man to spring him from his security detail and help him investigate his dead wife's plane crash in Nicaragua.
Devil Who Tamed Her by Johanna Lindsey. Ophelia's reputation was destroyed when she purposefully wrecked her engagement to the future marquis of MacTavish. MacTavish's best friend Raphael Locke wonders whether Ophelia is all bad and bets his friend her can turn her into a kind-hearted lady.
Double Take by Catherine Coulter. Julia Ransom's psychic husband was murdered and now Julia is struck on the head and thrown into San Francisco Bay. Charlotte Pallack may be the missing wife of Virginia Sheriff Dixon Noble. FBI Special Agents Savich and Sherlock put the clues together.
Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. Members of the knitting class at A Good Yarn yarnshop share their stories and personal turmoils.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
New Noir and the Masterful Rossi
Fiction
Cruel Poetry by Vicki Hendricks. Noir novel set in Miami, "Renata is young, beautiful, and has sex for money and kicks. Few are immune to her intoxicating allure - even her pet Burmese python, Pepe, seems captive to her charm. Richard is one of her clients, a poetry professor with a wife and two sons, whose erotic fascination with Rennie threatens his home and job. Meanwhile, Jules, a shy wannabe-novelist, spies on Rennie from her next door room in between bouts of frustrated writing. Both would do anything to save Rennie from her dangerous occupation and become her one true love."
Jeez...that makes it sound kind of like a romance novel. It isn't.
Biography
What if I had Never Tried It by Valentino Rossi. Italian superstar Rossi, multiple winner of motorcycle Grand Prix titles, tells about racing and winning with three different teams.
Cruel Poetry by Vicki Hendricks. Noir novel set in Miami, "Renata is young, beautiful, and has sex for money and kicks. Few are immune to her intoxicating allure - even her pet Burmese python, Pepe, seems captive to her charm. Richard is one of her clients, a poetry professor with a wife and two sons, whose erotic fascination with Rennie threatens his home and job. Meanwhile, Jules, a shy wannabe-novelist, spies on Rennie from her next door room in between bouts of frustrated writing. Both would do anything to save Rennie from her dangerous occupation and become her one true love."
Jeez...that makes it sound kind of like a romance novel. It isn't.
Biography
What if I had Never Tried It by Valentino Rossi. Italian superstar Rossi, multiple winner of motorcycle Grand Prix titles, tells about racing and winning with three different teams.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
A Really nice atlas and some bestselling authors
Fiction
Double Take by Catherine Coulter. The cover illustration has a picture of Alcatraz Island at night and the subtitle is: An FBI Thriller. Without looking at the book's summary I'm going to assume the FBI deal with some criminal who likes Alcatraz.
Navigator by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos. I don't read Cussler's books but he has legions of fans. I hope he is not disappointing them by having a writing partner do all the work.
Stalin's Ghost by Martin Cruz Smith. Smith is an excellent writer and his Arkady Renko novels have all been fantastic. Renko is a Russian police detective in Moscow. In previous novels Arkady has worked in Moscow, Berlin, aboard a fishing vessel in the North Pacific, and Cuba. In this one, Renko investigation into ghostly sitings in the Moscow subway dovetail with his suspicions that a right-wing police colleague is a hired killer.
Harlequin by Laurell K. Hamilton. Another vampires and sex novel by Hamilton.
Devil Who Tamed Her by Johanna Lindsey. Another romance by Lindsey.
Large Print
Magic City by James W. Hall. Hey! I read this one! Florida Keys beach bum Thorn is going to watch his Miami girlfriend's senile father while she is out of town. Thorn gets into a fight with two Cuban thugs who try to rob the girlfriend's house and things go downhill. A good novel with great characters and a fantastic use of setting.
McKetrick's Luck by Linda Lael Miller. A romance set in modern day Arizona between a rancher dude and a real estate gal.
NonFiction
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. Novelist Kingsolver and family vow to live for one year only on the food they can buy locally or grow on their own. It wasn't always easy but it is certainly interesting.
Rumsfeld: his rise, fall, and catastrophic legacy by Alexander Cockburn. Rumsfelds incompetence, arrogance, and vanity are harshly exposed. I've been listening to Not a Good Day ot Die by Sean Naylor which is about 2002's Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. Rumsfeld's arbitrary cap on U.S. forces in Afghanistan and pulling military leaders back to the U.S. to plan for the Iraq invasion was a major factor contributing to the failures of Anaconda and our continued trouble there with the Taliban and Al-Quaeda.
map:satellite by Philip Eales. A wicked good atlas by the genius crew at Dorling-Kindersley. The atlas using a great mix of satellite imagery and traditional cartography.
Double Take by Catherine Coulter. The cover illustration has a picture of Alcatraz Island at night and the subtitle is: An FBI Thriller. Without looking at the book's summary I'm going to assume the FBI deal with some criminal who likes Alcatraz.
Navigator by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos. I don't read Cussler's books but he has legions of fans. I hope he is not disappointing them by having a writing partner do all the work.
Stalin's Ghost by Martin Cruz Smith. Smith is an excellent writer and his Arkady Renko novels have all been fantastic. Renko is a Russian police detective in Moscow. In previous novels Arkady has worked in Moscow, Berlin, aboard a fishing vessel in the North Pacific, and Cuba. In this one, Renko investigation into ghostly sitings in the Moscow subway dovetail with his suspicions that a right-wing police colleague is a hired killer.
Harlequin by Laurell K. Hamilton. Another vampires and sex novel by Hamilton.
Devil Who Tamed Her by Johanna Lindsey. Another romance by Lindsey.
Large Print
Magic City by James W. Hall. Hey! I read this one! Florida Keys beach bum Thorn is going to watch his Miami girlfriend's senile father while she is out of town. Thorn gets into a fight with two Cuban thugs who try to rob the girlfriend's house and things go downhill. A good novel with great characters and a fantastic use of setting.
McKetrick's Luck by Linda Lael Miller. A romance set in modern day Arizona between a rancher dude and a real estate gal.
NonFiction
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. Novelist Kingsolver and family vow to live for one year only on the food they can buy locally or grow on their own. It wasn't always easy but it is certainly interesting.
Rumsfeld: his rise, fall, and catastrophic legacy by Alexander Cockburn. Rumsfelds incompetence, arrogance, and vanity are harshly exposed. I've been listening to Not a Good Day ot Die by Sean Naylor which is about 2002's Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. Rumsfeld's arbitrary cap on U.S. forces in Afghanistan and pulling military leaders back to the U.S. to plan for the Iraq invasion was a major factor contributing to the failures of Anaconda and our continued trouble there with the Taliban and Al-Quaeda.
map:satellite by Philip Eales. A wicked good atlas by the genius crew at Dorling-Kindersley. The atlas using a great mix of satellite imagery and traditional cartography.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Vicki Hendricks and some Large Print
Noir Mystery
Miami Purity by Vicki Hendricks. I have not read this yet,but Bill Crider gave Hendricks' books high marks. A noir book with sex, violence, and crazy people in Miami.
Large Print
The Navigator by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos. A NUMA FILES novel with character Kurt Austen.AUstin hunts for a stolen Phoenician statue.
Invisible Prey by John Sadnford. Lucas Davenport suspects two seemingly unrelated murders of rich, elderly women are connected.
Heart of Texas, Vol. 1 by Debbie Macomber. Two short novels by Macomber: Lonesome Cowboy and Texas Two-Step.
Spare Change by Robert B. Parker. Sunny Randall is asked by her retired cop father to assist when a mass murderer her father hunted thirty years reappears.
Miami Purity by Vicki Hendricks. I have not read this yet,but Bill Crider gave Hendricks' books high marks. A noir book with sex, violence, and crazy people in Miami.
Large Print
The Navigator by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos. A NUMA FILES novel with character Kurt Austen.AUstin hunts for a stolen Phoenician statue.
Invisible Prey by John Sadnford. Lucas Davenport suspects two seemingly unrelated murders of rich, elderly women are connected.
Heart of Texas, Vol. 1 by Debbie Macomber. Two short novels by Macomber: Lonesome Cowboy and Texas Two-Step.
Spare Change by Robert B. Parker. Sunny Randall is asked by her retired cop father to assist when a mass murderer her father hunted thirty years reappears.
NonFiction
NonFiction
Lung Cancer by by Experts at the American Cancer Society. Non-small cell and small cell cancers. Prevention, diagnosis, treatment, post-treatment, etc.
Illustrated Manual of Sniper Skills by Mark Spicer. Author Mark Spicer was a British Army sniper and sniper instructor, served as an expert witness for the prosecution in the D.C. Sniper trial, and does training for McMillan rifles. Covers optics, tactics, training, countermarksmanship, etc.
52 Weekend Makeovers: easy projets to transform your home inside and out by Taunton Press, Inc. Closet makeover, overhead shelves, tile floor, sink and faucet upgrades, painted cabinets, etc.
Fitted Knits: 25 designs for the fashionable knitter by Stefanie Japel.
101 Ways to Workout with Weights by Cindy Whitmarsh. Multiple exercise to perform with handweights and dumbells.
Spanish
Los 1000 Primeros Dias de Tu Bebe by Italo Farnetani.
Lung Cancer by by Experts at the American Cancer Society. Non-small cell and small cell cancers. Prevention, diagnosis, treatment, post-treatment, etc.
Illustrated Manual of Sniper Skills by Mark Spicer. Author Mark Spicer was a British Army sniper and sniper instructor, served as an expert witness for the prosecution in the D.C. Sniper trial, and does training for McMillan rifles. Covers optics, tactics, training, countermarksmanship, etc.
52 Weekend Makeovers: easy projets to transform your home inside and out by Taunton Press, Inc. Closet makeover, overhead shelves, tile floor, sink and faucet upgrades, painted cabinets, etc.
Fitted Knits: 25 designs for the fashionable knitter by Stefanie Japel.
101 Ways to Workout with Weights by Cindy Whitmarsh. Multiple exercise to perform with handweights and dumbells.
Spanish
Los 1000 Primeros Dias de Tu Bebe by Italo Farnetani.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Large Print and The Dollyrots
CD
Because I'm Awesome by The Dollyrots. The Dollyrots get regular airplay on Little Steven's Underground Garage radio show (available online, too). They are a garage/punk band with a sense of humour and lots of energy. The title track is good, as is My Best Friend's Hot.
Large Print
Withering Heights by Dorothy Cannell. From the book jacket, "The formerly plump girl turned Thin Woman may now be happily married and a mother, but Ellie haskell hasn't lost her wit, her weakness for Gothic romance, or her knack for solving crimes."
McKettrick's Pride by Linda Lael Miller. Ranching widower Rance rustles a roving, and randy, retailer for readers.
Simply Magic by Mary Balogh. A regency romance.
An Unexpected Family by Joan Medlicott. Kathleen Simmons comes to the Covington house and announces she is the illegitimate daughter of Amelia's late husband. In reaction to her husband's betrayal Amelia rejects Kathleen and her 7 year old daughter. But 7 year old Clarisse is the spitting image of Amelia's dead daughter.
Because I'm Awesome by The Dollyrots. The Dollyrots get regular airplay on Little Steven's Underground Garage radio show (available online, too). They are a garage/punk band with a sense of humour and lots of energy. The title track is good, as is My Best Friend's Hot.
Large Print
Withering Heights by Dorothy Cannell. From the book jacket, "The formerly plump girl turned Thin Woman may now be happily married and a mother, but Ellie haskell hasn't lost her wit, her weakness for Gothic romance, or her knack for solving crimes."
McKettrick's Pride by Linda Lael Miller. Ranching widower Rance rustles a roving, and randy, retailer for readers.
Simply Magic by Mary Balogh. A regency romance.
An Unexpected Family by Joan Medlicott. Kathleen Simmons comes to the Covington house and announces she is the illegitimate daughter of Amelia's late husband. In reaction to her husband's betrayal Amelia rejects Kathleen and her 7 year old daughter. But 7 year old Clarisse is the spitting image of Amelia's dead daughter.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Fiction with a slew of VIctoria Houston mysteries
Victoria Houston
Houston paid the Library a visit about three weeks ago and spoke about her work as an author and her experiences in publishing. We now have a collection of all the paperback editions of her Dead series.
In no particular order, those new copies are:
Dead Boogie
Dead Hot Mama
Dead Jitterbug
Dead Creek
Dead Water
Dead Angler
Dead Frenzy
Fiction
Freefire by C.J. Box. I read a review of this in the newspaper, maybe the Wisconsin State Journal, and it received a raving review. Former Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett is asked to investigate the murders of four campers in a remote part of Yellowstone National Park that has overlapping jurisdictions, none of which can charge the mass murderer with a crime. The Wyoming governor himself asks for Pickett's help after the murderer walks away from his murders in this freefire zone.
Spare Change by Robert B. Parker. Series lead Sunny Randall is asked by her retired cop father for help after the serial killer he hunted thirty years ago resurfaces.
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan. Newlyweds in 1962 England struggle on their wedding night to adjust to marraige and it's intimacy.
Houston paid the Library a visit about three weeks ago and spoke about her work as an author and her experiences in publishing. We now have a collection of all the paperback editions of her Dead series.
In no particular order, those new copies are:
Dead Boogie
Dead Hot Mama
Dead Jitterbug
Dead Creek
Dead Water
Dead Angler
Dead Frenzy
Fiction
Freefire by C.J. Box. I read a review of this in the newspaper, maybe the Wisconsin State Journal, and it received a raving review. Former Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett is asked to investigate the murders of four campers in a remote part of Yellowstone National Park that has overlapping jurisdictions, none of which can charge the mass murderer with a crime. The Wyoming governor himself asks for Pickett's help after the murderer walks away from his murders in this freefire zone.
Spare Change by Robert B. Parker. Series lead Sunny Randall is asked by her retired cop father for help after the serial killer he hunted thirty years ago resurfaces.
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan. Newlyweds in 1962 England struggle on their wedding night to adjust to marraige and it's intimacy.
New DVDs
Apocalypto starring a bunch of Central American actors. Yeah, Mel Gibson is an angry drunk, but the movie is still good. Young guy Jaguar Paw is captured and taken to a Mayan city for sacrifice. He escapes and rushes home to protect his wife and child.
The Queen starring Helen Mirren, James Cromwell, Michael Sheen. The story of Princess Diana's death from Queen Elizabeth II's private viewpoint. It's funny how many different roles Helen Mirren has had. She was nude in several of them. Thank goodness we don't have to see the Queen in the buff. For a different interpretation of the Queen take a look at one of our Kids in the Hall DVD sets.
No Restraint starring Matthew Barney and Bjork. Artist Matthew Barney produced The Cremaster Cycle, three astounding and stunning motion pictures that showed at different art museums. No Restraint follows two characters, played by Barney and Bjork, as mysterious passengers on a Japanese whaling vessel filled with 45,000 pounds of petroleum jelly (one of Barney's favorite mediums). Speaking of nude actresses, I think Bjork appears nude in this one. She is married to Barney too.
Notes on a Scandal starring Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett and Bill Nighy. Mean, old teacher Barbara has a thing for popular, younger teacher Sheba. When Barbara finds out Sheba has been sleeping with one of her students she blackmails Sheba into a relationship. Creepy, huh? I don't know if either one is nude or not.
Painted Veil starring Naomi Watts and Edward Norton. The bored, beautiful and unfaithfull wife of Dr. Fane is spending most of her time in colonial Shanghai sleeping around. So, Dr. Fane gets a job in the hinterlands in a cholera ravaged town and brings her with him. Can she adjust? Will the marriage last? Watch and find out. Not sure of the nudity quotient but that Watts gal is a great actress. She was nude in Mullholland Drive.
Hannibal Rising starring Gaspard Ulliel, Gong Li, Rhys Ifans. Hannibal's life in post-war Europe and Paris and his turn into Hannibal the Cannibal. I bet there is cannibalism.
Seraphim Falls starring Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan. Three years after the Civil War: former Union Captain Gideon is pursued across the west by former Confederate Colonel Carver who is intent on revenge. Nudity? I don't know. But, if there is any I don't want to see it from those two dudes.
The Queen starring Helen Mirren, James Cromwell, Michael Sheen. The story of Princess Diana's death from Queen Elizabeth II's private viewpoint. It's funny how many different roles Helen Mirren has had. She was nude in several of them. Thank goodness we don't have to see the Queen in the buff. For a different interpretation of the Queen take a look at one of our Kids in the Hall DVD sets.
No Restraint starring Matthew Barney and Bjork. Artist Matthew Barney produced The Cremaster Cycle, three astounding and stunning motion pictures that showed at different art museums. No Restraint follows two characters, played by Barney and Bjork, as mysterious passengers on a Japanese whaling vessel filled with 45,000 pounds of petroleum jelly (one of Barney's favorite mediums). Speaking of nude actresses, I think Bjork appears nude in this one. She is married to Barney too.
Notes on a Scandal starring Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett and Bill Nighy. Mean, old teacher Barbara has a thing for popular, younger teacher Sheba. When Barbara finds out Sheba has been sleeping with one of her students she blackmails Sheba into a relationship. Creepy, huh? I don't know if either one is nude or not.
Painted Veil starring Naomi Watts and Edward Norton. The bored, beautiful and unfaithfull wife of Dr. Fane is spending most of her time in colonial Shanghai sleeping around. So, Dr. Fane gets a job in the hinterlands in a cholera ravaged town and brings her with him. Can she adjust? Will the marriage last? Watch and find out. Not sure of the nudity quotient but that Watts gal is a great actress. She was nude in Mullholland Drive.
Hannibal Rising starring Gaspard Ulliel, Gong Li, Rhys Ifans. Hannibal's life in post-war Europe and Paris and his turn into Hannibal the Cannibal. I bet there is cannibalism.
Seraphim Falls starring Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan. Three years after the Civil War: former Union Captain Gideon is pursued across the west by former Confederate Colonel Carver who is intent on revenge. Nudity? I don't know. But, if there is any I don't want to see it from those two dudes.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Favorites Authors and Chevy Chase
Mystery
Whack-a-Mole by Chris Grabenstein. The third John Ceepak mystery by Grabenstein. Ceepak is Mr. Straight Arrow. A policeman in the vacation town of Sea Haven, New Jersey, Ceepak's personal code is that he will not lie, cheat, or steal nor tolerate those who do. Ceepak once ticketed his partner, Danny Boyle for an illegal left turn. Boyle narrates the series and all of them have good humour about the straight-laced Ceepak. Ceepak loves quoting Springsteen and is an excellent investigator.
Requiem for an Assassin by Barry Eisler. I've read about three other Eisler books featuring assassin John Rain and all were quite good. I have a copy of this at home and have enjoyed the first 60 pages or so. Rain has been an international hitman for about 25 years and his paranoia and tradecraft have kep him alive, and lonely, all that time. Rain has recently retired but an enemy has kidnapped Rain's best and only friend, Dox, to coerce Rain into taking on a job. This will get ugly.
Author Bary Eisler will be making an appearance in Milwaukee on June 12th.
Fiction
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Kholeid Hussein. Hussein's Kite Runner has been very popular. Thousand covers thirty years of recent Afghan history seen by two generations of an Afghan family. From the Soviety invasion, Afghan resistance, through the rise and fall of the Taliban.
Sleeping Doll by Jeffery Deaver. California Burea of Investigations agent Kathryn Dance is assigned to interrogate convicted murderer Daniel Pell about a recently discovered murder. Pell is in prison for his copycat Charles Manson killings in Carmel for which he never talked about. When Pell escapes and goes on a killing spree Dance is in charge of the manhunt and pulls together Pell's former cult members and the one survivor of the Carmel murders to try and determine his purpose.
The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien. Christopher Tolkien pulled together and edited his father's writings and notes on the history of Middle Earth and presents a unified history that details Middle Earth history. Very well reviewed and well written by both Tolkiens.
Biography
I'm Chevy Chase...and You're Not by Rena Fruchter. Chase's authorized biography.
Whack-a-Mole by Chris Grabenstein. The third John Ceepak mystery by Grabenstein. Ceepak is Mr. Straight Arrow. A policeman in the vacation town of Sea Haven, New Jersey, Ceepak's personal code is that he will not lie, cheat, or steal nor tolerate those who do. Ceepak once ticketed his partner, Danny Boyle for an illegal left turn. Boyle narrates the series and all of them have good humour about the straight-laced Ceepak. Ceepak loves quoting Springsteen and is an excellent investigator.
Requiem for an Assassin by Barry Eisler. I've read about three other Eisler books featuring assassin John Rain and all were quite good. I have a copy of this at home and have enjoyed the first 60 pages or so. Rain has been an international hitman for about 25 years and his paranoia and tradecraft have kep him alive, and lonely, all that time. Rain has recently retired but an enemy has kidnapped Rain's best and only friend, Dox, to coerce Rain into taking on a job. This will get ugly.
Author Bary Eisler will be making an appearance in Milwaukee on June 12th.
Fiction
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Kholeid Hussein. Hussein's Kite Runner has been very popular. Thousand covers thirty years of recent Afghan history seen by two generations of an Afghan family. From the Soviety invasion, Afghan resistance, through the rise and fall of the Taliban.
Sleeping Doll by Jeffery Deaver. California Burea of Investigations agent Kathryn Dance is assigned to interrogate convicted murderer Daniel Pell about a recently discovered murder. Pell is in prison for his copycat Charles Manson killings in Carmel for which he never talked about. When Pell escapes and goes on a killing spree Dance is in charge of the manhunt and pulls together Pell's former cult members and the one survivor of the Carmel murders to try and determine his purpose.
The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien. Christopher Tolkien pulled together and edited his father's writings and notes on the history of Middle Earth and presents a unified history that details Middle Earth history. Very well reviewed and well written by both Tolkiens.
Biography
I'm Chevy Chase...and You're Not by Rena Fruchter. Chase's authorized biography.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Music by professional musicians, one rapper, and three Canadians
Rap
Hip Hop is Dead by Nas. I don't know anything about this guy but he is popular.
Folk
Celtic Woman: A New Journey by various artists. Fourteen songs by six Irish women vocalists. A couple tunes are in Gaelic. These "Celtic" discs are popular. So popular that some jerk seems to have stolen our other one. Here is the review from Allmusic.com, "Celtic Woman, a Riverdance-inspired PBS phenomena that boasts the talents of several female leads and a whole lot of orchestra and genre instruments like pipes, bodhrans, and fiddles, gives contemporary Celtic the Il Divo treatment on New Journey, a lovely and occasionally over the top collection of familiar melodies and grandiose sentiments that should please both the Celtic new age and the adult alternative crowds."
Ce by Caetano Veloso. Brazilian musician Veloso is a Big Deal. His first album came out in 1967 and "Caetano Veloso has managed to sustain a remarkable consistency, year after year composing beautiful, inventive, and very often simply ingenious music." Read the rest of the review at, of course, allmusic.com.
Rock
Snakes & Arrows by Rush. Rush's eighteenth studio album with lots of guitar and drums.
Stand Still - Look Pretty by The Wreckers. The Wreckers is a duo made by Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp. This album came out a few months ago but I figured it will still go out.
West by Lucinda Williams. A roots-rock and alternative-country styled music. Williams moved to Los Angeles after living in Austin, TX for a thirty years or so and the album, according to Allmusic.com (who else?), reflects that change with Williams confessional songwriting.
Because of the Times by Kings Of Leon. Kings of Leon are huge in England. I don't know why; I really liked a previous album, Youth & Young Manhood. Kings play a kind of Southern garage rock.
Mute Math by Mute Math. Quartet from New Orleans with an experiemental, but very listenable and enjoyable, debut album. Modern rock with electronic equipment.
Country
Nashville by Solomon Burke. Famed rhythm and blues singer Burke recorded these country tunes in Nashville with several country stars and musicians. What a voice! What style! What girth!
Jazz
Not too Late by Norah Jones. Eh. People like her.
Classical
Angel Dances by The 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic. Instrumentals by Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla and some gospel tunes sung by various guests.
Hip Hop is Dead by Nas. I don't know anything about this guy but he is popular.
Folk
Celtic Woman: A New Journey by various artists. Fourteen songs by six Irish women vocalists. A couple tunes are in Gaelic. These "Celtic" discs are popular. So popular that some jerk seems to have stolen our other one. Here is the review from Allmusic.com, "Celtic Woman, a Riverdance-inspired PBS phenomena that boasts the talents of several female leads and a whole lot of orchestra and genre instruments like pipes, bodhrans, and fiddles, gives contemporary Celtic the Il Divo treatment on New Journey, a lovely and occasionally over the top collection of familiar melodies and grandiose sentiments that should please both the Celtic new age and the adult alternative crowds."
Ce by Caetano Veloso. Brazilian musician Veloso is a Big Deal. His first album came out in 1967 and "Caetano Veloso has managed to sustain a remarkable consistency, year after year composing beautiful, inventive, and very often simply ingenious music." Read the rest of the review at, of course, allmusic.com.
Rock
Snakes & Arrows by Rush. Rush's eighteenth studio album with lots of guitar and drums.
Stand Still - Look Pretty by The Wreckers. The Wreckers is a duo made by Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp. This album came out a few months ago but I figured it will still go out.
West by Lucinda Williams. A roots-rock and alternative-country styled music. Williams moved to Los Angeles after living in Austin, TX for a thirty years or so and the album, according to Allmusic.com (who else?), reflects that change with Williams confessional songwriting.
Because of the Times by Kings Of Leon. Kings of Leon are huge in England. I don't know why; I really liked a previous album, Youth & Young Manhood. Kings play a kind of Southern garage rock.
Mute Math by Mute Math. Quartet from New Orleans with an experiemental, but very listenable and enjoyable, debut album. Modern rock with electronic equipment.
Country
Nashville by Solomon Burke. Famed rhythm and blues singer Burke recorded these country tunes in Nashville with several country stars and musicians. What a voice! What style! What girth!
Jazz
Not too Late by Norah Jones. Eh. People like her.
Classical
Angel Dances by The 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic. Instrumentals by Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla and some gospel tunes sung by various guests.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Look Out!
DVD
Pan's Labyrinth starring [a bunch of Spanish actors you never heard of]. Winner of three Academy awards (and loser of three, too). An adult fairy tale with young Ofelia enduring the cruelty of her fascistic military step-father in Spain. Escaping to a nearby garden Ofelia discovers a the fantastical creature living within it.
CDs
Music from the Motion Picture Black Snake Moan featuring S0n House, John Doe, R.L. Burnside, North Mississippi Allstars, Samuel L. Jackson, Bobby Rush. Blues soundtrack from Black Snake Moan.
Large Print
The River Knows by Amanda Quick. "Dashing Anthony Stalbridge had in common with Louisa was a passionate interest in the private affairs of Hastings, a prominent member of Society whom they both suspect of hiding terrible secrets."
Fiction
Good Guy by Dean Koontz. Tim likes to converse with the weird barflies at his friend's tavern. But, one night, one of those local eccentrics passes him in envelope. Inside is $10,000 cash and a woman's photo. Tim has has been mistaken as a hired killer. When the real hired killer sits next to him, Tim fakes it and says, "I've had a change of heart." After Tim discovers the real killer is a cop, he works to stop the intended killing.
Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. An alternate history where the Israeli state collapsed in 1948. Surviving refugees started an autonomous region in Alaska. That autonomy is due to end and policeman Meyer Landsman is investigating a recent murder.
Freak Show by James St. James. Teenage drag queen matriculates at ultra-rich, ultra-conservative Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy.
Mystery
Dead Madonna by Victoria Houston. "A Loon Lake Mystery." Wisconsin author Houston was here in Lake Mills on May 19th. This is her eighth Loon Lake mystery with rural Wisconsin Police Chief Lew Ferris investigating two murders.
Science Fiction
The Alton Gift by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross. Geez, science fiction authors collaborate more than rappers. The sequel to Traitor's Sun. I'm not going to bother figuring out the labyrinthine plot to this one.
Pan's Labyrinth starring [a bunch of Spanish actors you never heard of]. Winner of three Academy awards (and loser of three, too). An adult fairy tale with young Ofelia enduring the cruelty of her fascistic military step-father in Spain. Escaping to a nearby garden Ofelia discovers a the fantastical creature living within it.
CDs
Music from the Motion Picture Black Snake Moan featuring S0n House, John Doe, R.L. Burnside, North Mississippi Allstars, Samuel L. Jackson, Bobby Rush. Blues soundtrack from Black Snake Moan.
Large Print
The River Knows by Amanda Quick. "Dashing Anthony Stalbridge had in common with Louisa was a passionate interest in the private affairs of Hastings, a prominent member of Society whom they both suspect of hiding terrible secrets."
Fiction
Good Guy by Dean Koontz. Tim likes to converse with the weird barflies at his friend's tavern. But, one night, one of those local eccentrics passes him in envelope. Inside is $10,000 cash and a woman's photo. Tim has has been mistaken as a hired killer. When the real hired killer sits next to him, Tim fakes it and says, "I've had a change of heart." After Tim discovers the real killer is a cop, he works to stop the intended killing.
Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. An alternate history where the Israeli state collapsed in 1948. Surviving refugees started an autonomous region in Alaska. That autonomy is due to end and policeman Meyer Landsman is investigating a recent murder.
Freak Show by James St. James. Teenage drag queen matriculates at ultra-rich, ultra-conservative Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy.
Mystery
Dead Madonna by Victoria Houston. "A Loon Lake Mystery." Wisconsin author Houston was here in Lake Mills on May 19th. This is her eighth Loon Lake mystery with rural Wisconsin Police Chief Lew Ferris investigating two murders.
Science Fiction
The Alton Gift by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross. Geez, science fiction authors collaborate more than rappers. The sequel to Traitor's Sun. I'm not going to bother figuring out the labyrinthine plot to this one.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Musical Wonderment
Rock
Sky Blue Sky by Wilco. A more accessible album by Wilco with less 'artful' noise than before. We also a DVD of a live performance by them, Kicking Television.
Headstrong by Ashley Tisdale. Allmusic.com's review says this about one of the stars of High School Musical, "Attempting to give Tisdale an identity outside of High School Musical, Headstrong's sound is much more mature than the soundtrack's teen pop-meets-musicals vibe, incorporating heavy hip-hop beats, dancehall's call-and-response, Middle Eastern elements, and other mid-2000s pop music trends into the Disney pop sound."
Roots Rock
Big Iron World by Old Crow Medicine Show. I'm not sure why I ordered this disc but I listened to it yesterdya and enjoyed it. Old Crow has a roots rock sound that is part country and part traditional rock and roll. If you like it try out some of the programs from Roots Rock Radio.
Pop Standards
Call Me Irresponsible by Michael Buble. More older pop tunes from the Canadian vocalist.
Orchestral
A Song of Islands, Aotearoa Overture, Forest by Douglas Lilburn performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, James Judd, Conducting. Three of New Zealand native Lilburn's (1915-2001) works meant to convey the Kiwi country. I don't think James Judd is related to Kiwi Phil Judd.
Sky Blue Sky by Wilco. A more accessible album by Wilco with less 'artful' noise than before. We also a DVD of a live performance by them, Kicking Television.
Headstrong by Ashley Tisdale. Allmusic.com's review says this about one of the stars of High School Musical, "Attempting to give Tisdale an identity outside of High School Musical, Headstrong's sound is much more mature than the soundtrack's teen pop-meets-musicals vibe, incorporating heavy hip-hop beats, dancehall's call-and-response, Middle Eastern elements, and other mid-2000s pop music trends into the Disney pop sound."
Roots Rock
Big Iron World by Old Crow Medicine Show. I'm not sure why I ordered this disc but I listened to it yesterdya and enjoyed it. Old Crow has a roots rock sound that is part country and part traditional rock and roll. If you like it try out some of the programs from Roots Rock Radio.
Pop Standards
Call Me Irresponsible by Michael Buble. More older pop tunes from the Canadian vocalist.
Orchestral
A Song of Islands, Aotearoa Overture, Forest by Douglas Lilburn performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, James Judd, Conducting. Three of New Zealand native Lilburn's (1915-2001) works meant to convey the Kiwi country. I don't think James Judd is related to Kiwi Phil Judd.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
DVDs
Little Children starring Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, Patrick Wilson. Bored housewife and househusband have an affair and a convicted child molester moves into town. Three academy award nominations. Allmovie.com has a very good review.
Animal House starring John Belushi, Tim Matheson, John Vernon. Digitally remastered edition.
Good German starring George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Tobey Maguire. In 1946 Germany the blackmarket is thriving. Journalist Jake Geistner arrives in Berlin and finds that his old love Lena is now attached to a corrupt and scheming black market kingpin, a U.S. Army Corporal.
Animal House starring John Belushi, Tim Matheson, John Vernon. Digitally remastered edition.
Good German starring George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Tobey Maguire. In 1946 Germany the blackmarket is thriving. Journalist Jake Geistner arrives in Berlin and finds that his old love Lena is now attached to a corrupt and scheming black market kingpin, a U.S. Army Corporal.
Monday, May 21, 2007
New New New, For You You You
Fiction
Novels
Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey by Chuck Palahniuk. "What 'Typhoid mary' mallon was to typhoid, what Gaetan Dugas was to AIDS, and Liu Jianlun was to SARS, Buster Casey would become for rabies." Collected anecdotes of Rant Casey whose creation of an urban demolition derby, Party Crashing, led to his fiery death. Thoughts that his saliva caused an urban plague of rabies.
You Suck by Christopher Moore. Thomas wakes up with new girlfriend Jody and finds out she is a vampire. Uh-oh, now he is too. Will their love survive? A comic novel.
What's So Funny? by Donald Westlake. Career burglar Dortmunder is blackmailed into an impossible crime. More criminal humour by Westlake.
The Religion by Tim Willocks. The siege of Malta in 1565 by the Ottoman Turks against the Knights of Saint John the Baptist. French countess Carla La Penautier is searching Malta for the child stolen from her twelve years ago. With the help of mercenary Mattias Carla hopes to find and spirit the boy away from the biggest siege in history.
This book receivedly good reviews. Reviews like this: "This is what we dream of: to be swept away, so poleaxed by a book that the breath is sucked right out of us."
Graphic Novels
300 by Frank Miller. The graphic novel - in a huge format, 10" x 13" - that the recent movie was based on.
Mysteries
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny. Chief Inspector Gamache of the Quebec Provincial Police investigates the murder of CC de Poitiers. Unliked by all her fellow villagers, CC was electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake in Three Pines, Quebec during a curling tournament. Penny wrote Still Life which garnered tons of positive press and readership - Lake Mills owns a copy - and Fatal continues with lead character Gamache.
The Cruel Stars of the Night by Kjell Eriksson. Swedish author of The Princess of Burundi. Inspector Ann Lindell takes the missing persons case of an elderly academic. When two elderly men's bodies are found neither one is the missing man, but the missing man's colleagues suspet a connection between the those deaths and their friends disappearance.
The Savage Garden by Mark Mills. This one sounds quite good. 1950s Cambridge student Adam Strickland is asked to travel to Tuscany and write about the famous Docci garden. The garden was built to honor a fifteenth century woman and the garden seems to point to evidence the woman was murdered.
Lethally Blond by Kate White. Eh. Look it yourself.
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Outback Stars by Sandra McDonald. Lieutenant Jodenny Scott is a true-life hero of the sapce service. Bored of her recuperation on planet Kookaburra she signs on to the first ship out. Big mistake. With a criminal and incompetent crew squared-away officer Scott has plenty of work to deal with, and the unfamiliar territory of dealing with a boyfriend.
White Night by Jim Butcher. A Dresden Files novel featuring Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard.
Wolf's Blood by Jane Lindskold. This is the first novel by Lindskold we have bought but she has been quite popular elsewhere. Firekeeper was raised by intelligent, talking wolves until she returned to human society in her teens. Her wolf raising has helped her among the intrigues and deceptions of human society.
NonFiction
Finance
You Can Do It!: the boomer's guide to a great retirement by Jonathan D. Pond.
Women and Money: owning the power to control your destiny by Suze Orman.
Iraq
On the Hunt: how to wake up Washington and win the war on terror by Colonel David Hunt, U.S. Army (Ret.). I heard this guy on C-SPAN plugging his book and he had some interesting comments and ideas on the ongoing wars. He's also a Fox News analyst.
Blackwater: the rise of the world's most powerful mercenary army by Jeremy Scahill. Expose of the massive and sudden growth of Blackwater; founded as a training company, Blackwater has grown into a massive security contractor in Iraq and around the world. Funny, the people at Blackwater seemed upset with this book.
Biography
A Long Way Gone: memoirs of a boy soldier by Ishmael Beah. First person account by Beah of his life as a child soldier in Sierra Leone from when he was thirteen until the Red Cross got him to the U.S. when he was 16.
Child of the Jungle: the true story of a girl caught between two worlds by Sabine Kuegler. Plugged as a true life Mean Girls. Sabine was raised by her missionary parents in West Papua, Indonesia among the Stone Age tribes. As a teenager Sabine is forced by circumstance leave Indonesia and attend boarding school in Switzerland.
Self-Serving Biography
At the Center of the Storm: my years at the CIA by George Tenet.
Novels
Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey by Chuck Palahniuk. "What 'Typhoid mary' mallon was to typhoid, what Gaetan Dugas was to AIDS, and Liu Jianlun was to SARS, Buster Casey would become for rabies." Collected anecdotes of Rant Casey whose creation of an urban demolition derby, Party Crashing, led to his fiery death. Thoughts that his saliva caused an urban plague of rabies.
You Suck by Christopher Moore. Thomas wakes up with new girlfriend Jody and finds out she is a vampire. Uh-oh, now he is too. Will their love survive? A comic novel.
What's So Funny? by Donald Westlake. Career burglar Dortmunder is blackmailed into an impossible crime. More criminal humour by Westlake.
The Religion by Tim Willocks. The siege of Malta in 1565 by the Ottoman Turks against the Knights of Saint John the Baptist. French countess Carla La Penautier is searching Malta for the child stolen from her twelve years ago. With the help of mercenary Mattias Carla hopes to find and spirit the boy away from the biggest siege in history.
This book receivedly good reviews. Reviews like this: "This is what we dream of: to be swept away, so poleaxed by a book that the breath is sucked right out of us."
Graphic Novels
300 by Frank Miller. The graphic novel - in a huge format, 10" x 13" - that the recent movie was based on.
Mysteries
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny. Chief Inspector Gamache of the Quebec Provincial Police investigates the murder of CC de Poitiers. Unliked by all her fellow villagers, CC was electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake in Three Pines, Quebec during a curling tournament. Penny wrote Still Life which garnered tons of positive press and readership - Lake Mills owns a copy - and Fatal continues with lead character Gamache.
The Cruel Stars of the Night by Kjell Eriksson. Swedish author of The Princess of Burundi. Inspector Ann Lindell takes the missing persons case of an elderly academic. When two elderly men's bodies are found neither one is the missing man, but the missing man's colleagues suspet a connection between the those deaths and their friends disappearance.
The Savage Garden by Mark Mills. This one sounds quite good. 1950s Cambridge student Adam Strickland is asked to travel to Tuscany and write about the famous Docci garden. The garden was built to honor a fifteenth century woman and the garden seems to point to evidence the woman was murdered.
Lethally Blond by Kate White. Eh. Look it yourself.
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Outback Stars by Sandra McDonald. Lieutenant Jodenny Scott is a true-life hero of the sapce service. Bored of her recuperation on planet Kookaburra she signs on to the first ship out. Big mistake. With a criminal and incompetent crew squared-away officer Scott has plenty of work to deal with, and the unfamiliar territory of dealing with a boyfriend.
White Night by Jim Butcher. A Dresden Files novel featuring Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard.
Wolf's Blood by Jane Lindskold. This is the first novel by Lindskold we have bought but she has been quite popular elsewhere. Firekeeper was raised by intelligent, talking wolves until she returned to human society in her teens. Her wolf raising has helped her among the intrigues and deceptions of human society.
NonFiction
Finance
You Can Do It!: the boomer's guide to a great retirement by Jonathan D. Pond.
Women and Money: owning the power to control your destiny by Suze Orman.
Iraq
On the Hunt: how to wake up Washington and win the war on terror by Colonel David Hunt, U.S. Army (Ret.). I heard this guy on C-SPAN plugging his book and he had some interesting comments and ideas on the ongoing wars. He's also a Fox News analyst.
Blackwater: the rise of the world's most powerful mercenary army by Jeremy Scahill. Expose of the massive and sudden growth of Blackwater; founded as a training company, Blackwater has grown into a massive security contractor in Iraq and around the world. Funny, the people at Blackwater seemed upset with this book.
Biography
A Long Way Gone: memoirs of a boy soldier by Ishmael Beah. First person account by Beah of his life as a child soldier in Sierra Leone from when he was thirteen until the Red Cross got him to the U.S. when he was 16.
Child of the Jungle: the true story of a girl caught between two worlds by Sabine Kuegler. Plugged as a true life Mean Girls. Sabine was raised by her missionary parents in West Papua, Indonesia among the Stone Age tribes. As a teenager Sabine is forced by circumstance leave Indonesia and attend boarding school in Switzerland.
Self-Serving Biography
At the Center of the Storm: my years at the CIA by George Tenet.
Friday, May 18, 2007
DVDs and papery things
DVDs
Rocky Balboa starring Sylvester Stallone and Burt Young. Rocky takes on the challenge of an exhibition bout against the reigning heavyweight champ.
Guardian starring Kevin Costner and Mr. Demi Moore. Famed rescue swimmer Ben regrets a tragic mission and is assigned to teach new recruits. Cocky upstart Jake is "driven by a painful secret" and more interested in breaking records than doing the job. I assume the two Guardsman clash, the young one screws up, someone cries, and then they rescue someone under terrible conditions.
Dreamgirls starring Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson and Jamie Foxx. I'd list Beyonce Knowles in the cast list but I'm still not sure who she is or what she is famous for. 1960s girl pop trio hits the bigtime.
Good Shepherd starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Robert DeNiro, John Turturro. The founding of the CIA seen through the eyes of Edward Wilson. AFter watching this you can check out Turturro in The Big Lewbowski.
AudioBooks
Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englander. Kaddish Poznan spends his nights erasing names from the tombstones in Buenos Aires' Jewish cemetary. It is the height of Argentina's Dirty War and some family members do not want to be connected to suspected revolutionaries, even dead ones. Kaddish and his wife search for his estranged son who has gone missing in the government's anti-revolutionary fervor.
Last Tycoons: the secret history of Lazard Freres & Co. by William D. Cohan. "A tale of unrestrained ambition, billion-dollar fortunes, byzantine power struggles, and hidden scandal."
Fiction
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child. A decade after leaving the Army and staying so far under the radar he may as well be dirt Jack Reacher is contacted by a member of his old unit. When informed that unti members are being killed Reacher joins with the survivors and find ties to terrorism past and present.
NonFiction
How to Invest $50 - $50,000, 9th Edition by Nancy Dunnan. "The small investor's step-bystep paln for low-risk, high-value investing."
Fun and Fabulous Curtains to Sew by Valerie van Arsdale Shrader.
Swiss Ball Core Workout by Declan Condron. A Swiss Ball is one of those big inflatable exercise balls.
Rocky Balboa starring Sylvester Stallone and Burt Young. Rocky takes on the challenge of an exhibition bout against the reigning heavyweight champ.
Guardian starring Kevin Costner and Mr. Demi Moore. Famed rescue swimmer Ben regrets a tragic mission and is assigned to teach new recruits. Cocky upstart Jake is "driven by a painful secret" and more interested in breaking records than doing the job. I assume the two Guardsman clash, the young one screws up, someone cries, and then they rescue someone under terrible conditions.
Dreamgirls starring Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson and Jamie Foxx. I'd list Beyonce Knowles in the cast list but I'm still not sure who she is or what she is famous for. 1960s girl pop trio hits the bigtime.
Good Shepherd starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Robert DeNiro, John Turturro. The founding of the CIA seen through the eyes of Edward Wilson. AFter watching this you can check out Turturro in The Big Lewbowski.
AudioBooks
Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englander. Kaddish Poznan spends his nights erasing names from the tombstones in Buenos Aires' Jewish cemetary. It is the height of Argentina's Dirty War and some family members do not want to be connected to suspected revolutionaries, even dead ones. Kaddish and his wife search for his estranged son who has gone missing in the government's anti-revolutionary fervor.
Last Tycoons: the secret history of Lazard Freres & Co. by William D. Cohan. "A tale of unrestrained ambition, billion-dollar fortunes, byzantine power struggles, and hidden scandal."
Fiction
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child. A decade after leaving the Army and staying so far under the radar he may as well be dirt Jack Reacher is contacted by a member of his old unit. When informed that unti members are being killed Reacher joins with the survivors and find ties to terrorism past and present.
NonFiction
How to Invest $50 - $50,000, 9th Edition by Nancy Dunnan. "The small investor's step-bystep paln for low-risk, high-value investing."
Fun and Fabulous Curtains to Sew by Valerie van Arsdale Shrader.
Swiss Ball Core Workout by Declan Condron. A Swiss Ball is one of those big inflatable exercise balls.
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