Books Noted, 2008
Beach Reading I: Drama & romance (7/7/08)
Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner. A hilarious sequel to Good in Bed.
The Writing Class by Jincy Willett. Is someone in her class a murder suspect? 
The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted by Elizabeth Berg. “"like comfort food that never disappoints."
My sister my Love by Joyce Carol Oats Oates. Based on the JonBenet Ramsay murder
Domestic Affairs by Eileen Goudge. A tragic reversal of fortune
The Lady Elizabeth by Allison Weir.  An entertaining look into the early life of the Virgin Queen.
No Choice but Seduction by Johanna Lindsey. A  crime and a dashing captain shakes up a deb.
Rogue by Daniel Steel. A woman, her new "ideal" man and her stilltantalizing ex.
Charley’s Web by Joy Fielding. The latest from this popular author. 

Fireworks! (7/1/08). Lively reads for the holidays.
The Revolution by Ron Paul. A libertarian manifesto.
Bad Money by Kevin Phillips. The GOP strategist muses on debsts & the market  meltdown a This Land is Their Land  by Barbara Ehrenreich.  "lively and timely” eassyas on wealth and poverty.
Final Theory by Mark Alpert.  Rivals  hunt for a mega weapon based on  Einsteins final theory. 
Hit and Run by Lawrence Block.  A  A hit man is betrayed and stranded.
The Plague Ship  by Clive Cussler. A group called  the Responsivists hatch a destructivbe plo,. 
Escape (audio) by Robert Tanenbaum.  This writer's DA hero thwarts a terrorist plot. .
Phantom Prey (audio) by John Sandford. A  looks into the unsolved kidnapping.
Killer Heat (audio) by Linda Fairstein. A serial killer who targets  veterans.
Gingerbread Girl (audio)by Stephen King.  A mysterious neighbor threatens a grieving mother.  Gone Baby Gone (dvd). Two P.I.'s.  are hired to take a solve a kidnapping. 
Eastern Promises (dvd). Viggo Mortensen gives a "highly original performance" as a mob enforcer.
The Great Debaters (dvd).The fireworks are verbal ins this sotry of a cinderella debate team.

Family Movies (6/30/08): also many classics, now on DVD.
Meet the Robinsons.  Tow boys are whisked into the futre to find a suspicious "Bowler hat guy."
Enchanted. A Princess under a spell awakens  in Time Square in New York City, 
The Golden Compass.   A young girl sets out to find her uncle in a land of ice bears and daemons.
Nanny McPhee.  A mysterious woman with special powers attempts to tame  seven children. Waterhorse.  A boy  discovers a large mysterious egg along the shores of Loch Ness. 
Peter Pan. This dramtic version uses the technical advances of CGI make the magic come alive.   New Talking Books

 Heard a good book lately? (6/23/08).
Escape by Carolyn Jessop. A Morman wife recalls life after her flight from the commune. 
Executive Privilege by Philip Margolin. A White House staffer is found murdered.
Winter Study by Nevada Barr. Anna Pigeon's wolf study uncovers plots and intrigues.
Nothing to Lose by Lee Child.  Jack Reacher takes on a small town.
Lady Killer by Lisa Scottoline.   A woman on the run from a mobbed-up boyfriend.
Where are You Now by Mary Higgins Clark. Has a missing brother got something to hide?
Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich. Robbery, kidnapping & Stephanie Plum. Must be fun.

America Meets the World  (6/17)
The End of History by Francis Fukiya. The end of left and right and a "a true global culture."
The Return of History by Robert Kagan.  Not so fast, Franics. Kagan sees conflicts left and right.
The Post American World by Fareed Zakaria. Why the US may no longer dominate the globe. Second Chance by Zbigniew Brzezinski. A call for self-restraint and diplomacy.  
The Opportunity by Fred Haass. Another case  for global political cooperation
Collassus by Niall Ferguson. Better empire than anarchy. But is the U.S. up to it? 
How Soccer Explains the World by Franklin Foer. Global markets vs violence & tibalism.
Rise to Gl;obalism by Stephan Ambrose. A tidy recap of America's changing world role.

New Crime Writers (and some old favorites)  (6/10/08)
Officer Down  by Theresa  Schwegal.   “Credible cop background and  Chicago scenes." 
Probable Cause by Thersa Shcwegal. A rookie patrolman  gets a rude introduction to  police life.   
Obedience  by Will Lavender. Logic 101 test: find Polly, in six weeks, or she dies. Is this for real?
The Finder by Colin Harrison. An “edgy thriller” about stock fraud gone bad. 
The Serpents Tale by Ariana Franklin. Did Eleanor of Aquitaine poison the King's mistress?
A German Requiem by Philip Kerr. A crime thriller set in the wreckage of postwar Berlin.  
Santa Fee Dead by Stuart Woods,. Aa man is the target of a murder-for-hire plot -- by his wife!
The Front by Patricia Cornwall.  a DA investigates a   association of   police vigilantes.
The Whole Truth by David Baldacci. A journalist  investigates a global arms merchant. 

Non-Fiction by the Numbers (6.4.08))
Manic by Terri Cheney.(100. Psychology) A personal account of bipolar disorder.
The Reason for God by Timothy Keller (200. Religion). Rebutting the new athiests.  
Terror and Consent by Philip Bobbitt (300. Social Science).  States without boundaries?
The Return of History  by Robert Kagan (300). Nation states: back with a vengeance?
Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku (500. Science). Time travel and other wonders.
Yum-o! by Rachael Ray (600. Applied Arts).  The "ulimate" family cookbook.
Downhill Lie by Carl Hiaasen (700s. Art & Rec). Snakes, water hazards and other golf lore.
Armageddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut (800. Lliterature). Twelve unpublished gems.   
Day of Battle by Rick Atkinson (900 History). Tough fighting in Sicily and Italy.
Retribution by Max Hastings (900) "Retributive justice" in the brutal endgame vs Japan.

The Tumultuous Sixties (5.7.08)
Boom!, by Tom Brokaw/.a tapestry of the sixties generation drawn from interviews by the author. Clapton! the Autbiography. "God" speaks out.
The Beatles,  by Bob Spitz.  “The definitive story of the band that sparked a cultural revolution."
A Hard Day’s Night, fearturing the Beatles (vhs). The definitive 60's film.
One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey.  The 60's novel. McMurphy vs Big Nurse.
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolf. On the road with Kesey's Merry Parnksters.
Sons and Brothers  by Richard Mahoney. Cool Jack & crusader Bobby confront the decade. .
Carry Me Home by Diane Whorter.  At the Civil Right’s Movements ”violent epicenter.”
They March into Sunlight by David Marannis. One day in 1967, in "Nam and on campus.
Radical Son by David Horowitz. A sixties radical recants. Just In! ( 4/24/08). by Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian, Careless in Red by Elizabeth George, Downhill Lie by Carl Hiaasen, Sundays at Tiffanys by James Patterson,  Phantom Prey by John Sandford, and Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir
 
Cinema Classics Revisted (4/24/08) see review  here
King Kong.  The Big Fella gets a new gloss from LOTR director Perter Jackson.
I am Legend.  Man vs plague in NYC. A remake of The Omega Man.
The Ladykillers. A hilarious Tom Hanks re-sets a drol Brit comedy in the new South
All the King's Men.  Populism vs corruption, in a remake of the 1948 Oscar winner.
Tombstone.  A faithful telling of the Earp legend, with Val Kilmer as a reckless Doc Holiday.

Just In! (updated 4/24/08). Winter Study by Nevada Barr, Mary of Nazereth by Mark Halter, Unaccoustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri, Lush Life by Richard Price, Searching for Paradise by Kris Radish,  and Irish County Village by  Patrick Taylor.

Mystery and Mayhem (4/9/08)
A Flaw in the Blood by Stephanie Baron.  Queen Victoria's coach is attacked. Random? A plot?  
Buckingham Palace Garden by Anne Perry. The Prince of Wales is implicated in a brutal murder. Stranger in Paradise by Robert B. Parker.  An ex-con seeks help from Chief Stone vs the Mob.  Lady Killer by Lisa Scottoline. Atty Mary DiNunzio helps a friend with an abusive  partner. Betrayal by John Lescroart.  Wrapping up an old case, Dismas Hardy discovers new murders. 
L.A. Outlaw by T. Jefferson Parker.  A thief is saught as a witness to a  murder.
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy.  A Viet nam vet on the run with stolen drug money. Also a DVD by the Coen brothers.

Reads for Teens! (3/31/08)
The Airman by Eoin Colfer. A daring escape and a quest for vengence drive this story.
The Final Warning by James Patterson. Max & her Flock aid  environmental scientists. 
Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer. Graduation & marriage (to her vampire classmate!) looms for Bella. 
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen. A story about how girls get involved with abusive partners.
It Had to be You by Cecily Von Ziegesar. A prequel to the Gossip Girl series.  
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.  An amusing look at  growing up.

The Art of Punditry: William F. Buckley and others (3/19/08)
Happy Days are Here Again by W. F. Buckley, Jr. A selection of political columns and essays.   The Right Word  by  W. F. Buckley, Jr. More toothsome essays.
Nearer My God by W. F. Buckley, Jr.  On faith and religion.
United States: Essays, 1952-1992 by Gore Vidal.   “a marvelous compendium of sharp wit." 
The Kennedy Imprisonment  by Gary Wills.  On the seductios of charisma and power.
The Leveling Wind by  Geroge F. Will. Refections on the Clinton years,
Parliament of Whores  by  P.J. O'Rourke.   A  skeptical take on Washington.

The Pursuit of Happiness (3/12/08)
The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner.  Happiness blooms where we least expect it.
The Thing about Life is that one day You’ll be Dead by David Shiel.  "Punchy, brilliant."  Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely. Explains why irrational behavior is predictable.
God’s Problem by Bart Ehrman. Why does evil presist? Ehrman consults Scripture. 
Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks.  On music and  the brain.
The Food you Crave by Ellie Krieger.  Recipies  for fresh food, simply but deliciously prepared.

Oscars! 3/4/08. Award winners and nominees on DVD.
Michael Clayton (film, acting). Tilda Swinton won supporting actrees in this tense thriller.
La Vie en Rose (actress). Marion Cotillard is "astonishing" as  chanteuse Edith Piaf.   
Elizabeth: the Golden Age (actress, costumes). Cate Blancshett shines as the Virgin Queen. 
Away from Her, (actress). Julie Christie plays a woman at the onset of  Alzheimer's disease.  American Gangster
The Bourne Ultimatum (editing, sound).  Jason Bourne, closes in on his past.    
3:10 to Yuma (sound, music). A lean, classic Western.  

Reading for a Wintery Day  (2/21/08).  Long, deep and engrossing.
The Coldest Winter by David Halberstam. A masterful telling of little remembered Korean War. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. How a sacred text was guarded  through the centuries.
Homecoming by Bernard Schlink  A new offering from the author of The Reader.
Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski.  A part-time reporter becomes obsessed with a murder /suicide. World Without End by Ken Follett.  Follett revists the Cathederal town from Pillars of the Eath. 
(supporting actress). A Harlem man builds an empire on Asian heroin.

A Potpourri of non-fiction (2/11/08)
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin. The master of stand-up tells his story.  
Clapton! by Eric Clapton. The guitar maestro  retraces his career. 
My Grandfather's Son by Clarence Thomas. From poverty to the Supreme Court.
The Age of Turbulance by Alan Greenspan. Economic advisor to the Presidents.
In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan.  How  to navigate the nutritional minefield.
Art of Simple Cooking by Alice Waters.   Appealing low-stress dishes.
Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. Stealth health food for harried parents.
A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style by Tim Gunn.  Full closet reconstruction. Funny, practical.
Truth and Consequences by Keith Olbermann.  “Special Comments” from the MSNBC host
An Inconvenient Book by Glenn Beck.  Sacred cows to the slaughter.
Free Lunch by David Cay Johnston.  Purports to show the hidden costs of deregulation.
House of Abraham by Stephen Berry. A personal view of a national tragedy
  
Washington Murder Mysteries (2/1/08)
Murder at the White House by Margaret Truman.  The secretary of state is found dead in the W.H.  T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton.  “A gripping  tale of identify theft and elder abuse." 
Beverly Hills Dead by Stuart Woods.  Murder and political intrigue, set in 1940s Hollywood.  Chameleon’s Shadow by Minette Walters. An army officer fits the profile of a serial killer. Finally, Now and Then by Robert B. Parker. A cheating wife with links to crime is trouble for Spenser.

Sophisticated Thrillers  (1/22/08)
Duma Key by Stephen King. His "most brilliant novel to date."  
Person of Interest by Theresa Schwegel. "Pitch-perfect portrait of a family in crisis." 
The Ghost by Robert Harris. A ghost writer learns his predecessor may have been murdered.
A Pale Horse by Charles Todd. "A puzzle requiring all of Inspector Rutledge's daring and skill."
The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller. Two unconventional women change each other’s lives.
Touchstone by Laruie King.   is a “gripping tale of intrigue, terrorism, and explosive passions.”  

Just  in --Fiction (1/12/08):
The Venetian Affair by Steve Berry
Shadow Music by Julie Garwood
Hand of Evil by  J. A. Jance
Touchstone by Laurie King,
The Senator's Wife by Sue Julie Miller,
Chameleon Shadow by Minette Walters
 
Staff picks: 2007 (reading we enjoyed )
Mistress of the Art of Death by Airana Franklin. A medieval mystery.  
The Overlook by Michael Connelly. Terrorist plot, or simple murder? Harry Bosch investigates. 
The Quickie by James Patterson.  A story of revenge gone array.
 Stalin’s Ghost,  by Martin Cruz Smith.  A rising political star and war hero is linked to a murder.
Thumbs Toes and Tears by Chip Walter.  Traits that distinguish us from other beings.
Mysteries of the Middle Ages  by Thomas Cahill. A blossoming of learning and progressive ideas.
Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran. Life inside Iraq’s Green Zone.
Grace and Grit by Ken Wilbur. Memoir,  love story, cancer guide, mysticism 101 and more.    
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows  by J. K. Rowlog.  A suitable and satisfying end.
Floatsam by David Weisner.  A boy  discovers an old-fashioned camera.