Title: The Cuckoo's Calling - Robert Galbraith = J. K. Rowling
Genre:  Mystery
Date read:  April, 2015

Awful book.  I was very disappointed.  Maybe even worse than Casual Vacancy!
Very slow and plodding - if this is social satire I didn't get it.

For most of the book nothing happened - interview upon interview.  Finally at the very end he announces whodunit - reaction was not "ah ha" but rather "oh @#$@". Lead character was more pathetic than likable

Note: JKR - if you are reading this I absolutely loved Harry Potter - even flew to OK from CA to read book 7 with my daughter.  I don't dislike all your books, but...

Rating (0-10): 0 - I plowed through because it was JK Rowling but no redeeming features!
Disposition: Give to library


Title: Like Any Normal Day - Mark Kram, Jr.
Genre:  Nonfiction / Sports / Disability / Suicide
Date read:  April, 2015

Very moving and poignant story of a high school football player paralyzed in an on field "accident?".  Book covers his life for the next 23 years dealing with his injuries and ultimately his death by Kevorkian suicide (no spoilers here - this occurs in the first few pages).

No - I did not cry - but the story certainly highlighted issues and questions of life and love in a very thought provoking way.  I love watching football but...

Rating (0-10): 8 - Good read and I will take away something from this book.
Disposition: Keep and try to loan out! 

Title: The Lovers Knot - Claire O'Donohue
Genre:  Mystery / Quilting
Date read:  April, 2015

Quilt store mystery - woman - ex fiance - grandma - dog - handsome sheriff - etc.  Slow moving but entertaining.

A Someday Quilts Mystery.

Rating (0-10): 6 - Good read.
Disposition: Keep for Diane


Title: The Martian - Andy Weir
Genre:  Fiction / Adventure
Date read:  December 2014

I read this book because I worked with Andy's father, John, for many years.  I even bought a Volkswagen bus from John and gave him a woodlathe.  My copy of the book is signed!

Good book with lots of chemistry, physics, biology, engineering.  Technical and sometimes slow moving.  Not a nail biter - soon to be a major motion picture.

Rating (0-10): 7 - good, not great
Disposition: Keep and try to loan out!


Title: Making the Rounds with Oscar - David Dosa
Genre:  Nonfiction
Date read:  December 2014

Very interesting book about a cat who lives in a nursing home and senses approaching death.  Book is much more about old age, geriatric care, and people than it is about the cat named Oscar.  Very interesting and thought provoking.  I am trying to get others to read this book.

Rating (0-10): 9 - Moving, inspiring, interesting.
Disposition: Keep and try to loan out!


Title: The Struggle for Guadalcanal - Samuel Eliot Morison (1949) (Volume V in the series)
Genre:  History
Date read:  Fall, 2014

Interesting to read book written just four years after the war.  Emphasizes how touch and go things were.  No necessarily politically correct in some of its references to the combatants.

P. 372: "and the number of Japanese sailors lost in the vicious sea battles will never be known, because such matters do not interest the Japanese."

Rating (0-10): 8 - Interesting - both for history and perspective.
Disposition: Keep for now.



Title: The Story of  World War II - Donald L. Miller & others (1945, 2001)
Genre:  History
Date read:  Fall, 2014

This book emphasizes the brutality of war and not the glory - gives a different perspective and makes the WW II experience much more akin to that of our gulf war and Afghanistan veterans.  PTSD is not new.  WW II was a great, heroic crusade in the history books but it was horrible for the men on the ground, sea, and air.

P. 610: "The paradoxical effect of the decisive American victory at Okinawa was to discourage the Americans "while inspiring the Japanese""

Rating (0-10): 8 - Interesting - both for history and perspective.
Disposition: Keep for now.


Title: Absolute Victory - Time Magazine (2005)
Genre:  History
Date read:  Spring, 2015

Book emphasizes the victory as opposed to the previous books which emphasized the brutality.  Europe and Germany centric - Midway gets only a brief mention.

Rating (0-10): 7 - Interesting - both for history and perspective.
Disposition: Keep for now.
 Title: USS Iowa art War - Kit & Carolyn Bonner
Genre:  History
Date read:  Spring, 2015

Visited the Iowa in mid April and bought this glossy book about the ship.  Interesting to read about battleships since most of WW II literature is aircraft centric.

Ship's entire history was covered including the tragic explosion in 1989 including the investigations and changing conclusions.

My strongest impression of the Iowa was how small it was.  It is 887' long, 108' wide.  Walking at 4 MPH (~20000'/3600s = ~5'/second) one can cross the ship in 20 seconds, go the full length in 3 minutes.  And with so many men on board everything is crowded.  Very interesting anyway - now I want to go see the Hornet Aircraft Carrier in Alameda.

Rating (0-10): 7 - Interesting - especially when visiting the ship
Disposition: Keep for now.