Fiction
Never Love a Lawman by Jo Goodman. Beautiful newcomer to Reidsville, CO must marry the local sheriff to claim her inheritance of the local railway.
Rio Chama by Johnny D. Boggs. Gunfighter Britton Wade takes on the challenge to transport a priest lynching condemned man to the gallows. But, the condemned man's father is the wealthy and powerful Senator Cole and the Senator does not want his son to hang. I read Boggs' Spur Award winner Camp Ford, it was good.
Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay. I've never seen the television series but have really enjoyed the books. The third book in the series, preceding this one, diverted from the usual storyline and involved demon possession. This fourth novel is back again to Dexter's usual problems of trying hard pass as a normal person while still following his hobby of murder.
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood. Sequel to Atwood's Oryx and Crake and set in a post-apocalyptic land.
The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander. Inspirational romance. All these inspirational titles have the same cover designs. There will be a demurely dressed, pretty gal in her early to mid-twenties in the front and a rugged but handsome dude in the background. Both figures are outdoors in a field or the mountains or both.
Beyond This Moment by Tamera Alexander. A different series with the same dang cover style.
Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander. Newlyweds Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves are honeymooning in Constantinople when a harem girl is murdered. A local diplomat recognizes the victim as his daughter, who was kidnapped twenty years earlier, and Emily and Colin promise to investigate. Alexander was at last year's Murder and Mayhem in Muskego (and also scheduled for this year's) and her books sounded interesting. I bought this one since her other book we have A Fatal Waltz circ'ed well.
Rough Country by John Sandford. The usual.
Evil for Evil by James R. Benn. Another World War Two mystery by Benn featuring former Boston policeman Billy Boyle. Boyle is sent to Northern Ireland to track down some missing BARs that the IRA plans to use in an uprising and maybe ally themselves with the Axis. This is a good series, I recommended it before.
Red's Hot Honky-Tonk Bar by Pamela Morsi. Fortysomething Red is suddenly the guardian of two grandkids she barely knows. How will she mix the kids into her late-nights, bar owning lifestyle, and boy-toy boyfriend?
The Siege by Stephen White. Children of the Sec. of the Army and a Supreme Court Justice are captive inside the Skull and Bones building.
Stardust by Joseph Kanon. 1945 Hollywood where a returned veteran does not believe his successful movie-making brother killed himself.
Blood Safari by Deon Meyer. Emma sees a picture of her brother on the evening news as a murder suspect. But, her brother disappeared 20 years earlier in South Africa's Kruger National Park. Emma makes some inquiries and is attacked, so she hires a personal security guy and goes searching.
That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo. I don't care enough to read the description.
All the Dead Voices by Declan Hughes. Dublin private investigator investigates. This series has been popular here.
The Puzzle King by Betsy Carter. Woman works to rescue her relatives from 1936 Germany.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Great News! New Gun Books! (Not Processed Yet However)
DVD
The Mentalist: season one starring Simon Someoneorother, and ThatReallyFitChick, and TheMuscularAsianDude. Celebrity psychic who is really just an expert on body language and human behavior helps California police solve crimes.
Fiction
Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke. Another recipe mystery.
NonFiction
Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom. Albom has an 88-year-old rabbi ask Albom to do his eulogy. Meanwhile Albom gets involved with an urban Christian Pastor in Detroit. "Albom and the two men of God explore issues that perplex modern man."
The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding: everything a nursing mother needs to know by Marianne Neifert, MD. Some lady returned a breastfeeding book just yesterday.
Why We Buy: the science of shopping by Paco Underhill. Updated and revised version. How do people approach sales, move through stores, read signs, touch items to determine purchase?
Large Print
Pilgrims: a Wobegon romance by Garrison Keillor.
Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom.
Hothouse Orchid by Stuart Woods.
The Mentalist: season one starring Simon Someoneorother, and ThatReallyFitChick, and TheMuscularAsianDude. Celebrity psychic who is really just an expert on body language and human behavior helps California police solve crimes.
Fiction
Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke. Another recipe mystery.
NonFiction
Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom. Albom has an 88-year-old rabbi ask Albom to do his eulogy. Meanwhile Albom gets involved with an urban Christian Pastor in Detroit. "Albom and the two men of God explore issues that perplex modern man."
The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding: everything a nursing mother needs to know by Marianne Neifert, MD. Some lady returned a breastfeeding book just yesterday.
Why We Buy: the science of shopping by Paco Underhill. Updated and revised version. How do people approach sales, move through stores, read signs, touch items to determine purchase?
Large Print
Pilgrims: a Wobegon romance by Garrison Keillor.
Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom.
Hothouse Orchid by Stuart Woods.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
I Should Only Buy Mediocre Music CDs Because That's All That Seems to Check Out
Fiction
Blood's A Rover by James Ellroy. The great one returns! Crime and politics intersect in 1960's Los Angeles. Read it.
Intervention by Terri Blackstock. Young drug addict disappears on way to rehab and her interventionist is found murdered. Addict's mom tries to convince investigating cop that the missing girl is innocent.
Dark Tiger by William G. Taply. Stoney woke up in the VA with no memory of his past life. But, Stoney retained memory expertise, languages, etc. Seven years later he gets infrequent checks from shadowy government men checking on his memory while working as a fishing guide in Maine. One of those government types has Stoney work undercover at a fishing lodge to see why an agent was killed in a faked murder-suicide pact.
Pilgrims: a Wobegon romance by Garrison Keillor. Do you think there are people who write Wobegon fan faction? That would be sad.
Lost Art of Gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith. "An Isabel Dalhousie Novel." Scottish mom helps in financial investigation while dealing with a niece, her would-be-husband, and a crabby professor.
Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. Sing along with me: I don't care, I don't care, I don't care at all.
A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve. Young married couple move to Kenya for a year. Husband practices medicine and wife does photography. The two climb Mount Kenya and a friend dies in accident.
Hothouse Orchid by Stuart Woods.
NonFiction
High on Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips. Did it happen or not? I say "Yes," because that dude was messed up.
Reagan's Secret War: the untold story of his fight to save the world from nuclear disaster by Martin and Annelise Anderson. "Reagan intendedfrom his first days in office to bring down the Soviet Union, that he considered eliminating nuclear weapons his paramount objective, and that he - no his subordinates - was the principal architect of the policies that ultimately brought the Soviets to the nuclear-arms negotiating table."
No Time for Tact: 365 days of the wit, words, and wisdom of Larry Winget by Larry Winget. I have no idea who this guy is but his books sell well and circ elsewhere in our system.
Why Fish Fart: and other useless or gross information about the world by Francesca Gould. Including: where can you find "the mound of ears", why do skunks stink, which infection causes bleeding from the eyes.
Arguing with Idiots: how to stop small minds and big government by Glenn Beck. I've only seen this guy for about five minutes worth of television but he seems to be a real tool.
Lord of the Rings: weapons and warfare by Chris Smith, Forewaord by Christopher Lee. A replacement for our worn-out copy.
Blood's A Rover by James Ellroy. The great one returns! Crime and politics intersect in 1960's Los Angeles. Read it.
Intervention by Terri Blackstock. Young drug addict disappears on way to rehab and her interventionist is found murdered. Addict's mom tries to convince investigating cop that the missing girl is innocent.
Dark Tiger by William G. Taply. Stoney woke up in the VA with no memory of his past life. But, Stoney retained memory expertise, languages, etc. Seven years later he gets infrequent checks from shadowy government men checking on his memory while working as a fishing guide in Maine. One of those government types has Stoney work undercover at a fishing lodge to see why an agent was killed in a faked murder-suicide pact.
Pilgrims: a Wobegon romance by Garrison Keillor. Do you think there are people who write Wobegon fan faction? That would be sad.
Lost Art of Gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith. "An Isabel Dalhousie Novel." Scottish mom helps in financial investigation while dealing with a niece, her would-be-husband, and a crabby professor.
Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. Sing along with me: I don't care, I don't care, I don't care at all.
A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve. Young married couple move to Kenya for a year. Husband practices medicine and wife does photography. The two climb Mount Kenya and a friend dies in accident.
Hothouse Orchid by Stuart Woods.
NonFiction
High on Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips. Did it happen or not? I say "Yes," because that dude was messed up.
Reagan's Secret War: the untold story of his fight to save the world from nuclear disaster by Martin and Annelise Anderson. "Reagan intendedfrom his first days in office to bring down the Soviet Union, that he considered eliminating nuclear weapons his paramount objective, and that he - no his subordinates - was the principal architect of the policies that ultimately brought the Soviets to the nuclear-arms negotiating table."
No Time for Tact: 365 days of the wit, words, and wisdom of Larry Winget by Larry Winget. I have no idea who this guy is but his books sell well and circ elsewhere in our system.
Why Fish Fart: and other useless or gross information about the world by Francesca Gould. Including: where can you find "the mound of ears", why do skunks stink, which infection causes bleeding from the eyes.
Arguing with Idiots: how to stop small minds and big government by Glenn Beck. I've only seen this guy for about five minutes worth of television but he seems to be a real tool.
Lord of the Rings: weapons and warfare by Chris Smith, Forewaord by Christopher Lee. A replacement for our worn-out copy.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Those Reissued Beatles CDs. Fogerty, Cornell Hurd.
The Beatles Remasters (in order of how stacked on my desk)
Abbey Road by The Beatles.
Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles.
Beatles for Sale by The Beatles.
Rubber Soul by The Beatles.
Let It Be by The Beatles.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles.
With the Bealtes by The Beatles.
Revolver by The Beatles.
Help! by The Beatles.
CDs
American Shadows: the songs of Moon Mullican by the Cornell Hurd Band. I was looking at a Bob Wills CD and remembered Bill Crider mentioning the Cornell Hurd Band. I think Hurd plays a kind of Texas Swing and honky-tonk. Although Crider's main reason for mentioning the band is probably that his son does sound work for them.
The Blue Ridge Rangers by John Fogerty. I presume he complains about politics on this one too.
Joy by Phish. I don't smoke marijuana so I have never heard their music.
Abbey Road by The Beatles.
Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles.
Beatles for Sale by The Beatles.
Rubber Soul by The Beatles.
Let It Be by The Beatles.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles.
With the Bealtes by The Beatles.
Revolver by The Beatles.
Help! by The Beatles.
CDs
American Shadows: the songs of Moon Mullican by the Cornell Hurd Band. I was looking at a Bob Wills CD and remembered Bill Crider mentioning the Cornell Hurd Band. I think Hurd plays a kind of Texas Swing and honky-tonk. Although Crider's main reason for mentioning the band is probably that his son does sound work for them.
The Blue Ridge Rangers by John Fogerty. I presume he complains about politics on this one too.
Joy by Phish. I don't smoke marijuana so I have never heard their music.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
One Chick Book, TV You've Seen, GED, Large Print
DVD
30 Rock: Season Two starring [people you've heard about already]. Includes deleted scenes, Muppets, making of an episode, audio commentary.
Fiction
Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell. Miranda plans revenge on her ex-boyfriend when she "discovers he left his wife when he found out she was pregnant."
NonFiction
Master the GED: 2010 by Peterson's.
Large Print
The Signal by Ron Carlson. Mack and Vonnie are soon to be divorced but still on a backpack trip to Wyoming. This supposed to be a goodbye trip but criminal minded Mack is tracking a signal deeper and deeper into the woods.
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. "A remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a penetrating look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant."
Bleah.
30 Rock: Season Two starring [people you've heard about already]. Includes deleted scenes, Muppets, making of an episode, audio commentary.
Fiction
Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell. Miranda plans revenge on her ex-boyfriend when she "discovers he left his wife when he found out she was pregnant."
NonFiction
Master the GED: 2010 by Peterson's.
Large Print
The Signal by Ron Carlson. Mack and Vonnie are soon to be divorced but still on a backpack trip to Wyoming. This supposed to be a goodbye trip but criminal minded Mack is tracking a signal deeper and deeper into the woods.
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. "A remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a penetrating look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant."
Bleah.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Honor Murders, Adoption, Coffee Drinking Madisonian, Humping Vampires
AudioBooks
Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton. 8 CDs at 10 hours. This is the first Anita Blake novel with a 1993 copyright. That makes 16 years of vampires having group sex right? Or was that some fairys and werewolves thing?
Fiction
No Time to Wave Goodbye by Jacquelyn Mitchard. Some sort of sequel to that Ocean book. The bio on the cover says Mitchard has seven kids. Seven?!
Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. Do all his book's need to have a beach or water scene on the cover? Teen of divorce spends summer with dad in NC and meets local hunk.
Beneath the Bleeding by Val McDermid. McDermid's crime novels have a big following. Psychologist Dr. Tony Hill assists the police in the murder of soccer star and then in the bombing of a stadium.
Over-Easy by S. Kay Weber. Vacationers in Door County, WI get drawn into a mystery.
Night Monster by James Swain. Former cop, and current private investigator, Jack Carpenter is asked by his daughter to help with a creep following her college basketball team around. Carpenter runs across a connection to a cold case from his cop days.
NonFiction
Murder in the Name of Honor: the true story of one woman's heroic fight against an unbelievable crime by Rana Husseini. Investigation into honor killings which happen about 5000 times a year around the world.
You Can Adopt by Susan Caughman and Isolde Motley. "From deciding to homecoming - practical advice and real-life stories from adoptive families."
Spanish for Gringos, 2nd Edition by William C. Harvey.
Large Print
206 Bones by Kathy Reichs.
Surrender Becomes Her by Shirlee Busbee.
Chosen to Die by Lisa Jackson.
Ian Says
"You're so fluffy, I'm going to eat your nose."
Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton. 8 CDs at 10 hours. This is the first Anita Blake novel with a 1993 copyright. That makes 16 years of vampires having group sex right? Or was that some fairys and werewolves thing?
Fiction
No Time to Wave Goodbye by Jacquelyn Mitchard. Some sort of sequel to that Ocean book. The bio on the cover says Mitchard has seven kids. Seven?!
Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. Do all his book's need to have a beach or water scene on the cover? Teen of divorce spends summer with dad in NC and meets local hunk.
Beneath the Bleeding by Val McDermid. McDermid's crime novels have a big following. Psychologist Dr. Tony Hill assists the police in the murder of soccer star and then in the bombing of a stadium.
Over-Easy by S. Kay Weber. Vacationers in Door County, WI get drawn into a mystery.
Night Monster by James Swain. Former cop, and current private investigator, Jack Carpenter is asked by his daughter to help with a creep following her college basketball team around. Carpenter runs across a connection to a cold case from his cop days.
NonFiction
Murder in the Name of Honor: the true story of one woman's heroic fight against an unbelievable crime by Rana Husseini. Investigation into honor killings which happen about 5000 times a year around the world.
You Can Adopt by Susan Caughman and Isolde Motley. "From deciding to homecoming - practical advice and real-life stories from adoptive families."
Spanish for Gringos, 2nd Edition by William C. Harvey.
Large Print
206 Bones by Kathy Reichs.
Surrender Becomes Her by Shirlee Busbee.
Chosen to Die by Lisa Jackson.
Ian Says
"You're so fluffy, I'm going to eat your nose."
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Two Actors Demoted to B-List with a Stunt Casting and Michael Biehn
DVD
Streets of Blood starring Val Kilmer, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Sharon Stone, Michael Biehn. Six months after Hurricane Katrina two corrupt New Orleans cops are cutting loose. Like I said before, Val Kilmer DVDs always check out.
Streets of Blood starring Val Kilmer, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Sharon Stone, Michael Biehn. Six months after Hurricane Katrina two corrupt New Orleans cops are cutting loose. Like I said before, Val Kilmer DVDs always check out.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Four Large Print Novels
Large Print
Fragment by Warren Fahy. The library barcode is right on top of the author's name and now his last name looks like "Fart".
The Shortest Distance Between Two Women by Kris Radish. Crappy cover. I'm guessing this is a best-friends-forever novel and not a women-being-mean-to-each-other novel.
Vanished by Joseph Finder. Some thriller.
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner. The library barcode is right on top of this author's name and makes it look like "penis". Just kidding.
Fragment by Warren Fahy. The library barcode is right on top of the author's name and now his last name looks like "Fart".
The Shortest Distance Between Two Women by Kris Radish. Crappy cover. I'm guessing this is a best-friends-forever novel and not a women-being-mean-to-each-other novel.
Vanished by Joseph Finder. Some thriller.
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner. The library barcode is right on top of this author's name and makes it look like "penis". Just kidding.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
I'm Going to Get Those New Beatles Albums
The Beatles
I'm going to order those remastered albums on CD. I think I'll place the order tonight.
Update: I just ordered (6:54 PM pm) ABBEY ROAD, BEATLES FOR SALE, HARD DAY'S NIGHT, HELP!, LET IT BE, MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, PLEASE PLEASE ME, REVOLVER, RUBBER SOUL, SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND, WITH THE BEATLES, YELLOW SUBMARINE.
Second update: Crap. I just noticed I missed the White Album.
Fiction
The Missing by Beverly Lewis. One of those Amish books.
Day After Night by Anita Diamant. Snap Judgment from Cover: Teenage girls live and learn love on a Jewish Kibbutzz in the 1950s. Real Plot: Hey! I was kinda close. Four women tell story of 1945 escape from English prison near Haifa by Holocaust survivors.
NonFiction
Master of War: the life of General George H. Thomas by Benson Bobrick. Thomas was a very successful Union general during the Civil War, "The Rock of Chickamagua". Both Sherman and Grant derided him as "Slow Trot Thomas". But he "Thomas was methodical and careful, and always prepared...he was quick to analyze every situation and always knew what to do and when to do it."
I looked for a video of Uncle Tupelo playing Chickamagua but YouTube only has a Son Volt version.
I'm going to order those remastered albums on CD. I think I'll place the order tonight.
Update: I just ordered (6:54 PM pm) ABBEY ROAD, BEATLES FOR SALE, HARD DAY'S NIGHT, HELP!, LET IT BE, MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, PLEASE PLEASE ME, REVOLVER, RUBBER SOUL, SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND, WITH THE BEATLES, YELLOW SUBMARINE.
Second update: Crap. I just noticed I missed the White Album.
Fiction
The Missing by Beverly Lewis. One of those Amish books.
Day After Night by Anita Diamant. Snap Judgment from Cover: Teenage girls live and learn love on a Jewish Kibbutzz in the 1950s. Real Plot: Hey! I was kinda close. Four women tell story of 1945 escape from English prison near Haifa by Holocaust survivors.
NonFiction
Master of War: the life of General George H. Thomas by Benson Bobrick. Thomas was a very successful Union general during the Civil War, "The Rock of Chickamagua". Both Sherman and Grant derided him as "Slow Trot Thomas". But he "Thomas was methodical and careful, and always prepared...he was quick to analyze every situation and always knew what to do and when to do it."
I looked for a video of Uncle Tupelo playing Chickamagua but YouTube only has a Son Volt version.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Two Television Series on DVD with Scotch
DVD
Mad Men: Season Two starring [pretty people]. You probably heard of this show.
The Middleman starring [actors and hair gel]. Artist is recruited by secret agency for fight evil.
Badgers starring [badgers]. Badgers.
Mad Men: Season Two starring [pretty people]. You probably heard of this show.
The Middleman starring [actors and hair gel]. Artist is recruited by secret agency for fight evil.
Badgers starring [badgers]. Badgers.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Two Sex Books with Victor Gischler
Fiction
Vampire a Go-Go by Victor Gischler. The latest from the writer of Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse. The back of the book says little about the plot. Something about werewolves, alchemists and gun-toting Jesuits. None of that matters because every on of Gischler's books have been quite good. He always has a good bit of humor within a quickly moving story. So try it out.
The Spire by Richard North Patterson. Mark Darrow grew up poor but brilliant. A local college prof mentored Darrow who became a "superb trial lawyer". Darrow is asked to be the college President and finds that a murder case from when Darrow was a student there may have resulted in a wrong conviction.
Green by Ted Dekker. Thriller of some kind. Something about a guy falling asleep and waking up two thousand years later in a new Eden split by the Green and the Black Forest.
Enchanted Dreams: erotic tales of the supernatural by Nancy Madore. Our other Madore book, Enchanted Again, checks out pretty well so I ordered this one. Seven stories.
Random page:
As I was settling into the warm, sudsy water of Vincent's bathtub, there came a tap on the bathroom door.
"Yes?"
The door slipped open a few inches, "Would you like more wine?"
"I would, and company, too, if you care to stay," I heard myself responding. The warm water and wine were having their effect.
He closed the lid of the toilet and sat down there.
"How old are you?" I asked him.
"Eighty-five." he said with a smug smile. He look like a man in his early thirties.
"Still in your prime," I murmured. He laughed.
"Is it true vampires live forever?" I asked.
Vampires? O crap, not again.
NonFiction
Domestic Sex Goddess by Kate Taylor. Some sex themed nonfiction goes out and some doesn't. There is no telling. Nina Hartley's Guide to Total Sex and Confessions of a Naughty Mommy checked out okay. But, Secrets of the Sexually Satisfied Women has done twice as well. Some things never check out. Like Staying Safe: a teen's guide to sexually transmitted diseases, we've had that for four years and it has never left the shelf. This one shows boobs and buttocks.
Large Print
Even Money by Felix Frances and Dick Frances.
Intervention by Robin Cook.
92 Pacific Boulevard by Debbie Macomber.
Vampire a Go-Go by Victor Gischler. The latest from the writer of Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse. The back of the book says little about the plot. Something about werewolves, alchemists and gun-toting Jesuits. None of that matters because every on of Gischler's books have been quite good. He always has a good bit of humor within a quickly moving story. So try it out.
The Spire by Richard North Patterson. Mark Darrow grew up poor but brilliant. A local college prof mentored Darrow who became a "superb trial lawyer". Darrow is asked to be the college President and finds that a murder case from when Darrow was a student there may have resulted in a wrong conviction.
Green by Ted Dekker. Thriller of some kind. Something about a guy falling asleep and waking up two thousand years later in a new Eden split by the Green and the Black Forest.
Enchanted Dreams: erotic tales of the supernatural by Nancy Madore. Our other Madore book, Enchanted Again, checks out pretty well so I ordered this one. Seven stories.
Random page:
As I was settling into the warm, sudsy water of Vincent's bathtub, there came a tap on the bathroom door.
"Yes?"
The door slipped open a few inches, "Would you like more wine?"
"I would, and company, too, if you care to stay," I heard myself responding. The warm water and wine were having their effect.
He closed the lid of the toilet and sat down there.
"How old are you?" I asked him.
"Eighty-five." he said with a smug smile. He look like a man in his early thirties.
"Still in your prime," I murmured. He laughed.
"Is it true vampires live forever?" I asked.
Vampires? O crap, not again.
NonFiction
Domestic Sex Goddess by Kate Taylor. Some sex themed nonfiction goes out and some doesn't. There is no telling. Nina Hartley's Guide to Total Sex and Confessions of a Naughty Mommy checked out okay. But, Secrets of the Sexually Satisfied Women has done twice as well. Some things never check out. Like Staying Safe: a teen's guide to sexually transmitted diseases, we've had that for four years and it has never left the shelf. This one shows boobs and buttocks.
Large Print
Even Money by Felix Frances and Dick Frances.
Intervention by Robin Cook.
92 Pacific Boulevard by Debbie Macomber.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Two DVDs, Three Picture Books, Four CDs, Six Open Windows
DVD
Extreme Rules 2009 starring [lots of wrestler dudes]. The back cover says that Big Show weighs in at 485 pounds! Hokey smokes!
Suerveillance starring Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond. Two FBI agents assisting in a murder case have to detangle three varying eyewitness stories.
Music CDs
Back From the Dead by Spinal Tap. New songs and old songs. Do you think anyone ever tries that old joke with Christopher Guest, "Do you have any naked pictures of your wife? Want to buy some?"
Lotusflow3r by Prince. This actually three discs: Elixer by Bria Valente, Lotusflow3r by Prince, and MPLSound by Prince.
Lines, Vines and Trying Times by The Jonas Brothers. As I said in the bat video, I would have bought this sooner but I thought we already had it. I've heard portions of that Paranoid song and liked what I heard. I have not yet heard the full thing. I still like the Kinks best anyway.
Sunny Side Up by Paolo Nutini. Scottish guy with Italian name with strumming acoustic guitars.
Picture Books
Stretch by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin. Subject headings are: 1. Stories in rhyme. 2. Stretching exercises - Fiction.
What Really Happened to Humpty? by Jeanie Franz Ransom and Stephen Axelsen. From the LOC cataloging info: Detective Joe Dumpty rushes to investigate the mysterious circumstances under which his older brother, Humpty, fell from a wall on his first day as captain of the new Neighborhood Watch program. Where is Sheriff Rhodes when you need him? He's coming up for election you know.
Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Cynthia Rylant and Gustaf Tenggren. I just read Mr. Monk Goes to Germany where Monk and his assistant go to the Lohr region of Germany from where the fairy tale originated.
Extreme Rules 2009 starring [lots of wrestler dudes]. The back cover says that Big Show weighs in at 485 pounds! Hokey smokes!
Suerveillance starring Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond. Two FBI agents assisting in a murder case have to detangle three varying eyewitness stories.
Music CDs
Back From the Dead by Spinal Tap. New songs and old songs. Do you think anyone ever tries that old joke with Christopher Guest, "Do you have any naked pictures of your wife? Want to buy some?"
Lotusflow3r by Prince. This actually three discs: Elixer by Bria Valente, Lotusflow3r by Prince, and MPLSound by Prince.
Lines, Vines and Trying Times by The Jonas Brothers. As I said in the bat video, I would have bought this sooner but I thought we already had it. I've heard portions of that Paranoid song and liked what I heard. I have not yet heard the full thing. I still like the Kinks best anyway.
Sunny Side Up by Paolo Nutini. Scottish guy with Italian name with strumming acoustic guitars.
Picture Books
Stretch by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin. Subject headings are: 1. Stories in rhyme. 2. Stretching exercises - Fiction.
What Really Happened to Humpty? by Jeanie Franz Ransom and Stephen Axelsen. From the LOC cataloging info: Detective Joe Dumpty rushes to investigate the mysterious circumstances under which his older brother, Humpty, fell from a wall on his first day as captain of the new Neighborhood Watch program. Where is Sheriff Rhodes when you need him? He's coming up for election you know.
Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Cynthia Rylant and Gustaf Tenggren. I just read Mr. Monk Goes to Germany where Monk and his assistant go to the Lohr region of Germany from where the fairy tale originated.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Ghost Written, No Such Agency, Pigeon Detectives
Fiction
Heaven's Keep by William Kent Krueger. Krueger's books are supposed to be pretty good. The body of Cork O'Connor's wife went missing in a plane crash in the Wyoming mountains. A few months later he learns the pilot may have been a fraud. Cork goes looking for evidence and runs into DANGER!
206 Bones by Kathy Reichs. Temperance Brennan awakes, with her hands and feet bound, in a cold, dark, enclosed place. She traces back through a series of Montreal area murders and the possibility that a colleague may have sabotaged laboratory work. Will she escape the DANGER?!
Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler with Grant Blackwood. The Fargos, a fortune hunting wife and husband, find a German U-Boat in a Maryland swamp that holds a map piece leading to an ancient treasure. A rich half-Persian, half-Russian millionaire wants the treasure and puts the Fargos in DANGER!
Large Print
Smash Cut by Sandra Brown. Lawyer takes on case of a nephew murdering his own wealthy uncle. The uncle's mistress tries to interfere with the lawyer's case. Mistress is caught in several lies and puts everyone in DANGER!
Pigeon Detectives
Wait For Me by The Pigeon Detectives. I'm in DANGER! of listening to this album and Richard Thompson music all afternoon instead of weeding old books.
NonFiction
Beading with Filigree by Cynthia Deis. A replacement for a copy that was either mangled through negligence or mutilated when someone stole some pages. If I find the person responsible she is in DANGER!
Unmasked: the final years of Michael Jackson by Ian Halperin. I heard a radio interview with Halperin. Halperin intended an expose on Jackson that would give final proof of Jackson's guilt as a pedophile. Instead, Halperin became convinced of Jackson's innocence of all sex allegations. Halperin did find out Jackson was gay and weird and in DANGER! from drug abuse.
Post-death updates to the book seem to have been very rushed. The picture captions are incomplete and resultingly bizarre.
The Secret Sentry: the untold story of the National Security Agency by Matthew M. Aid. The history of the super-secret NSA from it's post-war inception to today's mission of protecting us from DANGER!
Heaven's Keep by William Kent Krueger. Krueger's books are supposed to be pretty good. The body of Cork O'Connor's wife went missing in a plane crash in the Wyoming mountains. A few months later he learns the pilot may have been a fraud. Cork goes looking for evidence and runs into DANGER!
206 Bones by Kathy Reichs. Temperance Brennan awakes, with her hands and feet bound, in a cold, dark, enclosed place. She traces back through a series of Montreal area murders and the possibility that a colleague may have sabotaged laboratory work. Will she escape the DANGER?!
Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler with Grant Blackwood. The Fargos, a fortune hunting wife and husband, find a German U-Boat in a Maryland swamp that holds a map piece leading to an ancient treasure. A rich half-Persian, half-Russian millionaire wants the treasure and puts the Fargos in DANGER!
Large Print
Smash Cut by Sandra Brown. Lawyer takes on case of a nephew murdering his own wealthy uncle. The uncle's mistress tries to interfere with the lawyer's case. Mistress is caught in several lies and puts everyone in DANGER!
Pigeon Detectives
Wait For Me by The Pigeon Detectives. I'm in DANGER! of listening to this album and Richard Thompson music all afternoon instead of weeding old books.
NonFiction
Beading with Filigree by Cynthia Deis. A replacement for a copy that was either mangled through negligence or mutilated when someone stole some pages. If I find the person responsible she is in DANGER!
Unmasked: the final years of Michael Jackson by Ian Halperin. I heard a radio interview with Halperin. Halperin intended an expose on Jackson that would give final proof of Jackson's guilt as a pedophile. Instead, Halperin became convinced of Jackson's innocence of all sex allegations. Halperin did find out Jackson was gay and weird and in DANGER! from drug abuse.
Post-death updates to the book seem to have been very rushed. The picture captions are incomplete and resultingly bizarre.
The Secret Sentry: the untold story of the National Security Agency by Matthew M. Aid. The history of the super-secret NSA from it's post-war inception to today's mission of protecting us from DANGER!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Two Ghostwriters and the DVDs I Opened with the Bat
Fiction
Even Money by Dick Francis and Felix Francis. British bookie is approached by man claiming to be his father. Bookie's parents were supposed to have died when the Bookie was an infant. Hours later the Bookie's father is stabbed to death. What a warm and uplifting story.
Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo. Character Alex Cross writes a novel about his great-uncle who was fighting the Ku Klux Klan in 1900 Mississippi. You know what I always say about Nazis, right? Dirty, filthy, stinking, rotten Nazis? The same goes for the Klan.
DVD
The Great Buck Howard starring Steve Zahn, Ricky Jay, John Malkovich, Tom Hanks Son. Former bigshot mentalist is on the bottom of a career slump. His new assistant and a new publicist get him back in the limelight.
I Love You Man starring [Apatow regulars], Lou Ferrigno. Guy with no friends tries to find guy to be his best man. Meets a dude he gets along with.
Taken starring Liam Neeson. Former spy's daughter is kidnapped in Paris. Spy has hissy fit with guns.
Hannah Montana: the movie starring Miley Cyrus. Snotty and self-important teen pop star gets sent to the family farm to get her to behave. Her 20-year-old boyfriend then moves into the family home.
Inkheart starring that Mummy Guy. Mummy Guy reads stories and they come to life. He and daughter have to put the characters back. Someone should do a study of how many real characters versus CGI characters Mummy Guy has had to perform with.
Sunshine Cleaning starring Amy Adams, Alan Arkin. Single mom and her slacker sister start a business as biohazard cleaners for crime scenes and accidents.
Duplicity starring who cares? Opposing corporate spies are hot for each other.
Even Money by Dick Francis and Felix Francis. British bookie is approached by man claiming to be his father. Bookie's parents were supposed to have died when the Bookie was an infant. Hours later the Bookie's father is stabbed to death. What a warm and uplifting story.
Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo. Character Alex Cross writes a novel about his great-uncle who was fighting the Ku Klux Klan in 1900 Mississippi. You know what I always say about Nazis, right? Dirty, filthy, stinking, rotten Nazis? The same goes for the Klan.
DVD
The Great Buck Howard starring Steve Zahn, Ricky Jay, John Malkovich, Tom Hanks Son. Former bigshot mentalist is on the bottom of a career slump. His new assistant and a new publicist get him back in the limelight.
I Love You Man starring [Apatow regulars], Lou Ferrigno. Guy with no friends tries to find guy to be his best man. Meets a dude he gets along with.
Taken starring Liam Neeson. Former spy's daughter is kidnapped in Paris. Spy has hissy fit with guns.
Hannah Montana: the movie starring Miley Cyrus. Snotty and self-important teen pop star gets sent to the family farm to get her to behave. Her 20-year-old boyfriend then moves into the family home.
Inkheart starring that Mummy Guy. Mummy Guy reads stories and they come to life. He and daughter have to put the characters back. Someone should do a study of how many real characters versus CGI characters Mummy Guy has had to perform with.
Sunshine Cleaning starring Amy Adams, Alan Arkin. Single mom and her slacker sister start a business as biohazard cleaners for crime scenes and accidents.
Duplicity starring who cares? Opposing corporate spies are hot for each other.
Monday, August 24, 2009
New Stuff for 24 August 2009
Some new DVDs and CDs. Plus a special guest appearance from a local bat found floating in the toilet bowl this morning.
Two Audiobooks, A Dead Bat in the Toilet
AudioBooks
Blindman's Bluff by Faye Kellerman. 10 CDs. "LAPD homicide detective Peter Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus, will be blindsided by a brutal multiple murderer in this twisting tale of suspense."
Odd Hours by Dean Koontz. 7 CDs at 9 hours. Dude who talks to the dead goes to small CA seaside town when he gets dreams of an "all encompassing red tide."
Dead Bat in Toilet
Dead Bat in Upstairs Toilet
Blindman's Bluff by Faye Kellerman. 10 CDs. "LAPD homicide detective Peter Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus, will be blindsided by a brutal multiple murderer in this twisting tale of suspense."
Odd Hours by Dean Koontz. 7 CDs at 9 hours. Dude who talks to the dead goes to small CA seaside town when he gets dreams of an "all encompassing red tide."
Dead Bat in Toilet
Dead Bat in Upstairs Toilet
Friday, August 21, 2009
Not Many New Books. I Should Do Another Video.
Adult Fiction
Vanishing Act by Fern Michaels. What are the chances I will ever read a Fern Michaels novel? Very, very low. Maybe if I were to be kidnapped and locked in a room with nothing but a Michaels novel.
Filler
Jonas Brothers by Maggie Maron. Joe's favorite drink is Orange Gatorade. Kevin's favorite drink is coffee. Coffee!? Hey, I like that guy now!
I Love Dirt: 52 activities to help you and your kids discover the wonders of nature by Jennifer Ward. Divided by season. We were playing outside yesterday afternoon and the dog wanted to go back inside. I told her to stop whining.
Fractured Fairy Tales by Rocky and Bullwinkle. I'm listening to the Underground Garage (advance to track 5 of 10 for the story). They are playing the audio of Fractured Fairytale's version of Rumpelstitskin. Rumpelstiltskin is a PR man.
Simply Delicious! by Margaret Mahy. A resourceful father engages in all kinds of acrobatic moves to keep an assortment of jungle creatures from getting the double-dip-chocolate-chip-and-cherry ice cream cone he is taking home to his son.
Hey, Crider. There is a crocodile in this one.
Donut Holes by Jim Braughler. Jim brought in donut holes this morning. The sour cream kind.
Oops, Missed Two Comics
Unstoppable: Astonishing X-Men by Josh Whedon and John Cassaday. Super heroes save the world
Dangerous: Astonishing X-Men by Josh Whedon and John Cassaday. A powerful enemy [is] living among the X-Men.
Vanishing Act by Fern Michaels. What are the chances I will ever read a Fern Michaels novel? Very, very low. Maybe if I were to be kidnapped and locked in a room with nothing but a Michaels novel.
Filler
Jonas Brothers by Maggie Maron. Joe's favorite drink is Orange Gatorade. Kevin's favorite drink is coffee. Coffee!? Hey, I like that guy now!
I Love Dirt: 52 activities to help you and your kids discover the wonders of nature by Jennifer Ward. Divided by season. We were playing outside yesterday afternoon and the dog wanted to go back inside. I told her to stop whining.
Fractured Fairy Tales by Rocky and Bullwinkle. I'm listening to the Underground Garage (advance to track 5 of 10 for the story). They are playing the audio of Fractured Fairytale's version of Rumpelstitskin. Rumpelstiltskin is a PR man.
Simply Delicious! by Margaret Mahy. A resourceful father engages in all kinds of acrobatic moves to keep an assortment of jungle creatures from getting the double-dip-chocolate-chip-and-cherry ice cream cone he is taking home to his son.
Hey, Crider. There is a crocodile in this one.
Donut Holes by Jim Braughler. Jim brought in donut holes this morning. The sour cream kind.
Oops, Missed Two Comics
Unstoppable: Astonishing X-Men by Josh Whedon and John Cassaday. Super heroes save the world
Dangerous: Astonishing X-Men by Josh Whedon and John Cassaday. A powerful enemy [is] living among the X-Men.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Colonel Volkovoy Returns
DVD
Eastbound and Down: complete first season starring Danny McBride. A drunken lout lives too hard and loses his skills as a big-league pitcher. Lout ends up living with his brother and teaching PE at the local middle school while he "wreaks havoc with his boorish behavior and even makes a pre-emptive romantic strike on his former high school squeeze, now a teacher engaged to the school principal."
Fiction
The Venona Cable by Brent Ghelfi. Col. Volkovoy is a covert Russian Army officer and a leader in Moscow's crime world. Volk is taken to the crime scene of a murdered Hollywood cinematographer implicated in the '50s as a spy. Among the dead man's possessions is a photograph is Volk's long-missing father.
Vanished by Joseph Finder. Lauren and her husband, Roger, are mugged. Lauren is knocked out and Roger is missing. Lauren calls Rogers brother, Nick, to find Roger.
Princess of Landover by Terry Brooks. Some fantasy thing.
Obsession: an erotic tale by Gloria Vanderbilt. Lady finds secret letters hidden among her recently deceased husband's possessions.
Eastbound and Down: complete first season starring Danny McBride. A drunken lout lives too hard and loses his skills as a big-league pitcher. Lout ends up living with his brother and teaching PE at the local middle school while he "wreaks havoc with his boorish behavior and even makes a pre-emptive romantic strike on his former high school squeeze, now a teacher engaged to the school principal."
Fiction
The Venona Cable by Brent Ghelfi. Col. Volkovoy is a covert Russian Army officer and a leader in Moscow's crime world. Volk is taken to the crime scene of a murdered Hollywood cinematographer implicated in the '50s as a spy. Among the dead man's possessions is a photograph is Volk's long-missing father.
Vanished by Joseph Finder. Lauren and her husband, Roger, are mugged. Lauren is knocked out and Roger is missing. Lauren calls Rogers brother, Nick, to find Roger.
Princess of Landover by Terry Brooks. Some fantasy thing.
Obsession: an erotic tale by Gloria Vanderbilt. Lady finds secret letters hidden among her recently deceased husband's possessions.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Crazy Library Customer
A story from Stephanie about a crazy lady who came in a year or two ago. More stories as they become available.
In reference to a couple comments I have had on the nature of this video: One of the great things about Libraries, and there are many, is that anyone can come and use the Library. Libraries get the whole of society including the homeless, mentally ill, socially tactless, and generally clueless. They are all welcome. But, sometimes, bizarre and inappropriate behavior is part of the package. This incident occurred in the center of the Library in front of staff and several customers.
Remembering this incident is not intended to belittle the lady but to laugh about the situation and the whole event. My intent was not to mock a someone with a mental illness. The customer is entirely welcome to return and use the Library.
In reference to a couple comments I have had on the nature of this video: One of the great things about Libraries, and there are many, is that anyone can come and use the Library. Libraries get the whole of society including the homeless, mentally ill, socially tactless, and generally clueless. They are all welcome. But, sometimes, bizarre and inappropriate behavior is part of the package. This incident occurred in the center of the Library in front of staff and several customers.
Remembering this incident is not intended to belittle the lady but to laugh about the situation and the whole event. My intent was not to mock a someone with a mental illness. The customer is entirely welcome to return and use the Library.
Four Large Print Novels
All our large print novels are bought on two subscription services from Gale/Cengage and Center Point Large Print. I don't actually select the titles.
Large Print
Storm Cycle by Iris and Roy Johansen. Computer genius Rachel tries to rescue archeologist John who is trapped in an Egyptian tomb. John may have discovered a secret to cure Rachel's dying sister.
Loving a Lost Lord by Mary Jo Putney. Opening to a random page: "Not yet." The cook eyed her severely. "You never mentioned that you had a husband."
Hello Goodbye by Emily Chenowith. Abby travels to northern New Hampshire with her parents in the summer. Her mother has just been diagnosed with malignant brain tumor and visitors come to see her mom for the last time.
Below Zero by C.J. Box. Box's novels are supposed to be quite good. Sheriff Joe Pickett's oldest daughter Sherry is convinced that Pickett's foster daughter survived a massacre and has been calling on the telephone.
CJ Box is confirmed to attend the Murder and Mayhem in Muskego conference on Nov 14, '09. The conference line-up for this year looks great. Well, the list looks great to me because I have read several of the authors. Heck, I already signed up.
Large Print
Storm Cycle by Iris and Roy Johansen. Computer genius Rachel tries to rescue archeologist John who is trapped in an Egyptian tomb. John may have discovered a secret to cure Rachel's dying sister.
Loving a Lost Lord by Mary Jo Putney. Opening to a random page: "Not yet." The cook eyed her severely. "You never mentioned that you had a husband."
Hello Goodbye by Emily Chenowith. Abby travels to northern New Hampshire with her parents in the summer. Her mother has just been diagnosed with malignant brain tumor and visitors come to see her mom for the last time.
Below Zero by C.J. Box. Box's novels are supposed to be quite good. Sheriff Joe Pickett's oldest daughter Sherry is convinced that Pickett's foster daughter survived a massacre and has been calling on the telephone.
CJ Box is confirmed to attend the Murder and Mayhem in Muskego conference on Nov 14, '09. The conference line-up for this year looks great. Well, the list looks great to me because I have read several of the authors. Heck, I already signed up.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
I Returned And Found These
DVD
Dexter the Third Season starring [actors]. Evil guy does evil things.
AudioBooks
Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child. 12 CDs, 14.5 hours. Jack Reacher fights evil.
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. 7 CDs, who knows how long. New Jersey bounty hunter fights evil.
Still Life by Louise Penny. 8 CDs, 9.5 hours. Quebecois cop fights evil.
Relentless by Dean Koontz. 8 CDs, 9.25 hours. Author fights evil book reviewer.
Fiction
Shoot the Lawyer Twice by Michael Bowen. Milwaukee lawyer and his professor wife fight evil.
Blindman's Bluff by Faye Kellerman. LAPD homicide investigator fights evil.
Intervention by Robin Cook. Doctor fights evil.
Large Print
Diamond in the Rough by Diana Palmer. Library Director fights evil by fighting against ugly book covers.
The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand. Married couple drowns in evil ocean.
Sweeping Up Glass by Carolyn Wall. Lady in Kentucky finds that something evil is killing wolves.
Penny Pinchers Club by Sarah Strohmeyer. Kat becomes obsessive about cutting costs to fight evil.
Dexter the Third Season starring [actors]. Evil guy does evil things.
AudioBooks
Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child. 12 CDs, 14.5 hours. Jack Reacher fights evil.
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. 7 CDs, who knows how long. New Jersey bounty hunter fights evil.
Still Life by Louise Penny. 8 CDs, 9.5 hours. Quebecois cop fights evil.
Relentless by Dean Koontz. 8 CDs, 9.25 hours. Author fights evil book reviewer.
Fiction
Shoot the Lawyer Twice by Michael Bowen. Milwaukee lawyer and his professor wife fight evil.
Blindman's Bluff by Faye Kellerman. LAPD homicide investigator fights evil.
Intervention by Robin Cook. Doctor fights evil.
Large Print
Diamond in the Rough by Diana Palmer. Library Director fights evil by fighting against ugly book covers.
The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand. Married couple drowns in evil ocean.
Sweeping Up Glass by Carolyn Wall. Lady in Kentucky finds that something evil is killing wolves.
Penny Pinchers Club by Sarah Strohmeyer. Kat becomes obsessive about cutting costs to fight evil.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
What to Read 29: Jim Oliver's Motorcycle Journey
I'm still in Lindsborg, KS. Today was the Thor's Roar motorcycle rally. Jim Oliver spoke in the meeting room at the local bank about his around the world motorcycle trip he made in 2004. Oliver wrote about it in Lucille and the XXX Road available from his website at: http://www.raymondjames.com/JamesOliver/. We'll have the book available from the Library once I can order it and get it cataloged.
Oliver and a pal rode their BMW GS bikes west from Vladivostok, Russia through Europe. Oliver then air-shipped his bike to Montreal and drove the rest of the way home.
Isn't it nice how I can legitimately add "XXX" to the subject heading (tags) without using it to try and grab attention? If Jim Oliver went to Nagocdoches would people mistake him for Joe R. Lansdale?
Oliver and a pal rode their BMW GS bikes west from Vladivostok, Russia through Europe. Oliver then air-shipped his bike to Montreal and drove the rest of the way home.
Isn't it nice how I can legitimately add "XXX" to the subject heading (tags) without using it to try and grab attention? If Jim Oliver went to Nagocdoches would people mistake him for Joe R. Lansdale?
Thursday, July 30, 2009
What to Read 28: Marcus Sakey
What to Read: Marcus Sakey's At the City's Edge.
Also, an introduction to my magical box of books.
Also, an introduction to my magical box of books.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Two CDS by Two Different Bands
Music CDs
The other day I read an online comment by an author I follow, Anthony Neil Smith. His discussion on literary versus popular fiction touched on the similarity of Top 40 vs. "artist" music. Here we have two albums that fit that comparison. Wilco has a been a successful band but is more of a critics' darling than a stadium filler. Dave Matthews sells lots of records, gets airplay, and sells out concerts. I like a lot of Wilco's stuff but I do not consider feedback to be an instrument. Dave Matthews I couldn't give a rat's ass about - but I'll be fair and say I have not heard many songs.
Wilco (the album) by Wilco. This Wilco album is supposed to be more accessible; that means it probably doesn't have that artsy noise crap.
Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King by the Dave Matthews Band. Who was it from their band that died? Some horn player? All I know is that the fella was fairly young and it's a dang shame about that. (I'm not being sarcastic.)
The other day I read an online comment by an author I follow, Anthony Neil Smith. His discussion on literary versus popular fiction touched on the similarity of Top 40 vs. "artist" music. Here we have two albums that fit that comparison. Wilco has a been a successful band but is more of a critics' darling than a stadium filler. Dave Matthews sells lots of records, gets airplay, and sells out concerts. I like a lot of Wilco's stuff but I do not consider feedback to be an instrument. Dave Matthews I couldn't give a rat's ass about - but I'll be fair and say I have not heard many songs.
Wilco (the album) by Wilco. This Wilco album is supposed to be more accessible; that means it probably doesn't have that artsy noise crap.
Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King by the Dave Matthews Band. Who was it from their band that died? Some horn player? All I know is that the fella was fairly young and it's a dang shame about that. (I'm not being sarcastic.)
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Two Adult, Thirteen Young Adult, One Sitting Library Director
Fiction
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner. Heh, heh. Weiner.
Blade: playing dead by Tim Bowler. Hey...this is a young adult novel. It was mis-cataloged. That means the title to this post is wrong.
Young Adult
Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor. Toby dreams of being a chef. He takes a summer job at Killer Pizza and has some cool co-workers. Then he finds out that Killer Pizza is "a front for a monster-hunting organization!"
Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce. Book two in the Beka Cooper series. Beka is now a "Dog", a local cop in Corus. When counterfeit coins start disrupting the local economy Beka and another Dog go undercover in another city, Port Caynn, where the coins originate.
The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks. This is a good idea. But it should be a real-life guide for vampire book fans. (Charlie Huston fans excluded.)
Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel. Beginner pilot Matt is working on the Starclimber, "a vessel that literally climbs into the cosmos", on a voyage with scientist Kate. They end up surounded by strange lifeforms and the crew has to battle mechanical failures.
Just Another Hero by Sharon M. Draper. "Conclusion to the two-time Coretta Scott King honor trilogy," with HS students facing a mass murderer in their school.
Carbon Diaries, 2015 by Saci Lloyd. The environment "has gone completely mad" and the British government orders extreme cutbacks on carbon release. The weather still freaks out with frozen winters and vicious summer storms.
Hannah's Winter by Kierin Meehan. Hannah would rather be back in Australia than living in Japan. Hannah and her new friend Miki discover a riddle in a stationary shop.
Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart. I took Boy #! to swim lessons a few weeks ago and grabbed the wrong book when we left. I think the one I got was the Mysterious Benedict Society. It was pretty good but I still fell asleep at the lessons. The humidity and heat in there always makes me sleepy.
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. Must be a Spyderco book.
Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry. Yech.
Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Frazer. Another yech.
Funny How Things Change by Melissa Wyatt. Yech, again.
Hunger: a gone novel by Michael Grant. Preppies.
Library Director
What to Do at the Desk: tasks to keep you occupied at the circulation desk during slow foot traffic by Gerard Saylor.
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner. Heh, heh. Weiner.
Blade: playing dead by Tim Bowler. Hey...this is a young adult novel. It was mis-cataloged. That means the title to this post is wrong.
Young Adult
Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor. Toby dreams of being a chef. He takes a summer job at Killer Pizza and has some cool co-workers. Then he finds out that Killer Pizza is "a front for a monster-hunting organization!"
Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce. Book two in the Beka Cooper series. Beka is now a "Dog", a local cop in Corus. When counterfeit coins start disrupting the local economy Beka and another Dog go undercover in another city, Port Caynn, where the coins originate.
The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks. This is a good idea. But it should be a real-life guide for vampire book fans. (Charlie Huston fans excluded.)
Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel. Beginner pilot Matt is working on the Starclimber, "a vessel that literally climbs into the cosmos", on a voyage with scientist Kate. They end up surounded by strange lifeforms and the crew has to battle mechanical failures.
Just Another Hero by Sharon M. Draper. "Conclusion to the two-time Coretta Scott King honor trilogy," with HS students facing a mass murderer in their school.
Carbon Diaries, 2015 by Saci Lloyd. The environment "has gone completely mad" and the British government orders extreme cutbacks on carbon release. The weather still freaks out with frozen winters and vicious summer storms.
Hannah's Winter by Kierin Meehan. Hannah would rather be back in Australia than living in Japan. Hannah and her new friend Miki discover a riddle in a stationary shop.
Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart. I took Boy #! to swim lessons a few weeks ago and grabbed the wrong book when we left. I think the one I got was the Mysterious Benedict Society. It was pretty good but I still fell asleep at the lessons. The humidity and heat in there always makes me sleepy.
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. Must be a Spyderco book.
Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry. Yech.
Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Frazer. Another yech.
Funny How Things Change by Melissa Wyatt. Yech, again.
Hunger: a gone novel by Michael Grant. Preppies.
Library Director
What to Do at the Desk: tasks to keep you occupied at the circulation desk during slow foot traffic by Gerard Saylor.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Another Variety Pack With a Recycled Title
DVD
Reno 911!: the complete sixth season starring [actors]. I like this show. The movie version was on tv the other day. They have a scene filmed in a library.
Doc Martin: season one and season two. "Brilliant but socially awkward and neurotic Doc Martin develops an aversion to blood, abandons his career as a celebrated London surgeon and becomes the only doctor in a sleepy small town where his tactless manner soon has everyone in an uproar." Recommended by Maury from the Mens Book Club.
Large Print
Trust No One by Gregg Hurwitz. Nick Horrigan is grabbed by a SWAT team and taken to a nuclear plant where a terrorist demands to speak to Nick. Nick has no idea who the guy is.
A Short History of Women by Kate Walbert. Blah.
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. Young Irish woman in the 1950s leaves for work in Brooklyn. She has a tough transition, learns to like it, and then has to head back to Ireland.
NonFiction
Get Cooking by Sam Stearns. Kid cook does book.
AudioBooks
One Step Behind by Helen Mankell. Swedish murder mystery.
Two-Bear Mambo by Joe R. Lansdale. Hap and Leonard search for Leonard's missing lawyer, Florida. Florida was investigating the jailhouse death of a bluesman's son in the "Klan-infested East Texas town of Grovetown."
Reno 911!: the complete sixth season starring [actors]. I like this show. The movie version was on tv the other day. They have a scene filmed in a library.
Doc Martin: season one and season two. "Brilliant but socially awkward and neurotic Doc Martin develops an aversion to blood, abandons his career as a celebrated London surgeon and becomes the only doctor in a sleepy small town where his tactless manner soon has everyone in an uproar." Recommended by Maury from the Mens Book Club.
Large Print
Trust No One by Gregg Hurwitz. Nick Horrigan is grabbed by a SWAT team and taken to a nuclear plant where a terrorist demands to speak to Nick. Nick has no idea who the guy is.
A Short History of Women by Kate Walbert. Blah.
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. Young Irish woman in the 1950s leaves for work in Brooklyn. She has a tough transition, learns to like it, and then has to head back to Ireland.
NonFiction
Get Cooking by Sam Stearns. Kid cook does book.
AudioBooks
One Step Behind by Helen Mankell. Swedish murder mystery.
Two-Bear Mambo by Joe R. Lansdale. Hap and Leonard search for Leonard's missing lawyer, Florida. Florida was investigating the jailhouse death of a bluesman's son in the "Klan-infested East Texas town of Grovetown."
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
I Missed a Stack of Fiction
Fiction
Undone by Karin Slaughter. I was making fun of Slaughter's name the other day when my wife was reading one of her books. Suspenseful murder mystery in Georgia with a trauma doctor and some cops.
Guardian of Lies by Steve Martini. Defense attorney Paul Madriani defends a woman against murder in a case that involves secrets from the Cold War and priceless gold coins.
I listened to a Martini novel where some bad cops were setting up Madriani. There is a great get-even point where a bad cop is burglarizing Madriani's home and Madriani whacks the dude across the face with a club.
The Moon Looked Down by Dorothy Garlock. The Hellers escape from the dirty, filthy, stinking, rotten Nazis and move to Illinois. Once the war starts someone starts spreading rumors about the Heller family and the eldest daughter, now a newspaper reporter, tries to find out who is at fault.
Get Real by Donald Westlake. A comedic mystery by the recently deceased Westlake. Dortmunder and his burglary crew are followed by cameras from a reality tv show.
Fire and Ice by J.A. Jance. I already wrote that story about Jance at the Phoenix Public Library with the frozen Dove bars. I read yesterday that Phoenix PL has taken a major budget hit. They have tons of dough for capital projects like new branches and renovations, but they cannot spend that capital money on operating expenses.
Undone by Karin Slaughter. I was making fun of Slaughter's name the other day when my wife was reading one of her books. Suspenseful murder mystery in Georgia with a trauma doctor and some cops.
Guardian of Lies by Steve Martini. Defense attorney Paul Madriani defends a woman against murder in a case that involves secrets from the Cold War and priceless gold coins.
I listened to a Martini novel where some bad cops were setting up Madriani. There is a great get-even point where a bad cop is burglarizing Madriani's home and Madriani whacks the dude across the face with a club.
The Moon Looked Down by Dorothy Garlock. The Hellers escape from the dirty, filthy, stinking, rotten Nazis and move to Illinois. Once the war starts someone starts spreading rumors about the Heller family and the eldest daughter, now a newspaper reporter, tries to find out who is at fault.
Get Real by Donald Westlake. A comedic mystery by the recently deceased Westlake. Dortmunder and his burglary crew are followed by cameras from a reality tv show.
Fire and Ice by J.A. Jance. I already wrote that story about Jance at the Phoenix Public Library with the frozen Dove bars. I read yesterday that Phoenix PL has taken a major budget hit. They have tons of dough for capital projects like new branches and renovations, but they cannot spend that capital money on operating expenses.
Words
NonFiction
The Word Snoop: a wild and witty tour of the English language by Ursula Dubosarsky. A fun book on words, the history of the written word, and misuse of words. This whole freaking blog is a misuse of words.
Large Print
The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner. Hot chick on the cover.
A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey. Hot chick on the cover.
Burn by Linda Howard. Hot chick on the cover.
The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles. River bridge on the cover.
There's Something About St. Tropez by Elizabeth Adler. Hot chick on the cover.
Knock Out by Catherine Coulter. Lincoln Monument on the cover.
The Word Snoop: a wild and witty tour of the English language by Ursula Dubosarsky. A fun book on words, the history of the written word, and misuse of words. This whole freaking blog is a misuse of words.
Large Print
The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner. Hot chick on the cover.
A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey. Hot chick on the cover.
Burn by Linda Howard. Hot chick on the cover.
The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles. River bridge on the cover.
There's Something About St. Tropez by Elizabeth Adler. Hot chick on the cover.
Knock Out by Catherine Coulter. Lincoln Monument on the cover.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
James Lee Burke and Some Large Print with Plot Guesses
Fiction
Rain Gods by James Lee Burke. Hackleberry Holland has taken the job as town sheriff on the Texas-Mexican border. The mass grave of nine illegal immigrants is found behind a local church and Hack investigates the murder. Meanwhile, some dude and his dudette are being hunted by paid killers who think dude and dudette have information about the murders.
The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson. "A tattoo shop mystery" Tattoo artist Brett makes an appointment to ink a girl's arm with her fiance's name. The girl never shows and Brett receives a visit from the cops asking about her. Brett ends up searching Las Vegas on the case.
The cover on this was really well done - the author posted an image online a few months ago - but the small size of the paperback takes away from it.
Suite 606 by J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas. Short stories with ghosts, deception, lovers apart for years, pounding storm, twist of fate, mother and son lost in the threads of history, impaired wizard, ritualistic murder, etc.
Large Print with Guesses on Plot
Summer House by Nancy Thayer. My guess: Widow in her sixties returns to summer house with mixed feelings and meets a handsome new neighbor. Love ensues amidst her guilt on stepping out on the dead husband. With sex.
The Increment by David Ignatius. My guess: Tourist gets caught in the blood feuds of an old Italian village. With hot Italian girl sex.
Tempted by His Kiss by Tracy Ann Warren. My guess: Regency romance. With discrete sex.
The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham. My guess: Laughter and champaign as young bride juggles wedding plans, pushy parents, ex-paramours, and a disinterested groom. With fears of infidelity sex.
Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver. My guess: a serial killer specializes in vehicular homicide and staged auto "accidents". With cop and victim sex.
Rain Gods by James Lee Burke. Hackleberry Holland has taken the job as town sheriff on the Texas-Mexican border. The mass grave of nine illegal immigrants is found behind a local church and Hack investigates the murder. Meanwhile, some dude and his dudette are being hunted by paid killers who think dude and dudette have information about the murders.
The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson. "A tattoo shop mystery" Tattoo artist Brett makes an appointment to ink a girl's arm with her fiance's name. The girl never shows and Brett receives a visit from the cops asking about her. Brett ends up searching Las Vegas on the case.
The cover on this was really well done - the author posted an image online a few months ago - but the small size of the paperback takes away from it.
Suite 606 by J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas. Short stories with ghosts, deception, lovers apart for years, pounding storm, twist of fate, mother and son lost in the threads of history, impaired wizard, ritualistic murder, etc.
Large Print with Guesses on Plot
Summer House by Nancy Thayer. My guess: Widow in her sixties returns to summer house with mixed feelings and meets a handsome new neighbor. Love ensues amidst her guilt on stepping out on the dead husband. With sex.
The Increment by David Ignatius. My guess: Tourist gets caught in the blood feuds of an old Italian village. With hot Italian girl sex.
Tempted by His Kiss by Tracy Ann Warren. My guess: Regency romance. With discrete sex.
The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham. My guess: Laughter and champaign as young bride juggles wedding plans, pushy parents, ex-paramours, and a disinterested groom. With fears of infidelity sex.
Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver. My guess: a serial killer specializes in vehicular homicide and staged auto "accidents". With cop and victim sex.
Monday, July 13, 2009
What to Read 27: Tom Piccirilli's "The Coldest Mile"
What to Read 27: Tom Piccirilli's The Coldest Mile. A continuation of the story told in The Cold Spot.
Four Audiobooks, Elvis Costello, Morrisey, Chesterfield Kings, others
Music CDs
Only by Night by the Kings of Leon. Limeys love Leon.
(Older tune.)
Years of Refusal by Morrissey. Embedding was disabled. Here is a link.
Relapse by Eminem. Rap music.
Secret, Profane and Sugarcane by Elvis Costello.
(Another old one.)
Living Thing by Peter, Bjorn and John. I have no idea about these dudes but they seem to sell records and dislike razors.
Psychedelic Sunrise by The Chesterfield Kings. Another favorite of Little Steven and his Underground Garage. [Independent thought, what's that?]
21st Century Breakdown by Green Day. I'm just not seeing it anymore with these guys. I'll try listening to the album but I don't expect much from it.
Wait for Me by Moby. Bald guy plays more keyboards and eats vegetables.
My Turn by Tanya Tucker. Wasn't Tucker a pill popping sex machine in the '80s? I read that somewhere.
Jazz in the Garden by The Stanley Clark Trio with Hiromi and Lenny White. I first heard of Clarke was when he teamed up with Stuart Copeland and a girl singer to make Animal Logic.
Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin. The last disc cracked so I replaced it.
Chickenfoot by Chickenfoot. "Super group" with Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Chad Smith, and Michael Anthony.
DVD
Marvelous Machines! Military C-5 Galaxy and C-130 Hercules. "Learn about the exciting world of military aircraft up close..from high flotation landing gear to the massive turbofan engines." This was meant for the kids' collection in the basement but landed in adult DVD. We'll see how it goes and move it down if there are no takers. Not that there is any more room for additional kids DVDs. That space is packed full.
Audiobooks
The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer. 10 CDs at 12 hours. "Milo is drawn into a conspiracy that links riots in the Sudan, an assassin committing suicide, and an old friend who's been accused of selling secrets to the Chinese."
The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith. 10 Cds at 11 hours. The Soviet Union in 1956 is politically fracturing after the death of Stalin. Former state security cop Leo is being hunted by revenge for Leo's past eagerness at work. I read this book's predecessor, Child 44, and it was fairly decent.
Loser's Town by Daniel Depp. Hollywood P.I. is hired to protect actor from a blackmail scheme by a gangster with aspirations of being a movie producer. Depp got a lot of early press for this novel because he is Johnny Depp's older brother. The book is supposed to be good.
The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles. Penn is the new mayor of Natchez, MS and has taken the job to help change things. Penn learns that one of the town's casino riverboats has been pulling in high rollers with blood sport. Penn has to go up agains the big money and the Natchez locals who get a share.
Only by Night by the Kings of Leon. Limeys love Leon.
(Older tune.)
Years of Refusal by Morrissey. Embedding was disabled. Here is a link.
Relapse by Eminem. Rap music.
Secret, Profane and Sugarcane by Elvis Costello.
(Another old one.)
Living Thing by Peter, Bjorn and John. I have no idea about these dudes but they seem to sell records and dislike razors.
Psychedelic Sunrise by The Chesterfield Kings. Another favorite of Little Steven and his Underground Garage. [Independent thought, what's that?]
21st Century Breakdown by Green Day. I'm just not seeing it anymore with these guys. I'll try listening to the album but I don't expect much from it.
Wait for Me by Moby. Bald guy plays more keyboards and eats vegetables.
My Turn by Tanya Tucker. Wasn't Tucker a pill popping sex machine in the '80s? I read that somewhere.
Jazz in the Garden by The Stanley Clark Trio with Hiromi and Lenny White. I first heard of Clarke was when he teamed up with Stuart Copeland and a girl singer to make Animal Logic.
Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin. The last disc cracked so I replaced it.
Chickenfoot by Chickenfoot. "Super group" with Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Chad Smith, and Michael Anthony.
DVD
Marvelous Machines! Military C-5 Galaxy and C-130 Hercules. "Learn about the exciting world of military aircraft up close..from high flotation landing gear to the massive turbofan engines." This was meant for the kids' collection in the basement but landed in adult DVD. We'll see how it goes and move it down if there are no takers. Not that there is any more room for additional kids DVDs. That space is packed full.
Audiobooks
The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer. 10 CDs at 12 hours. "Milo is drawn into a conspiracy that links riots in the Sudan, an assassin committing suicide, and an old friend who's been accused of selling secrets to the Chinese."
The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith. 10 Cds at 11 hours. The Soviet Union in 1956 is politically fracturing after the death of Stalin. Former state security cop Leo is being hunted by revenge for Leo's past eagerness at work. I read this book's predecessor, Child 44, and it was fairly decent.
Loser's Town by Daniel Depp. Hollywood P.I. is hired to protect actor from a blackmail scheme by a gangster with aspirations of being a movie producer. Depp got a lot of early press for this novel because he is Johnny Depp's older brother. The book is supposed to be good.
The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles. Penn is the new mayor of Natchez, MS and has taken the job to help change things. Penn learns that one of the town's casino riverboats has been pulling in high rollers with blood sport. Penn has to go up agains the big money and the Natchez locals who get a share.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
ALA Annual Conference in Chicago
I went down to the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago to see the exhibits.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Two
Fiction
Black Hills by (supposedly) Nora Roberts. I'm starting to think almost all these authors with multiple books a year are purely ghost written. This "Roberts" book has a blue cover - like many of her other books - with a full moon and a leopard.
NonFiction
Top 10 Florence and Tuscany by Reid Bramblett. A travel guide from DK's Eyewitness Travel series. The cover says, "Pull-out map and guide." Well I would certainly hope so. How crappy would a travel guide be without a map?
Black Hills by (supposedly) Nora Roberts. I'm starting to think almost all these authors with multiple books a year are purely ghost written. This "Roberts" book has a blue cover - like many of her other books - with a full moon and a leopard.
NonFiction
Top 10 Florence and Tuscany by Reid Bramblett. A travel guide from DK's Eyewitness Travel series. The cover says, "Pull-out map and guide." Well I would certainly hope so. How crappy would a travel guide be without a map?
Monday, July 06, 2009
Norwegian Chick Rockers, More Mexican Wrestling, Two CDs Worth of Nick Lowe
Music CDs
Saint Valentine's Day Massacre by The Cocktail Slippers. Norwegian chicks sing garage rock tunes. Featured by Little Steven on his syndicated radio show which I love to listen to.
Quiet Please: the new best of Nick Lowe by Nick Lowe. You have to be cruel to be kind.
DVDs
Thin Ice starring Tom Selleck, Kathy Baker, William Sadler, Camryn Manheim. Selleck has done a excellent job with these adaptations of Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone novels.
Dia de los Muertos. Mexican wrestling featuring El Hijo Santo vs. La Park in a steel cage match.
Viva Guerrero!. Eddie Guerrero's wrestling life is celebrated by other famous wrestlers.
Reaper: season two starring That Guy From Twin Peaks, That Guy From Grounded for Life. Slacker finds out his parents sold his soul to the devil. Now slacker has to work for the devil by catching escaped souls.
Fiction
Even by Andrew Grant. Former nsval intelligence officer from Britain is set-up for murder in New York City.
Saint Valentine's Day Massacre by The Cocktail Slippers. Norwegian chicks sing garage rock tunes. Featured by Little Steven on his syndicated radio show which I love to listen to.
Quiet Please: the new best of Nick Lowe by Nick Lowe. You have to be cruel to be kind.
DVDs
Thin Ice starring Tom Selleck, Kathy Baker, William Sadler, Camryn Manheim. Selleck has done a excellent job with these adaptations of Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone novels.
Dia de los Muertos. Mexican wrestling featuring El Hijo Santo vs. La Park in a steel cage match.
Viva Guerrero!. Eddie Guerrero's wrestling life is celebrated by other famous wrestlers.
Reaper: season two starring That Guy From Twin Peaks, That Guy From Grounded for Life. Slacker finds out his parents sold his soul to the devil. Now slacker has to work for the devil by catching escaped souls.
Fiction
Even by Andrew Grant. Former nsval intelligence officer from Britain is set-up for murder in New York City.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
John Ceepak, Lansdale, Tractors, Vietnam Memoir
Fiction
Mind Scrambler by Chris Grabenstein. John Ceepak and his narrating partner Danny Boyle return for another mystery on the New Jersey shore. The two are on vacation in Atlantic City when Danny meets an old friend who nannies for a magician. The girl is strangled and Ceepak and Boyle get involved.
Punisher: War Journal: Secret Invasion by Fraction, Remender, Spurrier, Chaykin, Macdonald, Dell'Edera. Judging from the cover the Punisher fights green aliens with pointy ears.
Run A Crooked Mile by Janet LaPierre. Rosemary moves to the California mountains to be alone. He she ends up taking in the dog of a recent murder victim. Mystery and danger follow.
Vanilla Ride: a Hap and Leonard novel by Joe R. Lansdale. East Texas pals Hap and Leonard tend to stir up trouble and when "rescuing a friend's daughter from an abusive, no-good drug dealer" Hap and Leonard end up stirring trouble with the Dixie Mafia who want payback.
Lansdale does real good work.
NonFiction
Classic Farmall Tractors: history, models, variations and specifications 1922-1975 by Kenneth Updike.
The Ghosts of Thua Thien: an American soldier's memoir of Vietnam by John A. Nesser. "Nesser was deployed to the Ashau Valley, site of some of the war's heaviest fighting, and served eight months as an infantry rifleman before becoming a door gunner for a Chinook helicopter. In this stirring memoir, he recalls in detail the exhausting missions in the mountainous jungle, the terror of walking into an ambush, the dull-edged anxiety that filled quiet days, and the steady fear of being shot out of the sky."
Mind Scrambler by Chris Grabenstein. John Ceepak and his narrating partner Danny Boyle return for another mystery on the New Jersey shore. The two are on vacation in Atlantic City when Danny meets an old friend who nannies for a magician. The girl is strangled and Ceepak and Boyle get involved.
Punisher: War Journal: Secret Invasion by Fraction, Remender, Spurrier, Chaykin, Macdonald, Dell'Edera. Judging from the cover the Punisher fights green aliens with pointy ears.
Run A Crooked Mile by Janet LaPierre. Rosemary moves to the California mountains to be alone. He she ends up taking in the dog of a recent murder victim. Mystery and danger follow.
Vanilla Ride: a Hap and Leonard novel by Joe R. Lansdale. East Texas pals Hap and Leonard tend to stir up trouble and when "rescuing a friend's daughter from an abusive, no-good drug dealer" Hap and Leonard end up stirring trouble with the Dixie Mafia who want payback.
Lansdale does real good work.
NonFiction
Classic Farmall Tractors: history, models, variations and specifications 1922-1975 by Kenneth Updike.
The Ghosts of Thua Thien: an American soldier's memoir of Vietnam by John A. Nesser. "Nesser was deployed to the Ashau Valley, site of some of the war's heaviest fighting, and served eight months as an infantry rifleman before becoming a door gunner for a Chinook helicopter. In this stirring memoir, he recalls in detail the exhausting missions in the mountainous jungle, the terror of walking into an ambush, the dull-edged anxiety that filled quiet days, and the steady fear of being shot out of the sky."
Monday, June 29, 2009
Romanticize It All You Want, But Bonnie and Clyde were Scumbag Killers
Fiction
Dropped Dead Stitch by Maggie Sefton. "Delicious Recipes and Knitting Pattern Included." I think you know my opinion on this book.
Hot House Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire by Margot Berwin. I needed to buy more chick books. Divorcee Lila starts learning about plants and rare plants and finds a rare fern in a NYC laundromat. Lila travels to the Yucatan jungle to plant hunt.
A Wild Affair by Gemma Townley. Jessica finds her fiance in an embrace with another woman. Jessica awakes in the bed of her fiance's male business rival. Soon Jessica sees that htings are not as they appeared, can she save what she has lost?
The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson. Johnson's novels are supposed to be pretty good. "Interweaving classic noir sensibilities with contemporary themes of social justice, Craig Johnson's popular Walt Longmire mysteries transport readers to the sparse and rugged landscape of Wyoming."
The Help by Kathryn Stockett. in 1962 Mississippi a recent college grad, a black maid who just lost a son, and a black cook with a sassy mouth "come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk...because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times."
NonFiction
Go Down Together: the true untold story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn. If learned all you know about Bonnie and Clyde from the movies "the real story is completely different - and far more fascinating...Clyde and Bonnie were perhaps the most inept crooks ever, and their two-year crime spree was as much a reign of error as it was of terror."
Joan: the mysterious life of the heretic who became a saint by Donald Spoto. We needed a new Joan of Arc biography to replace the one falling apart.
Dropped Dead Stitch by Maggie Sefton. "Delicious Recipes and Knitting Pattern Included." I think you know my opinion on this book.
Hot House Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire by Margot Berwin. I needed to buy more chick books. Divorcee Lila starts learning about plants and rare plants and finds a rare fern in a NYC laundromat. Lila travels to the Yucatan jungle to plant hunt.
A Wild Affair by Gemma Townley. Jessica finds her fiance in an embrace with another woman. Jessica awakes in the bed of her fiance's male business rival. Soon Jessica sees that htings are not as they appeared, can she save what she has lost?
The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson. Johnson's novels are supposed to be pretty good. "Interweaving classic noir sensibilities with contemporary themes of social justice, Craig Johnson's popular Walt Longmire mysteries transport readers to the sparse and rugged landscape of Wyoming."
The Help by Kathryn Stockett. in 1962 Mississippi a recent college grad, a black maid who just lost a son, and a black cook with a sassy mouth "come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk...because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times."
NonFiction
Go Down Together: the true untold story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn. If learned all you know about Bonnie and Clyde from the movies "the real story is completely different - and far more fascinating...Clyde and Bonnie were perhaps the most inept crooks ever, and their two-year crime spree was as much a reign of error as it was of terror."
Joan: the mysterious life of the heretic who became a saint by Donald Spoto. We needed a new Joan of Arc biography to replace the one falling apart.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Just a Bunch of Books
Novels I Will Not Read
Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk. Foreign exchange student is actually a spy and saboteur sent to plan and execute a terrorist attack "that will bring this big dumb country and its fat dumb inhabitants to its knees."
I wonder how many spies and terrorists have come to the U.S. all charged-up to cause trouble and then, after staying awhile, said "Screw that," and joined the neighbors for a beer?
Patterns in the Sand by Sally Goldenbaum. "A Seaside Knitters Mystery." How exciting! A knitting mystery. There's nothing that says death and suspense like knitting.
A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey. Is this one of those romances where the wild, free-roaming dude is drawn into the arms of some broad who tames his ways? Johanna Lindsey lives in Maine. Lindsey sells tons of books but I wonder if any are ghost written. I'll also bet she has the bucks to have a pretty big house - but I'll also bet she wasted her money on couches and bathtubs instead of installing an indoor shooting range.
NonFiction For Paranoids and Casual Reading
If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Be Okay: how to know if your child's illness is really an emergency by Lara Zibners, MD.
Mental Floss Presents Be Amazing by Maggie Koerth-Baker. Learn to Leave you mark on history, Train a cat, win a duel, build a dynasty, sell a kidney on the black market, perform your own surgery.
The surgery section mentions Aron Ralston who had his arm crushed and stuck when rock climbing in Utah in 2003. After a few days Ralston cut his arm off to get out. My brother mentioned once about meeting or hearing about this guy before the accident and that basically Ralston was an idiot and bound to have something happen to him.
Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk. Foreign exchange student is actually a spy and saboteur sent to plan and execute a terrorist attack "that will bring this big dumb country and its fat dumb inhabitants to its knees."
I wonder how many spies and terrorists have come to the U.S. all charged-up to cause trouble and then, after staying awhile, said "Screw that," and joined the neighbors for a beer?
Patterns in the Sand by Sally Goldenbaum. "A Seaside Knitters Mystery." How exciting! A knitting mystery. There's nothing that says death and suspense like knitting.
A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey. Is this one of those romances where the wild, free-roaming dude is drawn into the arms of some broad who tames his ways? Johanna Lindsey lives in Maine. Lindsey sells tons of books but I wonder if any are ghost written. I'll also bet she has the bucks to have a pretty big house - but I'll also bet she wasted her money on couches and bathtubs instead of installing an indoor shooting range.
NonFiction For Paranoids and Casual Reading
If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Be Okay: how to know if your child's illness is really an emergency by Lara Zibners, MD.
Mental Floss Presents Be Amazing by Maggie Koerth-Baker. Learn to Leave you mark on history, Train a cat, win a duel, build a dynasty, sell a kidney on the black market, perform your own surgery.
The surgery section mentions Aron Ralston who had his arm crushed and stuck when rock climbing in Utah in 2003. After a few days Ralston cut his arm off to get out. My brother mentioned once about meeting or hearing about this guy before the accident and that basically Ralston was an idiot and bound to have something happen to him.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Three NonFic, Two Fic
Fiction
The Scoop by Fern Michaels. Daisy Multroon takes over an ice cream stand in rural Georgia from her aging great aunt. Daisy is retreating from a soured engagement in the big city and decides a change of pace is in order. Daisy promptly and disastrously finds out that running a small business in a small town is tougher than she thought; her experience as a Atlanta investment banker has not prepared her for teenage employees, unreliable suppliers, and the handsome building inspector, Bud. Sparks fly between Daisy and Bud and they are not sparks of love. Yet.
I made all that up.
Swimsuit by Maxine Paetro and James Patterson. Ex-cop reporter hunts Hawaii for missing supermodel.
NonFiction
Methland: the death and life of an American small town by Nick Reding. Reding researches Oelwin, IA whose depressed economy has become dependent on the meth trade.
Novelist and former Deputy Sheriff Donald Harstad is from NE Iowa. He had four or five good crime novels set in rural Iowa. What the heck has Harstad been doing? Maybe I should try and find the guy's phone number or email and ask him.
Not So Big Remodeling: tailoring your home for the way you really live by Sarah Susanka and Marc Vassallo. "With small thoughtful changes the home you live in can be the home you love."
The NFL Gameday Cookbook: 150 recipes to feed the hungriest fan from preseason to the Super Bowl by Ray Lampe.
The Scoop by Fern Michaels. Daisy Multroon takes over an ice cream stand in rural Georgia from her aging great aunt. Daisy is retreating from a soured engagement in the big city and decides a change of pace is in order. Daisy promptly and disastrously finds out that running a small business in a small town is tougher than she thought; her experience as a Atlanta investment banker has not prepared her for teenage employees, unreliable suppliers, and the handsome building inspector, Bud. Sparks fly between Daisy and Bud and they are not sparks of love. Yet.
I made all that up.
Swimsuit by Maxine Paetro and James Patterson. Ex-cop reporter hunts Hawaii for missing supermodel.
NonFiction
Methland: the death and life of an American small town by Nick Reding. Reding researches Oelwin, IA whose depressed economy has become dependent on the meth trade.
Novelist and former Deputy Sheriff Donald Harstad is from NE Iowa. He had four or five good crime novels set in rural Iowa. What the heck has Harstad been doing? Maybe I should try and find the guy's phone number or email and ask him.
Not So Big Remodeling: tailoring your home for the way you really live by Sarah Susanka and Marc Vassallo. "With small thoughtful changes the home you live in can be the home you love."
The NFL Gameday Cookbook: 150 recipes to feed the hungriest fan from preseason to the Super Bowl by Ray Lampe.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
What to Read 26: Brent Hartinger
I had a phone interview with author Brent Hartinger about two of his novels, Geography Club and Order of the Poison Oak. But, the dang camera was accidentally turned off about 30 seconds into our conversation. I was too humiliated to try and re-schedule another phone call.
Lazy Greyhounds, A Couple Novels
DVD
The Mighty Celt starring Gillian Anderson and Robert Carlyle. Boy living with single mom in Ireland strikes deal with greyhound trainer to get to keep a dog if boy trains dog to win three races.
I bought this because it has greyhounds and Gillian Anderson.
Princess of Nebraska starring [people you do not know]. Pregnant Chinese student studying in Nebraska travels to San Francisco for, possibly, an abortion. Directed by Wayne Wang who does good stuff.
Journey to the Center of the Earth starring Brendan Fraser. People fall into the center of the Earth and overcome cgi produced obstacles.
Fiction
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. I think I read one of these books a long time ago. I don't know bupkis about the characters but have heard enough to make this prediction: Plum goes after a bail-jumper, Plum's grandmother acts crazy, Plum experiences sexual tension and romantic trouble, other bounty hunters both help and hinder.
The Memory Collector by Meg Gardiner. Jo calls herself a 'deadshrinker'. She is a forensic psychologist who helps determine the mental state of people before they died. She gets called to help with a guy who has lost his short term memory. While Jo helps the guy she discovers a link between the guy and a 'biological agent'.
Non Fiction
The Secrets of Happy Families: eight keys to building a lifetime of connection and contentment by Scott Haltzman, M.D.
The Mighty Celt starring Gillian Anderson and Robert Carlyle. Boy living with single mom in Ireland strikes deal with greyhound trainer to get to keep a dog if boy trains dog to win three races.
I bought this because it has greyhounds and Gillian Anderson.
Princess of Nebraska starring [people you do not know]. Pregnant Chinese student studying in Nebraska travels to San Francisco for, possibly, an abortion. Directed by Wayne Wang who does good stuff.
Journey to the Center of the Earth starring Brendan Fraser. People fall into the center of the Earth and overcome cgi produced obstacles.
Fiction
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. I think I read one of these books a long time ago. I don't know bupkis about the characters but have heard enough to make this prediction: Plum goes after a bail-jumper, Plum's grandmother acts crazy, Plum experiences sexual tension and romantic trouble, other bounty hunters both help and hinder.
The Memory Collector by Meg Gardiner. Jo calls herself a 'deadshrinker'. She is a forensic psychologist who helps determine the mental state of people before they died. She gets called to help with a guy who has lost his short term memory. While Jo helps the guy she discovers a link between the guy and a 'biological agent'.
Non Fiction
The Secrets of Happy Families: eight keys to building a lifetime of connection and contentment by Scott Haltzman, M.D.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
A Quick One Before I'm Away
Fiction
Below Zero by C.J. Box. This is supposed to be real good.
Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver. I'm not sure I've ever read one of his novels but I really a short story that was good.
Relentless by Dean Koontz.
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. A haunted house in 1940 England.
The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner. Gardener's thrillers are supposed to be above average.
Knock Out by Catherine Coulter. What does Coulter write anyway? Both thrillers and romance? Or Thrillers with some romance? read it and find out yourself.
Cemetery Dance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I'm late on getting this one.
The Cheater by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg. I don't care.
French Gardener by Santa Montefiore. "Santa"? What the heck kind of name is that?
Love's Pursuit by Siri Mitchell. The cover has a redheaded gal with a head cover and black clothes so this must be an inspirational fiction set in Amish country or something. Let me check... Nope, but I was kinda close. It is in Stoneybrooke, MA way back when.
Repeat After Me by Rachel DeWoskin. Young New York woman Aysha meets a Chinese student in the U.S. They marry and move to China. Cultural goofs provide humor.
The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen. Unique novel told with illustrations.
NonFiction
Mad Science: experiements you can do at home - but probably shouldn't by Theodore Gray.
Chemical Cowboys: the DEA's secret mission to hunt down a notorious ecstasy kingpin by Lisa Sweetingham. True crime tale of an international drug ring trading in Ecstasy tablets. Also endorsed by Bill Crider.
American Cheeses: the best regional, artisna, and farmhouse cheeses: who makes them and where to find them by Clark Wolf. Endorsed by Gerard Saylor (that's me) and other Wisconsin types.
World War One: a short history by Norman Stone. We did not have much on WWI so I bought this.
Large Print
Medusa by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos.
Below Zero by C.J. Box. This is supposed to be real good.
Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver. I'm not sure I've ever read one of his novels but I really a short story that was good.
Relentless by Dean Koontz.
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. A haunted house in 1940 England.
The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner. Gardener's thrillers are supposed to be above average.
Knock Out by Catherine Coulter. What does Coulter write anyway? Both thrillers and romance? Or Thrillers with some romance? read it and find out yourself.
Cemetery Dance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I'm late on getting this one.
The Cheater by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg. I don't care.
French Gardener by Santa Montefiore. "Santa"? What the heck kind of name is that?
Love's Pursuit by Siri Mitchell. The cover has a redheaded gal with a head cover and black clothes so this must be an inspirational fiction set in Amish country or something. Let me check... Nope, but I was kinda close. It is in Stoneybrooke, MA way back when.
Repeat After Me by Rachel DeWoskin. Young New York woman Aysha meets a Chinese student in the U.S. They marry and move to China. Cultural goofs provide humor.
The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen. Unique novel told with illustrations.
NonFiction
Mad Science: experiements you can do at home - but probably shouldn't by Theodore Gray.
Chemical Cowboys: the DEA's secret mission to hunt down a notorious ecstasy kingpin by Lisa Sweetingham. True crime tale of an international drug ring trading in Ecstasy tablets. Also endorsed by Bill Crider.
American Cheeses: the best regional, artisna, and farmhouse cheeses: who makes them and where to find them by Clark Wolf. Endorsed by Gerard Saylor (that's me) and other Wisconsin types.
World War One: a short history by Norman Stone. We did not have much on WWI so I bought this.
Large Print
Medusa by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos.
Tim Finn, Practical Shooting, Exercise, Guy WIth No Shirt
Music CDs
The Conversation by Tim Finn. The great Finn sings songs. Didi I mention I was going to drive to Milwaukee and see this dude in early 2008? He was scheduled on a night when we had a massive snow fall. I did not bother trying to drive in that mess. But, it was snow so much the show was cancelled anyway.
Blackout!2 by Methodman and Redman. The popular rappers team up again.
DVD
Practical Shooting: handgun techniques, volumes 1-3 by Matt Burkett. Tips, training, and instruction on IPSC by professional shooters Burkett, Brian Enos and Don Golembieski. If those check-outs out maybe I'll get a shotgun or rifle one.
Fool's Gold starring ThatGuyWithNoShirt and TheGalWhoIsNotAsHotAsEveryoneSays. Recently divorced couple head to the Carribean to find a treasure ship that sunk in 1715 while gangster tries to catch the husband.
SHAPE 20-Minute Makeover. Exercise video.
21 starring Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth. College students learn to count cards and play Blackjack in Las Vegas. They get in trouble.
The Dark Knight starring Christian Bale. A replacement.
There's a Place For Us: the 34th annual UW Varsity Band Spring Concert. It took forever to get this cataloged.
AudioBooks on CD
Sleeping Dogs by Ed Gorman. 5 discs at 5 hours. Endorsed by Bill Crider.
The Sorceress: the secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott. 11 discs at 14 hours. A YA title. Unednorsed by Bill Crider (as far as I know anyway).
The Conversation by Tim Finn. The great Finn sings songs. Didi I mention I was going to drive to Milwaukee and see this dude in early 2008? He was scheduled on a night when we had a massive snow fall. I did not bother trying to drive in that mess. But, it was snow so much the show was cancelled anyway.
Blackout!2 by Methodman and Redman. The popular rappers team up again.
DVD
Practical Shooting: handgun techniques, volumes 1-3 by Matt Burkett. Tips, training, and instruction on IPSC by professional shooters Burkett, Brian Enos and Don Golembieski. If those check-outs out maybe I'll get a shotgun or rifle one.
Fool's Gold starring ThatGuyWithNoShirt and TheGalWhoIsNotAsHotAsEveryoneSays. Recently divorced couple head to the Carribean to find a treasure ship that sunk in 1715 while gangster tries to catch the husband.
SHAPE 20-Minute Makeover. Exercise video.
21 starring Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth. College students learn to count cards and play Blackjack in Las Vegas. They get in trouble.
The Dark Knight starring Christian Bale. A replacement.
There's a Place For Us: the 34th annual UW Varsity Band Spring Concert. It took forever to get this cataloged.
AudioBooks on CD
Sleeping Dogs by Ed Gorman. 5 discs at 5 hours. Endorsed by Bill Crider.
The Sorceress: the secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott. 11 discs at 14 hours. A YA title. Unednorsed by Bill Crider (as far as I know anyway).
Punk Rock Punks Produce Album 35 Years Later
Music CDs
...For the Whole World to See by Death. According to allmusic.com the three Hackney brothers of Detroit started playing soul and funk and then moved into the proto-punk scene in 1973. They were signed to a label but refused to change to a friendlier band name. The naming argument caused a rift in the band and only now are all seven of their singles being released on CD.
You don't see many black guys playing punk, which reminds me of The Dirtbombs. The Dirtbombs are also from Detroit and we also have an album of theirs here, We Have You Surrounded, which includes this tune.
...For the Whole World to See by Death. According to allmusic.com the three Hackney brothers of Detroit started playing soul and funk and then moved into the proto-punk scene in 1973. They were signed to a label but refused to change to a friendlier band name. The naming argument caused a rift in the band and only now are all seven of their singles being released on CD.
You don't see many black guys playing punk, which reminds me of The Dirtbombs. The Dirtbombs are also from Detroit and we also have an album of theirs here, We Have You Surrounded, which includes this tune.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
New Stuff, Old Stuff, Bikini Stuff
DVD
Taking Chance starring Kevin Bacon. A Marine Lieutenant Colonel reads the obituary for a young Marine and sees they graduated from the same high school. The LTC volunteers to accompany the body back from Delaware back to burial in Wyoming.
Defiance starring Daniel Craig. James Bond fights the Nazis in the Polish woods.
SHAPE: sculpt your abs. This is a replacement for a lost item.
SHAPE: ultimate bikini body workout. Workout routine. No bikinis involved.
Land of the Lost: Seasons One, Two, and Three starring [people from the seventies]. All three seasons of the 1970s kids television show. I would maybe watch one or two episodes off of here to see what looks familiar. But, otherwise, I consider this a complete waste of time.
Maybe I could buy this for my brother's birthday. I still have not gotten him anything and it has been about two months. Does he really need anything anyway? Couldn't I make a donation in his name to the Gerard Saylor Foundation for Knife and Firearms Appreciation?
National Treasure 2 starring Nicolas Cage, Harvey Keitel. This looks stupid. I suppose kids like it though. Our whole family went to see UP! when my in-laws were in town. Boy Number One, who is six, got quite scared when the bad guy was shooting at everyone.
Taking Chance starring Kevin Bacon. A Marine Lieutenant Colonel reads the obituary for a young Marine and sees they graduated from the same high school. The LTC volunteers to accompany the body back from Delaware back to burial in Wyoming.
Defiance starring Daniel Craig. James Bond fights the Nazis in the Polish woods.
SHAPE: sculpt your abs. This is a replacement for a lost item.
SHAPE: ultimate bikini body workout. Workout routine. No bikinis involved.
Land of the Lost: Seasons One, Two, and Three starring [people from the seventies]. All three seasons of the 1970s kids television show. I would maybe watch one or two episodes off of here to see what looks familiar. But, otherwise, I consider this a complete waste of time.
Maybe I could buy this for my brother's birthday. I still have not gotten him anything and it has been about two months. Does he really need anything anyway? Couldn't I make a donation in his name to the Gerard Saylor Foundation for Knife and Firearms Appreciation?
National Treasure 2 starring Nicolas Cage, Harvey Keitel. This looks stupid. I suppose kids like it though. Our whole family went to see UP! when my in-laws were in town. Boy Number One, who is six, got quite scared when the bad guy was shooting at everyone.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Hogdoggin' and Nine Large Print Novels
Fiction
Hogdoggin' by Anthony Neil Smith. Billy Lafitte was a Deputy Sheriff and suspected terrorist from Southwest Minnesoto. Lafitte cut town, went underground, and ended up joining a outlaw motorcycle club as their enforcer. Lafitte's nemesis, an FBI agent, is convinced that Lafitte is a traitor and is squeezing Lafitte's ex-wife and kids to get Lafitte to show himself. Lots of violence, action, some sex, and a great scene with some teenagers hanging out in a parking lot.
Monarch of Mulligan Bay by David Mathias. A paranoid 1930s gangster converts his paper money for gold. A Wisconsin gas station owner gets the gold and buries it, telling only his priest at confesssion. Years later the priest, now in prison, tells riddles to reveal the story. Local author.
Large Print
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead. Black teen in late '80s is social outcast at his prep school. He and his brother get to spend the summer in Sag Harbor with the families of other black professionals. Teen has "trials and tribulations...but maybe, with a little luck, things will turn out differently this summer."
Cry Mercy by Mariah Stewart.
The Sign by Raymond Khoury.
The French Gardener by Santa Montefiore.
Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.
Borderline by Nevada Barr.
One Day at a Time by Danielle Steel.
Silent Man by Alex Berenson.
Mermaids in the Basement by Michael Lee West.
Non Fiction
Hosting a Library Mystery: a programming guide by Elizabeth M. Karle.
Hogdoggin' by Anthony Neil Smith. Billy Lafitte was a Deputy Sheriff and suspected terrorist from Southwest Minnesoto. Lafitte cut town, went underground, and ended up joining a outlaw motorcycle club as their enforcer. Lafitte's nemesis, an FBI agent, is convinced that Lafitte is a traitor and is squeezing Lafitte's ex-wife and kids to get Lafitte to show himself. Lots of violence, action, some sex, and a great scene with some teenagers hanging out in a parking lot.
Monarch of Mulligan Bay by David Mathias. A paranoid 1930s gangster converts his paper money for gold. A Wisconsin gas station owner gets the gold and buries it, telling only his priest at confesssion. Years later the priest, now in prison, tells riddles to reveal the story. Local author.
Large Print
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead. Black teen in late '80s is social outcast at his prep school. He and his brother get to spend the summer in Sag Harbor with the families of other black professionals. Teen has "trials and tribulations...but maybe, with a little luck, things will turn out differently this summer."
Cry Mercy by Mariah Stewart.
The Sign by Raymond Khoury.
The French Gardener by Santa Montefiore.
Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.
Borderline by Nevada Barr.
One Day at a Time by Danielle Steel.
Silent Man by Alex Berenson.
Mermaids in the Basement by Michael Lee West.
Non Fiction
Hosting a Library Mystery: a programming guide by Elizabeth M. Karle.
Friday, June 05, 2009
I'm Sick of All These Vampire Books
Fiction
Fugitive by Phillip Margolin. Guy rescues prison warden in riot, flees to African dictatorship when accused of a murder, flees Africa after screwing dictator's wife, goes on trial in US with dictator and real murderer from before trying to kill him.
Matters of the Heart by [supposedly] Danielle Steel. Crap.
Medusa by Clive Cussler with Paul Kempros. Don't care.
The Lovers by John Connolly. I cannot keep Connolly and Connelly straight.
Skin Trade by Laurell K. Hamilton. Vampires humping vampires humping werewolves while killing each other.
Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Davidson. Vampires and werewolves have sex and romance.
The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman. "At one a coming-of-age tale, a family saga, and a love story of erotic longing." Presumably there are no vampires.
Non Fiction
Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards. "My famous husband cheated on me with some blond. May as well write a book."
Fugitive by Phillip Margolin. Guy rescues prison warden in riot, flees to African dictatorship when accused of a murder, flees Africa after screwing dictator's wife, goes on trial in US with dictator and real murderer from before trying to kill him.
Matters of the Heart by [supposedly] Danielle Steel. Crap.
Medusa by Clive Cussler with Paul Kempros. Don't care.
The Lovers by John Connolly. I cannot keep Connolly and Connelly straight.
Skin Trade by Laurell K. Hamilton. Vampires humping vampires humping werewolves while killing each other.
Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Davidson. Vampires and werewolves have sex and romance.
The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman. "At one a coming-of-age tale, a family saga, and a love story of erotic longing." Presumably there are no vampires.
Non Fiction
Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards. "My famous husband cheated on me with some blond. May as well write a book."
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Street Fighting in New Ulm! Wilco in Pajamas! Dylan vs. Van Morrison! Los Straitjackets Conquer All!
Music CDs
The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets by Los Straitjackets. I go gaga for Los Straitjackets. Speaking of which...
The Fame by Lady Gaga. What's the deal with this broad? There is a cover story about her on the current Rolling Stone but I did not read it. I think the writing in Rolling Stone is crap.
Together Through Life by Bob Dylan. I did read the Dylan article in Rolling Stone. The writing was crap. The author was trying to drop names, sounded like a know-it-all jerk, and made annoying guesses at future Dylan lyrics from what Dylan said during the interview.
Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl by Van Morrison. Morrison performs his famous album live.
Heart On by Eagles of Death Metal. This isn't new but it was sitting on my desk so I'll list it here as padding.
DVD
Street Warrior starring Max Martini. War veteran returns home to find brother in coma after match in "brutal and corrupt fight club." Jack joins the club for revenge.
New in Town starring Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick, Jr., J.K. Simmons. Miami executive sent to New Ulm, MN during wintertime to take over manufacturing plant.
I'd be interested in watching this except that Harry Connick is in it. That and the film was shot in Cana-freakin'-da. They should have shot it in New Ulm and shown Schells. Or stuck a Luehring in as an extra. Or headed east to Gustavus.
Boy in the Striped Pajamas starring [people]. 8-year-old boy during World War Two plays in the woods and makes friends with other boy who wears pajamas and cannot come from outside his fence.
Ashes of American Flags by Wilco. Performances filmed in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and District of Columbia. Twenty songs.
Non Fiction
Perennials for Midwestern Gardens: proven plants for the heartland by Anthony W. Kahtz.
The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets by Los Straitjackets. I go gaga for Los Straitjackets. Speaking of which...
The Fame by Lady Gaga. What's the deal with this broad? There is a cover story about her on the current Rolling Stone but I did not read it. I think the writing in Rolling Stone is crap.
Together Through Life by Bob Dylan. I did read the Dylan article in Rolling Stone. The writing was crap. The author was trying to drop names, sounded like a know-it-all jerk, and made annoying guesses at future Dylan lyrics from what Dylan said during the interview.
Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl by Van Morrison. Morrison performs his famous album live.
Heart On by Eagles of Death Metal. This isn't new but it was sitting on my desk so I'll list it here as padding.
DVD
Street Warrior starring Max Martini. War veteran returns home to find brother in coma after match in "brutal and corrupt fight club." Jack joins the club for revenge.
New in Town starring Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick, Jr., J.K. Simmons. Miami executive sent to New Ulm, MN during wintertime to take over manufacturing plant.
I'd be interested in watching this except that Harry Connick is in it. That and the film was shot in Cana-freakin'-da. They should have shot it in New Ulm and shown Schells. Or stuck a Luehring in as an extra. Or headed east to Gustavus.
Boy in the Striped Pajamas starring [people]. 8-year-old boy during World War Two plays in the woods and makes friends with other boy who wears pajamas and cannot come from outside his fence.
Ashes of American Flags by Wilco. Performances filmed in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and District of Columbia. Twenty songs.
Non Fiction
Perennials for Midwestern Gardens: proven plants for the heartland by Anthony W. Kahtz.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Wisconsin Farmer, Ghost Writing, Color Painting, Faces
Large Print
Rogue by [supposedly] Danielle Steel.
Non Fiction
Stump Ridge Farm by Pearl Swiggum. Tales by former newspaper columnist Swiggum.
The Barn Came First by Pearl Swiggum. See above.
Perennials for Minnesota and Wisconsin by Don Engebretson and Don Williamson. Double Dons. Don Duo. Don Ditto. Duplicate Dons.
Snakes of Wisconsin by Rebecca Christoffel and others. There are only twenty snakes listed, and only four rattlesnake bites between 1982-1999.
Facial Expressions: a visual reference for artists by Mark Simon.
Dynamic Color Painting for the Beginner by Diane Edison.
Rogue by [supposedly] Danielle Steel.
Non Fiction
Stump Ridge Farm by Pearl Swiggum. Tales by former newspaper columnist Swiggum.
The Barn Came First by Pearl Swiggum. See above.
Perennials for Minnesota and Wisconsin by Don Engebretson and Don Williamson. Double Dons. Don Duo. Don Ditto. Duplicate Dons.
Snakes of Wisconsin by Rebecca Christoffel and others. There are only twenty snakes listed, and only four rattlesnake bites between 1982-1999.
Facial Expressions: a visual reference for artists by Mark Simon.
Dynamic Color Painting for the Beginner by Diane Edison.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Hipster Hair Country Band, Elvis Costello's Wife, Pop Music
CDs
Unstoppable by Rascal Flatts. I don't think I've ever heard any of their songs. Judging by the hipster hair and the clothes they wear this one of those country-pop bands.
Quiet Nights by Diana Krall. More jazz vocals and piano by Declan's wife.
Now That's What I call Music! 30 by various artists.
Alternate titles for this disc include:
Now That's What I Call Uninventive Top Forty! 30
Now That's What I Call Overly Produced Tripe! 30
Now That's What I Call Crap! 30
Now That's What I Call Purposely Skanky Pop Girls! 30
Now That's What I Call I Love Skanky Pop Girls! 30
Now That's What I Call I'm Not Kidding, I'm A Weirdo! 30
Unstoppable by Rascal Flatts. I don't think I've ever heard any of their songs. Judging by the hipster hair and the clothes they wear this one of those country-pop bands.
Quiet Nights by Diana Krall. More jazz vocals and piano by Declan's wife.
Now That's What I call Music! 30 by various artists.
Alternate titles for this disc include:
Now That's What I Call Uninventive Top Forty! 30
Now That's What I Call Overly Produced Tripe! 30
Now That's What I Call Crap! 30
Now That's What I Call Purposely Skanky Pop Girls! 30
Now That's What I Call I Love Skanky Pop Girls! 30
Now That's What I Call I'm Not Kidding, I'm A Weirdo! 30
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Two Books With Coffee, Adventure, Comic Killer, Garfield, Soviets
Adult Fiction
Brewed, Crude and Tattooed by Sandra Balzo. Maggy Thorsen is stuck in her coffee shop when a spring snow storm snows her into the mall. Maggy ventures down the service corridor and finds the mall owner dead. She meets other stranded people and, soon one of them are dead.
I got stuck in a mall once. I was in Towne East Square in Wichita when a tornado warning was broadcast. We, my girlfriend and myself, were there while she was looking for a wedding ring. We got crammed into a concrete walled service corridor behind the shops for a half hour or so.
Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child. Let me guess: Reacher 1-drinks coffee, 2-hooks up with a babe, 3-solves a mystery against nasty people, 4-beats and kills nasty people, 5-hits the road.
Jack Wakes Up by Seth Harwood. Adreniline fueled crime novel with former Hollywood big-shot Jack squiring some thugs through San Francisco's night life. When the thugs start getting murdered Jack gets guys after him.
Anthony Neil Smith plugged this book so much you'd think he was getting a cut of the profits. Or, he has a serious man-crush. He got me to buy either way.
The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly. Crime writer writes crime novel about crime writer.
Hunt At the Well of Eternity by Gabriel Hunt. 1920s styled adventure novel with Gabriel Hunt helping a woman in distress by traveling to Mayan ruins in Guatemala. Penned by the great James Reasoner.
The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith. Leo Demidov returns from Smith's first novel. Child 44. Leo and his wife have adopted two girls orphaned during one of Smith's previous operations in the KGB. It's 1956 and Kruschev promises change from the tyranny of Stalin. Now the previously hard-core KGB cop Leo is being hunted for revenge.
Razor Sharp by Fern Michaels. My 52100 steel Spyderco Mule is not razor sharp anymore. I was using that thing to cut anything and everything during yard work over the weekend.
Garfield Fat Cat Three Pack, Vol. 3 by Jim Davis. Kids always check these out. It's neat that all the strips, even the dailies, are in color.
Punisher Comics
Punisher War Journal, Civil War, Vol. 1 by Fraction, Olivetti, and Deodato.
Punisher War Journal, Goin' Out West, Vol. 2 by Fraction, Olivetti and Fernandez.
Punisher War Journal, Hunter/Hunted, Vol. 3 by Fraction, Olivetti, Walker, Wegener, and Chaykin.
Punisher War Journal, Jigsaw, Vol. 4 by Fraction, Remender, Chaykin.
Brewed, Crude and Tattooed by Sandra Balzo. Maggy Thorsen is stuck in her coffee shop when a spring snow storm snows her into the mall. Maggy ventures down the service corridor and finds the mall owner dead. She meets other stranded people and, soon one of them are dead.
I got stuck in a mall once. I was in Towne East Square in Wichita when a tornado warning was broadcast. We, my girlfriend and myself, were there while she was looking for a wedding ring. We got crammed into a concrete walled service corridor behind the shops for a half hour or so.
Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child. Let me guess: Reacher 1-drinks coffee, 2-hooks up with a babe, 3-solves a mystery against nasty people, 4-beats and kills nasty people, 5-hits the road.
Jack Wakes Up by Seth Harwood. Adreniline fueled crime novel with former Hollywood big-shot Jack squiring some thugs through San Francisco's night life. When the thugs start getting murdered Jack gets guys after him.
Anthony Neil Smith plugged this book so much you'd think he was getting a cut of the profits. Or, he has a serious man-crush. He got me to buy either way.
The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly. Crime writer writes crime novel about crime writer.
Hunt At the Well of Eternity by Gabriel Hunt. 1920s styled adventure novel with Gabriel Hunt helping a woman in distress by traveling to Mayan ruins in Guatemala. Penned by the great James Reasoner.
The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith. Leo Demidov returns from Smith's first novel. Child 44. Leo and his wife have adopted two girls orphaned during one of Smith's previous operations in the KGB. It's 1956 and Kruschev promises change from the tyranny of Stalin. Now the previously hard-core KGB cop Leo is being hunted for revenge.
Razor Sharp by Fern Michaels. My 52100 steel Spyderco Mule is not razor sharp anymore. I was using that thing to cut anything and everything during yard work over the weekend.
Garfield Fat Cat Three Pack, Vol. 3 by Jim Davis. Kids always check these out. It's neat that all the strips, even the dailies, are in color.
Punisher Comics
Punisher War Journal, Civil War, Vol. 1 by Fraction, Olivetti, and Deodato.
Punisher War Journal, Goin' Out West, Vol. 2 by Fraction, Olivetti and Fernandez.
Punisher War Journal, Hunter/Hunted, Vol. 3 by Fraction, Olivetti, Walker, Wegener, and Chaykin.
Punisher War Journal, Jigsaw, Vol. 4 by Fraction, Remender, Chaykin.
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