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Author: John Demos

Genre: Nonfiction, History

Rating: **** (4 Stars)

Summary:


John Demos is a professor and scholar of history.  The Enemy Within is “the end product of an almost half-century engagement with witchcraft study” dating back to a term paper he wrote as a grad student in 1960.  Demos observes that “witch hunt” is a widely used metaphor in today’s world, and sets out to compare and contrast modern metaphorical witch hunts with the literal witch hunts of the past.  He begins with the Roman persecution of Christians in the 2nd century A.D., continuing up to the Salem witch trials in 17th century Massachusetts. Demos notes consistent patterns in events leading to accusations, people who were accused, and how witch-hunts sometimes spiral out of control as the accused name others in attempts to save their own lives.

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Subtitle: From Dating, Shopping, and Praying to Going to War and Becoming a Billionaire- Two Evolutionary Psychologists Explain Why We Do What We Do

Authors: Alan S. Miller and Satoshi Kanazawa

Genre: Nonfiction

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

Summary:

Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters is an insightful look at how natural selection has influenced how we behave, asserting that certain behavioral tendencies made our ancestors more likely to survive and reproduce, and that we, as their descendants, have the same tendencies, which, taken together, constitute “human nature.” Many of these tendencies are better suited to a world that existed thousands of years ago, rather than the present day, and result in many of our social problems of today.

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Killing Floor

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Author: Lee Child

Genre: Thriller, Detective Fiction

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


Jack Reacher is a former military policeman who lost his job to military downsizing.  He is living off his severance package and drifting from place to place without much of a plan.  On a whim, he gets of a Greyhound bus and walks into the small town of Margrave, Georgia, where he is falsely arrested for murder.

Reacher is interrogated by the town’s only detective, a man named Finlay who formerly worked in Boston.  Reacher convinces Finlay of his innocence, and because of his military police background, ends up helping the police department with the case.  He learns, to his horror, that the murdered man is his own brother, Joe, who was working for the Treasury Department investigating and prosecuting counterfeiters.

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Author: Geraldo Rivera

Genre: Nonfiction

Rating: **** (4 Stars)

Summary:


His Panic is, as the title suggests, about immigration, immigration reform, and the prevalent negative attitude of Americans toward Hispanic immigrants.  Geraldo Rivera sets out to to address many of those perceptions and make a case for a more liberal immigration policy.

The author compares the current wave of central and south American immigrants to the past migrations of Europeans, including the Irish after the Potato Famine.  He cites the example of violence toward Irish immigrants in New York City, and suggests that current attitudes are simply history repeating itself with the hatred focusing on a different group.

Geraldo addresses a number of negative perceptions surrounding Hispanic immigrants, asserting that most immigrants are law-abiding, hardworking, patriotic and benefit the United States by their presence here.  He also accuses certain radio and TV commentators of spreading misinformation to sway public opinion against immigration reform, citing and refuting several examples.

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Announcement: Time Off

Due to an extremely busy schedule with school and job interviews, I haven’t had time to update this site for a while.  I’ve decided to take a sabbatical from book reviews until things relax a bit.  I have no intention of taking down the site.  All published reviews will still be available even though I won’t be adding to them for a little while.

Enjoy!

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Blob Jump Video


If you don’t know what blob jumping is, watch the video and it will become obvious. This looks fun… and painful… and fun.

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Blood Work

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Author: Michael Connelly

Genre: Detective Fiction

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

Summary:

Terry McCaleb is a former FBI agent, forced to retire by heart disease. While recovering from his heart transplant he is restoring and living on his deceased father’s boat in Long Beach, California.

One day, Terry is visited by a woman who introduces herself as the sister of the woman whose heart now beats in Terry’s chest. Her sister was shot in a convenience store robbery that was never solved, and the surviving sister asks Terry to look into it. Although he is ill, retired, and has no official standing, Terry agrees over his doctor’s objections.

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Flesh and Blood

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Author: Jonathan Kellerman

Genre: Mystery (Detective Fiction)

Rating: **** (4 Stars)

Summary:

Jonathan Kellerman is a child psychologist who has written a series of novels featuring the partnership Milo Sturgis, a Los Angeles police detective, and Alex Delaware, a psychologist who consults for the LAPD.  The psychologist, Alex Delaware, often goes well beyond mere consulting, and occasionally endangers his own life in pursuit of the bad guys.

Flesh and Blood begins ten years in the past, with Dr. Delaware’s treatment of Lauren Teague, a teenage girl with behavior problems.  The skeptical father ends treatment after just two visits, and Alex remembers the case as one of his professional failures.  Six years later, while making a token appearance at a colleague’s bachelor party, Alex sees Lauren, who is now a stripper.  He leaves feeling ashamed of himself.

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Dreamcatcher

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Author: Stephen King

Genre: Science Fiction/ Horror

Rating: *** (3 Stars)

Summary:

Dreamcatcher reads very much like King’s earlier novel, It, published in 1986.  Both books use flashbacks to simultaneously tell two stories involving the same characters.  The story begins as a hunting party of four men, friends since childhood, meet a man lost in the Maine woods and suffering from exposure.  They take him back to their cabin, where, instead of recovering, the man dies painfully, and gives birth to a large and vicious parasite that has been growing inside him.

At the same time, the Army is responding to reports of UFO sightings, missing hunters, and strange animal behavior.  They attack and destroy a crashed alien spacecraft, and quarantine everyone who comes out of the woods.

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Author: Iain Carson and Vijay V. Vaitheeswaran

Genre: Nonfiction

Subject: Alternative Fuel Technologies

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


Zoom, written by two correspondents for The Economist, is a discussion of the problems that result from our dependence on oil, and some of the solutions that are taking shape.  It discusses how the oil and auto industries grew together to become the giants they now are; why the Detroit automakers are suffering while Toyota experiences runaway success; and why the world’s dependence on oil is unsustainable for political, economic, and environmental reasons.  Zoom then explains some of the possible solutions and where they are being developed.  It’s hard to put this book in a nutshell, but here are some snippets to give you a picture of what it’s all about:

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Welcome!


Welcome to Jon’s Book Reviews.  If you are new here, why not take the Reading Speed Test?  Or, if you would like to know who I am and why I created this site, click here to find out.  To read my latest review, just scroll down.  You can also browse reviews by title, author, category, or date of post using the navigation links on the left.  If you think someone you know might enjoy a particular post, feel free to share it with them using the “Share This Post” button at the bottom.

If you’ve been here before, you’ve probably noticed that the site has a new look.  I changed to a new template that automates some things for me so I can focus more on writing good reviews.  The list of most recent book reviews is now on the left sidebar under “Recent Posts.”

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Author: Lawrence Block

Genre: Mystery

Rating: *** (3 Stars)

Summary:

About the Series

In the Midst of Death is one of Lawrence Block’s many Matthew Scudder novels. They tell the story of an ex-police officer turned private investigator, who retired from the police force after the accidental death of a little girl during a shoot-out with two armed robbers. He is also a heavy drinker, although he doesn’t admit that to himself until much later in the series. Although the novels follow a rough chronological progression, they don’t have to be read in order. Each story stands alone, and backstories are briefly described for the benefit of readers who may not be familiar with them.

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The Talisman

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Author: Stephen King

Genre: Action/Adventure

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


The Talisman is a collaborative effort between Stephen King and Peter Straub. It and its sequel, Black House, tell the story of Jack Sawyer, a very special boy who has many magical adventures while saving his mother’s life.

Jack is in his early teens. His father has been killed in a hunting “accident” which later turns out to be murder, and his mother, Lily, a retired actress, is terminally ill with cancer. Morgan Sloat, a business partner of Jack’s father is harassing Lily as part of a scheme to take over the Sawyer family’s share of the business.

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Author: Joel Comm

Genre: How-To, Business

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


For those who don’t know, Google AdSense is a context-based advertising medium, through which website and blog owners can make money by showing advertisements on their sites. Google’s software reads, or “crawls” each page, figures out what type of ads are appropriate, and shows them in spots designated by the site owner. Site owners are usually paid per click, although some ads pay based on “impressions” - how many times they are seen.

The AdSense Code is exactly what the title suggests - a strategy book for optimizing your use of AdSense on a blog or website in order to make the most money possible. The author, Joel Comm, speaks from his own experience making hundreds to thousands per day with his own websites. Comm takes the attitude that the “AdSense pie” is big enough for everyone to participate, and that one person’s success with it does not in any way detract from his own.

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Author: Alexandra Levit

Genre: Career Guidance

Rating: *** (Three Stars)

Summary:


How’d You Score That Gig is a profile of sixty unusual jobs selected by surveying 20-30 year old adults who were asked to describe their dream careers. It begins with a brief survey intended to help you understand your “passion profile” - whether you are an Adventure, a Creator, a Data Head, an Entrepreneur, an Investigator, a Networker, or a Nurturer. The remainder of the book describes jobs that fit each profile, including what you need to do to qualify, expected entry-level wage, and possible dangers and drawbacks. Levit also includes case studies of people actually working the jobs she describes.

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Author: Timothy Ferris

Genre: Self-Improvement

Subject: Financial freedom, Achieving your dreams

Rating: ***** (Five stars)

Summary:

The Four Hour Workweek has been getting a lot of buzz on the internet over the past year. It tells the remarkable story of how its author transitioned from working 15 hour days to traveling the world, ignoring his business except for a few hours on Mondays, while still making more money than ever before. More importantly, Ferriss doesn’t just tell his story, he shares step-by-step instructions for duplicating his results, challenging his readers to escape the daily grind and live their dreams.

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For all those who were previously unaware of what happens when you mix Coke and Mentos, here’s an educational video.  This clip won a Webby award for best viral video and was nominated for an Emmy for best broadband content.

For more like this, step on over to EepyBird.com, official site of the guys who created this video.


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It

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Author: Stephen King

Genre: Horror

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


It consists of two stories involving the same group of characters. The first story happens when they are children in Derry, Maine, in 1958. The second occurs in 1984, when most of them have moved away, and are highly successful in their careers. Both stories revolve around a monster known simply as “It.” It takes various forms, and can only be seen by children. To some of them, It looks like a clown, others see a werewolf or a giant bird. In almost all cases, the children who meet It are brutally killed.

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I haven’t posted a video for a while, but I thought this one was pretty good. A small dog is left at home while his master goes out. He is given only one instruction, “Stay out of the trash.” Here’s the result:


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Author: Lawrence Block

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Humor

Subject: Murder

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


The Burglar in the Rye is one of Lawrence Block’s many “Bernie Rhodenbarr” novels, which are set in Manhattan. Bernie is a burglar. Not just any burglar, he is a highly skilled burglar, who prides himself on never leaving any sign of his presence in a home, except for the absence of valuable items of course. In fact, he has nothing but contempt for smash and grab artists who clumsily force their way in, and leave messes in their wake.

Bernie also owns a used bookstore, which he runs during the day. He rarely makes much of a profit, but that’s all right with him. It provides good cover for his real source of income.

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Author: Jeffrey Archer

Genre: Crime, Humor

Subject: Conning the Con Man

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


Harvey Metcalfe is the son of Polish immigrants to the U.S. Through hard work, ingenuity, and a lack of scruples, he has become quite wealthy, mostly through shady deals and con jobs. The story begins when Harvey pulls off a stock scam that nets him one million dollars from four previously well-off British professionals: James Brigsley, an earl; Stephen Bradley, a mathematics professor at Oxford; Robin Oakley, a private physician; Jean-Pierre Lamanns, an art dealer.

After learning of his financial ruin, Bradley, the professor, contacts the other three victims and persuades them to dine with him. Over dinner, they agree that they are going to take back their money. Each of them is to generate a plan to con Metcalfe out of a portion of the million dollars, with the understanding that they will take only what they have lost, plus expenses.

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I noticed recently that I’ve been getting search engine referrals with the search terms “Harry Bosch chronological.” I assume that means people are looking for a chronological list of Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch novels so they can read them in order. I don’t think that’s necessary, but who am I to deny my readers the information they want? I did a little research and put together a list. I haven’t read all of these yet, but I’ve commented on the ones I’m familiar with.

  1. The Black Echo
  2. The Black Ice (Click here for my review)
  3. The Concrete Blond (4 stars)
  4. The Last Coyote (5 stars)
  5. The Poet
  6. Trunk Music (Click here for my review)
  7. Angels Flight
  8. A Darkness More Than Night
  9. City of Bones (5 stars)
  10. Lost Light
  11. The Narrows
  12. The Closers
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Cold Mountain

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Author: Charles Frazier

Genre: Historical Fiction

Subject: Events surrounding the U.S. Civil War

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


Cold Mountain tells two stories in parallel. One is the story of Inman, a wounded Confederate soldier who deserts and spends some months walking home to Cold Mountain, North Carolina. At the same time, Ada, the girl Inman left behind, is struggling to cope with the death of her father and manage his farm.

On his way home Inman encounters a host of strange experiences and dangers, including marauding Federal troops, Confederate Home Guard searching for deserters, betrayals that are downright weird, and wanderers with their own stories to tell. He goes days at a time without food, sleeping at the mercy of the elements, occasionally finding shelter with civilians who are tired of the war.

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The Black Ice

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Author: Michael Connelly

Genre: Crime

Subject: Murder investigation

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


The Black Ice is one of Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch novels. Each novel stands alone, so you don’t have to read them in order, but you can see a chronological list by clicking here.
The Black Ice begins when narcotics officer Cal Moore is found dead in an apparent suicide. As an investigation into the death of an officer, the case is forwarded directly to LAPD’s elite Robbery/Homicide Division, which quickly writes it off as suicide. Bosch, however, is not so sure, and begins his own “freelance” investigation against departmental orders.

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The Broker

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Author: John Grisham

Genre: Suspense

Subject: Espionage and Intrigue

Rating: **** (4 Stars)

Summary:


Joel Backman is a notorious former lobbyist, now in prison for crimes that are not fully revealed until much later in the book. Whatever he did has caused Russia, China, Israel, and Saudi Arabia to want him dead. Backman is unexpectedly pardoned after the CIA director visits an outgoing president and exerts tremendous pressure (and a few million dollars). The CIA’s plan is to hide Backman in another country, get him comfortable, then leak his location to the Russians, Chinese, Saudis, and Israelis. The idea is to find out which of the four will kill Backman, which will answer a host of questions Backman did not answer before going to prison.

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A sand castle building competition with a twist:


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Red Dragon

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Author: Thomas Harris

Genre: Thriller

Subject: Serial Killer

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


Red Dragon is one of four novels (that I am aware of) featuring Hannibal Lecter. In two of them, Red Dragon and The Silence Of The Lambs, Lecter is a relatively minor character. Already in a hospital for the criminally insane, Lecter, a highly perceptive psychologist, is called upon to help interpret clues in a series of bizarre serial murders.

In Red Dragon, Will Graham is a former special investigator for the FBI. He retired after sustaining severe psychological and physical wounds during the capture of Hannibal Lecter. Graham is persuaded to come out of retirement by Jack Crawford, an FBI agent who is leading the investigation into the bizarre but similar murders of two families in two different cities a month apart. After a few days of fruitlessly looking for a common thread that could lead back to the killer, Graham turns to his old nemesis, Hannibal Lecter, for advice.

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Will It Blend is site promoting Blendtec blenders with a series of short video clips demonstrating the product. Items ranging from golf balls to iPods are, well, blended to great effect. If you want to see more, go to www.willitblend.com. In the mean time, here’s a video of glowsticks being blended:


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The Ambler Warning

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Author: Robert Ludlum

Genre: Thriller

Subject: Espionage

Rating: *****(5 Stars)

Summary:


Hal Ambler is a patient in a mental hospital for former spies run by the US government. He is not insane, but believes he has been put there as part of a conspiracy. With the help of Laurel Holland, a sympathetic nurse, he escapes and begins trying to find out who locked him up and why. He discovers that his friends do not remember him, and that any record of his government employment has been erased.

As Ambler visits places where he used to live and work, he finds himself dodging “recovery teams” sent to retrieve him. At the same time, he begins to remember long-forgotten bits of his past, including the assassinations he participated in.

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Trunk Music

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Author: Michael Connelly

Genre: Crime/ Detective Fiction

Subject: Organized Crime, Murder Investigation

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Summary:


Trunk Music is one Connelly’s many “Detective Harry Bosch” novels. They follow a rough chronological order, but they also stand alone. You don’t have to read them in order for them to make sense, but you can see a chronological list by clicking here.

In Trunk Music, Detective Bosch responds to a crime scene where a body is stuffed in the trunk of an abandoned Rolls Royce. Predictably, the Rolls and the body belong to the same person, Tony Aliso, who turns out to be a shady character involved in money laundering and the production of bad movies.

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Candle Power (?) Video


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Generating electricity from two candles? I’m still trying to decide whether this is real or fake. Any thoughts? Feel free to comment.


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Quite entertaining. I didn’t know elephants could be trained to do this.


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The Simple Truth

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