"Life Laughs" By Jenny McCarthy

Title: Life Laughs
Author: Jenny McCarthy
Published Year: 2006
Pages: 215

Jenny McCarthy is awesome! And not just in her books, in life she seems like such an awesome person too. I spent my early teen years watching her on Singled Out and loved her quirky personality on that show. If you've never heard of it or never watched it it's a show about getting a date and she was one of the hosts on the actual show.

Previously I have read her other books about her pregnancy and the first year of her son's life. This book continues on from the previous one and just tells funny stories from her actual life in addition to some not so funny ones but stories that do have their place between these pages. Everything from finding a job, to boyfriends to realising the man you are married to really isn't the guy you should be married to is all within these pages. Each chapter is short and to the point, just like Jenny is in real life.

Her books help remind me that everyone has the same issues and problems throughout life, it doesn't matter who you are or even how much money you have. I love reading her books because its like sharing my own life in comparison with a close friend. The book is witty and quirky and almost anyone can relate to it. I say almost because there is always that one person out there that believes they have nothing in common with any of these stories in this book. Either that person is lying or they live in a cave.

If you are a woman, pick up this book and relate to Jenny.

"50 Boyfriends Worse Than Yours" By Justin Racz

Title: 50 Boyfriends Worse Than Yours
Author: Justin Racz
Published Year: 2006
Pages: 108
Genre: Humor

No, I do not think that I have a bad boyfriend. He is actually quite the opposite: absolutely awesome! But of course there are those times when you are wandering around Half Price Books looking for something fun to read and you end up in the humor section, you'd be surprised at what jumps out and grabs your attention just like this book. I was specifically looking for a Chelsea Handler book that I didn't already have (which by the way for inquiring minds, I did find and I did buy, it will hopefully be read in the next couple weeks) and the humor section I have found is a fun place to be! There are tons of funny titles and I am glad that I have stumbled upon this genre. Also a huge thank you to goodreads.com for providing me with suggestions of books based on others that I have already read. The site is pretty good at those suggestions.

So on to this book in particular! Just like the title suggests, this book is about 50 types of guys that the author believes have got to be worse than your boyfriend (if you have one) that you currently have. They are not true stories, but rather general types of guys like the sensitive tattoo guy and the Jewish mommy's boy just to share a couple of the types. Each type has a picture to show kind of what the guy that is being described may look like along with a page of attributes that they possess. The attributes describe the guy, quotes he may say, type of car to drive, what the first date may be like, benefits and dislikes just to name a few.

It is a quick read and fun at the same time. I breezed right through it in under half an hour and laughed during it too. I swear the author was describing some of my ex-boyfriends.

"Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" By Chelsea Handler

Title: Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea
Author: Chelsea Handler
Published Year: 2008
Pages: 264
Genre: Memoir/Humor

Handler is absolutely hilarious in my opinion. And to make it even better, she uses her own life stories to showcase this vastness of humor. I have read another book of hers about her one-night stands and laughed my way through it. In this one I did the same. Luckily she starts out in chronological order with her stories, so the reader gets a feeling for the things she encountered during her life and how it brought her to where she is today. I love author's that use their own personal experiences as a way of humoring the reader and this book is full of her hysterical events that have happened during her life.

A quick warning, if you are not into reading about compulsive liars, promiscuity, or profanity do not pick this book up! It is full of all of these things and many more. Handler is not ashamed of her past or where she is going and has not problem sharing her stories with the world. From trying to pass herself off as Goldie Hawn's co-star while she is a child to why she felt com pulsed to date a red-head it is all in her and worth the laughter.

The book for me just sucked me in. I could not get enough of it and just flew right through the book. I can handle the type of raunchy humor that is portrayed in the book and I am looking forward to more stories from Handler in the future.

"Timeline" By Michael Crichton

Title: Timeline
Author: Michael Crichton
Published Year: 1999
Pages: 496


What happens when people go into the past using time travel? Knowing Crichton's works, you may have some idea. Like his other works that I have read, this one is full of technical knowledge that brings even more credibility into the actual story. Without the background technical information this could have ended up as just another time travel novel without the needed information to make it plausible.

For this installment of Crichton, he takes us on an adventure that does not really start out in an adventurous mode. There are bits and pieces spanning from a desert area in the southwest United States all the way to an archaeological site in France. By connecting these two with a big technical company, the real adventure begins. Members of the archaeological dig are sent back into the past to rescue one of their own. Throw in the normal twists and turns that Crichton thrives on and you got an awesome book that takes you all the way down to the wire.

Since Crichton has passed away a few years back, I am quickly going through many of his novels and I am going to feel a bit empty handed when I eventually finish all of them. If there is anyone out there that can refer me to an author that is similar in style and thoroughness I would greatly appreciate it.

"The Good Guy" By Dean Koontz

Title: The Good Guy
Author: Dean Koontz
Published Year: 2007
Pages: 386


Koontz is an author that makes you think and just when you believe you have his book figured out, WHAM, he hits you with another twist, and this book does not disappoint in regards to that idea. In this book of his, an average man ends up mixed up in a hired murder scheme when he is thought to be someone he isn't. Trying to save the person that is intended for the hit, he pushes himself into further trouble and makes himself a target. Vagueness of who the hired hit man is and his past left me wondering where he came from and who he was. It reminded me of another one of Koontz's books Mr. Murder. Other similarities of earlier works of Koontz also occurred to me as I read this particular book, including False Memory and The Key to Midnight. I am hoping that he is not running out of ideas. These books that I thought this book showed similarities to were published before his one and I have read other books of his that were published after this one and they did show new ideas. I have not read all of Koontz's works, so until I do so I will not know for sure.

From the reader's perspective this book flowed well and kept the story going at a good pace. In addition it kept me guessing what was going to happen next and continued adding plot twists and turns. I am a big Koontz fan and I was not disappointed in this one, I enjoy books that piece together concepts from other works of the same author because it seems like a puzzle for the reader to figure out and a reward to reading other books of the same author. Conspiracies abound in this book just as it does in many of his other works.

"Falling Up" By Shel Silverstein

Title: Falling Up
Author: Shel Silverstein
Published Year: 1996
Pages: 171

I have to start out by saying that Shel Silverstein absolutely rocks! His books were one of the major highlights of my childhood. One of my friends asked me what was something that I really wanted for my daughter that no one had gotten her yet when I was pregnant with her and I instantly responded with Shel Silverstein's books. So this book is actually hers even though she is only six weeks old.

This particular book is a collection of his poems and drawings. I enjoy it because some of the poems play on what the drawing is and you have to put two and two together. In other words it can be used as a correlation learning exercise for children. I am excited for my daughter to grow up and enjoy his work as much as I did, as least I hope she will. During my third and fourth grade years of school, his works were the most popular among my classmates and no matter what each one of us enjoyed in our normal readings, we all agreed on liking his works.

His poems and drawings are whimsical and fun, they make reading entertaining and enjoyable.

"True Hauntings: Spirits With a Purpose" By Hazel M Denning PhD

Title: True Hauntings: Spirits With A Purpose
Author: Hazel M Denning PhD
Published Year: 1996
Pages: 220
Genre: Non-fiction, Paranormal, Metaphysical


This entry will  be short, because frankly I did not like this book. Since I try to read all books that I start, I just had to finish it, thank goodness it was only 220 pages! The author is a person who "investigates" hauntings whether they be traditional or other cases such as possessions. This book is a collection of her writing about various cases that fit different categories. There is no real evidence backing these stories except her own testimony and the testimony of the people that she helped. Her main source that she used to help these people is a psychic friend of hers who goes with her and helps diagnose the problems with whatever type of haunting the case is dealing with.

As a general book with examples, the book is okay at best. It does provide with different examples, but these examples can also be found in hundreds of other books that are written better than how this one it. Just don't waste your time with it.

"The Trumpet of the Swan" By E.B. White

Title: The Trumpet of the Swan
Author: E.B. White
Pages: 210
Published Year: 1942
Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Before reading this book one thing you need to take into consideration is the year that this book was published in. For myself personally the year that it was published in is the year after my grandma was born. Based on this information, it is helpful to understand that the setting and the things that happen in this book are based on many years ago. When the book introduces the concept of money, this will be evident.

This book is magical in my own opinion. I have a love for animals, and this book provides animal characters that are really in depth as far as character goes. A young boy Sam Beaver finds a swan's nest on a small remote pond on one of his many camping trips with his father. He develops a bond with the swans, and when they hatch their young, he forms an even greater bond with one of the baby swans which is not able to speak or trumpet. The book follows the life of this one particular swan names Louis and his struggles with having no voice and how he is able to overcome it during his life.

The one message that I kept getting from this book is that no matter how bad off you are, there are ways to overcome your struggles. Based on the audience that this book is aimed at, the message is perfect for kids in that tough transitional time of life from pre-teen to just teen.

"The Reckoning" By Sarah Pinborough

Title: The Reckoning
Author: Sarah Pinborough
Published Year: 2005
Pages: 338


No matter how hard to try and to erase parts of your past, or just plain forget about parts, its never truly gone and that is the premise for this book. It is a work of fiction that weaves together the paranormal and the strengthening of character. Events that would seem not to piece together well, come together in this well spun tale.

Four childhood friends witnessed great mysteries during one summer as children. At the end of that one magical summer, the four separate and are no longer friends each going their own separate ways and none wanting to discuss or remember what happened that fateful summer. Two stay in the town they grew up in, while the other two move away. One of these two, Rob, moves back to try and piece back together the life he has been casually throwing around. After he gets to town, strange things start happening in town, many of which revolve around the people that were part of the fateful summer.

What is causing these strange events? The person the group originally thought was behind them is no where near the town, and the events are still going on.

The characters must remember their past they have all sought to forget and find out the connections between all the people involved as there are two new people that were not involved in what happened during the summer that drove the four childhood friends away from each other.

"Into the Bermuda Triangle"

Title:Into the Bermuda Triangle: Pursuing the Truth Behind the World's Greatest Mystery
Author: Gian J. Quasar
Published Year: 2004
Pages: 294
Genre: Non-fiction, metaphysical, science

This is not your ordinary Bermuda Triangle book. Instead of looking at just one idea behind what could be causing hundreds of planes and boats to disappear within the coordinates of the area nick-named the Bermuda Triangle, the author looks at different ideas each with its own backing and scientific information regarding each one. The book is well referenced and uses many eye witness accounts as well as quotes from other material that was used while doing the research for this book.

Quasar starts out the book with an introduction about the triangle with a bit of background on the triangle, where it is thought to exist and other pertinent information. From there he moves onto chapters that include information on missing ships and planes that were last reported in the area. In addition to some of the more well-known cases, the author also includes information on ones that are not well known. He has done extensive research on the subject of the triangle and this is extremely evident based on the information he shares within the pages of this book.

Of course, my favorite part of the book is the vast amount of information he provides on the different theories of why there are so many disappearances, and he also mentions the Devil's Triangle and how it is similar to the Bermuda Triangle (the Devil's Triangle is Japan's version of the Bermuda Triangle and there are similarities between the two). These theories include the following ideas: ufos, a sunken continent, and vortexes just to name a few that he mentions and explains. There were things in this book that I had not even thought of when it comes to the Bermuda Triangle.

There are so many books out there on the subject, but none that I have come across are as well detailed as this one is. In addition many of the other ones out there do not introduce some of the theories that are presented here, and this book is awesome in that regard.

"Encyclopedia of Urban Legends" By Jan Harold Brunvand

Title: Encyclopedia of Urban Legends
Author: Jan Harold Brunvand
Published Year: 2001
Pages: 525
Genre: Cultural Studies


I absolutely love reading about urban legends, and this isn't just your typical book that shares the different urban legends with the reader. Instead the book shares urban legends and provides background on them including how long they've been around, what their origins may be, other similar urban legends, and references of where the information was taken from.

After reading this I am amazed at how many urban legends are actually out there, and some of which I actually believed in until I read this book (don't worry, I made sure there was supporting documentation to go with the information). Not only does it provide the tales themselves, but it also provides sections on different countries and motifs that are in many urban legends.

As we progress as a society there will probably be more urban legends that crop up, and a sequel to this book or even a newer edition will be needed. However, the book is excellently written and easy to follow as well as easy to find what you are looking for. It is an awesome reference guide for urban legends.

"Your Pregnancy Week By Week 6th Edition" By Glade B Curtis MD, MPH & Judith Schuler MS

Title: Your Pregnancy Week By Week 6th Edition
Authors: Glade B Curtis M.D., M.P.H. & Judith Schuler M.S.
Published Year: 2008
Pages: 648


This book probably doesn't look like something I would normally read, and the reason I read it was because I was pregnant which is what the book is actually for. Yes I "was" pregnant, and now I have a beautiful baby girl.

When I found out I was pregnant one of the first stops I made when I went out and ran errands was a trip to my local book store. I wanted to find out information on my pregnancy and try and find a good source to look to when I had questions and also so I knew what to expect throughout my pregnancy. I had heard of other popular books, but not this one. When I actually got to the bookstore, I say this one and was instantly intrigued. I compared it to the other more popular one (at least it was the only one I had actually heard of from friends who had read books about pregnancy during their pregnancy) and just by looking at the way the book was set up and how it flowed, I chose this one. I wanted the best I could find as this was my first ever pregnancy and I wanted as much detailed information as possible.

The way this book is set up is that it provides information on a week by week basis which is evident from the title. To make things easy to find and for the reader to read what they want, each week is dividing into different sections with separate headings. There are sections for the following: how big is the baby, how big are you, nutrition. In addition it also has a section with information on what to expect during the week such as baby movements and what will happen at the doctor's visits along with what to watch for that may cause issues during your pregnancy. Each week also has a little blurb for the dad with a suggestion and a general one that has a good tidbit of information. At the end of each week there is also a recommended exercise move based on how far along.

There is a ton of information throughout the book, and reading it during my pregnancy put me more at ease when I knew what to expect. At the end of the book there is also an appendix about what happens if you have a premature baby, and one that has a general list for each week after pregnancy of a general idea of what is going on with your own body. If you forget what different terms mean, there is also a glossary at the back of the book and an index if you need to reference back to something from an earlier week.

For any first time mom-to-be, or for someone who hasn't had a baby in awhile I highly recommend this book. As I mentioned earlier, it is easy to understand and it provides information that is important to know throughout the pregnancy. I would have been lost and confused if I had not read this one. I did read the more popular one as well (that's another blog entry for another day), and this one helped me out much more.

"Four Past Midnight" By Stephen King

Title: Four Past Midnight
Author: Stephen King
Published Year: 1990
Pages: 744

Four Past Midnight is a collection of four novellas written by one of the masters of horror himself, Stephen King. This book includes the following novellas: "The Langoliers", "Secret Window, Secret Garden", "The Library Policeman", and "The Sun Dog". I do have to say that I enjoyed all four of the novellas and having novellas instead of one long book also helps when you don't exactly have the time to focus and read like I used to (don't worry, I am learning to adapt and will continue my reading adventures). Both "The Langoliers" and "Secret Window, Secret Garden" have both been made into silver screen editions (i.e. tv miniseries for the first and an actual full-length feature film for the latter). An extra bonus for this book is that for each selection King has a sort of introduction to each one explaining some of the thought behind each one.

"The Langoliers" may sound familiar to those of you who have watched Stephen King's works come to life on television and in film. Before I read as many of his books that I have as of present I found this on the sy-fy channel one day and decided to watch it. I didn't expect the mini-series to be as long as it was, and now after reading the actual novella I can understand why. There is a lot of action packed in the over 200 pages of writing, and most of it can actual be found in the mini-series edition too. I won't give away any surprises, but there are some things that differ between the two which is a common theme in most books that have been adapted for film or television, anyways onto the actual story. In this particular story we follow the story of people that suddenly wake up on a plane only to find that most of the passengers are missing, yet they have all left things behind that should not have been including such things as pace makers and teeth fillings just to give you an idea. Luckily for the people on the plane one of the people that is left is a pilot so the plane is able to fly. Also on the plane is one man who does not want to go along with the others and is personally fighting some inner demons of his own throughout the story. The story follows the group's realization of what kind of situation they are in and how they handle it. Not only is there conflict with the paranormal, but the passengers on the plane itself have to deal with conflict among the group. The paranormal part comes from what is the thing that made the passengers disappear and the airport they arrive at look like a ghost town. I personally like the story better than the mini-series adaptation since there is more character development and a whole different twist presented.

In "Secret Window, Secret Garden" the reader follows the conflict that an author has with another man that claims the author stole one of his stories. This one was made into a feature length film titled "Secret Window" which is an average movie based on my opinion. After reading this I am going to re-watch the movie and see how it compares. At the time I watched the movie I did not know it was based on this novella, and now my curiosity is sparked to see how well the two relate to each other. Not only does the author that is the main character have to deal with this conflict of being accused of stealing a story, but he also goes through his thoughts and feelings of dealing with his ex-wife since they are now divorced but they haven't completely separated their lives from each other along with their personal belongings. He also deals with an internal conflict with himself trying to determine whether or not he is going crazy and whether or not he is making up or hallucinating the man that claims the author stole his story. Lots of conflict in a novella and twists and turns makes this story intriguing and I personally did not want to stop reading it once I got into it.

"The Library Policeman" has got to be my favorite out of these four stories. Maybe its just the book nut in me, but I could actually place myself in the story and understand what the characters were going through. In this story, the library policeman is story that is used to get kids to return their books to the library on time and in a good condition on top of that. The story goes that if a kid (or in this case, an adult) does not turn their library books in on time, the library policeman will come after them and its not a nice policeman at that. Sam the main character in this novella forgets to turn his books in on time and the library policeman comes after him. Not only does he have to deal with this menacing other-worldly being, he has also ran into the old librarian at his small town librarian who has her own evil agenda. I won't spoil it by stating what this agenda is, or how it all fits together, you'll have to read the story to find out. I spent a lot of time at the small town library in the town I lived in where I grew up. I was at the library easily at least once a week, and I could picture the events in this novella taking place in the small town I grew up in. Any story that I can really identify with gets and extra brownie point with me.

Castle Rock is a primary town in many of Stephen King's works, not only in novellas like this one, but also in his short stories and full length novels. "Sun Dog" is one of these works that takes place in this fictional town of his. As mention in King's introduction to his story, this one takes place before the full length novel of Needful Things. I personally love how King is able to take and intertwine many of his stories and bring them into each other at points too. For this novella, it follows the story of Kevin who is just celebrating his 15th birthday at the beginning of the story. Kevin receives a Polaroid camera for his birthday, but there is something weird with the camera. He takes it to the local guy in town who is a sort of tinker, and the story just keeps getting stranger and stranger from there. This camera does not produce the picture you are taking, but of a different time and each one advances in time with each picture taken. Preventing the beast from coming out of the picture becomes a life and death struggle for Kevin and his dad. The whole time I was reading this story I kept thinking of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps: Say Cheese and Die! book, but I am pretty sure that this came out before that one, and this one is directed at an older age group as well.

So as a wrap up, this selection includes plenty of twists and turns and a bit of terror along the way. Its not something that will keep me up at night, but will keep me thinking long after I put the book down and start on whichever one I pick up next.

"Drive" By James Sallis

Title: Drive
Author: James Sallis
Published Year: 2005
Pages: 158


Wow, I haven't posted in awhile, but then again I have been busy with my newborn daughter. I was looking at my last posting and I did it two days before she was born. I haven't been reading as much as I like too, and that is one reason why I was able to finish this book. It was short and the print was larger than the books that I am used to, so in between baby naps and feedings it was a breeze to get through.

Just recently this book was released as a movie, one thing I am going to say from the start is that I have not seen the movie and that I am curious to what the movie is going to be like. I went and added it into my saved section of my Netflix queue after reading the book, and after reading the description of the movie on their site, I am wondering how similar the book is to the movie. So I will just wait until it comes out on dvd to compare the two. Hmmm, maybe another blog site based on the movies I watch (and I do watch a ton of those)? Anyways enough of that and onto the actual book.

Drive is based on bits and pieces of a man named Driver's life. He is a stunt driver for movies by day and a getaway driver by night. Sallis' book takes you back and forth through major events in his life and none of them are in any particular order. If you cannot focus and pay attention to the details conveyed in the book you can get lost even with how short the book actually is. Memories of childhood float in and out of what is going on in his current events as well as the events that got him to where he is at the present. Somehow Sallis manages to bring all of this together and succeeds in getting Driver's general story across. I was amazed at the detailed development of Driver in the limited amount of pages that were there. Sallis could have just detailed the situation Driver finds himself in during the present and left the rest out, but then there would be no character development. I like depth in my characters when I read books and for a stunt driver/getaway driver, the main character actually has depth thanks to the outstanding storytelling of Sallis.

Of course like every other book out there, this book will not be for everyone. It can be easy to get lost in if you are not wanting to pay attention and some people may just not get it. I can personally think of people that I would not recommend it to just because their attention spans would not be able to appreciate the book as I did. Looking at some of Sallis' other works, in the future I may have to venture further into his works and see if he continues to weave good stories with strong characters.

"Treasure Legends of the West" By Choral Pepper

Title: Treasure Legends of the West
Author: Choral Pepper
Published Year: 1994
Pages: 90
Genre: Hobby/Western America

Don't waste your time if your looking for a real treasure hunting book. This is just as described and is a hobby book nothing more. The book is written by a lady who has a hobby of trying to find so-called lost treasures of history. These lost treasures are usually based on legend and not all of them have concrete proof that they even existed. She does include a bibliography so there is a chance that some of the information that she tries to write about can be sought out.

This whole book is written from her perspective of going and looking for some of these lost treasures of the west. In this case the west goes all the way from Montana down to Texas and to the west of there. Each case includes information on the background of each story, yet I was left with a feeling of incompleteness after reading the entire book.

There are maps included, but I would not use them in real life to get to the locations written about in the book. These maps are not geographical maps, and instead are drawn out maps with drawings of landmarks and people, with a more artistic sense than actual mapping.

I would overall not recommend this book except for entertainment purposes. It is not something to be taken literally.

"Unsolved Myteries of American History" By Paul Aron

Title: Unsolved Mysteries of American History
Author: Paul Aron
Published Year: 1997
Pages: 225
Genre: History/Reference

First off just let me tell you that this is obviously not a complete look at all the unsolved mysteries that involve American history. As a country, the United States has a relatively short history, but that still doesn't mean all of the unsolved things are found within these pages. The author has actual written a second book on the subject and let's just say that I am not quite sure if I am going to go ahead and check it out yet or not. I have plenty of other books to read that I already own and I should be giving them more attention than I have been.

Here is a list of the mysteries that you can find within the pages of this specific book:

• When did the first people arrive in America?
• Did Leif Ericsson discover America?
• Why did the Anasazi abandon their cities?
• Where did Columbus land?
• How did Cortez conquer the Aztecs?
• What happened to the lost colony of Roanoke?
• Did Pocahontas save John Smith?
• What caused the Salem Witch hunt?
• Was Daniel Boone a traitor?
• Why did Benedict Arnold turn Traitor?
• Was Sally Hemings the mistress of Thomas Jefferson?
• Was Meriwether Lewis murdered?
• Was Rachel Jackson a bigamist?
• How did Davy Crockett die?
• Why did Lee order Pickett's charge?
• Who is to blame for Wounder Knee?
• What destroyed the Maine?
• Were Sacco and Vanzetti guilty?
• Who kidnapped the Lindbergh baby?
• Did Babe Ruth call his shot?
• Was Amelia Earhart a spy?
• Who was to blame for Pearl Harbor?
• Why did Truman drop the bomb?
• Were the Rosenbergs guilty?
• Who killed JFK?
• What happened at the Gulf of Tonkin?
• Who killed Malcom X?
• Who was to blame for the Kent State killings?
• What did Nixon know about watergate?
• What did Reagan know about Iran-Contra?

As you can see this is a pretty long list with not enough pages to thoroughly look at each one. The author does provide the reader with enough information to get the reader thinking and want more information, at least it did for myself. One thing I did learn from reading this book is that I obviously did not learn anything from my high school history class, and I was in the advanced one.

It's time for me to go back and re-learn a lot more about history, and include up to the present day. If anyone has some good suggestions on that, please enlighten me. I am feeling academically challenged based on what I thought I knew and the fact that there is a lot more out there to read and discover.

"The Most Evil Dictators In History" By Shelley Klein

Title: The Most Evil Dictators In History
Author: Shelley Klein
Published Year: 2004
Pages: 191


Here's a little non-fiction for all of you non-fiction lovers. Told you I will read almost anything I can get my hands on as long as its interesting, yet I have been known to push myself through some books that I was not entirely impressed with. Anyways this book takes a look at well-known and some not as well-known dictators through history. It is not only about dictators in the past, but ones that are have been in power in recent years. Since it was published in 2004, there are some changes since then and some names you could say could be added, it just all depends on what you consider a dictator to actually be.

So what do I like about the book? Its short and gives enough knowledge that you can go and find out more information on the dictators mentioned if one of them gains your curiosity. The book does a good job of giving the basics of how they came to power and what they did when they were in power (or are still in power). I didn't recognize all of them, so I know I need to brush up on my history lessons. I am thinking some more non-fiction history is in store for my reading pleasures in the future.

Still not sure you want to read the book? Well here are the names of the dictators that are featured in the selection:

• Herod the Great
• Gengis Khan
• Shaka Zulu
• Josef Stalin
• Adolf Hitler
• Mao Tse-Tung
• Anastasio Garcia Somoza
• Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier
• Kim Il Sang
• Augusto Ugarte Pinochet
• Nicolae Ceausescu
• Pol Pot
• Ida Amin
• Saddam Hussein
• Robert Mugabe

And as always, Happy Reading!

"More Forbidden Knowledge" By Matt Forbeck

Title: More Forbidden Knowledge
Author: Matt Forbeck
Published Year: 2008
Pages: 255
Genre: Non-fiction, humor

I have not read the previous edition of Forbeck's "Forbidden Knowledge" but I am thinking with an educated guess based on the title of this one that there should be another one that comes before this one. So with that being said, this is the first of his "forbidden knowledge" books that I have read. I picked this selection up out of curiosity, one of those days when I was just wandering through a big box book store wanting to get something but not knowing quite what I wanted to buy to read, and this book sitting on one of the tables caught my eye and made it into my bag of purchases.

It did help that the book was on sale, those buy so many and get some free but the information on the cover of the book also enticed me to take a look at this book. One of the comments made on the cover is that the book contains 101 things that not every person should know how to do. After reading the first few pages and skimming through the book, I have to agree with this particular warning.

Each of the entries are a few pages long at the most and give the reader an idea of how to do certain things that most people would not even dream of doing. Luckily for the author he does have a disclaimer at the beginning of the book stating that the majority of the things told in the book are illegal in most areas and that no one should attempt any of them. There is not a set grouping of what these items are either as the first entry is "How to Kill a Vampire" and there's other entries that have to do with actual technology fraud. Depending on what you are curious about, there are tons of different entries, and just as the author states, most are illegal in some way shape or form. Of course he also includes sections on how to go missing or disappear if you really want to get away. Then there are the fun ones like how to play drinking games and do keg stands.

Personally I read the entire thing and laughed along the way. There is something for every curious person within the pages, it just depends on what information you are seeking. Just remember the book is just for fun, do not try any of the things within it that are illegal.

"Come Along With Me" By Shirley Jackson

Title: Come Along With Me
Author: Shirley Jackson
Published Year: 1948
Pages: 243

Shirley Jackson is most well known for her book The Haunting of Hill House, which has been turned into film in two different formats. When I was in high school I saw the remake of the original and instantly fell in love with the story. Of course being the curious person that I am, I wanted more information and found the original film that was based on her book. Then continuing my thirst for information on the now found book and I read the book and became interested in Jackson's work as well. I have read other works of hers and she is not one to disappoint.

This particular work is not just one story. It contains the book that she was working on at the time of her death and also includes several short stories and a few lectures that she wrote and performed. The times are a little different than present day and most of the works were written during the 1940s. One thing I absolutely love about Jackson is the fact that she is not afraid to go down any path. At a time when women authors were not known to go outside the romance genre, she was writing about small town America in a gothic sense. She is able to take normal everyday things and turn them into mysterious circumstances. Not all of her works do this, and that is why this particular collection is so intriguing. This collection showcases the different methods of writing she was capable of and how she can reach out to all kinds of readers.

"The Mythology of Supernatural" By Nathan Robert Brown

Title: The Mythology of Supernatural: The Signs and Symbols Behind the Popular TV Show
Author: Nathan Robert Brown
Published Year: 2011
Pages: 272

This book is not endorsed by anyone that works on the hit show "Supernatural" and instead is a well researched book by Mr. Brown. I just wished I had the time that he must of taken to work on a book that is this well though out and developed. No season of "Supernatural" is left behind, and the information within the book takes the reader all the way up through season 6. I have not watched season 6 yet since I just received the box set of dvds in the mail yesterday, but after reading this and reviewing what happened during season 5 I am excited to do so.

Brown takes all sort of mythological information and provides it in an easy to read and understand format. It is not just mythology that is looked at, but also there are characters from the show and objects that are used on the show that are better explained. Of course, he goes even one step further and distinguishes between fact and fiction as well. Some of the items that are used on the show are not completely accurate and Brown provides the reader with the information to show these things.

I love mythology and things paranormal (as you can probably tell from my blog postings, most of the books I read are in this genre), and this book hit on both of these notes. I am also a fan of the show, and even though Brown was focusing on information that is used in the make up of the show, it is also useful information that I would have probably read elsewhere in the type of books that I enjoy. In other words you do not have to be an absolute fan of the show to enjoy this book. It provides good relevant information that can be used for research purposes other than directly related to the show. Brown just has taken the items from the show and explained them to the reader.

One more thing I like about this book is the fact that he brings up things that fans have picked up on throughout the show and where those ideas have led people when it comes to guessing what is coming up on the show.

"The Rough Guide to Horror Movies" By Alan Jones

Title: The Rough Guide to Horror Movies
Author: Alan Jones
Published Year: 2005
Pages: 277

The title says it all, this is a very rough guide to horror movies. Just based on the amount of pages that are in the book, you can tell that there is definitely not enough room to go into detail every horror movie ever made. Instead the author focuses on a few key areas of the genre, so the book can be used as a stepping stone to other areas to look at or even as a generic point to start watching films.

Since films are not the start of where horror stories actually come from, the author first introduces us to the horror genre by providing the first chapter on horror literature. Horror stories have been an integral part of human history and continue to be so in the current day and age. The first chapter introduces the reader to some of these classic pieces of literature and how they have helped evolve the horror media industry.

From there the author takes us further along the journey of the present day horror movie and does a brief history of horror over the last 100 years (well at the time the book was published, so its a little over a hundred years for the present time). Having this brief history helps move the pace along to the next portion which introduces us to what the author considers the 50 horror classics. I say what the author states because everyone has their own idea of what they consider the horror classics to be. If you are new to the genre or just want a starting point, the list is fantastic with the descriptions as a starting point in the genre or just to get an idea of how we have gotten to the horror films of today.

Not to leave you hanging there, Jones continues to provide information on the genre by introducing key figures in the industry such as the actors who were made famous and the directors who brought the films to reality. Since the genre is not just an American phenomena, Jones also provides a section on the horror film industry from around the world including films that are done in each country and the background of some of these countries film industries.

The best part of the rough guide is that Jones points the reader in the direction to seek out more information. Not only on the Internet but in hard bound books as well.

"What I Thought I Knew" By Alice Eve Cohen

Title: What I Thought I Knew: A Memoir
Author: Alice Eve Cohen
Published Year: 2009
Pages: 194 pages

If you think your world is turned upside down and there is no way out, just pick this memoir up and see how life can change instantly and create an even more traumatic experience. Luckily Cohen has been a writer for years and knows how to get her story across in a way that makes you cry and laugh with her while she writes about a dark and at times upsetting topic.

At age 44, Cohen finds out she is 6 months pregnant after being told for years that she is infertile and can never have children. During the first 6 months of the pregnancy she has no idea she is pregnant and sees many doctors about the uncomfortable feelings she is having. Even with x-rays and CAT scans along with internal exams none of her doctors detect the small fetus inside of her until an emergency scan is done and the technicians discover that she is 6 months pregnant. To make the challenges of pregnancy even worse (her age is one mark against her according to all the professionals), she has also been exposed to harmful hormones when she was in her mother's womb, she has been taking hormones during the pregnancy that are bad for a fetus during the pregnancy, and she has a misshapen uterus just to name a few things. No care for her child has been done during the first 6 months and she is a high-risk pregnancy with sub-par insurance that does not cover many of the procedures that she needs and in addition she loses income when she is confined to bed rest.

She takes you on her journey of when she discovers her pregnancy to when her baby is born and after. Along the way the reader joins her in her struggles of deciding if it is better to do a late-term abortion, put the child up for adoption, or keep the child. All the decisions create an emotional roller coaster that is well worth the ride. Cohen also brings in the conversations she has with the people in her life when making these decisions like her fiance, her adopted daughter, new friends and sisters. Each one has their opinion and each one influences her decisions along the way.

In the end the story is heartwarming and and eye opening to just what someone can be put through and still come out okay at the end. I read this in one day and did not want to put it down. I could not help but want to finish her story, and in reality her story really isn't over. In her darkest hours, Cohen shares with us her strengths and triumpths over a situation that would have many other people just giving up.

"Holy Ghosts" By Gary Jansen

Title: Holy Ghosts: Or How a (Not So) Good Catholic Boy Became a Believer in Things That Go Bump in the Night
Author: Gary Jansen
Published Year: 2010
Pages: 210


Unlike other ghost story books I have read, this one does not focus on multiple locations but one location that is a predominant part of the author's life. The author is raised a catholic and so many of his teachings do not include things of the ghostly realm.

This book is his own account of coming to terms with the beings that may or not be in the house that he is living in with his wife and small children. It is no ordinary house, it is the one that he grew up in and eventually bought from his mother. When weird things happen in his home, he thinks back to incidents in the home when he was a child and relates these tales to the reader and how they tie into what is going on in his home at this time.

Since he grew up with no information on ghosts or similar entities, this book also shares his search for information on these items and how they relate back to his own religion. He is diligent in this manner using research methods from books, to the Internet and people who also specialize in the field. What he learns through his research is used to come up with the outcome he decides upon. I'll leave it up to you to read the book to find out what happens with the haunting of his home, I don't want to spoil all the fun.

I loved this book and whipped right through the entire thing in one day. Personal experiences related in a first hand manner make the story that much more real, and Jansen brought a whole new perspective into my life. I had never thought about people who didn't grow up with the idea of ghosts or ghost stories and it was something that was never discussed in their lives growing up. I grew up in a household where asking questions no matter what they were was encouraged and my parents helped me seek out additional sources if they could not answer the question (I think this is where my curiosity of the unknown comes from). Jansen relates the story in a way that is easy to associate with and comprehend what he is saying. However I will say at times when he does back flashes to his childhood, the information can become muddled and hard to put back together. My advice is to just keep with it and keep going.

"Extraordinary Encounters: An Encyclopedia of Extraterrestrials and Otherworldly Beings" By Jerome Clark

Title: Extraordinary Encounters: An Encyclopedia of Extraterrestrials and Otherworldly Beings
Author: Jerome Clark
Published Year: 2000
Pages: 290
Genre: Metaphysical/Non-Fiction/UFO Encounters

Jerome Clark is a well known name when it comes to the UFO phenomena subject. He has written other books on the subject and is known to many as an authoritative source on UFOs whether it be actual encounters, contactee information or the beings themselves. In this book he takes his wealth of knowledge and puts it in an easy to use format so the reader is able to access the information that they find pertinent and want.

He not only discusses actual UFO encounters, but the people that witnessed them or believed that they were contactees or abductees as well. In addition to these short biographies of these people he also has information on channelers (people who say they channel extraterrestrials), researchers and other people that are well known on the UFO circuit.

UFOs are not the only thing that is brought up in this book as the title suggests. Clark also introduces ideas that such things like Sasquatch, Satan and Angels all have UFO connections. He does not say that you should believe any of the information and instead provides it in a manner that the reader can decide what they wish to believe and where to look for other sources on the material.

For most of the entries in the book, there are links to other entries that may be helpful with understanding or for further information on the current entry as well as a short bibliography of where the sources for that entry came from. Back up data is high on my priority list, so having these readily available for each entry is fantastic.

One thing that you may want to understand before picking this book up is that due to when it is published, there are not any current UFO encounter cases revealed in the book. Most of the information is from before the 80's. I now am on the lookout for a good source of updated contactee cases on UFOs. So if you have a suggestion, please let me know.

"The 13th" By John Everson

Title: The 13th
Author: John Everson
Published Year: 2009
Pages: 323


Ever read one of those books and you wonder what people would think of you if they knew you read it, well this is one of those books for me. I don't know if it is because I am getting older, or just more sensitive, but the book had that feel towards me. I love my gruesome books, and this one has it all from dead bloody bodies to orgies, so be warned it's not for the faint of heart. Of course there is the added psychological twist during the entire book as well.

The 13th takes place in a sleepy little town with a morbid past history involving an old hotel high up in the hills of this town. No one has used the hotel in about 25 years and a doctor comes to town to use it as a psych patient ward, at least that's what he says its for. As the book unwinds through the pages, more and more about the history of the hotel and what the doctor is trying to do come to light, including a cult following. Why is the doctor only using pregnant women as his patients and what is up with the increase of missing women in the local areas? These are the questions that the book poses the most.

At times the book is a little bit slow and the dots are not connected well. Based on what I like to read and what I was expecting I would give this book 3 out of 5 stars for its average performance. Some loose ends needed to be tied up and there are too many unanswered questions for my own liking. It is also extremely morbid, so be cautious in that attribute.

"The Key to Midnight" By Dean Koontz

Title: The Key to Midnight
Author: Dean Koontz
Published Year: 1979
Pages: 419 pages

Like many authors, Koontz wrote some of his earlier works under a pseudonym and this is one of his works that he wrote under the pseudonym Leigh Nichols. Even with a different name, you can still see Koontz's genius behind the words that are written between the pages of this book. One word of advice with this book is to read the afterward, some people do not like to, but this one is worth it and gives some insight to what Koontz was thinking and wanted from writing this book.

This selection Koontz takes us on a journey to Kyoto, Japan where two seemingly strangers meet and the adventure begins. Unlike some of his other books, this book focuses on espionage and adventure. Of course there are strange encounters along the way but nothing paranormal, (well, at least nothing that I would consider paranormal). As one of his earlier works there is the subject of mind-control once again just like his other works The Door to December and False Memory. Koontz doesn't stop his adventurous thriller in Japan, but takes you on a whirlwind tour of England and Switzerland with mentions of the United States, Brazil and Jamaica.

How do these two strangers find each other and intertwine their lives is the mystery and as the story progresses, I found myself wondering if there was a deeper connection that neither one knew about and was their meeting really just a coincidence.

Since I am a Koontz fan, I of course have to recommend this one as his other books. I personally wanted to finish this book in one sitting and once really got into it could not help but page through it faster and faster. Books that grab my attention like that are awesome and I hope some of you will feel the same way about it as I do.

"False Memory" By Dean Koontz

Title: False Memory
Author: Dean Koontz
Published Year: 1999
Pages: 751

Here is the Dean Koontz that I first feel in love with, well in love with his writings of course. The first book of his that I ever read is The Door to December and once I read that book, I was hooked. That of course was during my freshman year of high school in 1999 which is the same year that this book is published in. Koontz has a lot of talent and does not always write about the same things, however all of the works of his that I have read are suspenseful and addicting. I have yet to come across one that I do not like.

Now to get back to the book that is the focus of this entry. False Memory is not just your ordinary suspenseful novel, it is a well written psychology thriller that kept me turning page after page. I did not want to put the book down and I wanted to continually know what was going on and what was going to happen next.

Strange events start taking place in the lives of the main characters, a housepainter, a video game designer, and the housepainter's delinquent brother along with countless other characters that come and go throughout the book. These strange events mainly deal with things affecting the memory function of their brains like missing time, strange occurrences and new phobias that appear out of no where. As you get deeper into the book, you will find out the reasoning behind this and then will follow the main characters' pursuit to find a solution to the problem and who is behind this terror that has inflicted their lives. Who to trust and why they have been singled out becomes a focus in their lives and the book takes you along the path of suspense and action as they are trying to find these answers. No one is safe and no one can be trusted. As paranoid as this sounds, Koontz makes it all sound realistic.

Remember The Manchurian Candidate? If you do, take a trip down a similar journey.If you do not, experience something new and then look into that work as well.

"The Girl's Guide to Werewolves" By Barb Karg

Title: The Girl's Guide to Werewolves: All You Need to Know About the Original Untamed Bad Boys
Author: Barb Karg
Published Year: 176 pages
Published Year: 2009

If you have any interest about werewolves at all, this is a good reference for all things werewolves. Not only does the author provide historical reference stories and legends in general about werewolves, she goes one step further and looks at the cultural aspects of werewolves in film and books. The title is accurate, as many of the undertones that are used in the book are directed at girls or the female population rather than the male population. An example would be how the author portrays the hunkiness of certain actors in their roles as werewolves. You won't find a guy referring to another guy as hunky too often.

The book is set up well, as it flows well and throughout the entire book if there is something that can be referenced back to another chapter the author puts a notation in to see that previous or future chapter. In addition to this, each chapter is set up well with headers for the different paragraphs which enables the reader to find and locate portions they are interested in quickly.

One warning I will provide to the reader is that if you have not read or seen some of the movies that are mentioned within this book, there can be spoiler alerts. In order to fully explain some of the plots and the werewolf connections, the author has a tendency to tell the whole general story of some books without a warning that she will be giving away what happens in the end. As a cultural example this is good as it brings more understanding, but if you have not read one of the works and you do not want a spoiler alert, you will want to skip over some sections. Luckily the author titles all the paragraphs in a way so the reader can identify which sections they want to skip over.

Another criticism I have is that there is no bibliography included within the covers of this book. Since it is a work of non-fiction and does include historical references as well as current events it is one thing that I look for. There is an index but no bibliography. It would have been nice to see where she pooled all of her sources from for my own comfort and for further study as I like to do.

"Haunted Houses of California" By Antoinette May

Title: Haunted Houses of California: A Ghostly Guide to Haunted Houses and Wandering Spirits Revised & Expanded
Author: Antoinette May
Published Year:1990
Pages: 231 pages

Just a quick ghost story book. May provides first hand accounts as well as eye witness testimony including testimonies from well-known psychics such as Sylvia Brown. She also provides a detailed bibliography for more sources to investigate. The book is not just set up with ghost story after ghost story, it is set up geographically. This is a helpful tool because if you are interested in just a certain area, then you can focus just on that specific area.

Here are the haunted locations you will find within these pages:

• The Easkoot House
• The Haunted Doll House
• The Valley of the Moon Saloon
• The Madrono Manor
• Migliavacca Mansion
• The Haskell House
• The San Francisco Art Institute
• The Montandon Townhouse
• The Haunting of Alcatraz
• The Mansions Hotel & Restaurant
• The Rengstorff House
• The Peninsula School
• The Atherton House
• The Wheeler Office
• The Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
• Kohl Mansion
• The Moss Beach Distillery
• The Red, White and Blue Beach
• The Stevenson House
• Bindel's Restaurant
• SUnshine Villa
• Brookdale Lodge
• The Winchester Mystery House
• The Ghost in the Haunted Toy Store
• Pacheco Pass
• The Vineyard House
• The Sutter Creek Inn
• The Nevada County Historical Museum
• The Willow Hotel
• The Laney House
• Thelma Todd's Garage
• Heritage Park
• The Elke Sommer0Joe Hyams House
• The Queen Mary
• Rancho Jamul
• The Thomas Waley House
• Casa De Estudillo
• Hotel Del Coronado
• The Fallbrook Enterprise
• Horton Grand Hotel

As you can see from this list not all of the locations are well known which is a nice change from the countless ghost story books that only focus on the major attractions. I personally enjoy learning about the other haunted locations that have not been totally commercialized and used to turn a profit.

"Disclosure" By Michael Crichton

Title: Disclosure
Author: Michael Crichton
Published Year: 1993
Pages: 497 pages

Yes another Crichton book, but don't worry I still have more of his works to read! One thing that the reader needs to do with this book before they start it is look at the year that this book was published. Trust me, it will be helpful while reading this book since the book deals with the inner workings of a high-tech firm. I kept reminding myself of how old I was and what I was doing in 1993 along with what technologies were actually available at that time. It did help me out a ton in staying in with the time period and not comparing it too much to our current times with all the technical advances we have made since 1993. Now on to what this book is about.

Disclosure takes place within a high-tech firm, with the action taking place at its Seattle location primarily. I say primarily because there are communications with other divisions not within the United States as well as India during the course of the book. What is going on is that the high-tech firm is merging with another firm that is not a high-tech company but has the financial backing to take the high-tech firm further and do more with the research they are doing plus expand their own market to be competitive with the bigger companies in their market. Add in a sexual harassment case of a man versus a woman which is not your typical happening and the action intensifies. Of course knowing Crichton, this is not the only thing going on. Why the sexual harassment took place and how it plays into the merger itself is all part of the mystery that Crichton presents and you will be second-guessing what is really happening all the way to the end, at least I was.

One thing I loved about this book is that the setting takes place in Seattle. I have spent my entire life in western Washington, and so of course have been to Seattle many times. As I have gotten older I have been able to explore more of it and recognize places that I have heard and read about but never really paid any attention to until like I said I got older. The offices of the high-tech firm where much of the stuff is going on is right in Pioneer Square which I have more and more recently come to love for its history and its current setting. Add in some other spots like the Four Seasons (I've never been outside of it, but love to walk outside of it) and the ferry ride to Bainbridge Island and I feel a little at home reading this book. That's all my personal thoughts though.

In reality it is a good book and brings some ideas to light that need to be taken more seriously even in today's world 18 years later.

"Dust to Dust" By Tami Hoag

Title: Dust to Dust
Author: Tami Hoag
Published Year: 2000
Pages: 480 pages


It seems that everyone has their own secrets or skeletons in the closets and this work of fiction is full of them all. In Dust to Dust, Hoag brings back characters from her previous work Ashes to Ashes. When I started this book I was a bit on the apprehensive side due to the fact at how gory and violent her previous work was. However, this one is not as dark, and it focuses more on secrets and lies throughout the book. These secrets and lies will keep you turning the pages until the very end. Just when I thought things were wrapping up, Hoag drug me back in for more surprises.

In this book of her's the focus is on a couple homicide cops who are investigating the supposed suicide of and Internal Affairs officer. Everything at first seems to hint towards suicide, then the coincidences just keep piling up along with the victim and body count. Hoag leads the reader down trails of investigation and also the realization of inner demons. Add in the personal lives full of chaos of the lead investigators and you have one heck of a page turner. I would suggest reading Ashes to Ashes first since some of the character development starts in that book and there are characters that show up throughout this one that were introduced in that previous work.

I will also say if you are looking for a good crime thriller with good and bad cops, pick this up and read it. It was a page turner for me and it drove me nuts when I would get too tired to continue on. I am looking forward to reading more of her books in the future.

"Attack of the Killer Facts!" By Eric Grzymkowski

Title: Attack of the Killer Facts!: 1,001 Terrifying Truths About Little Green Men, Government Mind-Control, Flesh-Eating Bacteria, and Goat-Sucking Vampires
Author: Eric Grzymkowski
Published Year: 2011
Pages: 313pages

I often get asked where I get all my useless facts that I am known to just share. Well, Gryzmkowski's books are one awesome source of this information. I have read other books that he has compiled, and I was not disappointed with this one. What he does, is he takes different categories and shares straight out facts about though categories. The best part is that he also leaves his own commentary with each fact. I also love it because you do not have to go through long pages of why the fact is there and why he put it in his book. Each one is straightforward and includes the resource cited of where he got the information from.

Some of the facts that he provides are not some that everyone can handle, so read at your own risk. Luckily he does label each chapter and gives an idea behind what fact treasures you will find in each one. Throughout the book he labels it as a bathroom reader, however I enjoyed just picking it up and reading a few pages. A perfect book for those times you want to read something but you are not sure if your focus will remain throughout the whole reading section. You don't have to read the sections consecutively.

"By the Light of the Moon" By Dean Koontz

Title: By the Light of the Moon
Author: Dean Koontz
Published Year: 2002
Pages: 460

When I looked at the publication date for this book the thing that came to my mind was "Wow, that wasn't too long ago. And then I remembered what year it really is, wow how time flies. Anyways, Koontz was writing books in the 80's, the 90's, the 2000's and of course still is writing today. I think some of his writing style has changed in some of his works. He still writes about the unknown and includes lots of passion in his novels. One thing I did miss from this novel of his is the absence of a golden retriever. For those of you that have read other works from Koontz, you'll understand what I mean. For many of them he includes dogs, primarily golden retrievers, which I find comes from the love of his dog Trixie he had for many years. But that is not a reason to not read this book, it is still worth the read (yeah I know I say that a lot, what can I say, I have my favorite authors and Koontz is definitely on that list.).

For this selection, Koontz takes us into the lives of two brothers and a female that are strangers until one night when they both are injected with a strange liquid by another seemingly stranger. What happens then is they embark upon an adventure of trying to find out what this concoction they have been injected is, who the stranger was and how it will change their lives. As with other Koontz's books, the mystery deepens the more the pages turn. Not knowing what is going on or why things are happening in the order that they are keeps the reader wanting to continue turning the pages.

Now its your turn to read the book and see if there really will be a happy ending.

"Sphere" By Michael Crichton

Title: Sphere
Author: Michael Crichton
Published Year: 1987
Pages: 498

Slowly but surely I am working my way through Crichton's works. Its even more entertaining since I am not reading them in any order like date published, or alphabetical. Since getting into his books, I find myself wondering if I should have read them in chronological order by the year he published his works. However since I am so far along, I will just continue to read them as I grab them off of my shelf or out of my boxes of books.

"Sphere" is one Crichton book that I saw the movie before I read the book. I didn't even know there was a book until I was browsing through a bookstore one day (I find this one of the best ways to pick books out, you never know what you're going to find until you room aimlessly around a book store) and I spotted "Sphere". Since I have enjoyed other works of Crichton and I remembered the movie, I was instantly intrigued by what this book may hold. And just like other books of his that I have read before this one, I was not disappointed.

Crichton writes a tale of finding an unidentified spaceship on the bottom of the Pacific ocean. Luckily the depth at which the ship is located is shallow enough (I feel funny typing that since it is 1000 feet) for a team of navy divers and some civilian scientists to go down and live in a bunker type set up next to it while they investigate it. Strange things happen during the investigation and the team meets and "alien" entity that speaks to them and tries to communicate with them. The sphere that the title is referring to is an object found within the ship and the scientists try everything they can to get into it. What is inside this sphere is a mystery and what it may unleash can be terrifying.

As with his other books, Crichton takes scientific knowledge, makes is easier to understand while at the same time adding in adventure and some treachery. Many mysteries abound in this work and he keeps the pace going which in turn keeps the reader turning the page. Definitely another must read by Michael Crichton. And I am lucky enough to still have some of his works to read after this one.

"Tinkers" By Paul Harding

Title: Tinkers
Author: Paul Harding
Published Year: 2009
Pages: 191
Awards: Pulitzer Prize

Harding takes us into the life of a man who is at his last few days of his life. The man gives an account of the room he is slowly dying in and the family members who have come to be with him in his last living days on earth. He is a man known as a tinker, as his whole business is dealing with fixing clocks, and when he isn't actually fixing clocks he tinkers with them.

We are not only taken through these last few days of his life, but also through the days of some of his father's life and his own from his childhood on. The description of his father's life shares a story of struggle when his grandfather must be put away and the family is dealing with the issue of mental illness. Struggles like this can happen in any family and Harding has a fantastic way of expressing the turmoil and troubles that it has brought family of the main character's father. To make things better understood the main character's name in George.

As the book progresses, another story of struggle in his own life as a child and how his own family has overcome it. In his youth his own father develops seizures and his family learns to deal with the effect it has on his father and how his own parents work really hard to keep it outside of the young children's sight so they are not traumatized or affected by it.

This book is mesmerizing and full of literary genius. After reading it I can completely understand why this book won the Pulitzer Price. It is for the reader that thirsts for a great book that tells a story in a heartwarming way. Since it deals with subjects we will all deal with in life at one point or another, it is also very easy to identify with.

"Fast Women:The Drivers Who Changed the Face of Motor Racing" By John Bullock

Title: Fast Women: The Drivers Who Changed the Face of Motor Racing
Author: John Bullock
Published Year: 2002
Pages: 187 pages

This is a little different racing than the type I am used to. It is not the current high horsepower racing that most people think about when the concept of racing cars comes to mind. Okay now that I have that point across, I will tell you what this book is about. This book is about women who primarily raced across Europe before World War II during the 1930s. The majority of the stories focus on racing on a track in England called Brooklands. Many of the women who were able to race there moved on to other race surfaces such as Donington Park, Crystal Palace, Montlhery and the famous 24 hour Le Mans.

Included are not just British women, but women from France and Australia just to name a couple other places where these women came from. For a sport that today that does not have a lot of women participating in it at the high level, this book is a real eye opener. I could not believe how many women during the 1930s were racing and how good they really were. Changes in life style during the war and after affected the number of women racing during this time. I am happy that I came across this book because it brought a real eye opener to me about the history of women in racing even if it is not the type of racing that I passionately love. I have no doubt though that during the time of the events taken place in this book I would have loved to jump in one of their cars and run a few laps or even a whole race.

The book includes history as well as encouragement to try something that you have not done or something that is not thought of something for your age, gender or ethnicity whatever it may be. My favorite people written about in this book are the men and families that stood by their wives, sisters, mothers, and daughters to dare to do something different. Totally worth the read, as this part of racing history should be known.

"Ancient City Hauntings" By Dave Lapham

Title: Ancient City Hauntings: More Ghosts of St. Augustine
Author: Dave Lapham
Published Year: 2004
Pages: 191 pages


Lapham does something in this short collection of ghost stories based on events that happen in the city of St. Augustine, Florida, he states that he started out by collecting these stories more as folklore than actual proof that ghosts exist. The reason I like this statement is that he does not try and tell people that the stories he relays through the pages are actual facts, but rather verbal stories that he has picked up from other people. The mass of the stories though suggests that the city of St. Augustine is haunted and that if you are not shutting out the idea of ghosts you hold a high chance of actually experiencing a haunting whether it be through seeing, hearing or just a feeling.

Lapham includes over 20 of these tales that he picks up from other people. It is up to the reader to read the book and decide if any of the tales are true and whether or not they should read up or research them more. Maybe a visit to some of the localities could even be in store for the curious reader. I know if I ever get a chance to visit near St. Augustine I would love the chance just to go to the town and wander around to see if I sense anything at all.