In the Trenches

Reggie White, former Eagle, Packer, and Carolina Panther, wrote "In the Trenches" back in 1996, before the Packers went on the win the Super Bowl in January of '97. White became a minister at the age of 17, and played pro ball for years, retiring twice, once after his run with the Packers was over in 1998, and then he played for Carolina for a year before retiring again in 2002. Sadly, he died suddenly in 2004 of a rare heart disease compounded by sleep apnea. In his book he was trying to get across messages of unity and peace between blacks and whites, and how having a good relationship with God can improve all areas of your life. I enjoyed reading about his time with the Packers, and how impressed he was to be playing with Brett Favre, the exciting new gunslinger quarterback (Brett was a pall bearer at his funeral). It was so sad, though, because he talked about how much he loved his two kids and how he was looking forward to seeing them grow up. To know he died just 8 years later, when his kids were still teenagers, made it hard to read. I probably won't ever read it again, but it was good to read a football related book again!
On a somewhat related note, I saw Brett and the Jets play live last Monday in San Diego, against the Chargers. Even though the Jets lost (they still put up 29 points, and Brett threw 3 touchdown passes!!) it was absolutely thrilling to get to see him play live and in person. It was an opportunity I never thought I'd get last March when he retired. I feel very, very lucky that I got to see him in action. It was amazing.

Brother Odd; Dewey: the Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

"Brother Odd" is Dean Koontz's third Odd Thomas book, and I didn't like it as much as the first two. In those, Odd is dealing with realistic (sort of, after all, how realistic is a guy who sees the ghost of Elvis?) evils, like Satanists and kidnappers. In this one, Odd is living in a monastery, trying to gain back some peace in his life. There is a mad scientist living there as well, who has managed to create life just by wishing it into existence. He has unleashed these weird, uberskeletons who kill on the monastery, and Odd has to try to stop them. It was totally weird and unbelievable, and just strange, like the fourth one, which I read a few months ago. I'm kind of nervous now about what 5-7 are going to be like. I probably won't read it again.
"Dewey" by Vicki Myron was absolutely amazing. It reminds me of "Marley and Me", which, when I finished reading it, grabbed my dog and held her for hours, weeping, while the poor confused dog just looked at me. I felt the same way about Dewey, and I don't even like cats! Dewey lived in the Spencer Iowa Public Library for 19 years, changing lives and bringing joy to others, especially the library director, Vicki, whose life had not been simple. It was very sweet, and I really enjoyed it. I get the ALA newsletter every week in my email, and this week they were saying there is talk of making a movie out of this book, which would be very good, I think, if they could find a cat who cat act. Cats are willful little beasts. I would definitely read this one again.

What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage; Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist; Odd Thomas

I actually listened to Amy Sutherland's book "What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage" on audio book, but I figured it counted, because if anyone wanted to know about the book, I know what it's about. Besides, my blog, my rules :-) Anyway, it was actually a little redundant; she kept repeating the same things over and over again about behaviors and why both animals and people do things that annoy others. While the advice she offers seems very "duh", I bet a lot of us don't do it. I know I don't always, even though I know better. While it had some cute animal stories, I probably won't read (or listen) to it again.
I read "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan because I saw trailers for the upcoming movie based on the book and wanted to see the movie, so I figured I should read the book first. If it had been published 15 years ago when I was still in my teenage angst "no one understands me" period, I would have loved this book. I still liked it; it seemed authentic and real and made me wish I could go back and do 16 all over again (yikes!) but as an adult with a job and responsibilities, it mostly just made me feel sad and old. It's about a guy named Nick who recently got dumped by his girlfriend, Tris. When he sees her at a club that his band is performing at, he asks Norah (who he doesn't know) if she'll pretend to be his girlfriend for five minutes so he won't feel like a total loser in front of Tris and her new guy. Norah agrees, and they spend the rest of the night running around Manhattan together, getting to know each other, falling in and out of love, all while talking about music that is way over my head. I probably won't ever read it again, but it was worth it just the once.
"Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz is the first Odd book, so now I finally know what happened to Odd's beloved Stormy. Even though I knew she died in the end, because I have read books 2 and 4, when she did die I still cried, which is the mark of a good writer in my book. Odd's hometown of Pico Mundo is turned upside down when Satanists bent on destruction arrive. They target the town's mall for their ultimate heinous act of evil, wounding many and killing 19. Thanks to Odd's unusual gifts, he is able to save hundreds, but not his beloved Stormy. I'll probably read it again someday, Koontz's books are usually good for a reread.

The Case of the Beautiful Beggar; Jeeves and the Ties that Bind; Forever Odd

"The Beautiful Beggar" by Erle Stanley Gardner was an older Perry Mason (1965), but really good. An elderly man has some greedy relatives who try to put him away in a nursing home so they can steal his cash to pay off their bookie. Boy, sounds like my relatives! Perry got to play fast and loose with some evidence when the police fouled things up, and there was a great courtroom scene with a surprise witness. Probably will read again.
"Jeeves and the Ties that Bind" by P. G. Wodehouse was very funny. I've always wanted to read one because I've heard how good they are, and now I want to read more. The series is about Bertie Wooster and his butler, Jeeves. Set in post World War II England, Wooster and Jeeves (who is of course much more intelligent and well read than his boss) trade banter that made me laugh out loud. In this book, Wooster is trying to help an old buddy, Ginger, who is running for political office. Ginger is also engaged to Wooster's cousin, Florence, but he's in love with another woman and so is trying to get out of being elected and his engagement. Probably will read again.
"Forever Odd" by Dean Koontz is the second in the Odd Thomas series. I thought I had got the first one, but I messed up. Oh, well, I read the fourth one first. The more I read about Odd, the more I like him. He's geniunely likeable and a nice guy with a great attitude on life. In this volume (according to Dean Koontz, at ALA, there will be 7 Odd novels total) Odd rescues his best friend Danny after he is kidnapped by this woman obsessed with the paranormal and wants Odd to produce ghosts for her, since Danny has told her he can see dead people. It all works out in the end. Probably will read again.

Mists of Avalon; The Case of the Caretaker's Cat; the Case of the Sleepwalker's Niece

"The Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley is a definite will read again. It was a fantastic epic adventure of King Arthur told from the women's points of view, mostly his half-sister and high priestess of Avalon, Morgaine, whom I really liked. I didn't like his wife Gwenhyfer at all, she was so stiff necked and pious it was annoying. A lot of reviews I read on Amazon said that the book was anti-Christian but I didn't see it as such. I saw it more as a plea for tolerance among all religions. Queen Elizabeth I said that she would not dictate religion to her subjects, that she would not be a window into their souls, and I agree with that philosophy, and I think Bradley does too.
A couple of fun Perry Mason's I hadn't read yet. First was the "Caretaker's Cat", from 1935. There were some really fun moments in this one, with Della and Perry posing first as a couple looking to elope and then later as a couple on their honeymoon. Probably will read again, in another decade, when I decide I need to reread all my Perry Masons again.
"The Sleepwalker's Niece" was also pretty good, even though it had the unbelievable premise of not only the uncle walking in his sleep but the niece as well, usually with a carving knife in hand. Yikes! Remind me not to spend the night there! Probably will read again, too.

American Wife

"American Wife" by Curtis Sittenfeld has gotten a lot of pre-publication buzz in the professional journals, entertainment magazines, and blogs I read. They promised it would be controversial because it is based on the life of First Lady Laura Bush. I enjoyed the book and thought Sittenfeld's writing was great: the descriptions were clear and added to the story rather than bogging it down, and her characters were superbly drawn, lifelike, and very likeable. Charlie Blackwell (based on President Bush) came across as a really great guy, and even though Sittenfeld has made no secret of the fact that she hasn't agreed with him on his policies as president, she made him out to be a complex, three dimensional person. Through the eyes of his wife, Alice, we understand his motivations and see why he believes the way he does. The only part of the book that bothered me was when she projected her own feelings onto Alice (for instance, she has Alice vote for Blackwell's opponent in the 2000 election because she believes he is better qualified than her own husband; somehow I sincerely doubt Laura Bush would do that), so Alice comes across as wishy washy and too goody goody. I might read it again someday; it was worth the time.

Crypt 33: the Saga of Marilyn Monroe

First of all, I thought how nice it would have been if I had implemented a ratings system for the books I read, so I can go back and decide, without having to read the entire post, if I liked a book or not. So from now on there will be four levels for each book, and of course I reserve the right to change this at any time if I feel like it. After all, it's my blog! They will be (rather than stars): Definitely read again, maybe read again, probably not read again, definitely not read again.
"Crypt 33" by Adela Gregory and Milo Speriglio is the type of bio I almost never read, because it's trashy. They took every rumor and conspiracy theory surrounding Monroe and tossed it out like it's gospel truth. Maybe it is and maybe it isn't, who's to say for sure? All I know is, it was kind of fun. They go the whole nine yards with the Kennedys having Marilyn killed (I could believe that), as well as suggest who her real father was. I give it a Probably Not Read Again.

Devil Bones

Kathy Reich's latest, "Devil Bones", is her 11th Temperance Brennan novel, and like all the others, was complex but very good. You need to take notes (or be paying very close attention!) while reading these ones. This one finds Tempe investigating what looks like Satanism when human remains are found displayed in a ritualistic manner in a basement. Of course it's not really Satanists; the ending is of course much more shocking than that. Best part: possible new boyfriend as well as possible rekindling of romance with Ryan!