Ti99er's 75 in 2009

Hope I did it right this time.

1. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
2. Do you Believe?: Conversations on God and Religion by Antonio Monda
3. Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk
4. The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin
5. Naked came the Manatee by Carl Hiaasen and others
6. Against Medical Advice by James Patterson
7. The Suicide Club by Gayle Wilson
8. Tick Tock by Dean Koontz
9. The Family by Mario Puzo
10. Resolution by Robert B. Parker
11. Fool by Christopher Moore
12. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
13. A Few Seconds of Panic by Stefan Fatsis
14. The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci
15. Man in the Dark by Paul Auster
16. The Shadow Within by Jenine Wilson
17. Santa Responds by Santa Claus
18. Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox
19. Team Rodent by Carl Hiaasen
20. Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and other Stories by Tim Burton
21. Another Day in the Frontal Lobe by Katrina Firlik
22. 4th of July by James Patterson
23. American Savior by Roland Merullo
24. Boneman's Daughters by Ted Dekker
25. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
26. Traffic: Why we drive the way we do by Tom Vanderbilt
27. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
28. First Family by David Baldacci
29. My Jesus Year by Benyamin Cohen
30. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
31. Widow's Walk by Rober B. Parker
32. Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz
33. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
34. Why We Suck by Denis Leary
35. Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore
36. Why My Wife Thinks I'm an Idiot by Mike Greenberg
37. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
38. The 5th Horseman by James Patterson
39. The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
40. The New Padawan (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) by Eric Stevens
41. Post-mortem by Patricia Cornwell
42. The Men who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson
43. The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists by Gideon Defoe
44. Cross Dressing by Bill Fitzhugh

Welcome to the group, Ti99er!

I read The Tale of Despereaux last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by her and though it was great, so you may want to give it a try as well.

It's become so ubiquitous that I think I'm going to have to pick that one up and read it along with The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

I discovered they were making a movie of the book one night when I was reading it and watching TV at the same time, lol.

Thanks alcottacre. I was wondering about The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I will have to add it to my ever increasing to be read book list. I've always been a reader but it wasn't until recently that I have become an avid reader. It seems every day my reading list becomes ever more boundless. I used to own a tee-shirt (from Politics and Pros) which read "so many books, so little time." Only since the "new" avidness of my reading habits has this saying taken on such a new meaning for me.

Hi Ti99er and welcome!

I agree with alcottacre's comments about the Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Not only is a unique and wonderful story, but, in addition, the graphic artistry is incredibly beautiful.

Where does one such novice LT Book Challenge member such as myself find thoes there book tickers?

Most people are getting them at Ticker Factory. A couple are home-brewed.

#5: You will feel right at home with us Ti99er! You've never met a better bunch of avid readers. And, don't worry too much about the size of your TBR list - it will continue to grow here and after a while, you will just accept your fate.

#9: I just hope it doesn't matter if I read a bunch of stuff that may or may not lack literary excellence.

Currently Reading: What ever I decide to pick from my shelf today, I haven't decided yet 1/10/09

Up comming Ti99er reads (not in any particular order):

My Jesus Year by Benyamin Cohen

Practical Demon Keeping by Christopher Moore

Against Medical Advice by James Patterson

Naked Came the Manatee by Multiple

Cross Dressing by Bill Fitzhugh

In my opinion, "literary excellence" is subjective... and a term English professors like to throw around a lot when talking about what genre fiction lacks. Hah, I say! Who's to tell ME that Louise Rennison or Terry Pratchett are or are not excellent in the literary way?!

Read away! Read what you want! Literary excellence is found in the eyes of the readers! ...er, and awards committees, but what do they know?

Message 11...I couldn't agree with you more!

Ditto! Literary excellence is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

Hear hear! Give me Christopher Moore over Chaucer any day!

Starting to get around to reviewing my reads for 2009. So here is the 1st review:

Snuff By Chuck Palahniuk: Although Snuff is not one of Palahniuk's best pieces of work, I did like how he told the story concurrently through the voices of the four main characters (Shelia, Mr. 72, Mr. 137, and Mr. 600). Although the book is about the porn industry and one star in particular (Ms. Cassie Wright) attempting to achieve the unprecedented 600 sexual acts in one production title, it is not filled with gratuitous sexual imagery. True Fact. If you are a fan of Palahniuk’s, then Snuff is worth the read. If this is the first book of his you have picked up, you may want to start with another title. True Fact. Confused? Read the book and you’ll understand.

Do you Believe? Conversations on God and Religion By Antonio Monda: A very interesting book where the author interviews famous writers, actors, and directors about their belief in God. It is interesting to see the contrasting perspectives between believers and agnostics/atheists. A wonderful concept for a book on a subject which has been written about since the Bible was originally penned.

4. The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse By Robert Rankin - Have you ever thought of living amongst the stars of your favorite childhood nursery rhymes? Now imagine if you will, them being murdered one-by-one. Just suspend you beliefs one step more; (well actually there are a bunch more, but this is a short review, so bear with me) you and your stuffed bear friend must solve these heinous crimes. Well this is just the start of Robert Rankin’s, witty tale of nursery rhymes, talking toys, and hollow chocolate bunnies. A laugh-out-loud tale that makes you wonder, “why weren’t my childhood stories this much fun?”

Currently Reading: Naked Came the Manatee

My only question is "Why would a manatee have clothes on anyway?"

Is the book any good?

Yes it is a quite amusing little tale. It is actually a book written in 13 chapters by 13 different authors from the likes of: Carl Hiaasen, Elmore Leonard and Dave Barry. I am not sure who started it or the history of how this story came to life but it is a very cool idea. It is neat to see the different styles and voices of each author from chapter to chapter.

That sounds good. Onto the pile it goes.

>17 Ti99er: A friend of mine recommended Chocolate Bunnies to me quite some time ago, but I never got around to it and then forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder!

No problem. I hope you enjoy it, I sure did. Although my tastes are broad I tend to lean heavily toward humorous fiction. I find it weird, every time I find a new funny author he tends to be British. I don't know if I subconsciously favor British humor or if there just aren't that many funny American novelists.

Ideas…….anyone?

I'll weigh in on Hollow Chocolate Bunnies as well - I loved it and The Toyminator too!

Dr. Neutron: I have The Toyminator on my BookMooch wishlist, I can't wait to read it.

1. The Tale of Despereaux
2. Do you Believe?: Conversations on God and Religion
3. Snuff
4. The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse
5. Naked came the Manatee

Naked came the Manatee : Take three Fidel Castro heads (well actually four), a montage of unique characters from movie stars to former politicians, and a naked manatee (aren't they all naked?) and you have one unique madcap story. This 13 chapter story was written by 13 well known Florida authors. It is neat to see the writing styles change from one chapter to the next. This is a quick read filled with a few laughs and a bag full of smirks.
3 1/2 Stars

*My copy is up for grabs on BookMooch.com, Id: Ti99er*

6. Against Medical Advice By James Patterson: This is the story of a boy named Corey who has Tourette's Syndrome combined with a severe case of OCD. We have all seen fictional movies about individuals who are afflicted with various disabilities and/or psychopathic tendencies, but these images (at least for me) seem so detached and unrealistic. After reading Against Medical Advice, I now understand how realistic these conditions truely are.

The book was written in Corey's own words, which made this nonfictional story read like a page turning suspence thriller. Before reading the book I saw an interview with James Patterson where he said he wanted the book to be a page turner, where he felt most nonfiction titles were not. I can tell you that Patterson and Friedman nailed it.

I am saddened when I come to the realization that so many people are afflicted with debilitating conditions. Although it is always nice to read of those who can persevere under the most dire set of circumstances. 4 Stars

#27 I have this one home from the library to read. I have a brother-in-law who has a mild case of Tourette's Syndrome, so the condition hits close to home with me. Thanks for the review!

Hi Ti99er, I'm interested in Snuff from your review, but what other Palahniuk title might you recommend, since I haven't read anything else by him before?

> 29 Lisa,

Fight Club is now a cult classic. But most recently I read and thoroughly enjoyed Choke (now a Major Motion Picture).

Ok so here is my first clunker of 2009. It was one of those books that I should have put down, but was determined to finish, all-the-while anticipating my next read (which in a sense made this book drag out even more.) I have another book by Gayle Wilson on my TBR list that will at a minimum drop to the bottom of the pile.

7. The Suicide Club By Gayle Wilson: This book is about a group of intellectually "gifted" high school students who are driven by the thrill of committing crimes. It all starts with the burning down of three churches, but the stakes become higher when people start committing suicide. Are these cases related or just coincidences in this sleepy one stoplight southern town? Does this sound intriguing to you? It did to me, and then I started to read it and wished I hadn’t. The characters were like that of the cardboard standee variety; I couldn’t relate to any of them. Additionally the plot dragged along at a crippled snails’ pace. Finally, I guess due to Wilson’s prior career of writing harlequin novels; she added unnecessary details of the intimacy between the two main characters. (Although I have never read such novels before, I assume these scenes were toned down versions, but out of place nonetheless.) The pace did pick-up over the last two chapters, but I wasn’t satisfied with the motives of the perpetrators. 1 Star

#31: That's too bad. I have several of Gayle Wilson's books and for the most part enjoy her work. Guess they can't all be wonderful!

Maybe your next read will be an improvement.

#32: Here's hoping. I am going to read Tick Tock by Dean Koontz. I tried reading his work when I was younger and never got into him, I guess like with my experience with Stephen King I have never been able to suspend my belief enough to enjoy horror. Since time has passed and my tastes of different book genres have expanded, I thought I would give him a try again. Additionally, I have heard a lot of good things about his Odd Thomas series and think I will give it a try in the future as well.

My boss is a big Dean Koontz fan, and lent me the first four novels in the Odd Thomas series, and they're enjoyable. My favorite Koontz books, though, are Watchers and From The Corner of His Eye, but neither one are really 'horror' books.

Similarly, you might want to give Stephen King's Different Seasons a try.

#34 Thanks for the suggestions. TBR Pile >>>>> up, up, up.

My wife recently informed me that my reading habit is becoming too expensive. Between BookMooch and every book section in any store that carries books, I guess I am spending too much. So much so, that I was forced to apply for a library card. I know, an avid reader w/o a library card? I just never cared for the library. In the past I was a window browsing book buyer. Outside of searching for a few favorite authors, I would be visually attracted to a book. I would see something interesting, would pick it up and decide if it was something I would like. Now with BM and LT, I can browse for my books and then reserve them at the library....what a concept!

>35 Ti99er: Hooray! I'm a super huge fan of the library, though I think you and I are probably pretty similar with the visual attraction thing. My favorite library has half of their first floor set up with bookstore-type table displays, and I usually pick up at least one or two things there, then head back to the main stacks to grab whatever it is that I actually went in for. (And then I head to the desk to check out and pick up whatever I've requested via interlibrary loan, but that's another story. :)

I'm trying to go this entire year without buying books for myself, and let me tell you, it's definitely a test of willpower. I'm either going to crash the Bookmooch / Paperbackswap websites or melt my library card. :)

I've been looking for a book with a Tourettes character, other than Icy Sparks. My friend's 8 yr. old son has been recently diagnosed with a mild form of the syndrome. Thanks for the title, (Against Medical Advice). I've reserved it...at my library...number 74 on the list! No problem, I can wait, I have over 20 books on my reserve list and growing out of control, thanks to LT.

>35 Ti99er:: Ti99er
I completely understand, I had not been to a library for over 25 years, but due to all the recommendations here I have a library membership since last November ;-)

#36 - Alynnk, I think I will probably use the interlibrary function more than browsing the library, but who knows. I have yet to set foot in there to see the layout, I ordered my card online and it should be ready by Thursday. I will probably stop by this weekend. Fortunately my library (look at me, already calling it "my library") has both Sat and Sun hours.

#37 - Loosha, it will definitely be worth the wait.

#37 FAMeulstee, I am glad to see I am not alone.

I went in to the library today, and the librarian just shook her head at me - I now have 98 checked out, including the 10 hold books I picked up today.

I use the library to vet books - if I think I will read it again, I buy it. If I do not think I will ever pick it up again, I do not.

#40. 98!?!?!?! Don't they have a limit? I think the last time I checked out books from a library was back in Middle School (many, many moons ago) and I think then there was a limit of something like 7-8 books checked out at one time.

It is good to know that you can have multiple holds on books. I was thinking about that this morning....If it were tightly limited, It would be tough to decide which books to hold.

#41: Yes, they do have a limit - 99.

I was told when I went in yesterday that they are now going to limit how many a person can put on hold in one day to 5. Someone put 70 on hold on one day, so the librarians have decided to quash that happening again.

#42--How do you keep track of all the library books, especially since they will have so many different due dates? I would be drowning in overdue fines.

Hi Ti99er - have just found your thread! Do you believe looks interesting and I've chucked it on the TBR mountain. Thanks!

I just wanted to pipe up about a wonderful website for tracking your library books for ABW and any other sufferers of Overduefinesitis. It's called libraryelf (www.libraryelf.com) and it's a fantastic website that sends you emails when books are due. You can even link all cards in your family. I'm not sure if your library is on there, but many are. Our overdue fines have plummeted since I signed up last year.

CMT - Welcome to Ti99er Nation! Do you Believe?: Conversations on God and Religion is a really interesting book, when you get around to it let me know what you think. I only stumbled upon it by accident. My local Borders store was closing (sob, sob) and they have a 50% (yeehaa!!) off sale and I found it laying on a shelf (not even in the religion section). I am glad I found it.

I just stopped by your thread and added The Untouchable to by TBR mountain.

Thanks CMT. I'll check it out if I ever get the nerve to check out more than 2 or 3 books at a time. (And I probably will since I'm trying to use the library more).

#43: abw, I am proud of the fact that I have not had a single library book overdue. I just use a Microsoft Word document to keep them all straight. After it was set up it was easy to update as needed.

Howdy! I didn't realize you had a thread here @ 75 books -- I'm enjoying your posts. -- Susan

Thanks Susan, it is good to hear from you.

8. Tick Tock by Dean Koontz: It has been a long while since I picked up a Koontz novel. Back in high school I remember attempting to read one of his books, but never finished it. I guess I just couldn’t suspend my beliefs enough to enjoy a horror novel. Well I thought I’d give it another try, when I saw Tick Tock in the book isle in the grocery store. Thinking it was a newer novel but later realizing it must simply be a re-release under a new publisher (copyright 1996). In any case, I psyched myself up and settled in for what I hopped would be an enjoyable horror read. What I found instead was a sort of pseudo sci-fi comic relief adventure. But I must say that is was well done. The characters were engaging, witty, and believable; to the extent that you can believe people who are being chased by a summoned demon from the underworld. I certainly enjoyed the story for what it was, an entertaining read.

I have since come to learn that Koontz’s style lends itself to multi-genre crossovers from book to book. Although many times such attempts are a writer’s worst enemy, Koontz must be doing something right because he continues to be successful. I look forward to reading more of his work.

3 ½ Stars

I have never read any of Koontz' work myself, so intrigued by comments about his Odd Thomas series, I brought the first book in the series home from the library. It will be interesting to see if I like it.

>50 Ti99er: Thanks for the Koontz review -- I received a mess of his books last fall and have just looked at them, wondering...

My public library has a 47 book limit. (I know, weird number.) I only check out 4 to 7 at a time. Their website is wonderful and user friendly. It has browsing and hold features but also has want lists and it keeps track of due dates and sends e-mail alerts when you have two days and then the day your books are due. My public library also sets up displays everywhere there is a flat surface and change them frequently. I usually grab two books due to cover appeal everytime I go to the library to pick up my holds.

Regarding Koontz, I too liked Watchers best. I loved the first Odd Thomas book and haven't liked the others quite as well. Stephen King liked the 2008 book The Good Guy (which I don't think is supernatural) and included it in his end of year column on books in Entertainment Weekly. I'll be trying it even though I thought I was done with him after hating The Darkest Evening of the Year.

I keep track of my library book's due dates using my library's website. It allows you to see what you have out, sort them by due date and renew them if possible. There is also a website called libraryelf which emails and text messages you when books are due. Some of its features are no longer free though and must be subscribed to. I don't really need it since my library has such great functionality on its own.

So I figured by getting a library card, I would stop spending money on books, right? Wrong! My library has a "Friends of the Library" section (like many do) with books for sale. I've been to the library twice now and have purchased 5 books. But 5 books for $3.50 vs 1 book for $8.00+ I guess is a pretty good deal.

Those library sales are dangerous, dangerous things. :) At least you've spent less money on books -- that's certainly a step in the right direction!

#56: Yes but I am not yet as brave as thee, to go an entire year without any type of book purchase. That just seems wrong on soo many levels, when I pass books in a store they seem to call out to me "buy me, buy me! don't worry if you don't get around to reading me for a year and a half, just buy me now!"

But in your case it is for a very noble cause and for that I commend you and will root you on, Go Amy!

and then there is the other "danger" of libraries: you read a book and it is sooo good you need to have a copy in your shelf at home. So you go out to buy it ;-)
Anita

I was out with my boyfriend today and he was all 'Hey! Let's go to Barnes and Noble!' And I just turned, and gave him a look, and shook my head. And this was after he had noticed and commented on the fact that the mountain of books in my room is actually growing instead of getting smaller. Thank you, BookMooch.

We did manage to successfully navigate Borders, though. I've found that I have more restraint there: not a great selection, high prices, and a general loathing of the chain work in my favor.

Anita, I do the same thing! I have an entire list of books that I've borrowed that need to come find a home on my shelves.

58> Fortunately I don't have that problem, once I have read a book I am able to part with it. There are very few books that I will actually go back and read again. There are so many other good books waiting to be read that I don't feel the need to go back and re-read anything.

59> I actually like Borders better than Barnes and Noble. But the one that was right near my house just closed. *Sound of alyynk cheering* So now I have to drive to far to go to the other Borders or the Barnes and Noble near me. Probably a good thing in either case.

My library emails me when my books are due back too, and you can renew online :) But I still manage to let them go overdue, mainly because you're only allowed 3 consecutive renewals and I'm always trying to max out the loan time for my kids so leave it until the last minute (and then forget). gah.

Actually, my library's online services are a bit of a deadly weapon. Just too easy to go on and request stuff that looks interesting...

>60 Ti99er: Its entirely possible Borders is a perfectly good organization, it's just that my dealings with them have been not-so-great. I should probably attribute that badness more to the help (rudeness, lost special orders, general gross incompetence) than the chain but it was just happening too often at too many of the stores near me. I'm very willing to bet that your Borders has better people. :)

9. The Family By Mario Puzo

Warning: If you are strictly devote to the Roman Catholic Church this book is most likely not your cup of tea.

I picked up this gem in the "Friends of the Library" section of my local library. Having never read any of Puzo's work I decided to give this book a try. The back panel of this paperback contained the following passage as its only description. "We are family," Alexander told his children. "And the loyalty of the family must come before everything and everyone else. For if we honor that commitment, we will never be vanquished-but if we falter in that loyalty, we will all be condemned."

Again knowing little of Puzo outside of his works on world renowned titles such as The Godfather and The Last Don I figured this book was another in the line of Italian Mob stories. Man was I off, by a couple of centuries no less.

This story has none to do with a modern day crime family and all to do with a 15th century semi-ficticious Popes' reign. Although originally feeling baited and switched (more to my lack of research than the authors intentional misdirection) I was drawn into this story. I have not traditionlly been one to care for any story written before or about time periods prior to the 18th century. But I must say that Puzo's style drew me in quite quickly. Additionally, The Family was Puzo's last work as it was completed by his longtime girlfriend Carol Gino. I must say I cannot decipher the point where Puzo left off and Gino took over. As it turns out The Family was written over a 20 year period of time.

Per my Catholic Faith warning at the heading of this review, this book is not for the unwillingly challenged faithful. This book is the story of an extremely sinful pope who uses his power more to benefit himself and his family (yes I said family, I will let you work that one out) than to that of the Mother Church to which he was appointed the vicar of Christ. Although the pages within contain acts of the utmost mortal sins committed by Pope Alexander VI, it is probably not all that far from the reality of the leaders of the church in that day. But without a doubt if this book were on any previewed reading list of the Vatican, it would certainly be reported back to the masses as a morally objectable piece of literature.

If you are able to see past religious sanctioned murder, insest, treachery, and deciet, then you are in for a well written story. If not then it is my hope, that my review has prevented you from reading this treacherous work of heresy and has therefore saved you from eternal damnation.

4 Stars

Thanks for that review. I received a mess of Puzo and thought they were all recent-day godfather-type books.

ETA just checked and I have 5 of his books but not that one.

I think I might have The Family around here somewhere, maybe in a box of paperbacks; it sounds very interesting, so I'll have to dig it up! Thanks for your review.

10. Resolution by Robert B. Parker

As a big fan of Parker's Spencer Series I have always been a bit leery of reading anything else by him since Spencer has developed so richly for me over the past 20 years. In any case I decided to give Resolution a try. It certainly isn't his best piece of work, but was still somewhat enjoyable. It was too easy for me to imagine that Spencer and Hawk were transported back in time as in some sort of Quantum Leap and ended up as Everett Hitch and Virgil Cole of the Wild, Wild West.

The story itself just didn't have enough flair and conflict for me. A typical Spencer novel has umph to it that keeps you interested. One of the things I like best about Parker's work is that they typically quick, funny, entertaining reads. Although this book was not one of my favorites, it certainly doesn't rank up there with the worst books I have ever read. Due to the small amount of time it actually took to read it, it wasn't all bad.

2 1/2 Stars

11. Fool by Christopher Moore:

Leave it to Christopher Moore to add actual humor to a Shakesperian Tragic Comedy. Although not my favorite Moore spun tales, it was certainly worth the read. He takes the story of King Lear and tells it from the King's Fool's perspective. That should be enough to cue you in on the accuracy of this tale as compared to the original. Moore takes more (pardon the pun) than his fair share of liberties in the re-telling of this old tale. So much in fact that one could hardly call this a re-telling and might actually consider it a re-writing. Who knew there was so much "shagging" in Shakespears' time?

This book is a must read for any Moore fan and worth the read for anyone interested in a good laugh.

3 1/2 Stars

12. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

This is a great debut novel by Matthew Quick. I found it sitting out in the new fiction section of my public library. The story is about Pat, a man who for the last few years of his life has been living in the “bad place” or rather a neural therapy clinic. As Pat tells us in his own words, he knows that he hasn’t been the best husband to his wife Nikki. But things have changed since they have spent some “apart time” which Pat hopes will soon be over. What he wishes more than anything in the world, is to be reunited with his wife. He has begun to take care of his body by working out daily. He has expanded his mind by reading the classics, which Nikki’s friends continually mocked him for not doing in the past. He has even worked on being nice rather than right, by keeping things to himself and not always pointing out other peoples mistakes. Certainly the new and improved Pat will be a welcome sight to Nikki and they will be reunited in the new future right? Pat can only hope.

His mother is finally able to bring him back home to New Jersey from the “bad place” and sets him up with a work out room in the basement. Now that he is out of the institution things are certainly turning up for Pat. He is reunited with an old friend; his brother has bought him season tickets for his beloved Philadelphia Eagles, and his new therapist (an Eagles fan himself) isn’t a pessimistic downer like the doctor in the “bad place”. With this Pat begins to piece his life back together again as he continually works to the point when he can finally reunite with his wife.

Mathew Quick is a wonderful new author who is able to create intriguing characters who you want to get to know. Before I began reading the book I thought I might be getting myself into a “touchy feely” chick book, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well written it was. I was truly drawn into the story and am glad I stumbled upon it. If he keeps at it, I think Quick has a bright future in the world of fictional storytelling.

4 Stars

Nice review!

#68: Nice review and a new author to look out for, to boot!

13. A Few Seconds of Panic by Stefan Fatsis

This story is in line with George Plimpton’s 1963 book called Paper Lion, where Plimpton was allowed to join the Detroit Lions in training camp. I must say that Fatsis is on point with the aptly named first chapter of his book “I’m No Plimpton”. Although I have yet to read Paper Lion, I have read and enjoyed other Plimpton works. But I digress, A few Seconds of Panic wasn’t all bad. It was a nice behind the scenes view of a football team during its most transitional period; training camp. When he approached the NFL with his idea of a player/reporter they said yes, provided he could find a team willing to bring him onboard. After plenty of rejections, the Denver Bronco’s finally agreed to have Fatsis join their club.

I applaud Fatsis for his fortitude and stay-with-it-ness in preparing himself as a reporter disguised as a genuine place kicker. His attitude and dedication to the kicking craft allowed him to bond with the players around him as if he were just another player vying for a roster spot. This attitude and determination helped bring down the protective barrier of skepticism players usually have towards the media and allowed for some very candid moments with some of the Bronco Players.

The book had its interesting moments but I can’t claim it as a page turner. I think he could have said what he needed to say in about 200 pages, yet the book lingered on for nearly 140 too many.

2 Stars

#71: The idea is an intriguing one even if it has been done before, but I do not think I am willing to suffer through 340 pages of it!

14. The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci

As a die hard Red Sox fan reporting on a book about the Yankees let me first say this:

YANKEES SUCK!

Okay now that I have taken care of all of the housekeeping items I will begin the review. As you are reading this you might ask, what is a Red Sox fan doing reading a book about the Evil Empire? Hearing this question I might answer, because if there was any one good thing ever in the history of the Yankees organization, it was Joe Torre. Torre is a class act and a consummate professional. What I will never be able to get through my head is why the Yankees ever let this man go. Let’s look at the hard facts; Torre managed the Yankees for 12 successive seasons. The Yankees made the play-offs in all 12 of those seasons (this is a mind boggling feat, I know people will argue that the Yankees always had (by far) the largest payroll in the league, but still making the play-offs each year is very impressive). Of those 12 seasons the Yankees went to 6…..count ‘em 6 World Series. And of the 6 World Series, won 4 of them. These stats are mind blowing, half of Joe’s tour of duty ended with the Yankees playing in the last games of the MLB season.

Ok, so the Yankees organization is not satisfied unless the team wins the World Series, so they decide since they hadn’t won the Series since 2000 that it was time for a change. So what happened? They fired Joe Torre who went on to manage the LA Dodgers and brought them to the 2nd round of the play-offs; a team that didn’t make the play-offs in 2007. The Yankees then hired Joe Girardi as their new manager. Girardi in turn brought the Yankees to a thrilling World Series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. No wait I’m a little off……..oh ya here we go…….Giradrdi’s Yankees didn’t even make the play-offs (for the 1st time in 13 years). Oh and as a side note to the argument about the Yankees having the highest payroll in the league during the Torre years, they still had the highest payroll last season under Girardi.

But I digress The Yankee Years although thoroughly different from the book I expected it to be was a pleasurable read. Especially Chapter 10 End of the Curse; a detailed description of the 2004 ALCS where the Boston Red Sox came back from an 0-3 deficit (1st and only time a team has come back and won down 3 games in a best of 7 series in Major League Baseball history) to overthrow the Yankees and went on to win the ’04 World Series.

The media had touted this book as blasphemous account of Torre’s years with the Yankees. These media reports even suggested that the Yankees might consider entering clauses into employee contracts banning them from writing about the Yankees during or at the conclusion of there employment. I didn’t find any such treachery documented within the pages of this book. It certainly included tidbits of information that would not be readily available to a fan of the game, but there was by no means any ill begotten secrets scrolled upon the pages.

This book is just as the title states; The Yankee Years. It is about the Yankees during the 12 year period of Joe Torre’s management reign. If you are looking for a Joe Torre memoir, then you haven’t found the right book. But if you are interested in what happened over the last 12 years in the Yankee organization, then this book is certainly worth the read.

4 Stars

Yous a funny man

Man in the Dark by Paul Auster

This is my first foray into the world of Paul Auster, and I must say it was a pleasant foray as foray’s go. Man in the Dark was written in that seemingly new wave popular “no quotation” style that takes a minute to get used to but then becomes somewhat pleasing to the eye as you go. I don’t know if there is a name for this style, because I am but a simpleton; must be the reason I am dwelling on the style of the book rather than its substance.

Man in the dark is an interesting story within a story within a story. Auster has a wonderful talent for building strong and believable characters. He has mastered the show; don’t tell technique of character development and action. This book of a mere 180 pages, is chalk full of interesting little stories; maybe tidbits is a better descriptor about seemingly ordinary people. The main character is a man in his early seventies who is living with his daughter and granddaughter after a car accident has left him crippled. Each night he finds sleep as a mere desire rather than an actuality, so to pass the time he tells himself stories; some real and some fictional. It is a kind of one act, one set play where the main character examines his life and the lives of those who have touched him most deeply; especially his family.

This is an excellent story; I can’t wait to read more of this author.

4 Stars

16. The Shadow Within by Jenine Wilson

This is a work of young adult fiction. I received a copy of this book directly from the author through the Library Thing Member Giveaway Program. The story revolves around a group of high school students, who at first appear to be your run of the mill hormone driven teenagers, adequately integrated with bullies, jocks, and nerds. But two students in particular, Wesley and his brother Brian are a bit different than the rest of the student body, as they posses supernatural abilities.

I must say this book wasn’t my cup of tea. As I read it I couldn’t help but envisioning the story as a B rated teen movie. For one thing I never found myself empathizing with any of the characters, they didn’t feel real or fleshed out. Additionally some of the side story seemed out of place and forced. For example one sideline of the main story was that the main character's (Jessie) father leaves her mother for another woman. In the beginning we are shown how the father is never around because he is having an affair under the auspices of working late to become a partner of his law firm. In the scene where he finally leaves his wife he makes the attempt to bring his daughter with him. This all feels stilted since he never showed interest in her from the beginning.

The story never took off for me; it never begged me to keep reading. It was slow at non-essential detail points of the plot and was too fast at times when more elaboration was necessary.

Now that I have dwelled on the negative I will leave you with a positive point. Although work was needed in terms of character development and story line, the writing itself was not all that bad. This is a self published piece, and my prior experience with such projects has been less than favorable. The writing had been proofed and didn’t leave clumsy grammatical speed bumps in the way of an already average story. Ms. Wilson certainly has her own voice and I believe with some work could hone her abilities enabling her to write a much stronger novel.

1 ½ Stars

Yikes! I hope your next read is better.

It already is. I am reading Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist by Michael J Fox.

>75 Ti99er:: another Auster fan! I got Man in the Dark as an ER (really made my day, had been a terrible week up until that profile comment :-)). He does have quite a consistent style, so if you liked Man in the Dark you'll probably like a lot of his other stuff (although with the contemporary Iraq references, this is probably his most 'political' book - the others are less directly related to current affairs and more interested in the meta-textual stuff).

Flossie,

Thanks for the heads up, I have The Brooklyn Follies in my TBR pile, it just moved up on the list.

The New York Trilogy was one of my favorite reads for March. Because I enjoyed it so much, I then read Man in the Dark and Timbuktu before the end of March, and am now a Paul Auster fan.

Arubabookwoman,

Both have been added to my Bookmooch wishlist.

Thanks!

I'll second (or third?) The New York Trilogy - my first by Paul Auster, and glad to know there is more where that came from.

17. Santa Responds by Santa Claus

Santa gets letters from kids every year, but he never actually responds to them right? Wrong, apparently this year Santa decided to write back, and, well, he’s kinda mean. Anyway there are a few laughs, but it isn’t a “laugh out loud like a bowl full of jelly” kind of read. This is probably why no author took credit for this work and simply published it under Santa Claus. The only reason I mooched it was because it was a Library Thing recommendation, I can’t say I second this.

1 Star

hope you get a winner next time around!

18. Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox

This is a follow-up memoir to Fox’s first book Lucky Man (I have yet to read this one). This book is primarily focused on the last 10 years of his life. It is an interesting look at the man within the body of a Parkinson’s diseased body. I find it enlightening to see just how optimistic he is in light of his predicament. While reading this book I never once sensed any “woe is me” vibes, but rather he seems to have an “it is what it is” attitude to life. I can’t say; faced by similar circumstances, that I would be able to have the same positive attitude that embodies Michael J. Fox.

The meat of the story involves the creation and management of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Here we are shown a sampling of the inner workings of a not for profit organization.

Fox also spends time discussing the end of his full-time acting career. He explains how he left Spin City without regret and on his own terms, which has allowed him to play sporadic walk-on rolls in shows such as Scrubs, Boston Legal, and Rescue Me.

In the final section of the book, Michael talks about the love he has for his family. He recounts a few stories of his own childhood as well as those of his wife and children. It is clear to the reader that he is a loving father and husband and that he won’t allow PD to get in the way of that.

3 1/2 Stars

There's a good interview with Auster online from Stop Smiling magazine.

I really like his books, although I have to admit that I didn't enjoy Man in the Dark as much of some of the others.

19. Team Rodent by Carl Hiaasen

Carl Hiaasen was one of the first of a number of authors who wrote a human interest story for the Library of Contemporary Thought published by Ballantine Books. Hiaasen decided to take a few pillow padded jabs at the Walt Disney Corporation. This particular piece is not a currant affair as it was published in 1998, but the story he tells is still relevant to the history of Disney.

Hiaasen tends to contradict himself throughout the entire rant. He complains about the Disney plight but then defends the organization as one that “…wishes to bring happiness to kids of all ages.”

Overall this piece was an entertaining and insightful view within Disney’s historic past. Yes, Disney is big and yes Disney is powerful, but it also brings a lot of enjoyment to people the world over. Welcome to the world of capitalism, Mr. Hiaasen (I believe by his success as a novelist he knows a bit about our free enterprise system, and has profited well from it). After contemplating this work I have come up with only two reason why Carl Hiaasen dislikes Disney so much: 1) the Magic Kingdom moved into his backyard, and not someone else’s, and 2) because as a kid he watched a Disney film called Rascal which planted the idea in his head that owning a pet raccoon was a good idea; (which he only discovered to be a bad idea by owning one after college) hardly something he could blame on the Disney Corporation.

3 Stars

20. Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories by Tim Burton

Ok I don’t think I am going out on a limb here when I say Tim Burton is one strange dude. I am not one who is all that into poetry, probably because I typically don’t understand what it is I am reading and don’t care to take the time to reflect upon it. But I was interested in reading the works of Tim Burton because I do enjoy his films. I must say that the form of poetry he wrote is at my speed. Forgive me for my ignorance in not being able to identify the form. It is the rhyming type of poetry along the lines of “roses are red, violets are blue, I don’t care if you like me, because I don’t like you” variety. Burtons work is simple and a bit disturbing at the same time. The illustrations are kind of funny. In closing I will just say this, it was fine for a quick fun read, but I am glad I mooched the book and didn’t shell out the $9.95 for it.

2 ½ Stars

21. Another Day in the Frontal Lobe by Katrina Firlik

While reading this book over the weekend, my sister-in-law read the front cover and said to me “why would anyone want to read that?” A laughed to myself a little bit as I thought, “this may not be my everyday kind of read, but when I saw it it piqued my interest.”

In this book Dr. Firlik spends most of the time describing her experiences in her 7 years of residency as a neurosurgeon. I wasn’t sure if the book was going to keep my interest so I choose to read it before another book I was going to read first. My thought was that if Another Day in the Frontal Lobe was a flop, I would instantly pick-up my first choice of reads and move on. Suffice it to say I found this book to be an enjoyable experience and found myself turning page after page. Dr. Firlik was able to describe what some might conclude as either an uninteresting or overly complex subject, and deliver it in simple laymen’s terms. It was interesting to read about some of the cases she encountered during her residency. It was also fascinating to learn about certain traumas and diseases of the brain without being inundated with indecipherable medical terms.

Although this story isn’t for everyone, if you are at all interested in the life of a neurosurgeon I highly recommend the read.

3 ½ Stars

#90: At least Firlik's book helped improve your luck with your recent reads. It looks interesting to me as well. I will look for it. Thanks for the recommendation!

Yes I guess I have read a few clunkers as of late, maybe that is why the pages turned so quickly in this one.

Maybe it's time for A Severe Mercy ;->

ETA I read my first Parker this month and enjoyed it. It wasn't a Spencer, but the other I have is.

Susan,

You are right I need to read A Severe Mercy. My problem has been with the advent of the library into my reading repertoire, I have been put on a reading timline for the first time in my life. If I can't find a book on BookMooch, I end up reserving it at the library. The weird thing is that one would think that if you are 50th on the hold list that it would be months before you get the book. In actuality it seems to only take a few weeks. Needless to say I end up with a bunch of books to read all at once. Oh, the pressure! This weekend I am returning a book I never got to.

So anyway, outside of the book I am currently reading I have one more library book to go and then, A Severe Mercy it is. More pressure ;-)

I like Parker a lot, he is a quick read. Have you read any of the Spencer series?

P.S Besides Estimated Time of Arrival, what does ETA stand for?

#94: Ti99er, ETA stands for 'Edited to Add'. I did not know what it stood for, either, when I was a newbie on LT :)

same here... (re: ETA) LOL I was a bit slow on the uptake for IMO and IMHO but got those. There's another one running around that I still don't get. Someone, Tad, BDB or Doc gave me a link for these pesky little guys and that's somewhere around here...

I believe my other Parker is a Spencer. I'm looking forward to it :)

Okay finished my last book and decided to pick up my Parker which is a Spencer book, Taming a Sea-Horse to be precise. Must confess that my inclination after a few pages was to ignore the 50 page rule and just get rid of it. Does a story develop in this one that is worth plowing through Spencer's "searching through a world of sex for sale" as the cover describes it?

If it doesn't I'm still willing to give another Spencer a try sometime ... I really did enjoy the other Parker book I read.

Taming a Sea-horse is one of his very first works, to be honest I am not sure if I ever read that one or not. If I did it was 15 years or more ago. I think to get the flavor for him it would help to read something earlier like The Godwulf Manuscript or Ceremony just in order to get a feel of the 3 main human characters, Spencer, Susan, and Hawk and one non-human, Pearl the Wonder Dog. Once you have a feel for them, this is one of those series that you can read in any order and not feel like you have missed a beat.

Alcottacre,

Thanks for the abbreviation lesson.

Thanks for the Spencer tips :)

#98: Glad I could help.

22. 4th of July by James Patterson

The 4th of July is the day the United States celebrates it’s independence from England; it is also the name of the 4th book in James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series. The only similarity between the book and the holiday is the name, although the closing scene takes place on a year-less July 4th.

Since Patterson works with co-writers on so many of his works these days, I am not sure where his creative input begins or ends on any given story. It is due to this lack of knowledge, that I am not sure who should receive my praise. This book is definitely the best book in the series to date (this is of course keeping in mind that I have only read four books from the now 8 book series, so no wise cracks please).

This particular installment intertwined 3 sub-plots into one entertaining read. I won’t get into the plot since if you are reading this series you are aware of the main characters and the back cover (or inside jacket for hardcover readers) will give you the synopsis of this particular story.

I will say that I enjoy Patterson’s & (enter co-authors name here) work because they are quick reads with enough suspense to keep me interested. 4th of July is another solid book that has kept me interested for more.

3 1/2 Stars

23. American Savior by Roland Merullo

What would happen if Jesus came back to earth and ran for the Presidency of the United States of America? Quite an adventurous theme don’t you think? Well Roland Merullo attacks this theme with a vengeance. It all starts with a mysterious man who performs a couple of miracles. First he brings a baby boy back to life after he endures a fall from a balcony three stories up. Then he cures a young girl of a debilitating repertory disease. Finally Jesus starts to assemble his rag-tag bunch of ordinary people to unwittingly become his latest disciples, and informs them of his intent to run for president.

Merullo takes the history and teachings of Jesus Christ and reassembles them into a modern day setting. I think the story was well done. Although, not so much in terms of blasphemy, this story might offend some hard core Christians who might see it as a form of tampering with the word of God.

The characters are well developed and the story made for an entertaining read. It was also; in some way an enlightening tale. Oh, and for the inquiring minds who want to know…..yes….there is a resurrection.

3 Stars

yes….there is a resurrection LOL

Reminds me of Godspell... but didn't they opt for 'not'?

#102: I am curious as to why you gave the book only 3 stars when your review seems to indicate that you enjoyed the book more than that.

For me the the five star scale goes something like this:

1 Star: Waste of my time

2 Stars: Average read

3 Stars: Good read

4 Stars: Excellent read

5 Stars: Out-of-this-world read, willing to read again (something I almost never do)

So as for American Savior while it was a good read, (I might have been able to bump it to 3 1/2 Stars) it didn't hit my excellent standard.

#105: Thanks for the clarification!

24. Boneman’s Daughters by Ted Dekker

This is my first Dekker novel, and must say it won’t be my last. Ryan Evans is a Naval Intelligence Officer who is consumed by his job. He married Celine Evans in haste when he was younger and they adopted a little girl named Bethany. At the time Ryan was ill-equipped to handle a wife and family, he felt his sole obligation was to provide for them financially. For the most part Ryan was an absentee husband and father, who was hardly ever home as he accepted tour after tour of overseas. Celine decided to move on and made no efforts to hide that she was dating other men. Bethany resented her father and wouldn’t forgive him for being a deadbeat dad of sorts.

While on tour in Iraq, Ryan is taken hostage by a terrorist, who uses copycat tactics of a convicted serial killer back in Evan’s home state of Texas. Ryan is able to escape the ordeal and finds within himself a renewed sense of family. He can’t wait to get back to Texas to apologize to both Celine and Bethany about his misgivings and to explain that he is a changed man and things will be different in the future.

Instead of finding the open road to forgiveness between him and his wife and child, he finds instead his wife’s new boyfriend and his child who wants nothing to do with him. Ryan is stricken with grief and doesn’t know what to do.

In the meantime, the supposed convicted serial killer, Boneman is about to be released from prison due new evidence brought forward. The Boneman had abducted young girls, and broken every bone in their body without breaking their skin. Shortly after his release, Ryan’s daughter Bethany is abducted and evidence is pointing towards him as the new primary suspect in the Boneman killings.

So has Ryan truly found himself; a changed man? Or has he been up to no good, when his family thought he was overseas working for the Navy?

This was a great story with an engaging cast of characters. I look forward to reading more from this author. 4 ½ Stars

Susan,

I have started and stopped with the reading of A Severe Mercy. I don’t know why I am struggling with it as Vanauken’s visual imagery is utterly fascinating. I don’t know if I’ve caught this one at a bad time or not, but even the exquisite writing hasn’t sold me yet. I will give it another go shortly.

>107 Ti99er: No hurry. Sometimes it's just not the time for a certain book. Tried that with one of Elisabeth Elliott's books. Just couldn't do it. 10 years later it was the perfect book for the time. One day you'll pick it up and it will click, I hope!

ETA (it was Discipline: The Glad Surrender -- and now it's another 10 years since I read it, and I still find myself musing over some of her points :)

25. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

Ok so I picked this book up based simply on the cover. And for the fact that from the ages of 8 - 21, I was in love with Princess Leia a.k.a Carrie Fisher. After reading the book though I have discovered that she is actually a very funny person. This quote, unquote memoir is written in a conversational style. Kinda of like when you are talking to yourself. Ok, none of you talk to yourselves? How about when you are telling a new found friend your life story then, does that work better for you?

So anyway who woulda thunk that my childhood crush was soooooooooooooo screwed up? She is an alcoholic, bipolar, nymphomaniac (she uses the first two terms, I added the third descriptor) Princess Leia the nymphomaniac, hmmmm........ Ohh I'm sorry where was I? The book wasn't all that bad and for the crazy and interesting life she lead was a paltry 160 pages long.

Well at least I have my childhood memories of the Princess of Alderaan as simply a slice of Cinnabon wearing delight. May the Force be with me.

3 Stars

#109: I think I will give that one a pass. I hope you enjoy your next book better!

I did enjoy seeing her in When Harry met Sally. I had no idea she was the daughter of Debbie Reynolds! Shows how much I follow the stars LOL

26. Traffic: Why we drive the way we do by Tom Vanderbilt - Book on Tape

I enjoyed listening to this book on my daily commutes to and from the daily grind. Vanderbilt spent a lot of time researching the habits and tendancies of the modern day driver. He explains some of the reasons behind our actions on the road. He even gives some insight as to where oad rage might stem from. The author also suggests that the late merger might be helping us all get to where we are going much quicker; preposterous!

I constanly found myself nodding in agreement to the comments he makes about other drivers, and even the way I myself drive.

This was an insightful book and a pleasure to listen to, although I thought many times that I might not have found it so pleasurable having to have read it to myself. I guess it revolves around the context in which I enjoyed the book. It took on more relevance as I drove down the highway in search of another day, another dollar.

3 1/2 Stars

27. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

For approximately the first 140 pages of this book, I was beginning to wonder what all of the hubbub was about. Everyone seems to love this book and the entire Odd Series; it is the main reason I picked it up and read it. Now I am not saying that the story wasn’t mildly entertaining in the first half of the book, but it was just okay. It was about page 150 that I really became drawn into the story and really started relating to the characters.

Koontz is a master story teller and I am happy to report (after finishing the book) that he did not let us down with this book. This book has been reviewed on so many levels that I can’t add any worthwhile sentiments that haven’t already been expressed. All I can say is, if you haven’t read it ….. What are you waiting for?

4 Stars

short, sweet and to the point :) Hope you & yours are well.

First Family by David Baldacci

Kidnapping, murder, and an unfaithful Commander-in-Chief, what else could you ask for? David Baldacci’s new novel First Family has all that and more. Overall this was an entertaining read. The characters were well developed which helps to draw you into the story. Baldacci has a way about showing the good in all people even if their bad side reigns supreme.
The book had good pacing and kept me turning the pages. Although some of the scenarios where more than a bit unrealistic, it still made for an entertaining detachment from reality. This was my first foray into the Baldacci lair, but based on my experience here, I will definitely return.
3 ½ Stars

I gobbled up Baldacci til I hit a real loser, sadly I can't remember the title or I'd give better warning. Right now I'm stalled in one of his books that's not action-oriented at all. I think I prefer his action-oriented books. Glad you hit on a good one!

So, one klunker and you drop an author completely? Man's gotta eat....he's entitled to one false start. Lol!!

29. My Jesus Year by Benyamin Cohen

This was an interesting Judaic perspective into Christianity. Cohen is the son of an Orthodox rabbi, and was the only son who did not join the family business. He truly believes in God but wishes embrace his religion with more enthusiasm. What better way to embrace Judaism than to study Christianity, right? Well what follows is a somewhat funny romp through the many denominations of Christianity. It was interesting to get a birds eye view from someone who is foreign to the religions traditions and teachings.

While reading the book I learned interesting facts about Judaism as well as some things about other Christian denominations along the way. Overall this was an entertaining read.

3 Stars

>117 Ti99er: LOL no, I didn't dump Baldacci -- just took a break :) I seriously enjoyed a few of them. The one I'm trying to read now is pretty boring...

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King

As small of a book as it is; a mere 220 pages, it took me two false starts to finish this book. On the third and final time, my wife kidded with me, “why did you pick that up, you know you’ll never finish it?” Well I did finish it dagnabit! And I can’t definitively say that I am glad I did. Well, I guess I am being a bit too harsh here; I did sympathize with the main character Patricia McFarland and Mr. King did spin a nice little tale.
Trish is a nine year old girl who gets lost in the woods while on a day trip along the Appalachian Trail (in New Hampshire) with her mother and older brother. The story follows her as she wanders through the woods alone; or is she alone?
It was actually a good story, but I guess I was expecting a bit more since I had received so many excellent reviews prior to finally finishing it. The third time is a charm.

3 Stars

#120--My son read this in a high school English class where all the book "reports" were oral one-on-one with the teacher. He'd open the book and read a sentence or two and ask the student what was happening in the story. My son loved this report--every answer from Chapter Two to the end was "she's still lost in the woods." He did elaborate on a couple of readings, but basically--that's the story, but he liked it and I loved it. I think we both liked the "basic-ness" of the story and how real it could seem, especially to be so lost in the woods at a young age. Glad you did get to finish it.

That's too funny.

And yes, it took me 3 years to read a 200 page book.

Hey, you're not alone in the time involved to read a short book. I whipped through a nearly 900 page Dan Simmons last weekend, but it took me nearly a year to finally finish a shorter novella (like 125 pages) by Tolstoy!

31. Widow's Walk by Robert B. Parker

Another solid tale from Robert Parker's Spenser Series. Spenser is hired by his long time friend Rita; a criminal defense attorney to prove the innocence or guilt for that matter of the murder of her husband. As Spenser gets deep into the case, everyone he talks to ends up dead. Some even puts a hit on him, but of course Spenser outwits his assailant who ends up in a body bag instead.

This isn’t the best story in the series, but if you like first person PI stories, you know you are in for an entertaining, quick read each and every time with Parker.


3 1/2 Stars

32. Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz

An internet mogul in his mid thirties; Ryan Perry has it all, a mansion with a live-in staff, antique cars, and a beautiful and intelligent girlfriend. The one downside to all of Ryan’s good fortune is that he has a bad ticker. For a person who is in such good shape as himself, Ryan wonders if his heart condition is genetic as his doctor suggests or is someone out to get him?
As Ryan is put on a waiting list for a new heart, he becomes suspicious of everyone and uses his power and influence to turn over every stone to unearth the truth to what is happening to him. Will what he discovers cause him to lose it all, including his life?

3 ½ Stars

33. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

This is a fictionalized tale of Mr. Bradbury’s view on the dangers of censorship. Written in 1950 concerning the not too distant future (at the time) 1990, it is amazing at the level of insight Bradbury had into our current way of life. He describes rooms with full size television walls where people can talk to their relatives, not far off from our current teleconferencing abilities. Or how about seashells in your ears where you can listen to music and audio recordings? Sounds like an IPOD to me.

Bradbury paints a very vivid picture of how the world would be if we were brainwashed into believing that all published material is simple mind numbing rubbish. Therefore the government had outlawed all books and magazines. Now instead of putting fires out, firefighters were paid to set them in order to burn any and all confiscated materials along with the building in which they were housed.

This was a fascinating book, with over 4 ½ million copies in print I am wondering how I didn’t stumble across a copy of this gem sooner than now.

5 Stars

#126: I just discovered Bradbury a couple of years ago, too, so I know exactly how you feel. I highly recommend his Something Wicked this Way Comes and Dandelion Wine. I am sure others in the group have more of his books to recommend as well.

Thanks for the recommendations alcottacre. I will be sure to check them out.

I re-read F451 recently -- good stuff. :)

#128: I will be interested in seeing what you think once you have a chance to read them. They are very different from Fahrenheit 451.

Another thumbs up for Fahrenheit 451 - methinks it will be winging its way onto my bookshelves sooner or later...

Plus another brilliant thread which has happily whiled away a good hour or so of the post-peak-season quiet in our bookshop! Looking forward to seeing what's next!

34. Why We Suck by Denis Leary

Ok so Denis Leary can be described by one or more of the following terms; egotistical, bitter, chauvinistic, jerk, A-hole, pungent, brash, harsh, narcissistic, big headed, self-centered, self-righteous, loud, rude, crude, annoying, sarcastic, well you get my point. But there is one thing Denis Leary is not, and that is funny. No wait a minute, scratch that he is funny, and there is more than a shred of truth in his long winded, vulgar mouthed, screaming with rage rants on everything from bratty kids to Oprah discussing orgasms. Whether you like him or not, one can’t deny the truth behind Leary’s satirical view of the world in which we live. If you can handle more than mild profanity and the occasional slang words for parts of the human anatomy (both male and female) then you will laugh at at least a few parts of this book. If you personally spew profanity and slang words for parts of the human anatomy on a semi-to-regular basis, then you will laugh on a semi-to-regular basis.

Warning: If you fall under one or more of the following categories: male, female, young, old, single, married, homo sapiens, homophobic, homosexual, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Indian (Native American or otherwise), African (American or otherwise), blonde brunette, tall, short, skinny, fat, big boned, small boned, jelly fish, coward, proud, shy, outgoing, introvert, extrovert, burnt out, burned up, mentally challenged, physically challenged, strong, weak, rich, poor, funny, stupid, smart, clever, resourceful, witty, colorful, happy, sad, angry, or mad, you might be mildly offended by this book.

P.S. If you enjoy Denis Leary, then I suggest listening to this title as an audio book which he reads personally, as it is much more funny to listen to than to read.

Enjoy!

4 Stars

35. Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore

If you were to mix together a demon from hell, the king of the Djinn, a hippie drug dealer, a hopelessly romantic drunk and his wife/ex-wife (one in the same), the owner of a bait, tackle and fine wine shop, the leader of a coven cult, a 70+ year old man who doesn’t appear to have aged more than 26 years, an old man and the wife, and a lot of bats, then you have one heck of a wild tale written by Christopher Moore. This one is not as laugh out loud funny as some of his other tales, but like his other stories is equally enjoyable. Moore creates memorable characters, as strange as they may be, this might explain why they are memorable. Definitely recommended reading for any Moore fan and equally enjoyable to the novice passerby of the growing Moore Cult.

3 ½ Stars

#132 - Whoah, Denis Leary! How utterly ****ing bl**dy awesome!

Just kidding :-)
Great review though!

#126 I'm doing some re-reads of Ray Bradbury since it's been years since I first read any of his work. I also loved Dandelion Wine and Something Wicked This Way Comes. I plan to re-read Fahrenheit 451 as well. Thanks for the reminder and I'm glad you liked it.

36. Why My Wife Thinks I'm an Idiot by Mike Greenberg

While I was a XM subscriber, I used to listen to Mike & Mike in the morning on a daily basis. I always enjoyed the show and have been envious of Mike Greenberg, as he is a non-athlete who still earns his living in the wide world of sports. Greeny is a witty character who has a unique conversational writing style. It was interesting reading some of the true life situations that he got himself into and out of.

If you are a Mike & Mike fan, or a sports fan in general (especially if you have kids) you will enjoy this quick read.

3 Stars

#136: I will look for that, being both a Mike & Mike fan and a sports fan. Thanks for the recommendation.

I think you will like it. You can just picture Greeny telling the stories like he does on his show. It took me awhile to get Denis Leary's voice out of my head at first (having just listened to Why we Suck) Lol, but after that it was Greeny all the way.

37. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

I just recently finished the classic Fahrenheit 451 and now I have stumbled upon Flowers for Algernon. I must have taken remedial English courses in high school without even realizing it. Because it wasn't until college when I read books like The Handmaids Tale, Necromancer, A Scanner Darkly, and A Brave New World. Well I digress, Flowers for Algernon was a wonderful tale. It is about a young man with an incredibly low IQ (70) who is transformed into a genius (IQ of 190, quite close to mine I might add), through the marvels of medical science. Keyes is masterful in the way he portrays this first person narrative, first through the eyes of a mentally challenged individual and then through the eyes of a genius.

Although the book was written back in the 60's this is a timeless tale told with vivid imagery. I will be sure to check out some of Keyes other works. What a wonderful world there is out there. I guess I need to look around every once and awhile.

4 Stars

I liked Flowers for Algernon a lot when I read it, but boy, did I cry over the ending!

If you like nonfiction, I highly recommend Keyes' The Minds of Billy Milligan.

38. The 5th Horseman by James Patterson

As I read this series I often wonder who should get the most credit for writing these books; the headliner James Patterson or the second tier author in the case, Maxine Paetro. I just wonder how much input Patterson has. Are the secondary authors just researchers or do they have most of the creative input that is simply blessed by Patterson? With the number of books he pushes out a year, this question is at the very least worth pondering. I have still thoroughly enjoyed the series, I guess it is my enquiring mind that wants to know.

The 5th installment of the Women’s Murder Club series was another solid read. It consisted of two concurrently running plots. Boxer was tracking down a serial murderer while the city was absorbed by a major malpractice trial waged against one of the city's best known hospitals. I was a bit disillusioned with the conclusion of the first plot which ended approximately 100 pages from the end of the story. It just didn't feel right to me, and I kept waiting for the shocking spin that never came. Fortunately the second plot line kept the story moving. But once again I wasn't completely satisfied with the conclusion. It just wasn't as crisp and neat as what I have come to expect from this series. The story did move along and kept me interested, I just wish the conclusions were a bit more satisfying.


2 1/2 Stars

Flowers for Algernon should arrive on my doorstep any day now as I've ordered it from the Book Depository recently - so I'm glad you liked it! I also love Fahrenheit: I read it for the first time in highschool and re-read it last year and found it equally great both times. The ending is just amazing.

39. The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly

This is my first foray into the world of Michael Connelly. This was a book involving one of his established characters Jack McEvoy a journalist for the Los Angeles Times. In the begining of the story I found myself connecting with the antagonist (Carver) rather than the protagonist (Jack). But as the book progressed, Jack became more engaging.

The story follows Jack as he looks to write his last big story on his way out the door. He had just been pink slipped with a two week notice, just enough time to train his replacement. A woman calls him to complain that her son was innocent of the murder he had written about on the crime blotter the day before. Jack begins to research the story and starts to find some interesting parrallels between this murder and another recent murder. As he begins to piece things together, writing the biggest story of his career becomes secondary to staying alive.

3 Stars

40. The New Padawan (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) by Eric Stevens

This is a youth novel which follows the continuing saga of Star Wars. I must admit that I found the middle three stories of the Star Wars Saga (Star Wars New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi)to be much more entertaining than the Clone Wars stories. Maybe I am nostalgic of a simpler time in my life; youth. In any case this was a decent story focusing on Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi and their new Padawan (Jedi in training).

The reading level is above my 4 year olds (who I read it to) comprehension but was still engaging enough for him to pay attention and to review the pictures on the page.

If you are a Star Wars fan the book is worth the quick read especially if you have young children to read it to.

3 Stars

41. Post-mortem by Patricia Cornwell

Year after year after year, I have been at either a book store or grocery store book rack and have perused the back cover of a Patricia Cornwell, Scarpetta novel. Yet each time I put it back and never made the purchase. I am not sure why this was the case, her premises and storylines always seemed engaging, yet I never read one of her books. This year I promised myself I would read one (or more) of these books. I even collected a half a dozen of them through Bookmooch and from my local library book sales. Well when I looked at the calendar and saw the year was coming to a close, I felt it was time to pick one up.

I decided to start from the beginning with Cornwell's debut Scarpetta novel. Overall it was an engaging story that tracks an intelligent serial killer who doesn't leave to many tracks. The complexity of solving the case becomes even more difficult when someone close to the investigation is leaking key information to the media. As Dr. Scarpetta gets closer to solving the case, she also gets closer to risking her own life.

This book was a solid read, and it was interesting to see how far forensic science has come in 20 years. Back when this book was published the use of DNA testing to solve a crime was in its infancy, and therefore wasn't always a homerun for standing up in court.

3 1/2 Stars

42. The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson

I have one word for this book......WOW!

Not only does this book provide a head scratching look into some of the US government’s odd tactics, it also connects some of the most seemingly unrelated events in our history.

Take the following events as a for instance: Heaven's Gate mass suicide, Waco TX, David Koresh and the Davidians, one of the terrorists who piloted a plane on 911, Private Lynndie England, and don't forget the goats! If you haven't heard of these events, be sure to Google them as a point of reference. It is amazing when multiple events which apparently have no relevance to one another come together so like a puzzle. It’s almost like reading a mystery novel with plot lines which seem irrelevant to one another until the final climax.
This story was interesting, funny and bizarre all at the same time. I’ll never look at a goat the same way again, especially if it has been debleated. I just wonder how much of it is actually true.

4 Stars

I had no idea this is a book. It's on the wishlist now!

If you like his style Them: Adventures with Extremists is quite good too. His later stuff is way different though.

drneutron: I didn't know it was a book either, until I picked up my copy at Costco

clfish: I have added Them to my wishlist

Glad you enjoyed your first Scarpetta. I liked them rather well for a while, but I OD'd on them :) Still they were filled the bill atm. I find I prefer Kathy Reichs for the genre these days.

43. The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists by Gideon Defoe

As the story goes Mr. Defoe wrote this book in an effort to get a girl to leave her boyfriend; sadly for him, she did not. The sad ending to the author’s personal tale is not to be considered a negative reflection of his prose. This is a quick read which actually has more than a handful of laugh-out-loud moments. Being a fan of the humor genre, I can attest to this being a rare event in most books; even if, or most likely especially if the front and back covers are plastered with reviews like "an outrageously humorous ride", "side-splittingly funny", or "I laughed so hard I fractured my funny bone."

The story follows the pursuit of the Pirate Captain and his crew as they embark upon a madcap adventure (I realize the irony, in my descriptor words) whence they meet up with the one and only Charles Darwin and his newly discovered Man-panzee, Mister Bobo. Mister Bobo ia a human-like chimpanzee that dresses in people clothes and speaks through the use of flashcards.

This is a funny adventure and is well worth the short amount of time it will take you to read.

4 1/2 Stars

I love The Pirates! series, very silly but very funny. My favourite so far is The Pirates! in adventure with Communists.

I hadn't even realized there were more in the series, thanks for the heads up.....on the wishlist they go!

43. Cross Dressing by Bill Fitzhugh

The title to this one may make your mind wander to some very strange places indeed, but you can't judge a book by it's title or whatever it is they say. This book has also been publish under the title, McJesus. This is the story of a high powered ad executive (Dan Steele), who lives well above his not so meager means. Dan's twin brother Michael, or rather Father Michael, returns from a mission in Africa and falls ill. Thinking that he'll simply need a prescription antibiotics and being the clever man that he is Dan allows Father Michael to assume his identity for a moment by using his insurance card. Everything goes awry when Michael's illness is determined to be more serious and the medical test pile up. Unfortunately, Father Michael's illness turns out to be fatal. Father Michael's hospital stay cost over a quarter of a million dollars and now Dan is being investigated by the insurance company for fraud. So Dan feels he has two choices, 1) face huge fines and go to jail, or 2) take on Father Michael's identity (after all turnabout is fair play, right?) Well you can guess which option he chose. The story also contains a hit man, a disgruntled former co-worker, a hooker, and a gun toting nun, just to name a few.

This was an enjoyable story.

4 Stars

wow what a jumble of plot points. sounds like fun.