Monday, March 07, 2016

Joe R. Lansdale? Again?

Lansdale

Hells Bounty by Joe R. Lansdale and John L. Lansdale. Huh, Lansdale and Lansdale signed this copy. A novel with a mix of horror and western, it'll be good with plenty of similes.

Fiction

The Gangster by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott. Your bi-monthly Cussler installment. Page 83 says, "Claypool rose to his feet."

The Invisible Hand by Benjamin Sobieck. Crime novel set in the North Dakota oil fields. "[Sobieck's] family runs a ranch in North Dakota." Anthony Neil Smith mentioned this one before because Smith wrote a ND oil fields crime novel as well. I've been to Fargo a couple times. I went to a wrestling tournament hosted by Concordia College for two years in a row. I may have written this before, but we stayed at a motel converted to a hotel. The hotel room doors used to face outside until hallways were built around the outside of the building. But, the hallways were not heated and layers of frozen condensation created ice sheets on the inside of the tall windows. The ice and frost on the inside of the building was dreary.

Gone Again by James Grippando. "A Jack Swytek Novel." Swyteck? Was that the name of a character on Miami Vice? Let me check... kinda, that character had a different spelling with Switek.


The Ancient Mistral by Jim Harrison. Literary guy publishes three novellas. Michael Talbott who played Switek is from Waverly, IA. Last week I was spoke to a guy from Waverly.

NonFiction

Evicted: poverty and profit in the American city by Matthew Desmond. It's hard to get ahead when you cannot keep a home. Focusing on eight Milwaukee families that can barely afford rent.

The Gratitude Diaries:how a year looking on the bright side can transform your life by Janice Kaplan. Ok, but the previously listed book makes me think that philosophy only gets you so far.

Change Your Brain Change Your Life by Daniel G. Amen, MD. "Conquering anxiety, depression, obsessiveness, lack of focus, anger and memory problems."

Our Christian Founding Fathers by William Beckman. Local author.

Friday, March 04, 2016

More Music, More Music, More Music

The Sounds of Singing Are Digitized And Encoded Upon a Silvery Slice of Sound Magic

The Essential Earth, Wind and Fire by Earth, Wind and Fire. Nine men sings songs of love and mustaches. Lots of mustaches. Were those stage outfits polyester? If so, those clothes must have been super hot during performances.


This is Acting by Sia. Australian singer sings songs of Sia.



Tuesday, March 01, 2016

Musics

Two Plastic Discs Contain Computer Language That is Converted Into Sound

The Book of Souls by Iron Maiden. LONG LASTING AND POPULAR METAL BAND RELEASES A DOUBLE ALBUM. ALBUM!  A NEW ALBUM! NO! ALBUM!


Monday, February 29, 2016

Girl's Guide to Wedding Cake Murder

Fiction

Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young.  Missing children and dreams. Hester is an uncommon name. According to SSA Hester's highest rank in popularity was 230th in 1901. My name was 177th in 1954, that is much higher than I expected.

A Girl's Guide to Moving On by Debbie Macomber. According to the cover the girls in question have a lot of money. Macomber has a new author photo.

Hide by Matthew Griffin. Two men fall in love after World War Two and one of them collapses when elderly. According to the dust jacket Griffin lives in Lafayette, Louisiana. I wonder if he has made the writer's pilgrimage to pay respect to Victor Gischler in Baton Rouge. Griffin is wearing a blue shirt in his author photo.

Death of a Nurse by M.C. Beaton. No author photo.

Wedding Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke. Fluke's author photo has her wearing a cooking apron and posing with some desserts. Not deserts.

She's Not There by Joy Fielding. You can see the edge Fielding's watch under her blouse cuff. Page 200 says, " Barcelona... Mexican... stared... eggs... Harbor Drive."

Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon. Cover illustration is a dirigible. Ia Ariel a man's or woman's name, let me check the author bio... woman.  Lawhon lives in Tennessee. Do we have other books by here? I don't know, I'll check... yes. We own 2014's The Wife, The Maid, and The Mistress. Our copy has circ'ed 9 times.

Friday, February 26, 2016

Bungalow Freaks in Little China

NonFiction

Freaks of Sideshow and Film by Mary Brett and Stevan Gould. Page 73 says, "Delina Ross is considered the most beautiful of all the bearded ladies." There is a piece about Sandy Allen.







Big Trouble in Little China: The Return of Lo Pan and How Jack Burton Became King of the Lords of Death. Comic book stories by John Carpenter.

Big Trouble in Little China: The Hell of the Midnight Road and The Ghosts of Storms.  More comic book stories by John Carpenter.

Bark House Style: sustainable designs from nature by Chris McCurry and Nan Chase. Lots of pretty pictures.

Bungalow Kitchens by Jane Powell and Linda Svendsen.  Even more pretty pictures.

Joe R. Lansdale? Again?

DVD

Spotlight starring [many actors]. Boston Globe reporters uncover and report on child abuse in the Catholic church.

Spotlight starring [the same actors]. Same thing but Blu-Ray version.

Audiobooks on CD

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry. 15 hours on 12 CDs.

Anubis Gates by Tim Powers. 15.5 hours on 13 CDs. Lecturer traveling to London goes back in time to 1810. Read by Bronson Pinchot who "restores Greek Revival buildings."

Nomad by Matthew Mather. 9.5 hours on 8 CDs. Scientist has to figure out how to save the earth and get his family from Italy.

Joe R. Lansdale

Vanilla Ride by Joe R. Lansdale. Hap and Leonard bumble through with violence and guile. Lansdale did a interview on National Public Radio a few days ago. 

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Made Up Stories. With unrelated New Zealand commentary.

Fiction

Sweet Girl by Travis Mulhauser. Girl looks for her strung out mom in Northern Michigan but finds a baby in a freezing cabin. Dirt bag criminals pursue the girl and her new found ward.

If I Run by Terri Blackstock. Today's speaker at Rotary is a retired CS professor from UW-Eau Claire, his name is Wagner. He now takes on temporary teaching positions at other universities.

The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel. The speaker has taught at Canterbury University outside Christchurch in New Zealand. I chatted with Wagner a bit during lunch and he has taught there on two occasions.

Georgia by Dawn Tripp. Wagner also said he taught in China and had an appointment at Macalaster in Minneapolis. His semesters in NZ followed our winter season. So, he had winter, here, winter, there, and then winter here again. His wife declined to go immediately back so that they could have a summer.

13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad. Wagner had a slide show as well. Lots of photos of hiking and kayaking. His wife volunteered at a nature center and had some neat photos of a Kiwi bird.

Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson. Wagner and Wife also visited Stewart Island at the Southern tip of the South Island. Wagner said Stewart Island has a population of 400 people, the island is 674 square miles.

The Cellar by Minette Walters. I asked if many tourists visited Stewart and Wagner said tourism was a main draw for the place. He and his wife would often stay in family hostels when traveling but that Stewart also has resorts.

The Flood Girls by Richard Fifield. There was one penguin photo in his slide show. Beer was expensive but the local wine was not.

Coconut Cowboy by Tim Dorsey. I asked about his accommodations in Christchurch. Wagner told me the University is very big on visiting faculty. They have about 70 instructors a year (a semester, maybe?) and send out 30 of their own.  Canterbury has a big endowment to cover the costs and visiting instructors are given a house or apartment for lodging, travel costs are covered, and they get a per diem payment.

Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lipton. Wagner chanced upon the appointment after seeing an email asking for applicants. The previously hired CS instructor bowed out after the 2011 earthquakes in Christchurch. Wagner had a few photos of the City but his photos were mostly of the countryside.

Blackout by David Rosenfelt. There was no mention of Dunedin.

Monday, February 22, 2016

One Single DVD

DVD

A Walk in the Woods starring Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Kristen Schaal. Two older men hike the Appalachian Trail. Hilarity ensues.


Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Real Quick, It Is Late

Goin' Your Way by Neil Finn and Paul Kelly. Concert album and DVD.

Elements by The U.S. Marine Band.

Unforgivable Blackness: the rise and fall of Jack Johnson.

Star War: A New Hope: Empire Strikes Back: Return of the Jedi.



Monday, February 15, 2016

More Sexy Sex Novels from Lorelei James

Fiction

What You Need by Lorelei James. Well... maybe this is a straightforward romance, not one of the sexy sex ones.  Wealthy man dates his employee. I spoke to Lori Armstrong (James is her pen name) at a Bouchercon, she said her romance books way outsold her mystery/thriller novels.

Find Her by Lisa Gardner. Gardner writes a lot of books and is kind of a big deal. I'm surprised she does not have a bigger author photo.

Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase. I know nothing about this book but I the cover sure is nicely done. The cover makes me want to read this. page 172 says, "Lorna parts the paper like curtains, smiles."

Violent Crimes by Philip Margolin. I am fairly certain I have never read a Margolin book. Let me take a look at his bib. Nope, not a one. I did watch a film version.

Nonfiction

Hiking Michigan's Upper Peninsula by Eric Hansen, revised by Rebecca Pelky. I was told the Porpupine Mountains are a nice visit.  Good like finding them in the book though because there is no index. The "Porkies" are in Gogebic and Ontonagoin Counties and the Ironwood/Ontonagon area lists 13 hikes.

Holiday Delights!: recipes, crafts, and gifts by Hearst Books. This Christmas themed so I assume this was back-ordered.

DVD Drop

DVD

Full House: the complete sixth season starring [actors]. I have several snide comments about this program. I was in a trivia contest last week and one question asked "What is the dog's name in Full House." One of the trivia team members has three daughters, so he knew the answer.

Chi-Raq starring Angela Bassett. Spike Lee retells Lysistrata with a Chicago setting.


Straight Outta Compton starring [many people]. Biopic about rap N.W.A.



Straight Outta Compton starring [the same actors as before]. I bought a second copy by mistake. There are a ton of holds so I added it to the collection.



Straight Outta Compton starring [the same actors but in higher definition]. One of the orders was the DVD-Blu-Ray combo. This is the Blu-Ray.



Saturday, February 13, 2016

Gischler and Esiler Make Sweet Fiction

Gischler

The Order of the Forge by Victor Gischler. Compilation of a series of comics with artwork by Tazio Bettin.  George Washington fights evil with Ben Franklin and Paul Revere at his side.

Eisler

The God's Eye View by Barry Eisler. More NSA shenanigans and violence by Eisler.  Eisler does a great job of taking the mostly unknown topics of real-life spying and espionage and makes them integral to his novels.

Fiction

Doctor Who: four Doctors by Paul Cornell.  Chaos rules when three Doctors meet! Yeah, sure it does.

The Wolves by Alex Berenson.  The billionaire who tried to trick the U.S. and Iran into a war has gone into hiding. A secret agent looks for the billionaire.

NonFiction

The Geeky Chef Cook Book by Cassandra Reeder.  Recipes based off SciFi, Fantasy and video games. Includes Romulan Ale, Plomeek Soup, Soylent Green (well, not really), and Cauldron Cakes.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

The Spectre of Joe R. Lansdale

Hap and Leonard

Honky Tonk Samurai by Joe R. Lansdale. Erstwhile PIs Hap and Leonard bumble their way through another violent episode. The new TV series is coming out.


DVD

Spectre starring James Bond. I've not seen this flick nor read a review or seen previews. I want everything to be a surprise.

The Big Bang Theory: Seventh Season starring [actors]. People sure do love this show.

Fiction

Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb. Does Robb have a ghost writer helping her out? There are a lot books by Nora Roberts under her own name as well.

Carol by Patrica Highsmith. Reprint of the 1952 as a tie-in for the recent movie. Original title is The Price of Salt.

Breakdown by Jonathan Kellerman. Another thriller with Alex Delaware. I've never been to Delaware but my cousin lived there for a couple years.

Carpe Diem, Illinois by Kristin A. Oakley. Was this a Wisconsin author? I cannot recall. Let me check ... Yep, she lives in Madison and also teaches writing.  This book is a suspense novel. I think. I was in Madison yesterday for Library Legislative Day, it went OK.

Jane and the Waterloo Map by Stephanie Barron. Mystery featuring a fictionalized Jane Austen.

NonFiction

Take Care: The Sleep Guide by Sarah Moran. The Take Care series is one of seven books covering multiple aspects of wellness.  Moran used come to the library early to write.

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Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Someday The Kingdom of Downton Potter

DVD

Downton Abbey: season 6 starring [actors]. I have never seen this program. Was the building an actual abbey at one point?



Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull starring Han Solo.  Dr. Jones pursues truth and knowledge through treachery and violence.


Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone starring [those three children]. A boy is sent away to boarding school.


Fiction

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury. Something about separated lovers and a bookstore that gets flooded.

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Friday, January 29, 2016

Three New Novels

Fiction

NYPD Red 4 by James Patterson and Marshall Karp.  Is Karp a shortened name? Did it used to be one of those super-long Eastern European ones like Karpeniskikisynsasneikity?  I should check a reference book, but I won't.

The Plague of Thieves Affair by Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini. Do Muller and Pronzini work in separate rooms or share an office. I'm guessing they have separate offices because I would be quickly distracted if someone else was there as I tried typing.

The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin. Benjamin wrote the popular book club book, The Aviator's Wife.  Benjamin lives in Chicago. In Chicago the city? Or, in the Chicago area?

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

New new new for You you you

Fiction With Amateur Critiques

Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash. I don't like the paper, it is too bright.

Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz. I don't like the cover, it is too shiny.

After the Crash by Michael Bussi. I don't like the title, too long.

Once Shadows Fall by Robert Daniels. I don't like the back cover, too plain.

His Right Hand by Mette Ivie Harrison. I don't like the ISBN, too numbery.

NonFiction

Rosemary: the hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson.  I don't like the photos, not enough of them.

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Monday, January 25, 2016

Book and Discs

NonFiction

Daughters of the Samurai: a journey from East to West and back by Janice P. Nimura. Here is an odd and true story. Five young Japanese girls were sent to the U.S. in 1871 to "learn Western ways". Ten years later they returned to Japan expected to change women's education. Nimura lives in New York City and has a black-and-white author photo.

Audiobooks on CD

Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham. 11.5 hours on 9 CDs. What a silly title.

The Lady's Command by Stephanie Laurens. 9.5 hours on 9CDs.  Ship Captain marries an adventuress woman who joins him on African voyage.

6 Rainier Drive by Debbie Macomber. 11.5 hours on 10 CDs. Replacement for a audiobook that was busticated.

Tricky Twent-Two by Janet Evanovich. 6 hours on 5CDs. Didn't we have this already? What do you mean you don't know?

Commander in Chief Tom Clancy. 20.5 hours at 17 CDs. Some sort of political intrigue and action.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Stuff.

Large Print



Fiction

Written in Fire by Marcus Sakey. Published with Thomas and Mercer who, apparently, refuse to print hardcovers. Gillian Flynn says the book is engrossing.

Warriors of the Storm by Bernard Cornwell. More Vikings in Britain.  Page 117 says, "'I should make Eads Byrig a burh,' Aethelflaed said."

Blue by Danielle Steel, Page 95 says, "'Take care of yourself, Gin. Do us all a favor, don't get shot or killed.'"

DVD

Sicario starring Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro. FBI agent works with Mexican police. I think.


Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith starring [many, many people] and Obi Wan-Kenobi.  I bought a three pack of the first two trilogies thinking to split the set into individual discs. Well, they are still together and that is probably for the best. Actually, I'll think about buying another one of these.


The Martian starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Sean Bean. Astronaut is stuck on Mars and has to survive long enough to rescue.

[Meh. No good trailers.]

Restless starring Hayley Atwell and Rufus Sewell. Atwell is the lead in Agent Carter. Rufus Sewell is a lead in Man in the High Castle.  This about a British woman spy during World War Two. The book was pretty decent.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Four Books, Five Audio, and More Photo Critiques

Audiobooks on CD

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith. 18 hours on 15 CDs. J.K. Rowling writes another detective story with Cormoran Strike character. I listened to the first novel, it was good but long.

Guilty by David Baldacci. 12 hours on 10 CDs.  Another novel with an assassin.

See Me by Nicholas Sparks.  14.5 hours on 13 CDs. What are the chances I will ever willingly listen to one of these? 1 in 5,000? 1 in 10,000?

Crimson Shore by Preston and Child. 11 hours on 9 CDs. Douglas Preston and Lincold Child collaborate again. This is read by Rene Auberjonois. What Star Trek guy was he? Let me check... oh, yeah, he played Odo. I had completely forgotten he played Father Mulcahy in the film version of M*A*S*H.  Odo was a neat character.

Cross Justice by James Patterson Literary Industries Amalgamated. 9.5 hous on 8 CDs. Hey, Patterson wrote this one himself, no collaborator is listed. Oh wait, does he do the YA and children's novels on his own?

Fiction

The Bitter Season by Tami Hoag. I don't care about the plot. Let's critique author photos again.  Wow, The publisher hired a good photographer for Hoag's full, back-cover spread. The colors are great. Do authors ever figure, "Hey, I'm going to be here anyway and the photographer is already set-up. Why I don't I pay the photographer for a couple extra hours work and do some family shots?"

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. Smaller photo on the inside cover. The photo is kinda small but it has too much light and blur for my tastes. The photo is well done, I just like Hoag's shot better.

Scandalous Behavior by Stuart Woods. No author photo, just a picture of Stuart Woods. Yes, that was a dig at Woods because I think he hires ghost writers. No, I have absolutely no proof.

The Girls She Left Behind by Sarah Graves.  I thought Graves lived in Kansas. Nope, she lives in Maine. Graves's author photo is by her husband. It is a wintertime outdoor snapshot. The splotch of dirt on the plastic book cover makes it look like Graves has a lopsided mustache. I'll clean that dirt off.


DVD and My Hurt Finger

DVD

Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation starring Tom Cruise and a bunch of other people. Tom Cruise has fawning journalists ask "Did you do your own stunts?"


Old DVDs

Bad Boys starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. Blech. This was a donation that I figured would go out.

Bad Boys II starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. Blech. This was a donation that I figured would go out.

Spy Game starring Robert Redord and Brad Pitt. Old guy teaches spying to young guy.  Another donation that could go out.

The Grudge 2 starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and other people. Some sort of horror flick. Another donation that could go out.

My Busted Finger

My finger was hyperextended a month or so ago. I was using a computer tablet as I walked on the treadmill in my basement. I fumbled the tablet, tried to grab it, and fell onto the treadmill. As I was falling I thought to myself that I should twist around, land on my side or back, and have the tread shove me off the back of the treadmill.Nope, I put out my hand onto the tread and the tread forced my hand down and bent it back.
Anyway. My finger was still swollen and hurting and I went to the doctor Monday They X-rayed my hand just to see if anything was wrong and I have a a small fracture. Not a big deal and I was told to buddy tape the fingers and avoid using the finger. My typing is much slower and filled with errros.


Friday, January 08, 2016

One Musics

Fancy Schmancy Computer Disc Plays That Loud Rock "Music" Noise

The Book of Souls by Iron Maiden.  BRITISH GUYS PLAY HEAVY METAL. YES, METAL. NO, MET - WITH A T!



Photos For Fun

All the Santas are prepping for storage.





Outdoor ice rink is prepping for ice.




Monday, December 28, 2015

Two Musics

Musics Are Presented By Plastic Platter

Uncovered by Shawn Colvin. Singer sings songs sung by other singers. I went looking for a clip of this song and see that Colvin has been playing this Crowded House tune for 15 years or so.



B'Lieve I'm Going Down by Kurt Vile. Singer sings songs and plays fancy guitar songs.


Saturday, December 26, 2015

Read Aloud - Read Away

Read Aloud - Read Away

Starting January 2 is a month long chance for children to reduce their fines by reading inside the library. Reading is vital to childhood development and we don't want our customers blocked from the library or afraid of their fines.

Children's books accrue over due fines at $0.05 a day. Reading time will be worth $0.25 for each 15 minute block of time. You have to read in the library. Read in the Children's Room. Read in the magazine room. Read in the YA room. Read on the stairs. Read on the chairs. Read upstairs.


Read to a dog. Read to a mop. Read to yourself. Read to a tool box. Read to the ceiling. Read to that guy over there. Read to the ceiling fan. Read to Batman.

 

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

One Book. It is a novel.

Fiction

The Verdict by Nick Stone. Nick Stone sounds like a character in a shoot-em novelm which is convenient for the character with that name. This Nick Stone is not only a real person, be he also shaves his head and poses for black and white photos for his author photo. Plot: a lawyer has a career making case but involves defending a guy who the lawyer abhors.

I wonder if Stone thought of using a pen name The Nick Stone series has been pretty popular in the UK. I read the first 5-6 Nick Stone novels and really enjoyed a couple of them. I wish I knew who the ghost authors were, I presume it is several people and not one person. But, I don't know.

 Hey! Maybe Nick Stone ghosted a Nick Stone novel. That'd be cool.

Monday, December 14, 2015

The Regular Prints-Too-Much Crowd

Fiction

Precious Gifts by Danielle Steel. I always want to throw an extra E on the end of Steel.  This book cover has a blue butterfly.

Cross Justice by James Patterson Dang. Patterson wrote this by himself? He has not done that in a while.

House of the Rising Sun by James Lee Burke. Burke's daughter, Alafair, is active on Facebook. I don't follow Ms. Burke but her posts still end up in my feed.

So You Don't Get Lost in the Neighborhood by Patrick Modiano. "A haunting novel of suspense" by the 2014 Nobel Prize dude from France.

Secret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz. Secret Sisters? I liked their first album. Oh, dang, the library owns their second album as well. Wow, I put the second album in iTunes as well, here is a track.




Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz. Koontz's author photo does not include any dogs. That's a switch.

Large Print


More Large Print

Fine Reduction for Children This January

Fine Reduction

Starting January 2 is a month long chance for children to reduce their fines by reading inside the library. Reading is vital to childhood development and we don't want our customers blocked from the library or afraid of their fines.

Children's books accrue over due fines at $0.05 a day. Reading time will be worth $0.25 for each 15 minute block of time. You have to read in the library. Library Director provided glaring is optional.

 We do need a slogan and encourage suggestions. Current slogan suggestions include:
 

New Year - New Slate
Read Aloud Read Away
Fines Shmines
Library Director Read-A-Long
Speed Your Read and Stop the Bleed

Hey, That Book Won't Read Itself!
Don't You Want to Grow Big and Strong Like Your Father?
Yes, Comic Books Count But I, Personally, Think Archie is Lame
I Agree, Bill Crider Novels Are Always A Good Choice, But You're Seven Years Old, How About Magic Tree House Instead?



Your New Favorite Song

Your Fancy Electronic Machine Decodes The Digital Content On A Flat Plastic Disc and Plays Songs

V by Wavves. Californians sings songs about things and play your new favorite song.



Down to Believing by Allison Moorer. Redheaded woman plays instruments and sings songs. I've not heard any of these tunes but Moorer has recorded some really good tunes.


Zipper Down by Eagles of Death Metal. Band sings loud and catchy songs and survives a terrorist attack. Jeez, that must have been freaking awful. You're up there playing guitar, thinking the show is going great, and then some murderous [curse words] show up and start killing people.



Friday, December 11, 2015

Back online. Back with more Music.

Musical Types Make Musical Noise And Sell That Noise to Consumers So That Record Companies Can Keep Most of the Profit

Bad Magic by Motorhead. ENGLISH METAL BAND PLAYS LOUDLY AND SINGS.


Threat to Survival by Shinedown. Some sort of band I know nothing about sings songs.


Immortalized by Disturbed. Another band I know nothing about also sings songs.


Revival by Selena Gomez. Former actor now sings more songs for her latest album with a title that reminds me of Reverend Horton Heat.


No No No by Beirut. American sings songs on British radio that are heard by an American library director who then buys the American singer's album for American library users.



Storyteller by Carrie Underwood. Singer with long blond hair sings songs about Mexican vacation.



Kill All the Lights by Luke Bryan. Singer I know nothing about sings pop country songs from an album that reminds me of Richard Thompson.



Star Wars by Wilco. Illinois rock band plays instruments and sing songs about imaginary space battles and Lord Vader.



25 by Adele. Famous singer sings songs about obsessive ex-girlfriends.


WOW Hits 2016: deluxe edition by[various artists]. [Various artists] sing about faith from an album series that reminds me of Wow!!7 AM.



DVD

Black Sails: seasons one and two starring [actors]. Pirates pirate on the open seas. 


Wednesday, December 02, 2015

Stormtrooper Photos

3D Printer Sample

A library patron brought in this Stormtrooper helmet he made using his 3D printers.








Shedding a tear for Lord Vader.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

DVDs and Why I Bought Them

DVD

Rectify: the second season starring [actors]. I bought this because season one circ'ed well.

Orange is the New Black: season two starring Taylor Schilling. I bought this because people like it.

The Knick: the complete first season starring Clive Owen. I bought this because Anthony Neil Smith was raving about it.



Downton Abbey: season five starring [actors]. I bought this because the show is still going strong enough for people to still keep watching.


Veep: the complete second season starring [that woman actor from Seinfeld whose name skips my mind]. I bought this because it gets Emmy nominations and awards.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl starring [actors]. I bought this because I figured people would want to watch it.

Mad Men: the finale season part 2 starring Jon Hamm. I bought this because people will watch it and because the DVD weasels split the final season into two sets so that everyone has to pay twice as much.

Game of Thrones: fourth season starring [actors]. I bought this because: popular, dragons, horses swords, nudity, scheming, etc.

Dark Places starring Charlize Theron. I bought this because I enjoyed the book and Gillian Flynn is currently a Big Deal.



Scandal: the complete fourth season starring [actors]. I bought this after I found out the show has many fans.

The Blacklist: the complete second season starring James Spader. I bought this because many people watch the show.

iZombie starring [blond woman]. I bought this because my wife watches the show and I figure other people will as well.

Friday, November 20, 2015

A Lansdale, A Collins, A Gorman, and Four NonFic

Joe R. Lansdale

Fender Lizards by Joe R. Lansdale. The Sage of East Texas writes another YA novel. Except this is shelved in regular fiction. Oh well, let's see how it runs in regular fic.

Fiction

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin illustrations by Gary  Gianni. Something to do with swords and horses and stuff. Gianni used to illustrate the Prince Valiant weeklies. I read Valiant.

Fate of the Union by Max Allan Collins and Matthew V. Clemens. Collins and Clemens - or - Collins/Clemens - or - CC write a second novel featuring ex-Secret Service Agent Joe Reeder investigating murder and political conspiracy. The first book, Supreme Justice, was good and is over in the Fiction section. To my left. No, my left. Go down, turn right at the break in the shelves, and it will be in the first aisle.

On Monday the Library Board was looking at sample chairs to replace the chairs in Library Hall. The saleslady said the chairs were made by HON in Muscatine, Iowa. I said, "That's where Max Allan Collins lives." She said, "Okay."

Elimination by Ed Gorman.  Gorman also lives in Iowa. I read a previous novel featuring political consultant Dev Conrad. That book was enjoyable. If you read this one tell me if you like it. If you don't like it you can email Gorman and tell him all the reasons why. I hear that authors love those kinds of emails.

The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans. Evans lives in Utah. I wonder how much time he has spent in Iowa. Most of my Iowa time has been drive time.

NonFiction

Milwaukee Mayhem: Murder and mystery in the Cream City's first century by Matthew W. Prigge. I've spent a some overnights in Iowa with relatives but that was over 30 years ago in Marshalltown.

Navigating the Alzheimer's Journey: a compass for caregiving by Carol Bowlby Sifton. I had an overnight recruiting trip to Wartburg College in 1988 or 1989. I was there for a scholarship competition.

A Settler's Year: pioneer life through the seasons by Kathleen Ernst. Set in Old World Wisconsin. I've been to Old World Wisconsin when my older son's fourth grade class took a trip there.

The Givenness of Things: essays by Marilynne Robinson. Old World Wisconsin is not in Iowa.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Quarterly Cussler

Fiction

The Guilty by David Baldacci. Baldacci had his author photo taken outside and he is not wearing a tie.

A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan.  Egan should call herself "The Double E".

The Whites by Richard Price writing as Harry Brandt. I think this book came out a while ago. Price's author photo is black and white.

Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich. Evanovich cranks'em out. Does she just work all day every day, or is she so good at things that she barely has to revise?

Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor. Literary adaptation of the radio show.

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith. Another thriller from J.K. Rowling. I listened to the first book in the series and it was fun. The book was also super long.

Pharaoh's Secret by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown. Wow, this cover is not filled with explosions and fireballs like most Cussler novel covers.

A Death in the Family by Michael Stanley. Murder in Botswana by two guys who write together under one name.

All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke. Both these authors are Big Deal Writers so I suppose this should be pretty good. I sure hope so because I do not appreciate the cover.

Naughtier Than Nice by Eric Jerome Dickey. Don't Dickey novels always end up on the bestseller list? This is Christmas themed.

Large Print



NonFiction

The Oregon Trail: a new American journey by Rinker Buck. Buck and his brother traveled by wagon from Missouri to Oregon.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Large Pie

NonFiction

Pie: 300 tired-and-true recipes for delicious homemade pie by Ken Haedrich. Page 498 says, "Meanwhile ... beat the ... soft peaks ... and ... fold ... aluminum ... garnish ... with ... ice-water."

Large Print


Monday, November 09, 2015

ACT Ordinary, Gift Skunk

NonFiction

Up Your ACT Score by Chris Arp and Veritas Tutors. Page 174 says, "x always refers to the input."

Skunk Hill: a native ceremonial community in Wisconsin by Robert A. Birmingham. Archeologist writes book about Potawatomi village founded to maintain traditional native culture. Should native be Native? I'm not certain.

Clive Barker's Tapping the Vein by John Bolton, et al. Comic book versions of Barker stories, a book from 2002.

Come As You Are: the surprising new science that will transform your sex life by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. Page 129 says, "Let it."

Delicious One-Pot Dishes by Linda Gassenheimer. Gassenheimer. That is a fun name to same.  Page says, " This is a shortcut version of a favorite Southern dish."

Fiction

The Splendor of Ordinary Days by Jeff High. Doctor takes small town job to pay medical school debts.

Audiobook on CD

A Good Family by Erik Fassnacht. 18 hours on 5CDs. Fassnacht.  That is a fun name to say. 

DVD

The Gift starring Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, Joel Edgeton. Creepy dude scares married couple.


BOB DYLAN // LIKE A ROLLING STONE from Alessio Ruta on Vimeo.


Jurassic World starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard.  Dinosaurs escape or something. I am not sure, I did not care enough about this flick to found out what it is about.


Friday, November 06, 2015

Musical Music Makers

Instruments Are Played, Recordings Are Made, Distribution Is Varied

Picking Up The Pieces by Jewel. Country sings sings new songs.



Introducing Darlene Love by Darlene Love. Famous back-up singer sings songs with Little Steven.


Kill The Lights by Luke Bryan. Country pop singer sings country pop.


Bad Magic by Motorhead. HEAVY METAL LEMMY SINGS HEAVY METAL SONGS.



Cass County by Don Henley. Famous rock drummer sings country songs about Texas.


Got Your Six by Five Finger Death Punch. HEAVY METAL BAND PLAYS LOUD INSTRUMENTS AND SINGS.



Are You Satisfied? by Slaves. Remember when I posted a Slaves music video over and over a couple weeks ago. That was not a mistake.




Top 25 Praise Songs: 2016 by Various Artists. Various artists sing various songs.

Wednesday, November 04, 2015

Shiney Sound Discs

Music on Shiny Plastic Discs That Rapidly Rotate in Your Music Machine

Compton: a soundtrack by Dr. Dre. Rappers rap about rapping for a rap movie about rappers who rap and become famous.

Call Me Insane by Dale Watson. Country music singer plays guitar and sings about mental health.


Gates of Gold by Los Lobos. Los Angelinos sing in both English and Spanish.


Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. Re-release of famous album with rappers rapping about living in California.

Crosseyed Heart by keith Richards. Famous guitarist sings songs, smokes cigarettes, and releases a solo album.

Monday, November 02, 2015

*No Relation*

NonFiction

Fast Girl: a life spent running from madness by Suzy Favor Hamilton. Former Olympian suffers from mental illness and goes into prostitution. I read an interview with Hamilton and this sounds like a fascinating book. Hamilton is a well known Sconnie so her "outing" as a high price call girl made headlines.

Fiction

Winter Stroll by Elin Hildebrand. Popular novelist writes a Christmas novel.

The Theory of Death by Faye Kellerman. Popular novelist writes a thriller.

Gatefather by Orson Scott Card. Famous novelist writes a fantasy novel.

Die Easy by Zoe Sharp. Popular novelist has earlier novels reprinted in the U.S. by Pegasus Books. Sharp was at Bouchercon in St. Louis. I didn't say hello because hello was all I would have had to say.

After Alice by Gregory Maguire. Popular author writes novel about Alice.

The Scribe by Matthew Guinn. 1881 Atlanta policeman has to find serial killer targeting wealthy black people.

Corrupted by Lisa Scottoline. Popular author writes a thriller novel. Author photo on the back cover is big but I cannot see if she is wearing a watch.

Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini. Popular author writes a Christmas novel. I thought the cover said Christmas Balls.




Playing With Fire by Tess Gerritsen. Popular author writes a novel about something or other. Let me check... Some kind of satanic sheet music. I think. Hey, Gerritsen is wearing a watch in her photo but the watch face is away from the camera.

Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell. Popular author writes another thriller. Her watch is showing, but the darn thing is shaded so I cannot tell the time.

Wrath of the Furies by Steven Saylor (no relation). Popular author (no relation) writes another novel set in Rome. 

Gischler Gun Bastards

Victor Gischler 


HellBound by Victor Gischler. Something about an evil trucker who decapitates people?



NonFiction

State of Wisconsin Blue Book, 2015-2016. Flip through and sneer at your political opposites.

Bastards by Mary Anna King.  King's mother was a poor parent with lots of children. King was adopted by her grandparents and left wondering about her mother, her runaway father, and all the siblings she was she sure to discover later on.

Lights Out: a cyber attack, a nation unprepared, surviving the aftermath by Ted Koppel. People who warn and prepare for the possibility of long term - measured in months - power outage.



The Upcycle T-shirt by Jenelle Montilone.  Craft book for crafty people who do crafty crafts.

Gunsmithing the Ar-15, volume 2 by Patrick Sweeney. I was iffy on ordering this book because circ's on previous AR15 are iffy. Some of those items check-out a lot and some just sit on the shelf.

Girl World: how to ditch the drama and find your inner amazing! by Patricia Ottaviano. My inner amazing wants to go home and take a nap.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

I ordered this?

DVD

Morituris: Legions of the Dead starring [Europeans]. Horror novel set in the Romanian mountains when people try and attend a rave. Gore ensues.


Black Jesus: season 1 starring Gerald Johnson and Charlie Murphy. Jesus lives in Compton, CA.



The Duke of Burgundy starring Sidse Babett Knudsen and Chiara D'Anna. Man, I don't what this is. Some sort of Gothic sex and manipulation movie.


Final Girl starring Abigail Breslin. Girl wooed by dudes to a forest so they can hunt and kill her. Things do not go as planned.


When Calls the Heart, Season One starring Erin Krakow and Lori Loughlin. Based on Janette Oke's novels about life in a coal town for a new teacher and several widows.


Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Trick-or-Treating October 28, 4-6PM

Candy

The annual downtown Trick-or-Treating is tomorrow evening from 4-6PM.
We have 24.25 pounds of candy.





Monday, October 26, 2015

Boxing, Selfishness, and Chercover

Fiction

The Devil's Game by Sean Chercover. Either this novel or it's predecessor, Trinity Game, his the bestseller list. International thriller with a former Vatican investigator looking into a deadly pathogen.

NonFiction

The Age of Selfishness: Ayn Rand, morality, and the financial crisis by Darryl Cunningham. A "devastating analysis of our current economic world" and how Rand's followers caused the economic collapse of 2008.

A Hurting Sport: an inside look at another year in boxing by Thomas Hauser. Annual compilation of Hauser's boxing articles and commentary. I picked up an earlier volume a year or two ago and I really enjoyed reading it. Hauser wrote a few mysteries, The Beethoven Conspiracy was good.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

A Bit of Both

NonFiction

Paid For: my journey through prostitution by Rachel Moran. This had a real good review. Moran was a street kid who started prostituting and as a teen. Moran quit the work at 22-years-old and discusses the mental and physical aspects of the work. Page 25 says, [I cannot find a short sentence].

Unabrow: misadventures of a late bloomer by Una Lamarche. Humorous essays about growing up and then becoming a parent. Page 248 says, "Is Una a reliable narrator?"

The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson edited by Thomas H. Johnson. We either needed a copy or the last copy was beat to heck.

Fiction

Lake House by Kate Morton. The cover illustration says, "Rough seas ahead!"

Host by Robin Cook. The cover illustration says, "That man has no face!"

Fear the Dark by Kay Hooper. The cover illustration says, "I'm not going in there."

Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham. The cover illustration says, "Wow, this is a nice downtown view, check out the construction cranes over there."

Golden Age by Jane Smiley. The cover illustration says, "Yeah, but I don't think it'll rain so let's walk."

Large Print

Monday, October 19, 2015

Gischler Dishing Stars for Seniors

Gischler

The Tattooed Duchess by Victor Gischler. Swords and sorcery sequel to Ink Mage.







Fiction

All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani. 1930s Hollywood with Loretta Young and her employee/friend.

Dishing the Dirt by M.C. Beaton. Agatha Raisin is suspected of murder.

NonFiction

Windows 10 for Seniors for the Beginning Computer User by Visual Steps. A not-so-thick computer book.

Murach's MySQL, 2nd Edition by Joel Murach. A thick computer book. Page 472 says, "In the next few figures, you'll learn how to set system variables."

CCNA Cisco certified network associate routing and switching study guide (Exam 200-101, ICND2), with Boson NetSim, limited edition by Richard Deal

DVD

Packers Road to XLV: post-season collector's edition by NFL Films.

America's game, the Super Bowl champions. Super Bowl XXXI :1996 Green Bay Packers by NFL Films.

America's game. 1966 Green Bay Packers : the Super Bowl champions by NFL Films.

America's game, the Super Bowl champions. Super Bowl II:1997 Green Bay Packers by NFL Films.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Three Novels, Computer Stuff, Civil War

Fiction

Foreign Affairs by Stuart Woods. Your quarterly installation.

City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg. This has some really heavy paper. It is 903 pages long. There are some illustrations.

See Me by Nicholas Sparks. Man meets woman and romance begins.

NonFiction

CompTIA Network+ Certification Exam Guide: exam N10-006, sixth edition by Mike Meyers. I have no idea what this is but figure it will be used. Page 436 says, "To get on the IPv6 network, you need to leap over this gap, to implement an IPv4-to-IPv6 tunnel."

Civil War Album: complete photographic history - Fort Sumter to Appomattox edited by William C. Davis and Bell L. Wiley. This is very neat. A tall and thick book filled with almost 4,000 images. Page 447 says, "Beyond the Wheat Field, at the southernmost edge of the Rose Farm, raged a heavy fight that left scores of dead Confederates behind."

Books on CD

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter.

Alert by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge.

The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

The One Where I Purchase A Bunch Of TV Shows

DVD

The Red Road: complete first season starring [actors].  Modern day trouble between a town's Anglos and the mountain's Native American tribe.


Full House: season 5 starring [I don't care]. Man, I really dislike this show, but someone told me this is still popular. So I bought a couple seasons. I'll buy more seasons later.

Full House: season 8 starring [I still don't care].

The Big Bang Theory: complete eight season starring [other people]. I've watch some of one episode.

Modern Family: complete sixth season starring That Guy From Married With Children. Comedy.

Empire: season one starring [more people]. I have wanted to watch this show and never did.

The Jinx: the life and deaths of Robert Durst starring [a killer]. Super wealthy man gets away with murder.

The Flash: complete first season starring [Mr. Speedy].

Top of the Lake starring [Kiwis]. Pregnant woman goes missing in a lake on the South Island and woman detective looks for her. Jane Campion did this production. Hey, Dunedin, is this any good?

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Amish Country Coven

DVD

Queen and Country starring [British]. Sequel to John Boorman's Hope and Glory. I really enjoyed Hope and Glory, that is a neat flick.



Far From the Madding Crowd starring Carey Mulligan and others. Woman pretends to be a character from a novel in the movie of the novel.

Amish Grace starring [actors]. Amish drama about a tragedy.

Strangerland starring Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes. A couple's teen children go missing in a desert dust storm.



Pitch Perfect 2 starring Various Green Bay Packers. The Green Bay Packers sing a song.



Child 44 starring Noomi Rapace, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman. I read the novel and enjoyed the story. Soviet cop exiled to Siberia and looks for a serial killer.


The Salvation starring Eva Green, Mars Mikkelsen, "Bad Men Will Bleed."


The Goonies starring [children]. You know the story.

Avengers: Age of Ultron starring [famous actors]. What's the story? A robot picks up a East European country or something?

American Horror Story: Coven: the complete third season starring Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Basett. I've wanted to see this program but never got around to it.

Large Print


Monday, October 12, 2015

Witch Cat Bible

NonFiction

97 Ways to Make A Cat Like You by Carol Kaufman. Good luck. Suggestion #32: flush the toilet in front of your pet.



The Witch of Lime Street: seance, seduction, and Houdini in the spirit world by David Jaher. Psychic Medium in 1924 tries to convince five judges and runs afoul of trick-master Houdini. Jaher has a tiny black-and-white photo. He needs one of those big back cover photos like Fern Michaels posing with her dogs.

The Make-Ahead Cookbook by Lydia Kessler.  Page 153 says, "And if you have high blood pressure, try substituting tarragon for salt!"

The Beer Bible by Jeff Alworth.  Let's check the index ... Nothing for Wisconsin or Tyranena. It does have a listing for New Glarus and Lakefront. There is a ton of neat stuff in here with food pairings, history of brewing styles, glass types, etc.


Gischler Returns. Again. In Case You Missed All the Other Ones I Bought.

Victor Gischler

Gestapo Mars: a Carter Sloan novel by Victor Gischler. Gischler takes a break from telling Twitter about grilling and writes a novel.  Trained assassin is awakened from cryogenic sleep and assigned to kill Nazis on Mars. If you like this you can try all the other novels and Gischler authored comics we have.

Other Fiction

Reckoning Stones by Laura DeSilverio. "A Novel of Suspense." But, how does it compare to Nazis on Mars?

Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber. Not the author of The Deputy.

Saturn Run by John Sandford and Ctein. Not the authors of To the Devil, My Regards.

Ghost to the Rescue by Carolyn Hart. Not the author of Gun Monkeys.

Undead and Unforgiven by MaryJanice Davidson. Not the author of Pistol Poets.

The Survivor by Vince Flynn. Not the author of Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse.

The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks. Not the author of Ink Mage.

A.D. 33 by Ted Dekker. Not the author of Stay.

Monday, October 05, 2015

13 Old and 2 New

15 Plastic Discs Are Used to Digitally Encode Musical Sounds 


High, Low and in Between by Townes Van Zandt. Texan sings country songs.


A Christmas Album by James Taylor. Guy with guitar sings Christmas songs.


La Croix D'Amour by Dwight Yoakam. Californian sings songs of love.


Hillbilly Deluxe by Dwight Yoakam. Hillbilly sings hillbilly songs.


Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. by Dwight Yoakam.  Guitar owner sings about Cadillacs.


A Long Way Home by Dwight Yoakam.


Giant Hits by Johnny Cash. Famous singer sings famous songs.


The Best of Squeeze: The Millennium Collection by Squeeze. Limeys sing about coffee.


Under the Red Sky by Bob Dylan. Famous singer sings for critically panned album.


Cheap Trick Live at Budokan by Cheap Trick. Illinoisans sing to screaming Japanese teenagers.


Imperial Bedroom by Elvis Costello. Singer expects a lot of grief.



The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. Singer sings songs that sold.



Armed Forces by Elvis Costello. Brit sings songs from 1978.


Tall Tales and Tiny Tunes by Casey Day. Singer sings for children. Cheer up, London.



Top 50 Kids' Praise Songs by [various].  Singers sing for children. It's not that bad.