A Butterfly's Touch--#95 finished

 This is a self published book from a local author, it is her memoir.  She is young, at least in my eyes for a memoir--I am guessing mid 20s where this was written/published.  A lot of good writing and she really opens up about her life and struggles.  I really thought her writing about her virginity and then losing it was really something a lot of young girls and even boys should read.  Her family struggles with drugs & alcohol really bring a tough reality into her life that makes getting ahead for everyone in her family tough. Her two pregnancies that both ended in miscarriages of a sort are also tough to read.  It was encouraging though that even through that she is trying to hold onto a positive attitude in life.  Because she is young for writing this memoir, I kind of what to know what has come next.  I did google her & she has website to sell this book and another--an anthology she put together and same with her Facebook.  Her bigger focus is the help people write & publish their books.  I do wish her well in everything.

No copies in PBS system, not surprising on self published.  Wasn't sure if going to post or not--not likely gets request but did post it at this point.  Not sure how long will keep on the PBS bookshelf though.

The Accidental Tourist--#94 finished

 This is another book by Anne Tyler, one from early '80s that also became a movie.  I hadn't seen the movie but remember it from looking at boxes at Blockbuster, etc back then.  I enjoyed the first book I read of hers earlier this year and got this one.  This is a little different sort of book--a real sort of uptight and anal guy has troubles in life and wife leaves him.  He sort of bumps into a free spirit type lady and has a connection and eventually moves in.  At some point moves back in with wife and at end not really sure where he ends up.  I can see why movie was made--the characters are interesting and probably somewhat memorable on the screen.  Story is okay but has some good underlying points.  Overall a good read.

The copy I have is beaten up so won't be posting on PBS, it will go in my give away pile.

Off Speed--#93 finished

 The rest of the title: Baseball, Pitching, and the Art of Deception.  An interesting read about the author growing up in small town Iowa that had a town team--semipro team.  His dad played and then later coached and also maintained the field there.  Where I grew up they also had a town team/semipro team that played other towns in the area.  Last I heard it was still going on but I think my hometown team dropped a few years and then came but--not sure if still back or not.  He mixed this growing up with baseball with his reporting on baseball and following his team the Seattle Mariners and a game in which Felix Hernandez threw his perfect game.  These stories revolved around the different pitches thrown in baseball, at least the main ones--fastball, curve, slider, splitter, knuckball, etc.  A good read that I really enjoyed.

There are no copies on PBS and I will probably post it & see what happens.

Them--#92 finished

 The rest of the title is: Why We Hate Each Other--And How to Heal.  This is another book by still Senator Ben Sasse from Fremont, NE--not far from where I grew up.  He will be moving on to become president of the University of Florida in Dec or maybe Jan--something like that.  Makes interesting problem for Gov Ricketts of NE--he wants to be Senator since term limited out of Gov spot this fall but probably doesn't want to appoint himself either.  He will have to find a way to get this done--lol.  As far as the book goes, a lot of interesting and sort of common sense things--people are lonely, people are not attached to where they are living, people don't join local groups/churches/gather for local(high school)sports teams, etc.  I enjoyed the book gives one stuff to think about but not really sure about answers.  I don't see our country suddenly going back to joining the Jaycees, Lions Clubs, churches, etc.  Technology is part of the reason but also time constraints--with commuting and long work hours, just seems like tough to find time for those other activities.  He pointed out a lot of problems but did remember reading any solutions other than encouraging each person to do better.

There are 8 WL for the book on PBS but might be one to loan out to friends first.

God Save Texas--#91 finished

 A good and interesting read.  Author grew up in TX and while moving around some as an adult, moved back & lived most of his life there.  He is a sort of Austin liberal but as a reporter got to know all parts of TX and the people.  I enjoyed parts of it, other parts are just sort of depressing in the way that the Republican party is now depressing.  Interesting histories of the state and the people of the state.  Sort of scary that TX and likewise CA are the two states with such large influences on the rest of the country.  FL, NY, PA & others would like to rise up but those 2 are really the ones and the crazy stuff seen in TX is tough.  I am sure a book about CA would point out more than enough crazy stuff there too in the mostly leftward way.

There are 2 WL for this book so I will get it posted & mailed off hopefully soon.

kaddish.com--#90 finished

 A book about a guy that had left the orthodox Jewish religion and when his father died, he gave away their tradition of prayers for his father to a website.  He came around after this & re-joined and became a teacher of Judaism and probably a rabbi--not really sure.  He married and has a family when a young boy he was teaching brings back the memories of his father & his giving away his sort of birthrite.  He wants to track down this website and get it back--leads him to Jerusalem and the investigation continues.  I didn't really understand a lot of the Jewish references so I know I missed a lot of what the book was trying to tell me.  Story was interesting to a degree but not really what I was expecting.

I have posted it on PBS & it has been accepted, I will get it mailed off later this week.

How to Steal a Car--#89 finished

 This is a young adult book, a 15 year old girl has opportunity to pickup keys that person dropped getting out of his car so she does.  Then she notices he lives a few blocks away and decides to take his car--late at night & go for a drive.  Two of her good friends know and one of them tells her he wants her to steal a Hummer of a guy at school that is bullying him and she is able to get keys from dealer and does this.  They end up putting car into a pond.  From here she gets in touch with an older dropout kid that has stolen cars & she takes on that role.  While this is going on you also get brought into issues with her family & her friends so kind of realize the whole stealing car thing is almost a coping mechanism.  It is a short book but a quick and entertaining read.

I have posted it already & it is the only copy in system.  Is an older book--written in 2009 so not sure if will get requested or not.

Forty Thieves--#88 finished

 This is another Thomas Perry stand alone book, I really enjoyed it.  It is about a husband and wife private investigators hired to follow up on a murder that happened a year ago & police investigation has gotten no where.  The other side of the book is a husband and wife assassins that were hired to kill the PIs.  Took a while to get to who hired the assassins but come to find out a big group of diamond thieves had retired into CA and the guy who was murdered had gotten to close to one of this group so he was killed.  A really good investigation story from both sides.  Interesting read.

There was 1 WL for the book and I posted it but has timed out and is now on my Booklist.  Only copy in system and a good writer I expect it will move at some point probably soon.