sjmccreary's alphabetic 999 overtime

I was already planning to do an alphabetic challenge as part of the 999, so I will just post it here, as well! I'm nearly finished with the 999 challenge (only 3 books to go) but with 4 months left until the 1010 challenge begins, I devised an "overtime" to the 999 challenge to have something to do for the rest of the year.

Here are the rules I'm imposing on myself:
1. Keep reading in the same 9 categories
2. Authors are to be read alphabetically by last name, in order
2a. Since some books take longer to read than others, and since I usually have 2 or 3 books in progress at the same time, I'll allow myself a little leapfrogging. It's OK to finish the B book as long as the A book has already been started. But I can't get more than 2 books ahead. It's also OK to finish the C book, but I can't post the D book until A is finished. I guess that means that I need to watch my start dates *groan*.
3. My target is 3 books in each of the 9 categories, but I'll allow myself a little bit of wiggle room and say there must be at least 2 books, but no more than 4 books in each category by the end of the alphabet.
4. Completion goal = 12/31/09.

My goal for completing the 999 challenge is 9/9/09, so I will plan to begin the alphabetic challenge on 9/10/09. However, I've already ordered my first two books (Half a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and The Judas Field by Howard Bahr) so I might decide not to wait!

Quick-reference checklist - I'll post each book individually below with comments, etc.

A - Adichie, Chimamanda - Half a Yellow Sun - started 9/13/09, completed 9/22/09, msg 5
B - Bahr, Harold - The Judas Field - started 9/14/09, completed 9/27/09, msg 6
C - Crane, Stephen - Red Badge of Courage - started 9/29/09, completed 10/5/09, msg 9
D - Dole, Bob - One Soldier's Story - started 10/6/09, completed 10/10/09, msg 13
E - Esquivel, Laura - Like Water for Chocolate - started 10/11/09, completed 10/13/09, msg 14
F - Ferber, Edna - So Big - started 10/20/09, completed 10/24/09, msg 15
G - Garber, Joseph - Whirlwind - started 10/26/09, completed 11/4/09, msg 19
H - Hughes, Langston - Not Without Laughter - started 10/28/09, completed 11/10/09, msg 20
I - Indridason, Arnaldur - Arctic Chill - started by 11/12/09, completed 11/14/09, msg 23
J - Jones, Edward P - The Known World - started 11/14/09, completed 12/12/09, msg 35
K - Kent, Kathleen - The Heretic's Daughter - started 12/17/09, completed 12/20/09, msg 36
L - Leon, Donna - Dressed for Death - started 12/28/09, completed 1/11/10, msg 37
M - Moriarty, Laura - The Center of Everything - started 1/21/10, completed 2/1/10, msg 38
N - Nabakov, Vladimir - Pale Fire
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

:) Looks like we have the first timed challenge. Welcome :)

I'm finishing the my last 2 999 challenge books (probably not today, but maybe tomorrow). Since my first 2 "overtime" books are already waiting for me at the library, I think I might not wait until the 10th to start this challenge. I'll be taking a few days off, though, to catch up on the other books I've been pushing aside in order to finish the 999. Because I'm reading in categories, I thought I'd post a list of them in the interest of full disclosure - don't want anyone to think I'm trying to count something that doesn't fit!

1. Kansas - books or authors with a Kansas connection
2. Civil war - fiction or nonfiction
3. Foreign settings - taking place outside the USA, bonus points for native authors
4. Historical settings - set more than 100 years ago
5. New-to-me authors - authors I've never read before
6. Next in the series - installment of a series I've already started, each can be listed only once, so the series I counted already for 999 will not show up here
7. Older than me - books first published before I was born (you'll just have to take my word for it)
8. Other non-fiction - any subject except American civil war
9. Mysteries & thrillers - includes all variations of the genre

"A" Book:

Half of a Yellow Sun by Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Category #3- foreign settings.

This is an excellent book that tells of the Biafran War in Nigeria in the late 1960's. Told from the point of view of the defeated Biafran's - the ethnic Igbo people - it manages to convey the horrors of war, famine, and starvation without being depressing or oppressive. I came away with more a feeling of sorrow for the suffering of those people than guilt for having escaped a similar suffering. Highly recommended. 5 stars.

"B" Book

The Judas Field by Howard Bahr. Category #2, civil war

In 1885 Cass Wakefield was asked by his longtime friend Alice Sansing to accompany her to retrieve the bodies of her father and brother. Alice is dying of cancer and, having never married, suddenly is afraid of being alone forever in the cemetery. Her father and brother had fought in the civil war in the local regiment and died at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee in 1864. Cass, the man she had hoped to marry before he married another, and Roger Lewellen, another local man, served in the same regiment and had helped to bury the Sansing men after the battle. On the journey north from their home in Cumberland, MS, Cass is thrust back into his past and must confront his memories of the war and his actions in it.

A gloomy, morose book. Very vivid descriptions of the conditions of the soldiers during the war, and of the horror of the battlefield. Also realistically shows the lingering effects of war on the lives of the soldiers, even 20 years later.

My two favorite quotes: "When we finally have enough mistakes to learn from, it's time to die" (pg 240) and "Without the possibility of defeat, the victories would have no meaning" (pg 292).

Even though the overall tone of the story is somber, I think that Bahr avoided being too heavy-handed. The descriptions are done in a matter-of-fact fashion, forcing the reader to acknowledge the ugliness that is war, and the inevitable mortality of each one of us.

This book is not to my usual taste, and I'm not sure I'll seek out any more by the author. That is the reason I'm giving it only 3-1/2 stars. However, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone who is intrigued by it in some way.

Hi simccreary, I've read The Black Flower by Howard Bahr and I found it to be much as you describe The Judas Field - very dark. I wouldn't say I hated it or that it was anything but a well written book, but I would say it also wasn't to my taste and I don't think I will be reading another of his novels. Your review has decided me to definitely avoid him in the future.

#7 And your comment has convinced me not to seek him out again, too!

"C" Book

Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. Category #2, civil war

The story of Henry Fleming, a young private in the union army who doubts his courage as he faces his first battle in the civil war.

This book is labeled "YA" by my library, but even though it is small (only 145 pages) I found it to be slow-going. Aside from the 19th century language (the book was first published in 1895), I thought the book was confusing to read as it alternated between Henry's internal dialogue and his first person observations of the people and activities around him. Henry was worried that he would not have the courage to stand his post during battle and wondered if any of the other men felt the same way, but he was too afraid to ask them. When he actually did run away from the battlefield on his first day of fighting, his intenal conflict waged between congratulating himself on being smart enough to flee in the face of defeat, and chastising himself on behaving in a cowardly fashion after meeting up with several men wounded in the victorious battle. The next day, his batallion is ordered into battle again and he is given another chance to test his courage.

After all these years of hearing the book referred to as a classic (which I suppose it is), I felt a tremendous let down upon finally reading it. 3-1/2 stars.

Hi Sandy, thought I'd come play at your place. You were asking about the Henning Mankell books - the one I just read The Dogs of Riga is only the second in the series of which there are, to date, nine. I would suggest starting at the beginning with Faceless Killers which is also very good.

Hi Judy - thanks for letting me know about this series. I usually like to read them in order, but the other day someone was raving about a book that was about 10th in the series, saying it was far and away the best yet. I was reluctant to begin a new series just to get to the #10 book, but she said they don't need to be read in order, so I'm going to jump straight to the good one! When I realized that Dogs of Riga is only the 2nd in this series, I decided it would be best to start with #1, and so that is actually the book that went on the wishlist.

I'm a little jealous of everyone who is doing both titles and authors for the alphabetic challenge, so I decided to begin a second list for titles only here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/74686

"D" Book

One Soldier's Story by Bob Dole. Category #1, Kansas

Biographies are not my favorite genre, I don't recall ever reading an autobiographical memoir (or wanting to), and I routinely turn my nose up at books by or about politicians, so I had almost no expectations of enjoying this book. Imagine my surprise to disover that, in fact, I loved it!

I chose this book solely because of Dole's connection to my home state, Kansas. Not only does Kansas play a starring role, but Dole's story is one which should make all Kansans proud that he is a native son. After being born into a blue-collar family in 1923, Bob learned from his parents' example that success comes only with hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. More an athlete than student, he attended KU hoping to make the basketball team (then as now, it was a basketball-crazy school) but was studying pre-med. He was a freshman when Pearl Harbor was bombed in December of 1941 but waited until completing the sophomore year before enlisting in the army in 1943. He spent the next year doing basic training, specialized training, then OCS before being sent to Italy as a 2nd lieutenent in 1944. It was there, taking part in the effort to gain control of the Po valley in northern Italy, that he was wounded - a gunshot wound which ruined his right shoulder and damaged the spinal cord - just weeks before the end of the war in Europe.

He spent the next 39 months in one army hospital after another. He was shipped home to Kansas completely paralyzed and encased in a plaster body cast and nearly died more than once. His mother took an apartment in Topeka and was at his bedside constantly. For more than a year he was unable to feed himself or take care of his own most basic needs. It was through a combination of his own subborn determination, the love and support of family and friends, the medical care provided by the army, and the good fortune to find a surgeon willing to work for free that he was finally able to walk again and regain much of the use of his left arm and hand. More importantly, he learned to be thankful for what he had left and not dwell on what he had lost.

After finally being discharged from the hospital, and the army, he was married and moved to Arizona to complete his degree - this time in pre-law. Back in Kansas for law school, he entered politics when he realized that being willing to go to war to defend our nation isn't enough unless one is also willing to defend it at home. Not all threats to our liberty come from outside our borders. He first ran for the state House of Representatives in 1950, after changing parties to become a Republican. And the rest, I guess, is history, for that is where the story ends.

He wrote the book with straightforward language, neither puffing himself up, nor being excessively modest. He shows us his love of family, his quiet sense of humor, his lofty goals and unswaying belief that he would achieve those goals, and his feelings of frustration and discouragement when things didn't go his way. It is easy and pleasant reading, and after finishing I wished I could shake his hand and thank him for his service to our state and to our nation. But, I have the feeling that he would continue to claim that every soldier who has served has a story to tell, and this one is no more important than any of them. I gave the book 4 stars.

"E" Book

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Category #3, Foreign settings.

I've heard so much about this book (and movie) that I really didn't know what to expect. That is because it is totally unlike anything I've ever read before. Except maybe Paul Bunyan. That is what it reminded me of - a larger-than-real-life sort of mythical story.

This is the story of Tita, the youngest daughter in a revolutionary-era Mexican ranch family. Family tradition dictates that, as such, she will not be allowed to marry and have her own family so that she will remain available to care for her mother. This was upsetting enough for her, but became unendurable when she fell in love with Pedro. After being turned down by Mama when asking for Tita's hand in marriage, he accepts her suggestion that he marry one of the older sisters, instead, in the hopes that he will at least still be in the same household as Tita. Naturally, Tita finds this solution to be hard to swallow. Which has very unfortunate consequences since Tita is the family cook, and whatever she is feeling while preparing the food shows up in the people who eat it - resulting in a disasterous wedding feast.

At first, I was totally enchanted by the book with its mystical happenings, but then found that to be a bit tedious. In the end, however, it was the straight story which charmed me. A wonderful story about love and family and how they are not always the same thing. I gave it 3-1/2 stars.

"F" Book

So Big by Edna Ferber. Category #7, Older than me.

This book tells the story of Selina Peake DeJong who was orphaned at age 19 when her father (a professional gambler) died in Chicago in 1888. He had taught her that all of life's experiences, even the bad ones, are part of a grand adventure, so she bravely faced her future by first heading off to become a teacher in a rural Illinois school, and was enchanted by the beauty she saw in the place. She became disillusioned by the adventure when, years later, she was still there, married to a Dutch truck farmer and living on a poor and unproductive farm. Her husband had refused to take any suggestions for improvements from her, so after he died she began implementing some of her ideas. She managed to support herself and her son, Dirk. The farm flourished and she was even able to send Dirk to college in Chicago and then to Cornell to study architecture - pleased that he seemed to be developing an appreciation for things of beauty. Construction projects dried up after WWI and Dirk got a job at an investment firm selling bonds, where he thrived and began to become modestly wealthy. Selina, however, wanted him to return to architecture - a profession with a soul. In the way of all young adults, Dirk believed that his mother didn't understand what was important in the modern world and ignored her. Not until later, when he met and fell in love with an artist, did he begin to reconsider his opinion on the subject. But was he too late?

This book won the Pulitzer Prize when it was published in 1924. It deserves it. I read most of it in a singe day because I was unable to keep myself from picking it up just to read a few more lines. This would be a great book club book. I gave it 4-1/2 stars.

sjmccreary - Your review of So Big has intrigued me. I will see if I can track down a copy to read. Thanks!

Wow. I'd never heard of So Big but it sounds fascinating. I'll have to put that on my second hand bookshop treasure hunt list...

#16, 17 I think you'll both enjoy this book. I liked it much better than I was expecting to.

"G" Book

Whirlwind by Joseph Garber. Category #9, mystery/thriller

Charlie McKenzie was called out of a retirement from the CIA that was forced on him after being found guilty and sentenced to an 18-month prison term for actions taken on the job. The rub is that he only did the job after receiving a personal assurance from Sam, the President's National Security Advisor that he would have full presidential immunity from prosecution. Except that Sam was "mistaken" about the president's intentions and there was no such immunity. And then he was denied compassionate parole to visit his dying wife or attend her funeral by someone very high in the executive branch. And the real kick is that now Sam is making the very same promises, if only Charlie will do this one job. Vowing to get even with the man who ruined his career and reputation, and caused him to let down his beloved Mary when she needed him most, Charlie agreed to do the job - after wrangling a $20 million down payment.

The situation at hand is the theft of one the most sensitive military technologies ever developed, from a highly secure lab in the New Mexican desert - by a rookie Russian spy, a young woman named Irina Kolodendova. Charlie's job is to retrieve "Whirlwind", the code name for the technology which was stolen, and bring Kolodendova into custody. In two and half days, at which time an open contract would be put out on Kolodendova's life. However, as soon as Charlie has received his instructions, Sam double-crosses him again by immediately contacting Johann Schmidt, a South African mercenary with his own reasons for hating Charlie, and puts him on whirlwind's trail with the promise that he can have Charlie if he can catch him.

And the game is afoot. Charlie is immediately impressed with Irina's skill and cunning, and quickly moves out of Sam's reach. But as soon as he becomes aware of Schmidt's involvement, Charlie and Irina must work together if either is to survive the chase.

A fast-paced romp across the entire American southwest, from Texas to the Pacific coast. Often irreverent, Charlie is a smart-aleck who knows exactly what he can accomplish and never doubts his abilities. He is tough and smart, but has an enormous soft spot for his wife, Mary, and for cats. And more and more respect and affection for Irina. Sam is a weasel, and Schmidt is evil incarnate. A great thriller. I loved it. 4 stars.

"H" Book

Not Without Laughter by Langston Hughes. Category #1, Kansas

(Note: The copy I read was part of a series of the works of Langston Hughes. My particular volume is The Collected Works of Langston Hughes: The novels which includes this novel as well as "Tambourines to Glory" which I did not read.)

This is the semi-autobiographical story of a young black boy living in a small Kansas town in the early 20th century. The boy, Sandy, (so called because of his sandy-colored hair) lives together with his mother in his grandmother's house. The grandmother, known to all as Aunt Hager, is a former slave (that was not true of Hughes' grandmother). His mother married a light-skinned ne'er-do-well drifter who is away more than he is home, but she loves him more than anything (and anyone) and eventually leaves Sandy behind and follows him. Aunt Hager is left alone to raise the boy until she dies.

Sandy then goes to live with his Aunt Tempy who is so enamoured of the ways of white people that she and her husband strive to behave as much like them as possible, alienating many of their black neighbors in the process. They had even left the Baptist church to join the Episcopals, much to Aunt Hager's dismay.

Motivated by different impusles, both Aunt Hager and then Aunt Tempy push Sandy to stay in school and excel so that he can make something of himself in life. By the time he is in high school, Sandy realizes that he likes school, likes learning, but is conflicted by the opposing desire to be like the other boys, not worrying about studying, quitting school and working, earning money, drinking, smoking, seeing girls - having what fun can be found in a town where blacks are not admitted to the YMCA, or to many of the theaters, restaurants and clubs. Of course, the places in the Bottoms, on the other side of the tracks, are open to anyone who dares to go. Aunt Hager had impressed upon him that that was an area to avoid. When his Aunt Harriett, only a few years older than himself, ran away from home and ended up there working as a "street walker", it broke his grandmother's heart.

When Sandy is 16, five years after she left, his mother sends for him to join her in Chicago. His father has joined the army and is in Europe fighting in WWI. She has lined up a job for him running an elevator in a large hotel and he can start immediately. He receives permission from his school to leave before final exams - cheerfully granted since he is an honor student - and takes the train to Chicago, excited by the opportunities that he imagines the big city will offer. Of course reality is a disappointment, and when his mother wants Sandy to stay away from school in the fall so that he can continue working full time to help support them both, he must decide what life he really wants to have.

A good story. Well-written. Since Sandy's life is so similar to Hughes' own, it rings absolutely true. This book was first published in 1930, after being written by Hughes while he was in college (early 1920's). The descriptions of racial segregation and prejudice are matter-of-fact. There is a very interesting account told by Aunt Hager about what slavery was "really" like. What shocked me most, I think, was the way that every single black person was described by the color of their skin. Even the men in bars and barber shops talk about women by the color of their skin. The scale runs from yellow to black. One of Sandy's friends was very light skinned and he described his plans to leave Kansas and pass as a white man, which Sandy finally concluded was a good plan. There is much debate among the black community about whites and whether they are to be hated or feared or pitied. Much of the dialogue is in the vernacular that was common among blacks at that time (and still often heard today), making the story sound realistic, but being tedious to read. Overall, I'd recommend it. 3-1/2 stars.

An excellent review. I know you only gave it 3 1/2 stars, but it made me want to read the book.

There are no reviews posted for Not Without Laughter, will you post yours, please?

#21 Thanks for the kind words. I don't know why I didn't rate the book higher, it probably deserves it. I just didn't love it that much. I actually did post the review, but it had to be attached to the particular volume that I have, which is The Collected Works of Langston Hughes: The novels.

"I" Book

Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indridason. Category #6, Next in the Series.

The latest Erlendur book, this may be the best one yet.

Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson is already struggling with a missing person case - the type of case that he has the greatest feeling for. We know from earlier books about how Erlendur, when he was 10 years old, was caught out in a blizzard with his 8-year old brother. They became separated and lost. But while Erlendur was soon found unharmed, his brother never was - nor have any remains ever been located. That experience continues to haunt him, and he has been obsessed with accounts of missing persons ever since.

The main case in this book, though, is not the missing person. This book opens with the discovery of the body of a young Asian boy, lying on the frozen ground in a pool of his own blood near his Reykjavik home. The boy, 10 years old, was the son of a Thai immigrant mother and Icelandic father. With no other leads, Erlendur and his team pursue the theory that the killing was racially motivated. There is a sizable Asian population at the neighborhood school, and not everyone is pleased to have an increasing immigrant community in Iceland.

While the murder investigation continues, Erlendur begins receiving anonymous phone calls - from the woman who has gone missing, he is sure - but she refuses to give her name or location.

Also, his grown children are calling and coming around. Due to a messy divorce when they were young, Erlendur and his children never had a warm relationship, and now he doesn't know how to deal with them. Even more uncomfortably, they are wanting to talk about the long ago incident with the blizzard and the disappearance of the brother.

This story takes place in January - the coldest and darkest time of year in Iceland. Arnaldur conveys the sense of cold isolation so effectively that I continued to pull a blanket around me while reading, even though it was warm in my room. Erlendur is a stoic, private man. Yet he is gradually being revealed without making him seem weak or broken down. I think this series just keeps getting better and better. Highly recomended. 4-1/2 stars.

You've just reminded me how excellent this series is! I have only read the first one so far, have the second on my TBR shelves. Have to get busy!

It is the end of November and I've only finished 9 of the 26 books I'd lined up for this challenge. I'm still interested in reading the other 17 books, so I'm going to give up my goal of completing by 12/31/09. Maybe I'll be finished by 12/31/10! I would lament that "I feel like such a failure!" except that I'm only mildly disappointed and really more relieved than anything to be rid of that unnecessary pressure. However, I'm still keeping all my other restrictions - they aren't bothering me. Now, I can sit back and enjoy reading again - no guilt. :-)

This is a tough challenge, Sandy. Will you be reading other books or just going towards this, first?

#26 Hi, Linda - I'm so glad you found me over here. I'll read these books as I have time and opportunity between the other challenges. I'm still excited about them, it's just that the time frame was too short to allow any wiggle room. I really didn't have time to read anything else if I was going to complete by 12/31/09. If I read one of these books every 3 weeks, I'll be done by 12/31/10. I know some of them will be faster than that - I'm optimistic that it won't drag out too long. I hope you'll drop in here now and then to nudge me along!

I am beginning to have doubts as to whether I will finish this challenge by the end of the year as well. December can be such a busy month that reading may have to take a bit of a backseat for awhile. I am looking forward to the 1010 challenge so I will just have to work on both the challenges at the same time. I really love this challenge though and might just do it again later on next year.

I hear ya sjm! This is how I feel about my 75 book challenge. I only got to 45 :( I seem to be exhibiting the same guilty feelings as you, so I'm joining the 50 book challenge in 2010.
Erase your deadline in this challenge and take it at your own pace. I'm going to be working on this challenge awhile for I'm reading all the A's on my shelf than B's etc.

PS. Cheer up you've read some outstanding books this year!

#28, 29 Thanks for the encouraging words. Now that I've let go of the 12/31/09 deadline, the only reason I'm anxious to hurry and finish this challenge is so I can start it again! I won't put restrictions on myself next time. I like this challenge because it is so open, and is a good way to clear out a bunch of tbr books! I'll do the 1010 challenge beginning in January. And the 75-book challenge which is simply where I keep track of everything I read - regardless of which other challenge they fit into. Lynda, don't think you need to leave just because you didn't get to 75 - that group seems to care more about the books and good conversation than the numbers.

This has been a good year - I have read some great books, more than in the past - plus I think I'll easily match my record for most books read, and maybe pass it.

One of the things I have liked most about this challenge is the lack of a time frame. I have no plans to finish anytime soon!

I have a question: do you count a book for both author and title?

That is: do I need to read 26 books or 52 to complete this (or somewhere in between)?

@32 lindapanzo, It's entirely up to you. Your challenge so count what you like for where you want to put it. Some people are counting the same book for both author and title, others are doing it separately.

#32 What Wolfy said. I actually have 2 different threads. This one is alphabetic by author, the other by title. Are you planning to start the challenge? Or wait until January?

I'm using this one to replace my 999 "overtime" challenge and had all 26 books mapped out in advance, alpha by author. My other one - by title - I'm also doing in alphabetic order, but just as I come across them. Some people are filling in in any order.

"J" Book

The Known World by Edward P Jones. Category #2, civil war

OK, so this book wasn't actually about the war. This book is based on the situation of a free black man in Virginia (actually born into slavery, then was purchased into freedom by his father) who owned his own plantation including slaves. Since the issue of slavery was such a large part of the conflict that led to the war, I'm counting the book in this category.

I didn't think the book was as interesting as it sounded. It won the Pulitzer Prize - and it is beautifully written. But the story it told just didn't hold my interest. Not terrible, but the sort of book that I'd put down and forget to pick back up again. Highly recommended for those who love well-written prose for its own sake. I gave it 3 stars.

"K" Book

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent. Category #4, historical settings

Story of the Salem witch hunt as told by the young daughter of one of the women executed for witchcraft. Based on an real woman's story and written by a decendent. I was captivated by the book from the first paragraph. A few of the reviewers compare this book to The Crucible which I've never read - but I plan to do so soon. Be sure to read the excellent review written by jenniferbogart. I'm giving the book 4-1/2 stars. Highly recommended.

"L" Book

Dressed for Death by Donna Leon. Category #6, Next in the series.

The 3rd book in the excellent Commissario Guido Brunetti series set in Venice, Italy, this book opens with the discovery of the body of a prominent local banker dressed in a red dress and red high-heeled women's shoes and dumped in a field in an area frequented by prostitutes. Brunetti's investigation forces him to look closely into the normally hidden world of homosexual prostitution, transvestites, and men who like boys. A world that seems to populated by several prominent, and married, men. Add to this a possible scandal involving a well-known but little understood charity, and stifling summer heat that has Brunetti's family taking refuge in the cool mountains while he is forced to cancel his vacation and stay behind in the city. The result is a fast-paced and intense investigation where the bodies seem to be piling up faster than the clues.

Recommended - 4 stars.

"M' Book

The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty. Category #1, Kansas

This is the story of Evelyn - a young girl in about the 4th grade at the beginning of the book. It is 1980 and Ronald Reagan is running for president. She lives with her mother, Tina, a single parent, in a apartment outside a small town in central Kansas. Her town is in the center of Kansas, which is in the center of the United States, which is in the center of the world map hanging in her classroom at school. The book follows Evelyn's life through her high school graduation, and places us at the center of her world as she struggles to understand it. There are awkward family relationships - her grandfather does not approve of her mother (who became an unwed teenage mother in the early 1970's). But national politics are confusing, too - if President Reagan is so good and caring, then how could he have known about the Iran-contra affair and allowed it to continue? She is also in the center of the community's heated debate about whether her beloved science teacher will be permitted to teach evolutionary theory in a community where her trusted pastor and her grandmother are both among the fundamentalist Christians who oppose it. (Placing Kansas education standards in the center of the national attention - which was every bit as embarrassing as Moriarty describes.) And, of course, every high school has its different groups of students - the rich and privileged, the delinquents, the good students, and the drop-outs. Evelyn's friends and enemies came from all these groups, putting her in the center of the conflicts and drama present on all campuses.

I thought this book was wonderful. Very true-to-life. Some of the problems in Evelyn's life work out well, others don't work out at all. An excellent look at a struggling family - where the mother often can't afford to work, because she can't make enough money to pay for child care, or even reliable transportation in a rural community were public transportation does not exist. Evelyn manages to grow to become a young woman who is able to make up her own mind about what is important to her, and what she wants from her life, even when some of the people she loves and respects disapprove or disagree.

Recommended - 4-1/2 stars

Excellent review! I have this book among the other unread ones and now I am eager to pick it up.

Sounds like a good book, though I didn't think at the time that Reagan was all that nice or caring. It always felt like an act to me, and look how he treated his own children. Adding The Center of Everything to my wish list--thanks!