Everybody Lies--#103 finished

 The rest of the title is:  Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet can tell us about who we really are.  This is a researcher that sounds like was one of the first to start looking into Big Data from the internet mostly.  Looking at search results from Google and other sites and try to determine different facts.  Interesting in that it really shows that people basically lie on surveys and on most everything compared to what they are saying and doing on the internet.  He and other researchers can only look at the big data--cannot drill in to individual people but given data from other sources and then this data can see stark differences.  Interesting in that a new way to do research but as he shows it is not perfect and need to look to other sources as well.  This is a book that was leftover from one of my oldest's classes she had to take.  Seems much more interesting than what I had to read back in college.

There are 12 WL for this book and will probably mail off at some point but again not in a big hurry right now.

The Match--#102 finished

 This is 2nd in series and so far only 2 books in series--not sure if more coming or not.  The first book was The Boy From the Woods.  The boy was found living by himself in the woods but was now adult--maybe late 30s probably 40s, not sure.  Anyway, he goes by Wild and is ex-military sort of spy type that did some PI work but now not really sure what living off.  First book was good and I had the 2nd so figured to jump on it.  It is about Wild trying to track down relatives to find out more of where he came from.  This tracking down family ends up with him trying to find a lost celebrity that is also the main subject in a murder investigation.  Like first book a good page turner and a decent enough story to keep you interested.  I wouldn't mind if series continues and I think it would, but never know I guess.

There are 32 WL for this book on PBS, I just mailed off that first book a couple weeks ago.  No big hurry for credits right now so figure will sit on it for a while.

All Happy Families--#101 finished

 This is a memoir but not really sure why it was written.  An interesting read that sort of revolves around the writer's wedding day in 1983, where a few days before that her father falls into a coma and dies the day after the wedding.  She talks about her family with many interesting characters and lives along with her husband's family.  Interesting to see the differences and then a few years later what becomes of his family.  Then he is no longer with them getting a divorce.  Some interesting people and things that are memorable but a more obscure point I guess in reasons for writing this book.

There were no copies in PBS when I finished & posted it right away and it has now been requested so I will be mailing it off in the next day or two.

Blue Angel--#100 finished

 Book number 100 finished already & it is not even Thanksgiving.  I finished it during last week so been a few days ago.  I was holding this book when the Texas Rangers won the World Series--this was my team growing up.  Moving to St Louis have to cheer for the Cardinals but Rangers still one of my teams too.  

This is a book about a small college professor that has a good life but is also a writer that is unable to write anything.  He falls for a talented girl he is teaching and encourages her writing and they start flirting.  He does give in to her & tries to sleep with her and then his life unravels.  A sort of twist at the end is a nice change from what I thought was coming.  Kind of a guy in midlife crisis and handling it poorly.

There were already 2 copies in PBS system and I added a 3rd.  I liked one of the other books by this author Bigfoot Dreams--don't remember much about it other than I liked it.

Brothers--#99 finished

 The rest of the title is:  What the Van Goghs, Booths, Marxes, Kelloggs & Colts Tell Us About how Siblings Shape Our Lives and History.  The author is one of the Colts, not a famous family but just his own that he includes details of their lives along with writeups about the other more famous people & families mentioned.   Really sounded like an interesting read but really gets bogged down at points.  This book was a struggle to get through.  Interesting facts and info about the other families but just too long in try to force a narrative where didn't alway seem to go.  Also left wondering about family dynamics with sisters, no real mention in this book about that.  

I have posted it on PBS, it is the only copy in system.  When I started reading it there was 1 WL for the book and I figured I would post & mail but that WL went away by the time I finished.  Oh well I figure it will go at some point.

The 716 Love & Consequences--#98 finished

 This is one that I read for something a little different.  It is a self published book and you can tell by the editing--misspellings, capitalizations wrong, a = sign where just didn't belong.  It wasn't as noticeable at the beginning of the book but the last 100 pages or so was really bad.  The story well, that also seems a little far-fetched.  It is about some young 20 somethings in Buffalo in the 1990s where most of the guys are into dealing drugs and the girls are the hottest things around.  Lots of sex and crazy living.  And by sex well it was maybe close to porno type in reading it--a sort of mature audiences only thing.  I tried to look up the author and found an Amazon listing for book with a different ISBN so maybe it got cleaned up some.  The author is a woman and that sort of changed my opinion somewhat at least on the sex scenes--more of women embracing the whole sexual revolution thing instead of a guy writing dirty sex with hot young things.  Oh well, not a very good book but some potential it seems.

I have posted it on PBS because why not, maybe someone will want it.  It is an autographed copy, not that that really matters much.  I have a copy of the self published on my PBS bookshelf but not sure how long will keep them--might have to get donated away.  I bought them a a library sale shelf so might be going back there.

Sirens--#97 finished

 An interesting read about a down on his luck police detective in Manchester, England.  He is caught stealing drugs from the evidence and is basically threatened with being off the force and prosecuted for this but is given an undercover job that is sort of off the books as a way to get back into good graces.  A lot about the drug culture and issues in Manchester which is not something I have read about so in that way it was interesting.  The story and characters were good and it kept you guessing until the end.  A good read overall.

I had posted it on PBS & it has already been requested so I will be mailing off in the next few days.  There were no WL for the book but it was the only copy until it was requested.

The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy--#96 finished

 This is a book with several writers hitting on topics dealing with the TV show The Big Bang Theory and matters of philosophy, etc.  I thought it looked interesting several years ago when I put it on my WL in PBS and a couple years ago I received it.  I finally got around to reading it and while parts were good, overall not really what I was expecting.  The articles are written after the 4th year and since I watched the show I knew there was more to it than what was being discussed.  Also most of the articles were more academic and less humor--which is what I was expecting so not really what I wanted.  Oh well.

I have posted it back on PBS, it is the only copy in system so maybe it will move at some point.