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.

Francis: Pope of a New World--#5 finished

 This was a book written & published right after Pope Francis became Pope.  Gives some information about his background and about the very beginning of his papacy.  I am a big fan of our Pope and feel he has at least started moving the church in a more modern direction.  I know this has upset lots of conservative Catholics especially here in the US.  I also fear for who will be the next pope if it will still be headed in the same direction or revert back to more conservative times.  This is a rough time for the church and while I feel many changes are needed the old guard will probably fight most attempts at changes.  Good quick read.

I posted it on PBS & will be mailing off in the next week or so.

1920: The Year of the Six Presidents--#4 finished

The title is a little confusing but basically means the 1920 election had 6 people that were or will be Presidents sort of vying for it.  Woodrow Wilson was President and wanted to run again but after suffering a stroke and basically not functioning as a full time President the people around him kept him from running again.  In the lead up to the 1920 election Teddy Roosevelt was wanting to run again as a Republican but he died before he had that chance.  In the Republican primary and convention there were several candidates and in the 2nd grouping was Warren Harding--because the top group call cancelled each other out, Harding became the best of the 2nd group and got the nomination and the Presidency.  In the further behind candidates were Calvin Coolidge who became Vice President and then President after Harding passed, and also Herbert Hoover who would serve in their administrations and then succeed Coolidge after he completed his full term.  Then on the Democrat side the VP candidate in the 1920 election was Franklin D Roosevelt who would come back and gain election after Hoover.  

An interesting read and an interesting time.  It was a good reminder that even through going through crazy stuff now in politics, there has been other times with craziness and our country & democracy has endured. Trump and his supporters might be a little higher up on the craziness scale but maybe not after reading this.  The WWI was ending and the fight about the League of Nations going on.  Prohibition and Women's Suffrage were happening.  A strong Socialist Party was in place, not so much communist at this point, along with very strong racists people and laws.  Throw in some girlfriends on the side and you can see this was a little crazy.  Biden does sort of remind me of a Harding in that they seem like normal good guys at least to the electorate.

I am keeping this book for now and likely passing out among friends that I think will enjoy.