Wired--#56 finished

I hadn't read a book by this author before but had seen her name on several books.  After I picked this up I saw it was part of a series but figured I would read it & see if I enjoyed it and then look at the series.  This book was a quick read but probably because there just isn't much there.  The characters are just there, lots going on in the story but I think that is to obscure that everyone one in the book was just not that interesting.  I could probably do a better job of describing what I mean but sorry not worth it.  

There are already 10 copies in system and more as paperbacks, no reason to add to this.  This will also go into the give away pile.

The Outsider--#55 finished

 This is stories of the author, Frederick Forsyth's life.  He is one of the writers that I have to credit for my love of reading--The Day of the Jackal and The Dogs of War, were 2 of the books that probably in my junior high days that really introduced me to amazing things in reading.  This is a really good read about his life, some of the main things that happened that made him who he is and influenced his life.  I really good and interesting read.

There is 1 WL for this book on PBS but right now keeping the book, might see if anyone of my friends would be interested in it first before putting on PBS.

Bridget Jones's Diary--#54 finished

 I had seen this movie several years ago and remember it being pretty funny and cute.  I hadn't really looked to read this book but had found it very cheap at a Goodwill and figured I would be a quick cute read.  It was okay, not sure about cute more just a long line of poor judgement and over reactions.  Maybe my memory of the movie is a little hazy but I think this is one where movie is better.

There are already plenty of copies in PBS system so no reason to post it, I will put this in a give away pile and get to one of those little free library spots around here.

Telex from Cuba--#53 finished

A story of the time before Castro of American families in Cuba that the men were managing the sugar plants and fields and a nickel mine while Castro was coming to power.  Written from perspectives of several people--a French arms trader, a dancer/girlfriend to several powerful people in Cuba, a few of the children and the men and wives.  An interesting read about this time in Cuba where so much has changed.

I have posted it on PBS & is only copy in system but no idea when/if will move.

Imperfect--#52 finished

 This is baseball player Jim Abbott's memoir.  Abbot was a lefty pitcher in the 1990s that pitched at Michigan and then the first Olympics that had baseball and pitched & won the gold medal game there.  Then went the next Spring straight into the Angels starting rotation.  Struggled as a young pitcher with no minor league time but was overall successful early on.  Not a strikeout pitcher more of a weak contact type but lost some speed on his fastball and never really developed enough other pitches to make a long career.  He is probably best known for not having a right hand, was born that way and had to learn how to field and throw with just his left hand.  That in itself is pretty amazing and getting to the majors and the success he had is sort of just gravy.  He really gets into his whole early childhood and struggles he had and successes and continues into the deep dive thoughts when he was in the majors.  Book was written about 10 years or so after he was out of baseball, wish had some more about what he was doing since baseball but overall a really good interesting read.

I have posted it on PBS, it is the only copy but again no idea if will move or how long.

The Premonition--#51 finished

 Author Michael Lewis looks at people that researched responses to pandemics in past and wrote a book on it that started under Bush then Obama and then ignored by Trump.  A really interesting read about various people and their contributions to this and then the early response to the pandemic.  The book was published in 2021 so still while the pandemic was going on so don't have a longer view of the response but just the early response.  Really opened my eyes to the CDC as more of a research group than anyone to turn to in how to handle an emergency.  A really good read, will be one that I hand off to friends for their reading as well.

It is one will hand off to friends at this point, if I get it back will probably post on PBS then.  I think the WL is in the 50s right now.

Hour of the Bees--#50 finished

 Well I am halfway to my "read a 100 books this year goal" and it is mid May when I finished this book so off to a very good start.  This book seemed more like a young adult type book, the main character is a 12 year old girl who's family moves from the city to a ranch in the desert of New Mexico to help out their estranged grandpa.  Grandpa, they determined, cannot live on his own anymore & is slipping.  They are there to take care of grandpa and fix up the ranch to sell.  Grandpa & Carolina--the 12 year old, form a kind of special relationship with him telling her a kind of ongoing story.  Book ends sort of weird with her taking older sister's car & getting grandpa out of the retirement home & going back to the ranch.  Overall though an okay read, like I said probably more suited for junior high types than my age group.

I have posted it on PBS & is only copy in system so could move at some point.

The Power Couple--#49 finished

 A couple with their 2 kids--both in older teens--16 & 19 I think, take a 20th Wedding Anniversary to Europe.  She works for FBI & he is a computer guy for NSA.  During trip the oldest--the daughter is kidnapped and what goes from there.  The book also looks back at the couple and their relationship & work issues.  Building forward the issues that brought them to this vacation and the kidnapping.  I wasn't really wanting to read this book because my kids are in that same age range & being kidnapped in a foreign country is just scary.  But when I got the book from PBS, I saw that it had been mailed in Feb, March & then to me in April so I figured I had to keep it going.  I read it & have already posted it & it is accepted.  Will try to get in mail later this week.

Death Benefits--#48 finished

 This is the 2nd in Rachel Gold series by St Louis author Michael Kahn.  Book was written in early 1990s so have to go back into that mindset.  She is still based in Chicago but because she grew up in St Louis & is licensed lawyer in MO is hired by a firm to handle a problem down there.  More problems come up and just makes for a quick read.  My wife had to go to the ER on Friday & I grabbed this book since a small paperback & read it then & finished Monday morning.  

The books in series are on my keeper list since local author.

Path of the Assassin--#47 finished

This is 2nd book in this series with Scot Harvath as the star.  He still come across as an ass at times but still good quick action read.  I have read a few of the later books and enjoy them so know he sort of grows out of some of the being the ass.  He is still working in government but in this book is at first left to his own personal investigation and then later with CIA.  Gets the bad guys in the end and helps save the girl.

Right now keeping these books, already enough in system in PBS so no reason to post.

I Loved Her in the Movies--#46 finished

 Robert Wagner actor that I remember from Hart to Hart and then later a smaller part in 2 & Half Men, talks about the actresses from the 1930s onward.  Interesting to read about some of his interactions with them and how the old time movie studios worked.  Also interesting that many just washed out or gave up in a sense and the longtime stars how they forced their way into roles.  Good read with little glimpses of stars through the years.

I have posted it on PBS, it is the only copy but who knows if it will move or not.