Kate’s 2¢: “Great circle” by Maggie shipstead with Alex McKenna

“Great circle” by Maggie shipstead with Alex McKenna

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   The biography of Marian Graves was very interesting. She had a tragic beginning, yet, had depth and drive to persevere to attain her dream.

   I found the character of Hadley to be superficial and not worth the print, although, she was the only one to solve the puzzle of what happen to Marian and had the grace to keep it a secret.

   I think this story was read by Alex McKenna.  It was over 25 hours of listening, but, she did a good job of narrating the story.

https://www.bookbrowse.com/…/3539/maggie-shipsteadActions for this site

Maggie Shipstead is the New York Times best-selling author of the novels Astonish Me and Seating Arrangements and the winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for First Fiction. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, a former Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford, and the recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

From the WEB:

Mini Bio (1) Alex McKenna was born on October 15, 1984 in Hollywood, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Red Dead Redemption II (2018), Code Black (2015) and Bear with Us (2016).

Trade Mark (1) Husky voice

From NLS/BARD/LOC          :

Great circle DB103266

Shipstead, Maggie; McKenna, Alex Reading time: 25 hours, 19 minutes.

Alex McKenna

Historical Fiction

As a teen during Prohibition, Marian Graves meets a bootlegger who helps her become an aviator. An adventurous life follows, including an attempt to circumnavigate the globe. A century later, Hadley Baxter is cast to play Marian in a film that centers on Marian’s disappearance in Antarctica. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

Download Great circle DB103266

Kate’s 2¢: “Tyger: a Kydd sea adventure by Julian Stockwin

“Tyger: a Kydd sea adventure by Julian Stockwin

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   This Kydd sea adventure is full of human drama and esciting battles of the tall masted ships of yore.

   Andy Pyle does a good job of reading the story for NLS.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

www.julianstockwin.com

Born in 1944, Stockwin soon developed a love for the sea, having an uncle, Tom Clay, who was a seaman in square-rigged ships and had sailed around Cape Horn in the Cutty Sark.[1]

After grammar school, his father sent him to sea-training school at Indefatigable at age 14. He joined the Royal Navy at 15 and transferred to the Royal Australian Navy when his family emigrated.[2] Stockwin served eight years, and was eventually rated petty officer.

Stockwin attended the University of Tasmania to read Far Eastern studies and psychology. He did post-graduate work in cross-cultural psychology. He got involved in the manufacture and design of computers and software development. Returning to the navy and the Royal Navy Reserve, Stockwin was honoured with an MBE and retired as lieutenant commander.[1]

He returned to the United Kingdom in 1990 and started to write in 1996. He currently resides in Ivybridge, Devon.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Tyger: a Kydd sea adventure DB85043

Stockwin, Julian. Reading time: 12 hours, 7 minutes.

Read by Andy Pyle. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Historical Fiction

Adventure

Captain Thomas Kydd finds himself at odds with the leadership of the Admiralty, and his ship, L’Aurore, is declared unfit for sea. For his next command, Kydd is assigned to captain the Tyger, whose crew recently mutinied. Some violence and some strong language. 2015.

Download Tyger: a Kydd sea adventure

Kate’s 2¢: “Falsely accused” by Robert Tanenbaum

“Falsely accused” by Robert Tanenbaum

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   This was a very interesting and intricate narrative arc. I really enjoyed it and couldn’t stop listening until the conclusion.

From the WEB:

   Born in Brooklyn, New York, Robert Tanenbaum attended the University of California at Berkeley on a basketball scholarship where he earned a B.A.  He received his law degree (J.D.) from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.

   Robert K. Tanenbaum is the author of 32 books – 29 novels and 3 non-fiction books. He is one of the most successful prosecuting attorneys, having never lost a felony trial and convicting hundreds of violent criminals. He was a special prosecution consultant on the Hillside strangler case in Los Angeles and defended Amy Grossberg in her sensationalized baby death case.

   Tanenbaum is a nationally known attorney and legal expert.  He is a much sought after media guest and is regularly seen on television shows as a legal expert and commentator.  He has worked as a successful prosecuting attorney and high profile defender. 

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Falsely accused DB81942

Tanenbaum, Robert. Reading time: 11 hours, 13 minutes.

Read by Gabriella Cavallero. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Legal Fiction

Butch Karp leaves the district attorney’s office and is suing his old employer on behalf of New York’s chief medical examiner, who was fired without cause. Meanwhile, Karp’s wife, Marlene Ciampi, is also in private practice as a PI specializing in domestic violence cases. Strong language and some violence. 1996.

Download Falsely accused

Kate’s 2¢: “The Devil May Dance: A Novel” by Jake Tapper

“The Devil May Dance: A Novel” by Jake Tapper

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   The beginning of the book bothered me, because I remember my parents talking about the rat pack and the things they allegedly did. At first, they seemed real to me and it didn’t feel right talking about them – exposing their dirty laundry. Eventually, the people just became characters in a well written detective story.

From his website:

Jake Tapper was born on March 12, 1969 in New York City, New York, USA as Jacob Paul Tapper. He is a writer and actor, known for The Outpost (2019), Late Night (2019) and House of Cards (2013). He has been married to Jennifer Marie Brown since September 3, 2006. They have two children.

   CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper joined the network in January 2013. Tapper currently hosts a one-hour weekday program, The Lead with Jake Tapper, which debuted in March 2013, and has hosted CNN’s Sunday morning show, State of the Union, since June 2015. Tapper has been a widely respected reporter in the nation’s capital for more than 14 years. His most recent book, The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, debuted in the top 10 on the New York Times bestseller list.

Tapper imparts his political expertise on State of the Union by conducting interviews with top newsmakers on politics and policy, covering Washington, the country and the world. The Lead covers headlines from around the country and the globe with topics ranging from breaking news in politics and world events, to politics, money, sports, and popular culture.

Most recently, Tapper lent his political expertise to CNN’s 2016 election coverage and moderated two Presidential Primary debates. On election night, Tapper played a pivotal role in the network’s coverage of the race and provided analysis on projections throughout the evening.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The devil may dance: a novel DB103603

Tapper, Jake Reading time: 10 hours, 14 minutes.

Rob Shapiro

Suspense Fiction

Historical Fiction

Political Fiction

Bestsellers

1962. Congressman Charlie Marder and his zoologist wife Margaret are in Los Angeles, and have befriended Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack at the behest of Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Smoke and mirrors are the hallmark of Hollywood and confuse matters for the couple. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2021.

Download The devil may dance: a novel DB103603

Kate’s 2¢: “Black Ops: Books 1-4 by William W. Johnstone, etal

“Black Ops: Books 1-4 by   William W. Johnstone, etal

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

“American Jihad”

   While I don’t condone the method employed in this story, many religious texts do say: an eye for an eye.  Yet, who is willing to stand up and say, “Stop! Enough is now too much.” How can we agree to disagree and accept that there are numerous paths to the higher being, whatever his/her/it’s name? We all bleed red blood.

“Remember The Alamo”

   Wow, I found myself agreeing with so much of what is said in this story; from the foolish, egotistical  actions of the female US President, to the fierce patriotism of the Texans, and to the ‘ordinary’ citizens who came forth to support the Alamo.   

“Jackknife”:

   The possibility of this type of situation happening is very real and probable. I wondered why the good guys couldn’t send in a strong, fast-acting sedative  or anesthetic through the ventilation system or via drone to knock everyone out. The bad guys could be locked-up, while the hostages woke up…alive.

“Home Invasion”

   Well, I thought the actions of the female U.S. President in the previous stories made me shake my head in disgust, the actions of this male U.S. President made me roll my eyes up and groan at the accurate portrayal of our current government.

From his website:

William W. Johnstone was born in Southern Missouri, the youngest of four children. Raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and well-tutored by his school teacher mother, Bill quit school when he was fifteen. He was kicked out of the French Foreign Legion for being under age and joined the carnival. But still valuing his education, he returned home to finish his high school education in 1957.He went on to work as a deputy sheriff, did a hitch in the army, and began a career in radio broadcasting, where he worked daily on his verbal and storytelling skills for the next sixteen years on the air. Much of his knowledge of the early frontier began from listening to family experiences told to him by his Grandparents.

His love of animals is displayed in many of his books as well as finding several Huskies and Malamutes roaming freely around his home. As an avid gun and knife collector, hours of research are devoted to the types of weapons commonly used during the eras of his writings

One little known fact, is his love for music … from “rockabilly to classical”. Bill has written and recorded several songs which may be released for his fans in the future.

He started writing in 1970, but it wasn’t until late 1979 when The Devil’s Kiss was published that William W. Johnstone became a full-time writer. Since that time he has written over two hundred books in a variety of genres including action, suspense, western, science fiction, and horror. Two of his books, Eagle Down and Dagger, were written under the pen name of William Mason.

From NLS/BARD/LOC      :

Black ops. Books 1-4 DB104451

Johnstone, William W. Reading time: 37 hours, 24 minutes.

Read by Ray Foushee.

Suspense Fiction

Spy Stories

All four books in the series, published between 2006 and 2010. In American Jihad, a disgraced soldier receives secret orders placing him in charge of a covert team. Also includes Remember the Alamo, Jackknife, and Home Invasion. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2010.

Downloaded: December 11, 2021

Download Black ops. Books 1-4

Kate’s 2¢: “Chord Style Piano Course” by Bill Brown

“Chord Style Piano Course” by Bill Brown

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   As a sighted youngster, I learned to play the piano ala John Thompson’s Book one. Every time my parents moved to a new home, the piano teacher put me in John Thompson’s Book One. I have a piano, but as a blind person, I can only play a few songs plus scales. I can chord a little with the left hand, while I pick out the melody with the right hand; Things like “Happy Birthday” and “Mary Had A Little Lamb” for my children and grand-children to encourage them to play the piano. I might even be able to play “Heart and Soul” if someone reminds me  which notes to start on.

   It’s been said that to keep your mind sharp as you grow older, take up a hobby. I thought I’d refresh my piano skills. 

   It didn’t work. Perhaps, if I’d been able to down load the cd that accompanies the hard copy, things might have worked out better. I still play my old favorites from John Thompson Book One plus the scales.

https://www.musicfortheblind.comActions for this site

Welcome to Bill Apollo Brown’s Music For The Blind website! taught completely “BY EAR.”. These courses use no print, video or Braille! Now you can learn the instrument you want, in the convenience of your own home, at a very affordable price. Don’t let anything get in the way of your desire to enjoy the power of music!

   Brown Teacher at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts New York, New York, United States

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Chord style piano course DBM03374

Brown, Bill. Reading time: 1 hour, 29 minutes.

Read by Bill Brown. A production of Valdosta Music and Publishing.

Instructional

Piano

Teaches how to play the piano without the use of music notation. Level 1.

Downloaded: November 19, 2020

Download Chord style piano course

Kate’s 2¢: “One Of Us Is Lying” by Shalini Boland

“One Of Us Is Lying” by Shalini Boland

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband, two children, and their cheeky terrier mix. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing .

   Boland is the million-copy, USA-Today bestselling author of eight psychological thrillers: ‘THE GIRL FROM THE SEA’, ‘THE BEST FRIEND’, ‘THE MILLIONAIRE’S WIFE’ (optioned for TV by Legendary Studios), ‘THE SECRET MOTHER’, ‘THE CHILD NEXT DOOR’, ‘THE SILENT SISTER’, ‘THE PERFECT FAMILY’ and ‘THE MARRIAGE BETRAYAL’.

The Other Daughter by Shalini Boland – Waggy Tales

waggytalesblog.com/2019/11/06/the-other-daughter-by-shalini-boland/

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

One of us is lying DB104296

Boland, Shalini. Reading time: 8 hours, 2 minutes.

Read by Eva Wilhelm.

Suspense Fiction

Psychological Fiction

While walking home with her children in their safe, quiet town, Tia realizes something is wrong with her five-year-old daughter, Rosie. Once she gets Rosie to open up, she is sorry she did, because Rosie wants to know why Tia killed someone. Long-buried secrets emerge. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2020.

Downloaded: October 7, 2021

Download One of us is lying

Kate’s 2¢: “False Witness” by Karin Slaughter

“False Witness” by Karin Slaughter

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   Written during the 2020 fever pitch of the Covid-19 pandemic, Slaughter manages to convey the paranoid reactions to information and misinformation about the virus. To wear a face mask or not to wear a face mask?

   However, no mask can hide the horrors of a sexual predator when ‘like father/like son’ stalks Leigh and Calli. This is a chilling story that actually ends as it should. I enjoyed this tale of intrigue and suspense.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karin_SlaughterActions for this site

Karin Slaughter (born January 6, 1971) in Georgia, is an American crime writer. She has written 18 novels, which have sold more than 35 million copies and have been published in 37 languages. Her first novel, Blindsighted (2001), was published in 27 languages and made the Crime Writers’ Association’s Dagger Award shortlist for “Best Thriller Debut” of 2001.

   She is a celebrity author. Her genres are Crime Fiction, Mystery, Thriller. Her successful albums are Letzte Worte, Harter Schnitt. Her popular books are Pieces of Her (2018), Last Breath (2017), Pretty Girls (2015), Triptych (2006) and Blindsighted (2001).

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

False witness DB104747

Slaughter, Karin. Reading time: 18 hours, 41 minutes.

Read by Kathleen Early.

Suspense Fiction

Defense attorney Leigh Collier has worked hard to build a life that appears normal to the outside world. But her mask of normality conceals a childhood of secrets and violence. When she is called in to defend a wealthy man accused of rape, her past comes calling. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

Downloaded: October 7, 2021

Kate’s 2¢: “The last goodnights: assisting my parents with their suicides : a memoir” BY John Stuart West

“The last goodnights: assisting my parents with their suicides : a memoir” BY John Stuart West

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   As a lawyer, West knew of the risk he was taking, but, since both his parents asked for his help  and they were terminal, he assisted their suicides. The author seems to over congratulate himself for his ‘service’, however, his point in writing the book was to encourage legislation to legalize assisted suicide.

   The issue raises a lot of ethical, moral, and practical facets and , like all altruistic  ideas, could be abused.

From the Web:

John West is the author of the controversial book “The Last Goodnights”. a memoir about his assisting his parents with their suicides – the first book of its kind to be published in 25 years, and one of only three such books ever written. John has also established The Last Goodnights Organization – the purpose of which is to elevate the discussion about choice and privacy rights .

From NLS/BARD/LOC          :

The last goodnights: assisting my parents with their suicides : a memoir DBC13262

West, John, (John Stuart). Reading time: 8 hours, 51 minutes.

Read by Norm Jones.

Psychology and Self-Help

Biography

Family

A husband and wife, both medical professionals, are gravely ill. Rather than living in pain, they choose to end their lives, and they turn to their son for help. Despite the legal risks and certain emotional turmoil, he agrees, and ultimately performs an act of love more difficult than any other.

Downloaded: December 11, 2021

Download The last goodnights: assisting my parents with their suicides : a memoir

Kate’s 2¢: “Clark and Division” by Naomi Hirahara

“Clark and Division” by Naomi Hirahara

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I found so many Japanese terms distracting from the story. It was enough to digest the Japanese names.  Other than that, I found the story compelling, yet disturbing.

   Along with reading “Clark and Division”, I was reading “Facing the mountain: a true story of Japanese American heroes in World War II” by Daniel James Brown and read by Louis Ozawa. The historical facts of both books match, so, the story of the family’s travails in Chicago are quite plausible. 

   What bothers me is how inhuman man (or should I say: people?) is to man and how history is still repeating itself.  Will we ever wake up intime to save ourselves from ourselves?

Naomi Hirahara was born in Pasadena, California. Her father, Isamu (known as “Sam”), was also born in California, but was taken to Hiroshima, Japan, as an infant. He was only miles away from the epicenter of the atomic-bombing in 1945, yet survived. Naomi’s mother, Mayumi, or “May,” was born in Hiroshima and lost her father in the blast. Shortly after the end of World War II, Sam returned to California and eventually established himself in the gardening and landscaping trade in the Los Angeles area. After Sam married May in Hiroshima in 1960, the couple made their new home in Altadena and then South Pasadena, where Naomi and her younger brother Jimmy grew up and attended secondary school.

The author  visited  Hiroshima at the age of three.

Naomi received her bachelor’s degree in international relations from Stanford University and studied at the Inter-University Center for Advanced Japanese Language Studies in Tokyo. She also spent three months as a volunteer work camper in Ghana, West Africa.

She was a reporter and editor of The Rafu Shimpo during the culmination of the redress and reparations movement for Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes during World War II. During her tenure as editor, the newspaper published a highly-acclaimed inter-ethnic relations series after the L.A. riots.

Naomi left the newspaper in 1996 to serve as a Milton Center Fellow in creative writing at Newman University in Wichita, Kansas.

After returning to Southern California in 1997, she began to edit, publish, and write books. She edited Green Makers: Japanese American Gardeners in Southern California (2000), published by the Southern California Gardeners’ Federation and partially funded by the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program. She then authored two biographies for the Japanese American National Museum, An American Son: The Story of George Aratani, Founder of Mikasa and Kenwood (2000) and A Taste for Strawberries: The Independent Journey of Nisei Farmer Manabi Hirasaki (2003). She also compiled a reference book, Distinguished Asian American Business Leaders (2003), for Greenwood Press and with Dr. Gwenn M. Jensen co-authored the book, Silent Scars of Healing Hands: Oral Histories of Japanese American Doctors in World War II Detention Camps (2004) for the Japanese American Medical Association. Under her own small press, Midori Books, she has created a book for the Southern California Flower Growers, Inc., A Scent of Flowers: The History of the Southern California Flower Market (2004). Other Midori Books projects include Fighting Spirit: Judo in Southern California, 1930-1941 (co-authored by Ansho Mas Uchima and Larry Akira Kobayashi, 2006).

Summer of the Big Bachi (Bantam/Delta, 2004) was Naomi’s first mystery. The book, a finalist for Barbara Kingsolver’s Bellwether Prize, was also nominated for a Macavity mystery award. The completion of the novel was made possible by support from the California Community Foundation’s Brody Arts Award; Hedgebrook in Whidbey Island, Washington; Pacific Asian Women Writers-West; UCLA Extension Writers’ Program; and again, the Milton Center, which has since moved to Seattle, Washington.

Receiving a starred review from Publishers Weekly, Summer of the Big Bachi was included in the trade magazine’s list of best books of 2004, as well as the best mystery list of the Chicago Tribune. Gasa-Gasa Girl, the second Mas Arai mystery, received a starred review from Booklist and was on the Southern California Booksellers’ Association bestseller list for two weeks in 2005. Snakeskin Shamisen, the third in the series, was released in May 2006. In April 2007 it won an Edgar Allan Poe award in the category of Best Paperback Original. The third Mas Arai book was followed by Blood Hina, Strawberry Yellow, Sayonara Slam and Hiroshima Boy, all currently published by Prospect Park Books. The seventh and final Mas Arai mystery, Hiroshima Boy, was nominated for an Edgar Award in the category of Best Paperback Original, an Anthony and a Macavity.

Naomi also has two books in her Officer Ellie Rush bicycle cop series, Murder on Bamboo Lane, winner of the T. Jefferson Parker Mystery Award, and Grave on Grand Avenue, both published by Penguin Random House. Her series set in Hawai’i featuring Leilani Santiago is connected to the world of Ellie Rush. The series begins with Iced in Paradise, released by Prospect Park Books. Her only book for younger readers, 1001 Cranes (Delacorte), received an honorable mention in Youth Literature from the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Clark and Division DB104746

Hirahara, Naomi. Reading time: 8 hours, 58 minutes.

Read by Allison Hiroto.

Suspense Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

Chicago, 1944. Twenty-year-old Aki Ito and her parents have been released from the Manzanar camp they were incarcerated in, and relocated to Chicago to be reunited with Aki’s older sister, Rose. But Rose has died in a train accident, and Aki must uncover Rose’s secrets. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

Downloaded: October 7, 2021

Download Clark and Division

“Clark and Division” by Naomi Hirahara

Facing the mountain: a true story of Japanese American heroes in World War II DB103646

Brown, Daniel James Reading time: 17 hours, 42 minutes.

Louis Ozawa

Bestsellers

World History and Affairs

The author of The Boys in the Boat (DB 77138) highlights the contributions and sacrifices of Japanese Americans, particularly four families whose sons volunteered for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He discusses the dangers these soldiers faced as well as the difficulties and discrimination their families suffered back in America. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2021.

Download Facing the mountain: a true story of Japanese American heroes in World War II DB103646