After finishing The Push on October 12, I had a few days with Chernow's Hamilton again (still not nearly done yet) and started The Last American Vampire by Seth Grahame-Smith on October 18 finishing on October 27.
This is follows Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter from 2011. While I loved the book, the movie wasn't so hot - total bummer. The Last American Vampire picks up with Henry Sturges, the vampire who was friends with Lincoln, and tells the tale of his (Henry's) history throughout history - he's over 300 years old, after all.
This book was satisfyingly entertaining and funny and thought-provoking in a purely fictional way. It was absurd, yet I couldn't put it down. So many historical figures come into the book: Teddy Roosevelt, Virginia Dare, Howard Hughes, J.P. Morgan, Mark Twain, Nikola Tesla, Bram Stoker, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and more.
I really liked how these historical people and happenings were re-imagined to include vampires. There are photos through the book also re-imagined to include vampires in them.
Clearly, Seth Grahame-Smith has an active and vivid imagination and can tell a great story. If you like history and you like vampire stories - pick this up - it's so good! The Husband just finished it and loved it too.
After finishing A Wanted Man on September 16, I had a few days to get back to Chernow's Hamilton. Then when it was our turn for The Push by Tommy Caldwell from the library, I gladly put Hamilton down again and started this on September 28 finishing on October 12. The Husband read it immediately after me.
I'll preface this with this fact: I love reading books about mountain climbing. I don't particularly like climbing mountains. I'm not certain what it is that I find so utterly alluring about mountain climbing books, but they are fascinating to me.
The Husband and I saw a movie called "The Dawn Wall" on September 19th. This is the documentary of Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson's first ascent of the Dawn Wall on El Capitan in Yosemite. In addition to books about climbing mountains, I also really enjoy movies about climbing mountains. I personally don't like to climb mountains. I've spent a few hours (total) in indoor climbing gyms, and it is fun. But I really don't have a desire to go out and climb an actual mountain. I like seeing mountains and appreciate their sheer beauty, but I don't have the desire to climb one. If you haven't seen it or even heard about it - watch the trailer. I guarantee you'll want to see the movie.
At the end of the movie, after the credits roll, Tommy came onscreen and talked about his book, The Push. Of course, The Husband and I really wanted to read it. It duplicates a lot of what is in the movie but in much more detail. As with other climbing books I've read, climbers all seem to have this fire and drive within themselves, an obsession, to be on the mountain constantly pushing themselves for more. As Tommy said, "We are capable of so much more than we can imagine."
It's true. I think that is part of what I enjoy about reading these books - I get to meet (through their words) people who accomplish such amazing feats - more amazing than even they (sometimes) can imagine. It's about challenge and living up to and through the challenge. It inspires me to live up to the challenges in my life. They may not actually be mountains made of rock and dirt, but they are mountains (or hills) nonetheless. I love tales about overcoming obstacles. The Push certainly illustrates that Tommy Caldwell has overcome more than his fair share of obstacles, and he's not nearly done yet.
See the movie and read this book. They are amazing and inspiring.
After finishing Relic on September 6, I picked up A Wanted Man by Lee Child. I started this on September 7 (happy birthday to my brother) and finished it on September 16.
Oh, Lee Child, you do know how to spin an addicting and entertaining book. This is another in the Jack Reacher series from Lee Child, and like the others, does not disappoint.
Also like the others, we meet Jack Reacher in the middle of nowhere hitching a ride. This ride, like some of the others, begins a hellish, nightmarish, and twisty few days for Reacher and others.
There was a murder in a small town, and the FBI have been called in (among others) to figure out what happened. Reacher gets picked up on the highway and becomes wrapped up in the situation.
As always, Reacher's keen eye and cop's mentality help him figure things out. Also as usual, his military experience and contacts help him out, as does his mental and physical toughness.
There were some twists and turns I didn't anticipate, including the fact that this is one of the few novels (spoiler alert) in which Reacher doesn't get the girl.
These are entertaining books, quick reads, and I always like them. If you need some mind candy (what I call quick, easy, entertaining books), you can give this series a try. Unlike some other series books, I don't think it is super important to read these in order.
After finishing The Spider Woman's Daughter on August 19, I picked up Relic by Alan Dean Foster. The Husband read this book first and then I decided to give it a spin. I started it on September 3 and finished it on September 6 - another quick read.
This is neither a cop book nor a spy book. It is a book about the last living human in all of space. Ruslan, a human, is the last human. He was picked up by a race of aliens known as the Myssari and lives happily among them. He's known to the Myssari as a relic - because that's what he is - a relic - one of a kind - the last human.
The Myssari are determined not to let homo sapiens go extinct and with or without Ruslan's cooperation, they are going to resurrect the human race. Somehow, Ruslan agrees to cooperate in exchange for the Myssari's help in locating Earth. Though Ruslan wasn't born there, has never been there, and no one and no reference can point to where Earth is, he wants to see the human homeland. Thus begins the fantastical story of how a human, aided by aliens, begin the search for Earth, and their quest to resurrect the human race.
I don't want to give too much away here so I won't. However, as I was reading this book, there were so many parallels to the now-defunct TV show "Last Man on Earth." Can you imagine being the last human, the only human, the sole survivor? It boggles my mind, but I guess it shouldn't. So many things - plants and animals - have gone extinct already, why can't humans too? And, it seems fantastical to imagine alien life out there - but hey - we humans exist, so why can't life on other planets exist too? These are questions for another day.
This book was extremely entertaining and easy to read (hey - I finished it 4 days). If you liked The Martian, or the TV show "Last Man on Earth", you'll probably like this book.
After finishing How to be Champion on August 19, once again, I borrowed another book from my parents. This time, Spider Woman's Daughter by Anne Hillerman. I started this on August 20 and finished it 9 days later on August 29th. Quick read!
Anne Hillerman is the daughter of author Tony Hillerman, and apparently picked up her series where her father's left off carrying on with two of his characters, Leaphorn and Chee.
This is another cop series - this time with Navajo Nation police along with the FBI. This is the first in the series, and I'll definitely read more.
This book is centered around Bernadette Manuelito, a police officer with the Navajo Nation police, and she is an eye witness to a shooting of a fellow officer. The book follows Bernadette and her police officer husband investigate the case of their fellow officer's shooting. This book is infused with traditional policework and investigation, but also with cultural sites and rituals belonging to the Navajo Nation.
One of the places mentioned throughout the book is a town called Shiprock. As a kid, one summer we camped throughout the Southwest - into Monument Valley, the 4 Corners, Durango, Farmington, Mesa Verde, and even passed through Shiprock, New Mexico. I always like it when I have a real-life reference to places mentioned in books - it enables me to really see and feel the book.
This was an entertaining, suspenseful, good read. If you like serial books with strong characters, and cops, give this a read.
After finishing The Crossing by Michael Connelly, I started How to be Champion by Sarah Millican. I started this on July 7 and finished it on August 19. This little comedic gem is courtesy of the finished book pile at my parents' house. There are all kinds of super random books in the perma-pile at their house.
My step-mother, Sally, mentioned that this was pretty funny, and seeing how I had just finished my other book, and was book-less on this trip, I decided that this looked like the most interesting book in the pile at that time, so gave it a go. I hadn't heard of her prior to picking up this book.
This book took a little longer to read than I thought it would, but it was really funny. Sarah Millican is a comedian. She's really funny. She cusses a lot in her book, and doesn't shy away from talking about gross things (poop, periods). At times, I found myself laughing out loud from what she wrote - it was usually about pooping / farting. This is more than just a comedy book - it's kind of an autobiography and a self-help book all in one. With each chapter, Milican gives us tips on how to be "Champion". What, exactly, is Champion - you'll have to read the book, but you can also watch this little snippet.
If you can make sense of British vocabulary, like to laugh, are ok with raunchy humor, aren't afraid of empowered women, and could use a little self-help, you'll probably like this book.
After finishing Enemy of the State by Kyle Mills on June 3, I picked up The Crossing by Michael Connelly. I started this gem on June 24th and finished it on July 4. This is another of Connelly's Harry Bosch novels, and one of just a few that include Micky Haller (aka The Lincoln Lawyer).
As with spy novels, I love Connelly's Bosch series of books. Bosh isn't a spy, he's a detective with the LAPD. So, I guess I love cop novels too. They are well-written, have a foundation in reality (Connelly uses real places in Southern California), are extremely entertaining, and they are easy to read. Like with the Mitch Rapp books, these books, especially near their end, do the exact opposite of what I use nighttime reading for - these rile me up and make me stay up way past when I should in order to finish them and see what happens.
This book has Harry, now retired from the LAPD, bamboozled into helping his half brother, Micky Haller, with a case he's working on. Generally Harry does not work with defense attorneys on cases, but somehow Micky entices Harry to want to learn more about the case. And, as all of the previous Harry Bosch novels show us, when Harry's interest is piqued, he's in. That's precisely what happens here and how he ends up working with a defense attorney. Of course Harry relies on some help inside the LAPD for his investigation into the murder of a woman allegedly by Haller's client.
I'm from Southern California so it is easy for me to imagine the sights and sounds as Connelly writes them. This helps make the book more vivid and real in my imagination. Connelly's books are always entertaining, interesting, and thrilling to read. I've never been disappointed, and keep coming back for more.
