Losing Mum and Pup

by Christopher Buckley
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 6.5 hours
read by the author

Although I don't know a lot about William F. Buckley, Jr., I knew that his name was strongly connected to "conservative." The title is what caught my eye, and I'm so very glad I listened. Buckley's experiences dealing with aging, ailing parents really resonates with me right now. He writes wonderfully (making me want to read some of his other work and perhaps some of his dad's, too).

At times I thought, "What arrogant, overprivileged jerks." But most of the time, I enjoyed the memoir and the intensity of the parent / child relationships. I'm also very thankful for siblings who help to share the burdens. This was an excellent memoir.

Honor in the Dust

by Gilbert Morris
given by Penny Reynolds to me two book club meetings ago
paperback 303 pages
genre: Christian romance / hist fic

This was just not well-written at all. It lacked flow, clarity of narrative, and general interest. The thing I liked was the steadfast faith of Grace, Leah, etc. Not a particularly engaging or worthwhile story. A bit taken aback when I read about the author in the back. An older fellow who was a pastor before he was a writer, Morris says, " . . . I sometimes think I've written too many books. . . . Sometimes I think I've written the same book 221 times!" Um. Yeah. Stop already.

Thought it was funny to see Penny's red-pen English teacher marks on the use of then & than incorrectly (pages 180 & 262).

Candle in the Darkness

by Lynn Austin
Hennepin County Library paperback 420 pages
genre: Christian romance, hist fic

Sigh. I like Austin's writing, but I was really, really, really NOT in the mood for another Civil War book. Told from Caroline Fletcher's perspective from 1853 until shortly after the war, this felt too long and drawn-out. I loved Eli's faith and strength. In fact, I liked all the slaves. Caroline's spying seemed too far-fetched. Austin obviously did lots of research.

I don't remember who in book club recommended this one . . . not sure if I even bring it up at our next meeting. I just wasn't in the mood for this book.

A Knight in Shining Armor

by Jude Devereaux
Hennepin County Library paperback 464 pages
genre: romance / hist fic & time travel

This was Ann's book club title and I was curious. I've only read one other Devereaux novel (the one with a mention of my friend Lisa Middag in it). It was an enjoyable story so far as she actually includes plot and character development (unlike "pulp" romance). The story bothered me, though. The logistics of time travel are always awkward. Dougless was too wimpy of a heroine for me. I like my protagonists to have a happy ever after. 'Nuff said. Her writing reminds me of Laveryle (?) Spencer, the only romance novelist whose books I would ever read more than once.

They Called Themselves the K.K.K.

by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Hennepin County Library hardcover 150 pages

Well-researched and well-written, I didn't enjoy this book. The author did a good job of providing the background for the start of the KKK. The engravings and photographs added a lot of texture. I just don't enjoy reading about such cruelty and hatred. At times, the author seemed to be making such an effort to provide unbiased, factual information that she seemed almost sympathetic to the KKK. Poor white landowners who were land rich and cash poor. The sheer brutality and horror of the KKK's reign were understated, in my opinion. Still, I learned a lot from this book. I had never before known where the name Ku Klux Klan came from. I also didn't realize that the original group were more pranksters than terrorists.

Bleak Expectations

by Mark Evans (?)
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 3 hours
genre: British humor

BBC-produced, this was a radio program that felt like it should be watched. The audience laughed at things that had to be facial expressions on the cast of actors. (I envision a Prairie-Home Companion kind of thing. Produced for radio, but with performers in front of an audience.)

Funny twist on Dickens' Great Expectations, this had a Monty Pythonesque feel to it. Funny, odd, and just a bit dark. It had me laughing in my car while I listened.

Dirty Little Secrets

by Cynthia Omololu
Hennepin County Library paperback 210 pages
genre: YA fiction, troubled youth, hoarding

This book was incredibly difficult for me to read and I'm not sure why. Once Lucy decided not to call for help or tell the truth, it felt like a train wreck waiting to happen. The truth always comes out (except at the end of this story . . . ). In many ways, this story reminded me of MacCready's Buried. Buried was a much more powerful book, but it was not about hoarding. Perhaps this is the main thing I "got" from the book - how hoarding impacts the children. Never having watched any of the tv shows about this, I guess I'm just unaware. In comparison, my family's tendency toward packrat-ism seems pretty mild.

Hurricanes in Paradise

by Denise Hildreth
Hennepin County Library paperback 365 pages
genre: Christian fiction, relationships

Book club title for August - lovely! Riley Sinclair is working in hospitality on Paradise Island. Recovering from wounds in her past, this Southern belle is doing her best to stay on track. But an eventful week brings difficult bestselling author Laine Fulton, frightened Tamyra, and widow Winnie into her life. These four women all experience breakthroughs and bonding. Wonderful storytelling. (Except for Mitch's plane trip . . . pointless.)

Makes me want to go to the Caribbean!

Mindblind

by Jennifer Roy
Hennepin County Library hardcover 249 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction, aspbergers

Loved it! Nathaniel Clark is a memorable character who works very hard at functioning in the "normal" world. His mother is extraordinary, his dad is a clueless jerk. His friends are the real deal. Great story.

Trickster: Native American Tales

a graphic collection
edited by Matt Dembicki
Hennepin County Library paperback 231 pages

What an interesting collection . . . Native American storytellers and a wide range of artists. There were specific things that I liked and disliked about the many stories in this collection. It's definitely worth having in my collection. One of my favorites (story-wise) is "How the Alligator Got His Brown Scaly Skin." I like this type of story, where the overbearing character gets his/her comeupance. In many of the trickster tales, I do not like how the trickster character triumphs. The artwork in some of the stories was very jarring. It was interesting to read the bios at the end.

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous

by Georgia Bragg
illustrated by Kevin O'Malley
Hennepin County Library hardcover 163 pages

Interesting, informative, well-designed. Not as gruesome as the warnings describe, but gross enough that most middle schoolers will be caught up in it. Some of these deaths I knew about, but I definitely learned some new things. And yes, I do appreciate modern hygiene, medical knowledge, etc.

Caesar, Cleopatra, Beethoven, Einstein, Curie, etc.

Girl, Stolen

by April Henry
Hennepin County Library hardcover 213 pages
genre: YA adventure - kidnapping & danger

Book's blurb: "Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of the car while her stepmom fills a prescription for antibiotics. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, the car is being stolen. Griffin hadn't meant to kidnap Cheyenne, but once his dad finds out that Cheyenne's father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes - now there's a reason to keep her. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare because she's not only sick with pneumonia - she's blind."

The book isn't edgy enough to make you wonder if Cheyenne will make it - clearly she will survive and get back home. The question for me was always about Griffin and his future. Short, easy-to-read, interesting. I'll definitely buy this for my collection. A little bit hoky, but it works okay.

The Unsinkable Walker Bean

by Aaron Renier
Hennepin County Library paperback 192 pages
genre: YA graphic novel, mystery & adventure

Hmmm. Surprised that I didn't like this more. I love graphic novels in general, but I was more confused than enthralled. I felt as though there was an entire back story that I was missing . . . like this was book two and I needed to read book one to "get" it. Walker is a lovely protagonist (though how his dad - a total jerk - raised such a fine son is baffling). Grandpa asks Walker to follow through on a dangerous task that could save grandpa and all of Winooski Bay. Pirates, sea monsters, inventions, friendships, and many trials ensue. Many of the illustrations were quite involved and bear more looking at than I gave them. I'll probably buy it for my collection at PRMS.

A Long Walk to Water

by Linda Sue Park
Hennepin County Library hardcover 120 pages
genre: realistic fiction

Wow! I see why Sarah Rother wanted to use this with 8th graders - it fits perfectly with our Africa / water unit. Based on Salva Dut's real-life experiences in Sudan in the 1980s, this story alternates between his reality avoiding war and starvation and the story of Nya, a girl in the Sudan in 2008. Her reality involves walking for an entire day, every day, to get water from a mudhole for her family. Two trips barefoot. Until the day strange men show up in her village. Powerful story! Makes me sad, though, at how much we take for granted in our American lives

Borrowed Names: poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madame C.J. Walker, Marie Curie, and their Daughters

by Jennine Atkins
Hennepin County Library hardcover 206 pages
genre: biographical poetry

Fascinating concept. Poetry based on the factual evidence of three amazing women and their relationships with their daughters. This actually left me wanting to read more about these women, though I generally liked them better than their daughters! Marie Curie's daughter impressed me most of the younger generation. I hadn't even known that she existed. I read some of this to my mom while she was in the hospital and I think she found it interesting too.