The Gray Man--#7 finished

I didn't think I would get 7 books read this month, it has been a busy month with other things going on. This book though is a very good page turner so that is kind of why I was able to zip through it. Good action adventure, fast paced action throughout with some different kinds of stuff going on. Not sure if it will become a series or not but it was enjoyable and the main character seems to be one that could be built into a series.

I have posted it on PBS but there are already 17 copies ahead of it so it will not be moving too soon. Still reading Red Square but it got pushed back with reading this & The Sheltering Sky. I have also started a thin short stories book, can't think of name right now.

I Am Third--#6 finished

This is the Gale Sayers autobiography that he wrote in 1970 after he came back from his serious knee injury and also after Brian Piccolo's death from cancer. It is an interesting read, even today with it being dated and such. It is interesting to read about a young black man that went to college & played pro ball in the '60s. Just his interactions with people and his own thoughts. His youth and also probably the times, really give this book an innocent and completely truthful feel. While the youthful side might lead it to be not a ton of introspection, the reader can really tell at times that this is an intelligent person even while doing stupid or silly things. Almost as impressive as his playing days was the fact that he was the first black stockbroker for Paine Webber. This was an early indication of the future success he would have after football. I didn't realize that the 1969 season was really his last good season. He only played 2 games in each of the next 2 years, which is really sad given the great talent he was.

I have posted it on PBS, it is the only copy of the book on the system so it should move at some point. I do have a lot of only copy on the system books and they aren't moving much at all, but I know patience is the rule at PBS. Still reading Red Square and just started The Sheltering Sky yesterday, will look to add a 3rd book tonight.

Here They Come--#5 finished

A very quick read about a middle school age girl that has a very screwed up family. I think it was from '70s or '80s, no cell phones, etc. Mom & dad are split up and mom is a drunk & dad just a loser. Really tough read because how screwed up life is for these people. Not one of my favorites at all, just too screwed up and really no sign that anything will make it better.

I have posted it on PBS, there was 1 WL for it so hopefully it will be mailed out next week.

Detroit Noir--#4 finished

This is a short story book with all of the short stories being about Detroit. I had earlier read New Orleans Noir which had some good stories but I also remember some duds. I think this was a better book. Maybe it is just the cities, New Orleans Noir had quite a few of the stories revolving around Hurricane Katrina, while Detroit Noir seemed to just have more about the decaying inner city. Good stuff overall.

I will be posting it on PBS, I think there are 6 WL for it so it will move. I might wait to post it later this weekend though. Still reading Red Square, I am Third and just started & already halfway through Here They Come.

The Short Bus--#3 finished

A man basically is reflecting back on his treatment in elementary & middle & high schools because he was not a "normal" learner. He is dyslexic and not sure what else but he grew to hate most of his teachers and the idea of the short bus. He has graduated from Brown Univ, Ivy League and has become a speaker around the country to learning disabled kids LD. He came up with the idea of driving a short bus around the country to talk to some kids or people about their experiences. I just had the feeling this was kind of just all done for the book. The author is struggling with himself as far as leading a "normal" life or leading an eccentric life and not really sure at the end where he will end up. I don't know the whole book seemed forced to just get a book done. The whole trip to the hippie commune The Burning Man just didn't fit either. This book had some good parts but overall not really for me.

I will be posting it on PBS soon, I think there were around 10 WL for it.

Last Night in Twisted River--#2 finished

The latest book by John Irving who wrote The World According to Garp. This is another life long book, really good story overall. I didn't like some of the political shots he took during the book, but I guess he really wanted his readers to know his feelings on politics. Lots of good stories within the story, about a father & son that have to run from the small logging town where they are at and have to keep moving throughout the story. Some goofy parts that are probably a little more than far fetched but the storyline and characters keep moving. Overall I really enjoyed it.

There are 40 WL for it so I will be mailing it off at some point, probably next week with a couple others. I have 5 already mailed off for PBS so no real hurry to put more in the pipeline right now either. Still reading The Short Bus book, also reading Red Square an Arkaday Renko story by Martin Cruz Smith and also reading Detroit Noir--I read first story few days ago and haven't picked back up yet.

Lemay-The Life and Wars of General Curtis LeMay--#1 finished

First book of the new year finished & it was a good one. I was really impressed by the research done on General LeMay and also by the fact that he is such an important general that I hadn't heard of him before reading this book. I have read some WWII books and seen several movies and I don't recall ever hearing LeMay's name before. I probably have, I read a book or two about MacArthur and figure LeMay had to be mentioned, although MacArthur was hardly mentioned in this book. It was a fascinating time especially to be one of the leaders of the newly being developed on the fly(pun intended) Air Force. Also then his career after WWII starting with developing the Rand Corp and making SAC what it was & is today. Finally his struggles to adjust to the 1960s in his Joint Chiefs position and then his after the military struggles. I actually heard his named mentioned a couple weeks ago while reading this book as the VP to the last 3rd party candidate for president that actually won some electoral votes--Wallace in 1968. Again I had no idea and at one time I knew all candidates & vps for president since the 1900s. I guess the name LeMay didn't stick with me & I never did any further research into him.

I will be posting it on PBS at some point, there are 9 WL for it. I still have Methland and a couple others that I have pulled that I decided to not read but mail off instead. Right now though I just don't feel like getting to the Post Office to get it done so will probably wait till next week.

Still reading Last Night in Twisted River, somewhere around halfway done. Also reading Journey on the Short Bus or something like that, a autobio by a guy who was LD diagnosed that went on to graduate from Brown Univ with honors. So far an interesting read. I will be looking to add another book tonight.