Beautiful Things--#32 finished

This is Hunter Biden's memoir.  It talks a lot about how close he & his brother Beau were.  Also a lot about Hunter's many, many struggles with addictions--alcohol and crack especially.  Does give details about his life and business life that seem to get glossed over during the many attacks against him.  A kind of sympathetic figure when looked at on a political basis.  He was not running for office but became a political football for the right--an easy target.  While his struggle with addiction to many shows a weakness, it is an addiction.  The amount of money he blew on drugs and living that druggie lifestyle was enormous and probably why he didn't have money to pay the taxes, that is on him.  I just don't believe he would have been prosecuted as much if not related to the president and seen as a political football.  Oh well, I hope he stays on a good path.

There are no copies on PBS now.  I will probably post at some point but for now just setting aside. 

Save Me the Plums--#31 finished

This is a memoir by Ruth Reichl about her time as the editor in chief at Gourmet magazine.  The changes she made over the 10 years and also about the coming internet and the battle magazines had to survive.  The magazine closed up abruptly while she was trying to keep it relevant.  An interesting read about a magazine that I probably only picked up a couple times in some waiting rooms.  Kind of makes me wish I had paid a little more attention to it than I had.  It also seems to harken back to when magazines and New York magazines especially and the power they had.  Just seems crazy when she talks about the location, the expenses, the ravish parties--just a different world.

There are 13 WL for this book on PBS so will get it posted at some point down the line.

The Lives of Edie Pritchard--#30 finished

The story of Edie Pritchard goes from the 1960s when she was married to a twin but the other twin was also in love with her.  Through the divorce & her running away, to a new marriage and then finally no longer married but having to help her grandchild.  I have read a couple other books by author and all were based in Montana and people struggling in life.  Was a good and entertaining book.

There are 3 WL for this book on PBS so setting aside now but probably post at some point.

Black Klansman--#29 finished

An African American police detective in Colorado Springs, CO in 1979 sees a KKK ad and fills out info & mails off thinking ad was probably a joke or something.  Instead he gets a response and starts an investigation of the KKK there.  He talks to them on the phone and sets things up to meet where he involves another detective that is white to pose as him to join the group.  This is during the David Duke time in the KKK before he gains a more national status.  Good information about what it was like then and there and just about the times.  Book was only written years later in 2014 by the detective Ron Stallworth and turned into a movie.  I haven't seen the movie but remember hearing about it.  Today's white christian nationalism movement seems to share a lot of the KKK motivations, seems like that undercurrent is always around, which is very sad to say.

I have posted it on PBS and it is the only copy in system so maybe will get requested, will just have to see.

Wild Horses--#28 finished

This was a mass market paperback, one of the older ones that actually fits in a pocket okay.  I needed a book like this for doctor's appointments and this one was sitting there at home.  Not a bad read, lots of bad people and bad things happening.  A kind of depressing book in many ways even though the main character Allison comes through at end and maybe future looks bright but still a lot of ugly to get there.  

I have already posted it back on PBS, it was also a 2nd book found for an order so putting back out there on PBS.  It is only copy in system. 

Diamond in the Rough--#27 finished

This is a memoir by Shawn Colvin a folk singer that started in 1980s and playing through today.  I am not into folk singing--I like some Bob Dylan when it comes on but that is about it.  I don't think I have heard any of Shawn Colvin's songs but she has won some Grammys so maybe I have and just don't know it.  I ordered this book when on PBS someone offered me a book and I try to find a 2nd to help offset the mailing cost.  Shawn grew up in South Dakota and I think that was the hook that got me to order the book.  She also went to college at SIUC which is close to St Louis.  It is a good read about her struggles at finding her music and earning a living in the business.  Also that she was an alcoholic but has been in recovery for years now.  Also struggles with relationships but does have a daughter.  An interesting life and a good read.

I have already posted it back on PBS and it is the only copy in system.

Fordlandia--#26 finished

The rest of the title is: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City.  In the late 1920s and into the 1930s and early 1940s, Henry Ford of the Ford Motor Company developed a city and a rubber plantation deep into the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.  This was when rubber was still harvested from trees and the British had a kind of monopoly going in Asia and Ford didn't want to controlled by that.  An interesting read about an interesting attempt at this--Americanizing a part of the Amazon just didn't work.  Ford sent people with little to no experience at this in working with Brazilians, developing a plantation, knowledge of the land and jungle and on and on.  Throw in the Great Depression and then WWII along with eventually rubber in the lab and this project was just doomed.  Of course plant disease, growing conditions, worker problems, etc were going to end this badly as well.  I remember seeing a TV docu show about this and looked up this book from that.  I eventually got it through Thrift Books around Christmas.  A good and interesting read, maybe not exciting but kind of a slow motion car accident type read--you knew it was ending badly and it was at times work to get through, just wanted to find out about the ending.

There are 4 WL for this book on PBS but since have plenty of credits it will get stacked with others waiting till a time in the future to mail. 

I Will Find You--#25 finished

This is a newer book by Harlan Coben.  A young boy is murdered and the father was drunk and passed out.  The father is found guilty of using a baseball bat to kill his son basically in his sleep/drunken state.  He is serving life in prison where a family friend is warden.  A sister in law visits and shows him a picture with his son in the background from a few months ago.  A kind of crazy prisoner tries to kill the guy, a prison guard tries to kill him so warden helps him escape.  Him with sister in law tracks down and finds son.  Throw in a couple really kind of stupid acting FBI investigators along with a mob boss and things are really jumbled.  At least story keeps moving forward quickly enough that you don't realize how often these side characters are just thrown aside as two dimensional people.  Just think this could have been a better story, seems like it was rushed or just several ideas floating around shoved together for a story.

There are 25 WL for this book, last I checked--just checked now and at 22 WL on PBS for this book.  Will post & send off at some point if I ever need credits there again.

The Cat--#24 finished

This is a tough book to read.  The mother of a young boy is already a kind of loner.  The ex-husband is nearby but with a new family.  The mother has a birthmark on her face that has sort of tormented her and part of why she is a loner.  Well her you boy is killed when a car goes off the road and strikes him while he was playing in their front yard.  The mom basically wants to die as well but for a cat they had adopted and was a loved pet of her son.  She realizes she has to stay alive to take care of this cat.  Slowly she does find a way to persevere with life and finds people from her past to help on this.  While there will always be a kind of hole, she is able to move on in a sense.

There are no copies in PBS system and will probably post at some point.  I just posted some books and have to mail them off so don't need to post this and have it get requested right away--will wait a week or two.

Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me--#23 finished

This is a book with different chapters written by those family, friends and/or victims of Chelsea Handler practical jokes or just plain painful attempts at jokes.  Funny in ways and fits with her previous books.  It is light and easy reads and that is what I was looking for.  It has to be tough when she is your boss and she is obviously setting you up but you sort of have to also believe her.  Since at this point and I guess still she is successful and I think genuinely really likes the people, there is no real blow back on this either.  Just must be a sort of crazy life if you are around her.

Maybe surprisingly the Chelsea Handler books are mostly a keeper for me at this point.  Not really sure why but I guess why not.   

My New American Life--#22 finished

I have read a couple other books by the author Francine Prose and her books always seem to be entertaining and come from a different angle than expected.  I didn't know much of what to expect on this one other than an immigrant in the US.  A young Albanian woman comes to the US as a tourist but had planned to overstay that and remain here--kind of timely for our current times.  She finds a position as a live in helper to a father and a teenage son--she is to help the son grow up and stay on top of homework, etc.  A family friend/lawyer is helping her gain legal status too.  The wife/mother had just left them on a Christmas Eve--said going to store but ends up sending postcards from different places--she has sort of lost her mind in a way.  Lulu the main character has settled in but then 3 Albanian men come to the house and get involved with her without the husband and son knowing.  At times funny, sad and just pushing along.  A different sort of read but still mostly entertaining.

There is 1 WL for this book on PBS so may try to post soon.

E is for Evidence

This is the next in the Kinsey Milhone series by Sue Grafton.  I needed a smaller paperback to read while at a doctor's office waiting for my appointment and grabbed this one.  Lots of moving parts on this and not sure really made sense--didn't like the bad guy was introduced but only at very end was revealed he was a killer that remade his life and married into the business family.  A crazy guy who was also working at business as wealthy, not sure it all works but was still a fun quick read.  An ex-husband shows up and shows why she is lucky he is not around too.

This is a keeper series for me so, it will go back on my shelf.

Dark Territory--#20 finished

The rest of the title is:  The Secret History of Cyber War.  A lot of good background info on computers and hacking.  Goes from the 1970s to when published in early 2016.  Not really hacking on the business side as much as on the spying and attacks on the government and military sides.  Also obviously with the US wanting to spy on others but also defending against the spying & attacks on our computers.  It seemed funny to me that a lot of the same people from the 1990s were still around in the 2000s and 2010s in leadership or advisory positions.  It just seems like the whole internet and applications tend to go with younger founders and startups but in the government leadership that experience still matters--or maybe these are people dedicated to our government while others are looking to make that quick buck.  Good read for up to when published but seems like in 10 years since a lot more has been happening and could be interesting to see a follow up.

There are 2 WL for this book on PBS so might try to post & mail off at some point but still have plenty of credits so not sure how soon will post.

All the Beloved Ghosts--#19 finished

This is a short story book with most of the stories in England where the author lives now and teaches.  The first couple stories are in Canada where she grew up.  Then there are also 3 stories of Anton Chekhov, that were really good and interesting.  This is a very nice mix of story types and all have a real touch of reality.  A good quick short story book.

There were no copies in PBS system so I posted it and it got requested right away so I will be mailing it off in the next few days.

Dying of Whiteness--#18 finished

This book was actually finished at end of Feb but just now logging it in.  The author is a researcher at Vanderbilt Univ but grew up in Kansas City.  These are the areas he looks at.  First is MO and the states gun laws, laws that have made it easier to get and carry guns in MO have also shown an increase in suicides by gun in MO.  It is mostly by white people here.  He has focus groups in all areas & in MO they discuss the people with real attachment to their guns--scary and kinda crazy to me all at once.  Next he looks at healthcare in TN.  TN does not expand medicare and a whole discussion of ACA.  Again with focus groups he finds that white men don't want to expand the healthcare because minorities or illegals would abuse it.  One guy he finds and talks to, has health issues that could be addressed in a neighboring state but doesn't want the health issues addressed because ACA and cost--again just craziness.   Finally he goes to KS and looks at their schools.  The tea party/MAGA groups there cut taxes for rich and doing so cut money to public schools.  He discusses how KS public schools were always very good, mostly top 10 in nation before this period.  Once the money cuts came there was a quick drop off.  The drop off not only affected the more minority districts but also the majority white districts.  

Really good research but was a little much on the details for my taste.  Also the font was too small for my enjoyment--I guess I am getting older and like a larger font.

There are 12 WL for this book on PBS but have plenty of credits so no hurry to post and ship off at this point.

Stupid and Contagious--#17 finished

A light kind of humorous romantic comedy read.  I had picked it up I guess at a library sale but didn't realize until looking at it later that the author is the daughter of Tina Louise--the actress from Gilligan's Island--the movie star Ginger.  I found that kind of funny but also good to see a child of a movie/TV star being successful.  Book was written in 2006 so an older book so need to take a little step back in technology. A couple of kind of screwups become neighbors and she drives him crazy but in the end they realize they are a good match & it is happily ever after kind of thing.  Nice read, wanted something light since had some serious and or depressing reads before and during this one.

There was 1 copy in PBS system so I did go ahead and post this one too.  Will see if ever gets requested or not.

Memoirs of a Byzantine Eunuch--#16 finished

This is a book that has been on my shelves for probably about 15 years if I had to guess.  One of those library sale pickups for a quarter or 50 cents that looked interesting so bought it.  I finally got around to reading it and conflicting opinions on it.  Lots of history that author supposedly tried to stay true to but also a ton of debauchery and basically awful behavior by almost everyone in the book.  It is about Constantinople in late 800s or maybe early 900s.  Emperors, church, warring parties and a lot of what has were like vs have nots.  Interesting reading but still a lot that seemed put into the novel for shock's sake too.

There were no copies in PBS & I have already posted it in system.  Will see if it goes anywhere.

Original Sins--#15 finished

This is a memoir by a British writer Matt Rowland Hill.  He father is a Baptist pastor in England and his mother was probably more strict that his dad about religion.  As author got older and questioned more and more of the family's beliefs, he started rebelling in ways with first drinking and then drugs.  This developed into a heroin addiction.  A lot of this book is about that and then a couple of his attempts to get clean.  It is a pretty rough read with his struggles with addiction and family.  

There is 1 WL for this book on PBS so will probably try to post soon and mail off but still have too many credits too.  Guess will just have to see.

When All is Said--#14 finished

This is about an old man kind of retelling his life in a series of toasts to people that were important to him.  He is sitting at a bar in a hotel--formerly a house of the rich family in area--giving the toasts in silence I guess to his son.  His son moved to America as an adult and the dad is in Ireland.  A good mix of people in his story and some real feelings positive and negative to him as well.  He had a hatred for the rich family and by end maybe a little softening.  While could see the end coming, not sure it really fit in my opinion.  A good read, author's first book so a lot of credit for this because it is an interesting story.

There are 26 WL for this book on PBS so will go on my shelf to get mailed off at some point if I ever need the credits.  

Vera Kelly is not a Mystery--#13 finished

This is the 2nd book of the Vera Kelly books by author.  They are set in the 1960s.  In the first book Vera was part of the CIA in Argentina and had to find her way out after getting stuck there during a coup.  This book she is in New York and being out of a job starts a private eye business.  The one case she has is to track down a boy.  His parents caught up in the Dominican Republic coup/political mess sent him to New York to avoid enemies.  Being 1960s things seem slower and probably easier to disappear.  A good read and also touches on her relationships with girlfriends--she is a lesbian and her relationship with her mother.  A good quick read, will try to track down the next book in series.

There are no WL and no copies in system at PBS.  I might post it but still have way too many credits and no offers coming to use them up so might just set aside at this point.

The Moroccan Girl--#12 finished

A kind of spy book.  A British author is recruited to help out the British government on a trip to Morocco.  The author was going to a book festival where he was speaking on a panel.  He writes about spies and all that kind of stuff, his father worked in that before too but was pushed out at one point.  The author, Kit, agrees to help out.  He does a meeting at a restaurant and was then supposed to look for a lady & give her something if he finds her.  It ends up he does find her but at same time the CIA & Russians are also looking for her and Kit realizes that his British contact may not in fact be from the British Agency but instead helping someone else--probably Russians.  A good story with a lot of twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing.  The actual writer has a few other books so will probably see about tracking some down.

There are no copies on PBS but the pages while not stained are a little stiff--not sure why but for that reason will not post on PBS and instead see about putting in a free library or something like that.

You Never Know--#11 finished

This is Tom Selleck's memoir an interesting read about his life and some of the shows he was on.  Magnum PI is the most talked about but at end touches on Blue Bloods--I didn't either of these shows.  Growing up I think CBS was seen as more old person shows--not sure why but just what I remember so never watched Magnum.  Kind of wish maybe I did but not going to track this down either.  Not really sure why I had grabbed this book to read, it was on my shelf and I knew of Tom Selleck, I think I had seen a couple of his movies but was still interesting about how he got into TV & movies and just his life in general.   Good interesting, quick kind of read.

There are 30 WL for this book on PBS but still have a bunch of credits so not posting anything at this point.

A Blaze of Glory--#10 finished

This is the 2nd series by author--he did a 3 book series on the eastern part of the Civil War, this is another 3 book series but on the western part.  This first book is on the Battle of Shiloh.  Back in college days on a trip to Nashville with a couple buddies, we veered off & went to the Civil War site of Shiloh.  This was about 30 years ago and I still remember parts of that, reading this book reminded me.  Lots of trees with also open fields between.  The bloody pond, the peach trees and the Tennessee River where Grant was with no way out unless on boats.  The river was just a kind of reminder that if the Confederates had succeeded in pushing the Union back to the river, the whole outcome of the Civil War changes--Grant's western army would be in pieces and Grant probably replaced & would never see taking over the whole army.  This is a very good telling of the story--obviously fictional in many ways but truthful in outcomes.  Good read about a very important time in our US history.

This is a keeper book for me, just need to make time to get to the next 2 books in series.

When Skateboards Will Be Free--#9 finished

This is a memoir by Said Sayrafiezadeh, he has a Jewish American mom and an Iranian father but both were socialists if not communists.  His dad left him at around 4 I think and so did his older brother & sister--they went to stay with the dad.  Said was left with his mother and they lived in poverty in the 1970s.  Eventually they moved to Pittsburgh and while in junior high the Iran hostage crisis happened.  His dad was then in Iran and his mother was supporting Iran in their overthrow of the Shah and the imperialist powers--US included.  He voiced this opinion at school and basically lost his friends.  The book is written between talking about growing up and what he was doing at time he was writing book.  Sounds like still a lot of socialist ideas are supported but also doesn't sound all that political either.  His life was/is a struggle but sounds like has gotten better, by end of book is dating and planning future with his girlfriend.  Just can see in pages where the ideas pushed on him made his life very difficult.

There are no copies on PBS but this copy isn't stained by is does have yellow spots on majority of pages.  I got it from PBS but worry about posting & someone not accepting it.  Not sure if will post or not yet.

D is for Deadbeat--#8 finished

This was next on my re-reading of the Kinsey Milhone mysteries.  Things always come together at end which is nice.  Enough bad guys to kind of make you wonder about the kind of low life people in your neighborhood but hopefully not as much crime going on as happening for Kinsey.  A drunk driver that killed 5 people is just out of jail and hires Kinsey to deliver a cashier check to a 15 year old boy--the boy that lost his family in the accident.  The guy is soon found dead and there starts the investigation.  Good quick read.

This series is on my keeper shelf so this book will go back there.  Will pull next one when I am looking for another quick read.

Midnight Black--#7 finished

This is the next in the Gray Man series.  It is a really good series and is staying timely as well with the action being in Russia and Ukraine.  The Gray Man, Court, is trying to get into Russia with a crazy attempt to rescue the woman he loves.  He comes to find out she has not been executed but is instead located in a prison in Russia, the same woman's prison where the wife of a dissident is also located.  The dissident that ran for president of Russian against the Putin in the story is in prison 10-15 miles away.  With help from US, a band of ex-Russian fighters and Ukrainians a plan is formed to invade Russia on this rescue.  Court inside Russia with some fighters there, all work together to free hostages and make it back out.  Lots of good details and fighting.  Story will continue too, interesting to see where could be going next.

There are 18 WL for this book on PBS so it will go onto my shelf to post at some point.  Still have too many credits so not posting anything right now.  Did get a request for a book on shelf so mailing that one off in next day or so.

Exile on Main St--#6 finished

The rest of the title: A Season in Hell with the Rolling Stones.  The Rolling Stones just left England for tax reasons, I guess people that own their songs, etc haven't been paying taxes & now the band owes them--maybe not too sure about that.  Keith Richards has rented a mansion in south France and rest of band gets places nearby.  Not as much in the book about the making of this album, sounds like some songs came from earlier sessions but didn't make the earlier records.  A lot of talk about the people and going ons at the mansion--the drug use, crazy happenings, crazy hours, etc.  Just a different time with the end of the '60s and many many people around them all becoming addicts too.  I thought I would enjoy this book more since I really like this album but was just okay.  Still a good dive into what was happening back then.

There are no copies in PBS system but this will go as a keeper with some other Rolling Stones books I have. 

The Angel of Rome and Other Stories--#5 finished

A really good short story book by Jess Walter.  I haven't read anything by him before but will have to look for more of his stuff.  A lot of fun stories here, the title story about a college student stuck at home that his mom finds a way to get him to Rome to study Latin and while there bumps into a movie set & meets an American actor and fun just continues.  Some of the stories are like this more light-hearted but with a good story and others more serious.  Like I said just a really good short story book.

There are 7 WL for this book on PBS but since have plenty of credits & few books getting sent to me, no hurry to send off and might just put on a keeper shelf anyway.

Terrorist--#4 finished

I hadn't read a John Updike book in a long while and this is one had for a couple years on my shelf so figured now was the time.  Written in 2006 so after 9/11 and while into the wars in the Middle East.  A serious high school student being raised by his single mother and Irish nurse after his father left when he was very young.  His father was Egyptian and a Muslim and this drew him to a mosque when he was 11.  The inman there helped him study and from these studies came to embrace Islam and reject the western world, especially the consumerism of the US.  A high school guidance counselor encourages him to go to college and continue his education but he has already decided to become a truck driver from advice from the inman.  The inman sets up him with a job that a few months into it is going to trigger a terrorist bombing with him as suicide driver.  The guidance counselor after cheating on his wife with the boy's mother, hears about a possible attack and tracks down the boy as he is driving the truck.  In the end he talks him out of the attack.  The ending seemed a little quick and unlikely but overall the writing was very good, good characters and descriptions.  A good read overall.

There are already 8 copies of this book on PBS and a few more as paperbacks.  I will not add to that.  I will put in the give away pile I have and hope someone else can enjoy it.

Molly Brown--#3 finished

This is the Titanic famous Molly Brown, even though she was probably never called Molly until after her death--Margaret or maybe Maggie.  The rest of the title: Unraveling the Myth.  This is really an amazing book, the amount of research that it had to take to get the details of Margaret Brown's life is astounding.  Really amazing what she is most famous for her actions on the Titanic but really more the myth of her actions then are just a small, small part to the person she was.  Growing up in Hannibal, MO and moving to Colorado at first Leadville and then once her husband strikes riches to Denver.  Probably because she grew up poor to middle class--however that define in the late 1800s, she did not forget about the poor and working class people.  She helped the miners in CO both the mines she was part owner of as well as union miners fighting for better everything later.  She helped the Catholic church with fundraising, she helped orphans and was eventually a big time supporter of women's suffrage.  She also was as a woman an individual that had to deal with separation from her husband--he had become a different person in mind after a stroke but she would not divorce him.  As a woman at that time she traveled alone or in a group all around the world, she took her children to Europe and put them in boarding schools there or on east coast.  She lived as part of the moneyed Gilded Age in Newport, RI with the other famous families of that time.  A really remarkable person for the time.

My copy of this book is water damaged and has stains on pages, just a bad copy.  I cannot put on PBS but might be a keeper at least for now.  It also has small font which made reading this that much tougher especially at times it seems the stories repeated themselves so it was a long read but info was very interesting.

Days of Grace--#2 finished

This is a memoir by Arthur Ashe a famous African American tennis pro from 1970s and then coach & commentator about tennis after that.  He was also one of the first athletes to find out they had HIV and then AIDS--his from a blood transmission after a heart surgery in the 1980s.  I knew he had a St Louis connection but this wasn't really discussed in this book.  I didn't know he had written a few other books before this one so they might have covered that St Louis part more.  This one was written right before he died of AIDS and reading the book with that in mind was always sad.  He talks a lot about his life and his health and the time after he retired from tennis.  Maybe not what I was expecting but still a good read.  This is a book that was on my shelf for a few years so figured now was time to get it read.

There are copies already on PBS so I will not post this one there.  I will put it in my give away pile.

Adjustment Day--#1 finished

The first book finished for 2026.  I finished it a few days ago but just now logging in.  This is a strange book by Chuck Palahniuk who also wrote Fight Club.  I have not read that book but saw the movie & is a strange movie.  This is about young men sort of fighting back against the powers of politicians, media, elites and I guess everyone else.  For some reason police, fire fighters and military all step aside and let this group kill off all leadership of our country and then divide the country into a Black country in Southeast, a gay country in California and rest a white country.  Black country flourishes without white people around in a kind of Wakanda way.  Gay country is where multi racial families moved to avoid being split up but have to live as gay in hiding or something like that.  The white leadership is around Portland in book and he becomes like a medieval knight/king.  

I thought interesting for a while since Trump and supporters were able to attract that young white male group to vote for them and there was a sort of similarity to this.  Other than that rest is just a strange book that I generally didn't really like.

This copy is a large print copy so no WL for this one but there are WL for the regular hardcopy and paperback in PBS.  Not sure if will post or not since still have plenty of credits and few books getting offered to me in PBS.