March Books Read

I know people who read far more than fourteen books in a month, but for me it's a record. The iPod is probably somewhat responsible, but it could also be due to the larger than usual number of non-fiction (which I read faster) titles. Whatever the reason, here's what I read last month:

BOOKS READ



Baseball: The History of America's Favorite Game (NF 2006) - George Vecsey

Watching Baseball Smarter (NF 2007) - Zach Hample

Both books discussed here.

The Shadow Speaker (YA 2007) - Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu

A few thoughts here.







Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood (NF 2008) - Mark Harris

Kirby: King of Comics (NF 2008) - Mark Evanier





How Angel Peterson Got His Name (J NF 2003) - Gary Paulsen
Ivan, one of my library co-workers recommended this book to me. It's an absolutely hilarious look at Paulsen's childhood as he and his friends practically invented...well, sort of...what we would today call Extreme Sports.





The Audacity of Hope (NF 2006) - Barak Obama
I knew very little about Obama before reading this book. Part biography, part roadmap on where we are (and how we've screwed up) as a nation, part "Here's my plan." Obama admits he doesn't have all the answers and I respect that. He's got some good things to say.




You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty (NF 2007) - Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz
Written in the informal style of the Idiot's and Dummies guides, You: Staying Young says you don't have to grow old as quickly as we think. Most of the problems, say the docs, occur on the cellular level. (No, it has nothing to do with the amount of time you spend on your phone.) Some good stuff here, but there's so much information, you'll probably have to choose your battles if you want to take on some of the self-improvement techniques.



The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch (J Fic 2005) - Joseph Delaney
The kids are busting down the library doors to get to this one and now I know why. 12-year-old Tom Ward, the seventh son of a seventh son, apprentices with an old man called The Spook, who wards off a small English village from witches, ghosts and other nasties. A bit predictable for adults, but some great, creepy atmosphere and a great introduction to horror for young readers.





Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village (J Fic 2007) - Laura Amy Schlitz/Robert Byrd
This 2008 Newbery Winner is a fictional account of life in a Medieval village as told by the people living there. Maryland's own Laura Amy Schlitz's book, with outstanding illustrations by Robert Byrd is an amazingly beautiful book.





Charm City (1999) - Laura Lippman
Not my favorite in the Tess Monaghan series, but still a good solid mystery from Lippman.










The Black Cauldron (J 1965) - Lloyd Alexander
A little more talky than The Book of Three, and with less action, but still a winner in Alexander's classic Prydain Chronicles.







Into the Wild (NF 1995) - Jon Krakauer
Spellbinding account of Chris McCandless and his doomed solo expedition into a remote section of Alaska. I thought Krakauer's "Here's why I relate to McCandless" section went on too long, but I highly recommend this compelling read.







The Search for Joseph Tully (1974) - William H. Hallahan
A Christmas present from my good friend Kelly. Hallahan's story is part historical, part psychological, all creepy. Good stuff!




That's it for March. Go read something.