I'm going to write obliquely so that the comment isn't captured.

I read the recently released book written by the well-known cable channel newsman concerning the last man in the big house before now and the delay in his ultimately abandoning a run for another four years. And the predicament that put his party in. Ultimately the effect was to open the door wide enough to provide the other side an easy victory.That's why things are where they are today.

The officeholder's significant cognitive decline and mental infirmity had been seen and known for many years. There were comments from named party leaders and major contributors. Others he interacted with from the other party saw it. Journalists saw it. Even foreign leaders he met with saw it and were puzzled about why he was still there. Actual events and meetings were cited (with attribution of comments) over and over.

There was a conspiracy of silence while his inner circle continued to manage and limit his exposure. He stopped meeting with cabinet members. When he did need to have a meeting, even a small one, a script would be prepared for him to read on a teleprompter that would be set up in the meeting room. He'd be told to say nothing more.

All of this went on for years.

The book contains attributed quotes - the names of who said what. The names of people describing meetings they were in and the gaffes and disorientations the subject displayed. Reviews on sites like Goodreads have far too many hit pieces from amateur spinners attacking the messenger and ignoring the message.

The veracity of the recounting of incidents and statements of inner circle people is beyond challenge. People may not like the story but that's not an excuse to try to discredit it. Those who think rulers in place today have a loose and adjustable relationship with truth and reality will learn, after reading this book, that that is an affliction people from both sides suffer from.

I recommend this book to be read. It's an eye opener.

Elmer, Appreciate your take on that book. I don’t read books about living known people as a practice but I was curious about this one because I generally enjoy that newsman’s reporting. As he seems vague about his affiliation I wondered if the book would be fact based with little bias. I also wondered if comparisons are made about the four years of 46 to 40‘s four years.

I'm uninterested in his latest, but I do hope he'll do a companion piece about 45/47.

The book seemed exceedingly balanced and without apparent bias to me.

When it's an investigation about whether someone does or doesn't demonstrate normal cognitive and dementia-free behavior, the dozens and dozens of comments from named interviewees who could cite events, dates, and conversation topics where the subject person faltered or seemed lost is pretty hard to report with bias. What could one of his supporters say - "No, that didn't happen"? When the person named was a cabinet member, or a Congressional leader, or other person of high rank and known access?

I won't guess about Bunny but there are still far too many people in this fellow's party who remain in denial about the indisputable facts about what happened and why.

One comment that was made was that his staff were often stymied about the hypocrisy of creating various fictional excuses about why their boss may have demonstrated problems here and there, when at the same time accusing the other side of blatantly lying. You can't accuse and also perpetrate the same evil at the same time. This was a comment from a staff member.

Elmer -- I suspect that party's people believed that even a thin curtain was better protection than nothing against 47. I wonder why said opposition didn't focus on the actual impairment rather than sling mud about a son.

Must every prominent politician have at least one incredibly life-challenged close relative? How about a book profiling all of those!

I received mfk Fisher’s “The Art of Eating “ today (anonymously) from A. Will be my summer read.

I agree with every nice thing said about How to Read a Book. It had been a long time since I was wanting the book to not end.

Finally finished a months' long slog of Alexander Hamilton (Chernow). 4 stars. I really didn't know much about Hamilton before reading this. Came away from it appreciating that Hamilton was likely the most important of the Founding Fathers. Genius but with some significant flaws.

Then a much quicker read, The Lincoln Highway (Amor Towles) 3.5 stars. A lot of characters but they lacked distinctive voices and situations that verge on requiring suspension of disbelief. Could have been much better.

And currently reading Enchanted Evening (MM Kaye). This is the last book in her autobiographical trilogy. I adored the first two, The Sun in Morning and Golden Afternoon, both 5 star reads. This one, so far, isn't as good.

Just finished The Frozen River - Ariel Lawhon. Great read! The story is inspired by the actual diaries / journals of Martha Ballard who was a midwife in late 1700’s. The story spans 40 - 50 years of Martha’s married life and her career as a midwife but the central events take place in Hallowell, Maine over a winter and through to the spring thaw and breakup of the ice in the Kennebec river. The story is an interesting glimpse into what life was like in early colonial days. The several pages of Author’s note at the end of the book are well worth reading too. She explains how she got the idea for the story and how she used the diaries as the basis for it. She also wraps things up for the the reader by telling us what happened to Martha’s family in the years after the story ends.

I'm surprised how few comments were made about a successful book offering substantive background and insights most relevant to the current times we all face.

To use the modern phrase, the response has been mostly crickets.

Elmer - I do have that successful book on hold at my library. I’m @ 55 in queue…..

When your turn comes up, I hope you'll find it interesting. I think he tried hard to keep a journalistic stance - report the facts as you know them, let readers have their own thoughts and come to their own conclusions.

How many copies does your library have? How long is the expected wait?

Elmer, in this thread you'll find most books others mention are not commented on. Unless there have been several people who read it who will reinforce or disagree with their take on it, it generally is just a list of what people have read with their rating of it. It's what are you reading, and not a book discussion of a specific book like a book club.

I just finished Waiting for Signs by Craig Johnson. A book of Walt Longmire short stories that I thoroughly enjoyed...but then again I'm a fan. Not for book group. 4 star for fans.

"Unless there have been several people who read it who will reinforce or disagree with their take on it"

Exactly. It's been a best seller so many have read it. I was expecting both. It's about one of the major issues the world is now facing.

I just started “SGT. RECKLESS”, by Robin Hutton. Sgt. Reckless is the only horse who was ever given a rank for her service to

her “Reckless Gunners” Marine unit during the Korean War. I have read a number of books about famous horses and enjoyed

them all very much so I am looking forward to this story.

debra

KW PNW, When We Were the Kennedys is the only book I've ready by Monica Wood so far. I was impressed with her writing, especially how she handled description. I later learned she wrote a book about how to write description, which I was happy to buy. Now I'll look for How to Read a Book.

Laceyvail, what did the other members of your book club think of The Women? I've read only one book by Kristin Hannah--The Great Alone, about Alaska--but thought it was excellent.

I just finished A Three Dog Life, a memoir by Abigail Thomas about her life following her husband's severe traumatic brain injury. It was written in 2007. I found much to relate to, having lived through my husband's 10 years of dementia, plus I love dogs. I appreciated the writing style--she writes like a poet, I thought. Then just now I looked to see if she had more recent releases (she does) and learned that Stephen King calls her "the Emily Dickinson of memoirists." I've never cared for Emily Dickinson, but I do like the way Abigail Thomas writes. I hope to read her newest book, Still Life at Eighty: The Next Interesting Thing.

Elmer - Looks like there are a measly 3 copies in the local library system. 1 is checked out & 2 on hold waiting to be picked up. I think it’ll be awhile before my number comes up. There are 68 in queue now. I can’t see a way to determine if additional copies are ordered but wouldn’t be surprised if they do that based on request volumn. I’ve received books surprisingly fast when I’ve had a triple digit hold number. It is available via the audio books library link but audio books aren’t my cup of tea unless I’m in a car on a road trip.

@Alisande, I just picked up When We Were the Kennedys today! I found that Monica Wood has 4 other books besides the 3 that I’ve gotten from my library but it seems my library doesn’t have them.

I read The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served The Tudor Queens, by Nicola Clark, which runninginplace recommended on May's thread.

It sounded really intriguing and I usually love all things in that period even though I retain very little in my brain. I pushed through this book and did enjoy some of it, but I honestly found a lot of the writing to be confusing.

It doesn't help that most of the main characters are Anne, Katherine, Elizabeth, Jane, and Mary. (I was thankful the last Kathryn was spelled differently).

I did learn some and once I just read for pleasure, I did enjoy it more.

I'd give it 3 stars.

I'm just finishing up Charlotte Wood's Stone Yard Devotional, about an Australian woman who goes on a retreat to a convent. Really well-told, more meditation than plot, and if you have a mouse phobia do not read this book! I'm immersed.

I must be dense. I still have not guessed the title or author of the book about current events by a cable newsman.

Original Sin.

kathy_t Original Sin by Jake Tapper

This is likely 'just me', but I'm giving up on Erich Puchner's Dream State. I've liked other novels about confused people living limited lives. I can't care about these overlapping fools other than to want to call Child Protective Services, if there is one in one of America's least developed western states.

On to The One-in-a-Million Boy. Can I like it as much as Wood's How to Read a Book?

I also have Hum, Helen Phillips, on my shelf.

Sorry kathy t, maybe I was overly concerned about the screening bot.

Elmer, from what I’ve read in this forum and then not been able to reread suddenly, as in vaporized, your concern wasn’t ’overly’. Sad that we’ve been reduced to looking over our shoulders and speaking in code.

I accept the company's right to set rules as it sees fit. Accepting them causes me no annoyance. Accepting them and agreeing with them are two different things. There are no options involved other than take it or leave it, perfectly understandable under the circumstances.

Im currently reading Original Sin, so far so good.

I just discovered to my excitement that How to Read a Book is on my Kindle! I really should keep better track of the books I buy.

Thanks for those who provided the book title and author. And Elmer, I understand why you were reluctant to mention them. Got it now, all is good. I'm #37 in line for it at my library.

kathy t, hopefully you'll have the same experience I had recently with two books with long wait lists. The lists moved so fast that the only explanation is that people ahead of me in line made it a point to read quickly when their turn came up, and return the borrowing promptly out of consideration for others still waiting.

In my case, it was titles with hundreds of people waiting. But they were waitlists for digital copies and another benefiting factor was that the libraries involved were nice enough to procure additional "copies", to increase the number of simultaneous borrowers they could accommodate and thereby also speeding up movement of the lines.

I am currently reading Ponzinomics The Untold Story of Multi-Level Marketing

by Robert L. FitzPatrick, My daughter had mentioned it and lent me her copy. I rarely read paper books, but fortunately this is good sized fonts and white paper so iI'm able to read it in this format. Anyway I am at the beginning, roughly 20%, and finding it really fascinating regarding the history regarding salesmanship so to speak, and of course, the introduction of vitamins and supplements (and cemetery plots) to the public..

I used to read mostly nonfiction so this feels right to me. Again, I 'm not reading it to be tested on, reading it for pleasure and enjoying and learning.

The Keeper of Lost Things, by Ruth Hogan. We're enjoying reading this one. In the first part, the vignettes presented mingle quite well with the current day happenings.

@rob333 (zone 7b) I’m #5 in queue at my library for The Keeper of Lost Things!

Just started Kate Atkinson's Death at the Sign of the Rook, a recent Jackson Brodie mystery. It's excellent so far, as are nearly all her books. She gently tweaks the conventions of the country house mystery, and does it with elegant prose.

Whoa have I been knocked back! Just finished The Dead Zone by Stephen King which was published in 1979. Not terrifying like vampires and such, but a boy, John Smith, with foresight. So eerie considering how much foresight in terms of parallels with today that he wrote about over 40 years ago.

Greg Stillson was into real estate, sold bibles, and then became a politician. He was considered a joke and no one took him as a serious candidate because his campaign was all schtick including his wearing a construction helmet as his trade mark. But he struck a note and some people became true believers...his opponents just the usual boring policy stuff. He wanted to cut taxes and cut social services including welfare. The parallels go on from there.

I enjoyed it. 4 stars. Good for book group if they are a group that will go into that woo-woo stuff.

.....Spoiler Alert!!....

I hope the parallels stop at that point as, in the book, John foresaw that Greg was going to become president and, if he did, there would be a massive war, nuclear holocaust. Could he, should he do something to prevent his presidency?

The Amendments by Niamh Mulvey.. What an odd and depressing book. The author follows three women in the same family as they try to find the meaning of life in Ireland in a time not too long ago. Let's just say that religion does not rescue a gay, pregnant woman .Neither do societal norms. It was almost a DNF.

Just finished The Quantum and the Lotus: A Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet by Matthieu Ricard and Trịnh Xuân Thuận. Ricard was a scientist turned buddhist monk, Thuận is Vietnamese raised buddhist who is an astrophysicist. The book is a conversation between the two. Parts of the book were harder going, it could've used better editing. But for the most part, it was amazing to see the commonality in conclusions about the quantum world even though the buddhist understanding came about 4,000 years ago. The buddhist approach avoids the need for such things as a grand unification theory and avoids the question of what came before the big bang. Unlike many religions, buddhism requires no faith but is open to scientific exploration wherever it leads. But the buddhist approach comes from inner inspection of the mind and reality vs. the scientific approach that comes from measurement and observations. If you are into such things, this is a worthwhile read. But if the mention of quarks or superposition or entanglement makes your eyes glaze over, this isn't for you. I give it 3+ stars because of the editing, and definitely not for book group unless it's a group of nerds.

Add me as a fan of How to Read a Book. It's a terrible title, but that's beside the point.

Anyway, I loved it. It gets 5 stars from me. Aren't the parrots just the best?!!

There's so much about forgiveness and redemption, of outward appearances not always what they seem. I downloaded Spoon River Anthology from Project Gutenberg.

Just finished The Keeper of Lost Things. What an absolute delight! Five stars. No wandering, only weaving of stories. Great character development. An absolute joy to read. So much to talk about in book club. Really really liked it. Helps that I'm off from both jobs today, snuggled under covers while the rain is pattering outside on the window. Perfection.

rob333, there are two different authors for a book with that name...which one did you read?

Really? Ruth Hogan.

Last Twilight In Paris - historical fiction novel by Pam Jenoff. A new book & an interesting WW II story about a furniture store in Paris where Jews were imprisoned and forced to sort, set up displays and act as sales staff to help German Nazi officers choose items from belongings plundered from Jewish homes. The story line is told from a point in 1953 and about a former wartime Red Cross Volunteer who is trying to resolve an event from her wartime experience in 1944. I generally avoid reading stories about any of our Wars or anything involving our military - just too hard. But, this is a great read about people with integrity, courage and with a strong will to survive.

I just started, but it seems pretty good: The Light Years, by Elizabeth Jane Howard. It's a Downton Abbey/ Forsythe Saga/Masterpiece Theater kind of story of an upper class British family, just after WWI, including the whole Upstairs, Downstairs thing. This is the first book, and I gather there are five! It's not especially deep, but interesting. A fun summer read, not too taxing on the gray matter!

I read Wally Lamb’s new book, The River Is Waiting. It is heartbreaking but so good. Five stars.

Then I needed comedy, so I read Jeff Hiller’s memoir. I loved the HBO series Somebody Somewhere, and I was sad when it ended.

I just started Madwoman, which I think I found on an NPR list of recommended books.

My SIL just gave me a big stack of books, so I’ll be busy for a while.

faftris, those books are such fun, if you can keep all the characters straight!

Just finished The Book of Doors, which I enjoyed thoroughly. Slightly weird but engrossing. Time travel of a sort with magic involved -- different!

Finished Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett. Absolute film noir...can see the cars racing through the city streets, the guns firing 1920s gangland style. Femme fatale who is just nasty enough. Hotels and back alleys and old warehouses that are seedy. If that's your thing, this is a good one. I gave it 4 stars, but if you're looking for poetic language or strong character development, look elsewhere. This is not for you. Definitely not for book club.

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