"Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope" by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly

Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly is the true story of Arizona Congresswoman, Gabrielle Gifford's recovery after being shot in the head. It is a very inspiring story and is told by Mark, her astronaut husband. It reads like a novel and I enjoyed it a lot.
(Gerard's review:  My rating: 4 of 5 stars)


Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

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Happy Presidents Day!

This video recaps all the presidents in under 4 minutes! Pretty cool, I thought. I'm glad I'm not the President of the U.S.--way too much responsibility! I'm amazed anyone wants that job but I'm sure glad some people do. I found this over at MaryTheKayTheBlog on her Honoring our Greatest Presidents post. She has a trivia quiz over there for you too!

"America By Heart: Reflections On Family, Faith and Flag" by Sarah Palin

There is really no grey area when it comes to Sarah Palin.  You either like her or you don’t.  I do.  America By Heart:  Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag is her second book; her first was Going Rogue: An American Life.  She touches on a number of subjects.  The chapters of this book that I enjoyed most were:  “Why They Serve,” “The Rise Of The Mama Grizzlies,” “I Hear America Praying,” and “Common Sense Constitutional Conservatism.”  I liked both her books. 
 (Gerard's review)

 Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Pelican Brief" by John Grisham

The Pelican Brief by John Grisham is about Darby Shaw, a law student who does some research into a possible suspect who had two Supreme Court Justices assassinated.  She finds herself on the run when her brief makes it all the way to the FBI, CIA and the President.  There is a lot of killing in this book and Darby realizes she is in danger.  This is a real thriller because Darby doesn’t know who to trust.  She finally trusts Gray, an investigative reporter at the Washington Post who admires her and together they work at getting evidence.  It’s quite an elaborate story. 

I liked it because Darby was so smart when she was running for her life.  It was hard to believe she was able to outfox professional hit men, but at the same time, it was fun to see her doing it.  It has quite a bit of action which helped hold my interest.  It’s not my favorite Grisham book, but it is pretty good.

"The Appeal" by John Grisham

The Appeal by John Grisham is a very good novel about the corruption of our justice system and how politics influence verdicts. It is certainly thought provoking and forces us to really question if we know for what and for whom we are voting. It was very interesting to see how devious and manipulative powerful people can be and how easily decent people can be duped and used when they focus on money and pride.

There are many different characters, but really only the main ones were well developed. I really liked the plaintiff's attorneys, Wes and Mary Grace Peyton from start to finish. I also liked Judge Sheila McCarthy from the start and felt sorry for her when the political campaign by her opponents could portray her as something she wasn't. It was enlightening to see how much money played a role in the election of the candidates. Again, if this is true, and I'm afraid it is, our country is in serious trouble!

Ron Fisk, although he was presented in a good light, I didn't like him because he went along with a plan he suspected was shady, even after seeking Godly wisdom and guidance. I was astounded at the way he voted once he became an Appellate Judge.

The only thing I really did not like about this book is that Christians are portrayed as being gullible, stupid and easily manipulated. Again, I hope this is fiction, but unfortunately, I'm afraid it's more truth than fiction. Great book!

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Politician" by Andrew Young

The Politician by Andrew Young reveals the scandal that took John Edwards out of the race for President. Andrew Young writes a great book here by not holding back anything. It reads like a novel but it is sad it is true. This is an eye opening account!

(Gerard's review 4/17/10)


Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Going Rogue" by Sarah Palin

OK, I’ll admit I like Sarah Palin.  I like her a whole lot more after Going Rogue.  I enjoyed meeting her family and hearing about them.  The part about her campaign with John McCain was really fascinating stuff.  She pulled no punches!  If you can put your politics aside, I think you will find this book enjoyable too.

(Gerard's review 1/10/10)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Courage To Survive" by Dennis J. Kucinich

The Courage To Survive is enlightening and very interesting.  Even though I am not very interested in politics or political figures, I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography by Dennis Kucinich, former Mayor of Cleveland. It is a fast read because it's so well written and fascinating. He shares how his family lived in poverty and struggled along. He had health problems but still had a desire to help other people. Parts were sad while other parts were cute and humorous. It gave me insight into how the poor live and a new respect for Dennis Kucinich.

(Karen's review 4/4/08)