Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert Pirsig

I had heard about this book for a while. Something people thought I should read. Higgy's old boss recommended it as well and that was enough for him to buy it years ago. Not enough for him to read it, but it was piled in with the rest of his books. When we went through to clear some shelf space, he decided he was never going to read it. So, it fell into my pile.

I took this book with me on a business trip, figuring I would have quiet time on the plane and in the hotel to read it. Little did I know that I was going to be reading pages over and over again. Either because I was too tired to pay attention (it was some long days) or because the logic was getting a bit confused. I made it to around page 280, but I can't make myself pick it up again. I don't care. I get that he is crazy, but I don't care.

It is going in the box of items to get donated - library or used book store. Just make more room on the shelf.

Ragtime - E.L. Doctorow

As I was reading this book, I was amused because of the overlap in characters between this book and Assassination Vacation. Or course, Emma Goldman has a much bigger role in this book than in the previous one.

I enjoyed the fact that many of the main characters didn't have names; now I won't be faulted for not remembering them. The way the story moves from character to character was very well done, following one character until the next character could take the lead. It was almost like a square dance where you keep switching partners- and oh the blasphemy for saying that about a book that is also highlighting ragtime and the start of jazz.

I started the book because I needed to finish it before Thursday and the first night I was through to page 181, and I finished it the second night. It went quickly and gave me ideas to think about, and made me really think about how far we have come. We still have a ways to go in race relations, but at least we have made some significant progress.

Not sure if I would read it again, I'll probably pass it on.

Assassination Vacation - Sarah Vowell

There is just something about history that pulls me in these days. Maybe it is that I am reading authors who make the journey to the past more personal (Assassination Vacation) or read more like a bad melodrama (Peace to End All Peace), but I have enjoyed the history books this year.

In Assassination Vacation, Vowell travels from Illinois to DC, with tromps around New York to look at the places and pieces of the assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley. It is funny to think that there is a museum with a piece of Lincoln's skull or that there isn't even a plaque where Garfield was shot. Or to think that part of the defense for Garfield's murderer was something to the effect of "I just shot him, the doctors killed him."

It's also interesting to see that someone does stop and look at all of those plaque's around DC and that someone knows who the different statues are around NY. Since I am planning a trip to NY, there was a part of me that wanted to take notes so I could see what she was writing about. Then, I came to my senses.

And, I loved reading the stories of taking her 3 year old nephew to the sites; reading about his talking about skeletons and crypts. Amazing what these kids pick up these days.

A fun book. I would probably keep it in the library, but I should probably return it to the person who let me borrow it.

Five Quarters of the Orange - Joanne Harris

A story of how the past can haunt. It is a story told the way people remember, in fits and starts. It is a story mixing the past and the present. It was a pleasant read - easy to fall into the life of Framboise. It was not a memorable book, but it was enjoyable.

Update 5/30: Apparently more memorable than I thought, it made the cut and stayed in the library.

Blood Memory - Greg Iles

I appreciate that Iles has provided something to think about during his suspense filled novels, but this one went on a bit too long. While I was interested to see how all the character issues would come together, I was ready to give up. There was only so much I could take - how many revelations of abuse, how many stereotypical abuse related relationships, how many awful therapists, and of course, is revenge justified?

Due to its length, it did have some time for character development, but by the end I just wanted it to end.