PARABLE OF THE SOWER' Octavia E. Butler

 Refinished Su 5/24/26

This is one of my ancient trade paperbacks and I finished it the first time in March of 1995, again in June of 2021.

From AI Mode:

"The Core PremiseThe Setting: Set in the 2020s, the US has descended into anarchy with roaming scavengers, addiction, and chronic water shortages. The privileged hide in walled enclaves, desperately trying to cling to the past.The Protagonist: 15-year-old Lauren Olamina, the daughter of a preacher, suffers from "hyperempathy"—a condition where she physically feels the pain of others.The Journey: When her enclave is destroyed, Lauren and a band of refugees journey north, attempting to survive the hostile landscape while building a new foundational belief system called Earthseed (central tenet: God is Change)."  

From 'shelf-promotion':

"Without spoiling the plot, I will stray away from further summarizing as this book is jam packed with so much action that it is difficult to discuss. Instead, I would like to talk more about the world-building and compare that to the 2024 we live in today. It is no denying that climate change has begun to rampage small communities and even countries around the world, something that is ever present in Californian minds’ today. From flooding to firestorms, Butler effortlessly predicts many of the major natural disasters that have been ramping up in recent years, but even more interesting is how much she correctly depicts the politically corrupt environment that we can see in news broadcasts. In the story, we also hear about many failed experiments that cause the spread of disease and drugs, such as “pyro,” a drug that makes the user essentially addicted to fire and arson. 

Because of many of these accuracies, Butler has seen mass praise, but also backlash from the political comparisons. Even at the time of release, Butler faced criticism for calling the book “speculative fiction” rather than “science fiction,” a common complaint that many writers face, but in the case of “Parable of the Sower,” it seems that a nerve has been grasped, not just touched. I personally find this book to be fascinating for these reasons, even down to the smallest details there exists many tethers to the world around us, in my opinion, Butler’s work is absolutely genius, and I can’t wait to read the prequel to indulge even further in our speculative dystopian future. If none of my other book suggestions have sparked your interest, then I hope that this is the exception, because this book is so insanely different from anything of the likes I’ve read before. I have no means in scaring you away from the devastation explored here, but this book is so telling of the reality we live in, and it has honestly become somewhat of a wake-up-call to see how easily Bulter predicted the present day."   ken

 

DEVIL'S WALTZ by Jonathan Kellerman

 Finished Fr 5/29/26

This is a paperback that I borrowed from Janny. I didn't want to waste my time with a book written by Kellerman, but I loved the book. Not a lot of character development, but the plot was fascinating. However, I expected more at the end. When the book ended I actually turned the page and thought that there would be more to the story. 

 The novel is about a couple with a three year old girl. The little girl is suffering from many hard to explain illnesses. Alex Delaware (he's a child psychologist) is called in because they thought it might be a 'mental' problem. Not the girl, but her parents might be involved: 'Munchausen by proxy'.

In the end, it's dad that was administering the drugs to make the child sick. Mom was a liar and had many illicit sexual partners, but she wasn't involved with her daughter's problems. I thought the mother would somehow be connected, but that was not the case. 

From Publishersweekly.com:

" Kellerman's psychologist/sleuth Alex Delaware nimbly executes tricky steps of his own when called in to consult on the mysterious ailments afflicting a baby being seen at his training hospital in Los Angeles. In his seventh appearance (after Private Eyes ), Delaware is in top form, carefully pursuing the possibility that 21-month-old Cassie Jones may be the victim of Munchausen's Disease by Proxy, a complex syndrome in which a parent, usually the mother, secretly causes the symptoms that endanger the child. That Cassie is the only grandchild of the hospital's new CEO, a corporate hotshot who has demoralized the staff with cutbacks and a new administration of ``paramilitary types,'' adds political twists to the case's knotty psychological aspects. After a doctor involved in computer research is murdered in the hospital parking lot, Delaware calls on his friend Milo, a gay LAPD homicide cop currently serving as an input clerk. They link an earlier murder to the hospital and then key into a secret federal investigation, all the while trying to keep Cassie safe. With familiar characters, including Delaware's woodworking girlfriend Robin, and some well-developed new ones, notably the hospital's thuggish security head and an uptight pediatric nurse, Kellerman steadily turns up the suspense, reserving some surprises to spring near the end of this intricate tale, the best of recent Alex Delaware stories."   

THE MURDERER INVISIBLE by Philip Wylie

 This is one of my ancient paperbacks that I bought at the library booksale for a quarter in January of 1996. I first finished the book the first time on Th 10/22/15. This time I completed it on Tu 5/19/26.

I didn't remember a thing about the story, but my original comment still holds; "Doesn't adapt well to 'The War On Terror'. On naked man? They could just wait until winter."

From AI Overview:

"The story centers on William Carpenter, a brilliant but misanthropic and power-mad scientist. After discovering a formula that renders matter invisible, Carpenter decides not to share his discovery for the betterment of humanity. Instead, driven by ego and a deep-seated desire to conquer society and punish his enemies, he becomes an invisible terrorist. He manages to succeed in his plans of destruction and worldwide panic."   ken

The premise is a little silly. One man (who must remain naked because his clothes are not affected by his process) causing such global confusion is a little hard to accept. 

In the end they throw a bottle of ink on the bad guy so that they can see where he is.

So similar to the plot of 'THE INVISIBLE MAN' by HG Wells. 

Philip Wylie is known for his book of essays- 'GENERATION OF VIPERS' ("Momism").

THE REMAINS OF THE DAY by Kazuo Ishiguro

 This was one of my very old trade paperbacks. There is no indication that I've read this before, but I think I had it in a different edition. I know I had seen the film, but the book really highlights the 'unreliable narrator'.

A seasoned English butler reviews his life when he learns that a woman who was part of the staff many years ago might return to work the manor house. I guess, in the end, he prefers 'duty' to 'personal satisfaction'.

From AI Mode: "The novel takes place in post-war England in 1956. Stevens, the longtime butler of the grand Darlington Hall, receives a letter from Miss Kenton, the former head housekeeper whom he hasn't seen in twenty years. Seizing the opportunity, he embarks on a six-day motoring trip across the English countryside to visit her. While physically traveling to meet Miss Kenton, the true journey of the novel happens within Stevens's memories. Through flashbacks, the narrative unspools his years of service to Lord Darlington, an aristocrat who inadvertently associated with Nazi sympathizers in the lead-up to WWII."

It was a great read and I should get more by Ishiguro. 

PLAYER PIANO by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

 Finished Fr 5/8/26

This is one of my ancient paperbacks that I bought at BOOKS ON BELMONT' on one of my trips to Chicago in the 90's. I have no idea where this shop is, although I'm pretty sure that it's on Belmont. 

The book was released in 1952 and was truly far ahead of its' time.However, Vonnegut's style is totally different from his later (and more famous works) books. This one is a dense style and the newer stuff is much more spare.

The book is overwhelmingly about the horrors of "mechanization" but also about the internal struggles in the married relationship between 'the hero' and his wife.

 From ebsco.com:

""Player Piano" is Kurt Vonnegut's debut novel, classified as dystopian fiction. Set in the fictional city of Ilium after World War III, the narrative depicts a society dominated by an elite class of manager-engineers, while the displaced populace, whose jobs have been automated, struggles for identity and purpose. Central to the story is Paul Proteus, the son of a former Works Manager, who grapples with the pressures of societal advancement and his personal dissatisfaction. The player piano serves as a key symbol of automation, representing the dehumanizing effects of technology that replace human labor. Throughout the novel, Vonnegut explores themes of identity, purpose, and the existential crises faced by those rendered obsolete by progress. As Proteus navigates his internal conflict and the expectations of his wife, he ultimately chooses to embrace human fallibility over the cold efficiency of technology. The narrative culminates in a failed revolution led by Proteus, highlighting his quest for meaning in a world that often equates identity with work. "Player Piano" poignantly critiques the human cost of automation, emphasizing the deep connection between employment and self-worth."

RAGE AND THE REPUBLIC: The Unfinished Story Of The American Revolution by Jonathan Turley

 This was a book that I borrowed on audio from Amazon Prime Music. I get one audio pick per month and I know that I had this for many weeks. 

It's a terrific view of American history as seen through the eyes of Thomas Paine and James Madison. One man believed in 'total freedom' (Paine) and Madison was terrified of 'Mobocracy'- the democracy becomes a mob. 

It was so good that my next audio is also by Turley, 'THE INDISPENSABLE RIGHT: Free Speech In An Age Of Rage". 

From the book's page at Amazon:

 This is a book about revolutions. Most countries are the progeny of revolution. At the birth of this nation, the Founding Fathers faced the quintessential question of self-governance: how do you keep democracy from devolving into violent anarchy or brutal despotism? Drawing on little-known facts from the founding, Jonathan Turley reveals how the United States escaped the cycles of violence and instability that plagued other democratic movements, from ancient Athens to 19th-century France.

As the nation approaches a new era marked by artificial intelligence, robotics, and profound economic shifts, America must again withstand the pressure of radical forces that seek to curtail our natural liberties under the guise of popular reform. In this crisis of faith, many politicians and pundits are questioning the very principles of American democracy, and some law professors are even calling for scrapping the Constitution.

Synthesizing sources from history to philosophy to the arts, Turley offers a hopeful account of how the lessons of the past can guide us through today’s “crisis of faith” in democracy and see us into the future. He notes: “From redcoats to robots, our challenges have changed. Yet, we have remained. Our greatest danger is not forgetting the history detailed in this book, but forgetting who we were in that history.”"

CITY OF ILLUSIONS by Ursula K. LeGuin

 This was one of my ancient paperbacks that I bought at 'BOOKS ON BELMONT' a Chicago bookstore that I don't remember. I finished the novel on Tu 2/9/93. This time I finished on Fr 5/1/26.

It's kind of a cautionary tale about 'global governments'. 'The Aliens' {The Shing} have created small isolated settlements of humans all over the planet. They do this to 'keep us separate and without power', {like redrawing the voting lines within states}.

The hero is left naked and discovered without a clue as to his identity. His eyes are like the eyes of a cat. 

From techietonics.com:

"The story is set on Earth in the future, after a big disaster that has destroyed much of civilization, because of which, knowledge and information are hard to find, and people live separated in small groups. The story builds up slowly, and as it progresses, the plot thickens. It begins with a man named Falk who is found in the woods without remembering who he is. He also has strange eyes that don’t look fully human. Initially, the forest people teach him how to speak and how to survive in their environment. One of these people, Parth, becomes very close to Falk, forming a strong relationship. Their connection is deep, but it’s not a typical romantic relationship. As the story goes on, Falk begins to experience small flashes of memories from his past, especially about a distant mountain. It hints that there is an important, possibly hidden, part of Falk’s history that is waiting to be uncovered.

His journey from the forest to the mysterious city of Es Toch is one of the most interesting parts. He runs into all kinds of groups, such as an old telepathic Listener who lives alone in a cabin, a weirdly charming despot who calls himself the Prince of Kansas, and a nomadic tribe who blind him during a ritual. None of these people feel like filler. They each show a different way humanity has adapted or broken down. The Listener in particular stuck with me. He can’t read thoughts, only emotions, which ends up telling Falk more than words ever could, like he says,  

“I know the compass of your mind, outlandish as it is, whether I will or no. North and south are dim; far back in the east is a lost brightness; to the west there lies darkness, a heavy darkness. I know that darkness.”" 

TEA & TRANQUILLISERS by Diane Harpwood

 This is one of my ancient trade paperbacks that I first finished Su 1/5/14. I read the book during a bad snowstorm. It was a raging blizzard and we had the coldest temperature in 30 years and that day temps didn't rise above seven below zero.

The title seems like it might be a book about a struggle with pain pills, but this isn't the case. It's more about the relationships between men and women before the thrust of the women's movement. The book was released in 1982.

The wife still loves her husband, but she puts up with a lot. "I love Motherhood, but I'd rather be a father". Marriage provides the man with a life long cleaning service and sex on demand. 

It was a fun memoir and I will recommend it to Janny. 

KINDRED by Octavia Butler

 Finished Th 4/23/26 on Kindred through a library loan.

A woman from 1976 is transported back to the eastern shore of Maryland in 1819. The woman is black and experiences all of the social, racial, and economic issues that come with elevating one race over another.

From AI Overview: 

"Kindred by Octavia E. Butler is a powerful, harrowing, and essential masterpiece of historical fiction and sci-fi that transports a modern Black woman to the antebellum South to save her white ancestor. It is highly regarded for its visceral, non-sugarcoated depiction of slavery's brutality, exploring themes of race, power, and survival."

I really loved the book and would read anything by Butler.

an excellent discussion of the novel:

https://kara.reviews/kindred/

DAWN by Octavia Butler

 Finished Su 4/19/26

This was one of my paperbacks that finished in Key West on Th 9/3/98.

I really like Butler's style and reminds me of subjects that Philip K. Dick would develop.

Lilith awakens on a spaceship. She has been 'asleep' for 250 years and Earth has been conquered by an alien race. 

The premise is that this alien culture is 'breeding' Earthings to become 'better'. 

The book is the first in a trilogy and I'm considering buying the set on Amazon.

From a review online:

"Octavia Butler is one of my all-time favorite authors and was a groundbreaking African American science fiction writer known for her exploration of complex social issues, including race, gender, power, and survival. She was one of the first Black women to achieve mainstream success in the genre and became a MacArthur “Genius” Grant recipient. Butler’s work is deeply philosophical, often engaging with questions of identity, autonomy, and the nature of humanity. “Dawn,” published in 1987, is the first book in Butler’s “Lilith’s Brood trilogy” (originally Xenogenesis). The novel was written during a time of rising concerns about nuclear war and environmental devastation, both of which influenced its themes of survival and rebuilding civilization. Butler was also responding to the genre’s traditionally Eurocentric narratives, introducing a unique perspective on human-alien relations that subverts colonialist tropes.

“Dawn” follows Lilith Iyapo, a Black woman who wakes up in captivity aboard an alien spaceship centuries after Earth has been devastated by nuclear war. She learns that the Oankali, an advanced alien species, have rescued the last remnants of humanity, preserving them in suspended animation while studying their biology. The Oankali are genetic traders who wish to merge their DNA with humans to create a hybrid species, offering survival at the cost of genetic autonomy. As Lilith is trained to awaken other humans and prepare them for life on a partially restored Earth, she grapples with moral dilemmas. The Oankali claim their intervention is necessary due to humanity’s self-destructive tendencies, but many of the revived humans resist, perceiving the aliens as captors rather than saviors. Lilith is caught between her desire to ensure humanity’s survival and her growing awareness that the Oankali’s help comes with profound consequences.

Review of the Book:

I think I’ve made it abundantly clear that I love this book and, in my eyes, it is perfect, so it is difficult to say anything negative about this fantastic novel. I love how this book challenges traditional science fiction narratives, not only in the sense that this is one of the first truly inclusive sci-fi books, but it has a certain ambiguity that doesn’t paint one side as better or worse. The Oankali are neither benevolent saviors nor malicious conquerors, but something more ambiguous. With that, the novel forces readers to reconsider the definition of humanity and whether survival is worth the price of transformation.

Additionally, the world-building is another fantastic element of the novel. Butler crafts an intricate alien society with unique biology, behaviors, and motivations. The Oankali’s ability to manipulate genetics raises profound ethical questions, and their interactions with humans feel deeply unsettling yet strangely logical. Butler’s prose is clear and compelling, with a deep psychological insight into Lilith’s struggles. The protagonist is complex, strong-willed, and resourceful, making her a fascinating guide through this alien world. And finally, the novel’s themes of consent, power imbalance, and cultural assimilation remain strikingly relevant, particularly in discussions about colonialism and bioethics.

Overall, “Dawn” is a masterful work of speculative fiction that challenges readers to rethink assumptions about identity, autonomy, and survival. Butler’s storytelling is as unsettling as it is thought-provoking, forcing readers to confront difficult questions about humanity’s future. Its originality and depth make it a must-read for those interested in complex, socially conscious science fiction, an absolute 100/10 in my eyes." 

an excellent link about the novel:

https://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/Octavia-Butler/Dawn.html

PHANTOM by Jo Nesbo

 Finished the Kindle edition Tu 4/14/26

This was a novel that I got from the library on Kindle.

It was part of the Harry Hole series and it's a stand-alone novel, but it was a little confusing. It's the 9th book in the series. 

Harry is trying to find out who killed the son of an old lover. The reveal is that the kid who Harry thought was innocent was actually the murderer. 

A detailed recap of the book:

https://746books.com/2014/12/03/phantom-jo-nesbo/

From a reviewer at Amazon:  

""Phantom" by Jo Nesbo is an excellent book. I think this, even though I don't particularly like Police Crime novels. But Nesbo's stories are different: rich, engrossing, clever, brutal, full of carefully developed characters, even sentimental and loving at time, and astonishingly literary. The above title to my review is from Page 205 and is spoken by the ghost of the dead Gusto, one of the narrators in the story, a beautiful young man who is murdered. Wrongly accused of the murder, Oleg, the son of Harry Hole's erstwhile lover Rakel is already in prison awaiting prosecution. Harry, Nesbo's main police guy (or ex-police in this story), has returned from a 3 year hiatus in Hong Kong to save Oleg, believing him to be innocent of the murder. Harry has a troubled past (aptly illustrated in the long-running series), operates often as a loose cannon, doesn't really care what anybody thinks, and uses his long-established police and other Oslo connections to work his magic. Harry has long been Oleg's only father-figure. Harry loves the boy and puts his life on the line time and time again in his attempts to save him." 

THE LATHE OF HEAVEN by Ursula K. Leguin

 I didn't record when I finished the novel, but it was in early April of 2026. I've read the book several times since I bought it at the library booksale on Sa 2/7/04.

It's the story of a man who seeks psychological help when he realizes that his dreams are affecting reality. However, his therapist hijacks his ability and uses 'the changes' to implement what the counsulor feels should be 'real'. 

A take on the novel from 'sammatey.substack.com':

"That’s the book. It’s a really good book! From one perspective, it’s lost some of its punch these days because it’s very much “of its time” and can seem outdated: many people now worry far more about human population decline than human population growth, as fertility rates are dropping sharply around the world. But I would argue that as time has gone by, The Lathe of Heaven has actually taken on a whole new meaning that enriches the reading experience. As its featured fears receded into the past; it’s become a fascinating time capsule of what smart people in the mid-20th century were extremely worried about. The litany of horrors George dreams up really did seem like very plausible near-term futures in the 1970s. Reading books and articles from the time gives a sense of a broad-based horrifying feeling among many intelligentsia of the time that dystopian tradeoffs were inevitable, that we’d either have Malthusian mass famine or totalitarian control of all reproduction, and probably lots of both. The fact that we have a population of over eight billion humans as of 2024 would have seemed a sure indicator of apocalypse to many. Make Room! Make Room!, the 1966 science fiction novel that inspired the movie Soylent Green, posited that a population of just seven billion would have caused total environmental collapse, with only the infamous ration left as a food source for the starving multitudes."  ken

PRNETICE ALVIN by Orson Scott Card

 Finished We 4/1/26

This is a paperback that I had never read and I don't know why I ignored it for so long.

The novel is set in an alternative colonial period in American history. The colonies are different and there is no American federal government. The author is Mormon and his writing reflects his 'conservative' views on life. 

From Kirkus:

"Third volume of Card's Tales of Alvin Maker (most recently Red Prophet, 1988), set in an alternate America where magic works (people have "knacks") and a fledgling US peacefully coexists with various Crown Colonies, republics, and independent Indian nations. Alvin returns to the town of his birth, Hatrack River, to take up his apprenticeship with Makepeace the blacksmith; he will also, finally, meet Peggy, the "torch" (she reads people's futures, among other things), who has been Alvin's secret protector since his birth. Alvin hopes she can teach him the art of Making. But Makepeace turns out to be a harsh and mean taskmaster; worse, Peggy has disappeared (she loves Alvin, but can foresee nothing but disaster for them as a couple). Alvin, then, learns to extend his powers greatly, but does not yet discover what he needs in order to become a Maker. After various complications involving slavery (still institutionalized in the South), Peggy returns to Hatrack River magically disguised, to be the town schoolmarm. Alvin, furious with the unyielding Makepeace and inspired by the schoolmarm's gentle guidance (he still doesn't know who she really is), mingles iron and magic to craft a golden plow that, in some eerie fashion, seems alive. Finally, Alvin and Peggy reveal themselves to each other, then part once more, as Alvin—now secure in his knowledge of the art of Making—realizes that his true vocation is to teach the art to others. Another thoughtful, involving, immensely appealing yarn, bubbling with folksy charm: Alvin shows no sign of running out of steam." 

This novel is part of a series and I would like to read more of this 'fantasy fiction'. 

 

VICTIM by Gary Kinder

 Finished Tu 3/26/26: Superb Non-Fiction!

This is one of my ancient paperbacks that I bought at Forsyth old book barn on Sa 11/25/15 and I read it again and finished on Sa 1/23/16.

I said that "it's as good as they said it would be" and "leaves Anne Rule in the dust and easily compares to Truman Capote's 'IN COLD BLOOD'". 

This has to be one of the most gruesome 'botched robberies' ever recorded- The Hi- Fi Murders; Ogden, Utah; April 1974. 

I was surprised that the author never wrote any more True Crime books. However, he is a famous lawyer and is known for his software program that he developed. 

This would have made a terrific movie although it was done many years ago (not so good) and starred Richard Chamberlin. 

I loved the book and I've been hyping it to Janny. 

THE PURPLE BOOK by Philip Jose Farmer

Finished We 3/25/26

This is one of my ancient paperbacks that I had never read and purchased at the library book sale on Sa 6/9/18.

It's a short collection of novellas by Farmer.

The best (by far) is part of his novel, 'THE RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE'. This is a pun on the Zane Grey novel and deals with an American future in which the government financially supports all citizens. 'Purple' was picked because the color invokes the richness of ancient Rome. 

The poor are housed in ovid shaped apartments located about 20 feet above the surface. Everything is paid, but the lifestyle is boring and people are moved randomly to protect against popular uprisings. I would have loved to read this interesting book because with the real threat of AI and complete automation it is not at all surprising that the government would initiate a 'standard minimum salary for all'. 

One novella dealt with C.B. Demille coming back and making a movie with The Devil and God. One dealt with Rip Van Winkle and the others were completely forgettable. 

I'd still read anything by Philip Jose Farmer because he was one of the best 'pulp fiction' writers who ever lived.    

MANHATTAN IS MY BEAT by Jeffrey Deaver

 This is a paperback that I bought at the Rochester Book Sale in 2023. I bought a bag of books for five bucks. Finished Su 4/23/23 and refinished on Su 3/8/26.

The story involves a young woman who works at a video store in NY city. She went to a man's apartment to pick up a video and the man had been murdered. It's a cute story with lots of twists. 

From AI Overview:

"Manhattan Is My Beat (1988) by Jeffery Deaver is the first book in the Rune trilogy, featuring a 20-year-old punk-styled amateur sleuth who works in a NYC video store. When her favorite customer is murdered, she investigates, believing a classic film noir holds the clue to a stolen fortune.

Rune is described as smart, witty, street-wise, and obsessed with old films, making her an unconventional heroine.

Plot: Following the murder of elderly customer Mr. Kelly, Rune uncovers a connection between his death and a real-life, unsolved bank robbery, drawing her into a dangerous investigation."

SUICIDE BLONDE by Darcey Steinke

 Refinished Th 3/4/26

This is one of my old trade paperbacks that I first read Th 7/23/98.

Not much of this novel stuck with me, but it was an enjoyable read.

From KIRKUS:

"After her relatively demure debut (Up Through the Water, 1989), Steinke turns up the heat for this episodic tale of kinky sex and all-out depravity. It's a bad girl's memoir of her descent into the netherworld of San Francisco's Mission District. In two weeks, pretty young Jesse (a woman always ``attracted'' to people who make her feel ``inadequate'') explores the seamy underside of modern life. Doing penance for her ``bland suburban past,'' Jesse ``dabbles in perversity.'' Her lover, a handsome actor named Bell, is busy mooning for his former boyfriend, soon to be married in L.A. Insanely jealous, Jesse confides in Madam Pig, an obese alcoholic for whom she keeps house. The reclusive old dame encourages Jesse to seek out a woman named Madison, who Pig claims is her daughter. In fact, Madison, Pig's ex-lover, is now a junkie prostitute who works from a bar in the Mission. From the moment they meet, Jesse is drawn to her sense of ease and power, and moves into Madison's apartment. Jesse's adventures begin: a trip to a live peep show; anonymous sex in a darkroom; sex with Bell in the presence of a trollish homosexual; masturbation with a statute of Christ in an empty church; a hand-job to a homosexual in a gay bar; turning a few tricks at Madison's whorehouse; smoking opium in a den run by a hermaphrodite; and witnessing Madison penetrate a john so violently with her fist that he dies. This last finally convinces Jesse that all ``relationships'' are ``sinister, violent, even murderous.'' As if all this weren't laying it on a bit thick, Steinke has Bell commit suicide at the very moment of Kevin's wedding. That's totally in keeping with the reductive psychology everywhere evident in this silly, violent book. So self-consciously seeking ``that exquisite kick of perversity,'' this callow fiction comes off as something along the lines of a much more sincere American Psycho. All the more pathetic. Expect the usual brouhaha: condemnation, then increased sales."

MY LIFE WITH EDGAR CAYCE by David E. Kahn

 Finished Su 3/1/26

Another book written by a contemporary of Cayce's. 

From AI Overview:

"My Life with Edgar Cayce by David E. Kahn (as told to Will Oursler) provides an intimate, firsthand account of life with the famous "Sleeping Prophet," offering personal anecdotes and insights into his character. It is noted for revealing the human side of Cayce beyond his psychic readings.

Focuses on the daily life and personality of Edgar Cayce, complementing more clinical, clinical studies of his work."

THE STORY OF EDGAR CAYCE: THE IS A RIVER by Thomas Sugrue

 Finished Th 2/26/26

I was a big fan of Cayce back when I was in my twenties and some of it still resonates. 

His history of hypnotism includes people who were able tap into other dimensions. The ability to 'learn by sleeping over a book' was something that was noted when hypnotism was discovered. It seems to say that Cayce was one of a number of people who had this gift. 

Written by Thomas Sugrue, a journalist who knew Cayce personally, it is the only biography published during Cayce's lifetime. 

The book covers Cayce's life, from his Kentucky roots to his development as a spiritual messenger and medical clairvoyant who, in a trance state, could diagnose illnesses, suggest remedies, and discuss topics like reincarnation and Atlantis.

If I am ever at Virginia Beach, Virginia I will definitely pay the headquarters a visit. 

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Stieg Larsson

 Finished Th 2/19/26

This was a paperback that I noticed on the living room shelf. I own the first and second novel in the series. I remember that I liked to movie. I know that I saw the Noomi Rapace version where she played Lizbeth Salander and I wasn't even aware of the Daniel Craig film. I was shocked to learn that neither film was listed at Reelgood. I was able to stream the Daniel Craig Film on Tubi and I learned this from IMDB. 

A disgraced Swedish publisher is asked by a wealthy industrialist to find out the mystery of his missing niece (Harriet, his brother's daughter). In the summer of 1966 she disappeared at a street festival and was never seen again. Decades later it's revealed that she escaped the island in the trunk of a car. In the movie she relocated to Australia to establish a 'station' (what Australians call a 'ranch').

Reveal: Harriet was being sexually abused by her father and her brother. She also learns that her brother and father were a couple of serial killers of women and had been operating for many, many years. Lizbeth Salander is the tattooed hacker that is able to uncover any secret on the Internet. 

A great read and I'm looking forward to the second book. It's too bad that the original movie from Sweden is no longer available and I was really surprised that the Daniel Craig version was not more popular. 

I finished the book on Thursday and watched the film version on Friday morning. I love living in the modern world! 

NOT BY THE SWORD by Kathryn Watterson

 Finished Su 2/9/26

This is an ancient hardback that I had never read. It seems like something that I wouldn't read, but it actually was quite interesting. A completely different take on the 'I was lost, and then I was found' point of view. 

"How the Love of a Cantor and His Family Transformed a Klansman"

Larry Trapp was a young man deeply involved in anti-government activities. A Jewish couple decide to 'save' him, however they aren't trying to get him to accept 'their god', but they actually help the guy in his daily life. Instead of pulling up to his house with an armload of 'good news  for modern man' information, they help with his shopping, cleaning, and personal hygiene. 

Larry Trapp was a 'Type 1' Diabetes which means that his pancreas didn't work and he had to have daily injections. However, Trapp did nothing about his diet and he soon lost both legs and he was almost completely blind.

From Kirkus:

"A moving, though overlong, account of the triumph of patience and tolerance over bigotry. Based on a remarkable series of events that transpired in Lincoln, Neb., in the early 1990s, this book by journalist Watterson chronicles the transformation of Larry Trapp, Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan of Nebraska. Trapp, the product of a terribly abusive childhood and a number of years in institutions, assumed a leadership role in reviving Klan activities in Nebraska. Handicapped and confined to a wheelchair, he spent his considerable energies on disseminating hate literature, leaving obscene messages on the phone machines of civil rights activists, and planning attacks on members of minorities who moved into Lincoln. When Cantor Michael Weisser and his wife, Julie, decided to respond to Trapp's harassment by offering him help of the most basic kind— help with shopping and getting around—he was initially spiteful and wary. But he was also touched by the offer. Though well narrated, the story of how this developing and uneasy friendship led Trapp to renounce his ties to the Klan and eventually convert to Judaism is muddled by a plethora of uplifting quotes from inspirational literature, giving the account a New Age flavor. Towards the end of the book we learn that the cantor and his wife have also undergone remarkable personal recoveries from abuse and emotional deprivation, which clarifies their ability to bring about a transformation in Trapp. His conversion to Judaism is not easily accepted by some members of the Weissers' congregation (``forgiving your enemy is one thing, but letting him become a member of your family is another,'' says one temple member). Trapp dies soon after his conversion ceremony, and his very moving funeral—attended by many of the individuals whom he attacked—is the book's closing scene. This story received considerable media attention in 1992; for those who missed it, Watterson tells it in historical and social context—a bit too much so." ken

 

MAKING A KILLING by Warren Dunford

 Finished Sa 1/31/26

This is one of my ancient trade paperbacks that I had never read. The novel is written with a kind of a gay Agatha Christie plotline. The setup is that a young man is thrown out of a third story window and is impaled on a fence. His father was stabbed to death and left in the room where the boy had fallen. It was believed that the son killed his dad and then jumped out of the window. This is not what happened. 

The novel is set in the Bloor Street area of Toronto, Canada. This is a 'hip' area of the city with trendy shopping and old money homes.

This was a light read and somewhat enjoyable, but I still do not like the Agatha Christie setup. The author introduces many possible suspects and the reader is supposed to guess the killer. 

From Publishers Weekly:

"Dunford's immensely satisfying sequel to last year's Soon to Be a Major Motion Picture picks up several years later with the same appealing characters. Soon found fledgling Toronto screenwriter Mitchell Draper and his friends Ingrid and Ramir in a sendup of crime dramas and Mafia Princess potboilers. This latest venture is a smart and self-aware parody of gothic murder mysteries, complete with a bevy of suspects, hidden staircases in a spooky mansion ("the kind of house that had inspired the game of Clue"), ancient secrets and even a giant party at the end that brings all the suspects back to the scene of the crime. Alert readers will catch references to Rosemary's Baby, The Haunting of Hill House and Scooby Doo. The biggest surprise is the book's gradual slide from hilarious homage to an honest-to-goodness locked-door mystery. Few will guess the outcome of the clever twists that tantalize until the final pages. Mitchell's idea that a 20-year-old father-son murder-suicide would make a blockbuster movie script finds him investigating the long-closed case and discovering new facts that may endanger him and his cohorts. Meanwhile, Ingrid is attempting reconciliation with her ex-husband, and Ramir has joined a charismatic cult whose leader was intimately involved in the tragedy. New characters are especially well drawn, notably dying designer Cortland McPhee, aging sexpot Gabriella Hartman ("one of Entertainment Weekly's 101 Stars Who Just Won't Give Up") and her Thelma Ritter–like psychic adviser Jane Choy. While some readers will be eager to see what genre Dunford turns his comedic talents to next, others will hope he settles into mystery for good."

THE 6:20 MAN by David Baldacci

 Finished Su 1/25/26

This was a trade paperback that Janny loaned me. Usually I think Baldacci is today's James Patterson and these books are not well written and just for the 'ride'. However, this one was interesting as it concerns Travis Devine, an Army Ranger who goes to work on Wall Street. He's doing it to appease his father. When his father learned that he was an 'Ranger' he asked what national park he would work at...."My son is Smokey The Bear". Travis leaves the military and starts to earn big bucks in investment banking. 

From Debbish.com:

"Every day without fail, Travis Devine puts on a cheap suit, grabs his faux-leather briefcase, and boards the 6:20 commuter train to Manhattan, where he works as an entry-level analyst at the city’s most prestigious investment firm. In the mornings, he gazes out the train window at the lavish homes of the uberwealthy, dreaming about joining their ranks. In the evenings, he listens to the fiscal news on his phone, already preparing for the next grueling day in the cutthroat realm of finance.

Then one morning Devine’s tedious routine is shattered by an anonymous email: She is dead.

Sara Ewes, Devine’s coworker and former girlfriend, has been found hanging in a storage room of his office building—presumably a suicide, prompting the NYPD to come calling on him. If that wasn’t enough, Devine receives another ominous visit, a confrontation that threatens to dredge up grim secrets from his past in the Army unless he participates in a clandestine investigation into his firm.

This treacherous role will take Travis from the impossibly glittering lives he once saw only through a train window, to the darkest corners of the country’s economic halls of power…where something rotten lurks. And apart from this high-stakes conspiracy, there’s a killer out there with their own agenda, and Devine is the bullseye."

Odd Premise: The bad guy who runs the brokerage house uses a woman in a bikini to signal trades secretly. She's in a green suit if they are to continue to trade and she's in a red bikini if they are to shut down. 

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. by Robert Heilein

 Ebook borrowed from Lincoln Library and finished We 1/21/26

I've read this half a dozen times over the years. I was surprised to learn that it was first published in 1961. 

He dedicates the book to 3 people and one of them is Philip Jose Farmer

THE BRASS VERDICT by Michael Connelly

 Finished Su 1/1126

This was a paperback that I at the Rochester library book sale on Su 4/23/23. This was the last time that I will be attending a library book sale. There just isn't anything of any depth because it's all 'light reading' and I want something more. 

However, I liked this novel because it's the first time that Micky Haller works with Bosch. I was going to give it to Janny, but I noticed that she had just lent me this book in hardback. 

 The review of 'THE BRASS VERDICT' at The Guardian:

"Mickey Haller, who runs his legal practice from a car, is ready to get back to work after a year off recovering from a gunshot wound and an addiction to painkillers. But he gets more work than he wants when he inherits the caseload of a colleague, Jerry Vincent, who has been found dead. The cases include the forthcoming murder trial of film producer Walter Elliot, who seems strangely serene about his impending legal date. Mickey has to discover what Elliot is so smug about, and all the while the police are trying to find out who killed Vincent. Could there be a connection? The author is one of the top American crime writers, and whether you pick up one of his celebrated cop novels or a legal thriller such as this, you can be assured of an intriguing plot, decent characterisation, excellent writing and an exciting ending."

BLUE CALHOUN by Reynolds Price

Finished Mo 1/5/26

This is one of my ancient paperbacks that I had never read. However, this was one of the finest novels that I've read in a long time. 

In broad strokes the story is about a 35 year old musical instrument salesman who falls madly in love with a sixteen year old girl. The disruption caused by this action has ramifications that affect his family forever.

The book is Blue (the guys name) explaining his life to his granddaughter. 

He has a 13 year old daughter who he worships and his wife his 'long suffering, yet forgiving'. Mom and daughter are both Catholics and the family lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is also Reynolds Price's home. Luna is the sixteen year old girl who is far older than her years. Her mother is a childhood friend of Blue's. 

The reveal is that his daughter's husband (the storyline moves ahead thiry) might be having some kind of sexual interaction with Blue's granddaughter, Lyn. Dane, her father commits suicide when Blue witnesses what he thinks is a sexual encounter with the young girl. 

The story is told in a very southern, almost 'decorous' style. 

From the book's page at KIRKUS:

"Written in the almost buttery style that Price has favored since Kate Vaiden (1986), this melodrama concerns an ex-alcoholic music salesman, Blue Calhoun, living in Raleigh, North Carolina, in the 1950's. Having sorely tried his wife and daughter and old mother by his drinking (he's sober now), Blue at last seems level. But then into the downtown music store where he works comes an old acquaintance from high school and her 16-year-old daughter, Luna. Blue is tempted and again falls; Luna (an incest victim) is a taste of freedom and possible redemption. He tries giving her up once, and is taken back by his family, but the leukemia death of an old bachelor friend re-involves Blue with Luna (in a not terribly credible plot-thickening). This second lapse is more serious, and, in sorrow, his long-suffering wife, daughter, and mother send him away. Blue will get still another chance (the story is boned with second and third chances), but his flaw has affected three—and ultimately four—generations of Calhoun women permanently. Only their patience and grace-in-pain reconstitute him. Price, in his recent books, has been assembling a kind of humane moral iconography: variously posed portraits of the utterly human sinner, no better and no worse than people can be; and strong versions of the Blessed Woman. Here, though, in the soapy re- curlings of the style (``I understood I'd failed completely, now today if never before in my long mess. I knew I was locked in the trough of it too, out here lost on a girl's hot tether, awaiting her will''), the icon seems merely air-filled. The characters speak to each other in conspicuously sad/wise parables; themes are paired too smoothly; and a certain gooey smugness—in the classical self- condemnatory/self-congratulatory mode—lurks everywhere."