The 100 year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

 ★★★ ½

GENRE: Fiction
SUBJECT: adventures, political changes
Setting: Sweden, China, Spain, US
CHARACTERS: AllanKarlsson, Benny Ljungberg, Julius Jonsson, Francisco Franco, Harry Truman,    
DATE READ: January 25 - January 30
NO. OF PAGES: 384
Challenges: TIOLI, CATEGORY, 
SOURCE: Public Library

PLOT:....................................................................4.50
CHARACTERIZATION:.......................................3.00
TOPICS: ...............................................................3.50
STYLE:..................................................................3.00
ORIGINALITY:.......................................................4.50
ADDICTIVENESS:..............................................3.00
OWNERSHIP:......................................................3.00
Threshold Quality.................................................3.50
Average..............................................................................................3.50  

Allan Karlsson on his 100th birthday decides that he doesn't want to stay at the nursing home for his party, and so he climbs out of his window and starts an adventure.  Throughout the book we are shown the remarkable life that he has lived and the historical moments he has been a part of.  His part in history  is now offset by his latest adventure that is filled with humorous actions and unbelievable antics of new friends found along the way.

Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stott

 ★★★

GENRE: Mystery
SUBJECT: patricide, accidental murder
Setting: New York
CHARACTERS: Nero Wolfe, Archie Goodwin, Peter Barstow, Sarah Barstow, Corbett Kimball, Manuel Kimball
DATE READ: January 2 - January 25
NO. OF PAGES: 285
Challenges: TIOLI, CATEGORY, MYSTERYCAT
SOURCE: Public Library

PLOT:....................................................................3.00
CHARACTERIZATION:.......................................3.00
TOPICS: ...............................................................3.00
STYLE:..................................................................3.00
ORIGINALITY:.......................................................3.00
ADDICTIVENESS:..............................................3.00
OWNERSHIP:......................................................3.00
Threshold Quality.................................................3.00
Average..............................................................................................3.00

This mystery was written in the early 20th century.  I'm not sure how I feel about it.  The plot was okay, the characters were a bit stereotypical.  The solution predictable

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

★★★★

GENRE: Fiction
SUBJECT: Female Flyers WWII, adoption
Setting: Point Clear, AL,  Pulaski, WI
CHARACTERS: Sookie Poole, Earle Poole Jr., Lenore Simmons Krackenberry, Netta Verp, Fritzi Jurdabralinski, Sophie Marie Jurdabralinski, Billy Bevins, Dr. Shapiro
DATE READ: January 15 - January 23
NO. OF PAGES: 419
Challenges: TIOLI, CATEGORY, GEOCAT,US
SOURCE: ARC from author for review

PLOT:...............................................4.50
CHARACTERIZATION:..................4.00
TOPICS:..........................................4.00
STYLE:............................................4.00
ORIGINALITY:.................................4.00
ADDICTIVENESS:.........................4.00
OWNERSHIP:.................................3.50
Threshold Quality............................4.00
Average.........................................................4.00


Did you ever think as you were growing up that maybe you were adopted and that's why you just didn't seem to fit in?  Well, Sookie Poole never seemed to live up to her mother's expectations, but when at age 60 she received a package that told her she was adopted, Sookie was stunned.  She tried psychiatric consultations (but she didn't want her mother to know that she knew - so the doctor met her at the Waffle House) and she started researching her birth mother's family and origins.  Sookie, an Alabaman southern Baptist, found her birth mother was a Wisconsian Polish Catholic.

Now glide back in time to Pulaski Wisconsin and meet the Jurdabralinski family.  Stanislav owns the Phillips 66 station and when sickness forces him to recuperate out of state, his 4 daughters, wife and daughter-in-law take on running the station and pretty girls brought a bunch business until WWII and gas rationing force a shutdown. 

The oldest Daughter, Fritzi, already had her flying license, and had taught 2 of her sisters so with the station shutdown, Fritzi, Gertrude and Sophie Marie  join the WASPs to help ferry new aircraft from the factory to the airfields for the war effort.

Back to Sookie, she garners enough courage to call the name on her birth certificate and arranges to meet.

The story easily floats back and forth between Sookie and her Mother (Lenore is a bit wacky and easily makes the reader sympathize with Sookie) and the Jurdabralinski girls.  The short chapters make the story whip along and help to hold the readers interest.

Surprise ending with heart and laughter included

American Passage: The History of Ellis Island by Vincent J. Cannato

 ★★★

GENRE: History
SUBJECT: immigration
Setting: Ellis Island, NY USA
CHARACTERS: Col. John Weber, William Williams, Henry Goddard, Dr. Howard Knox
DATE READ: January 13 - January 15
NO. OF PAGES: 419
Challenges: TIOLI, CATEGORY, GEOCAT
SOURCE: ARC from author for review

PLOT:....................................................................3.00
CHARACTERIZATION:.......................................3.50
TOPICS: ...............................................................3.50
STYLE:..................................................................3.50
ORIGINALITY:.......................................................3.00
ADDICTIVENESS:..............................................3.00
OWNERSHIP:......................................................3.00
Threshold Quality.................................................3.00
Average..............................................................................................3.19

For anyone who has ancestors who came through Ellis Island, this is book that will shed light on the difficulties that were presented to them. 

Until 1920, just about all white immigrants were allowed to enter the USA without visas, without medical checks, and without criminal checks. There were no quotas either.  Col. John Weber, a Civil War veteran, was he first director at Ellis Island.  He was sympatric to the refugees and stated that he believed that "the evils of immigration are purely imaginary" and "greatly exaggerated".  Reports in 1903 showed that of the 857,000  immigrants - 60% of the Italians, Jews, and Slavs were illiterate and came to the USA with $9 ($150 today) and no job arrangements.

About that time the Immigration Restriction League (IRL) worried that the Eastern and Southern Europeans would supplant the white race in America.  A new director in 1911, William Williams, worked with the IRL, complaining of their different customs and inability to assimilate.  Wm Wms was accused of anti-Semitism and argued that it was only "sociological fact" that Jews were genetically inferior. 

A  testing was started by Henry Goddard on the new arrivals and his findings were that 83% of Jews and 79% of the Italians were feebleminded.  Why? Being asked to define a table - a Jew replied a place to sit and eat - obviously not Goddard's definition.

A new tester was brought in, Dr. Henry Knox who found that in one example a man that was rated of low intelligence actually spoke 3 languages and was very clever.

After  World War I immigrant numbers were  reduced - ex. Italians in 1914 296K, 1920 40K, 1924 -4K.  Greeks went from 3K - 100.

Lady Liberty's light was slowly extinguished by legislation and quotas. 

A fascinating look at early 20th Century America.
Reading this book makes me wonder how my grandfather managed to pass through Ellis Island and get into the USA.

Eggs in a Casket by Laura Childs

 ★★★¾

GENRE: Cozy Mystery

SUBJECT: body building, steriods, tazers

Setting: Kindred Minnesota USA

CHARACTERS: Suzane Dietz, Toni Garrett, Petra, Missy Langston, Sam Hazelet, Carla Reiker, Jake Gantz, Havis Newton

DATE READ: January 7 - January 12

NO. OF PAGES: 308

Challenges: TIOLI, ROOT, CATEGORY, GEOCAT

SOURCE: ARC from author for review

PLOT:....................................................................4.00
CHARACTERIZATION:.......................................4.00
TOPICS: ...............................................................3.50
STYLE:..................................................................4.00
ORIGINALITY:.......................................................3.50
ADDICTIVENESS:..............................................3.50
OWNERSHIP:......................................................3.50
Threshold Quality.................................................4.00

Average..............................................................................................3.75

How I wish there was a Cackleberry Club in my neighborhood.  I think I'd probably live there - good food, book nook, and craft center and of course, there is hint of romance.  But this also has a group of ladies who always seem to be in the middle or MURDER!  They find the bodies and then they help the Sheriff to figure out whodunit!

This time Suzanne and Toni stumbled upon the victim in an open grave while delivering flowers.  He wasn't very popular so there should be plenty of suspects, but the Sheriff has his eye on just one person, and Suzanne is determined to show that his theory is just not possible.

One of my favorite series, love the characters, love the recipes, LOVE THE STORIES!

Great fun, recommended to all!

Benjamin Harrison: America's 23rd President by Jean Kinney Williams

★★¾

GENRE: History
SUBJECT: Biography
Setting: Indiana, Washington,DC
CHARACTERS: Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Franklin
DATE READ: January 7 - January 7
NO. OF PAGES: 102
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   no, public library

PLOT:....................................................................3.00
CHARACTERIZATION:.......................................2.50
TOPICS: ...............................................................3.00
STYLE:..................................................................3.00
ORIGINALITY:.......................................................2.50
ADDICTIVENESS:..............................................3.00
OWNERSHIP:......................................................2.50
Threshold Quality.................................................2.50
Average..............................................................................................2.75

Most people if asked about Benjamin Harrison will either say that he was the man elected in between the non-consecutive terms of Grover Cleveland or that he was the grandson of William Henry Harrison, the 9th President and in this short biography that's about it.  He appears to have been elected on name recognition and his war record rather than anything he stood for or had done.

After reading about a man with political courage as Grover Cleveland, it is hard to realize that the nation switched to this man who seemed to have no mental fortitude at all.  No wonder they switched back at their first opportunity.

An Honest President by H.P.Jeffers

 ★★★¼

GENRE: History
SUBJECT: Biography
Setting: NY, Washington, DC
CHARACTERS: Geover Cleveland, Frances Cleveland, David Lamont
DATE READ: December 27 - January 6
NO. OF PAGES: 400
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   yes, my shelves

PLOT:....................................................................3.00
CHARACTERIZATION:.......................................3.00
TOPICS: ...............................................................3.50
STYLE:..................................................................3.00
ORIGINALITY:.......................................................3.00
ADDICTIVENESS:..............................................3.50
OWNERSHIP:......................................................3.00
Threshold Quality.................................................3.00
Average..............................................................................................3.13

Most people if asked about Grover Cleveland will either say that he was the only man elected in non-consecutive terms or that he was married in the White House or the father of Baby Ruth.  But what  I found in reading the biography was a man who "possessed honesty, courage, firmness, independence and common sense".  Cleveland felt that "those who governed understood that they were servants, not masters, and  that public office is a public trust".

Grover Cleveland, a man of political courage, was a defender of the Monroe Doctrine, champion of the Gold Standard and Civil Service Reform. 

All in all, a man that held honesty as the most important trait of any man even if it threatened his political popularity.

RECAP OF 2013

Total books read in 2013: 105
Total pages read in 2013: 38,331
READ OUR OWN TOMES Challenge: 83/105
Euro Challenge: 2
US State Challenge: 0
Presidential Challenge: 1

CLASSICS: 5
MYSTERIES: 47
FANTASY: 8
GENERAL FICTION: 15
HISTORY: 7
HISTORICAL FICTION: 8
MEMOIR: 1
GRAPHIC NOVELS: 2
ROMANCE: 8
NON-FICTION: 4


AUDIO: 32
E-BOOK: 38
ARDs: 35

First in a series: 11
Second in a series: 16
Third in a series: 5
Continuing a series: 18
Number of series brought current: 13

Bard to believe but my TBRs actual went down by 15 in 2013!

TBRs 1/1/2013:..................434
Books read from TBR:.........83-
Books added to TBR:..........90+
New books read:..................22-
Balance:..............................419=


Librarybooks/borrowed Books read: 16
Free Books: 23
GroupReads: 14


The book that kept me breathless: Light Between The Oceans
The mystery that I enjoyed reading the most:   Peach Pies and Alibis
Biggest disappointment: Elizabeth of York
Book that gave the most smiles/laughs: Bring on the Blessings
Book I wish I'd read sooner: There is a Season  recommended by tututhefirst
Best Recommended book: Good King Wenceslas recommended by whisper1
The book with the most surprises: Manifest Injustice: The True Story of a Convicted Murderer
Most thought provoking book: Light Between The Oceans
Series book that has me wanting the next one NOW!:   Peach Pies and Alibis
Best Audio book:   The Shifting Tide
Book I am still working on: An Honest President
Book I'm glad I finished: Game of Thrones

Most memorable Read Good Night, Maryland   - read with my Grandson and granddaughter
Prettiest Cover A Nantucket Christmas


FAVORITE OF THE YEAR:  Light Between The Oceans

Well, now I can officially close out 2013. Now onto 2014.