They're growing books along side the grapevines in Ghent, Belgium - how cool is that!

"books too can broaden the mind, just like good wine.” I'll drink to that!

Secret Lives of the Supreme Court by Robert Schakenberg

Read: October 10 - 19

Format: Paperback 277 pages

Source: My shelves, giveaway winner

Subject: Supreme Court, judges bios

Category: Something New - books acquired in 2011

Challenges: 11 in 11, 75 Book, TIOLI, BOYS

Stars: ★★

This book is mainly a collection of short biographical material and unusual anecdotes concerning the lives of past and present Justices of the Supreme Court. Due the political leanings expressed by the author, I would think that some are a litte far-fetched. Though slightly entertaining, not recommended.

Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley

Read: October 2 -4

Format: Paperback 285 pages

Source: My shelves, giveaway winner

Subject: Supreme Court, marriage, TV personalities

Category: Something Old - read those TBRs

Challenges: 11 in 11, 75 Book, TIOLI, BOYS

Stars: ★★★½

What would it be like if Judge Judy was appointed to the Supreme Court? The premise of this book is that the president needs to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court and the Senate Judiciary Committee has destroyed the 2 perfect judges that have nominated so to get their goat he nominates Judge Pepper from the popular TV series Courtroom Six.

The public is thrilled with the nomination and she is pushed through. At the same time, the head Senator of the Judicary Committee (who really wanted the job) is recruited by the producer of Courtroom Six to take on the role of the President in his new series POTUS. This was an extremely fun book satirizing our legistlative and judiciary.

Politically Correct - A NEW SLANT ON OLD STORIES

#13 Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times

#14 Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Once Upon a More Enlightened Time

Author: James Finn Garner
Read: Feb 5 - Feb 6
Format: Hardback, 163 pages
Source: Public Library
Subject:fairy tales
Setting: various locales, times
Category: Books found on the Internet/thru LT/at the library/in a bookstore
Genre: Childrens books
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL
Stars: 3

How many of us as children heard the fairy tales Hansel & Gretel, Puss in Boots, and the Tortoise & the Hare? How many of us wanted to be the Princess & the Pea?(me), The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, or Goldilocks? Did we know at that time we were being exposed to sexist, discriminatory, culturally biased material by our parents and loved ones? Did we have any idea of how these "fairy tales" would affect our futures?

These alternate versions of the beloved "fairy tales" by Aesop, the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Andersen, to name a few take a decidedly different turn when written from a politically correct angle. Who would believe that Snow White and her wicked stepmother would end up friends, or that the Tortoise would be disqualified after the race? These are but a few of unusual twists and turns that political correctness takes in these stories.

I heard about this books from Whisper1 and ran right out and got them from the library. Some of the tales are so funny I laughed till I cried, others not so much, but definitely worth the read. Thanks Whisper!

Christmas Sucks: What to Do When Fruitcake, Family, and Finding the Perfect Gift Make You Miserable by Joanne Kimes

Read: Dec 21 - Dec 22
Source: Public Library
Category: Overflow - New Writer (Christmas Challenge)
Pages: 160

First, let me say that Christmas is my favorite, absolutely favorite, time of the year. I start preparing for Christmas in June and July so that I can setup my Christmas display and have it ready by Thanksgiving. It doesn't come down until February at the earliest. That said, why would I read a book with this title? I thought it might be interesting to see how the other half look at this wonderful occasion and so I started, prepared to not like it at all.

Okay, so here is the scoop, I really enjoyed this book. I laughed so hard at parts that tears streamed down my face, and my husband ( the original Scrooge), has a look on his face, like - okay she's really lost it now.

The writer has this wonderful style for sarcasm and her descriptions are just to die for! She addresses all the issues surrounding the holiday preparations - shopping, Santa Claus, parties, gift giving, decorating, traveling, family gatherings - and even gives you tips on how to avoid the stress in all these areas.

Here are just a few of the humorous words from Joanne Kimes on a few subjects surrounding the holidays.
Shopping " Black Friday is a modern day version of a Roman Gladiator match"
Parking at the mall - "vultures circling over a dying zebra"
purchasing a gift the 3rd week in December - "If you are hoping to get something monogrammed, get out your Sharpie."
Gift Giving - "Create a nice gift. This year I am giving out infused Vodka. It's easy to make, looks great in a pretty bottle, and who couldn't use a stiff shot this time of year?"
Hosting a Party - "Ask a close friend to come early to have an extra set of hands around because your husband is still busy SITTING ON HIS ASS."

I could go on and on, but then I would just be re-writing the book here. If you need a good laugh to make you believe that it is all worthwhile, this is the book to get.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS by Eric Weiner

Read : June 21 - 27
Category : New Writers
Pages : 328

Have you ever heard of the study of happiness? I know that I hadn't until I read this book, I understand now, how addictive it could be to try and find a happy place, if, of course, I wasn't already happy and had an expense account to fund it.
This book gives statistics of happiness arrived at through vast research, for example:
Extroverts are happier than introverts;
optimists are happier than pessimists(who would have thunk?);
married people are happier than singles, though people with children are no happier than childless couples;
Republicans are happier than Democrats;
wealthy people are happier than poor ones; (do the last two go together?)
people with an active sex life are happier than those without; (Does that one go with the last two, too?
busy people are happier than those with little to do; it just goes on and on.

So the author sets out to explore the possibility that some places are happier than others. He starts out in Holland and after determining that part of the "happiness" allure to the Dutch nation is the legality of pot and prostitution, and their fondness for cycling, he moves on to Switzerland.

After all, Switzerland makes great Chocolate, what would make you happier? The insights presented for Swiss happiness appear normal in some instances (nature, mountains) and bizarre in other ( strict laws - no toilet flushing after 10PM but euthanasia is legal). Philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote "A certain amount of boredom is essential to a happy life" and the author concludes the Swiss reason for happiness is that they are boring. He moves on.

Next is Bhutan and Asian country in the Himalayas which actually has a national Happiness Policy and it is part of the national anthem. What would you expect being so close to the mythical Shangri-La.

The author visits Qatar where Happiness is a winning lottery ticket, Iceland where happiness is failure (a unique concept), Moldova which is at the bottom of the happiness scale (possibly because of the economic and cultural conditions since the Soviet breakup), and Thailand where the people are too busy being happy to think about happiness because they take life as it comes.
Starting his trip heading home, the author stops in India receiving the definition of Indian happiness being unpredictability, and Great Britain is happy with change. Finally arriving home the author determines that paradise is fleeting. If you find it, everyone else will too and then, it might not be paradise anymore. But, for most, Happiness is home.

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE by Charles Osgood

Read : June 14-16
Category : History/Humor
Pages : 239

We've all heard Harry Truman's saying about if it's too hot to get out of the kitchen, well this book is full of the quips and anecdotes from presidential elections from Harry Truman through Bush II and some are just as memorable. McGovern is remembered for saying "Three things beat me. Dirty tricks, tapped phones, and I lost 49 states." The quotes ad stories are amusing and lighthearted. my favorites that pertain to no candidates in particular are: Richard Harkness (newspaper commentator) "When it comes to facing up to serious problems, each candidate will pledge to appoint a committee. And what is a Committee? A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary. It all sounds great in a campaign speech." or humorist Caskie Stinnett's quote "take a second look at the candidate whose voice falters at the end of each page of his speech. He doesn't know, any more than you do, what's coming next."On occasion we have had third party candidates that have added to the amusement.I liked the quote about Ross Perot. The National review said " Ross Perot won't hire gays or adulterers for his administration. At last----a practical plan to shrink the size of the government." (Not my viewpoint, just an amusing quote.)

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS Author: Augusten Burroughs

Category: Audiobooks
Pages: 304
Read: May 22 - May 27

This book is a collection of essays/short stories/memoirs surrounding the early childhood, of the author. Reviews had this book as being hilarious especially when read on audio by the author. This is the version that I checked out of the library. It missed with me.

The stories are told in reverse chronological order which is a little strange - going from successful relationships to a loner; non-smoking Alcoholic in AA to a smoking drinker; gay relationship to young man looking at girls; The tales included telling of when he was a child, his reluctance to visit one grandmother (evil) after visiting the other (good) (If one of my grandmothers had a tooth fairy that gave $50 per tooth, I 'd think that the other was evil too.), spending over $600 a month on Nicorette gum when he quit smoking, and a crush on a female doctor as a child. A few of the short stories are extremely entertaining but the entire book wasn't worth its reviews that were raves. (IMHO) Don't think I'll read anything more from this author.

I chose this book because my husband and I were going on a car trip to Richmond and we do audio books when we travel. My husband liked it better than I did. He gave it 3 stars.