Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The Secret Soldier--#43 finished

This is the 2nd John Wells series book that I have read & I really liked this one.  If I remember without checking back, I think the Midnight House was just okay but this book really stepped up with a realistic scenario and storyline and that just made the book that much more interesting.  I will have to find the earlier books in the John Well series and read them forward.  Okay about this book, an new terrorist group in Saudi Arabia forms to disrupt the SA government and backstabbing happens within the group as well.  With a still ongoing "Arab Spring" happening in Syria and elsewhere, this book in a way asks the question of why nothing is happening like that in SA.  I really interesting read and lots of good info on the Middle East.

I will be posting it on PBS probably soon, I think there are around 15 WL for it.  It will be a nice book to read for whoever is next.   I am not far with Love Kills and just started Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers--an early Tom Wolfe book/short stories.  Also just started F is for Fugitive the next one for me in order.  I had actually read this one back in 1998 and from the first few pages I kind of remember stuff but being that long ago a re-read is in order.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Growgirl--#42 finished

Growgirl by Heather Donahue, she is the actress from The Blair Witch Project.  This is her book about her life of a couple years ago, when she decided to give up acting and instead hooked up with a guy & group of pot growers in CA.  She never really addresses her finances in real dollars just says she basically has no or little money.  I thought she would have made a bundle on the movie or at least between it and the second one enough to live comfortably.  Who knows.  Well she ends up meeting this guy who she dates who is into this whole hippie community sense of growing pot--really kind of bizarre life/lifestyle.  She breaks up with him but is already setup with a rental property with the garage all decked out for growing pot.  She gets into all of the details of it both growing and how it is quasi-legal in CA.  She does get out of it in the end but that is also the end of the book so not sure where she is at right now.  I think it was an okay read if you are interested in pot--I'm not so not so much my cup of tea.  Some more details about her life before would have helped but I guess the pot was the focus not the before life.

I have posted it on PBS & it has already been accepted so I will be mailing it off this week.  I am now reading The Secret Soldier and Love Kills.  I will start a 3rd book, maybe tonight if I can pick one out quick.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Rather Die Fighting--#41 finished

A very good true story account of the Jewish partisan fighters in Poland during WWII.  Very interesting part of WWII that I had heard little about.  Just adds to what an amazing or maybe shocking time in the world that was--not only was the whole world at war there was also an extermination of a people being attempted by a fascist dictator.  It makes me want to re-read some of my old college books about this time and the concentration/extermination camps then.  A very good and easy read.

I have already posted this book back onto PBS.  It is the only copy on the system so it should move soon I am guessing.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Daughters of the North--#40 finished

A futuristic book of England and I guess the world, where everything goes to crap.  A woman around 30, leaves her life and walks to an off the grid commune of women.  This commune has been surviving on it's own for several years while the rest of society is locked into war, famine and failing government.    An interesting read and a short read, only a little over 200 pages.  It gives the reader something to think about but lots left unsaid or untouched upon.  A very different ending than I expected but the ending was also kind of abrupt, I really kind of liked it in that sense.  It was different than the other stuff I have been reading so it was a nice quick change of pace.

There is 1 WL for Daughters of the North so I have posted it, hope to get it in the mail this week.  I just started The Secret Soldier, a book I just received from a PBS member.  I am still reading Growgirl, 155 pages in with around 130 remaining--different and so far just okay but get through it.  Also started reading Rather Die Fighting a WWII memoir, only 20 or so pages into it.

Friday, July 20, 2012

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle--#39 finished

This is another book that took me far too long to read.  I will have to check back to see about when I started it but I am thinking it was March, could have even been Feb.  This is a book that I have a hard time saying I enjoyed, I think instead I endured it.  There are parts that were interesting but all around those parts were stuff that I just didn't care about.  Many questions only get answered in with half answers and other things become questions that kind of get ignored.  Again though some interesting stuff in here but not enough for me to like the book.

My copy is non-postable per PBS requirements, there is a water stain on the bottom of the book.  I will have to make it go away some other way--give to library or take to used bookstore for credit.  There are like 70 some copies already on PBS so it wasn't going to move from there anyway.

I am still reading Growgirl or something like that--the Blair Witch girl/actor becomes a pot grower.  Not too exciting either but not so bad.  I also started Daughters of the North, a future--isn't so bright--istic book of England.  I will be looking to start another either tonight or tomorrow also.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The Memory of Running--#38 finished

This was the book that I picked up and started late Saturday night.  I really hooked me.  It is a real good story, maybe a little unbelievable at points but still very good.  The main person Smithy is just kind of knocking his way through life when suddenly both his parents die in a car accident and he is almost forced to deal with his crappy life.  He deals with it by sort of starting to ride his old bike again but even  then it is starts and stops.  He is unsure of himself the whole way through the book.  While all of this is going on with him, the other main story line is his sister Bethany and her troubles.  A kind of creepy voice pulls her out of a normal life and leads her to run away and into trouble her whole life.  The way Smithy kind of describes it at times is almost exorcist like, the movie.  Really creepy and scary.  Right after burying his parents, Smithy gets a letter from Los Angles that Bethany has died and her body is there waiting for him.  His dad had sent out dental records all around the county for this very reason.  So in order to get to CA he just kind of decides to ride the bike--no real planning or anything involved. Some interesting characters and happenings along the way, some personal growth and mending and old relationship as well.  Very good book.

I was thinking about keeping it but I really have too many books and this is one with several copies so could always order it back if needed.  I will post it but don't expect it will be moving but will leave on shelf for now.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Even Cowgirls get the Blues--#37 finished

It took a while and pretty much the whole way through the book I just didn't like it.  I have to say it was basically just a stupid book and mostly seems a waste of time.  All I can figure is that in the 1970s when it first came out it must have been cutting edge and maybe new stuff.  Lesbianism, cowgirls, weirdo stuff just isn't stuff that shocks people today but I am guessing it did back when written.  Sorry, I really did not like this book.  It took me months to read it but it was finally a few days ago where I just told myself to get it done and read the last 200 pages in about 3 days.  I am glad I did only because it is now done.

It is a book that I got from PBS but it is really a nonpostable book so I will not be sending it out.  I will be getting donated to a library sale or maybe traded for credit at the used bookstore nearby.  I really don't want the book around long so it should be moving off soon.

I am still reading Edgar Sawtelle and probably need to do something similar where I only read it extensively for a few days to get it close to the end.  Not right now but I will probably have to do that.  I did just start Growgirl about the Blair Witch girl's life where she is now into growing medical pot in CA.  I will be looking for another book tonight as well.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

The Ice Queen--#36 finished

June was a slow month & July has started the same for my reading.  The Ice Queen is kind of interesting.  The main character really has some issues she is dealing with and meets lots of interesting people along the way.  She also at the end reconnects with her brother & gets to know his wife.  It was interesting but also bordering on simply not believable.  Not really my taste in a book but that is fine, it was at least once more interesting.

I am still on the other 2, Even Cowgirls get the Blues and Edgar Sawtelle.  I am making progress with each but it is still very slow.  I can't say that I really like either of them as well so that is making it tougher.  I will be starting a 3rd book either tonight or sometime soon.