Renegade for Peace & Justice--#30 finished

This is a autobiography/political book by Rep Barbara Lee, a Democrat that represents the Oakland area in CA.  She has certainly led an interesting life with many struggles and has endured and has been a successful politician.  While I don't agree with some of her politics and how she wants to fix problems, I have to admit that she works hard for her people and causes.  The book seems more than a little self serving and certainly anti-Bush.  It was written just before the Obama vs McCain election.  While she only mentioned McCain a couple times, it was very negative to him, but likewise she only mentioned Obama a couple times too.  This is not a kind of get out the vote book.  It really was about her and her career.  At times an interesting read especially when more on her personally rather than on the politics.  As I said she has led a very interesting life.

I have posted it on PBS since there was 1 WL and it is already accepted.  I will be getting it in the mail in the next couple of days.

The Lady of the Rivers--#29 finished

This is the 3rd and last of her series on the Queens or at least important ladies of this period.  It started with The White Queen, then The Red Queen and finally the Lady of the Rivers.  A good series and I really enjoyed the writing and research that went into it.  It is fiction of course but she presents it in a way that is very believable.  I will have to check out other books by her as well.

The main lady of the book led an interesting life and was the mother of The White Queen so the book was time before The White Queen.  It was interesting to think back to what I remember from that book and see how it built up to that point.  It was a very interesting read.  I really enjoyed it and will be checking out other books by this author.

I will be posting it on PBS in the next few days, there are around 30 or 40 WL for it so it should move right away.  Not sure if I will post another one or two at same time, will have to see what I have around.  I am still reading the Barbara Lee book and The Maze Runner.  I also still have the Stephen King book that I started, did read a couple pages this week but it is certainly been shifted to the background for now.

Ballistic--#28 finished

This is the 3rd in the Gray Man series, good stuff.  Assassin with a heart maybe.  Something like that.  A good series so far.  Some of the stuff is a lot over the top but that also makes it a little fun.  There is at least 1 more book coming in the series so will have to be getting it too.

I have both the 2nd & 3rd books in the series and would like to post them so I can mail them to one person.  Have enough credits right now so probably won't post them for a little bit.

We are all Fine Here--#27 finished

It started as a kind of quirky read about a middle aged woman that is really struggling in life and ends up getting pregnant.  Not sure if it was from a one time fling from ex-husband she still loves or from her husband that she is more just going through motions with.  The book starts as kind of funny but slowly shifts over to kind of depressing and finally hopeful toward the end.  She has a miscarriage after her husband comes around to the idea of having a baby.  Just about every couple in the book is breaking up or hooking up with someone else.  In the end though it seems as though the pregnancy brings her family closer together.  A good quick read.

I have already posted it on PBS, there are 3 copies a head of it.  Still reading Ballistic and The Lady of the Rivers.  I also just started Congresswoman Barbara Lee's book.

Never Give Up--#26 finished

The 2nd part of the title is Vignettes from Sub-Saharan Africa in the Age of AIDS.  The author spent several months in the poor part of South Africa out side of Cape Town, I believe.  There he helped people and organizations dealing with AIDS there.  It is a real epidemic there and these stories just touch on the surface of the suffering going on there both for the people with AIDS and there families and the community.  I think he was there in the late '90s and into the '00s so not sure what present day is like there.  Hopefully changes for the better but I doubt it though.

I have posted this on PBS and there is 1 copy ahead of it.  I think it will move at some point but might be a while.  I am still reading The Lady of the Rivers and Skeleton Crew.  I will be starting a 3rd book tonight and maybe even a 4th since Skeleton Crew was supposed to be more a rare occasion read.

On Target--#25 finished

This is the 2nd Gray Man novel, a discredited CIA operative that has gone free lance.  First book was pretty good what I remember and this was a good 2nd book.  I have the 3rd and a 4th coming out later this year.  The book tries at times to make him human like but he is also very lucky and very amazingly efficient.  It is a spy book so suspend some of your reality and just sort of enjoy it and I did.  The book did take a couple of twists that were interesting and I am sure have setup the next books as well.

I will be posting it on PBS probably in the next few weeks, although I may read that 3rd book & see if I can't send them out together too.  I am still reading The Lady of the Rivers and the Viginettes of Sub-Saharan Africa and have also started a beaten up copy of Skeleton Crew, a short story Stephen King book from back in the 1980's.  I needed to take a book along outside where I wouldn't worry if it got a little beaten up or even rained on and since this copy is in rough shape already--it qualified.  I am kind of treating it as a kind of side book right now, so might be adding another into the mix, but haven't checked or decided yet.

By the way I am glad to get to 25 in the 5th month, would like to keep up that pace and have 60 for the year.  I don't know if I can do that, seem to be busy with other stuff but will try.

Miss Morissa--#24 finished

Mari Sandoz is a NE writer that I have several of her books but had only read one previously, her book on her father Old Jules, which is one of my favorites.  I finally read another book by her--this one, Miss Morissa about a lady doctor in the 1880s or around there that moved to the North Platte region of NE.  She grew up with a mom that struggled and basically in an orphanage, her father gone and was known as a bastard as a kid.  Her mom did remarry and she kind of escaped that life with her step-father.  After becoming a doctor was in Omaha and dating and engaged to an upper class man & family when they found out her questionable upbringing.  She fled this & moved to the then wild of western NE.

The story is about her and probably as much about the region and the growth it experienced in those years.  The Black Hills gold rush was going on, there were outlaw troubles, Indian issues and troubles, the rough weather, cowboy/cattleman vs homestead men problems as well as just plain old tough life.  The writing and characters are very good.  The changes that happen both in the characters and over time in the region all happen but are almost not noticed because it is just a gradual part of the story.  I really liked this book and it has added to my appreciation of this author.

I will not be posting this book, this stays as a keeper.  I am currently reading On Target and The Lady of the Rivers and just started Never Give Up, vignettes from Sub-Saharan Africa in the time of AIDS.  Not sure yet if I will be starting a 4th book or not right now.