Jazz

by Geoffrey C. Ward
Dakota County Library audioCDs
read by LeVar Burton
genre: non-fiction, music history

This was fascinating, but I didn't finish it. I've been feeling overwhelmed and needing to pare down the "stuff" in my life. As an audiobook, I was somehow expecting more samples of the music being described in the text. There were so many names I didn't recognize. It's interesting to learn how many different people claimed to have created jazz as an art form! I'd like to read the full book sometime. I can borrow it from Scott Prescott, I'm sure.

Holy Bible: the book of Acts

Contemporary English Version
Dakota County Library audioCDs, 2.75 hours
Narrated by Peter Jay Fernandez

One of my favorite books of the Bible! I love the way God moves so powerfully through the Holy Spirit. Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus is an incredible example of how lives can be changed by the Lord. Fernandez has a very easy voice to listen to.

Her Daughter's Dream

by Francine Rivers
Andrea's hardcover 574 pages

Marta & Niklas, Hildemara & Trip, Carolyn & Mitch, May Flower Dawn & Jason, Faith . . . The story begun in Her Mother's Hope is finished here. The generational love and conflict left me frustrated at first (why don't these people just talk to one another honestly?!?!?!) and then turned to contemplation. Why do families function the way they do? Why is it so hard to have honest, direct communication? May Flower Dawn's story (and Carolyn's) were my favorite part. Marta ended up being my favorite character - weird considering how much I disliked her in the previous book. Rivers writes a good story about relationships and life.

City of Light, City of Dark

by Avi, drawings by Brian Floca
PRMS paperback 192 pages
genre: YA / graphic novel / fantasy

This was yet another re-read for me, in preparation for the sixth grade book club tomorrow. Enjoyable, clean, action-packed, with some interesting observations to be made. I'm looking forward to discussing it.

Who the Man

by Chris Lynch
PRMS hardcover 186 pages

Hmmm. This took me a long time to read because I had trouble getting into it. Not sure what kind of middle school reader would be drawn to it, but it's definitely less violent and offensive than other Lynch books I've read. Earl is a large 13-year-old who can pass for an adult. His thoughts and feelings, though, are still developing between childhood and maturity. His proclivity for resolving problems with fighting gets him a week out of school.

His relationship with wimpy Bobby reminded me of Freak the Mighty. The tension between his parents was too ill-defined until the end of the book. And his obsession for Louisa was also difficult to follow. This book just didn't connect for me . . .

Harry Potter (1-7)

by J.K. Rowling
home copies
genre: YA fantasy

I re-read all the HP books over the last month or so. I think it was my version of vegging out in front of the TV. Enjoyable, relatively mindless relaxation. Louie teased me about re-reading these when I didn't get a book club title read in time . . . but it was enjoyable. And I think I *finally* understood the whole "elder wand master" thing at the end of #7. Call me slow. I thought the wand itself had physically transferred from Dumbledore to Draco to Harry. But the whole point was that the wand recognized them as its master, regardless of who physically held it. (I think this was my third reading of #7.) Ah well. On to the stack of books I've been putting off.

How Angel Peterson Got His Name

by Gary Paulsen
PRMS paperback 111 pages
genre: YA, biography / memoir, humor

Gary Paulsen is a master storyteller. It would be interesting to interview the other guys in this slim book of stories about his adolescence. This book is cleaner than some of Paulsen's other stories of his youth. This was a re-read for me, to get ready for our 8th grade book club this week. Archie is a memorable character - older and somewhat dangerous.