Monday, February 27, 2012

American Buffalo--#14 finished

A good read about the writer's almost obsession with the buffalo. He talks about his experiences starting with finding a buffalo skull while in Montana on a hike/camping trip to then studying the skull to then getting picked by lottery to hunt buffalo in Alaska. Then finally all the details of the hunt. In between all of this is history of the buffalo as best is known. Good stuff, good read.

I will be posting it on PBS at some point, probably not this week though. I am still reading The Blood of Tyrants and slowly reading Devil's Dream. I also had just started the new Grisham book, The Litigators. Not sure if I will start a 4th or not, probably not but who knows either when I sit in my book room sometimes a book just jumps out at me.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Northline--#13 finished

Wow, I really liked this book. The characters in the book are going through some raw emotional times and really don't know how to handle it. I really sensed what they were going through & wanted to reach into the book & help them. The end seems to indicate the main character is coming through and will help the boyfriend she has. It was a short quick read but a lot is packed into the pages. Good stuff.

I have posted it on PBS, there were 2 WL for it and so it should move soon. Reading the other books but won't go into right now.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Red Square--#12 finished

This is the 3rd Arkady Renko book by Martin Cruz Smith. It has been 20 to 30 years since I read the first one Gorky Park, but still remember it as very good. At least that was my opinion then at a very different age. I read the 2nd book Polar Star a year or two ago and really enjoyed it. Red Square is good but not quite as good as Polar Star--my memories of Gorky Park are just not good enough to try to compare. The time is 1991 in USSR which has just moved to more democratic ways. He travels to Berlin & Munich Germany and walks across where Checkpoint Charlie(I think that was what it was called) was located and saw where the wall had come down. It is an interesting time period and moves the series along but not a great read. I will continue the series though.

I am keeping the books in this series at this point and since there are already lots of copies on PBS really no need in posting it anyway. Reading American Buffalo and Devil's Dream and a 3rd book that I can't remember the name at this point. Not sure if I will start a 4th book tonight or not.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

A Diet of Treacle--#11 finished

This is a 1950s book that has been reprinted. The author is Lawrence Block, famous enough that I have heard of him but this is the first book that I have read by him. It was a good quick read, kind of funny in that it is a '50s book so a lot of the mindset, etc is quite a bit different. Topics in the book were the beat generation, drugs--mostly marijuana and heroin but also some other like cough syrup and stuff. The topics like beat generation and drugs were introduced in ways that the author basically didn't think the reader would have much knowledge of these and in the '50s that was probably pretty true.

Well I have posted it on PBS, there was 1 WL for it so if all goes well it should be mailed off this week. Politics Noir was rejected because it was an ex-library book so it is not going into the mail yet. I just started American Buffalo in Search of a Lost Icon. Probably won't start another tonight since it is getting late but will probably add a 4th in next couple of days.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Politics Noir--#10 finished

This is another short story book but this book was a little longer than the last one, 260 pages vs 93. This is the 3rd Noir book that I have read and all 3 were okay in parts but overall just okay. I know there are bunches out there of these Noir books but I doubt I will order any, but might pick them up if I see them for sale cheap. I think I liked the ones that revolved around cities, New Orleans and Detroit, more than I liked this one that revolved around politics. Some interesting stuff but again nothing really exciting. I think I might be done on short story books for a while.

I have posted it on PBS and there is 1 WL for it but I think I have posted to this person in the past and he either doesn't want library books or let the previous book time out. Anyway, it is posted but not sure it will be moving or not. I just started A Diet of Treacle and old Lawrence Block book and still working on other 2. I am not adding a 4th right now but who knows over the weekend.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Whose World Is This?--#9 finished

This is a book of short stories, kind of interesting stuff. I am getting to like short stories a little more but in general they seem to leave me unsatisfied. These stories have interesting perspectives and some happenings but overall just too much left unsaid for my taste. Oh well, the short stories seem to work right now because I just don't have a lot of time to invest in reading so reading a few pages at a time on a short story is easier.

I have posted it on PBS & it is the only copy on system. I hope it will move a some point but short story books seem to take a while. I am still reading Red Square, Politics Noir and Devil's Dream. I will probably start a 4th sometime tonight as well. Politics Noir is also getting close to be finished too.

Friday, February 3, 2012

The Sheltering Sky--#8 finished

This is a book that I had for a couple years I think and finally got around to reading. It was written in the 1950s I think and it was about an American couple and a male friend of theirs that travel to Northern Africa soon after WWII. It is a very good book, with the problems the couple are going through, some issues with their friend, people they meet and then eventually the husband dies. The wife kind of goes nuts and then goes native. I had read a review so I knew the husband dies but the ending really threw me, I wasn't expecting that but it still made sense. I am guessing this ending made this a contraversial book when it came out, but I know the author had problems getting it published too--probably because of the ending.

This is one of those books that I was thinking about keeping but instead I think I will post it on PBS & mail it off to someone else to enjoy. There are no WL for it and no copies on the system either. I expect it won't be long though before this book is requested & I am mailing it off.