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Category: Books

Book 5 of 2013 – Fire in the Ashes – Jonathan Kozol

I read Death at an Early Age by Jonathan Kozol about 40 years ago, it was a stirring account of his first year as a teacher in the Boston school system working with some of the most disadvantaged students in America. The book won the National Book Award in Science, Philosophy and Religion. It has sold more than two million copies in the United States and Europe. The book made an impact on me and lead me to change my major to education, however I soon ran away from education and concentrated on Political Science, it wasn’t until several years later I returned to school at the University of Georgia and received my B.S. ED in social science education. But stuff happens and I never taught, I got caught up in life and work and a family and I took the easy path and stayed where I was, but many times I regret the decision not to teach. Anyway throughout the years I kinda stayed away from  politics and the writing of Jonathan Kozol. I knew he was out there fighting for the poorest of the poor in the South Bronx with books like Amazing Grace and Rachel and Her Children but I never read them. Well when I saw his new book Fire in the Ashes: Twenty-Five Years Among the Poorest Children in America I couldn’t resist and it has become Book 5 of 2013. Read More

Book 4 of 2013 – The Inquisitor’s Key – Jefferson Bass

Book No. 4 of 2013 is the latest Body Farm Novel from Jefferson Bass (aka Jon Jefferson and Dr. Bill Bass) The Inquisitor’s Key. This book is number seven in this fine series and it’s a little different from its predecessors. While the main storyline does involve bones, specifically, whether or not the bones that Bill Brockton’s assistant Miranda and her former archeology professor Stefan Beauvoir have found under the Palace of the Popes in Avignon France are the bones of Jesus of Nazareth, the setting is not the typical range of Bill and Miranda. Avignon France is a long way from the Body Farm in Knoxville and their offices beneath Neilan Stadium on the campus of the University of Tennessee. Finally, there’s a lot more history included in this novel, as the story twists and turns involves The Pope and the Palace of Popes in Avignon, and The Shroud of Turin. Read More

Book 3 of 2013 – Destiny of the Republic – Candice Millard

Borrowing the closing line from King Kong and morphing it a little “Oh no, it wasn’t Giteau that killed Garfield, it was the doctors!”, makes it fit Book Number 3 of 2013 Destiny of the Repbulic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard. The subject of the book is the assassination of the 20th President of the United States, James A. Garfield. Considering the mass of information that most history classes cover about all you ever hear is that Garfield was shot by a disgruntled person who wanted a civil service appointment. What we weren’t told was the appointment Charles Giteau wanted was Ambassador to France, or what an amazing man and beloved President, Garfield was,if only for a short period. The tale of the assassination involves obviously Garfield, and Charles Giteau his assailant, but also includes the theories of Joseph Lister and the inventions of Alexander Graham Bell! Millard has taken these pieces and woven a fine and easy reading and enjoyable book! Read More

Book 2 0f 2013 – The Boy in the Suitcase – Lene Kaaberol and Agnete Friis

Book No. 2 of 2013 is the first book that I received as a Christmas present this year The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberol and Agnete Friis! The book came from my daughter Elizabeth after I commented on the cover of the book (when I picked it up at the library for her) that it says “Fans of Nordic crime fiction rejoice” that I was a fan of Nordic crime fiction!  Anyway after reading the book i am a fan of the authors and so are a lot of others. Here are the awards that it have been bestowed upon it: Read More

More Books – Just What I Needed – Right!

Hello, my name is Edward and I’m a book-a-holic! Yes and I need to be kept away from bokstores and libraries! The other night even after getting so many books for Christmas I was checking out the list of books I made before Christmas and my Wish List on Amazon and I saw Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness , Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard, which looks to me to be a great read! So I checked the library catalog and it was checked in at one of the branches, so I requested it, and tonight it came in! Read More

Book 1 of 2013 – Reset: Iran, Turkey and America’s Future

 Book 1 of 2013 is a book that I picked up at Dollar Tree, Reset: Iran, Turkey and America’s Future by Stephen Kinzer. I knew little about Mr Kinzer when I purchased the book, but I found the premise that the best path for the US to follow to lead to a stable Middle East runs not through Israel and traditional Arab allies but through Turkey and Iran. The foundation of the premise is that these are the only two countries in the Arab world that have a strong democratic tradition. I realy enjoyed the history Kinzer presents in the book. I knew little about Kemal Ataturk. I knew the name but not the impact that he had on the formation of a democratic Turkey. Kinzer also discusses the democratic foundations of Iran that were derailed by the US as we supported the 1953 coup that replaced democracy in Iran with the despotic Shah, a move that ultimately lead to the theocratic government that now is in power in Iran. Other highlights included an analysis of the US’ support of and partnerships with both Saudi Arabia and Israel, which really my not be the best in the ;llong run for the US! Read More

Book 37 of 2012 – Michael Robotham – Say You’re Sorry

The first Michael Robotham book I read was Suspect. I was introduced to one of the best characters in the mystery-thriller genre Joe O’Loughlin, who not only battles wits against the bad guys but also battles Parkinson’s disease. Since that first books I’ve followed all of Joe’s adventures and Book 37 of 2012 Say You’re Sorry  is the fifth book in the series that just keeps getting better. Read More

Book 36 for 2012: State of Confusion: Political Manipulation and the Assault on the American Mind

So my goal for the Goodreads Reading Challenge was 40 books this year. For the longest time it looked like I would come nowhere near that total but a good October and November has brought me within 4 of that total. Now the trick will be to get 4 more books reads before the end of the year. December is always a challenging reading month, with so much to do getting ready of Christmas and then I usually am working more at Target, etc, so it will be tough but maybe doable!! Read More