Orange is the New Black--#42 finished

I was surprised I really enjoyed the book.  Really interesting and open and honest look at author's year spent in federal prison.  You can see in the book how she was able to accept her crime & how playing even a small role in drug running can affect people since many of the other women in prison have their own drug issues.  Not much talked directly about the war on drugs but certainly on non-violent criminals basically shouldn't be in jail/prison.  Prisons only seems to teach them to be better criminals or just puts them further behind the eight ball of life.  I don't know any answers to all this but all of the drug convictions seems to just be maintaining the poverty class--families trying to support others in the families while husband, wife, father, mother, etc are doing time.  Author didn't have the poverty background but many in prison did and that is what they were returning too.  It is really tragic for those and unfortunately we don't know how the others ended up.  Good read but still sad in that sense.

There are many WL for it so at some point I will post it on PBS but I have enough credits now so no big hurry to post.  I started a James Patterson book--Witness and still reading Terra something about Australian outback and the terrible treatment of the Aborigines there.  Also reading the latest John Stossel book.  Will probably just stay with these 3 for a couple days.

K is for Killer--#41 finished

This was the next in line in Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone series.  A really good series that is just about at the end of the alphabet.  I do need to step up and read more than a couple a year to get caught up on it.  Good read, interesting case & overall just fun.  This was more on the case and not as much about her personal life.  Looking back on my books read sheets, I read this book in 1998, it seemed familiar but since I had read a handful of these before starting in order just a few years ago I wasn't sure.  I am already looking forward to continuing this so will have start the next in a few weeks probably.

I am also reading Orange is the New Black and Terra Nullius, about the Austrialian no man's land.  Also just started john Stossel's No, They Can't.  Might just go with these 3 for now.

Third Degree--#40 finished

A fast paced action novel.  About everything that could happen, happens all in one day to a family--kind of seat of your pants action--keeps you busy enough with the action that you don't step back and think just not possible.  Not that great of a story but still fun overall.  At least a little different from the military/spy action novels I have been reading.  Also nice not a series, just over after one book.

I have posted it on PBS, but there are over 300 copies of this version of the book, so hundreds more of other paperbacks and hardback probably on the system.  This book won't be going anywhere unless someone throws it in as a extra book to order.  I will leave it posted for now since I might do a deal at some point on my bookshelf.  I have plenty of credits right now on PBS so no worries there, more worry about how slow WL books seem to be coming in.

Tiger--#39 finished

This is a book about Tiger Woods written right after his sex scandal, not sure if that is the correct way to refer to it since it was multiple sexual events but I think everyone gets the picture.  The book does a nice job of talking about his parents and their lives and then into Tiger's life.  Pretty remarkable life for Tiger from little on to now.  It is too bad for his family that all this came out in such a public light, his ex-wife seems to not want the spotlight and putting kids through it is terrible too.  The paparazzi is one of those scourges on our society but of course it is us the public that feeds them.  I guess we just suck.  Oh well, I thought this was a good read, lots of good insight into Tiger and his family.  Also interesting stuff about how the PGA tour really depends on Tiger's name to get viewers and then prize money coming in.

I will be posting it on PBS, there are already 3 copies on the system but figure it should move at some point--once Tiger starts golfing and winning again.

The Reckoning--#38 finished

Interesting characters and decent story, seems like some of it could have been fleshed out a little more.  I enjoyed the book but had a lot going on with it and by end you seem to have a lot of questions.  Not questions on the ending which are there but questions on how it got there, it did explain it but just to me seems like more was needed.  I had read another book by this author and kind of liked it, more of a lukewarm feeling and again I think this is about the same.  I know he has other books out there but not sure if I will try one or not.  Might just wait to see if one stumbles my way.

I have posted it on PBS, there was only 1 WL for it and I figured I should move it if I can.  Still reading Tiger, about Tiger Woods.  Also have kind of started Orange is the New Black.  I will need to get another book or 2 going, probably later today.

General JO Shelby's March--#37 finished

General JO Shelby was a Civil War general for the Confederates in the Missouri Arkansas area.  After the South surrendered he and many of his men decided not to surrender but instead march into Mexico where a civil war was going on between Maximilian, who as Emperor was propped up by the French and Juarez leading many of the native Mexicans.  Shelby and his men thought they would go as an army and fight for one side against the other but that didn't happen either.  Before crossing into Mexico his men voted to side with Maximilian while Shelby wanted to side with Juarez.  Really though neither side wanted them because neither side thought they could trust them.  Also Shelby was trying to sell the idea that he could get thousands of Confederate soldiers to join him, which had to be scary because at that point both sides thought they could win their civil war.  Shelby and thousands of Confederates might instead try to take over was the fear.  In the end though Mexico was crumbling and Shelby and others were given land grants and the lands seemed promising but there was no security to keep bandits and rebels at bay--most Confederates returned to the US.  Also after a couple years, the Union seemed more welcoming than right after the war--Shelby feared either jail or execution for his crimes.  Instead when he came back he took an oath and was basically free to return to his home.  Other interesting stories of his association with Frank & Jesse James and then becoming US Marshall at the end of his life--really make him an interesting character in US history.  It was just a few days ago I was also watching The Outlaw Josie Wales and Josie mentions going into TX to catch up with Shelby and continuing on to Mexico at one point--really funny how that happens.

I have posted this book on PBS, there were 3 WL for it and it was on auto accept so didn't have to wait for it.  I will be mailing it off in next couple days along with a couple other books that someone ordered.

The Mid-Night Club--#36 finished

This is a James Patterson book from the late 1980s.  Not too bad but it does read a little old but obviously that can't be helped.  A crime boss with legitimate businesses tries to become the leader of all crime bosses but also can't help getting dirty still doing killings, etc.  A kind of take over the world by finance and money through crime--drug trade, prostitution, etc, etc.  Characters okay & story okay but that is about it, not really an exciting book.  My copy was a mass media paperback and I needed a book like that to tuck in and take places the last month & this one fit the bill.  Would have qualified for a summer reading book during vacation but already finished it.

I might as well post it on PBS at this point since I got it from a PBS deal but I don't expect it to go anywhere unless I offer a deal or something.  There are many copies on PBS already.