Bluebeard--#70 finished

 This is a Kurt Vonnegut book, it has been years & years since I have read any Vonnegut--maybe back in some college class?? not sure.  This is a beat up mass market book that went on vacation with me and just finished up now.  A good read about an Armenian artist that was part of the New York Expressionist movement--Vonnegut puts this fictional character amongst the other known artists.  The artist is in his 70s now & an interesting cast of characters around him that keeps the action moving between his current time & telling the story of his life--he was writing his memoirs.  An interesting & fun read.

This copy is way to beat up to post, probably just donate away.

Nightlife--#69 finished

I have read a bunch of Thomas Perry books in the last few years.  Generally pretty good, clever sort of action/detective type stories from different perspectives.  This is probably one of my least favorites of his. Seems like he has a couple characters he thought about developing into a series with them but just didn't materialize.  The bad person in the book, a sort of crazy lady that was getting away with murder.  She had several points where she could have walked away to a degree but didn't do so, not sure I ever bought into her character.  Oh well, can win them all.

There are already 2 copies in system & is an older book but since he is a pretty popular author I will go ahead and post it onto my bookshelf in PBS and see what happens.

Gray Mountain--#68 finished

While on vacation it seems as if I have to read a John Grisham book, some times a Stephen King book--but not this year.  This was just a good quick read by Grisham about a lawyer from big firm in NY City that is furloughed during the 2008 economic crisis, she takes an internship year in a poor small Appalachian town in western Virginia.  Because she was big city lawyer dealing with corporations, she never really saw clients and never saw inside of courtroom either.  Now she was faced with this & learned on the fly from other local lawyers.  Good read about local people in poor circumstances and of course there were the evil coal companies and their lawyers as well to spice up the story.  

I finished it on vacation and handed it off right away as well, just like a good Grisham book should.  No reason to post because probably already enough other copies in system anyway.

Phantoms--#67 finished

This is one finished on vacation.  This is the story of 2 families in Northern California--one white family that owned land with fruit trees and the other a Japanese family that immigrated to area and became their friends and worked the fruit trees.  WWII happened and the Japanese family was sent to an internment camp--the oldest boy was able to enlist in the army and fought in Europe.  The white family's boy fought in the Pacific and was killed.  When the war was over the Japanese family did not move back but instead moved to Oakland.  This story is told in the '60s by a cousin of white family by being an intermediary between the wives.  An interesting story and interesting on how it was presented as well with the author also fighting his demons from Vietnam while also hearing about what really happened between the families.  Good read.

There were no copies in system so I did go ahead and post this book, will see if it moves.  It is a newer book from 2019 so I would expect it to be requested at some point yet. 

Estranged--#66 finished

This is a memoir that was a tough read.  The author was physically but probably mostly emotionally abused by her dad.  It was not a constant thing though, at times he was loving & caring but blowups happened and really affected the author.  She was also dependent on her parents obviously growing up but also through college & grad school and some beyond.  Eventually though she cut off all contact with parents, a tough decision she made in order for her sanity & also because she started raising a family.  I am not sure I could do that and I am not sure that she convinced me in the book that it was necessary but this was her decision to make.  A tough read but one where try to put yourself in her shoes and then also into her parent's shoes--rough for everyone.

There are no copies in system so I will post this & see what happens.

The Heavens--#65 finished

 A strange sort of book.  Characters in real life but one of them a young lady named Kate, dreams about England & the time of Shakespeare and things happen in her dreams which causes changes in her real time she believes.  Her & Shakespeare are people like this.  Kind of confusing and how she manages her real "today" life basically puts her in the nut house.  Interesting concept, confusing and not really entertaining in the book.  A different sort of book.

There are 6 WL for this book and I will get it posted & mailed off at some point but again have enough credits so no reason to just yet.

One of a Kind--#64 finished

This is a biography of Stu Unger, a guy many say was the best poker player that lived.  Interesting and tragic life.  Sounds like a helluva card player but also addicted to action so lost lots of money on other gambling--horses & sports betting.  Then since he lived in '70s, '80s & '90s became addicted to drugs and at end of life crack.  The only 3 time winner of the World Series of Poker and winner of several other tournaments and helped popularize the game but died before it exploded in late 90s or early 2000s.  Overall just a sad story of his life and what could have been if he could have controlled some of his demons. 

There is 1 WL for this book so will probably post it soon & mail off but have enough credits right now.