Monday, April 30, 2018

City Beasts--#19 finished

Short fiction stories by Mark Kurlansky, good read on most of them.  He incorporated wild animals into the stories in different ways.  Kind of interesting but I like his non-fiction much better.  Not a bad read though.

There are 11 WL for book in PBS so I will get it posted probably sometime soon & get it mailed off to the next person.

War and Peace--#18 finished

Not sure how many times this makes it as reading War and Peace.  Has to be about my favorite book of all time.  Just a great story with great characters.  I have told this before to people, that as I age, it seems I catch something a little different than what I read before.  First time I read it around senior in high school, the battles and warfare--and probably that I didn't know that Napoleon invaded Russia--not much Russian history taught in high school.  The later times I have read it, it seems like I got more out of the interesting court and high society lived in Russia.  Then later the families and relationships going on.  This time, not really sure but the whole Moscow burning seems to be something I have read before but now I seem to understand it more, no idea why or maybe just my poor memory of what stuck with me from earlier reads.  Very interesting and very good book, I recommend it to everyone that is a reader and if not a reader suggest reading something a little shorter before tackling this.

This is a keeper copy, so won't be going to PBS.  Also is kind of beaten up so probably couldn't post there anyway.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

The Story of a Marriage--#17 finished

A book that was not what I was expecting.  Really good read that makes you think, although by the end you just wanted to force the 3 main characters to sit down & talk about all this together.  It started with WWII, boyfriend & girlfriend, he gets draft card but his mother doesn't want him to go.  She keeps him home stashed in an upstairs bedroom for months while only the girlfriend visits--makes it look like taking piano lessons.  Eventually he is found & is sent to the war.  They loose touch, girlfriend had to move away in disgrace and goes to CA.  After war bumps into boyfriend and while he has mysterious air about him--not unusual because of the war & he was injured in war too.  They date & then marry and have a son.  Then a stranger appears into their lives, a wealthy white man--young couple are black.  Come to find out more about happenings in all lives but two men were lovers and rich guy says husband wants to join him.  This is where husband & wife don't talk about anything.  Throw in a young teenage white girl that is seducing husband and there is a lot to consider here.  Given the time of the '50s, Korean war going on, I guess people didn't talk about stuff--not sure I buy it.  Oh well, few twists & turns.  Good read, certainly kept me guessing in parts.

I have posted it on PBS, there was 1 WL but they didn't want an ex-library copy so it is on my PBS bookshelf now waiting.  Book is 10 years old so who knows how long the wait will be.

Monday, April 16, 2018

Best Practices from America's Best Churches--#16 finished

This book, like the other one just posted, are book edited books.  This is just published talks that happened at a conference.  Some ideas but not sure how applicable to my church.  Throughout the book, it seemed as though changes happened & church became successful, just wonder if it has lasted at these churches or not.  I should probably check back in on them if I could.  Just wondering.

I have posted this on PBS, there is 1 copy already there.  I am guessing not a big rush to get this book so it will probably be sitting on my PBS shelf for some time.

Gangsters, Swindlers, Killers, Thieves--#15 finished

A book with quick write-ups about 50 American villains.  Some interesting stuff and well some just not so much.  Not sure how they came up with the list, lots of 1930s to 1960s mob types.  Nothing too much here.

Book is a ex-library book that is in rough shape, it will go to my give away pile.