Thursday, July 30, 2015

Book Beginning: At the Hearth of the Crossed Races



THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING



In the summer of 1851, the French traveler Pierre Fournier de Saint Amant visited the Oregon Territory, spending several weeks with French-Indian families living in a corner of the Willamette Valley known as French Prairie.

At the Hearth of the Crossed Races: A French-Indian Community in Nineteenth-Century Oregon, 1812-1859 by Melinda Marie Jette.

Jette takes a new look at the role of French-Canadian fur trappers, the French-Indian families they created, and their indigenous kin in colonizing the Pacific Northwest,  She re-examines the traditional history of the region that puts Anglo-American settlers at the center of the story, focusing on the 47 years from 1812, when the Kalapuyans first had direct contact with Euro-Americans, and 1859, when Oregon became a state.




Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Teaser Tuesday: The Lemon Cookbook



These savory biscotti have it all: richness and umami from the cheese, brightness from the lemon, and a crunchy kick from the semolina and a generous dose of freshly ground black pepper. Serve them with wine, for dunking in soup, or with fruit and cheese.

-- From the recipe for peppery lemon parmesan biscotti in The Lemon Cookbook: 50 Sweet & Savory Recipes to Brighten Every Meal by Ellen Jackson, published by Sasquatch Books.

I chose this for my teaser because it is the first recipe I am going to make from this adorable new cookbook.




Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

Monday, July 27, 2015

Mailbox Monday



Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event. Mailbox Monday has now returned to its permanent home where you can link to your MM post.

Several books, all with great covers, came into my house last week:

The first three are the Charlie Mortdecai novels by Kyril Bonfiglioli, a 1970s trilogy recently reprinted. I couldn't resist the description, "Like the result of an unholy collaboration between P. G. Wodehouse and Ian Fleming."



Don't Point That Thing At Me, After You with the Pistol, and Something Nasty in the Woodshed



More Baths Less Talking: Notes from the Reading Life of a Celebrated Author Locked in Battle with Football, Family, and Time Itself by Nick Hornby. This one is also part of a series -- his latest collection of "Stuff I've Been Reading" columns from The Believer.  (Read my review of one of the earlier collections, The Polysyllabic Spree, here.)

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Author Interview: Lindsay R. Mohlere



Oregon may have legalized pot, but Lindsay R. Mohlere has spun great fiction out of an illegal grow operation hidden deep in an Oregon National Forest.

His new novel, The Grow, is a fast-paced crime story about bad guys ripping off bad guys and the many ways that can go wrong. Think Elmore Leonard in the Wallowas. The Grow puts the high into heist!

Lindsay recently took the time to answer questions for Rose City Reader.

How did you come to write The Grow?

I’ve been writing outdoor – hunting, fishing, and adventure – short stories for magazines for several years and felt it was time to try something longer. I wanted to write a story about thieves stealing from other thieves. You know, a crime doesn’t pay kind of thing. About the same time, I learned the DEA had busted a huge outdoor cannabis grow in the Wallowa Mountains in northeastern Oregon. The raid eradicated over 93,000 plants in a deep canyon about a mile long. It was the largest bust ever in the state and ten cartel-linked individuals were also taken into custody.

I have hunted and fished in that territory for several years, so a rip-off of a cartel grow op felt like a good backstory for my characters. Most of the big outdoor cannabis farms on public and tribal land are tied to Transnational Criminal Organizations (Cartels). Every hunter I know that goes into the woods is aware of the danger these operations present. I also wanted to shed some light on the damage large illegal outdoor pot plantations have on the environment. The pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, human waste, and other garbage left at grow sites results in chemical contamination and alteration of our watersheds and precious natural vegetation.

What is your work background? How did it lead you to writing your book?

In my youth, I was pretty much a loose cannon. I worked at several odd jobs, like painting houses and landscaping. I worked on a section gang for the railroad and later became a switchman/brakeman for the Burlington Northern. During the construction of the Alaska Pipeline, I went to sea working on sea-going tugboats. Had a few poems published and sold a couple stories. I even toyed with the idea of getting an MFA in Creative Writing but took another turn.

I got into the advertising business in Portland in the late 70’s, starting out in radio sales and then moved into creative services. I became a copywriter crafting radio, television, and print ads for many local, regional, and national clients. About ten years ago I began writing short fiction for outdoor magazines, and, as they say, one thing lead to another.

What is your "day job"?

I no longer do commercial work, choosing to concentrate on freelance journalistic endeavors, short fiction, and another novel. My “day job” continues to be what it’s always been – writing.

Your story has realistic descriptions of how drug cartels operate marijuana grow operations in National Forests. How did you research those kind of details?

I went “Google Crazy.” I read newspapers from around the country. I spent days studying photographs from different busts. I talked with migrant workers and sheriff’s departments. I interviewed outdoor growers, both legal and illegal. I studied the cartels. I listened to “narco corrido,” drug lord ballads. I watched B grade “narco-cinima” movies.

What did you learn from writing your book – either about the subject of the book or the writing process – that most surprised you?

The writing process surprised me. Getting so deeply involved with the characters really got to me. Living in someone else’s head, deciding who they are and what they are was a trip. It’s nothing like writing short stories.

Did you know right away, or have an idea, how you were going to end the story? Or did it come to you as you were in the process of writing?

About half way through the writing process, I started thinking about an ending. By the time I needed to wrap up the book, I also realized I needed to change the beginning. The result was a defined linear plot.

Who are your three (or four or five) favorite authors? Is your own writing influenced by who you read?

Two dead ones: Hemingway and Elmore Leonard. Living ones: James Ellroy, Walter Mosley, and James Patterson. And couple of poets: Howard McCord and Richard Hugo.

What kind of books do you like to read? Do you have a favorite genre? And guilty pleasures?

I enjoy crime, mystery, and adventure tales, along with some biographies. My guilty pleasure is poetry.

What are you reading now?

Just finished The Big Seven, Brown Dog, and The Great Leader by Jim Harrison. Starting Perfidia by James Ellroy.

What is the most valuable advice you’ve been given as an author?

Three things: find power in verbs, read it backwards and dialog keeps the pages turning.

What do you do to promote your books? Do you use social networking sites or other internet resources?

In this digital age of independent publishing, authors must carry the burden of promoting their own work. To that end, I jumped into the social media pond with both feet. I already had a blog, Upland Outdoors, that I began using as a promotional tool for the novel. My website features the book as well. I created a Facebook author page, which I find totally baffling.

I haven’t yet got onto Twitter, but it’s not out of the question. I also have a YouTube video I’ll introduce later this summer. In addition, I’ve reached out to several blogs like yours and some of the magazines I write for have mentioned the novel and promoted my web site. So far, Email has been the best tool.

Do you have any events coming up to promote The Grow?

I’m going to schlep some paperbacks around to the medical pot stores to see if there’s an interest. The novel isn’t against marijuana, but it’s not really for it either, so I don’t know what kind of reception I’ll get. I’m not interested in becoming a book distributor, but if I can get a couple of outlets for the paperback version of The Grow, I’ll be happy. [Editor's Note: Brilliant!]

I’m always open to do readings and such.

What’s next? Are you working on your next book?

Hopefully a Kindle Short will lead the way to the publication of a collection of short stories.

Around August 1, a short story, "Last Cast at Indian Falls" (a fishing thriller), will be published in Sixfold, an online and paperback literary magazine.

I am also working on another novel I hope to have out after the first of the year. It will have an Oregon background and maybe a few characters from The Grow.

THANKS, LINDSAY! AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE BOOK!

The Grow is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBook, etc.


Thursday, July 23, 2015

Book Beginning: The Lemon Cookbook



THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING



I was first seduced by a lemon at the tender age of six.

-- From the author's introduction to The Lemon Cookbook: 50 Sweet & Savory Recipes to Brighten Every Meal by Ellen Jackson, published by Sasquatch Books.

Ellen Jackson goes on to describe a "lemon stick" -- a treat made from a peppermint stick stuck into a lemon so the candy is used as a straw to suck the juice. We did the same thing with oranges when I was a kid, although is sounds so weird, I thought I made it up until I read the beginning of Jackson's new cookbook.




Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Teaser Tuesday: You Know Your Way Home by Suzanne Jauchius



Opening the door, he reached in his pocket and pulled out his lighter. Holding my journal an arm's length away from me, he took his lighter and set it aflame.
-- You Know Your Way Home by Suzanne Jauchius

Suzanne Jauchius now has a successful career as a professional psychic, radio personality, and public speaker. But her life was a real mess for a long time, with five husbands before she was 40, including the nice guy described in the passage above.

With the help of a good counselor, Suzanne turned things around and built a more authentic life for herself. This memoir tells her story.



Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

Monday, July 20, 2015

Mailbox Monday



Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event. Mailbox Monday has now returned to its permanent home where you can link to your MM post.

A mixed trio of books came into my house last week:



The Lemon Cookbook: 50 Sweet & Savory Recipes to Brighten Every Meal by Ellen Jackson, published by Sasquatch Books. The bright sunny cover is irresistible!



The Anger Meridian by Kaylie Jones, published by Akashic Books, creator of the popular city-themed Noir Series. This looks like a murder mystery Mommy Dearest mashup.



The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan. I snagged this 2014 Booker Prize winner from a Little Free Library!

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Book Beginning: You Know Your Way Home by Susan Jauchius



THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING



"My God! Follow that car!" I shouted, pointing emphatically beyond the gravel parking lot to the road ahead.
My friend Debbi shook her head. "Uh, excuse me. You're the only one who can see it," she said with a bemused smile as she turned the car onto the deserted road.

-- You Know Your Way Home by Suzanne Jauchius

This is such a terrific opening, it needed more than my usual one sentence! Suzanne Jauchius is a professional psychic and her memoir opens with a description of working on a 1989 child abduction case.

I'm as skeptical as anyone when it comes to psychics, but I heard Susan speak at a recent Bloom Book Lunch & Thrive event here in Portland and she has a really interesting life story. Her book is well written and reads like an adventure novel. I am completely sucked in!

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Review: McCallandia



Bill Hall's clever new political novel, McCallandia, imagines what America would have been like if Tom McCall, Oregon's popular, environmentally-friendly governor, had succeeded Richard Nixon as President after Watergate.

McCall was a moderate Republican, best remembered for passage of Oregon's Bottle Bill and making the state's ocean beaches public. He also played a small roll in counter-culture history when he countenanced Oregon's mini version of Woodstock, Vortex I, the "only state-sponsored rock festival."

Oregonian will enjoy this imaginative story about their favorite son. But readers outside Oregon will also enjoy the learning about this memorable figure -- both because of the things he accomplished and for his colorful, outsized personality. McCall could be very thin skinned. He needed a strong, loving wife and an excellent staff to harness and focus his energies. He was wrong on issues a few times, but was the first to step up and admit it.

McCallandia lets readers get to know an imperfect, yet great person whose story still has relevance for all of us.

OTHER REVIEWS

Down the Ballot

If you would like your review of McCallandia listed here, please leave a comment with a link and I will add it.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Teaser Tuesday: The Billion Dollar Spy



On June 1, 1978, headquarters approved Hathaway's plan. The dead drop would contain the secret-writing instructions, intelligence questions, and an ops note.

-- The Billion Dollar Spy: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal by David E. Hoffman

Near the end of the Cold War, the CIA established a relationship with a Moscow spy that would prove one of its most valuable.  Based on personal interviews and newly-released CIA documents, this is history is as exciting as any espionage thriller.

David E. Hoffman is a contributing editor of the Washington Post and author of The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and its Dangerous Legacy.



Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Mailbox Monday



Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event. Mailbox Monday has now returned to its permanent home where you can link to your MM post.

I got two books with an Oregon pioneer theme:



Honey in the Horn by H. L. Davis, with a new introduction by Richard W. Etulain. This classic coming of age novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1936 and is the only Oregon book to ever win the Pulitzer for fiction.



At the Hearth of the Crossed Races: A French-Indian Community in Nineteenth-Century Oregon, 1812-1859 by Melinda Marie Jette. This looks like a fascinating social history of the French-Indian families, indigenous peoples, and Anglo-American settlers adjusting to life together in what is now Oregon's Willamette Valley and was then called the French Prairie.

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Author Interview: Bill Hall


Bill Hall is the author of McCallandia, a clever new political novel that imagines what America would have been if Tom McCall, Oregon's popular, environmentally-friendly governor, had succeeded Richard Nixon as President after Watergate.

Bill recently took time from his book tour to answer some questions for Rose City Reader, including why people outside Oregon should read it!


How did you come to write McCallandia?

I wanted to add something to the Tom McCall story. He published his autobiography decades ago, and a fine biography, Fire at Eden’s Gate, appeared twenty years ago. I wanted to tell the story of the McCall years in a new way, and help people envision what might have been had he taken his passions and skills to the national stage.

Do you have a personal connection with Tome McCall? What led you to write a novel around the idea of Tom McCall becoming President of the United States?

I grew up in Tom McCall’s Oregon and have admired him since I was a child. He’s been a role model for my own professional path from journalism (newspaper and radio reporter) to elective office (Lincoln County Commissioner). I’m proud to have volunteered in his 1978 comeback campaign when I was a college freshman. I met him a handful of times that spring and introduced him at an appearance on the Pacific University campus.

How much of your novel is based on true, historical events?

Virtually everything up to October, 1973—the point at which McCall is selected as the new vice president after Spiro Agnew resigns—is actual historical fact. From that point, things diverge from reality pretty substantially, though most of the other key players in U.S. and world history remain the same.

How did you research the historical information and detail found in your book?

I have read widely in Oregon and U.S. history for more than forty years and had accumulated a large personal archive of McCall-related materials. I also interviewed several people with personal and professional ties to McCall including his son Tad, his executive secretary, a former Supreme Court justice, and colleagues of his from his years at KATU.

What did you learn from writing your book – either about the subject of the book or the writing process – that most surprised you?

Tom McCall is remembered as a great environmentalist—and he was—but writing this book really helped underscore for me that his great empathy with people is what drove him most of all. He loved making connections with people, especially those who didn’t have a voice in public life. He wanted them to enjoy a healthy environment because he was wanted them to enjoy their overall quality of life.

What do you think today’s presidential candidates could learn from Tom McCall?

He had great vision and passion. He had a remarkable gift for engaging people and winning their support by expressing his ideas in memorable ways. He saw the connections between things that aren’t always immediately apparent. He had great empathy for people. He was always learning, always growing. He went out of his way to reach out and include young people in his inner circle because of their energy, passion and fresh ideas. These are all qualities that would serve any potential president well today.

People outside Oregon probably don’t know much about Tom McCall. Would they enjoy your book? 

Yes! McCall was one of the most memorable figures in Oregon history, not only because of the things he accomplished but for his colorful, outsized personality. He did have his flaws; he could be very thin skinned, and he needed a strong, loving wife and an excellent staff to help harness and focus his energies. He was wrong on issues a few times, but was the first to step up and admit it. Reading this book will allow you to know an imperfect, yet great human being whose story still has relevance for all of us.

Who are your three (or four or five) favorite authors? Is your own writing influenced by who you read?

Ernest Hemingway, Ken Kesey, Hunter Thompson, J.D. Salinger, David McCullough. I try to learn about technique from everyone I read. I’m so pleased that several readers have told me, “You feel like you’re in the room with these people.” This is one of my favorite quotes from Hemingway:
All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was. If you can get so that you can give that to people, then you are a writer.

What kind of books do you like to read? Do you have a favorite genre? And guilty pleasures?

I read pretty widely in a lot of genres; my reading was 80 percent non-fiction, mostly history and biographies, for a long time. Now it’s probably 80 percent fiction, mostly literary fiction. I don’t know if I can pick a favorite genre. I might call YA a guilty pleasure. I truly admire the ability of the best YA authors to plunge you right into a story without wasted effort. You come to know the people and places very quickly and care about the results.

What are you reading now?

Dear Zoe by Philip Beard; On the Road by Jack Kerouac (which I had never read before); and Broadcast Hysteria: Orson Welles’s War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News by Brad Schwartz.

What is the most valuable advice you’ve been given as an author?

Write, write, write and then rewrite! I worked in journalism for many years. That helped me learn to write quickly and clearly, but fiction requires an additional skill set of pacing and story-telling. Editing is so important. You have be willing to prune and reshape what works and discard what doesn’t.

What do you do to promote your books? Do you use social networking sites or other internet resources?

Book promotion is a must! Books rarely sell themselves. The website of my publisher, Nestucca Spit Press, features the book prominently. You can also find it on the Powell’s web site. I seek out blogs like this one. I use my personal Facebook page to publicize the book, along with several pages and groups related to Oregon history and environmental interests.

Do you have any events coming up to promote McCallandia?

I am having a lot of fun telling the story of Tom McCall and introducing the world of McCallandia. Matt Love and I will have a joint appearance at Broadway Books in Portland on August 13; I have a solo shot at Powells Books on Burnside on August 20; and and October 8, I’ll be at the Oregon Historical Society for a joint program with Dr. Laura Jane Gifford looking at the McCall influence on presidential politics, real and imagined.

What’s next? Are you working on your next book?

I have a couple of more books in the works; they’re both historical fiction with Oregon settings. One is set on the coast and spans the 1940s to the 1980s; the other is primarily set in Portland in 1965. Throw in time travel (in one of the stories), a little romance, and a good buddy relationship, and I hope there will be a couple of finished works that will find an audience.

THANKS, BILL!
GOOD LUCK WITH McCALLANDIA AND YOUR FUTURE PROJECTS!


Thursday, July 9, 2015

Book Beginning: The Billion Dollar Spy by David E. Hoffman



THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING



In in the early years of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, the Central Intelligence Agency harbored an uncomfortable secret about itself. The CIA had never really gained an espionage foothold on the streets of Moscow.

-- The Billion Dollar Spy: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal by David E. Hoffman

Based on personal interviews and newly-released CIA documents, this Cold War history is as exciting as fiction. Pulitzer-winner David Hoffman tells the story of one of the CIA's most productive agents, operating right at the heart of the Soviet Empire -- Moscow.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Teaser Tuesday: Reagan: The Life by H. W. Brands



"General Secretary Gorbachev," Reagan declared in front of the Brandenburg Gate, "if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate! . . . Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
-- Reagan: The Life by H. W. Brands.  With his crisp style and ability to cogently organize mountains of information, Brands once again proves his ability as a master biographer.

I'm a big fan of Steven Hayward's two-volume Reagan biography, and I wouldn't give that one up. But at half the pages, this one is a more approachable introduction for readers looking for their first Reagan biography. And with newly available archival materials and interviews, even Hayward fans like me will want to make room on the shelf for Brand's robust new portrait of Ronald Reagan.


Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Mailbox Monday: You Know Your Way Home by Suzanne Jauchius



Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event. Mailbox Monday has now returned to its permanent home where you can link to your MM post.

I got one book last week when I met the author at the Bloom Book Lunch & Thrive Series here in Portland:



You Know Your Way Home by Suzanne Jauchius

Suzanne is a professional author, radio personality, speaker, and psychic. Yeah, really. I'm a skeptic. But she has a really interesting story to tell about what a mess her life was in -- on her fifth husband before she was 40, and a real wreck when she finally landed in a therapist's office. And she turned it all around. I want to know more.



Thursday, July 2, 2015

Book Beginning: Reagan: The Life by H. W. Brands



THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING



Reagan remembered three things from his childhood: that his father was a drunk, that his mother was a saint, and that his ability to make an audience laugh afforded an antidote to life's insecurities and embarrassments.

-- Reagan: The Life by H. W. Brands.

Brand's new biography of Ronald Reagan is concise, lively, and engaging. With newly available archival materials and interviews, Reagan deserves space on any history-buff's shelf.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...