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GERALD'S 50 BOOKS READ IN 2013
JANUARYTOTAL RECALL – My Unbelievably True Life Story
1.
Arnold SchwarzeneggerFinish date: January 3, 2013
Genre: non-fiction, autobiography
Rating: A
Review: Both parts of the title of this excellent autobiography are well chosen. TOTAL RECALL is obviously from his movie of the same name, but it is also wonderfully descriptive of the amazingly comprehensive details of each phase as Arnold journeyed on his life-path from rural Austrian farm boy, to world champion (many times over) bodybuilder, to the pinnacle of Hollywood stardom in his movie career as an action-hero and comic actor, to his inspiring successes as an entrepreneur and businessman, to the governorship (or as he became known The Governator, from his movie The Terminator) of the state of California (which has a bigger, at $1.9 trillion, economy than that of Mexico, India, Canada, or Russia), and finally a return to his movie career following his last year as governor. Part Two of the title - My Unbelievably True Life Story – is equally apropos as reflected in the prior comments.
"What a crazy guy this is - believes he can do anything, and then does it." He is independently motivated, completely self-made, and optimistic in the extreme, with intense focus and determination. He makes all his accomplishments sound easy but was equally candid with both his successes and his failures. He was advised that he couldn’t be a success in the movies and certainly not a leading man because of his accent, his funny, difficult-to-pronounce name, and his size. He refused to listen. When he did get his first movie break, it was for Hercules in New York City. His co-star was Arnold Stang. The powers that be made him take the professional name of Arnold Strong instead of his own name. That was probably his least successful movie. He immediately returned to using his own name, and the rest, as they say, is history, at least as far as his movie career is concerned.
The book tells of his relationships with prominent world figures: Mikhail Gorbachev, Muhammad Ali, Milton Berle, Pope John Paul II, Sylvester Stallone, Dino de Laurentis, the Kennedy family, Ronald Reagan, Barrack Obama, Nelson Mandela, and others. During an introductory speech he was giving at a national political convention, he stated: “To think that a scrawny boy from Austria could grow up to become governor of the state of California and then stand here in Madison Square Garden and speak on behalf of the President of the United States – that is an immigrant’s dream.”
A prominent one of his mottos for success is “reps, reps, reps and mileage, mileage, mileage.” In others words, success, whether in bodybuilding, a movie career, or a political career, is achieved by practice repetitions and putting in the mileage toward your goals. One of my favorite parts is toward the end of the book. As Governor, he is speaking at a university, and a student complains that his tuition is going up. Schwarzenegger asks him what that is going to do to the student. The student says he can't pay for it without getting a part time job. He asks the student how many hours a day he went to class, 3 and how many hours a day he studied, 3. Then, he asked what he did with the other 18 hours a day.
I have been a big fan of Arnold and his movies since his Conan days. I highly recommend this book to others who think they might be interested. It is truly an incredible, inspirational story.
[Book 1 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-1)]
JANUARYTHREAT VECTOR
2.
Tom ClancyFinish date: January 10, 2013
Genre: fiction, techno-thriller, terrorist activity, military action
Rating: A
Review: There are mixed opinions about this book from many GoodReads reviewers; some take the position that Clancy’s books have slipped in quality since he has taken on co-authors. Personally, I found Threat Vector to be a very exciting, fast-paced novel with lots of action reflective of today’s world. The usual cast of characters of Henley Associates is present. For those not familiar with recent Clancy novels, Henley Associates is a “private, under-the-table” intelligence organization. It is self-funded from it supposed actual function of being a financial management organization. It was Jack Ryan, Senior’s idea, set up during his first term as president, and is headed by his friend, ex-Senator Gerry Henley. In Threat Vector Jack has returned to the presidency following the disastrous term of Ken Kealty, who all but dismantled the U.S. military.
Jack Ryan, Junior began working for Henley Associates, ostensibly as a financial manager but in actuality as a extremely effective intelligence analyst. In the immediately prior Clancy novel - Locked On - Jack, Junior got a taste of field work as an intelligence operative. This increases dramatically in Threat Vector, when the legendary John Clark has to retire after his limited recovery from the severe injuries inflicted by the Russians in Locked On.
The primary threat in this novel is posed by the renegade head of the Chinese military Chairman Su, supported by a shadowy figure known as “Center.” Su is determined to completely take over control of the entire South China Sea as well as Taiwan and will stop at nothing, including direct orders from the President of China. Center’s specialty is cyber warfare. In these efforts he is supported by 100+ hackers and a band of goons who do his bidding. There seem to be no boundaries that Center is unable to breach. He takes over control of multiple U.S. drone aircraft, using their munitions wherever he wants to use them. He also is able to control the cooling-water system for nuclear power plants within the U.S. illustrating the potential he has for causing calamitous results.
In light of the cyber-attacks , which preclude a conventional military response by President Ryan, Jack, Junior and the other operatives at Henley Associates are kept busy in various parts of the world in an effort to thwart the plans of Su & Center.
I VERY MUCH enjoyed this latest Clancy novel and do recommend it to others who enjoy an exciting tale full of danger, suspense, and intrigue on a global scale.
[Book 2 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-2)]
JANUARYPORTRAIT OF A SPY
3.
Daniel SilvaFinish date: January 12, 2013
Genre: fiction, terrorist activity, thriller
Rating: B
Review: Portrait of a Spy was a fairly interesting novel. A former Israeli intelligence officer Gabriel Allon living in London as an art restorer is haunted by a suicide bombing that he was almost able to prevent. In order to make recompense he agrees to be the go-between for British intelligence to try to recruit an extremely rich Saudi woman, the daughter of a powerful man who funded terrorism himself, to get to an American-born cleric-terrorist ringleader now living in Yemen. The Saudi woman, who had developed her own agenda to work against the terrorism that her father so rabidly sponsored, agrees to work with Gabriel, but only on her own terms. She places herself in extreme danger in order to carry out the plan Gabriel has given her.
This was a reasonably entertaining book, which I give a luke-warm recommendation to others who enjoy this type of novel.
[Book 3 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-3)]
JANUARYThe Casual Vacancy
4.
J.K. RowlingFinish date: January 28, 2013
Genre: fiction
Rating: B-
Review: J.K. Rowling made a radical shift in genre from her Harry Potter series to this adult fiction. Set in a very small English community that gets very serious about local politics when a “casual vacancy” occurs with the death of one of the 16 parish councilors. The fight to refill the position becomes even more heated than it already is when some very negative anonymous postings show up from a hacker into the council website. The hacker signs the postings as the ghost of the deceased councilor.
I found this book to be somewhat interesting but a bit tedious at times. I can only give it a very lukewarm recommendation for those who might be curious.
[Book 4 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-4)]
JANUARYThe Chisellers
5.
Brendan O'Carroll (no photo available)Finish date: January 28, 2013
Genre: fiction
Rating: B-
Review: A somewhat entertaining continuation of the story of begun in The Mammy of Agnes Browne and the adventures her large brood of children. I can only give this book a tepid recommendation.
[Book 5 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-5)]
JANUARYNotorious Nineteen
6.
Janet EvanovichFinish date: January 28, 2013
Genre: fiction, humorous
Rating: B+
Review: Another hilarious Stephanie Plum tale of her adventures and mis-adventures with the usual cast of endearing characters. One of my favorite quotes from the book is by Grandma Mazur, who said: “All them old mob guys are croaking. Pretty soon there’s not gonna be any more mob. All the young guys are going into the hedge fund business.”
I always enjoy the change of pace Janet Evanovich offers with this great series. I give it a high recommendation to her fans.
[Book 6 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6)]
FEBRUARYNano
7.
Robin CookFinish date: February 7, 2013
Genre: fiction, sports, medical science, hostage
Rating: A-
Review: {to follow soon]
[Book 7 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-1)]
FEBRUARYInside SEAL Team Six – My Life and Missions with America’s Elite Warriors
8.
Don Mann (no photo available)Finish date: February 17, 2013
Genre: non-fiction, autobiography, military, thriller
Rating: A+
Review: Inside SEAL Team Six – My Life and Missions with America’s Elite Warriors recounts the unbelievable life story of Don Mann, primarily during those years while he served with SEAL Team Six. Navy SEALs are said to be the finest military force in the world for performing the missions with which they are tasked. That being the case has been clearly demonstrated numerous times. Given that SEALs as a group are the finest military force in the world, the members of SEAL Team Six are without question the elite of all the SEAL Teams. It would not be off the mark to suggest that Don Mann is in the upper 5% of all who have ever served as members of SEAL Team Six. For many years SEAL Team Six was not even acknowledged to exist, it was so ultra-secret. It certainly got a high level of publicity when SEAL Team Six members took out Osama bin Laden. This was especially disturbing since SEAL Teams do not seek publicity; they try to avoid it as all costs.
Don grew up in a tough neighborhood not far from Boston. He was into getting the adrenaline highs that he sought from motorcycle racing and driving in an extremely dangerous manner, almost killing himself in a terrible car wreck. He watched many of his friends go down the wrong paths into crime and the drug culture and vowed that he would get away from it. This led him to the Navy Recruiting Office. During his recruit training he was shown a movie about Navy SEALs. He immediately set his goal to become a SEAL.
Before he was accepted for the BUD/S (basic underwater demolition/SEAL) training he first had to attend specialty training to qualify as a Hospital Corpsman and then serve a non-SEAL tour of duty for general experience. He would have 10 days to get from his home on the east coast to report for the corpsman training in San Diego. He decided to travel the 3,000 mile, 10-day trip on his bicycle. He would have made it but his travelling partner slowed him down so much that he had to quit and settle for faster transportation. After being thwarted on that ultra-endurance goal, he later decided to compete in the Ironman Triathlon. He arrived in Hawaii from his active duty assignment in Okinawa carrying his $109 Motobecane bicycle. An exceptionally fit blond athlete saw him and commented said “So that’s a Motobecane” and that the titanium pedals on his $5,000 Bianchi bicycle were worth more than his Motobecane. As they hit the water for the start of the race, Don saw the blond guy swim past him. He struggled a bit with the swimming but completed it without too much difficulty. He started the bicycle portion and felt a burst of energy, quickly moving from 175th (out of 576 starters) to 150th without much problem. Then he more slowly began overtaking others. Soon he saw the ripped blond guy and blew past him with the comment “So that’s a Bianchi, huh?” Before long he was in 110th place about to pass the previous year’s winner. Finishing quite well on the bike, he made the transition to running and took off so fast that others tried to warn him to slow because there was an entire 26 miles to go. Soon the previous winner had caught up to him, but Don speeded up further. They pushed each other hard for the remainder of the race. Don finished 38th out of 538 competitors, in just his 2nd Ironman race.
Don remained extremely focused and continued to push himself so hard that he completed the intense grueling requirements for his BUD/S training, leading up to the final hurdle of that phase of becoming a SEAL. “Hell Week” was 5 ½ days of the most intense training of any military unit in the world with the SEAL candidates having to manage on an average of 2 hours sleep a night, sometimes being required to sleep under a running shower. Don described it as “nonstop cold, wet, sore, and exhausting. I thought the Ironman race was tough. Hell week was like ten Ironman competitions in succession.”
Before his assignment to his first team, he attended a very intensive additional medical training referred to as “Goat Lab.” The participants learn a very high level of combat medicine using goats as their patients. That training served him extremely well as he performed numerous life-saving procedures in a variety of both military and civilian situations.
With his assignment to SEAL Team One he began an additional high level of specialty training. During the pre-deployment cycle they participated in the following types of professional development: scout/sniper operations, breacher operations, surreptitious entry, technical surveillance, advanced driving skills, climbing/roping skills, advance air operations, diving supervision, ranger training, unmanned aerial vehicle operations, languages, close-quarters combat, urban warfare, hostile maritime interdiction, combat swimming, just to name a few. One of their instructors was the person who did the spectacular skydiving stunts for some of the James Bond movies.
Shortly before to Don’s assignment to SEAL Team Six, the team had been sent to Grenada by President Ronald Reagan to defuse the hostile takeover by Marxist rebels of many parts of that country. It was a baptism of fire as many things went wrong. They were determined that would never happen again. For example, the PTs (physical training) were harder. “We did weekly long swims, long runs, obstacle courses, sessions in the weight room, and … what was known as a Monster Mash—three to five hours of insane nonstop paddling, running, swimming, O-course drills, as well as carrying simulated wounded men and stopping at various stations to shoot at targets, assemble weapons, put together the radios, and establish comms with HQ.” He further stated that “All of our operators were always physically ready for battle. We did not train to get big, ripped, or cut—we PTed so we could do our jobs.”
Once during a HAHO (high altitude, high opening) jump from just under 18,000 feet, Don flipped right through his parachute risers and began falling backwards. This caused his risers to spiral where they jerked his head in an awkward manner. He thought his neck was broken. He calmly cut away his main, non-functioning chute and deployed the reserve chute. The pain in his neck and jaw was so intense that he was unable to speak over his radio. He then palpated his jaw and realized that it was dislocated and way to the left of where it should be. So he did to himself what he had done to dozens of other people in the ER. At around 8,000 feet, he placed his thumb on his bottom teeth, pushed down hard, and jerked his jaw to the right. “It popped into place and hurt like hell!”
Later, he attended winter-warfare training near the Buskin River in Alaska. On the last 2 days of the 45 day course, their FTX (final training exercise) included a 2,000-meter cold-water ocean swim, a river crossing via high line, and long-range navigation through the mountain wilderness to infiltrate and establish covert surveillance of a target site. They had to accomplish all this while carrying 75 to 90 pounds of operational gear each, including weapons and ammo.”
As if the SEAL training was not enough, Don continued to challenge his need for a continuous adrenaline high in ultra-endurance competitions. He readily accepted the challenge to participate in the Raid Gauloises, known as the world’s premier and most difficult long-distance, multisport endurance race. The 500-mile race included mountain biking, kayaking, white-water rafting, running, rock climbing, and swimming for a 5-person, coed team. This 1995 race was through the Patagonian area of Argentina – a million square miles featuring a harsh combination of ice, snow, glaciers, mountains, heat, and relentless Antarctic winds.
Following his retirement from SEAL Team Six, Don founded a company with 2 others called Odyssey Adventure Racing (OAR) to stage long-distance adventure races. It proved to be a tremendous success . Their basic race was a 350-mile, 5-day competition in some very challenging parts of Virginia and West Virginia. They called it “The Beast of the East.” Soon they added 1 and 2 day races, plus the Odyssey Triple Iron (7.2 mile swim, 336-mile bike ride, 78.6-mile run), Odyssey Double Iron, Odyssey Half Iron, and Odyssey Off-Road Iron (the world’s most difficult triathlon).
September 11, 2001 changed Don’s life again. His focus immediately switched to the war on global terrorism. Sports took a backseat. With his return to the defense of his country his efforts were in a number of different capacities -- training people for BUD/S and teaching military, special-police units, and government agencies how to do surveillance, close-quarters combat, fast-roping, diving, shooting, urban, jungle, desert, and arctic warfare, and more.
As you can probably tell from the length of this review, I thought the book was fantastic and highly recommend it to others.
[Book 8 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-2)]
Gerald you are off to a good start. You only need the month header for the first entry of that month.I've read one book by Robin Cook, and just picked up a book yesterday by Daniel Silva. Both different books from the ones you have posted here, but I have been looking for another Robin Cook so will add that one to the ver growing TBR list.
Robin Cook
Daniel Silva
FEBRUARYNano
7.
Robin CookFinish date: February 7, 2013
Genre: fiction, sports, medical science, hostage
Rating: A-
Review: Pia Grazdani is a recent medical school graduate who decides to take a detour before beginning her medical residency. She accepts a researcher position working in the field of nanotechnology with a cutting company called Nano, Inc. After being there for more than a year she loves her job. While out running on the company grounds during a break, she encounters another runner, a Chinese male, whose vital signs indicate that he is technically dead. After she calls for an ambulance, the Chinese man appears to have recovered completely. When the ambulance arrives, he does not want to go to the hospital. They insist, and he finally agrees. While he is being examined by the ER physician and tests are being run, a security squad from Nano shows up and forcefully removes him from the hospital. Pia begins to do some investigation and soon comes to realize that there is much more to the research being conducted at Nano than meets the eye.
Zachary Berman, the founder and CEO of Nano, is using every shortcut he can whether ethically appropriate / legal or not, to discover a cure for Alzheimer’s through the use of nanotechnology. His determination to do so in the quickest manner possible is driven by the fact that both of his parents are suffering with that disease. Additionally, he has become smitten with Pia and wants to possess her. She is totally repulsed but uses his advances to her advantage in her quest to find out what is really going on in the other divisions of the huge Nano complex.
I found this book to be very fast-paced and exciting. While some of the issues presented may seem quite far-fetched, in light of all the work actually underway in the fields of nanotechnology, medical physics, and biomedical engineering, it is more likely they are on the not-too-distant horizon. I highly recommend this book to others.
[Book 7 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-1)]
FEBRUARYInside SEAL Team Six – My Life and Missions with America’s Elite Warriors
8.
Don Mann (no photo available)Finish date: February 17, 2013
Genre: non-fiction, autobiography, military, thriller
Rating: A+
Review: Inside SEAL Team Six – My Life and Missions with America’s Elite Warriors recounts the unbelievable life story of Don Mann, primarily during those years while he served with SEAL Team Six. Navy SEALs are said to be the finest military force in the world for performing the missions with which they are tasked. That being the case has been clearly demonstrated numerous times. Given that SEALs as a group are the finest military force in the world, the members of SEAL Team Six are without question the elite of all the SEAL Teams. It would not be off the mark to suggest that Don Mann is in the upper 5% of all who have ever served as members of SEAL Team Six. For many years SEAL Team Six was not even acknowledged to exist, it was so ultra-secret. It certainly got a high level of publicity when SEAL Team Six members took out Osama bin Laden. This was especially disturbing since SEAL Teams do not seek publicity; they try to avoid it as all costs.
Don grew up in a tough neighborhood not far from Boston. He was into getting the adrenaline highs that he sought from motorcycle racing and driving in an extremely dangerous manner, almost killing himself in a terrible car wreck. He watched many of his friends go down the wrong paths into crime and the drug culture and vowed that he would get away from it. This led him to the Navy Recruiting Office. During his recruit training he was shown a movie about Navy SEALs. He immediately set his goal to become a SEAL.
Before he was accepted for the BUD/S (basic underwater demolition/SEAL) training he first had to attend specialty training to qualify as a Hospital Corpsman and then serve a non-SEAL tour of duty for general experience. He would have 10 days to get from his home on the east coast to report for the corpsman training in San Diego. He decided to travel the 3,000 mile, 10-day trip on his bicycle. He would have made it but his travelling partner slowed him down so much that he had to quit and settle for faster transportation. After being thwarted on that ultra-endurance goal, he later decided to compete in the Ironman Triathlon. He arrived in Hawaii from his active duty assignment in Okinawa carrying his $109 Motobecane bicycle. An exceptionally fit blond athlete saw him and commented said “So that’s a Motobecane” and that the titanium pedals on his $5,000 Bianchi bicycle were worth more than his Motobecane. As they hit the water for the start of the race, Don saw the blond guy swim past him. He struggled a bit with the swimming but completed it without too much difficulty. He started the bicycle portion and felt a burst of energy, quickly moving from 175th (out of 576 starters) to 150th without much problem. Then he more slowly began overtaking others. Soon he saw the ripped blond guy and blew past him with the comment “So that’s a Bianchi, huh?” Before long he was in 110th place about to pass the previous year’s winner. Finishing quite well on the bike, he made the transition to running and took off so fast that others tried to warn him to slow because there was an entire 26 miles to go. Soon the previous winner had caught up to him, but Don speeded up further. They pushed each other hard for the remainder of the race. Don finished 38th out of 538 competitors, in just his 2nd Ironman race.
Don remained extremely focused and continued to push himself so hard that he completed the intense grueling requirements for his BUD/S training, leading up to the final hurdle of that phase of becoming a SEAL. “Hell Week” was 5 ½ days of the most intense training of any military unit in the world with the SEAL candidates having to manage on an average of 2 hours sleep a night, sometimes being required to sleep under a running shower. Don described it as “nonstop cold, wet, sore, and exhausting. I thought the Ironman race was tough. Hell week was like ten Ironman competitions in succession.”
Before his assignment to his first team, he attended a very intensive additional medical training referred to as “Goat Lab.” The participants learn a very high level of combat medicine using goats as their patients. That training served him extremely well as he performed numerous life-saving procedures in a variety of both military and civilian situations.
With his assignment to SEAL Team One he began an additional high level of specialty training. During the pre-deployment cycle they participated in the following types of professional development: scout/sniper operations, breacher operations, surreptitious entry, technical surveillance, advanced driving skills, climbing/roping skills, advance air operations, diving supervision, ranger training, unmanned aerial vehicle operations, languages, close-quarters combat, urban warfare, hostile maritime interdiction, combat swimming, just to name a few. One of their instructors was the person who did the spectacular skydiving stunts for some of the James Bond movies.
Shortly before to Don’s assignment to SEAL Team Six, the team had been sent to Grenada by President Ronald Reagan to defuse the hostile takeover by Marxist rebels of many parts of that country. It was a baptism of fire as many things went wrong. They were determined that would never happen again. For example, the PTs (physical training) were harder. “We did weekly long swims, long runs, obstacle courses, sessions in the weight room, and … what was known as a Monster Mash—three to five hours of insane nonstop paddling, running, swimming, O-course drills, as well as carrying simulated wounded men and stopping at various stations to shoot at targets, assemble weapons, put together the radios, and establish comms with HQ.” He further stated that “All of our operators were always physically ready for battle. We did not train to get big, ripped, or cut—we PTed so we could do our jobs.”
Once during a HAHO (high altitude, high opening) jump from just under 18,000 feet, Don flipped right through his parachute risers and began falling backwards. This caused his risers to spiral where they jerked his head in an awkward manner. He thought his neck was broken. He calmly cut away his main, non-functioning chute and deployed the reserve chute. The pain in his neck and jaw was so intense that he was unable to speak over his radio. He then palpated his jaw and realized that it was dislocated and way to the left of where it should be. So he did to himself what he had done to dozens of other people in the ER. At around 8,000 feet, he placed his thumb on his bottom teeth, pushed down hard, and jerked his jaw to the right. “It popped into place and hurt like hell!”
Later, he attended winter-warfare training near the Buskin River in Alaska. On the last 2 days of the 45 day course, their FTX (final training exercise) included a 2,000-meter cold-water ocean swim, a river crossing via high line, and long-range navigation through the mountain wilderness to infiltrate and establish covert surveillance of a target site. They had to accomplish all this while carrying 75 to 90 pounds of operational gear each, including weapons and ammo.”
As if the SEAL training was not enough, Don continued to challenge his need for a continuous adrenaline high in ultra-endurance competitions. He readily accepted the challenge to participate in the Raid Gauloises, known as the world’s premier and most difficult long-distance, multisport endurance race. The 500-mile race included mountain biking, kayaking, white-water rafting, running, rock climbing, and swimming for a 5-person, coed team. This 1995 race was through the Patagonian area of Argentina – a million square miles featuring a harsh combination of ice, snow, glaciers, mountains, heat, and relentless Antarctic winds.
Following his retirement from SEAL Team Six, Don founded a company with 2 others called Odyssey Adventure Racing (OAR) to stage long-distance adventure races. It proved to be a tremendous success . Their basic race was a 350-mile, 5-day competition in some very challenging parts of Virginia and West Virginia. They called it “The Beast of the East.” Soon they added 1 and 2 day races, plus the Odyssey Triple Iron (7.2 mile swim, 336-mile bike ride, 78.6-mile run), Odyssey Double Iron, Odyssey Half Iron, and Odyssey Off-Road Iron (the world’s most difficult triathlon).
September 11, 2001 changed Don’s life again. His focus immediately switched to the war on global terrorism. Sports took a backseat. With his return to the defense of his country his efforts were in a number of different capacities -- training people for BUD/S and teaching military, special-police units, and government agencies how to do surveillance, close-quarters combat, fast-roping, diving, shooting, urban, jungle, desert, and arctic warfare, and more.
As you can probably tell from the length of this review, I thought the book was fantastic and highly recommend it to others.
[Book 8 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-2)]
Mod
Thanks, Bentley. I still enjoy your book-reading challenge and have not lost my reading desire at all. However, I am not going to be able to maintain the pace I set for myself last year due to other commitments, priorities, and projects I'm working on. I do expect to meet the 50-book goal and perhaps a little more.
FEBRUARYStrategic Moves
9.
Stuart WoodsFinish date: February 24, 2013
Genre: fiction, suspense
Rating: A-
Review: I thought this was one of the better novels in Stuart Woods’ Stone Barrington series. Stone’s corporate client Strategic Services security and protective service invites him to take a ride as a guest on their huge, new C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft as it makes a two-stop round trip to Iraq and Spain. The aircraft has been chartered by the CIA to return equipment from Iraq and to pick up an evacuee from Spain wanted for questioning as only the CIA knows how. All goes well until the evacuee, known as Pablo, decides he does not want to make the full trip. He escapes the C-17 under unusual circumstances. Pablo turns up later and hires Stone as his attorney to negotiate with the CIA and to get matters settled with them, so that he and his family can live in peace.
As Stone makes significant progress in getting things settled on one front for Pablo, they begin to get quite hairy one several other fronts because of multiple disclosures made by Pablo and CIA leaks about those disclosures to the wrong parties. Soon, Pablo and Stone are running for their lives against the likes of mad Pakistanis, Israelis, vengeful CIA agents, and others. On a different front, Stone’s erstwhile, bumbling client Herbie Fisher has gotten mixed up with the wrong group when he marries into the family of a ultra-rich financial services tycoon. He soon finds that all is not as it seems regarding his new bride Stephanie.
Strategic Moves is a quick and very entertaining book. I heartily recommend it to Stone Barrington fans and to others who are looking for a new series of novels to get into. That happened to me when I just chanced upon my first of the series in December 2011. I think I have now read all 23 or 24 in the series with the completion of this one.
[Book 9 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3)]
Oops, Gerald, we have the book title in bold on message 15.
Bryan wrote: "Oops, Gerald, we have the book title in bold on message 15."Correction made
MARCHA Prisoner of Birth
10.
Jeffrey ArcherFinish date: March 14, 2013
Genre: fiction, prison escape, suspense
Rating: A
Review: Jeffrey Archer is a terrific author. A Prisoner of Birth certainly reinforces that description. An evening which was to be a celebration of the recent engagement of Danny Cartwright and Beth Wilson, ends with the death of Beth’s brother and who is also Danny’s best friend. Danny is accused by the four strangers who happened to be in the bar at the same time. The odds against Danny, an automobile mechanic, proving his innocence are long indeed when the four strangers – a prominent London barrister, a Member of Parliament, a very popular actor, and a fourth long-time friend – all agreed to tell the same story, even though it is a complete fabrication of what actually took place.
Danny is convicted to 22 years in the maximum security Bellmarsh Prison, from which there has never been an escape. In the 2 years waiting for his appeal to be heard, Danny makes a huge effort to better himself and his level of education with significant assistance from one of his 2 fellow cellmates. When his appeal is denied, Danny is devastated, falling into the depths of despair. Fate then takes a curious turn, and Danny walks away to a new life with the blessing of prison officials. Needless to say, his “escape” was under MOST UNUSUAL circumstances.
Danny’s “new life” includes a title, a very large estate in Scotland, an elegant home in an exclusive London neighborhood, and a bank account overflowing with almost $60,000,000. He uses his new status and resources to plot his revenge against the 4 prominent individuals who sent him to prison for a crime he did not commit. From that point forward the fast-paced tale takes many unexpected turns, leading to the surprising conclusion.
I thoroughly enjoyed this very exciting novel and most highly recommend it.
[Book 10 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-1)]
Mod
Thank you for doing the edit.
MARCHLucid Intervals
11.
Stuart WoodsFinish date: March 18, 2013
Genre: fiction,
Rating: B
This is another fun Stone Barrington novel with all the usual, entertaining characters. After I’ve read a more “serious” book, I always enjoy the change of pace offered by this series. Stuart Woods’ offerings are not for all readers, but for those who enjoy them, Lucid Intervals is a good one.
[Book 11 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-2)]
NOTE: I have gotten SERIOUSLY behind in my postings and am now undertaking the process of catching them up. The above review is for my 11th book for 2013. In actuality, I have just completed my 30th. Hopefully, I'll be able to bring myself up to date within the next week or so.
MARCHThe Racketeer
12.
John GrishamFinish date: March 21, 2013
Genre: fiction, legal thriller
Rating: A-
Review: Malcolm Bannister, a former attorney from a very small-town, is currently a resident at the Federal Prison Camp at Frostburg, Maryland. He does not take issue with the fact that what he did was wrong but is completely convinced that he was merely the scapegoat and that others more seriously involved in the wrongdoing are still free and going about their business.
Although he has lost his license to practice as a conventional attorney, he has quickly become quite proficient as a “jailhouse lawyer,” advising his fellow inmates about, among other areas, their chances for winning an appeal of their conviction. Judge Raymond Fawcett has very recently become the 5th active federal judge to be murdered. Malcolm soon realizes that he fairly sure he knows the identity as well as the motive of the murderer, based on information he acquired while functioning in his unofficial capacity as an advisor of his fellow inmates on legal matters.
Judge Fawcett was killed along with his young secretary while they were having a tryst at the judge’s remote lakeside cabin. The only evidence beside the two bodies is the judge’s large, extremely secure safe, which was opened and found empty. The FBI is under extreme pressure to solve the crime as soon as possible. Malcolm sees the information he has as his ticket out of jail but recognizes that he must proceed very carefully in negotiating for its disclosure, for once they have the information, he is no longer of any value to the FBI. He must first convince them that the information is legitimate. Then he can more on to negotiating for his release based on his well-thought-out terms.
The Racketeer is a very imaginative legal thriller by the undisputed master of that genre. I very thoroughly enjoyed it and do highly recommend it.
[Book 12 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3)]
APRILKinsey and Me: Stories
13.
Sue GraftonFinish date: April 8, 2013
Genre: fiction,
Rating: B
Review: A very entertaining series of Kinsey Millhone short stories. Sue Grafton compares her real life to that of her alter ego Kinsey. I enjoyed it and recommend it to Kinsey Millhone fans.
[Book 13 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-1)]
APRILThe Confessor
14.
Daniel SilvaFinish date: April 9, 2013
Genre: fiction, murder- mystery, suspense
Rating: A-
Review: The Confessor was a most interesting novel about a renegade group with the Vatican hierarchy that did not agree with the new policy of openness professed by the new Pope. They were especially concerned about his plans for the Catholic Church’s relationship with the Jewish people and his plans to open the Vatican archives for intense study with regard to documentation of what happened during World War II that resulted in the decision not to come out in strong opposition to the events leading to the Holocaust.
When current art-restorer in Venice and former Israeli intelligence agent Gabriel Allon is asked to investigate the assassination of his friend Benjamin Stern, he soon finds himself on an unexpected path which he follows to the Vatican Secretary of State and Chief of Security. He faces danger at every turn, leading to the explosive ending.
I found this novel most interesting and very much enjoyed listening to this CD version.
[Book 14 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-2)]
APRILA Midwinter’s Tale
15.
Andrew M. GreeleyFinish date: April 24, 2013
Genre: fiction, military, family saga
Rating: A
Review: This is the rollicking tale of Charles Cronin "Chuckie Duckie" O'Malley as he transitions from his high school adventures and misadventures to more of the same after he joins Army and contends with his assignments as a member U.S. Constabulary Corps in post-World War II Germany.
I first read this book about 14 years ago. When I saw the CD version, I thought I might enjoy it again. I had forgotten how VERY MUCH I like the novels of Andrew M. Greeley. I REALLY liked this first in the four-part series about "The Crazy O'Malleys"; so much so that immediately after finishing it, I checked out and began reading the continuation novel "Younger Than Springtime." This was a very entertaining novel. Greeley develops his characters so well that you really feel as if you know them. I highly recommend it, especially for Greeley fans.
[Book 15 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-3)]
Gerald, glad you are back at it. I look forward to seeing what all you have been reading. Good variety and I enjoy reading your reviews. Keep up the great work!
APRILYounger Than Springtime
16.
Andrew M. GreeleyFinish date: April 27, 2013
Genre: fiction, family saga
Rating: A
Review: The adventures and misadventures of the Crazy O’Malleys continue in this second part of the six-part series, most prominently featuring their son Charles Cronin “Chucky Ducky” O’Malley, who recently returned from his two years of post-World War II active duty as a part of the US Army of Occupation in the Constabulary Regiment in Bamberg, Germany. Chucky turns his attention to continuing his education at Notre Dame University and soon runs into unexpected trouble there. Before he realizes it, he has been dis-enrolled at Notre Dame and become a student at The University of Chicago, joining his “adoptive” (informally) sister Rosemarie Helen Clancy. All Chucky wants to be is a simple accountant, but Rosemarie, with whom Chucky finds himself falling in love, has different plans for him, i.e., as a supremely talented professional photographer. Chucky protests that he is merely a plain old "picture taker." Naturally, Rosemarie prevails.
This second volume is both humorous and heart-warming. Father Greeley is a wonderful storyteller who brings his characters alive. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and very much recommend it to others.
[Book 16 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4)]
MAYSix Years
17.
Harlan CobenFinish date: May 3, 2013
Genre: fiction, mystery
Rating: B-
Review: A reasonably good Harlen Coben offering but not nearly as good as his Myron Bolitar series.
College professor Jake Fisher accidently discovers something related to the reason his true love left him six years before. Thus begins a quest to find her again in which he must face numerous horrendous obstacles and threats to his life. In spite all, he will not be deterred.
I give this novel a lukewarm recommendation.
[Book 17 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-1)]
MAYUnintended Consequences
18.
Stuart WoodsFinish date: May 8, 2013
Genre: fiction, action, Suspense
Rating: A
Review: A most enjoyable Stone Barrington novel. Stone awakens in Paris with no recollection of how he got there or why he was there. He had lost four days of his memory after having been given a Mickey Finn cocktail on the flight over. Soon he is mixing with the ultra-rich of France, followed closely by some nasty Russian mobsters. He returns to New York with several guests, thinking they will be safer there. Unfortunately, that is not to be. He and his friends proceed from one hairy event to the next.
Woods' cast of characters in the Stone Barrington series are very entertaining, and this 26th offering is no exception. A must read for are of Stone's fans. Newcomers to the series will like this novel also.
[Book 18 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-2)]
MAYCollateral Damage
19.
Stuart WoodsFinish date: May 17, 2013
Genre: fiction, action, suspense, terrorist activity
Rating: A
Review: This offering in the Stone Barrington series is another that is quite good. Stone and the CIA's Holly Barker are off to England to assist in tracking down a female terrorist, Jasmine Shazaz. Ms. Shazaz is seeking revenge for the death of her 2 brothers who were killed in California while trying to detonate bombs that would have killed the Presidents of the U.S.A. and Mexico. After 3 bombing there, they follow Ms. Shazaz's trail to New York who she causes additional havoc. Just as they are about to close in on her, she slips through their grasp.
The hunt continues with an exciting conclusion. A must-read for all Stone Barrington fans. I do recommend it.
[Book 19 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-3)]
MAYThe Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings
20.
John Haywood (no photo available)Finish date: May 18, 2013
Genre: non-fiction, history
Rating: B
Review: Memphis has a festival called MEMPHIS IN MAY during which a different foreign country is honored each year. This year the honored country is Sweden. When I went to the library a few weeks ago, there was a special display of books broadly associated with the honored country. This book happened to catch my eye as a part of that display. I guess I just recognized my underlying desire to learn more about the mysterious Vikings.
I had a vague idea of what is generally known about the Vikings. They “burst quite suddenly into European history in the last decade of the 8th century with a series of terrifying attacks on the coasts of Britain, Ireland and Francia.” These unexpected attacks on ports, towns, and monasteries shocked the Europeans since the pagan raiders recognized none of the accepted taboos that protected the property and personnel of the Church in times of war between Christians. The Vikings were highly mobile in their fast, seaworthy ships and could strike anywhere without warning. At first the raids were to obtain “portable wealth” and captives for ransom or the slave markets. Later, conquest and settlements became more important motives. “The term Viking has come to be applied to all Scandinavians of the period, but in the Viking age itself the term vikingr applied only to someone who went í viking, that is plundering.”
The history of the Scandinavian countries has always been shaped by its landscape. Although relatively small, Denmark had the highest proportion of arable land, with the result that the Danes were the wealthiest, most numerous, and most politically advanced of the Scandinavians in the Viking age. Norway was extremely mountainous, making travel by sea essential. Also, Norway was heavily dependent upon fishing because they had very little arable land. As they began to experience rapid population growth, this shortage of arable land became so serious that they were forced to migrate in search of land to farm.
What really surprised me to learn was the geographical range of the Viking plunderers. Their plundering activity was closely related to the respective locations of the Scandinavian people. Norwegian expansion was mostly to the west: to Scotland, Ireland, Faeroe Islands, Iceland and ultimately to Greenland and North America. These expansions are probably what most people today think of first when they visualize Viking raiders. The expansions of the other Scandinavians are what surprised me. The Danes territory straddled the main sea route from the Baltic to the Rhine, so they first concentrated on “Frisia” (the coastal provinces of what is now the Netherlands and costal northwest Germany. They also spread to England and Francia. The Swedes were cut off from the western seas by the Danes and Norwegians, so their outlet was to the east, along the great rivers that led to the heartlands of Russia. Viking fleets raided Christian and Muslim Spain and struck deep into the Mediterranean.
Viking raids to the west and south and even into the Mediterranean were not all that surprising, because of what I generally know of these activities. What really fascinating was to learn of the raids by the Swedish Vikings in the east. Their eastward expansion was primarily motivated by the desire to control the trade routes. By the early 9th century the Swedish Vikings (known as the “Rus” from the Finnish word for Swede) were navigating the Volga and Lovat-Dneiper river systems to make direct trading contacts with the Abbasid Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire, southeast and south of the Black Sea, respectively. The “Rus” eventually gave their name to the Russian state. During the 11th century, Vikings journeyed as far south as Sicily and even northern Africa and as far east as Constantinople (today’s Istanbul) and Jerusalem.
While I didn’t read every word of the text of this book, it has many pictures and is liberally illustrated with very interesting charts and maps. I would recommend it as an excellent resource for anyone who would like to learn more of the mysterious Vikings.
[Book 20 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-4)]
MAYThe Christmas Train
21.
David BaldacciFinish date: May 25, 2013
Genre: fiction, travel, adventure
Rating: B+
Review: Following an extreme outburst against the airport security inspectors, international journalist Tom Langdon is placed under a two-year prohibition from flying on any U.S. domestic airline. Since he must get to California from the East Coast to visit his girlfriend for Christmas, he is forced to use the Amtrak Train System for his transportation. He decides to make the best of the situation by writing about what it was like as he begins his journey on the Capitol Limited, or "The Cap" for short from Washington, DC to Chicago.
Tom experienced much more in the way of adventures and the people he meets than he expected, especially when after arrival in Chicago he boards the fabled Southwest Chief, or "The Chief," for the remainder of the trip to Los Angeles.
The Christmas Train was most entertaining. I enjoyed it quite a lot.
[Book 21 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-5)]
MAYA Christmas Wedding
22.
Andrew M. GreeleyFinish date: May 26, 2013
Genre: fiction, family saga
Rating: B+
Review: The third book in the most enjoyable series about the Crazy O'Malley's, starring the pint-sized West Side Chicago Irish redhead Charles Cronin 'Chucky Ducky" O'Malley. The Christmas Wedding is, of course, that of Charles C. O'Malley and Rosemarie Helen "Clancy Lowered the Boom" Clancy. It takes them, through all their ups and downs, trials and tribulations from the early 1950's to the Camelot Years of the Kennedy Administration.
I have most thoroughly enjoyed every one of the novels I've read by Father Andrew M. Greeley, but the series on the Crazy O'Malleys and the Nuala McGrail series "Irish Gold, Irish Whiskey, Irish Mist, Irish Lace, etc." are my favorites. Greeley's books would not appeal to everyone. For those of you who give them a try, I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. I do recommend them.
[Book 22 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6)]
JUNEZero Hour
23.
Clive CusslerFinish date: June 4, 2013
Genre: fiction, action, adventure
Rating: B+
Review: Another really good sea adventure with Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala. It begins in the Australian Outback with the good guys chasing a megalomaniac who is threatening to use his zero- point gravity weapon to destroy Australia. Teaming up with Russians as most unlikely partners, the chase continues to a small Australian island in Antarctic waters and the exciting climax.
Lots of action and adventure. I enjoyed it quite a bit, as will most all Cussler's fans.
[Book 23 of 2013 Target 50 (Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-1)]
JUNEThe Striker
24.
Clive CusslerFinish date: June 4, 2013
Genre: fiction, action
Rating: B-
Review:
The Striker is the latest offering in Cussler's Isaac Bell series. The protagonist is a young detective in the elite Van Dorn Private Detective Agency in 1902. In this novel he gets himself in the middle of a strike by severely oppressed coal miners and the extremely ruthless mine owners and primary coal users, i.e., the railroad owners.
Although I've read several of the Isaac Bell novels, I am not really drawn to them as I am to the Dirk Pitt-Kurt Austin-NUMA sea adventures. The Striker was fairly good, and I do recommend it to those who appreciate this genre more than I do.
[Book 24 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-2)]
JUNEThe Accidental Pope
25.
Raymond Flynn (no photo available)Finish date: June 13, 2013
Genre: fiction
Rating: A
Review: Bill Kelly was a Roman Catholic priest for 6 years, who requested and received permission to be released from his vows in order to get married. Following his marriage, he took over his family business as a commercial fisherman off the coast at Cape Cod. He and his wife Mary raised 4 children. After more than 17 years of marriage, Mary died as a result of cancer.
After the hypothetical death of Pope John Paul II in 2000, the papal conclave to elect his replacement becomes hopelessly deadlocked. An unusual effort to break the deadlock results in the election of the widowed, father of four, ex-priest Bill Kelly. The fact that he is currently an "ex-priest" is not viewed as prohibitive on the basis of "once a priest, always a priest." Since the Cardinal-electors are bound by the rules, they must offer the papal position to Bill, but they fully expect he will laugh at the quirk that resulted in his accidental election. They are very much disturbed when he accepts the offer. In light of the fact that the first pope, i.e., St. Peter, was a married fisherman with a family, like himself, Bill chooses the name Pope Peter II.
After turning over his fishing business to his oldest son, Bill packs up the remainder of his family and moves to Vatican City facing controversy both within and outside his family. Surprising twists make this a most interesting read. I really enjoyed it.
[Book 25 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-3)]
JUNESnow in August
26.
Pete HamillFinish date: June 11, 2013
Genre: historical fiction, fantasy
Rating: B
Review: Michael Devlin, an eleven-year-old Irish Catholic boy living with his widowed mother in 1947 Brooklyn, befriends a refugee Jewish Rabbi Judah Hirsch, who recently arrived in America from Europe after living in the Dominican Republic for several years after World War II. Michael is hungry for knowledge and soon he agrees to help the Rabbi improve his English and all things American, especially baseball and the Brooklyn Dodgers. In exchange the rabbi is to teach Michael the Yiddish language and about his Czechoslovakia where he is from.
The rabbi had barely escaped the persecution by the Nazis in his native Prague. He quickly discovered the anti-Semitism is also bad in parts of America. He, because he is Jewish, and Michael, because he is a “Jew Lover,” as well as Michael’s mother all face the persecution by a local gang called the Falcons.
I enjoyed this book quite a lot.
[Book 26 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-4)]
Mod
JUNESo Big
27.
Edna FerberFinish date: June 22, 2013
Genre: fiction, family saga
Rating: A-
Review: After having read nothing but contemporary novels for so long, it was interesting to take a long step back in time to read Edna Ferber’s 1924 Pulitzer prize-winning So Big. Selina DeJong is the carefree daughter of a big-time gambler. When her father dies suddenly, she is left to fend for herself as a small-town schoolteacher in the late 1880’s in a farming community not far from Chicago. Orphaned at a young age and then widowed when she was also quite young, the very determined Selina finds herself struggling to raise her young son – known affectionately as So Big – and to run the farm left her by her deceased husband.
This was a superb tale of overcoming the many factors which stood in her way, not the least of which was what was viewed at that time as the proper things for women to be doing, and more importantly not doing. I very definitely recommend it to all.
[Book 27 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-5)]
JUNEPirate Alley
28.
Stephen CoontsFinish date: June 30, 2013
Genre: naval fiction, terrorist-hostage action thriller
Rating: A
Review: A British cruise ship Sultan of the Seas, with 500 passengers and 350 crewmembers, is captured by Somali pirates and held for a ransom of $200,000,000. Following a gross initial miscalculation on how to handle the situation by dithering politicians while Sultan is still underway, she is towed to the pirates lair at Eyl, Somalia. Cooler heads prevail in Washington when the next steps are decided and retired U.S. Navy Admiral Jake Grafton, now a high-level employee of the CIA, accepts the offered role as chief negotiator to win the freedom of the 850 hostages, who have been transferred from the ship to a squalid, rat-infested old fort in the city. Grafton must contend not only with the blood-thirsty Somali pirates but also a terrorist group of jihadists, who are out to steal the ransom money from the pirates after it is paid.
This was a terrific novel. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys such thrillers.
[Book 28 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-6)]
JULYMurder at Union Station
29.
Margaret TrumanFinish date: July 3, 2013
Genre: fiction, murder-mystery
Rating: B-
Review: A former Mafia hit man allegedly carried out a contract assassination of a South American dictator based on the orders of the head of an American intelligence service. Following his arrest, he agrees to be a government witness in exchange for being included in the witness protection program as a citizen of a foreign country. Twenty years later, when he is in his 80’s, he agrees to relate his story to a writer, who plans a fictional account of what is related to him on numerous audio tapes as well as the notes he took during the interviews. He is convinced by the chief advisor of a powerful senator that the book should come out as non-fiction instead of a novel and that the assassin should come testify before a Senate hearing of the involvement of the former intelligence service head, who has now moved into a very high-level elected position.
When the “witness-protected” former hit man, arrives in Washington for the hearings, he is assassinated. Within a few hours of his death, his assassin is also killed. The presumption is that each of the deaths is the result of Mafia contracts. Since the original hit man can no longer testify, the tapes and notes become a critical piece of evidence and very much a “hot-potato” for the novelist turned non-fiction writer, who is on the run from several groups who will not stop until they have the tapes.
This was a reasonably good murder-mystery but a bit too convoluted and confusing for me. I give it a very luke-warm recommendation.
[Book 29 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-6; Jul-1)]
JULYThe King’s Deception
30.
Steve BerryFinish date: July 9, 2013
Genre: historical fiction, suspense, action-thriller
Rating: A-
Review: Protagonist Cotton Malone is an ex-Naval aviator, ex-Department of Justice Attorney turned intelligence operative for the highly secret Magellan Billet, turned Copenhagen, Denmark bookstore owner. Out of the blue and 15 years after the fact, his ex-wife Pam informs him that their son Gary was fathered by another man while they were still married. Cotton is devastated and even more so by the fact that she has also told Gary. She flatly refuses to inform either of them of the identity of this “mystery man,” even when Gary threatens to move to Denmark to be with the only “dad” he has ever known. Pam agrees that a one-week summer visit to Copenhagen might be a good idea in order to let the impact for her revelation cool off.
Cotton’s former Magellan Billet supervisor Stephanie Nelle receives an inter-agency request from a CIA counterpart, to contact Cotton and ask him to escort a young boy Gary’s age from Atlanta to London on his journey with Gary to Copenhagen. The task seems simple enough, so Cotton agrees. Complications arise when they arrive in London, and soon Cotton and Gary are entangled in precarious circumstances, involving the British equivalent of the CIA as well as other murky organizations, which quickly escalate to become quite dangerous. They are informed that the highest level of national security is involved. In spite of the fact that the information in question is more than 400 years old, its revelation in contemporary Great Britain would quite literally have a most devastating impact. Gary is kidnapped by most unsavory characters, forcing Cotton to call on his old skills as an intelligence field operative in order to save him.
The “deception” in this novel is extremely surprising. It is presented in such a highly plausible manner, that it makes the reader begin to wonder if it really might have been true. I was slow to “warm up” to this novel, but stuck with it because I have very much enjoyed the previous Steve Berry novels I’ve read. I was initially confused and turned off by the numbers of different individuals seemingly involved, each having both similar and competing agendas. All these issues resolved themselves as the story proceeded to its exciting climax. By the end of the tale I was completely convinced that the “deception” was for real. I most thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is storytelling at its best. I anxiously looked forward to the author’s postscript pages in which he separated fact from fiction.
I highly recommend The King’s Deception to all who might be interested.
[Book 30 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-6; Jul-2)]
JULYThe Bodies Left Behind
31.
Jeffery DeaverFinish date: July 14, 2013
Genre: fiction, suspense, murder mystery
Rating: C
Review: A local sheriff's deputy goes to a very remote mountain cabin to investigate some reported murders. She soon finds herself on the run from the killers in company with a "city girl" who is not at all prepared for the obstacles they encounter and must overcome as they try to stay ahead of the killers and return to civilization. However, all is not as it seems. There are many twists and turns before the tale reaches its surprising conclusion.
I chose this book because its author was Jeffery Deaver and because it was about the only book on CD that was available and which I had not previously listened to. I have previously enjoyed works by Mr. Deaver but was a bit disappointed in this one, primarily because it was just not the type of story I enjoy. It is a fairly well written novel for those who are inclined toward a story such as this. I recommend it only on that basis.
[Book 31 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-6; Jul-3)]
JULYThe HEIST
32.
Janet EvanovichFinish date: July 14, 2013
Genre: fiction, action, adventure, humor
Rating: B+
Review: I have very much enjoyed Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series from the first one I read. While they are very "light-weight" as far as literature is concerned, I have particularly appreciated them as a change of pace after reading something a little "heavier." I love the humor, especially Grandma Mazur. The Heist is the first of a new series for Evanovich, and as far as I am concerned it will be every bit as enjoyable and long-lasting if not more so. There seems to be somewhat more “substance" to this series. It begins with FBI agent Kate O'Hare hot on the trail of likeable but notorious con man and scam artist Nick Fox. When she finally "captures" her man, he works out a deal with her immediate supervisor as well as the head of the FBI to team up with Kate (much to her initial surprise and frustration) to use his scamming techniques to go after "much bigger fish" and bring them to justice using whatever schemes they come up with. Their scams are to be funded from an FBI "slush fund" of monies captured from prior criminal activity, and their team members are several others with various unique talents who are recruited by Nick Fox.
The "bigger fish" they go after in this initial novel of the series is the infamous financier Derek Griffin, who bilked his clients, including his aging parents, out of $500,000,000. Since he is hiding from justice at some unknown location in the world, they have to first scam the only person who knows, i.e., his attorney, into revealing that location.
The story locale jumps from the USA to Mount Athos, Greece to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to the supposed compound of the head of a notorious Mexican drug cartel in the California desert, to Singapore and Bali, Indonesia, then finally to a very remote, private Indonesian island. The action is non-stop and the members of the “semi-legitimate” scam team are lots of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed this new adventure and can’t wait until the next one comes out. I think all Stephanie Plum fans will enjoy it and others also who might not Plum fans. I very much recommend it on that basis.
[Book 32 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-6; Jul-4)]
JULYInferno
33.
Dan BrownFinish date: July 21, 2013
Genre: fiction, suspense, thriller, apocalypse, medicine, plague, science, terrorist activity
Rating: A
Review: Harvard professor of art history and symbology Robert Langdon awakens in a hospital in Florence, Italy to be informed that he has had a gunshot wound to the head. He has no recollection of having left Boston, much less having been wounded, or why he is in Italy and how he got there. From his hospital bed he witnesses the brutal murder of his primary treating physician and barely escapes numerous groups who apparently want his dead for reasons unknown. He finds himself on the run with the assistance of his other treating physician Dr. Sienna Brooks. He does not know whom to trust, including the Italian authorities as well as representatives of his own government.
It comes to light that Robert is in possession of a micro-miniaturized projector with a coded message which is tied to the 14th century epic poem by Dante Alighieri entitled The Inferno. The message is from a world famous genetic engineer Bertrand Zobrist, who was a major proponent of the transhumanism movement. The followers of this movement “argue strongly that it is mankind’s evolutionary obligation to use all the powers at our disposal—germ-line genetic mutation, for one—to improve as a species.” Tied very closely to his belief in transhumanism was Zobrist’s strong belief that our species would go extinct as a result of overpopulation before we ever got a chance to reap the rewards of transhumanism. It was his idea that the human population needed to be curbed drastically in order to reach the desired goals. He argued that The Black Plague, which killed off 1/3 of the European population in the middle of the 14th century, actually resulted in a benefit to the world in thinning the population and producing The Renaissance period. It was maintained by some extreme fanatics, such as Zobrist had come to be viewed, that it might be necessary to kill off half the population today in order to save our species from extinction.
Using his genetic engineering expertise, Zobrist developed what he claimed to be the perfect solution to the overpopulation problem but was hounded for his views to the point where he felt he had no choice when he committed suicide. Before killing himself, he sent the coded message to the Director of the World Health Organization Dr. Elizabeth Sinskey, including his intention to release his solution on an unsuspecting world a week later. She had solicited help in deciphering the code from Robert Langdon just prior to his attack of amnesia. Now, she is desperately trying to locate him before it’s too late to prevent Zobrist’s solution from being released.
The action is non-stop as Robert and Sienna stay on the move from Florence to Venice and finally to Istanbul trying to solve the mysterious coded message, while just remaining out of the grasp of the several organizations trying to capture them.
It is easy to visualize that the world could be heading for a crisis of apocalyptic proportions at some point in the somewhat distant future as a result of overpopulation. That an individual, whether labeled genius or madman, could alone develop and implement his own version of a solution is certainly plausible in today’s world of medical developments. It is just as easy to see a rogue nation getting hold of such a development and using it for their own terrorist activities. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Some might argue that it is too far-fetched; but is it really?
[Book 33 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-6; Jul-5)]
AUGUSTParis
34.
Edward RutherfurdFinish date: August 19, 2013
Genre: historical fiction, multi-family sagas, epic
Rating: A+
Review: Paris is a magnificent, sweeping historical novel about The City of Lights by superb storyteller Edward Rutherford. Covering the years from the late 1200’s to 1968, Rutherford focuses on six families ranging from aristocrats to shopkeepers and laborers. A genealogical listing of the major characters of each of these families and their various intermarriages is included at the beginning. I found myself repeatedly referring to this listing as the story progressed. It was most helpful.
The first two chapters were set in the late 1800’s. Chapter 3 took place in 1261, then the following two chapters returned to the late 1800’s, before Chapter 7 jumped back to 1307. This pattern continued throughout the book. I’m sure this was for a very good reason, but I found it somewhat confusing. This was just a mild irritation. Overall, I liked the book EXTREMELY WELL and very highly recommend it to others.
[Book 34 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-6; Jul-5; Aug-1)]
AUGUSTThe Kill List
35.
Frederick ForsythFinish date: August 28, 2013
Genre: fiction, action, terrorists, hostages, military, intelligence organizations, thriller
Rating: A
Review: The Kill List is a terrific story of an ultra-secret list of the most notorious terrorists who are ear-marked at the highest level of the U.S. government for assassination.
The central character of the story is a very dedicated third generation U.S. Marine. Second Lieutenant Christopher “Kit” Carson completes Officer Candidate School, an Infantry Officer Course, Ranger School, and training at the Air/Ground Combat Center just prior to the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein. He becomes a part of Operation Desert Storm to retake Kuwait. After distinguishing himself during this period, Lt Carson applied for and received a prestigious Olmsted Scholarship, with which he elected a very unconventional option, i.e., he wanted to be sent to the Defense Language Institute to master the Arabic language. Following a year of study at Monterrey, California, he was sent for his 2nd and 3rd years for an internship to immerse himself in the culture at the American University in Cairo. It was during this time that a Pakistani terrorist tried to blow up the World Trade Center. Lt Carson then sought out “the wisest man he had come across in Egypt,” Professor Khaled Abdulaziz of one of the greatest centers in all Islam for Koranic studies, i.e., al-Azhar University. From Professor Abdulaziz, Lt Carson sought and was given his answer to the elusive question of why the Jihadists hate the “non-believers” so much.
Following the horrors that Osama bin Laden brought to the United States, the story jumps forward to the present day. The Jihadists are seeking any type of unconventional warfare against “the Western powers,” primarily the U.S. and U.K, which works for them. Soon there appears on the scene an American-born, radicalized terrorist, who becomes known simply as The Preacher. He spews forth his message of hate via an extremely secure internet connection. In a very highly persuasive series of “lectures,” he radicalizes once-normal young male Muslims into hate-filled Jihadists ready to do his bidding to the point of suicide, having been assured that they will go immediately to paradise. Following his instructions, these Jihadists seek out any local official in their area, kill him in a very public manner then commit suicide.
After 7 such deaths in the U.S. and 4 in the U.K, The Preacher is added to The Kill List. The U.S. CIA and U.K.’s MI6 intelligences services formulate a strategy to find and stop him. At this point they know nothing about whom he is or where he is located. In seeking members to address this problem, the CIA does a search of appropriately qualified agents within the CIA or anyone else within all the military branches. With his unique background and qualifications, U.S. Marine Officer Kit Carson’s name appears on every search list. Contrary to his wishes to stay with his beloved Marine Corps, he soon has orders from the White House to be transferred on a semi-permanent basis to become an agent for a top secret organization with the bland name of Technical Operations Support Activity, or TOSA. From that point forward he is known simply as The Tracker. His assignment is to identify, locate, and terminate The Preacher.
Even with all the highly sophisticated resources made available to him, he turns to a surprisingly unusual asset to locate The Preacher “out there” in cyberspace. His decidedly unconventional approach to his problem continues, when a more straight-forward method is turned down by the President.
I thought The Kill List was excellent. I highly recommend it to others who enjoy such thrillers.
[Book 35 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-6; Jul-5; Aug-2)]
SEPTEMBERAmerican Story: A Lifetime Search for Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things
36.
Bob Dotson (no photo available)Finish date: September 4, 2013
Genre: non-fiction
Rating: A-
Review: Bob Dotson captures multiple glimpses of Americana in this very small volume which, though generally overlooked, are worthy of the highest praise. An un-employed truck driver took a job cleaning medical tools. Armed with only a high-school education and his innate ability, he began tinkering with those tools and soon perfected some of the earliest tools for microsurgeries. This led to his teaching surgery at a medical school for more than 30 years.
Bob tells the tale of a young New York couple -- the Dwyers -- who moved west with the dream of owning a ranch but ended up running a muffler shop. Their dream changed when they agreed to look after an entire family in addition to their own five sons. These were the six children of parents who wanted so much for their children’s future that that assisted them in fleeing from Communists who had taken over their native Vietnam. The Tran children escaped a few at a time under most harrowing circumstances and became the second family at the Dwyer’s home. The only thing their Vietnamese parents asked of them was to “do your best.” All six of the Tran children graduated from college and all five of the Dwyer children also attended college. The oldest daughter Tran Thu-Nga was second in her class at Johns Hopkins Medical School and became a highly regarded research physician. During their later years, the Tran parents had finally gotten out of Vietnam. The Tran children had 4 loving parents – the American foster parents who gave up their dreams to raise them and the Vietnamese parents who loved them so much that they were willing to let them escape to freedom.
Bob ventured to Petaluma, California, the location for the filming of the iconic movie American Graffiti, with a then unknown director named George Lucas. The success of that low-budget movie boosted Lucas into an unimaginable level with his epic Star Wars. Not long after the filming of American Graffiti, Petaluma lost its last movie theater. Twelve-year-old Taylor Norman and six of her close friends of the same age began dreaming of opening another theater. They began trying to find out how to make a Petaluma movie theater profitable. After meeting 2 hours per week for more than a year, they drafted a business plan which even impressed the staff of George Lucas when they sent it to him. With some initial assistance from Mr. Lucas and four years of persistence, their dream of a new Petaluma movie theater came true.
Fred Benson, the richest man on Block Island, Rhode Island, lived his entire life in an unheated room in a home he didn’t even own. A few years back he won $500,000 in the state lottery. He threw the biggest birthday party anyone could remember and invited all the children on the island. After the festivities, he announced he’d pay the tuition on any child there who wanted to go to college. At age 54 he went to college, got a degree in education, and taught high school shop when there was a housing shortage. The island’s four builders all got their start with Fred.
John Suta’s dream as a youth was to become an opera singer. He taught himself 5 languages and studied the piano. Reality entered the picture, and he had to become a pipefitter to support his family. In his post-retirement years, he used much of his meager savings to purchase an old French horn with hopes of re-kindling his early dream of a musical career. With no extra funds for lessons, he went to the local middle school and asked to join the beginner’s band. The principal was very supportive, thinking the kids might be able to learn a lot from a man who described himself as “another 13-year-old with 64 years of experience at being 13.” The old pipe fitter connected those kids with the music he loved becoming the band’s heart in the process.
Alfred Preis was a Jewish architect who fled from the Nazis and made his way to Honolulu, Hawaii. He and his wife were picked up after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor as possible spies. He was detained in a camp within sight of his home and when he was finally released, found that he had lost his home because the mortgage went unpaid. Initially, he could only find work digging ditches but eventually was hired to design something special – the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial.
Mario Capecchi was the son of a single mother. She was sent to a concentration camp and he had to fend for himself as a four-year-old. He lived in bombed-out houses and stole what food he could find. By the war’s end, he was a sick and starving little boy lying naked on a hospital bed with no sheets or blankets. His mother located him, bought his clothes, and he said he had his first bath in six years. They arrived in the Philadelphia area when Mario was 9 years old, unable to speak English and having never been to school. He made the very best of his new opportunity in America and re-paid America’s kindness by becoming a scientist. He worked with Dr. James Watson, one of the men who discovered DNA. Watson said that Capecchi’s breakthrough studies will likely be the keys to conquering cancer. In 2007 Dr. Mario Capecchi won the Nobel Prize in Medicine.
These are but a sampling of the incredible and at the same time heartwarming stories that Bob Dotson highlights in this wonderful book. I was a very enjoyable read which I VERY HIGHLY recommend.
[Book 36 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-6;
Jul-5; Aug-2; Sep-1)]
SEPTEMBERWashington: A Life
37.
Ron ChernowFinish date: September 5, 2013
Genre: non-fiction, biography
Rating: A++
Review: Washington: A Life is undoubtedly the very best biography I’ve ever read, or in this case listened to (the 12 CD edition). Of course, I’ve known scattered bits and pieces of the life of George Washington – crossing the Delaware, Valley Forge, Mount Vernon, Martha Dandridge Custis, etc. It was so very interesting to find out how all those parts were woven together to create the tapestry of his life. Ron Chernow is a magnificent story-teller. The narrative moves ever so smoothly from one momentous episode to the next in Washington’s incredibly eventful life.
To say that I very much enjoyed this book would be a drastic understatement. It is extremely good. I MOST HEARTILY recommend this biography to all interested readers.
[Book 37 of 2013 Target 50
(Jan-6; Feb-3; Mar-3; Apr-4; May-6; Jun-6; Jul-5; Aug-2; Sep-2)]
[NOTE: As a separate point of interest which has nothing to do with how much I liked this book, I recently discovered, via my 39-year “career” as an amateur genealogist, that I am related to George Washington. He is my 3rd cousin, 6 times removed through my paternal grandmother.]
The History Book Club
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Andrew M. Greeley (other topics)Stuart Woods (other topics)
Sue Grafton (other topics)
Sue Grafton (other topics)
Clive Cussler (other topics)
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