Devil's Sanctuary--#51 finished

 The rest of the title is:  An Eyewitness History of Mississippi Hate Crimes.  This was written by a MS reporter and a MS lawyer that both grew up in MS in the 1960s.  It is really a shocking account of what was going on in MS at the time.  I had seen some documentaries about the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King Jr but hadn't read anything like the details they discussed in this book.  While it seems to have gotten better I think it is still ingrained in the thoughts and minds of some people.  Almost like fear/hatred of Jewish people in Germany & Eastern Europe is still sort of hiding just beneath the surface.  It is a mindset that I really just cannot understand but makes me thankful for where I grew up & the life I was given.

There is 1 WL for this book but this book is a little rough in areas but I think still postable on PBS so will probably post it some point.  A good book that really needs people to read it.

Dance for the Sea--#50 finished

 This is the 2nd in the Jane Whitefield series.  She is a lady that helps people disappear from the life & get established in a new life.  She is also native American and that plays into her self and into the stories.  This is one where she is trying to help a young child arrive to a court date for his inheritance and the couple helping her are killed.  She was put in jail but gets out but a person from jail also needs her help and ends up being from the same people that were after the child.  She helps the lady but eventually has to with the lady's help go after the bad guys.  Good story and action and some really clever parts as well.  I think I liked this more than the 1st book in the series.

I have posted it on PBS & it is the only copy in system so hope it moves at some point.

Detroit: An American Autopsy--#49 finished

A newspaper reporter that grew up in Detroit and worked at the NY Times, returns to Detroit to work at local paper.  He covers much of the local terrible news going on with the corruption in City Hall, deserted neighborhoods, rampant crime and on and on.  A really depressing read about what was once a great city.  This slide into despair didn't happen over night but has been decades in making.  Book was published in 2013 so maybe a start of a turn around is happening, not really sure but would hope so at least.  A really good read, very interesting even if also depressing.

There are like 4 WL for the book so will post it at some point & send if on.

House of the Deaf--#48 finished

 This is a book that has been sitting on my shelf to be read for a long time and this was the year & time to finally get to it.  A daughter in college goes to Spain to study for a summer and while out for a run is killed by a bomb that ETA had exploded near a police station.  This was about a year later that the father is kind of losing it decides to go to Spain.  His life since his daughter's death has spun out of his control it seems--his wife has left him because he is a shell of himself and she is moving on & becoming a successful realtor.  The younger daughter is in college in the east and the father just kind of shows up at times at her school.  Summer break just started and daughter went home but dad wasn't there, she eventually figures out he went to Spain and tracks him there.  The dad is trying to make sense of this & develops a real hatred for ETA.  Dad meets an American lady there that was married but now divorced but still living there and becomes involved with her but his obsession is still with ETA & the Basques.  He just disappears and soon after the youngest daughter appears and the lady and her team up to find dad.  A little confusing type book and ending too.  Glad finally read it & have posted it.

I have posted it already & it is the only copy in PBS system so might get moved at some point.

Pastrix--#47 finished

The rest of the title is: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint.  The author is a woman that was raised in a very traditional and conservative Christian family.  This really turned her off religion and she talks about her stumbling around her life as a comedian and other things till she found her calling to be a Lutheran pastor.  But not a traditional pastor but one that embraces everyone--homeless, LBGQT+ (I hope I got the letters right), addicts and others that struggle with religion.  She talks about founding her church and the good things they do and their outreach.  Really an inspiring look at religion and how it should be open arms to everyone but really isn't in practice.  This book really made me think.

At this point the book is a keeper but does have around 25 WL for it so could mail off if that changes at some point. 

The Winner--#46 finished

This was a book that has been on my shelf for a long time.  I just looked on PBS & I got this book in June of 2009, the first year I was signed up on PBS.  I think I got it from a 2 or 3 for 1 deal there, I don't think this was a book I would have ordered for a credit alone even back then.  It is a mass market paperback but it is a long one at over 600 pages--probably the reason I hadn't read it before.  Well since last year I made my goal of 100 books(+) read, this year I have looked for some books like this one to read.  I started it before vacation and figured it would be a good one to bring along on vacation and it was.  The story is about a super smart behind the scenes guy that finds a way to rig the lottery and he picks winners and gives them enough money & help to keep them very rich while he takes the money and invests in ways that make him super rich.  But his is also a very evil man and will kill people when needed without a 2nd thought.  The story is about one winner that once she wins she has to go out of the country to get away from troubles--her boyfriend was murdered as a drug dealer & while she didn't do it she is a suspect.  Well being super rich wasn't enough--even after telling her she couldn't ever return to the US after 10 years she does so and evil guy not happy & a reporter on this story tracks her down and people start dying.  Well of course she had a hired guy at super rich mansion that happened to be a super hero ex CIA guy that saves her & evil guy dies.  I really did not like much about this story.  I thought the premise was good and started okay but really should have been much better.  I know the author has written several books and this is probably just an early book of his--oh well, didn't really like it and invested way too much time in it.

This is going in my give away pile, there are over 20 copies in PBS already so no need to pile on there.  Some little library in area will get this and a few other books probably this weekend.

Growing Up St Louis--#45 finished

 I bought this book from the author at a local farmer's market.  It sounded interesting, he interviewed people and/or researched people from each decade of the 1900s about what they remember about the decade from growing up.  Nothing earth shattering or anything, just a nice easy read.  He wrote a page or two before each decade about what was going on in world & US and then about St Louis.  I had higher expectations for the book but was still a nice enough read.

No copies in the PBS system but probably not posting there.  Will probably just keep on hand since it is a local book and author.

The American Way of Eating--#44 finished

 The author a journalist by trade, decides to investigate food from farm to store to restaurant.  She starts by moving to California and getting hired on harvesting different crops--grapes, peaches & garlic are the ones I remember but might have been another one or two as well.  But not only was she doing the job, she gave herself a budget to live off what she was being paid as well.  She stuck out here because she was the only white female in the fields basically, a mostly Hispanic crew of harvesters doing the work.  She was able to rent rooms from people and live with them and really gave a good idea of what a life these people have.  This was probably the most interesting part of the book for me.   She grew up in Detroit area and moved back to get work at Walmart--first one in just part of the store & then later actually in the produce section where she wanted to see how the food made its way through the system.  Then she finished with working at Applebees in New York, she had limited prior experience but was able to get hired on & worked at the line getting the orders ready.  She observed that most food already came pre-made in most cases--the sauces & setups, a lot of re-heating--microwaving and putting with the main dish.  I enjoyed the book and thought it was a really good idea.  I liked the field work section and then the Applebees sections the best and wouldn't mind reading something expanded on these even.

There are like 20 WL for this book so I will post it & mail off at some point.