THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Archives - Book Discussions
>
WHAT BOOKS HAVE YOU FINISHED?
Gun Honey, Vol. 2: Blood for Blood
by Charles Ardai 3.0 starshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by David RosenfeltIn this addition to the 'Andy Carpenter' series, the Paterson, New Jersey defense attorney represents a man in the state's witness protection program.
These cozy mysteries are formulaic but they're fun. Always good for a few laughs. 3.5 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by James FellThis book started with author James Fell's anecdotes on his Facebook page, called 'On This Day in History Shit Went Down.' The book is absolutely hilarious, but also disturbing. That's because human history is full of f**king terrible behavior.
Very entertaining and informative. 4.5 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Kellye GarrettGraduate student Lena Scott doesn't believe her half-sister Desiree died from an accidental heroin overdose, and Lena sets out to prove it was murder.
Set in New York City, which adds nice ambiance to the mystery novel. 3 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Jessica KnollIn this fictionalized story of notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, Jessica Knoll focuses on the women more than the murderer.
Well written. 4 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Jo NesbøMystery writer Jo Nesbo dips a toe into the horror genre here, and the creepy crawly story is appropriate for YA and adult readers.
Fun book, good for the Halloween season. 3 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Yesterday, I finished reading "Johnny Carson" by Henry Bushkin, which I cannot praise enough. It's one of the best books I've so far read this year.
A few weeks ago, I bought this book and WOW! did I ever learn much more about Johnny Carson the private man than I could've ever imagined while he was alive. (As someone who watched The Tonight Show during the 1970s and 1980s, Johnny Carson always struck me as a cool, suave, funny and engaging dude.) His drinking problems and shyness (Carson was an introvert and very much a product of the Midwest where he grew up during the Depression), I knew something about from a rare public interview he gave the journalist Mike Wallace on the national TV program 60 Minutes back in 1979.
Henry Bushkin was a newly minted lawyer in New York City when he first made the acquaintance of Johnny Carson in 1970 through his best friend Arthur Kassel, "[a] security expert/crime photographer/police groupie with slightly grandiose ambitions" who had befriended Carson at a police benefit. The meeting between Bushkin and Carson was a brief one, and all-business. Yet from this meeting would develop over the next 18 years a close relationship between both men in which Bushkin faithfully served Carson's interests as his legal advisor (first in New York and later in Los Angeles after The Tonight Show had relocated to the West Coast), fixer, confidant, and close friend. Yet, it was a friendship wholly on Carson's terms. For Carson liked to be in control and could at turns be extremely generous or cold, abrupt, and unforgiving with people whom he felt betrayed him or failed to adequately serve his interests.
This was a delightful book to read because Bushkin showed in the telling that he has a novelist's eye for detail, making Johnny Carson come alive on the page. Frankly, I was surprised to learn that Carson was a voracious womanizer who wasn't above fooling around, even when he was married. "Bushkin [also] explains why Carson felt he always had to be married, why he couldn't visit his son in the hospital and wouldn't attend his mother's funeral [Ruth Carson was very much a cold fish who never showed Carson any affection, no matter what he did for his parents after he had become a megastar], and much more."
Simply put, Johnny Carson is one of the best revelatory, readable, poignant, and uproarious books of its kind that I've ever read. I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about a man who, even after his death, continues to serve as a guiding star for TV hosts today.
Mod
The Golden Gate by Amy ChuaIn 1944, the murder of a presidential hopeful in San Francisco launches an investigation that focuses on three beautiful girls.
Good ambiance of SF of the time, with the racism, bigotry, Japanese internment, WWII fears, and more. 3.5 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Simon BrettIn this cozy mystery, widowed Mrs. Pargeter - and the 'crooks gone straight' in her husband's little black book - investigate a murder and a missing person.
Fun story. 3.5 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stephen McCranie's Space Boy Omnibus Volume 3
by Stephen McCranie 3.5 starshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Something Borrowed, Something Black
by Loren D. Estleman (3.0 stars)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by John GrishamIn mid-20th century Biloxi, Mississippi, vice in the form of drinking, gambling, and prostitution is rampant, and a right-minded attorney is determined to wipe it out.
Good book. 4 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stephen McCranie's Space Boy Omnibus Volume 4
by Stephen McCranie 4.0 starshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Midwinter Witch
by Molly Knox Ostertag (Witch Boy #3) 4.0 stars. I had to finish the trilogy.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Ann PatchettWhen a family with grown children comes together during Covid lockdown, the mother tells the story of her abbreviated acting career and her long ago romance with a Hollywood superstar.
Ann Patchett is great with characterization. 3.5 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Peggy TownsendIn this thriller, a woman and her young son are trapped in Alaska with a husband/father who doesn't want to live by society's rules. Alaska is a great setting for this kind of story.
For fans of adventure stories. 3.5 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A few days ago, I finished reading the historical novel "Freshwater Road" by Denise Nicholas, which is largely set in Mississippi during 'Freedom Summer' of 1964. 
I finished reading this week the new memoir "Necessary Trouble: Growing Up at Midcentury" by the historian and former President of Harvard University, Drew Gilpin Faust.
Faust grew up in a conservative, privileged family in Virginia during the 1950s and during her student days, became an activist in the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Mod
Being Henry: The Fonz . . . and Beyond
by Henry WinklerIn this memoir, Winkler writes about his life, playing Fonzie, and lots more about his long long career in show business.
I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it. 4 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Molly ShannonIn this memoir, the talented comedian/actress Molly Shannon writes about her life and career.
I listened to the audiobook and had a digital copy. Good book. 4 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Several hours ago, I finished reading the book "King: A Life" by Jonathan Eig.
Last May (2023), I went to the local main library - which is named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - to see Jonathan Eig speak about his new biography of Dr. King, KING: A Life. It is the first biography on the life of Dr. King in 40 years. As I recall, it was a very interesting, and at times, enlightening talk, which showed to some extent the degree of research Eig carried out on his subject, as well as the fact that Eig had interviewed personally many of the few surviving veterans of the Civil Rights Movement who had worked personally with Dr. King and had known him very well.
Mod
Last May (2023), I went to the local main library -..."
This looks like a good book.
Mod
by Val McDermidIn this Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie mystery, which takes place during the Covid lockdown (which was very strict in Scotland), the Scottish police investigate the disappearance of an aspiring writer.
As always, Val McDermid writes a good thriller. 3.5 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The King of Plagues
by Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger #3) 4.0 starshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My newest book is the second in my trilogy set in Belle Epoque Paris, titled Bitter Draughts. It's more of a thriller than a mystery, set during the upheaval of the Dreyfus Affair. The first in the series, Floats the Dark Shadow, is a gothic mystery, very dark. Same world, same characters. I'm also re-releasing my historical romances, Marian and Heart of Deception are out under my real name, Gayle Feyrer, with two more to follow.
Both of the Paris novels are prize-winners.
https://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Draught...
Mod
Nev MarchIn this addition to the 'Captain Jim Agnihotri' historical mystery series, private detective Jim Agnihotri and his wife Diana search for a killer on a transatlantic passenger ship.
Interesting setting for a mystery. 3 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Mystery of Tunnel 51
by Alexander Wilson (Leonard Wallace #1) 4.0 starshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stephen McCranie's Space Boy Volume 13
by Stephen McCranie 4.5 starshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Andy CohenIn this entertaining memoir, Bravo executive producer Andy Cohen writes about his life and career....and of course the 'Real Housewives' franchise.
Good book for a light read. 4 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stephen McCranie's Space Boy Volume 14
by Stephen McCranie 4.0 starshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Lee GoldbergA police detective in a California desert town investigates a strange death coupled with an inexplicable disappearance.
Good mixed genre thriller. 4 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
In “Red Mill: It's Not How You Start, It's How You Finish” Murray Schwartz has written a memoir that not only hits a grand slam, but throws a Super Bowl touchdown, scores a hat-trick and wins the Triple Crown when it comes to checking off all the boxes for what qualifies as a brilliant, original and very affecting autobiography.
Born into a poor family in the Bronx, Mr. Schwartz scoops the reader right out of their own existence and into his with razor sharp reminiscences and prose worthy of Proust.
At the very center of Mr. Schwartz's existence is The Red Mill Nightclub, legendary in its day for providing the sort of entertainment and ambiance which stressed a sort of elegance which would later open up the whole world for a child who’s father worked there as a manager, bartender and sort of bouncer. Mr. Schwartz’ father spent many years as “Schwartzy”, the poorly paid “jack of all trades” at The Red Mill with his young son helping out for spare change. The pain of seeing his father, a very decent, moral and caring man referred to by such a demeaning nickname infused young Murray with an inner vow that when he reached adulthood, he would be called Mr. Schwartz.
As Mr. Schwartz points out many times, quite eloquently, life is made up of luck, chance, action and hard work. Through all of those nouns, Mr. Schwartz ended up in the mail room of the William Morris Talent Agency and ultimately working for the unforgettable and infamous George Wood, one of its top agents.
It is here, Mr. Schwartz separates himself from the vast majority of other memoirists, as he displays a rare skill in perfectly capturing the character of this enormously complex man. George Wood, although attired in the most expensive of suits (all blue) and perfectly groomed, had enough inner demons to make even Dylan Thomas blush. The anecdotes that Mr. Schwartz relates are full of humor as well as pathos, in a sense a mix of Damon Runyon and Dostoyevsky.
It was while booking guests for The Tonight Show that Mr. Schwartz met Merv Griffin, which ultimately led to his being invited by Mr. Griffin, to help form the company that would become Merv Griffin Enterprises, where as President and CEO, Mr. Schwartz would oversee this brilliantly successful behemoth ultimately responsible for such shows as Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. The relationship between the two men is written about in honest and genuine detail. From the monumental successes to the inexplicable ending and Griffin’s inner struggles, so publicly and garishly publicized at the time, are handled with impeccable respect and openness. Mr. Schwartz has too much respect for his readers to gloss over details yet too much humility to embellish them.
The great strength of “Red Mill: It's Not How You Start, It's How You Finish” is that Mr. Schwartz does not allow the book to become a standard celebrity gabfest. He certainly has met and befriended more than his share of famous people. Rather, this is a heartfelt memoir, written by a man seeking to search his background and his life to fully understand how past events helped shape, not only where he is now, but how he ultimately arrived at his present destination. Readers are very fortunate to have such an expert guide, as they are truly taken along on this fascinating journey, meeting unforgettable characters, the famous and the infamous, as Schwartzy’s son does indeed earn the title of Mr. Schwartz.
Red Mill: It's Not How You Start, It's How You Finish
Reviewed by
Rick Friedman
Founder
The James Mason Community Book Club- est 2009.
8,500 Plus Members
Mod
by Agatha ChristieThis is a classic Agatha Christie plot involving intrigue within a family. 3 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Damyanti BiswasDuring monsoon season, police in Mumbai investigate a vicious and bizarre murder in a Hindu temple.
Mumbai - and the social situation in India - provides an interesting backgound for this police procedural/thriller. 4 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Leslie MeierAmateur sleuth Lucy Stone's daughter is getting married in France, and the whole family travels overseas for the nuptials. A murder occurs, and Lucy itches to investigate.
More family travel story than mystery. 3 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Lore Olympus: Volume Three
by Rachel Smythe (Lore # 3) (3.5 stars)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The City of Gold and Lead
by John Christopher (Tripods #2) (3.5 stars)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by C.J. BoxIn this addition to the 'Joe Pickett' series, the Wyoming game warden is after lawbreakers who seem to think they're invulnerable.
Lots of action in this thriller. 3.5 stars
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A short time ago, I finished reading "One Fighter Pilot’s War" by John W. Walcott.
ONE FIGHTER PILOT'S WAR is an account the author wrote in November 1999 for his family of his service during World War II as a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). Following Walcott's death in 2003, his son J. Andrew Walcott had it edited and published in 2015.
John W. Walcott had been in his senior year at the University of Michigan studying engineering when he enlisted in the USAAF in 1942. He was officially called up in February 1943, underwent flight training in PA and TX, won his wings in April 1944, and was assigned to the 31st Fighter Group in Italy during the late summer of 1944. The 31st flew P-51 Mustangs, which Walcott only learned to fly with said unit before taking part in his first combat mission over Hungary, where he was part of a strafing attack on a block of locomotives. He would fly 39 combat missions up to April 17, 1945.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
Books mentioned in this topic
The Skull Mantra (other topics)Murder With Chocolate Tea (other topics)
The Left Hand of Darkness (other topics)
The Good Neighbors (other topics)
Listen for the Lie (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Eliot Pattison (other topics)Karen Rose Smith (other topics)
Holly Black (other topics)
Amy Tintera (other topics)
Rachel Hawkins (other topics)
More...
Excellent book for busy parents on quick tips for parenting successful, self-confident, and happy children!