September ~ 2011

Thank goodness...my month-long book ban is over! I did still read a bunch (magazines, internet, and school textbooks), but no books. So glad to jump back in this month!

123. The Library Diaries...Ann Miketa
Quote: The Library Diaries reads like Seinfeld meets Lou Dobbs meets Glenn Beck. Issues that most of us are afraid to talk about, issues we have had to veil through humor, are talked about candidly by the author, who has seen the terrible consequences of us not talking about these issues—children’s lives. Open this book and you’ll meet the naked patron, the greedy, unenlightened patrons, destination hell, the masturbator, horny old men, Mr. Three Hats, and a menagerie of other characters you never dreamt were housed at your public library.

Wow. Judgemental much? This was nauseating drivel that I wish I hadn't wasted time reading. She spent the whole time spouting off hateful trash...especially her last chapter on eugenics. I have to say I am glad the library fired her over this book.

124. The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival...Louise Murphy Quote: A provocative transformation of the classic fairy tale into a haunting survival story set in Poland during WWII, Murphy's second novel (after The Sea Within) is darkly enchanting. Two Jewish children, a girl of 11 and her seven-year-old brother, are left to wander the woods after their father and stepmother are forced to abandon them, frantically begging them never to say their Jewish names, but to identify themselves as Hansel and Gretel. In an imaginative reversal of the original tale, they encounter a small woman named Magda, known as a "witch" by villagers, who risks her life in harboring them. The story alternates between the children's nightmarish adventures, and their parents' struggle for survival and hope for a safe reunion. This mirror image of the fairy tale is deliberately disorienting, as Murphy describes the horrors of the outside world compared with the haven inside Magda's hut, and the fear and anguish of the other people who conspire to save the children and protect their own families, too. The na‹ve siblings are only half-conscious of much of this, though they are perfectly aware of their peril should they be discovered. The graphic details-the physical symptoms of near starvation, the infestations of lice, the effects of bitter cold-make it plain that this is the grimmest kind of fable. Eventually, the Nazis indulge in wholesale slaughter, and the children barely survive, hiding and on the run. No reader who picks up this inspiring novel will put it down until the final pages, in which redemption is not a fairy tale ending but a heartening message of hope.

This book was very hard to read at times, but I'm so glad I did.


125. The Butt Book...Tosca Reno

This book was okay. I really just picked it up to get some new exercises to try. The rest of the book was kind of boring.

126. Barefoot Running Step by Step...Ken Bob Saxton
Quote: Barefoot running has garnered lots of attention due to the mega-bestseller Born to Run while products like the Vibram® FiveFinger Shoes have tripled in sales and top athletic companies like Nike® and Adidas® are declaring barefoot running the next big thing. However, barefoot running involves more than simply taking off your shoes and hitting the track and Barefoot Running Step by Step teaches runners how to train their feet and body to run barefoot properly and in a way that will dramatically reduce injuries. Barefoot Running Step by Step separates the facts from the hype covering the latest research and running techniques behind this key trend. Written by noted barefoot runner and instructor Ken Bob Saxton and running journalist Roy Wallack this guide outlines proper techniques for running barefoot properly and incorporating the practice into their running regimen for a better stride, longer endurance, and fewer injuries. Barefoot Running Step by Step is the most comprehensive book on the hottest athletic trend.

Fun book! I've been doing stuff barefoot for most of my life and I've been trying to convince DH to try barefoot running for a while now. I'm hoping after reading this book, he will be more willing to try it.

127. The Tattoo Chronicles...Kat Von D
Quote: Visually stunning, this graphically compelling diary is jam-packed with tons of Kat's images, from sketches of her tattoos to the finished works, and candid shots of her unusual personal collections—all photographed by Kat herself. Fans will love reading about her array of clients from all walks of life, including MotÖrhead's Lemmy Kilmister, Dave Navarro, and members of Metallica, Green Day, Kings of Leon, and the Eagles. Throughout The Tattoo Chronicles are captivating, color photographs of Kat that were taken specifically for the book, published here for the first time.

I love Kat Von D, so this was an interesting read. I enjoyed hearing the stories behind all the different tattoos.


128. Conch Shell Murder...Dorothy Francis
129. Pier Pressure...Dorothy Francis
130. Cold-Case Killer...Dorothy Francis
131. Eden Palms Murder...Dorothy Francis
132. Killer in Control...Dorothy Francis

Okay, if you are looking for a fast-paced mystery where the main characters are believable and you don't figure out "who did it" in the second chapter, then DON'T read these books. If you are looking at books set in Key West with sights, culture, and people that you know and miss, then try these books out. These weren't the best books story-wise. The main characters were super geniuses one chapter and then complete idiots the next. Or they make really pointless, unbelievable actions. For example, in one (actually several)of the books, the main character is scared of and believes a particular man is guilty of murder the whole book and then at the end when she finds out someone else did it she says to the guy "I love you with all my heart." :wacko: On the other hand, I miss Key West and it is in the 60s here, so it was fun to "see" all my old haunts. Most of the main characters lived near my Tia Grace's house or the old house where MIL grew up. They even went by my old house in Big Pine and by my grandma-in-law's house on Stock Island. I recognized a lot of the bit characters and, of course, all the stores and tourist attractions. So, all-in-all, I liked reading them, but wouldn't really recommend them to anyone else.

133. Football for the Utterly Confused...Tom Flores & Bob O'Connor
134. Football for Dummies...Howie Long & John Czarnecki

DS1 is playing tackle football and I'm tired of asking DH what's going on all the time!

135. Adopting the Racing Greyhound...Cynthia Branigan
136. Greyhound: The Essential Guide for the Greyhound Lover...Cindy Victor
137. The Best Finish: Adopting a Retired Racing Greyhound...Carolyn Raeke

We're seriously looking into adopting a greyhound, so I've been doing some research.

138. Darth Paper Strikes Back...Tom Angleberger
I loved Origami Yoda, so I couldn't wait to read the sequel! It wasn't as great as the first one, but it was still really good!

Quote: The hilarious, clever, and much-anticipated follow-up to the breakout hit, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda! It is a dark time at Ralph McQuarrie Middle School. After suffering several Origami Yoda–related humiliations, Harvey manages to get Dwight suspended from school for being a “troublemaker.” Origami Yoda pleads with Tommy and Kellen to save Dwight by making a new case file—one that will show how Dwight’s presence benefits McQuarrie. With the help of their friends, Tommy and Kellen record cases such as “Origami Yoda and the Pre-eaten Wiener,” “Origami Yoda and the Exploding Pizza Bagels,” and “Origami Yoda and Wonderland: The Musical.” But Harvey and his Darth Paper puppet have a secret plan that could make Dwight’s suspension permanent . . . With his proven knack for humorously exploring the intrigues, fads, and dramas of middle school, Tom Angleberger has crafted a worthy sequel to his breakout bestseller.


139. Witch Way to Murder...Shirley Damsgaard
This was a cute story, but you could tell it was a new author. I liked the characters, though, so I will probably finish this series.

Quote: Thirty something Ophelia Jensen wants to live a quiet life as a small town librarian. She's created a comfortable existence with her kooky, colorful grandmother Abby, and if it were up to her, they could live out their days—along with Ophelia's dog Lady and cat Queenie—in peace and quiet. But, to Ophelia's dismay, she and Abby aren't a typical grandmother/granddaughter duo. She possesses psychic powers, and Abby is a kindly witch. And while Ophelia would do anything to dismiss her gift—harboring terrible guilt after her best friend was killed and she was unable to stop it—threatening events keep popping up, forcing her to tap into her powers of intuition. To make matters worse, a strange—yet devastatingly attractive—man is hanging around Ophelia's library, and no matter how many times she tells him she's sworn off men forever, he persists. Soon this handsome newcomer reveals he's following a lead on a local drug ring, and then a dead body shows up right in Abby's backyard. And much as Ophelia would like to put away her spells forever, she and Abby must use their special powers to keep themselves, and others, out of harm's way.

140. Tracking the Man-Beasts...Joe Nickell
This was really interesting, but very broad. I would have liked more info on a lot of the stuff he introduced.

Quote: In Tracking the Man-Beasts, veteran paranormal investigator Joe Nickell explores the historical, geographical, and cultural reaches of various "manimals" and other humanoid entities&mdas;among them such monster men as Gigantopithecus and Neanderthals; hairy man-beasts like Sasquatch and the elusive de Loys' Ape; supernatural beings, including werewolves, vampires, and devil men; and supposedly spaceship-borne entities like Mothman and the Roswell humanoids. Tracking the Man-Beasts takes the reader on expeditions into wilderness areas, explores historical contexts, and brings folkloric and iconographic evidence to bear on a category of mysteries as old as humanity.