Brendan Shea
I read this book around 1988. What I recall is laughing so hard and for so long that my sides ached. Westlake is a literary comic genius on a par with the late Douglas Adams, but in a different genre. Given, I am more selective regarding content now, and recall that some content was a bit “colorful” ;)
I cannot recall the content very clearly, but this would have to be the funniest caper I've ever read, hands down. Maybe I'll bite the bullet one day and read the thing again. Maybe the minor demerits will not tarnish the massive collection of guffaws and cleverness :) Thanks also to the New York Public Library system for loaning me a lot of great books including this one.
This book was a joy to read. A lot of fun. Having moved many times in my life, while not understanding what it meant to be Jewish, I identified with Artie's character, and read the book at a time when I was going through some of the same things Artie went through. From moving to a new place, trying to make new friends, meeting girls, and just learning to understand and cope with life. I don't recall too much about Irving And Me, but enough to remember I loved it over 40 years later. THAT'S a good book.
I read this book as a kid, and admittedly, the “Dudas” are not folks I wanted to know about, but everything about the man and the bear, and for the most part, the rest of the community, is golden. I am not sure if this should be a children's book, but it is certainly an important and moving story that I love.
In my humble opinion, News Desk is a reasonably well written and entertaining romantic romp. Nothing r-rated, just a bunch of couples hooking up and some intrigue and fun along the way. What do you think?
I have not read the book but wanted to comment on the synopsis referencing Scientology as a religion.
Religion: the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.
I am glad she got out. I would not classify Scientology as a legitimate religion in the sense that its adherents are terribly exploited, oppressed and intimidated. While that can happen in organized religion, most faiths are not predicated on it, it is rather the failure of some adherents by their misapplication of their faith. In scientology, the “faith” itself, is fatally flawed.
L. Ron Hubbard was not superhuman, but apparently a sick, influental individual, and David Miscavige seems the same.
I suppose the most important thing is that Ms. Hill got out so that she can discover her identity on her own terms, and find out who God is to her. I'm not saying God is of our choosing, but that God wants us to be free in concluding what He means to them and how we relate to Him.
Frenetic, creative and unique, yet evocative of Dr. Who, Philip K. Dick, Douglas Adams and Buckaroo Banzai, this tale of preventative justice is farcical, timely and interesting.
I don't recall this book too much; I know Mamet is extremely talented if often dark. I read this in my youth in New York. It was probably fascinating to me then. I'd be interested to see a synopsis or more today.
While there were some very slight inconsistencies and the plot wrapped up too quickly (I was hoping for a bit of an epilogue), this, my first Kinsey Millhone book, was an enjoyable, very readable, and fast moving romp. I will say that I skipped the two sex scenes in it for a multitude of reasons, not least of which was that as a guy, reading a woman describe things... well, it was not conducive. Anyway, that just makes sense.
I would like to have seen more of Con Dolan, and for Kinsey to have had slightly more of a personal life, but other than that, and wanting the afforementioned epilogue, instead of a paragraph note, this maiden outing from the late Sue Grafton was a good one for me.
Now on to a book I've been trying to read for months.
Protagonist Joshua Bigg is outstanding. Humor is great. As I recall from almost 40 years ago, content pretty rough sexually. Not sure I can recommend that part. The mystery was very good in my youthful eyes. I particularly enjoyed the ending with the protagonist and his friend.
I saw the movie with Robert Hayes and Pam Dawber in 1980 and loved it. Campy no doubt, but it was great. For a 13 year old, it was pure pleasure to see a guy with the power to make good things happen for himself, and to subvert evil. That he gets to pal around with pretty Pam Dawber just makes things better. I'd like to read the book on which the movie was based, particularly as I know John D. MacDonald to have been a great writer.
Jennifer Cramer-Miller recounts her amazing story, navigating the perils of chronic kidney disease, in this heartening and well written account.
This is a good Dick Francis entry. They are all good, but some are amazing. I'd place this somewhere in the middle. The story took a while to ramp up, or maybe it was me being bored and restless, but once it got up to speed, it really took off. The relationships between the protagonists were what made it work well for me. Highly recommended.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, is a startling, heartfelt, honest and compelling tale of Matthew Perry's journey.
Leslie Leyland Fields hits the mark with her book, Nearing a Far God: Praying the Psalms with Our Whole Selves. By encouraging the reader to actively interact with and personalize the scriptures without altering them or compromising them, one is able to become more entrenched in their relevance and meaning. I also know that much Christian nonfiction can be very dry, but this book is super readable and very enjoyable. It helps you feel closer to God, similar to the scriptures. Not to blaspheme, but the Spirit does a great job of working through her text. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a closer walk with God.
Decoding The Profit Jeremiah is a very important book. It is also very helpful. It clarifies sequentially the events surrounding Jeremiah's life and prophecies, as well as those kings he was involved with preaching to. I have not actually finished the book, but I'm on page 30. I gave it a five-star rating because I think it is important, I think it is well written, and I think it is revelatory and adds Clarity to the bible. I am in no way saying the Bible is fallible, but rather saying that it is a very good guide to take you through that part of the Bible because the Bible is a very complex document and it is good to have a guide to lead you. Even the eunuch told the angel ministering to him that he could not believe unless someone would teach him. I am very glad for the teaching of Mark Biltz concerning the Prophet Jeremiah.
This new booklet helps solar, battery and roofing customers understand how to correctly assemble bids for their home and energy needs. It is brief, to the point, and illustrates how customers can still benefit from solar, despite the changes in PG&E's net energy metering structure.