Schoolcraft's Ojibwa Lodge Stories

Schoolcraft's Ojibwa Lodge Stories
Henry Schoolcraft

in 1826 Henry Schoolcraft, a native New Yorker, was living in Sault Ste. Marie, in the (then) Michigan Territory. He was in charge of Indian affairs there. As such he had a lot of contact with the native indians of the area. He was taken in by Mr. John Johnson and family when he first moved there. Mr Johnson was an indepentant fur trader, and his wife was Indian. Related to chief of the Objibwa of the area. Schoolcraft ended up marrying one of the daugthers Jane. Being in a remote area, he wrote (longhand) a literay journal, a sort of magazine, for other people in the area who were interested in literay persuits. The magazine, called the Literary Voyager, contained many stories about his observations of the indian people, as well as translated fables, and ledgens of the Objibwa. It also included a lot of poetry, both his and from indians who contributed.. I am not a big fan of poetry... Some of the stories were quite interesting.. especially as it realates to local history. Two of note were the story of the Ash tree on the hill that was removed when the fort built a stree to the water (Ashmon St). And the story of Irquois point.. which I was at least aware of, having been there.
This was interesting, although I am still interested in the history of the Indians, which this book did not address.

If Tomorrow Comes

If Tomorrow Comes
by Sidney Sheldon

Oh god.. what a terrible book... It was written like a bad TV movie.. which maybe that was his intention. Sheldon was the creator and writer for I Dream of Jeanie. I have read other books by Sheldon and enjoyed them.. most notably Masters Of The Game which I really enjoyed... Now I am wondering if they were this bad.. and my tastes have changed? Or if this book was just a fluke? I will probably try another one sometime just to see.

79 Park Avenue (14)

79 Park Avenue
by Harold Robbins

I have read Robbins books before.. always have a sexual edge to them.. but still very tasteful... I found this book at my parents house.. probably belonged to an aunt of mine.. she and my father use to trade books a lot. I was very surprised to see that it was written in 1955... the story held up wonderfully.. it did not seem dated at all.. The book is about a woman who is on trial for running a prostitution ring.. and the man who is prosceuting her.. we find out they grew up together.. and most of the book is flashbacks to things that happened to their lives along the way..
A decent book.. quick read.. and the ending was cool.. leaves you with a good feeling.

Hannibal (13)

Hannibal
by Thomas Harris

This is a the sequel to Silence of the Lambs which I read forever ago.. before the movie came out. We follow Clarice 7 years later.. and her career with the FBI is stalling... she is on leave pending the investigation of a raid that went wrong.. and lots of dead people as a result... in the midst of this Dr Lector writes to offer her encouragment.. the story centers around Mason, the only survivor of one of Dr Lectors attacks.. and his obsession to get revenge on Dr Lector.. the story follow Dr Lector, and also Mason and his political cronies, as well as Clarice... This blends lots of new and old characters.. as well as some bizare side stories.. the ending is very strange and unexpected..
Over all the book was good.. it got too far off track some times... the section in Italy could have been summed up in a chaper or two.. rather than 100 pages.. and the side story on Clarices father.. didnt fit into the story well... Over all I enjoyed it.

The Timothy Files (12)

The Timothy Files
By Lawrence Sanders

This book written in 1987 in pure Sanders. The book is divided into 3 stories of investegator Timothy Cone. Nam vet, loner, dresses and lives like a bum, but always figures out the con. The stories revolve around eating and drinking, with rich details of the food people are eating. Almost makes you hungry! The stories are quick and entertaining. Unlinke Tales of the Wolf I think this was written as 1 novel with 3 parts, rather than 3 short stories. Or at least someone edited it to appear as 1 story.

I am trying something new for this year... So far I have not re-read an author in 2006. I enjoy reading all of an author, and often read the books one after another. We will see how long I can keep this up - lol When I find an author I like I buy up all the books I can find by them... I figure by sampling the books I have already bought I can read at least another 3 authors before repeat. Some of these are 500+ page paperbacks, so they will probably take me the better part of a week each to get through. I might see if I can make it until April 1 without repeating an author. That might be stretching it? But it is an interesting and frustrating game I play with myself :)

Violent Ward (11)

Violent Ward
Len Deighton

This books follows lawyer Mickey Murphy.. he works in a bad neighborhood in LA.. his partners are Asian, one dead, and another dealing with forged papers, passports etc.. which also involves a "Rev" who runs the local homeless shelter (and provides the bodies, Drs etc for the paperwork). But none of this has much to do with the story.. Murphy is divorced although his ex-wife is always around.. but seldom causing too much trouble... His son is in college.. maybe.. he seems to sit around his apt all day with his girlfriend. None of this has much to do with the story Murphy's clients are a mix of old show biz people with odd personalities... and his secretary is a stern German woman who can not type. This has little to do with the story.
His law firm is being bought out by a zillionaire.. who happens to be married to a girl Murphy when to High School with and was in love with... The new boss has a questionable deal in the works with one of Murphy's other clients.. and his wife thinks she is trying to kill him...
Meanwhile Murphy gets involved in a murder.. well sort of.. But most of all he is very fond of his 1959 gold Cadillac.
At the end of the book.. the Rodney King trial ends.. and the riot ensue in LA...
The point of the story is hard to find.. you are never sure what the point is.. but never really care... as with so many of Deightons books you are happy to tag along with the character and see what happens next :)

Disclosure (10)

Disclosure (10)
by Michael Crichton

This was an interesting book... mostly about sexual harrassment.. and how it effects everbody.. from the principles.. to the company.. to the other employees etc.
This is also set against the backdrop of a High Tech company in the early 90's. Reading this now over 10 years later it is amazing how well he predicted (then) emerging technologies of cellular and Internet. Maybe a bit off on CD rom.. but I was amazed at how accurate the book was.. He obviously did his homework!
When I was in high school I read the Terminal Man.. a year or so later I saw The Andomida Strain.. Crichton is a wonderful writer.. and his subjects always seem varied.. he is not one to be catagorized.

The Eye Of Darkness (9)

The Eye Of Darkness
by Dean Koontz

I had not read a Dean Koontz book in years and years. I found out this was one of his earlier books that had originally been published under a different name. He had cleaned it up a bit and republished it under a different name.
It concerns a woman who lost her young son in an accidnet over a year ago.. except strange things start happening again and she starts to believe he is alive... Then people try to kill her... the adventure is on.
Koontz books are a fairly quick read.. and one thing I have always loved about them.. is there is all this strange stuff going on.. stuff that could never possibly happen.. and the characters realize that... they are as skeptical as you are.. which makes it more enjoyable!
I think this is going to become one of my serial authors.. where I will read everything he has done.. Now the trick will be to see if I can remember the books I have already read... I dont recall titles, but do remember some of the story lines.. I will have to work at this a bit.

A Long Way From Home (8)

A Long Way From Home
by Tom Brokaw

A biography of newsman's Tom Brokaws childhood in S. Dakota. The book starts with his grandparents and parents.. then moves on to his own childhood.. A rememberance of what life was like in the post war boom.. and how much things have changed... With brief flashes to his current life..
Interesting primarily because everybody knows him.. but at one time he was just Tommy Brokaw.. The book is rather objective.. it isnt just about how great Brokaw is.. he is quite forthcoming about his failures. The book is more about life on the paririe in the 40's & 50's.
Over a worthwhile read...