Saturday, November 29, 2014

Last Night at the Lobster--#70 finished

A short book, only 146 pages and a quick read but it was very good.  A Red Lobster restaurant is closing and it is the last day, it will be closed for good after this day.  Manny the longtime manager is the main character and we go through the day with him.  How he does his job and what he thinks about and how he interacts with the other employees, it is really insightful.  I am probably one of the few people in this world that did not have a food service job so I learned something there.  Most of it I kind of heard of knew but putting it all down in the book made the story that much more authentic.  Some good characters and good interactions but because it is such a short book you are left with holes about people and how things will turn out but to me it seems like people will be okay.  Good read & enjoyable story.

I have already posted it on PBS, I think there were 4 copies ahead of it.  I don't know if it will move but I would think so at some point it should.  I am nearly finished with College Football book, that has taken months to get done.  Still reading Jock Itch, some actress that liked to date athletes wrote a memoir about it--kind of funny & kind of pathetic but she is cute in the photos.  I will be adding 1 or 2 more tonight to my reading pile as well.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Silence--$69 finished

A good detective read and hopefully a start of a series.  I have book 2 also but doesn't look like book 3 is out and not sure if being written.  The main character, Jack Till, has a young adult daughter with Down syndrome.  She is just a background character but you can tell by reading it she is in his thoughts all the time.  Just like the way that is in the story.  Detective helped lady disappear 6 years ago and then suddenly has to find her & goes about tracking her down while killers are also tracking to kill the lady.  Good details about everyone's life and thoughts.  Story kept moving.  Maybe not the most brilliant but overall a good read.

I just checked back and saw that I have read more books than last year.  Last year checked in a 67, 2012 at 70, 2011 at 75, 2010 at 87 and 2009 at 81.  I won't hit the 80s this year but should get somewhere in lower to middle 70s--nice to stop that downward trend I had been on.  Of course some of my books this year were short and just entertainment types but I don't mind.

I am not sure if I will put this on PBS or not.  Might just wait to see how book 2 goes first.  There are copies already on system so I doubt it would move right away so no hurry either way.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Stories of Your Life and Others--#68 finished

I had heard of Ted Chiang as a smart writer but hadn't read anything by him till now.  This is a republish of some of his short stories from earlier in his career it sounds like.  I really enjoyed the stories, they are certainly not your normal spit it out there story.  You have to think while reading, it is not just entertainment reading but actually thinking and considering what is going on.  Fun stuff.  I have been reading too much just plain old books, nice that this one through a little curve ball to me.  It is a kind of science fiction but not all set way far off or with hard to follow abstract concepts--all really more real to life.  Seems like ideas or possibilities are just a few short years away.  Good stuff.

I will be posting on PBS at some point, there are 35 WL for it so it should move once I do post it.  I had a run on books coming to me the last couple days so I am a little short on credits but getting 3 or 4 mailed out in the next couple days to replenish my supply.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Tales of an American Hobo--#67 finished

Kind of interesting thoughts of a person that rode the rails back in the '30's and '40's and so on.  An interesting period of history where people just kind of walk off and either thumbed rides or jumped on a train and went somewhere else.  Earned living by doing some day work on farms or businesses and then moved on again.  A nomadic lifestyle that isn't really possible today.  Back then though there were thousands and thousands living like this.  Makes me kind of wonder what do the restless people of today do?  After you earn some money maybe RV around or motorcycle but what does a 20 something do?  There are still buses running for cheap at least cheap by today's standards but really no shanty towns anymore--would need to find homeless shelters or cheap motels, all costing money today.  I guess maybe the nearest comparison would be illegal immigrants that stay dozens in a room and work the farms or yard care or similar type jobs.  Some stay long term and some move on or back home returning for seasonal work.  Oh well, interesting reading of a different time.

I will post at some point, I think there are 5 WL for it but still have enough credits so no hurry in posting it now.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Have You No Shame?--#66 finished

A pretty funny book/memoir by a maybe 30 something Jewish girl that grew up in Omaha, NE.  Funny stuff mostly and some kind of serious stuff threw in.  Good writing and really kind of shocking honesty about growing up.  I grew up on small town NE so Omaha was always our big city, but still seems as though there is a certain amount of pride in being from NE that you don't always seem to get from other places or people from other places, I should say.  It is a book of stories more than a memoir but it really seems to work best this way.  I really liked this style and will have to keep it in mind if I ever get around to start writing about something.

I will probably post it on PBS at some point, while I really liked it, not sure I will make it a keeper but I am considering that.  There are like 6 WL for it but everything seems to be moving slow on PBS so have plenty of time to decide.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Where Do Nudists Keep Their Hankies?--#65 finished

This is one of those kind of funny and lets see what we can do on the internet books.  Ask a bunch of questions about sex and get some answers.  Now most answers were not straight off the internet but from people the author knew like friends and doctors, etc.  A few were of the internet variety, look something up, give some answer and maybe a followup with someone located over the internet.  Nothing really interesting and nothing really shocking, just a sort of funny read.  Very short chapters so easy to read a couple pages & then set aside for a day or two or so.

I have already posted it on PBS, it is the only copy on the system and with it's title I am pretty sure it will be getting mailed off so that is good.