Byron

Inspiring and Troubling

Revisado: 04-21-24

Ray Hinton’s story captures the dichotomy of life - the prospect of maintaining a positive attitude in the midst of wrongs committed against you.

There is nothing that startles one more than the discovery that Hinton’s neighbor on death row was Henry Hays, a white convicted of the “last” lynching in the U.S., and they became friends. The book is worth the read for that story alone! But there is so much more!

Excellent narration. I really felt like I was listening to Ray tell his story, feeling much of the emotion in the reader’s voice!

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The Sackler's and Oxycontin

Revisado: 05-08-23

I was a lucky one. Neither me, nor anyone in my immediate family, was directly affected by the opiod crisis of the past 25 years, and perhaps as a result, I didn't really keep up with the news as the crisis exploded throughout the country. I remember being prescribed Oxycodone on a couple of occasions to deal with Kidney Stone pain, and marveling at its power to relieve pain, but I never experienced so much pain that I needed anything more than the simplest dosing of the drug.

So, this book was a real eye-opener for me, and a reminder of my tendency to not pay attention to things that don't directly affect me.

The challenge to the reader is to consider whether the author has fairly presented the facts of the case and whether there is any alternative explanation to the facts that would alleviate the blame to the Sackler family. The author's conclusion is obvious, and it is seems to me that it would be difficult to read the facts any other way than he has without giving a major pass to a lot of people - not just in the Sackler family, but to all of the enablers who helped them do what they have done.

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Great True Story for Fantasy Baseball Addicts

Revisado: 01-16-17

This book is a engaging, inside look at a couple of stat-heads trying to run a low level minor league baseball team. Highly recommended!

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Hart Weave Another Compelling Tale

Revisado: 09-25-16

Redemption Road is another solid effort by John Hart. This book focuses on law enforcement, with three of the main characters being police detectives. He tells what I found to be a suspenseful and engaging story, simultaneously pursuing several distinct but related threads, and in the end, he provides resolution.

As Hart says in an interview at the end of the audio book, by writing fiction he is not bound by the need to be accurate about things. This is not a horrible thing, but it was a slight detraction from the story that some of his characters and storylines are not grounded in reality, but seem to be a mixture of caricature and plot-driven stretches. For example, in this book, prison warden seemed more life a mafia don than any prison warden you would find in a modern prison. Maybe there were wardens like this 50 years ago, but for a book set in this century, I had to accept that it was just fiction and proceed. Similarly, the main character, detective Elizabeth Black, switches back and forth from being a heinous fugitive from justice for whom impending doom was nigh to allowing her to "sneak" freely into the police station to talk to a prisoner or to look at the latest evidence collected in the current case.

But accepting the work as fiction, these flaws are minor to me and do not detract from the reading pleasure.

Another issue that is a carryover from his previous book is that he does provide graphic visualization of some evil and detestable acts. In the Iron House, I thought Hart's account became excessively gruesome, so much so that I wished I could fast forward through it. In Redemption Road, I thought the violent scenes all functional and critical to the storyline, and I did not feel like the descriptions were excessive in any way.

If you are looking for a fiction author that you can count on a quality story, each one different from the last, Hart is worthy of your consideration. While I cannot clearly recall the plot of the four earlier books that I have read over the last six years, I remember being engaged in the reading of each book, and for that reason, I do not hesitate to recommend him to you.

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No Wonder they Don't Have to Run for Office!

Revisado: 11-02-15

Over the last few months, I have picked up a couple of books on Supreme Court History (most notably Scorpions and The Great Dissent), and with this book, Injustices, I now understand that the political battles over appointees to the Supreme Court are really important to the political parties, and not for the reasons that we tend to think. Traditionally, the Supreme Court has been much more of a tool of government repression than the conscience of America. And perhaps that is where we are headed again, which, depending on your political perspective, might or might not be a good thing.

My preferred rating for this book would be "Troubling", not through any fault of the author, who I think makes his bias very clear, and presents his point of view fairly, and reasonably dispassionately. Troubling because it shows that political expediency is very central to the courts thinking. As one who works within the legislative branch of government, it is scary to think that the era of great justices is over, and we have returned to placing political hacks on the Court.

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Wish I'd thought up the name Agent ZigZag!

Revisado: 07-08-13

What a clever code name for a double agent. Unfortunately, someone else beat me to it, and this well-researched and well-told true story of Agent ZigZag is fascinating. What made it most interesting to me was the insight it gives into the world of British and German espionage during WWII.

The story of Agent ZigZag is itself most remarkable because he was such a miserable human being prior to the war, and then during the war, he turns into a heroic figure. While sympathetic to the Agent, the author consistently tries to present the information in a way that allows the reader to see both the good and the bad.

This is the first of at least three books by Macintyre on WWII espionage, and I am moving right on to Book #2, the story of Operation Mincemeat. I can't wait!

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Gone Girl

Revisado: 06-22-13

Gone Girl is a cleverly written story that compelled me through to the end. There was only one well-timed lull in the middle of the book where I questioned whether the book would keep my interest, but once it passed, I was hooked.

There were two aspects of this book that merit comment. First, Flynn has succeeded in writing a book that entertained me with a fascinating cast of characters (I love contemplating who might play which role in the movie version). But of the characters, there were none that I "liked". Normally, if I don't like a character, I don't enjoy reading the book, but in this case, there were other things about the story that captured my attention.

Second, the book interestingly illustrates the dilemma that exists when a celebrity's personal dramas are played out on a very public stage. Everyone is so quick to form opinions about the celebrity, and those opinions are fickle. The book adds to this drama by recognizing that these celebrities become preoccupied with managing these public opinions, with fascinating results.

Finally, I would comment that the audio version of this book was particularly good, performed by two voices, one male and one female, corresponding to the structure of the book.

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Did you read John Hart's Debut Novel? You Should!

Revisado: 06-22-13

I was first introduced to Hart about three years ago with his book The Last Child, and having already read his third and fourth books, I finally got around to reading this debut book. And we are now 4 for 4.

This novel about a lawyer and his family is much more about dysfunctional family relationships than it is about anything having to do with the law, so it is more of a murder mystery than a legal genre. But there is a fair amount of insight into both the process that law enforcement uses to focus on suspects and on the strategy that one might use if they wanted to present themselves as an alternative suspect, diverting attention from a family member who may be the one who is truly guilty.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the author's method of back-filling the story. You meet the characters and then, through one device or another, you eventually get to find out the story about that character. The entire book is told from the perspective of the main character, "Work" Pickens, who could best be described as a pompous, arrogant, and only marginally sympathetic, jerk. My negative reaction to him was heightened by his self-absorbed perspective in the story. In his eyes, almost everyone in the story is a villain, and I would have to assume, that had I been in the story, he would not have liked me either.

Enough about the book... go ahead and read it. But I want to further compliment Hart. In his first 4 books, he has written four very different books. The common element: they all end well. The highest praise I can give Hart is that I am satisfied with his endings. Not saying I necessarily "liked" the endings, but that I feel like he finishes the book by resolving the issues he has created through the course of the book. I can enjoy a book that does not finish well, but it sure is more satisfying to feel like the author has successfully taken you on a journey that arrived at the intended destination. I can't wait for book #5.

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Keep Going Through the Valley! Plot Trophies Await

Revisado: 06-22-13

About halfway through this very long book, I came very close to calling it quits. After a particularly disgusting introduction to the "unsullied," a specially set apart army of eunuch slaves, the book then proceeded to some equally repulsive thing or another that I started shutting it out. I was on the verge of concluding that the book was not worth the time and energy I was investing in it, and that it was time to move on to some lighter reading.

But at some point in the middle of this book, perhaps in the fourth of the six Audible segments when downloaded to listen on your device, the book shifted gears, and over the remaining chapters, Martin treats us to a series of "breakthroughs" in the story. I went from plodding through to rushing along, eager to see the next twist, or to figure out the outcome of the previous one. In some cases, Martin's character-based segments did not jump from one part of the Seven Kingdoms to another, but rather stay in the same place, just changing perspective.

Book 3 has about 6 to 8 different breakthroughs or what I will call "plot trophies" in the last third of this book, starting with the red wedding and going through until the end. Martin has rewarded the reader for sticking with him, and as I finished the book, I felt very satisfied that I had accomplished something.

For those of you watching the TV version, Book 3 takes you much farther than Season 3 does.

Despite this rewarding finish, I am not eager to move on to Book 4. The length of the book, and the incredible volume of storylines and people, and the blood, gore and guts has taken its toll on me. I will get back to it in a month or two, but for now, I am going to take a breath.

Finally, three books into this series, and I just love Roy Dotrice. I don't know how he pulls it off!

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An adventure with Heroes and Villains!

Revisado: 12-13-12

It took me a while to get into Nicholas Nickleby, but one I muddled through the extended misery that begins the book, there was reward aplenty.

It struck me that was a book of heroes and villains - and much like a fantasy adventure, the central Hero, Nicholas, must engage his band of heroes to defeat the villains that he encounters. The object of the adventure - well, nothing more than a life of happiness and being with those one loves.

The villians are dastardly. Wackford Squeers, the schoolmaster, is as cruel, greedy, and false as a character can be, and by casting himself as the great father to the poor boys pawned off to his oversight, the depth of his evil is unrestrained. His minions, Mrs. Squeers, daughter Fanny, and son Wackford, all reflect this evil core. You might recall that Squeers' "methods of teaching" were admired by Roald Dahl's headmistress Miss Trunchbull in the delightful children's book Matilda.

Sir Mulberry Hawk, the lecherous egomaniac that sets his lusty designs on Nicholas' sister Kate. His has the ability to appear gallant and charming, making Nicholas' and Kate's mother think he is a Hero, but all the while he is conniving to sordid mischief. His minions included the very efficient Misters Pluck and Pike - ready to do anything for Hawk at any time, no matter how base or vile. Lord Verisopht is another of Hawk's minions, but not due to an evil nature, but to a combination of extreme naivete and apparent innocence. Too late, he recognizes Hawk's nature and how he has been used for evil purposes.

Walter Bray, the father of Nicholas love interest, does his best to ruin his own family, playing the role of ungrateful, tyrannical father to a beautiful young lately who has won Nicholas heart just by crossing his path on two occasions in her life.

And the central villain, Nicholas' Uncle Ralph, a man of money and influence, who from the beginning seems unwilling to give Nicholas even the least morsel of respect, and instead, interprets Nicholas every act as being to embarrass and stain him, and sets as his life course the utter destruction of Nicholas and his quest for happiness and love. Ralph associates with the other villains, and a lesser villain named Arthur Gride to bring misery to Nicholas.

Contrasted with these mean villains are the clan of Heroes:
Newman Noggs actually works for Ralph, and at times, must do errands that contribute to Ralph's evil intent, but he befriends Nicholas, and eventually emerges as the hero inside the villain's camp who can help save the day. There is so much to like about Newman Noggs.

Vincent Crummles is the head of the theatre troupe where Nicholas' fortunes begin to turn. A chance meeting betweeen two is the place where Nicholas adventure turns from one of flight and exile to one where Nicholas becomes a man of talent and personality that will pay off in his future endeavors.

John Browdie is the muscle of the party of heroes in this story. There is also much to like about John Browdie; he is the guy you want on your side because of the combination of a can-do spirit and a winsome personality, but when his ire is raised, he becomes decisive and impactful.

Ned and Charles Cheeryble are angelic in their heroism, full of generosity and a willingness to intervene to make the path straighter. I found their lack of spouses and children of their own somewhat unbelievable, as they were so magnamious to a degree that seemed to beg to be shared on the most intimate level. Whereas Noggs was a hero who has some specific and very obvious skills to be used to help Nicholas achieve his quest, the Cheerybles are more transcendant in their ability to effect good.

And then there is Smike. Smike is the initial catalyst in turning this from a story of drudgery to a story of hope and adventure, and the relationship between Nicholas and Smike is a story of loyal devotion and companionship. Nicholas saves Smike's life, but that favor is returned in both tangible and intangible ways.

And most importantly, the Hero of Heroes, Nicholas Nickleby. I think Nicholas is more purely good to the core than either David Copperfield or Pip in Great Expectations, a couple of other great Dickens heroes I have recented gotten to know. And Nicholas is fighting a more intentional evil. As this is only Dickens 3rd book, Nickleby is far less complex than the later heroes. For example, his love for Madeleine is overly simplistic, especially when you compare it to David Copperfield's two great loves, both of which were fraught with complexity.

I cannot pass without commenting on Nicholas' sister Kate and his mother. Kate is a loyal and devoted sister who plays a significant role in the book by daring to resist the lewd advances of Sir Mulberry Hawk. But, I would again describe her character as simplistic.

The one character who is not simple is the mother. Given to long rambling monologues, Dickens shows a tremendous appreciation for this woman's beloved role in the family. While you know everyone around her is wishing she would shut up, you are so grateful that she is asserting her place in the middle of everything. Sometimes she is foolish, stupid, and downright embarrassing, but at others she is just humorous and pitiable. But in all, she is Mom, and she is loved.

This is the 4th Dickens book I have devoured over the past couple of years, and I continue to be amazed at his characters. I liked David Copperfield a bit more, perhaps because of the aforementioned digging into Copperfield's feelings about the women he loved. This book had some very good drama, and did a nice job of intertwining the characters.

Bottom line, don't get discouraged by the early misery of the book. Plod on through, and you will be rewarded!

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