More Books

I'm continuing with my Million Page March this month. My job is always busy in August and, as a result, I don't get much time for reading. I do however have a few books for you this time.

Sherlock Holmes Vs. Dracula by Loren D. Estleman: The very first book I recorded back in May 2005 when I started this challenge. It is a look at how Holmes would deal with Dracula if inserted into the classic tale by Bram Stoker. I liked it and it is an interesting read for any fan of Holmes or Dracula.

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane: Recently made into a movie, this is the story of Marshall Teddy Daniels investigating the disappearance of a patient at an insane hospital on an island. This was a good novel with many twists and turns and an ending that surprised and saddened me.

Dear American Airlines by Jonathan Miles: The story of Bennie Ford, a man who has made a mess of his life but is trying to make amends by attending his estranged daughters wedding. However, on the way, he is stranded in Chicago and all flights out have been cancelled. Taking out his frustrations in a letter requesting a refund, Bennie instead writes down his life story. This was a fun little book that took me about a day to read. I liked it but felt that the parts of the book that show the latest novel that Bennie is working on, (he is a translator of foreign novels) slows the book down some.

Thanks for reading.

Too Long, and some books

I know it has been way too long since I last posted. Life throws things your way and you lose track of time.

I have decided to use this blog to track the progress I make on my million page march. That is my chronicle of a million pages read in 20 years. I figure it is going to take me at least that long because I like to read, but I am not a fast reader by any means.

Recent reads
The Little Book, by Selden Edwards...This book took me a while to get into. It is the story of Wheeler Burden, a former baseball hero/rock star turned literary man, who finds himself in 1894 in Vienna after an encounter with a stranger in 1988 San Francisco. Mr. Edwards paints a beautiful word picture that really captures the time and place. The middle seemed to drag for me but I was hooked after that.

Forever Odd, by Dean Koontz...This is the Second book in the Odd Thomas series, about a boy in a small town who can see dead people. I received this as a birthday gift several years ago and had to go back and find the first book. I loved it and looked forward to this one. It was hard going after the first 90 pages or so. I like the character of Little Ozzie the best I think. The enemies in this one were unique, there was too much description of tunnels and elevators and things like that. I will read the next book in the series.

Will post more often, hopefully

June 20 Friday's Feast

Appetizer
If you could live on another continent for 1 year, which one would you choose? I would love to live in Europe.

Soup
Which browser do you use to surf the Internet? Internet Explorer, although I have heard good things about the new Firefox

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you know about the history of your country? I would say a 7, just because some of the things I think I know, are probably wrong.

Main Course
Finish this sentence: Love is…One of the most complicated emotions that there is. I actually had kind of a minor argument with my family over this last weekend, you can't tell your heart who to love.

Dessert
Have you ever been in or near a tornado? No, and I don't want to be. Scary stuff.

May 16, 2008 Fridays Feast

Appetizer

What is the nearest big city to your home? I live in a big city, Fayetteville, NC.

Soup
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets? An 8, it is that low because I am required by law to tell if someone is thinking of hurting themselves or others.

Salad
Describe your hair (color, texture, length). Black hair that lightens up to brown but now mostly gray at age 30. Short now but grows extremely quickly, and when it is long it is thick and curly.

Main Course
What kind of driver are you? Courteous? Aggressive? Slow? Slow and courteous, and may I add that I get a lot of crap for this from people. None of whom pay my insurance bill, so I really don't care what they think or say.

Dessert
When was the last time you had a really bad week? It has been a while, and I am sure I have had other's since then, but in October of 2004, I lost three people very close to me in the span of 11 days.

May 9 Fridays Feast

Let's do this:


Appetizer
When someone smiles at you, do you smile back? I usually do, although it is getting harder and harder to get people to smile at anything.

Soup
Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix? Linoleum in our kitchen and backroom, carpet everywhere else.

Salad
Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name. Just Joey Jammin' Jazzy Jammies!

Main Course
Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption? Yes, I know a couple of people who are adopted, and in both cases, their lives have been changed for the better.

Dessert
Name 2 blue things. My wife's car, and Cookie Monster.

May 2 Fridays Feast

Appetizer
What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child? Oh, so many to name. Voltron, G.I. Joe, The Jetsons, Smurfs, Monchichi's, The Get Along Gang. Saturday mornings were the best.

Soup
Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it? I have thought about this lately....I would get a tortoise, and name him Slow&Steady.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion? An 8, and it depends on the special occasion. My sister gets married in June and I am looking forward to wearing a Tux.

Main Course
What kind of music do you listen to while you drive? Everything. I got XM radio back in February for Valentines day, and I am a notorious flipper anyway....I do everything from 50's music on down to talk radio and back again.

Dessert
When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it? Alarm clock a long time ago and it is in the bedroom.

April 18 Fridays Feast

Been a while since I have done a feast, so here goes. Let's jump right in.


Appetizer
Name a color you find soothing. Any light color I find soothing. Like a nice light green or blue. To me that just says soothing. Relax, everything is going to be okay.

Soup
Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience. Getting my license. Waiting in car for the instructor. Man in next car has a switchblade. He stole the car.

Salad
What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of? 100% cotton t shirt.

Main Course
Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see? Don't know of anyone current. Maybe the Beatles or Elvis back in the day. Just to say I had the experience.

Dessert
What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)? If I understand the question correctly, R is used four times in my entire name, both times a double R.