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June 26
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Ken
gave
 
to:
7th Heaven (Women's Murder Club)
by James Patterson
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Ken
gave
to:
The Downhill Lie: A Hacker's Return to a Ruinous Sport (Hardcover)
by Carl Hiaasen
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Ken
gave
to:
When We Get to Surf City: A Journey Through America in Pursuit of Rock and Roll, Friendship, and Dreams (Hardcover)
by Bob Greene
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Ken said:
"Best book of the year, without doubt. Bob Greene is a great writer and here he chronicles his time while touring with Jan and Dean the 1960s super group. The book is more than just travel notes. He captures the friendships developed and the sense of ...more
Best book of the year, without doubt. Bob Greene is a great writer and here he chronicles his time while touring with Jan and Dean the 1960s super group. The book is more than just travel notes. He captures the friendships developed and the sense of memory that music can hold. Log out of this site, go to your bookstore and buy this. Buy more than one copy and display one. You won't be sorry....less
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February 29
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Ken
gave
to:
The Dead Zone (Paperback)
by Stephen King
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Ken said:
"I first read this 20-some years ago and tackled it for a second time just recently. I enjoyed it as much now as I did when two decades ago. King is a good story teller and his prose carries the reader along. I think he was hitting his stride during t...more
I first read this 20-some years ago and tackled it for a second time just recently. I enjoyed it as much now as I did when two decades ago. King is a good story teller and his prose carries the reader along. I think he was hitting his stride during this period that includes Dead Zone, Christine, The Stand, It, et al.
Very entertaining and, regardless of what some say, I think King is a polished writer whose past works will be considered literary perfection in years to come....less
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Ken
gave
to:
No Country for Old Men (Paperback)
by Cormac McCarthy
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Ken said:
"I've read two McCarthy books, this one and The Road. Both are gloomy, dark, brooding works with sentence fragments, overusage of conjunctions and, at times, passive voice galore. McCarthy is considred by many to be the greatest American writer alive....more
I've read two McCarthy books, this one and The Road. Both are gloomy, dark, brooding works with sentence fragments, overusage of conjunctions and, at times, passive voice galore. McCarthy is considred by many to be the greatest American writer alive. I don't think so, but that opinion didn't spoil my reading of No Country.
The book switches points of view between the sheriff and a third person narrator. Maybe my attitude was preformed by the hype surrounding the movie and subsequent Academy Award nominations, but I was somewhat disappointed. It's a good story, but comparing it to literary genius is a stretch.
The tale is entertaining and the heart of the sheriff comes through. I've not seen the movie and don't plan to now that I read the book.
...less
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February 18
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Ken
gave
to:
The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World (Paperback)
by A.J. Jacobs
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Ken said:
"Jacobs' quest to read the entire Encylopedia Britanica might seem dry for adventurous reading, but the author combines his personal experiences with tidbits gleaned from his reading, which makes a highly entertaining read.
His self-effacing humor ...more
Jacobs' quest to read the entire Encylopedia Britanica might seem dry for adventurous reading, but the author combines his personal experiences with tidbits gleaned from his reading, which makes a highly entertaining read.
His self-effacing humor and his interpretations of those who react to his reading journey are funny; there's an interesting balance here.. Jacobs wants to become the "smartest man" in the world, yet he admits to being dumber than his brother-in-law. Jacobs joins a Mensa group and tries out for the television game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," both with hilarious results.
The other element that Jacobs uses that I enjoyed is his recall of various encyclopedic events and how he applies them to his own life. He also intertwines historical accounts and appllies them to current entertainment news (His jokes on "actor" Keana Reeves are priceless).
It's a different type of book, yet a fantastic read. I rate it as one of the best books I've read this year and in 2007. It's fun, and you might learn something.
Jacobs also wrote "The Year of Living Bibically," an report on his attempts to follow all the Bible's rules and laws. I intend to read that soon, but I think reading "Know-it-all" first is a must, both to get used to Jacobs' great writing style and to learn about him and his wife in a general way.
...less
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February 12
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Ken
gave
to:
Shoeless: The Life and Times of Joe Jackson (Paperback)
by David L. Fleitz
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Ken said:
"If I could write a baseball book, this would be it. This is a great read about Joe Jackson, and the events leading up to his banishment for baseball for allegedly gambling on the 1919 World Series. I say 'allegedly' because Fleitz does not make any e...more
If I could write a baseball book, this would be it. This is a great read about Joe Jackson, and the events leading up to his banishment for baseball for allegedly gambling on the 1919 World Series. I say 'allegedly' because Fleitz does not make any editorial statements and just presents facts from court documents, newspaper accounts, biographies of other players, etc. There is so much more to Jackson than that ill-fated Wold Series, and Fleitz captures it all.
I totally enjoyed this and would recommend it to any baseball fan.
...less
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Ken
gave
to:
Duma Key (Hardcover)
by Stephen King
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Ken said:
"After a long, long hiatus from reading King's stuff, I tried Duma Key. It may be more fitting if it were called Dumb Key, although I did get caught up in King's craft of storytelling.
The book involves three people who meet, who've all had serious...more
After a long, long hiatus from reading King's stuff, I tried Duma Key. It may be more fitting if it were called Dumb Key, although I did get caught up in King's craft of storytelling.
The book involves three people who meet, who've all had serious head traumas that gave them special skills... the narrator can paint, his friend can read minds, etc. There are ghosts and scares, and a mean-spirited giant frog that wreaks havoc at times. But for the most part, it was a long, tiring read. Maybe I am trying to recreate the feeling I got when I was much younger, readiing King's early stuff.. Christine, Cujo, Carrie, etc.
Still, he hasn't lost his grasp on the art of telling the story and he weaves little elements (such as the way the narrator remembers the name of his aggression doll) throughout the book, making it more interesting.
...less
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January 15
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Ken
gave
to:
Road Fever (Paperback)
by Tim Cahill
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Ken
gave
to:
Dead Sea (Mass Market Paperback)
by Brian Keene
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Ken said:
"If you want to read the best book ever on zombies and social complaints about prejudism toward blacks, gays and poverty, this one is it. I found it to be too preachy and schizophrenic.
The premise is simple: something has caused people to die and...more
If you want to read the best book ever on zombies and social complaints about prejudism toward blacks, gays and poverty, this one is it. I found it to be too preachy and schizophrenic.
The premise is simple: something has caused people to die and turn into zombies. Then, in their bloodlust for human flesh (don't all zombies go through that?) they kill others and convert them into zombism.
The narrator, a black gay man in Baltimore, befriends two children and helps them escape the city on a large boat with others. They battle zombie armies as they stop for supplies and eventually, their own become infected. The narrator also espouses about social injustices along the way, which seems out of place. I mean, when I see a zombie munching on my friend's innards, I am more apt to say something akin to "Shit, let's get outta here!" rather than comment on social inequalities.
The gore factor is high; it's the literary version of those Romero zombie films....less
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