Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Michigan By: Bathroom Readers' Hysterical Society
Non-fiction: Local, history misc. 307 pages
Book Count: 7
This book is set up a bit differently then most bathroom readers. The sections are not divided according to the length of the story, only by the topic. Also there are no facts running on the bottom of each page. Besides that it is much the same. This book had lots of interesting information about Michigan, history, people, places, and events. Some interesting thinks that you learn is why different cites got their names including: Hell, Climax, Colon, Crapo, Nirvana and Zilwaukee. Also odd laws like in which city it is illegal to paint a sparrow so that it looks like a parakeet. And there is lots of information about the history of the automobile industry ranging from how Mr. Buick started in plumbing to the number of people that work at the auto show each year.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
A Book in Review: Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom
Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom by: Eric Wight
fiction: children's 85 pages
Book count: 6
This book is a combination of a novel and a graphic novel. It switches back and forth between the two styles. This makes it a more interesting novel that would work well for getting kids to read it. It is the story of a boy and his dog that enjoys a rich world of make-believe where he is a superhero/adventurer. In this story he shops cleaning his room causing him to have an adventure in cleaning after his room reaches the critical mass of dirt. So the story also has a moral to it.
fiction: children's 85 pages
Book count: 6
This book is a combination of a novel and a graphic novel. It switches back and forth between the two styles. This makes it a more interesting novel that would work well for getting kids to read it. It is the story of a boy and his dog that enjoys a rich world of make-believe where he is a superhero/adventurer. In this story he shops cleaning his room causing him to have an adventure in cleaning after his room reaches the critical mass of dirt. So the story also has a moral to it.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
A Note to Self: Dave Barry's Complete guide to guys
Dave Barry's Complete guide to guys By: Dave Barry
Audio Book
As this book was on CD, I'm not counting it in books that I read this year, but I have found that it can be quite useful to have all the books that I've read/listened to on this blog. Then if something looks familiar I can just search the blog to see if I read it. Which reminds me, at the end of last year I also listened to When you are engulfed in flames by: David Sedaris.
Audio Book
As this book was on CD, I'm not counting it in books that I read this year, but I have found that it can be quite useful to have all the books that I've read/listened to on this blog. Then if something looks familiar I can just search the blog to see if I read it. Which reminds me, at the end of last year I also listened to When you are engulfed in flames by: David Sedaris.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
A Book in Review: The Ultimate Book of Useless Information
The Ultimate Book of Useless Information: A Few Thousand More Things You Might Need to Know (But Probably Don't) By: Noel Botham & The Useless Information Society
non-fiction: facts, humor, popular reference 215 pages
Book count: 5
First, like most books of this type I found things incorrect with the "facts," which really annoys me. This one was a lot better then most in that the thing that I knew was wrong was about ducks and echoes, which anyone that watches Mythbuster's knows their quack does echo, but you need complex sound machinery to find out. Also, they did the "sir" loin myth which at least is debated by people. Anyway, there were a lot of interesting facts in here, as well as quotes from famous people. It is arranged in short groups of similar facts. Each fact was only a line or two of the information with no back story, this makes it a quick read.
non-fiction: facts, humor, popular reference 215 pages
Book count: 5
First, like most books of this type I found things incorrect with the "facts," which really annoys me. This one was a lot better then most in that the thing that I knew was wrong was about ducks and echoes, which anyone that watches Mythbuster's knows their quack does echo, but you need complex sound machinery to find out. Also, they did the "sir" loin myth which at least is debated by people. Anyway, there were a lot of interesting facts in here, as well as quotes from famous people. It is arranged in short groups of similar facts. Each fact was only a line or two of the information with no back story, this makes it a quick read.
Friday, January 15, 2010
A Book in Review: Al Capone Shines My Shoes
Al Capone Shines My Shoes By: Gennifer Choldenko
Fiction: children’s, historical 270 pages
Book count: 4
This is book two in a series. I reviewed the first book here. In this book there is much more story about life on Alcatraz/Al Capone. Moose's (the 12 year old main character) letter to AL Capone asking to get his sister in a nearby school for people with special needs seam to have worked. Now he owes him. He gets notes in his laundry from Capone, now he needs to figure what to do about it. If he doesn't do what Capone asks he fears that his sister will be kicked out of the school, but if he does it could cost his dad his job and his family their home. After this story there is a section of information on life on Alcatraz in the 1930's.
Fiction: children’s, historical 270 pages
Book count: 4
This is book two in a series. I reviewed the first book here. In this book there is much more story about life on Alcatraz/Al Capone. Moose's (the 12 year old main character) letter to AL Capone asking to get his sister in a nearby school for people with special needs seam to have worked. Now he owes him. He gets notes in his laundry from Capone, now he needs to figure what to do about it. If he doesn't do what Capone asks he fears that his sister will be kicked out of the school, but if he does it could cost his dad his job and his family their home. After this story there is a section of information on life on Alcatraz in the 1930's.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A Book in Review: The Vengeance of the Witch-finder
The Vengeance of the Witch-finder by: John Bellairs completed by: Brad Strickland
fiction: children's, paranormal/Gothic mystery 153 pages
Book count: 3
Yes, this book is by the same person as the last book I read. I saw them at the library the other day and graped both of them. In this one a wizard and his nephew go to England to visit a distant relative and see their ancestral home. While there they learn more about the family member who lived there during the time of King James I as well as Cromwell. He was accused of being a witch and would have lost his life as well as his home if the witch-finder had not mysteriously died. With more digging into the houses history a secret map was found with a unknown space in the house's lawn maze. Inside this spot was a horror that was never meant to be found. Soon the family learns that the witch-finder was truly the evil one durning his life, and has come back to finish what he started in life.
fiction: children's, paranormal/Gothic mystery 153 pages
Book count: 3
Yes, this book is by the same person as the last book I read. I saw them at the library the other day and graped both of them. In this one a wizard and his nephew go to England to visit a distant relative and see their ancestral home. While there they learn more about the family member who lived there during the time of King James I as well as Cromwell. He was accused of being a witch and would have lost his life as well as his home if the witch-finder had not mysteriously died. With more digging into the houses history a secret map was found with a unknown space in the house's lawn maze. Inside this spot was a horror that was never meant to be found. Soon the family learns that the witch-finder was truly the evil one durning his life, and has come back to finish what he started in life.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A Book in Review: The Drum, the Doll and the Zombie
The Drum, the Doll and the Zombie by: John Bellairs completed by: Brad Strickland
fiction: childrens, paranormal/Gothic mystery 153 pages
book count: 2
This is a part of the series of books featuring Johnny Dixon. In this book a professor friend of his receives a drum at a convention after talking about Voodoo and voudon, the version of Voodoo practiced on the island of St. Ives. His best friend started playing with it doing his impression of Ricky Ricardo. (This book takes place in the 50's) Anyway, unknown to him the babaloo that Ricky was always saying in his singing was actually a variation of a name of a Voodoo god. This leads to the problems that they spend the rest of the book fixing. They have to fight a zombie, a voodoo priestess, and dark spells all in cases of life and death.
fiction: childrens, paranormal/Gothic mystery 153 pages
book count: 2
This is a part of the series of books featuring Johnny Dixon. In this book a professor friend of his receives a drum at a convention after talking about Voodoo and voudon, the version of Voodoo practiced on the island of St. Ives. His best friend started playing with it doing his impression of Ricky Ricardo. (This book takes place in the 50's) Anyway, unknown to him the babaloo that Ricky was always saying in his singing was actually a variation of a name of a Voodoo god. This leads to the problems that they spend the rest of the book fixing. They have to fight a zombie, a voodoo priestess, and dark spells all in cases of life and death.
Monday, January 11, 2010
A Book in Review: I am not a Psychic!
I am not a Psychic! By: Richard Belzer and Michael Black
fiction: mystery, crime 260 pages
book count: 1
This book is written by the person that plays Detective Munch on Law & Order, Homicide: Life on the Street and numerous other shows. This would not be important except that although this is a fiction book, Richard Belzer is the main character of the book. Which is kinda odd in a mix of real life and fiction. Anyway, this book is about his investigation of a murder that happened decades ago but wasn't ruled as one. There was a huge conspiracy theory about what really happened as she was involved with a important political family and most everyone in anyway connected with the case died in mysterious ways. It is also about a trip to Vegas and a telethon hosted by a friend of his. As it is a book all these things end up entangled together.
fiction: mystery, crime 260 pages
book count: 1
This book is written by the person that plays Detective Munch on Law & Order, Homicide: Life on the Street and numerous other shows. This would not be important except that although this is a fiction book, Richard Belzer is the main character of the book. Which is kinda odd in a mix of real life and fiction. Anyway, this book is about his investigation of a murder that happened decades ago but wasn't ruled as one. There was a huge conspiracy theory about what really happened as she was involved with a important political family and most everyone in anyway connected with the case died in mysterious ways. It is also about a trip to Vegas and a telethon hosted by a friend of his. As it is a book all these things end up entangled together.
Friday, January 01, 2010
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