Killing Kennedy: the end of Camelot

by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Hennepin County Library hardcover 302 pages
genre: historical / biography

I don't really feel like writing this right now. I wish I had read it *before* book club. It was interesting, a little too much (how do these men know what Oswald was feeling and thinking in the last two hours before he was caught?) but I'm glad I've read it. Unfortunately, some people now think this book is "it" even though the authors state that we'll never know what really happened. I should have made notes as I read, because there were some things that caught my attention. I didn't realize that Marilyn Monroe's death was possibly NOT a suicide . . . . I am saddened by how rude the Kennedys were to LBJ after they used him to help win Texas in the election. I wonder about Marina and her children and how their lives have turned out. (Oswald's Russian wife) And I wish I had more time to read other books from other perspectives.

I made a note of this review quite a while ago . . . (adding it 7/2/13):
http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Kennedy-The-End-Camelot/product-reviews/0805096663
I find this intellectually stimulating, but have so many more things to attend to right now.

The Girl in the Glass

by Susan Meissner
Hennepin County Library paperback 325 pages
genre: Christian fiction, relationships

Basic story: young woman named Meg (Marguerite) has always wanted to go to Florence, Italy. Grandma promised to take her for high school graduation, but died when Meg was only 12. Dad promises to take her, but keeps flaking out. Meg called off an engagement when she realized she didn't love him as much as he loved her. She works at a publishing house and dates Gabe . . . on and off. Intermingled story line is the manuscript sent to her by Sophia, a native of Florence who lives across from a brother and sister team of photographer and author. Sophia's story is part memoir, part travelog for the beauties of Florence. Intertwined with these two stories is a narrative from Nora, a Medici who lived in the early Renaissance.

It was enjoyable, but not gripping. Meg's attraction to Devon (mom's younger boyfriend) was the most interesting part to me. I wish I could go to Italy. I'm a bit surprised at who Meg ends up with at the end of the book. The stuff with her dad was a bit much.

Her Last Death: a memoir

by Susanna Sonnenberg
Hennepin County Library audio 7 CDs
read by the author
genre: memoir, dysfunctional families

This was disturbing (as in, why did I listen all the way to the end?) but well-written. Sonnenberg is a gifted writer, but this story is either more fiction than fact, or she grew up in one of the most dysfunctional families I've ever read about. Her mother told her about orgasms when she was eight years old, offered her cocaine when she was twelve, and encouraged her to lose her virginity when she turned sixteen. Really?

Yet I was compelled by her story and her love-hate relationship with her mother. There were parts of her story that actually resonated for me with my own childhood! She is a very gifted writer, but her choice to use pseudonyms for everyone other than herself made me curious. So of course, I went online and did a little research.

Mom (Daphne in book) is Wendy Adler
Maternal Grandma (Patsy) is Eileen Walser, model
Maternal Grandpa (?) was Larry Adler, famous harmonica player
Eileen Walser's second marriage was to Arnold Maremont
Dad (Nat) is Ben Sonnenberg,editor / publisher of literary magazine
Stepmom (Isabelle) is Susan de Verges Snodgrass (marriage #2)
Dorothy Gallagher is Ben's wife #3

Paternal Grandpa is Benjamin Sonnenberg (?-1978), Russian immigrant
Sister (Penelope) is Emma Sonnenberg-Snowden-Jones

Half-sister (?) is Saidee Brown Sonnenberg
Stepbrother (Joe) is Stephen Verges

Husband (Christopher)
Sons (Daniel & Jack)

For a truly awesome review, read this: http://headbutler.com/books/memoir/her-last-death
Wow.

Her dad's autobiography is title Lost Property: Memoirs and Confessions of a Bad Boy

Odd Interlude

by Dean Koontz
Hennepin County Library paperback 253 pages
genre: paranormal mystery

This shorter novel takes place between Odd Hours and Odd Apocalypse (Magic Beach & Roseland). Odd and Annamaria have just left Magic Beach and are driving along the California coast when they are drawn to Harmony Corner. There is "something" in this place that demands their presence . . . and off we go into mystery and mayhem as only Odd can do it. Wonderful little story. I'm hooked on this character! Can hardly wait until Deeply Odd is available! (I'm #232 on Hennepin County's waiting list for it; it's "on order" in their system.)

Everybody Sees the Ants

by A.S. King
Hennepin County Library hardcover 280 pages
genre: Teen realistic fiction

Lucky Linderman is a 15-year-old who has been terrorized by bully Nader McMiillan most of his life. His parents don't deal with problems directly and Lucky dreams himself into Vietnam where he tries to rescue his grandpa (MIA/POW).

Complex, harsh, beautiful, awful. This book is amazing. Some of my middle schoolers could definitely handle it, but it should absolutely be in high school collections.