Money for Nothing--#50 finished

A guy that falls into a salesman job that is offering cashout payments to lottery winners.  Basically screwing over these people that were already making bad decisions about their money into giving them a lump sum to make even more bad decisions.  I didn't really like the book and I certainly didn't like any of the characters, unfortunately it is a true story.  Yuck.

I have posted it on PBS, there was 1 WL so I hope it gets accepted so I can send this one away.

Building a Bridge--#49 finished

The author James Martin SJ a Jesuit priest writes about the Catholic church and it's relationship with the LGBT community.  I thought a very good and insightful read that looks into the feelings on both sides.  He purposes avoids same sex marriage and sex out side of marriage in this because he says the divide is too great in those areas.  What I read in this book is not controversial to me but I know that the US bishops removed him as a speaker from an event and then was included as a speaker at a Vatican sponsored Family week or meeting where the Pope also came later to in Ireland.  This is the one that as it was concluding the former Papal Nuncio wrote his now infamous letter calling out Pope Francis.  Much speculation on this is the Pope being too liberal for most Catholic conservatives was a big reason for the letter.  I think the church has to answer/figure out the LBGT relationship in order to grow in acceptance of them and vis versa.  The old way of thinking just doesn't match anymore, in this & seemingly in a lot of ways of the church.  I just pray that Pope Francis can continue his work for many years still.

This is a keeper book and will probably be handed around to others that need to read it.

Good News Bad News--#48 finished

A confusing book about two British spies/CIA types that because of screwed up paperwork are working the same location--a film developing store.  They do figure out they are both part of this organization when they also find out they are tasked to killing each other.  Gets confusing because this is being done as an inside job where a higher up that has been running ops is the one behind this. They team up & try to run but a person sent to get them seems to tail them through it all.  Eventually they escape to Canada where one has some money & contacts but gets confusing because it appears he dies but then doesn't but then tries to kill the other.  The other probably kills him & makes off with the money or so it seems at the end.  A little confusing yes but also didn't keep my interest enough to go back & try to sort out if it could be.  Oh well.

I have posted it on PBS, there are 4 copies ahead of it.  I am guessing it probably won't ever move but few enough copies to let it sit on my bookshelf for a while at least.

Getting in Tune--#47 finished

A book about an early '70's rock & roll band from Northern CA.  This is a fictional book but lots of talk and their play list was from the rock of then.  A good read overall about guys that were just out of high school trying to find their way.  They have played all the local dances & locations when they get a call to fill in at a hotel bar in WA & they agree to it.  Of course each band member has stresses in life and in band & it all comes out on the trip.  Nothing great here but still a good read overall.

I have posted it on PBS, it is the only copy so hope it will move at some point.

Sad Bastard--#46 finished

I have had this book on my shelf for a bunch of years and never got around to reading it.  I guess there is a book before this one but figured I would read this one now anyway.  It is in Ireland and the main character is a policeman that is on disability, ran into a burning house to make a rescue and instead had to be rescued.  Sounds like a tough old school type but now has his life kind of falling apart around him.  Him & his wife are separated, he is drinking a lot, his son lives with him & he is kind of wasting his life and the police officer has to go to counseling in order to stay in disability.  Well bad things happen & some of it his own doing but he grows through the book.  Not a bad read but probably should have read the first book.  Oh well.

There is 1 WL for this book on PBS, that is why I figured I would read it so I could mail it off.  I have posted it &it is accepting so should be in the mail next week.

Searching for Fannie Quigley--#45 finished

A lady of the Klondike gold rush, she ended up in Alaska in the late 1890s and lived a tough life there in the wilderness.  She grew up in a large poor family in NE and believed to follow the trains west before going to Alaska.  This is a true history book in that the author has done & shows the research.  The subject is not well known now but in the early 1900s to 1940s she ended up in some magazine articles now & then.  After following the gold a couple times she settled near Mt McKinley and became a stopping point for people visiting the mountain.  Her hard life & hard way of living by a woman at the time was something that amazed the visitors.  A really good & interesting read.

I have already posted it on PBS, there was 1 WL so hopefully I can mail off later this week.

Mistress of the Vatican--#44

A really interesting and good read about Olimpia Maidachini who was the widow sister in law of Pope Innocent X, elected in 1644.  She was nearly forced into a convent by her father but was able to marry into a wealthy family and after having a couple children, her husband died.  She had the inheritance but to keep it had to marry again and did so into a poor noble family.  She was very smart & intelligent about business and was able to increase their wealth.  Her husband again died but now she was setup to where she didn't have to marry and could keep the wealth.  Her brother in law was a smart priest but she helped get him his cardinal appointment and the from wheeling & dealing to be Pope.  The backdoor happenings and the ruthless stealing from the church was eye opening, I had heard that it happened but this book does a great job of really spelling out what was happening.  No wonder the Reformation happened.  Surprised the church has survived through this.  She then became the person people had to go through to get anything done through the Pope or the Vatican, she was the real power broker of the time.  A really good read.

I have had this book for a few years but just hadn't read it till now.  There are still WL for it so at some point I will post it & mail it on.

The Hill--#43 finished

A true story about a pilot that did flights around Mt McKinley in Alaska and how on one flight, he crashed & because of weather was stuck on mountain in freezing storm conditions.  There were 4 people on the plane including him, 2 died within the first day and him and another guy survived.  Their rescue came after 5 days.  He lost the bottoms of both legs, I think right below the knee.  Story about how he recovered and eventually became a commercial pilot.  His marriage ended & he rarely saw his 3 kids and to over come this he realized he had to take the mountain back on.  He started mountain climbing and on his 2nd attempt was able to get to the top of Mt McKinley.  Not a bad read but not really all that interesting to me either.

I have posted it on PBS, it is the only copy but who knows if it will ever get requested.