The Art of Racing in the Rain (Garth Stein)

[***] ISBN: 9780061537936

This wasn't really the piece of light reading I thought it would be. There are certainly some fun parts--mostly where Enzo, the narrator, gets to be more of a dog and his owner gets to be more of a race car driver. But to get to these, the reader is forced to endure personal hardships for the humans as well as the dog. I think I get it; I get what the author was striving for-contrast between the good parts of life and the bad. The problem is that the bad parts, and the dog's intellectual ruminations about them, felt forced. They didn't work for me. The dog was thinking, excuse the pun, way over his head. I could have bought the dog narrator much more if he was ever more doggish, intelligent, but doggish-running on instinct, less obsessed with opposable thumbs, more confused about human motives and time, and through these confused observations providing the same commentary that this author makes explicit. I was glad I made it all of the way through this, but I'm not sure I recommend it, even for a dog lover.

The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel (Michael Chabon)

[****] ISBN: 0007149824

What would it be like if most of the world's Jews were evacuated to Sitka, Alaska during WWII? This mystery novel set in that world paints a vivid picture of the possibilities. But the picture is personal and claustrophobic, centered on the life in that city of one rundown Yiddish police detective and a murder case that imposes itself on his life. In that regard, it is a successful homage to the noir detective novels of the 40s and 50s, such as those of Raymond Chandler.

The prose is rich and laced with Yiddish, most of which a non-Yiddish speaker will have to learn by context. The characters and settings are dynamic and richly described. I can understand how the author managed to win a Pulitzer (for another title). The story itself is somewhat lightweight and laughable, also in the vein of Chandler. It's just something to hang the character and settings on.

I liked the book, but would have liked a bit more story.

Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned (Kenneth C. Davis)

[***] ISBN: 9780060083816

A very quick, and sometimes interesting, survey of American History. Things get started with some tentative speculation about how the first (non-) indigenous peoples arrived, then picks up speed with the arrival of the first European explorers. If you already passed AmHist in high school and college, you already know this stuff. But it's a reasonable refresher course. Keep in mind that this is somewhat targeted at those with less than a college (or even high school?) education, so there are no big words or deep concepts.

Way Station (Clifford D. Simak)

[****] ISBN: 9780020248712

This is a very interesting book. Antiquated, yet timeless. In some ways fun, yet serious. It was definitely written in a more innocent time, even though it deals with complex issues of peace and human frailty.

The protagonist is an ageless veteran of the Civil War, who has spent a hundred years looking after a galactic transfer station. He has become separated from men and wrapped up in galactic matters that he can barely comprehend. Then he is caught up crisis on both earth and in Galactic Central and finds himself even more alone.

This was fun to read. I see why it won the Hugo Award in its time. But it was clumsy and a bit rushed at the end, I thought.

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned (Alan Alda)

[****] ISBN: 9780739322765

I had no idea Alan Alda's life was so interesting. He was started his life as a child of vaudeville and grew up as a son of Hollywood. Yet his family seems to have always been only on the fringes of fame. His voyage of self-discovery through boarding schools and colleges is fascinating. And don't miss the exciting adventure he has at the end. Recommended, especially for fans of MASH and Alda's other work (the only disappointment with the audio version is that it's not read by Alan and the voice chosen is not what I would have picked).

Make Love *the Bruce Campbell Way (Bruce Campbell)

[**] ISBN: 9780312312602

This is on my 'read' shelf. But I didn't finish it. I just stopped reading it. I suppose I might, under the right circumstances, make it to the end. It would be sort of like watching a silly television episode. This time, I was not in the correct mood, I was looking for an actual book with an actual story.

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana (Ann Rule)

[****] ISBN: 1400043522

The Road to Cana was not quite as enjoyable as Out of Egypt, at least not at first. The first 2/3 of the book felt slow, even meandering. The last 1/3 was very fast paced, almost too quick.

Like the first book, it's a bit of a stretch to get one's head inside the human head of the Son of God, though it's a bit easier having Him be an adult, rather than a child. But the author does an admirable job of trying to get some sort of a clue of the reality of the situation. As in the first book, she also brings the land and culture to life. Altogether an interesting read. Recommended.

Freedomnomics (John R. Lott, Jr.)

[***] ISBN: 9781596985063 (hardcover), 9780786149506 (audio)

John R. Lott, Jr. obviously has a bone to pick with the authors of Freakonomics. From the title of his book to the analysis inside, he is out to disprove many of the outlandish proposals in that other book.

In a way, he succeeds. The title got my attention. And I stayed with the book, listening through to the end. And I have to agree with much of his analysis and his conclusion: the free market is usually smarter than the government.

On the other hand, the book is not quite as entertaining as the one it's attacking. It might have helped if the main author were a magazine writer, rather than a PhD. Even so, if you read Freakonomics (which you should), then read this one to get a view from the other side.

Mary Poppins (P.L. Travers)

[***] ISBN: 0152017178

This was a likable bunch of stories. It is definitely not the Disney Mary Poppins (and vice versa). Julie Andrews tried to act as vain and mysterious as this Mary Poppins, but her smile always ruined the effect.

Interestingly, the book comes across more as a set of semi-related stories, rather than one big story. And for a children's book, there are no (discernible) lessons learned, other than to make room in your life for whimsy. So that is the lesson I will take with me as I write my own fantasy story involving a nanny, some children, and a genie.

The Eagles Brood (Jack Whyte)

[***] ISBN: 9780765304599

I liked this better than "The Singing Sword", but still not as much as "The Skystone". The author shifts viewpoint here, into the head of Merlyn, the nephew of the previous narrator, Publius Varras. This results in more story, but I could have skipped some of the detailed, gruesome, and sometimes depraved details.

This is a Merlyn that runs counter to most previous notions of the old wizard. He's a young warrior growing up in the tradition of the Roman armies that have vacated Britain. We follow his life as he spars with his friend, cousin and rival, Uther Pendragon, who is ultimately the father of Arthur. Theirs is a brutish and often distasteful life. The story is not for the squeamish -- or impatient.

The Singing Sword (Jack Whyte)

[***] ISBN: 0765304589

Not as much story fill the pages of the second book in this series. It's all very good writing, but much of it seems like filler. There are episodes that don't seem necessary to moving the plot forward. And the parts that are pertinent seem a bit drawn out. Even so, I pushed through and enjoyed the ending, which is very key to the overall epic.

The Abs Diet Get Fit Stay Fit Plan (David Zinczenko, Ted Spiker)

[***] ISBN: 1594864098

This book just makes a lot of sense to me. It presents a very balanced view of diet and exercise. I first heard about it by chance on the Internet. Then I looked at a summary of the program at the Men's Health web site. Then I got the book from the library. Finally, I bought the book so that I can reference it any time.

I don't know if I'll manage to lose 15 pounds and 4 inches of gut in 6 weeks like some of the people. I've already been following many of the diet guidelines for a while and don't think I can get much more fanatical about them. But I think I can follow the exercise program pretty well, and that should be a big help. We'll see.

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need (Blake Snyder)

[****] ISBN: 9781932907001

This is the best book on screenwriting that I've read so far. It can't take the place of basics like "Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting" by Syd Field. But whereas Syd's book shows you the form of a screenplay and gives you the overall strategy for creating one, Blake's book gives you the nitty-gritty details and tactics for actually getting one written.

Look for even more guidance on creating a killer logline than "Crafty Screenwriting" gave. Look for a better explanation of genre than I've seen elsewhere (which is expanded on in "Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies"). Look for the amazing Black Snyder Beat Sheet (BS2) that gives a page by page breakdown of what goes where in your movie (every movie that works) and why. This is a must read for prospective screenwriters. And it's fun to read, too.

Scene & Structure (Jack M. Bickham)

[***] ISBN: 0898799066

A very well structured and highly detailed book on how to do a highly detailed and well structured analysis when plotting a work of fiction. The problem for me is that doing all this analysis up front feels mechanical and artificial. I think these principles will be helpful in analyzing stories that don't seem to be working. This is good for skimming and getting general principles, but I would avoid getting bogged down in the details too soon.

The Sword-Edged Blonde (Alex Bledsoe)

[***] ISBN: 1597801127

I would have probably never picked this up if I hadn't read a recommendation for it somewhere and it just happened to coincide with my plan to also write a first-person cross-over mystery. I'm glad I did. It's a fun read. This book tries to answer the question: what would happen if Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe lived in a world of sword and sorcery, rather than 20th century Los Angeles. What happens is that you get a hero with an attitude and a story filled with genre-bending non-sequiturs and humor. It just sort of works. This isn't Tolkien, or even C.S. Lewis, but there is plenty of story and interesting characters for the pages allocated. Recommended for a few hours of light reading.

Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies: The Screenwriter's Guide to Every Story Ever Told (Blake Snyder)

[***] ISBN: 1932907351

I enjoyed the tone and perspective of this book and will be reading its predecessor, "Save the Cat!", in order to get a better understanding of how the plots can be broken down. The examples in this volume shed much light on how various sorts of films all share the same basic plot. Yet the book also shows how any basic outline, when done well, can be made fresh and alive. And when done really well, the same old plot becomes something new and unique. Recommended for any author, especially those writing screenplays. Warning: the plot breakdowns do contain spoilers (I skipped the ones for films I have not seen and plan to) and get a bit repetitive.

Fragile Things (Neil Gaiman)

[***] ISBN: 9780060515225

An uneven, but ultimately satisfying collection of short stories, poems, and a novella from the author of "Stardust" and "Mirrormask" (and others I haven't yet read). Even though several of the stories and most of the poems fell flat for me, all of the entries showcase Gaiman's gift for imagination and invention. My favorites were "A Study in Emerald" (which re-imagines Sherlock Holmes in the world of H.P. Lovecraft), "Goliath" (which is from the world of "The Matrix"), "The Day the Saucers Came" (the one poem I liked), and "The Monarch of the Glen".

How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read (Pierre Bayard)

[****] ISBN: 1433208016 (audio), 1551929627 (hardcover)

This is a very fun book. The (English) audio version, especially, reminded me at times of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. More to the point it helps one think about what it means to read (or not read) a book. The overall conclusion is that there is not that much difference, in the long run, between reading and not reading a book. I have to agree, to a point. Of all the books I have read, I probably have a distinct memory of only a few. And of those I probably have only a hazy impression.

How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author (Janet Evanovich with Ina Yalof)

[***] ISBN: 9780312354282

This is a fairly informative, pleasant, and entertaining look at how one working writer does it. As best she can, the author goes into her approach to character, plot, humor, adventure, outlining, storyboarding, drafting, and editing. This is how she keeps cranking out books that sell. There are some good tips here, including the rudimentary and common notion of keeping one's butt in one's chair and writing, everyday, no matter what.

High Five (Janet Evanovich)

[***] ISBN: 9780312203030

I liked this quite a bit better than the first book in the series, One for the Money. The main character, Stephanie, has finally gotten some brains and manages to actually solve a case. The biggest problem is that the police and Treasury department, with the amount of manpower they had dedicated, should have solved it long before she did.

So, I think I'm done. She's still not that smart, takes too many chances, and is surrounded by too many crazies and coincidences. That may be part of the fun for her regular readers, and it keeps the plots fast paced, but it doesn't completely work for me.

Eclipse One: New Science Fiction and Fantasy

[**] ISBN: 1597801178

I wasn't as impressed as I was supposed to be. I think I read a recommendation for this on someone's blog and figured it was time to be up-to-date in my short story reading. But this can't really be the good stuff, could it? I can't say I read a single story that really knocked my socks off. There was one about a hermaphrodite bigfoot that captured my attention and then lost my respect when the ending imploded. To top it off, I wasn't that impressed with the binding. This one gets two stars for trying, but I'm sure there are better collections out there.

Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction (Patricia Highsmith)

[**] ISBN: 0871160722

I skimmed through this and read a bit of several chapters. Interesting, but not earth-shattering. Mostly it recounts how Ms. Highsmith, the author of Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley, approached her writing. It's filled with the typical stuff about twisting any old idea into the plot of a whodunnit by combining it with other ideas and real life incidents and allowing them to ferment. A little bit about mechanics, but not enough to suit me. I suppose if I was more interested in her style of writing, I'd be more interested in how she did it.

Writing the Breakout Novel (Donald Maass)

[****] ISBN: 9781582971827

In this book, a literary agent gives his perspective on what an author needs to do, in their writing, to break out of the mid-list and into the best-seller lists. What's interesting is that there may not really be anything new here. It seems as though I have heard much of this advice before. But Mr. Maass presents it in such a compelling and straightforward fashion that it seems new. And it seems right. His thoughts should help me, and any author with their current work. I know I will have to return to this book more than once when I'm ready to take things to the next phase. Recommended.

One for the Money (Janet Evanovich)

[**] ISBN: 9780312362089

I hope these get better. I got this title from the library because I read an interview with the author in Writer's Digest and liked her approach to writing. It also sounded like I might like her books. I have mixed feelings.

On the one hand, I stuck with it and read the whole thing through in only six evenings. I was fascinated by this brassy, klutzy character and her predicament. The characters and setting were vivid, the pace was (mostly) unrelenting and the thrills and mysteries kept piling up.

On the other hand, the coincidences kept piling up as well. I didn't like that. Just how likable is this dame that her new acquaintance Ranger would bail her out so many times? Isn't it amazing that her brother in law is a cop that can train her to use a gun? How did she ever survive so long in New Jersey by being so stupid and reckless? Why should anyone like a book where the mystery is solved by someone so stupid just happening to be in the right place at the right time? Hello? Stephanie Plum should have been staking out the butcher shop long before 40 pages from the end of the book.

No doubt Ms. Evanovich has figured this all out and her plots have improved. Otherwise, she wouldn't have the fan base she has. Even some of her loyal readers have made negative comments about how much more raw this first book feels. I will have to try another one on for size. And I'll keep busy figuring out how I would do it better.

Tides of Light (Gregory Benford)

[**] ISBN: 9780553282146

This is the fourth book in Benford's "Galactic Center" series, and the second one set far in the future. I finally liked it. But it was a tough slog through the middle third or so. I think the whole book could have used the tightening of another draft.

To his previous war between man and mechs, the author adds insectoid cybers and other organic and inorganic lifeforms that may or may not be sentient. The fascinating and frustrating part of this book was the totally alien point of view that the cybers bring to it. That might be enough for some readers. But the only thing that really kept me going was desiring the payoff for the investment that I'd made in the previous book.

There are two more books in the series. I hope Professor Benford does not disappoint.

The Measure Of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Sidney Poitier)

[***] ISBN: 9780061355431 [audio], 9780061357916 [hardcover]

I think I could tell what Mr. Poitier was trying to do in this book, as evidenced in his title. But I don't think he quite does it. He doesn't really give us anything spiritual on which to hang our hat.

Yes, he waxes philosophical in many places. But I don't think these ramblings can really be counted as spiritual or that enlightening. They really just come across as the opinions of one senior citizen looking back on life. Without any corroborating accounts or data, that all they really are: ramblings and opinions.

On the other hand, when the author really sticks to what he knows - his life - then the story tends come alive and speak. It's in these moments where we actually get some actual glimpses into the 'spirituality' of the man. He doesn't have to pretend to be a philosopher to reveal his spiritual or philosophical side. He should stay with the facts.

Still a fun listen, in the audio version.