Give Unto Others by Donna Leon

 (read aloud)

    Usual good writing. Some cynicism about justice. Characters thinking and acting "in character." Plot not very good, certainly an unsatisfying ending, by design I think.

Rising Sun by Michael Crichton

     Crime thriller about Japanese incursion in American corporate world. Lots of Japanese culture, presumably realistic. Reading this 1992 book in 2022 is interesting as Japan seems to have been replaced by China with many of the same considerations and warnings relevant today.

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon by Kenny Moore

     All about Bowerman from Fossil, Oregon, WWII in Italy, coaching, the birth of Nike and Olympics. Lots of famous runners, many records. I get the feeling runners wanted to please him, even loved him, but that he was crusty and not very nice. Much wealth from Nike that he used generously.

The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts

     About a woman who rode her horse in 1956 across America after hearing she had two years to live and couldn't afford to keep her farm. With no money after buying a horse, she and her dog Dépêche-toi set out. Depending on grit and helpful people along the way she made it to the Pacific and lived quite a few more years. Great story, well-written, much research, a real slice of Americana.

In Full Flight by John Hemingway

     Dr Anne Spoerry, an early member of Kenya's Flying Doctors, was famous for her service to thousands in remote Kenya. She was in the French resistance, captured and sent to Ravensbrück. There she probably collaborated with the Nazis for survival. Facing prosecution after the war, she fled to Africa where she served tirelessly. Painful reading at times, the book is quite good and measured, neither overlooking her faults nor piling on. It is quite plain that her service was seeking of atonement.

Limitations by Scott Turow

     Very good, perhaps a better writer than Grisham with comparable story-telling ability. This is about an awful gang rape but more about statute of limitations in law and in life. Really quite a good short mystery novel.

Reading Black Books by Claude Atcho

     Read in part, author is very good, subject important. Books reviewed and interpreted are classics. Very valuable book, painful and hard to read. The books are almost unimaginable in their true description.