#81 At Dawn We Slept by Gordon W. Prange Comprehensive analysis of the lead-up to the Pearl Harbor attack from both the Japanese and the American viewpoints. The volume does not include Yamamoto's post-attack speech "I fear that we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve." Apparently, according to most historians, Yamamoto neither spoke nor wrote this line - it came from the closing scene of the movie "Tora! Tora! Tora!" An outstanding history of the leadup to the attack, the actual event, and the repercussions to the American commanders.
#82 The Price of Valor by David A. Smith Biography of Audie Murphy, America's most highly decorated enlisted soldier of World War 2. His life and his finances after the war were damaged by his PTSD, his gambling problems, some very poor movie roles - attributed by the author to bad writing, weak direction, and lack of money - his philandering, and his too-easy trust in unreliable people, which drained his cash supply. I was surprised to learn that also wrote lyrics to several country hits of the 50s and 60s. He died in a plane crash in May 1971 and was eventually interred in Arlington National Cemetery, as befitting his Medal of Honor.
#83 The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave As SciFiJoan reported, this is quite entertaining. Hannah is dropped into a mystery where she learns that nothing in her life is as she thought. Her husband isn't who he said he was, his past isn't what he said it was, and her stepdaughter isn't who she's supposed to be - but the stepdaughter doesn't know it. Tense drama where the private citizen overcomes the danger and pitfalls of corporate fraud and mobbed-up extended family. There's a high cost, but there's also a powerful payoff: love and sacrifice are often conjoined twins.
#84 Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan by Vonda M. McIntyre Novelization of the best Star Trek movie from The Original Series (TOS). Much more information on Saavik's past, the scientists at the Regulus lab, the interaction between Khan and Joachim, his most faithful servant and friend, plus much more about Carol and David Marcus and their interactions with Jim Kirk. Of course, Spock is the hero. A familiar story, well-told and still worthy of a sniffle or three.
#85 Dangerous Secrets by Mari Mancusi The backstory for Elsa and Anna's parents Agnarr and Iduna and how they fell in love. It's a Disney story, so there is no blood or sex or violence. But there is relationship tension brought on by Iduna's reluctance to trust Agnarr with an inconvenient truth even after they wed and produce two daughters. If you know the movie, you know their final fate, but you don't know the roads they took both separately and together to arrive there. If you're into Disney, this is worth a read.
#86 Case Histories by Kate Atkinson First Jackson Brodie novel. I don't know why this is a successful series. In this book, Brodie - former police inspector turned private investigator - resolves three seemingly unrelated cases without doing very much. Almost all the action seemed to happen to him instead of originating with him. The intertwined stories are full of sudden violence and fear, but the writing distances the reader from the action. I felt no tension for Brodie, nor did I see the resolution coming because he basically lucked into it. And two of the stories, while there are endings for each, don't seem finished. Maybe the author weaves these lines back into later books, but I doubt that I'll read them. The whole story just felt flat to me and I have more interesting prospects on my to-read list.
#87 Christy Mathewson, The Christian Gentleman by Bob Gaines Christy Mathewson joined the New York Giants baseball club in 1900. From that beginning, he pitched until September 1917 and won a National League record 373 games. He is best remembered, however, as a sincere and genuine Christian man who put his faith in the Lord first in his life. This is a fun read with lots of personal information about Matty and many of his teammates and opponents. When he died in October 1925, his funeral was attended by most of baseball's stars - even the notorious and often anti-social Ty Cobb was there. He left behind a testimony of faith and steadfastness while succeeding in one of the most competitive and difficult occupations in modern society, the major league pitcher.
#88 The Perfect Secret: Jessie Hunt #11 by Blake Pierce Jesse Hunt has a lot on her plate. Her boyfriend Ryan is coming home from the hospital and requires physical therapy plus constant care. Her new teaching schedule is going well but is taking up a lot of time. Her sister Hannah is starting her senior year in high school and still has nightmares about the murders she witnessed, as does Jessie. Now her old boss at the LAPD has asked her to investigate a case involving a woman whose neck was snapped at a multi-billionaire's weekend party. Jessie takes the case while trying to balance Ryan's care, Hannah's teen angst and trauma, and her new job. Once again she faces mortal danger, but at least this time she doesn't invite it. Looming over all that is the spectre of a serial killer who battled her now-dead mentor to a draw, but who is returning to California to meet her. Tight story and believable within the rules of the mystery genre.
#89 As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes The movie is one of my all-time favorites, and reading Cary's memories of the production was almost like watching it all over again. I never would have dreamed, for example, that Wallace Shawn was terrified that he'd be replaced with no notice, or that Cary Elwes broke his foot trying to drive Andre's ATV up the hill to shoot the scenes between Buttercup and Roberts just after Vizini was dispatched (Cary's limp as he and Robin flee along the bottom of the gorge is real - his foot was broken), or that Andre loved the entire experience on the set partly because, as he said, "Nobody looks at me." Nor did I know that the famous swordfight scene was originally rehearsed to be a little over one minute, and that Rob Reiner demanded much more time, so that was when the horizontal bar came in, along with the gymnastics - or that Mandy Patinkin had four months of sword practice before starting with the swordmaster on the movie while Cary had none. It was funny, informative, and much like sitting down with a friend and chatting over shared experiences. Cary's not a great writer or grammarian, but in this case the important part is the content, not the presentation.
#90 The Perfect Facade: Jessie Hunt #12 by Blake Pierce Jessie lets her old boss at the precinct con her into accepting another case and she manages to solve it with the help of her new lady detective and young male tech expert friends. Her younger sister, looking for dangerous thrills, takes on a child molester and gets him arrested but she doesn't tell anyone what she's done. Jessie's boyfriend Ryan, still recovering from injuries suffered in the line of duty, starts doing desk work with his old homicide unit. And the Night Ranger, an old serial murder from Jessie's dead mentor's past, is still active. Still a fun series with a few unanticipated twists and turns.
#91 Doctor's Orders by Diane Duane Star Trek TOS. On a diplomatic mission to a beautiful and totally unthreatening planet, Kirk decides to pay McCoy back for some of his hard teasing about command and puts the doctor in the Big Chair on the bridge. Of course, complications in the form of time-jumping rocks, Orions, Klingons, and talking trees ensue, with the end result that McCoy is giving the orders when battle looms and the odds are not in favor of the Federation. Both action and character development throughout the story. It's a fun re-read.
#92 Dave Barry Talks Back by Dave Barry A collection of his columns written in response to reader inquiries. Still funny as all git-out (my father was from Tennessee). Guaranteed to make you smile.
#93 Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up! by Dave Barry Another hilarious collection, including The Worst Song Ever Recorded contest and the reader response column And The Winner Is… Slap your knee and ROTFL funny.
#94 The Book of Dragons ed. Jonathan Strahan, art by Rovina Cai Dragons are benign protectors. Dragons are vicious predators. Dragons only care about humans when they cross paths with one. Dragons are ancient Terran life forms. Dragons are trans-dimensional travelers. Dragons were once human. Dragons are incredibly powerful beings capable of terraforming barren planetoids. Dragons and humans are often lovers. Dragons are extra-dimensional invaders. Whatever your preference, you'll find at least one story to match it in this volume. And the art is also breathtaking. Worth a read or two.
