Wild Horse Country--#12 finished

 This is a wonderful read.  A lot of information about wild horses and their history and what is being done now with them.  The idea of wild horses out in the open land, running free is an image I think most Americans is sort of heartwarming.  Unlike the buffalo that were shot to near extinction and now only sort of roam in fields in small numbers, wild horses is a picture we would all like to envision.  This books embraces that but then also introduces the reader with the reality that wild unmanaged horses overbreed and will overrun grazing & wells/water areas.  On federal lands they do roundups to try to keep the numbers down, but since they cannot kill the horses they are pinned up on large ranches at huge expenses. There are like 50k horses like this.  They try to sell or basically give away what they can but schemes come up where buyers are getting the horses and selling to processing plants--food heading to Europe.  Book really points out that current ways & laws not working and no real leadership to change it.  Both sides--ranchers want fewer horses and several groups want no harm to horses and also to stop roundups.  At end of book, author finds a couple areas where mountain lions returning, they are keeping the horse population in check, so long as horses forced go to into mountains for food & water.  Interesting but problem that many people also dislike the mountain lions.  A very good read and really makes you think.

There are WL for it, I think around 4 or 5 but at this point keeping it.  Might be one to loan out at some point to friends to read.

The Silent Man--#11 finished

 This is a February finished book and so will be the next couple too, but just getting around to logging it in.  This is the next in the John Wells series of books.  A good series, interesting characters.  The plot of a nuclear weapon being stolen from Russia and then brought to the US, taken apart & reworked into a bomb--without the codes cannot set off the weapon.  Lots of good details about how this could happen, not sure I buy it all but did make for a quick action read.

I restarted the series a few months ago with book and I think this was 3rd in series.  Not sure where I started it but probably have a couple to go yet.  I don't think I will re-read any but not posting these either at this point. 

Leaving Van Gogh--#10 finished

 This is a good historical fiction about the end of Vincent Van Gogh's life.  It is told from the perspective of a doctor and friend that lived in the same town and helped Van Gogh during this time.  I enjoyed learning about both Vincent and his brother Theo.  All based on a true story, the author does a very good job weaving in what she thinks their day to day lives were like and especially their struggles. Good read and interesting subject.

I have posted it on PBS & it has already been requested so will be mailing off in the next few days.

Mr. Mercedes--#9 finished

 This is a Stephen King book but not a supernatural or really out there fiction type story.  A retired detective is having a hard time with retirement, the whole boredom of life thing.  One of the cases he couldn't solve is still lingering and the sociopath killer--he drove a heavy duty Mercedes through a crowd killing 8 people--reaches out to the detective.  The detective re-evaluates the crime and starts investigating it again with help from a high school friend and family from lady that owned the car.  Sort of creepy and some good twists and turns too throughout.  Not a bad read but took a while for me it get into it.

I have posted it on PBS, there is one copy ahead of it, I am hoping it moves at some point since it is a Stephen King book.

What Did We Use Before Toilet Paper--#8 finished

 The rest of the title is: 195 Curious Questions & Intriguing Answers.  Some interesting and some not so much.  I finished this like a week ago and I really couldn't tell you much that I remember.  Just a sort of mindless read in short blurbs about stuff.  Not too bad but not really memorable either.

I have posted it on PBS, there are 2 copies ahead of it so I doubt it moves soon if at all.

Fear--#7 finished

 This book and the earlier one were both finished in January but just now getting them logged in.  This is the Bob Woodward book about Trump's 2016 election and the first 2 years of this presidency.  Talk about dysfunctional, I am just amazed that our country was duped by this guy into electing him as our president. You might like some of his ideas or positions or the tough talk but he was not presidential material--he made decisions on hunches & instincts, while having some of the best information being provided to him. I remember in the campaign then with Rubio hitting him that he doesn't understand or want to learn about details of our world--something along those lines--it rang true to me when I heard it and still rings true today, especially after reading this book and a few others about him.  I need to track down the next Woodward book that is out there too.  

What really scares me is that so many people are still supporting him, even after the lies and seeing that it is always all about him--not the country or party--it is all about Trump the person.  That our country could elect such a charlatan makes me worry for our country.

There are like 5 or 6 copies in PBS system already so not sure if I will post it.  I might set aside and look to loan out instead. 

The Last Full Measure--#6 finished

This is the last in the 3 book series started by the author's father about the Civil War with a focus on some of the people--mainly generals involved.  This is about the end of the war, pretty much from when Grant gets appointed in charge of the union forces.  The focus is on Grant, Lee & Chamberlain--a college professor that moved up the officer ranks to become a general--he was also focused in the earlier books too.  A really interesting and good read, I enjoyed the whole series.  It is hard to even imagine the whole Civil War even with all the problems & divisiveness in our country right now, I can't imagine whole states of people taking up arms against other states.  I have ordered other books from author about the Civil War in the west and hope to get to them later this year.

This series is on my keeper list.