Wish You Well--#11 finished

I have had this book for a few years and at some point in January I needed a mass market type paperback that I could put in a coat pocket and this one was chosen.  A nice story of two young children in 1940 that are in a car accident where their dad dies and mom is left in a catatonic state.  Kids have to leave New York city and are moved to only relative they have, their dad's grandmother living on a mountain farm in Virginia.  The kids learn the rural, simple life that she has been living--no phone, electricity or machinery to run the farm.  A young adult black male, Eugene, also lives on farm after she basically adopted him when young--his dad moved for work & I think died while away, mom always out of picture.  It was a good story with some good characters but ended with a hokey court room scene, oh well.  I guess they wanted some kind of controversy stirred up in the book but just seemed forced.  Oh well still a nice story.

This book was published in 2000 and since mass market paperback there are a few hundred copies of this version alone on PBS system.  No since in adding to that, so this will go in my donate away pile of books.

The High-Flying Life of Evel Knievel--#10 finished

A interesting person that was a few years before my time.  I was too young to remember his big events in the '70s but I do remember seeing him a couple times on TV.  Could have been repeats or maybe the original jumps, don't remember, but he was certainly a fascinating person for a kid.  I never put much thought to him since.  I never had one of his action figures and riding motorcycles wasn't really a thing that I wanted to do.  Reading this book I was introduced to a more realistic Evel Knievel and wow, what a dick.  Really pretty much an all around asshole.  Was a thief and burglar growing up, con-artist and even when he got money, seemed to never pay people that he owed but would blow money on stupid stuff.  Was married with 3 kids, much later a 4th, but bragged about sleeping around whenever he could which as a daredevil in the make love '70s was multiple times a day seemingly.  I had no idea of the person that Evel Knievel was and this makes you kind of realism this was a different time.  Today, it just would not be accepted and with the 24 hour news cycle he would be called out on everything.  He was certainly a person of the times for the '70s.  Good read by the author and really eye opening stuff, unfortunately really can't like the subject after reading this book.

There are 3 WL for the book on PBS so I will mail it off, probably sometime soon.

The Wolves--#9 finished

This was the next in Alex Berenson's John Wells series.  A kind of rogue ex-CIA guy now working on his own and stopped a war between the US & Iran that a billionaire was trying to start so Iran would be weakened and help Israel.  That was the last 2 books.  This one was the wrap up of those, where Wells goes after the billionaire that holed up in Hong Kong.  Good action and good quick read.  I do like the series.  Also nice that the author is aging Wells in that while his abilities are amazing he is noticing he seems to be getting closer to where he has to hang it up.

There are 30 some WL for this so it will get mailed off at some point, probably soon.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour--#8 finished

This is a young adult book and well it shows, at least to me.  It was just too young for me to really enjoy.  Amy's father is killed in a car accident when she is driving and her & her mother & brother all handle it very poorly.  I would think at some point in there someone would have suggested therapy at least for Amy & mom, brother is drug addict and does get into rehab.  All that and mom basically hands off teenage daughter to former neighbor's son to drive vehicle across the country.  Mom becomes upset when they don't follow her driving plan.  Roger is neighbor son and he is college guy with girlfriend issues.  Throw in driving across states & eating a different food joints for a nice topic instead of teenage angst.  Nice story but just don't see the reality in most of it, oh well.  It was supposed to be a light entertainment book and I guess it qualifies, just not my cup of tea.

There are plenty of WL for it, in the 30s maybe 40s of them so I will post at some point & send it off.