Who's Looking Out for You--#70 finished

I really wanted to get to 70 books read for the year.  I doubt I will finish another one by the end of the year but I guess I could still.  This is one of the earlier Bill O'Reilly books and it didn't really change anything about my thoughts on him.  A good reporter/newsman that leans to the conservative side of things--a good fit at Fox.  Of the talking heads at Fox, I like him the most and it really isn't close--Hannity and Greta could just go away for my taste.  Half of their shows is defending what was said on other shows and lobbing softball questions to conservatives and talking over the liberals they find to bring on.  O'Reilly generally gives everyone on the show a chance to talk and also hits them with some decent questions at least some of the time.  Book was okay like his others that I read.

I have had this book on the shelf for a couple years now and just hadn't gotten around to it but since I needed a quick read on a shorter length book, it fit the bill.  I really wanted to get 70 books read.  I did post this book on PBS but there are 140+ copies a head of it so it won't be moving anytime soon if at all.  I am also reading a short story book, Where the Road Bottoms Out which is a little different and was published in 1995 so stories written earlier so kind of nice to step back a little on them.  I also started reading the last of the Earth's Children series by Jean Auel(Clan of the Cave Bear), this book is The Land of the Painted Caves.  Only 70 pages in and I have slipped right back to where it was when I read the last book a couple years ago.  I really enjoy this series and while only early on this book, I am enjoying it too.  I will probably be starting another book tonight or soon as well.

The Boys in the Trees--#69 finished

A different sort of book about the 1800's people in the US/Canadian area.  A family that you don't fully understand with some interesting characters is killed by their father.  While it was hinted at that he was embezzling money from his workplace, not sure why the family didn't run or at least the dad.  Instead dad kills wife and 2 girls and not himself, he is instead hung after a trial.  Book was written from several different points of view through time.  There was a short Q&A with the author at the end and she explains why she wrote it this way--basically this was the type of book she wanted to write.  I think I would have preferred more info on all the characters, but obviously I am not the writer.

I am almost to 70 books read for the year, only 1 to go.  I have already posted this book on PBS there are like 4 copies ahead of it.  I am reading the Bill O'Reilly book and another short story book and will look to add a 3rd and maybe 4th tonight.

G is for Gumshoe--#68 finished

The next in line of the Kinsey Milhone detective series.  Good stuff as always.  Moves fast and interesting things happening.  I think I read H a few years back but can't find it right now in my lists--will have to check later.  I think I have "I" already around the house so might get started on in kind of soon.

501 Minutes to Christ--#67 finished

This is a short story book by Poe Ballantine.  It is about his life and I really enjoy his writing and stories.  How he truly struggled and sacrificed to become who he is and a writer.  This is the 3rd book that I have read of his and in each I keep almost cheering him on as a writer and hope he achieves a strong level of success.  I found the first book I read of his at a library sale and bought it simply because his now hometown is Chadron, NE and since I am from NE it is almost impossible for me to not buy the book.  The other books of his, I actually have a 4th just haven't gotten to reading yet, have all come from  PBS and I feel a little guilty about that since I haven't actually purchased any of his books in a way he would get credit or even royalty from it.  Hopefully a 5th book comes out and I will buy it for that reason.

This book along with the author's other books is a keeper for me.  I will not be passing it along.  I am still reading 3 other books--hoping to get to 70 read for the year.  Reading G is for Gumshoe, The Boys in the Trees and started a Bill O'Reilly book Who's Looking Out for You?  I might look around tonight for another book but probably won't start since want to get these 3 closer to finished.

No Greater Courage--#66 finished

What a great read, this along with To Make Men Free are two very good and very readable books about battles of the Civil War.  I have not read a lot of this type of Civil War books--I haven't read a lot of the Civil War in general.  These are I guess historical fiction where the writer takes what he can from the historical record and pieces together a fictional account of what happened.  These were both very readable books and do a great job of introducing you to the main characters and you get an idea of what they were like beyond the troop movements and battle plans.  I wish the author had more of these Civil War books out there unfortunately these are his only two.

I have posted it on PBS, there is only 1 copy ahead of it.  I would expect it would move at some point but who knows how long a wait.  I am still reading G is for Gumshoe and The Boys in the Trees and started 501 Minutes for Christ--a short story book by Poe Ballantine, good stuff.  I will probably look around & see about starting another book tonight as well.  I would like to get to 70 read for the year but not sure I will do that--might have to find a short book.

Obama's American--#65 finished

This is kind of a followup book from the author's earlier Obama book The Roots of Obama's Rage.  Some new stuff and his argument makes sense in the way he presents it but when you step back and think about it, it just doesn't hold much water.  I agree with his basic idea that Obama has some anti-colonialsim in him, passed down from his fathers & his mothers beliefs.  I will also agree that some of the people that influenced him throughout his life were similarly anti-colonialists.  I stop there though and cannot bridge that a person who wants to set America back to become a 3rd World type nation would ever be elected President.

First off the President sets some policies and has some leadership roles but his cabinet and the whole Democratic Party are also there.  If any of these people thought that Obama was trying to accomplish what this book says, they would be speaking out and that is not happening.  I agree that Obama has a different world view that what people may have thought when electing him both times but I don't see it as fundamentally different to where he wants basically America to fail.

Oh well some interesting thoughts and some decent history of Obama.  I really was struck with the whole idea that when his mom sent him to Hawaii for her parents to raise, that he was really abandon at that point by both parents.  I knew about that but hadn't attached abandon to it, but I think the is probably an accurate view of how a 10 year old would feel at that point.

I will be posting it on PBS at some point, I think there are 100 or so WL for it, so have plenty of time to post it.  I haven't been getting any of my WL books posted so I have really slowed down on PBS at this point.  No sense in mailing books off if the ones I want aren't being posted.  I am not sure if it is just slow because of the craziness around the holiday season or something else.  I have about a half dozen WL books that I have read but not posted.  I might just want till January and see what happens then.

Still reading the Civil War book and the Kinsey Milhone book and the Boys in Trees book.  I need to finish those 3 and 2 more by the end of Dec to get to 70 books read.  Not sure if I will get that done or not, will just have to see.