Mexican Wrestling and JA Konrath Goes Undercover

DVD

Fiesta Lucha! with El Hijo Santo, Nicho El Millionario, Super Parka, and others. You can tell it's Mexican wrestling because of the masks.



Copa de Lucha! with L.A. Park, Hijo Del Santo, Rey Misterio, Sr. and others.

JCVD starring Jean-Claude van Damme. Van Damme plays himself as a washed-up action star who returns to Belgium for a break. He ends up caught in a bank during a robbery and the cops think he is the culprit.

Incendiary starring Obi-Won Kenobi, Michelle Williams. Mom in London loses kid in terrorist bombing when out to visit her secret lover. She gets caught up in the police investigation and a cover-up of the bombing.
I wonder if this is like that poor Brazilian guy the Limey cops shot in the subway.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. I don't care.

Fiction

Afraid by Jack Kilborn (JA Konrath). A black helicopter crashes in rural Wisconsin and "unleashes something horrifying." A old sheriff, a firefighter, and a single mom have to fight to stop it.
According to Barry Eisler there is a horrifying and queasy part involving toe-sucking.
Does anyone in WI actually buy Schmidt beer?

NonFiction

Lucky Girl by Mei-Ling Hopgood. Mei-Ling was adopted and never cared about her Chinese background until her Taiwanese family tracked her down when she was in her twenties.

Chick Movie, Crime Scene Novel, Suburban Suspense, Western

DVD

Bride Wars starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. Best friends have catfight when they inadvertently book the same wedding day at the Plaza Hotel in New York.

Fiction

Safer by Sean Doolittle. Doolittle lives in Omaha. Poor guy.

Out at Night by Susan Arnout Smith. Crime scene tech Grace is on vacation when the FBI calls on her. A recent murder victim was texting her name right before his death. Grace can either help out of be a suspect.

Brimstone by Robert B. Parker. Latest western from Parker featuring recurring characters from Resolution and Appaloosa.

Fourteen CDs But Only Five I'm Interested In

Music CDs

"Mr. Lucky" by Chris Isaak. Former boxer, part-time actor, West Coast living singer sings songs while idolizing The King.

It's Not Me, It's You by Lily Allen. Latest craze from England sings songs.

Midnight at the Movies by Justin Townes Earle. Allison Moorer's stepson sings songs.

Back to the River by Susan Tedeschi. Derek Trucks' wife sings songs with her great voice.

Country Club by John Doe and The Sadies. Famous punk rocker John Doe does a full-on country album by singing songs.

Love Me Tonight by John Nemeth. Singer who grew up in Idaho sings songs. YouTube clips linked from his website.

WOW Hits 2009 by [various]. "30 of today's top Christian artists" who sing songs.

All I Ever Wanted by Kelly Clarkson. Girlie pop music by song singer.

Hannah Montana: the movie: original soundtrack by Miley Cyrus. Girlie pop music for 12 year olds by 15 year old song singer.

Defying Gravity by Keith Urban. Nicole Kidman's husband sings songs.

Speed of Light by Corbin Bleu. Television show washout sings songs.

Greatest Hits by Mariah Carey. Replacement copy. Sing. Song.

Uncle Charlie by Charlie Wilson. Former Gap Band singer sings songs.

Willie and the Wheel by Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel. Texas singers sing songs.

Marge, Hair, Garfield, Bread, Cop From Philadelphia

Fiction

Father's Day by Keith Gilman. Ex-cop from Philadelphia is hired to find the missing daughter of an old friend. During the investigation he uncovers links to the suicide of another friend.
I rarely buy books off email solicitations but decided to get this one after looking at the author's web page.
The cover image is very similar to the cover image on a Charlie Huston novel.

Intent to Kill by James Grippando. "Accidents happen. But this was no accident." Sounds like Holland.

Mr. and Miss Anonymous by Fern Michaels. Lily is a struggling college student who donates her eggs at a fertility clinic. Pete, also in need of money, is donating sperm. The two meet at the clinic. Nineteen years later they meet again at the same time two teenagers, with links to the same clinic, disappear and hit the news. One of the missing teens looks exactly like Pete.

Marge Book by Matt Groenig [and a legion of writers]. All you wanted and didn't - really did not - want to know about Marge Simpson.

NonFiction and Hair

Great Hair: secrets to looking fabulous and feeling beautiful every day by Nick Arrojo. I found out the other day that hair books check out like mad. This guy is from that What Not to Wear show that my wife always watches.

Good to Great Hair: celebrity hairstyling techniques made simple by Robert Vetica.

21st Century Economy: a beginner's guide by Rany Charles Epping. "All the knowledge you need to make sense of the latest headlines and evonomic trends behind todays crises and tomorrow's opportunities."

Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack, Vol 4 by Jim Davis. Garfield books always check-out too.

Sock Knitting by Laura Chau. This had some great reviews that referred to the great illustrations of techniques and steps.

Bread Baker's Apprentice: mastering the art of extraordinary bread by Peter Reinhart. A lot of people were reserving this title from other libraries so I bought one for here.

One Canadian, One Englishman, One Cheesehead, One Smart Aleck, Some Fiction

Fiction

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris. "A Sookie Stackhouse novel." I ordered the DVD version of that HBO show based on this series of books.

NonFiction

Always Looking Up: the adventures of an incurable optimist by Michael J. Fox. Fox retires from acting and has to find something else to do with his time.

My Booky Wook by Russell Brand. Crazy tales by the English comic about drug issues, a bizarre father, general outrageous behavior.

Unlikely Disciple: a sinner's year at America's holiest university by Kevin Roose. Student from Brown University does a study abroad semester at Liberty University in Virginia. Has a good time meeting and learning about different people.
[EDIT: the author dude, or a pal of his, just googled his way over here from a Brown University IP address.]

Coop by Michael Perry. Perry is on to chickens and pigs now. Tales of his family life, his childhood, and a listing of his many boneheaded adventures and mistakes.

Large Print

Loitering with Intent by Stuart Woods. Woods's ghost writers sure are busy.

The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick. So are Quick's.

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by ALexander McCall Smith. The television series is supposed to be pretty good.

Deadlock by Iris Johansen. So an E in Johansen signifies what, Danish? An O is Norwegian or Swedish?

Not Much NonFiction

NonFiction

The Foreclosure of America: the inside story of the rise and fall of Countrywide Home Loans, the mortgage crisis, and the default of the American dream by Adam Michaelson. Written by former Countrywide executive who witnessed the stupid decisions by executives. "examines the marketing of a mirage and the bad business decisions that brought the nation to the brink."

Democracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville. A new copy and new translation of the classic tome written after the Frenchman's 1831 trip to the U.S. One of the books received through our Picturing America grant.
I had a high school teacher, Selby Klein, who loved this book and how it still reflected modern America. This was the same guy who, when talking about communism, referred to his time in Korea with, "I killed those commies with relish!" He was a very good teacher.

Founding Brothers: the revolutionary generation by Joseph J. Ellis. Another part of the Picturing America grant. The intertwining lives of John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.

More Miscellaneous Material (Maybe Middling, Maybe Magnficent)

DVD

How to Play Blues and Blues Rock Guitar by Guitar World and Andy Aledort.

Beginning Hard Rock and Heavy Metal by Guitar World and Andy Aledort.

Music on CD

Shine by Martina McBride. Good Looking Gal sings modern country.

Fiction

Nothing But Trouble by Susan May Warren. PF Sugar returns home to Kellogg, MN for her sister's wedding. This is PJ's first visit in ten years and she is sure her best pal's husband is not a killer.

Why do I bother? Is anyone reading this? I'm paying more attention listening to the Fratellis album than doing this anyway.

Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg. "A beautifully written and richly resonant story of a mother and daughter in emotional transit...widowed...loss and grief...meddling...unsolicited and unwelcome advice...shocking discoery...double life...money disappeared...unusual job...phone call from a stranger...path of discovery...sexual experimentation."
I made that last one up.

The Confession by James Patterson by Maxine Paetro. I'm betting Paetro did all the heavy lifting on this one. "Women's Murder Club tracks a killer with a taste for the super-rich."

Non-Fiction

Wisconsin Barns by Nancy Schum-Burgess. When you get sick of Jerry Apps' Wisconsin books take a look at all the neat photos in this one.

AudioBook on CD

Chosen by Ted Dekker. Horror novel.

What to Read 24: Poetry by Mark Kraushaar

Local writer Mark Kraushaar just won the 2009 Felix Pollak Prize in Poetry from the University of Wisconsin Press. UW Press just published his winning collection entitled, Falling Brick Kills Local Man. We, of course, have a copy at the Library.

I have a brief discussion about poetry with Mr. Kraushaar and he reads three of his poems. I had to edit out over five minutes of discussion so ignore any odd transitions.

Nothing Exciting

Fiction

Loitering with Intent by Stuart Woods.

First Family by David Baldacci.

Deadlock by Iris Johansen.

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith.

Large Print

Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark.

Lowboy by John Wray.

Dylan by Linda Lael Miller.

NonFiction

Mommy Calls: Dr. Tanya answers parents' top 101 questions about babies and toddlers by Tanya Remer Altmann, MD.

AudioBooks

The Ice Diaries: the untold story of the USS Nautilus and the cold war's most daring mission by Captain William R. Anderson

Glocks, More Sniping, Sam Spade, Naughty Secretaries

DVD

Frost Nixon starring Frank Langella and Michael Sheen. Nixon agrees to interviews with David Frost in an attempt to salvage his reputation. Opps, should have thought that over.

Fiction

Fatal Flip by Peg Marberg. Small-town interior designer Jean Hastings gets a job to redo an old Victorian house being "flipped" by a local realtor partnership. Harried preparations for the open house get even more frantic when one of the "flippers" is found dead.
This is like one of those recipe murders but instead there are "Decorating tips included".

Remembering the Bones by Frances Itani. Born on the same day as Queen Elizabeth II, Canadian lady Georgina is invited to the queen's 80th birthday. On her drive to the airport she crashes off the road into a wooded ravine. Her memories of family stories, her wit, and the various roles she has played in life help keep her alive.

NonFiction

The Accounting Game: basic accounting fresh from the lemonade stand by Darrell Mullis and Judith Orloff. Accounting training from the example of a child's lemonade stand to learn assets, liabilities, earnings, inventory, etc.

To Be A Military Sniper by Gregory Mast and Hans Halberstadt. All the steps and training snipers go through to become a skilled sniper.
I helped judge the Senior Portfolios for the local high school last year. Senior Portfolios are a graduation requirement with students pulling together examples of school work and personal life over the past four years to show how they have changed and grown. One kid was all set to join the Marines. He had only a week or two after graduation and then he was headed straight to San Diego for training. His contract had him signed up to head to sniper skill after his advanced infantry training. I tried keeping on eye on the local paper for the inevitable Corps press release about him but never saw anything.

Gun Digest Book of the Glock, 2nd Edition by Patrick Sweeney. "How to accessorize and tune your Glock." There isn't much customization to do with a Glock so there is plenty of information on model variations, calibers, sights, barrels, and so forth.

12 SAT Practice Tests, with PSAT, Second Edition by McGraw-Hill.

The Naughty Secretary Club: the working girl's guide to handmade jewelry by Jennifer Perkins. The main title intrigues, the subtitle disappoints.

Hella Nation: looking for Happy Meals in Kandahar, rocking the side pipe, wingnut's war against The Gap, and other adventures with the totally lost tribes of America by Evan Wright. Observations of "people for whom the American dream is either just out of grasp of something they've chosen to reject altogether."

How to Sell Your Home in Any Market by Loren K. Keim.

Knitting: the complete guide by Jane Davis.

Large Print

Serendipity by Louise Shaffer. 37-year-old mom researches her famous parents and grandparents.

The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer. Former CIA officer goes back undercover when a long hunted killer's capture leads to clues that a colleague may have been a double-agent.

Spade & Archer by Joe Gores. A prequel to The Maltese Falcon.

Four DVDs with Germans, Frenchies, Spaniards, and Hot Chicks

DVD

The Reader starring Kate Winslett and Ralph Fiennes. Lady working streetcar in post-war Berlin has affair with teen man. Years later he sees her again when she is brought to trial as a concentration camp guard.
You already know about this one. Winslett does nude scenes and wins an Oscar.

Tell No One starring Krisitn Scott Thomas and a bunch of French actors. Doctor is still grieving the death of his wife eight years ago. When new bodies are found at her murder site he is against suspected by the cops. Then he gets a video e-mailed to him suggesting his wife is still alive.
This is supposed to be an incredibly good thriller.

Time Crimes starring [Spaniards]. "One of the best time travel movies of all time." A man being hunted by a killer stumbles into a lab and enters a time machine.

The Spirit starring Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes, Sarah Paulson. Central City cop Denny Colt is killed but brought back to life as The Spirit.

Fifteen Novels

Fiction

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. Zombies make everything better.

Wicked Games by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush.

Boneman's Daughters by Ted Dekker. Serial killer the BoneMan wants the perfect daughter. When the girls he kidnaps do not meet his expectations he breaks all their bones and leaves them to die.

Miss Julia Delivers the Goods by Ann B. Ross. Goods delivered by Miss Julia.

Look Again by Lisa Scottoline. Lady almost throws away a "have you seen this child" flyer when she recognizes the kid as her adopted son.

Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg. Radio host Kevin Brace answers his front door covered in blood and tells the deliveryman, "I killed her." But strange fingerprints, a self-destructive victim, and the defendants refusal to say anything past that one statement leaves the situation questionable.

Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark. Broadway star runs into man who killed her best friend years ago. When Broadway star is shot her husband is accused. The prosecutor finds things are not what they appear.

Cursed by Carol Higgins Clark. "A Regan Reilly Mystery."

Nightwalker by Heather Graham. Ghost of murdered man haunts the last woman to see him alive and a private investigator.

The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick. "An Arcane Society Novel."

Large Print

Execution Dock by Anne Perry.

Love Mercy by Earlene Fowler.

Long Lost by Harlan Coben.

Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult.

Nightwalker by Heather Graham.

NonFiction: Diesels, Dogs, Disorders

NonFiction

How Your Child Learns Best: brain friendly strategies you can use to ignit your child's learning and increase school success by Judy Willia, MD, MEd. Targeted strategies from a neurologist working as a full-time classroom teacher.

OCD Answer Book: professional answers to more than 250 top questions about obsessive-compulsive disorder by Patrick B. McGrath, Ph.D. At least 5 million people in the U.S. are experience symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder.

Bipolar Disorder Answer Book: professional answers to mor than 275 top questions by Charles Atkins, M.D.

Troubleshooting and Repairing Diesel Engines, 4th Edition by Paul Dempsey.

60,000+ Best Baby Names by Diane Stafford. Baby name books always check-out.

Retirement Planning for the Utterly Confused by Paul Petillo.

One Nation Under Dog: adventures in the new world of prozac-popping puppies, dog-park politics, and organic pet food by Michael Schaffer. My dog has awful breath. We need to get her teeth cleaned.

What to Read 23: Zombies!

Three zombie novels.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.
World War Z by Max Brooks.
The Rising by Brian Keene.

Rest of the AudioBooks

AudioBooks

The Touch of Fire by Linda Howard. Western romance. One of those romances where th woman changes the guy.

Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child. "In remote Alaska, a monster is discovered frozen in th ice. Despite warnings from locals, the creature is freed from its icy coffin and is now stalking its victims one by one."

Blood Sins by Kay Hooper. Tessa Gray is recruited by the FBI to infiltrate a religious cult.


Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie Plum and fellow bounty hunter Diesel search th New Jersey Pine Barrens for a wanted killer and his new partner.

Another Life by Andrew Vachss. Burke's father-figure, a "legendary crime planner", lies in a coma. Shadowy government man promises to provide th best medical care and to clear the criminal records of Burke and anyon who helps to find a Saudi Prince's kidnappd two-year-old son.

The Women by T.C. Boyle. Fictional telling of Frank Lloyd Wright's love affairs.

Eighty-Nine Hours of AudioBooks on CD

Audiobooks

Safer by Sean Doolittle. 8 CDs at 9 hours. Family moves to Midwest town. Guy tries to fit in but ends up ticking off the Neighborhood Watch president and getting accused of a nasty crime.
This is supposed to be a incredibly good. But, I have not read the book yet because I ended up ordering the dang, to-be-released paperback instead of the hardcover. Stupid internet.

Night and Day by Robert Parker. 5 CDs at 5 hours. Jesse Stone has to track down a home invader who forces women to strip and pose for the camera. "Stone has to track this sicko down before the crimes become more serious."

A Darker Place by Jack Higgins. 8 CDs at 9 hours. Russian writer fakes defecting to the British but is still loyal to Putin and intends to infiltrate British intelligence.

Lost Witness by Robert Ellis. 11 CDs at 14 hours. LAPD cop Lena Gamble is in trouble from her officers and is given a unsolvable case with pieces of an unidentified corpse found in a dumpster.

The Associate by John Grisham. 9 CDs at 11 hours.

The Renegades by T. Jefferson Parker. 9 CDs at 11 hours. LAPD Sheriff's Deputy Charlie Hood knows that the American West still holds outlaws. When a fellow deputy is killed while on patrol with Hood, Hood sets out to find the bad guys.

Black Ops by W.E.B. Griffin. 16 CDs at 19 hours. Shooting. Fighting. Intrigue.

Daring to Dream by Nora Roberts. 9 CDs at 11 hours. She uses ghost writers doesn't she?

NonFiction by Size

NonFiction

4.75" x 6.5". Home Brewer's Answer Book: solutions to every problem, answers to every question by Ashton Lewis. "Will the lack of Krausen removal have a major effect on the flavor of my beer?"

6" x 8". Condo Owner's Answer Book: practical answers to more than 125 question sabout condominium ownership by Beth A. Grimm. My parents just bought a condo in town.

6" x 8". Diabetes Answer Book: practical answers to more than 300 top questions by David K. McCulloch. "What is a Charcot foot?"

7" x 9". LLC or Corporation: how to choose the right form for your business by Anthony Mancuso.

8" x 10". Great Hair: elegant styles for every occasion by Davis Biton. Skanky tattoo on page 135.

8.25" x 10 7/8". Knit One, Embellish Too: hats mittens and scarves with a twist by Costte Cornelius-Bates.

8.25" x 10 7/8". Quick and Clever Felting: over 30 stylish products using felt applique, needle felting, wet felt and other easy techniques by Ellen Kharade.

8.5" x 10". Bags That Rock: knitting on the road with Kelley Deal by Kelley Deal. Bass player makes bags with a '70s vibe.

8.75" x 10.25". Lacy Little Knits: clingy, soft and a little risque by Iris Schreier.

8.75" x 10 7/8". Classic Elite Knits: 100 gorgeous designs for every occasion by Classic Elite Yarns. Many cardigans.

10 1/8" x 12 1/8". DC Comics Encyclopedia: the definitive guide to the characters of the DC universe: updated and expanded.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 DVD

DVD

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIV. Four classic motion pictures critiqued by two robots and a guy lost in space. The titles are: Mad Monster, Final Justice, Soul Taker, and Manhunt in Space. Since this is a four disc set the check-out time is two weeks instead of the regular one week. Just imagine, 14 delicious days of devilish dialogue describing deplorable dramatists.

Here is a sampling of the show of what the show is like:

Bankruptcy Guide, Quilting Novel, Comic Book

Fiction

In the Dark by Brian Freeman. Duluth cop Jonathan Stride's met his wife, Cindy, in high school. His would-be sister-in-law was murdered when Cindy and Jon were teens. Years later one of the dead sister's friends has returned to write a book on the murder. A new murder and the suicide of a witness to the sister's murder make Jon investigate.

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher. "A novel of the Dresden Files." Harry Dresden is asked by a member of the White Council (the governing body of "magical" people) to help him when he is accused of treason.

The Lost Quilter by Jennifer Chiaverini. Another Elm Creek Quilts novel by the lady from Madison. Something about a runaway slave who did a quilt and her son who was raised in Elm Creek Farm.

Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson. Goldy Schulz is catering multiple wedding receptions when the best friend of her godfather is murdered. Goldy goes undercover at the local spa where she suspects a link to the murder.

Borderline by Nevada Barr. Anna Pigeon suffers PTSD from the adventures in the last novel. She is canoeing in Big Bend National Park and finds a half-drowned pregnant woman who someone is trying to kill.

Gotham Central, Book One: In the Line of Duty by Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka. "As a cop in Gotham City, you not only have to face some of the most colorful and violent criminals in the world, but you also have to deal with the city's vigilante: The Batman! Living in the shadow of the bat can be tough - especially when the Dark Knight is used to playing by his own rules."

NonFiction

How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy by Stephen Elias and Robin Leonard. New for 2009.

Four DVDs I Could Care Less About But Will Check-Out Like Crazy

DVD

Marley and Me starring Kathleen Turner, Broken-Nose Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. Guy and wife in Florida get dog that misbehaves.
My dog misbehaves all the time but I don't see anyone making a movie out of it. Maybe no one wants to see a hairy beast eating used tissues out of the garbage.

Twilight starring [teen hearthrobs]. Teenage girl Bella moves to small town Washington and "meets mysterious and handsome Edward" who is a vampire and has to battle his taste for blood to not eat her.
The way I understand it is like this: Vampire guy is hundreds of years old. Girl is about 16 years-old. Doesn't that make this the most extreme case of pedophilism ever? That is incredibly disturbing.

Seven Pounds starring Will Smith. Conscience laden Ben sees has a mysterious connection to seven different people.

Columbus Day starring Val Kilmer, Marg Helgenberger, Handy Manny. Thief is trying to unload merchandise and connect with ex-wife and daughter.