I Still Have It... I Just Can't Remember Where I Put It: Confessions of a Fiftysomething by Rita Rudner (memoir)

What a hoot! Rudner is a treasure. I laughed a lot, and this was a very enjoyable read.

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin (memoir)

A thoughtful, well-written and interesting look at the great comedic mind of Steve Martin.

The Persuader by Lee Child

Another good Jack Reacher novel, though I tend to prefer the ones that are told in third-person (this one was told in first-person). I have friends who like the first-person ones best, though... there's no accounting for taste.

I Shall Not Want by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Wow, another fantastic book in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mystery series. After the last book I didn't think it was possible for her to top herself, but she managed to find a way, and boy, is this a readable, wonderful, terrific, passionate and exciting book. If you haven't read this series I highly recommend it. But you'll want to start with the first one, "In The Bleak Midwinter." And then I dare you to be able to stop. Go on, try it.

City of Dogs by Livi Michael

Thanks to Meredith for recommending this neat kid's book to me. I really enjoyed it (she knew I would, there are lots of dogs in it).

Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

Sometimes I adore being a librarian. We get advanced reader's copies (ARCs)! This book is not actually due to be published till July 8th, but imagine my delight when I found it in the latest box of ARCs. I shrieked with excitement. Everyone else in the office wondered if I had gone a bit cracked.   Anyway, the book (the fifth in the Temeraire series) was wonderful -- well written, thought provoking, and awesome. Yay!

books I've read lately

Skim by Mariko & Jillian Tamakai - an interesting teen graphic novel   Utterly Me, Clarice Bean by Lauren Child - a FABULOUS kid's book, I adored it   The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch - a really good read, thought-provoking, funny and sad

Dorothy on the Rocks by Barbara Suter

Funny and well written, but ultimately disappointing chick lit.

What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage by Amy Sutherland

Based on an article that originally appeared in the NY Times in 2006 (link here), this is a fascinating look at how we can train other people (and how they can train us) to do things we don't even realize... and how to *avoid* accidentally training someone to do something you don't want to happen. It's hard to put down this book, and I'll definitely keep it close by so I can read through it and refresh my memory when I'm having trouble dealing with a difficult person.

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8. Lee

This was a really enjoyable, interesting nonfiction journey through the history and background of Chinese food in America (and elsewhere around the world). It was hard to put down. I learned a lot and I was not bored -- two very important factors!

Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson (teen)

It's about time someone realized librarians' innate capacity for evil and mayhem! I knew I would like this book from the first sentence, which I quote here in its entirety: "So, there I was, tied to an altar made from outdated encyclopedias, about to get sacrificed to the dark powers by a cult of evil Librarians." And I was not disappointed. Hoping mightily for a sequel!

Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori & Rom Brafman

An enjoyable nonfiction book about how we can inadvertently sabotage ourselves without even realizing what we are doing. A quick and interesting read.

The Hard Way by Lee Child

How cool is this - I finished The Hard Way on my Kindle, riding back from my grandmother's house (my brother was driving) and promptly purchased another thriller by the same author while speeding down Route 80. I think I need to lay off the thrillers, though. I was doing some gardening this morning and I came across a small, roundish piece of light-colored rock and my first thought was "Oh no! Someone buried a severed fingertip in my yard!!"  Thankfully it turned out to be rose quartz and not human flesh.