100 Vegetables and Where They Came From--#30 finished

A different kind of book for me.  Author sounds like an exceptional gardener and historian.  Does a 2-3 page write up on 100 different vegetables with info on where came from and how developed and then also gets into how to be prepare the vegetable, including how has been used in history.  I am not that much of a foodie but was still a fun read.

There are WL for the book but I might be handing it off first because lots of good information in it.

I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced--#29 finished

True story of a 10 year old girl that was married off in Yemen.  She was raped and beaten by her much older husband and was able to find her way to the courthouse in a major city and find help.  There after a few weeks where husband and father were in jail for this crime, she obtained her divorce but the men were freed with basically no charges.  Book ends with promise of hope in that family has a newer apartment and Nujood there to protect her younger sister and they have arrangements to continue schooling.  At one point in the book it mentions female illiteracy at 80%.  I avoided checking wikipedia on her until now and sounds like dad has basically stolen her money force her out of the house and has married off the younger sister.  With the fighting in Yemen at least glad that she is alive but damn that is screwed up.

There are copies already in PBS so I will be handing it off or donating it away.

Back Blast--#28 finished

This is the next in the Gray Man series.  A kind of Bourne like series, an ex-assassin for US that was deep inside, had been put on the terminate list by the US.  Shot on sight orders and the last few books about how he has been staying alive and taking contracts to take out bad guys.  This is the one where he wants to find out why he was put on the terminate list.  He gets back into the US and is around DC and trouble start happening.  Interesting stuff and sort of enjoyable if you suspend enough reality to let it happen.  Certainly all things possible but the timing and abilities are just too far out there at times.  Still fun book & fun series.

I will post back on PBS at some point, there are 20 WL for book now so have some time on this.

The 14th Colony--finished #27

The next in Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series.  New president coming into office & the Magellan Billet is being scraped.  Cotton gets sent on one last mission to check into what an ex-KGB officer is up to at the request of the Russians.  Uncovers a leftover Cold War plot that the ex-KGB is starting back up with a suitcase nuc in the US.  Same as most of them, fast paced and interesting.  Couple twists and timing is just too perfect to believe but reading for entertainment so just have to go with it & enjoy.  New president keeps the Magellan Billet up and running after this so the series will continue.

I will be posting it on PBS probably pretty soon.  Still 17 WL for it but it is a mass media paperback so they move faster than other copies.