Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim--#42 finished

Another short story book by David Sedaris.  He has a crazy screwed up family and also crazy screwed up thoughts so makes for good reading.  Some of his stories have semi-serious intent that does make you think but even those are enjoyable humorous stories.  Overall a good read.

There are plenty of copies in PBS already so no reason to post this book.  I will probably keep it at this point like I have his earlier book I read.

Bigfoot Dreams--#41 finished

A tabloid writer in the 1980s life which is already kind of struggling becomes more so when one of her made up stories actually happens.  The paper gets sued & she loses her job.  Not sure on this book, lots of characters that just seem too out there.  I liked the idea of the book but just seem wanting more from it.  I don't know, not a bad read but just seems like some story lines just kind of went away with ending while the book pushed on to an end that didn't really seem like an end.  Oh well, that happens.

I have posted it on PBS, there was 1 WL & I should be mailing it off later this morning.

V is for Vengeance--#40 finished

It had been a while since I had read a Kinsey Milhone book, looks like since the 47th book read last year so maybe not quite a year.  It was time, I really enjoy this series and am dreading that it is coming to an end with no wrap up.  Sue Grafton passed away after writing Y and the family said there would be no Z, the alphabet ends at Y for them.  I certainly understand their feelings about not wanting someone else to carry this series on, but I will certainly miss it.  This series is one that I have kept the books so re-reading it will likely happen at some point too.  This book was about the mob group in town, not a big Godfather type operation but big and powerful enough.  I like that even the baddest guy in the mob was not a cold blooded ruthless killer, seems a little more thought put into the characters than what I often read.  The bad guy is so bad you will be shocked because there is no line he will cross.  This bad guy just seemed kind of stupid and maybe opportunistic in his own way.  Overall a pretty good read, I think others were probably better but again big points for continuing the series with an interesting read.

It will be on my keeper shelf so won't be posting it.  It is in a little rough shape anyway so probably not good enough to post either.

The Cigarette Century--#39 finished

A long & well researched book, at least I assume well research--tons of references in the back of the book.  I liked the info on the history and the beginnings of the research into the health effects of cigarettes.  I am not a smoker so reading this was more for information & entertainment.  The last part of the book dealt more with the legal goings on in the US & then world wide.  While this is important and was good information, just not something I was as interested in.  I think most people know cigarettes bad, big tobacco companies also very very bad, the lengths those companies went to keep the terrible health effects is really a poor reflection on what business should be about.  I probably need to search out a book on the effects of mass consumerism and I would guess cigarettes played a part in pulling us the consumers to the crazy end we are at now.  Oh well, lots of good info but very long book.

There is 1 WL for it on PBS & I have posted it, just waiting for it to be accepted.

Point of Balance--#38 finished

An action adventure book about a doctor that has been chosen to operate on the President of the US.  Somehow an assassin found out about this ahead of time & has set in place a kidnapping of the doctor's daughter so the doctor will be forced to kill the President on the operating table.  Doctor's wife has died before and the wife's family is in the book too.  Sister in law is a secret service agent that doctor gets to help out, not officially because that could cause assassin to kill daughter.  Book has some good stuff but really seemed to just drag out in too many places.  Not a bad read but not close to being a favorite either.

There was 1 WL for the book so I have posted it & will be mailing it off in the next couple of days.

The Blue Tattoo--#37 finished

The Life of Olive Oatman.  I had probably seen Olive Oatman's photo at some point in my life but the memory hadn't stuck.  She was captured by Apache Indians in AZ/Mexico area in the late 1840s.  Her family was moving from Illinois to AZ or California as part of a wagon train.  At a late stop and only about 200 miles from their destination, her father decided to push on, while the few wagons/families with them decided to wait for provisions.  Those remaining 200 miles were tough miles & the family was struggling to get through them, when the Apaches came upon them wanting food and ended up killing nearly the whole family.  Olive & her younger sister Mary Ann were captured, one brother Lorenzo was left for dead but somehow survived, rest were killed.   Sisters were with Apaches for a year as slaves and then were sold to the Mohave Indians.  This writer, I think, did an excellent job of giving a feel for that life and how the sisters were accepted and part of the tribe of Mohave and not slaves.  Mary Ann died at a time of extreme famine in the area and about a year later Olive was returned to an army fort.  Then started the 2nd part of her life where the story of her captivity and the tattoos she had from then thrust her into the limelight.  Writer brought out how Olive was at first used by the first writer about her life with the Indians as a story of white over natives and how his story followed in lines of other captivity stories.  Both gain fame & money from this and Olive was able to eventually establish her own life as a speaker traveling the country earning her living. This was a really interesting story about Olive & I think the author did a very good job of talking about how it fit into the mindset and history of the time.

There are 61 WL for the book so I will get it mailed off at some point on PBS.